Lemon Soda Candy

An ear-splitting sound of a chair scratching across the floor suddenly filled the classroom. 

The class monitor, who was the only person left in the room, stood up to leave. 

All at once, Zhou Anran pulled herself together, realizing that her current action is no better than eavesdropping, which is of a completely different nature than listening to him through the convenience of her seat this morning.

Aware that someone is coming her way. 

And that Yan Xingxi is still waiting for her in the bathroom downstairs.

Zhou Anran smoothed her lips, moved her feet to proceed walking towards her seat.

At that moment, the familiar voice finally rang out, traveling from the back door into her ears. It was still low and lazy, lacking any emotion. 

"But senior sister, you already did—" The boy paused, the apparent sleepiness in his voice intensified,"disturb my sleep."

The long string in her heart loosened a little. 

But nevertheless, it remained tightly intertwined, ready to be tightened at any time. 

As the distance widened, the rest of the conversation could no longer be heard. 

Zhou Anran returned to her seat, opened the zipper of her bag, took something out and stuffed it into her uniform pocket. 

As she closed the zip, she heard the sound of a chair being pulled from behind her, her movement paused. 

A few seconds later, Zhou Anran stood up. 

The moment she turned around, as expected, she found Chen Luobai had already back in his seat.

The boy was once again leaning against the desk, he didn't bury his whole face in his arms this time, showing a part of his seamless side profile. 

For the first time ever, only the two of them were left in the classroom.

However, Zhou Anran couldn't fully appreciate this rare opportunity of being alone with him as her mind kept replaying the previous conversation. 

Was the girl who came looking for him earlier the same senior that Zhu Ran mentioned in the morning?

But wasn't this morning he said that the senior sister is only asking math problems?

Above all, what he just said...

Can it be considered a rejection of that senior sister's request?

Since she didn't get to hear the content of their following conversation, she had no way to puzzle out the answer, and was left with a lump of bitterness. 

Not sure if the light was too bright when sleeping sideways, the boy in the back-row adjust his head, reverting back to burying his whole face into his arms. 

Zhou Anran, not wanting to disturb his sleep, averted her gaze and decided not to use the back door this time.

Instead, she took a detour and exited through the front door. When she reached the back door, she hesitated briefly before gently closing it. 

The wind coming in through the back door suddenly stopped.

Chen Luobai lifted his head and turned his eyes towards the back door.

When he went in just now, there seemed to be someone else in the classroom, but he didn't pay attention to who it was.

Chen Luobai once again leaned back on the desk. 

However, being abruptly awakened from his sleep had made it difficult for him to resume his interrupted sleep. 

Five minutes later, Chen Luobai raised his head again, irritably running his hand through his hair.

He stood up, opened the back door that someone had just closed, went downstairs, and walked all the way to the basketball court.

Zhu Ran and Zong Kai were playing one-on-one at the moment. 

Seeing him approaching, the two of them simultaneously stopped their movement.

Zhu Ran walked over while dribbling the ball, "Yo, what could be the reason for our Luo ge to come down here. I thought you said you wanted to stay in class to catch up on sleep? I heard that senior sister came to confess to you again, the rippling excitement of love made you unable to sleep, eh? I wonder who told me this morning that the senior sister was just looking for him to ask math problems?"

Chen Luobai coldly warmed up his wrist and ankle, did not even bat an eye at him. 

"It's not like it's your first day knowing him." It was Zong Kai who answered.

The three of them attended No. 2 Middle School and were always in the same class from 7th grade to 9th grade. They were only separated now, with Zong Kai being in Class 4.

"He wants to give the girl a face¹, a blabbermouth like you will definitely make a fuss about it in class. Then the whole class will know that a senior sister confessed and got rejected by him last week, and in two days time, the news will probably spread throughout the school."

Gossipy Zhu Ran laughed,"But that senior sister clearly wants him more than her face."

After warming up, Chen Luobai stood outside the three-point line and grabbed the ball from his hand,"You've been babbling about it all day. If you're interested in that senior, just say so." 

As he spoke, he jumped to shoot a three-pointer.

The orange ball curved in the air, hit the basket with a thud, then bounced back out. 

Chen Luobai clicked his tongue in annoyance. 

On the side, Zhu Ran didn't even bother to laugh at him, and immediately retorted, "Don't talk nonsense. my heart only belongs to your family Bingqin jiejie²."

Chen Luobai lightly glanced at him, "If you have the guts, say that when she's around."

Zhu Ran: "......"

Yu Bingqin is Chen Luobai's cousin who lives in a neighboring city, she's three years older than them. True to her name, she was cold and unapproachable, befitting of a queen. 

Zhu Ran admitted at lightning speed,"I didn't have the guts."

Afterwards, he approached Chen Luobai and asked in a flattering manner, "Will Bingqin jiejie come to your house to celebrate Chinese New Year?" 

Chen Luobai took a quick look at him and suddenly smiled, "Curious?" 

Zhu Ran: "Why would I ask if I'm not."

Chen Luobai pointed with his chin, "Then help me collect the ball first."

Zhu Ran hurriedly went to the other side of the court, picked up the ball, passed it to him, and proceeded to up his game,"If you tell me, I won't cheat you out of the money for that sneaker. I'll pay you back after Chinese new year next month." 

A slight smile appeared at the corner of Chen Luobai's mouth, "The money can wait. I have another condition."

Zhu Ran: "Pray tell." 

Chen Luobai didn't immediately answer, casually dribbling the ball in his hand twice.

Zhu Ran anxiously waited for his response, feeling as if his heart was in his hand, just like the ball. 

His heart... Oh no, Chen Luobai threw the orange ball again, and this time it landed safely in the basket.  

Perhaps because he scored a goal, a certain person is in a better mood, and at long last opened his mouth,"Just keep your mouth shut in front of me for a week."

Zhu Ran felt his heart drop along with the ball.

As a chatterbox, he needs to mutter a few words during class. Asking him to stop talking is harder for him than returning Chen Luobai's money right this instant. 

"Damn it! If you don't want to tell, then forget it. No need to play with me like that!" 

Zong Kai laughed so hard that his shoulders shook, saying, "You know damn well that his temper worsens when he doesn't get enough sleep. You just had to provoke him at this time." 

Zhu Ran glanced across the field and noticed that several girls had appeared at the side of the court. He didn't need to guess why they were there and shook his head,"It's a pity that the girls in this school are blinded by certain someone's looks, completely oblivious to this young master's evil heart." 

Chen Luobai, who had just returned from retrieving the ball, heard his last remark and nodded without showing much emotion,"Evil heart, huh? Fine, don't come to me asking about my sister next time."

At once, Zhu Ran pointed his finger to Zong Kai, "I'm talking about him."

Being pointed by him, Zong Kai laughed in anger,"Zhu Ran, you fucking shameless!" 

Outside the court, a school bus swiftly drove past behind the female students, Zhu Ran's eyes caught a glimpse of a person inside the bus.

"That seems to be the school team." He turned to face Chen Luobai,"Don't you regret it, had you accepted the coach offer back then, you probably would be inside that bus now." 

Chen Luobai glanced over, showing no emotion as he replied ,"What's there to regret?" 

Zhu Ran: "High School League is once-in-a-lifetime experience." 

Chen Luobai took another shot with the ball in his hand, "Hobby does not equate to dream." 

The school bus carrying the school team players has long since left.

Zhu Ran retracted his eyes, said in a deliberately exaggerated tone, "Indeed, our young master Chen still has billions of family fortune waiting to be inherited."

"Idiot." Cursed Chen Luobai jokingly, the irritation caused by the interrupted sleep was finally alleviated a little. 

Zong Kai: "I guess AhLuo prefers to be a lawyer like Auntie."

Chen Luobai ignored this sentence, raising his chin towards the opposite court, "Call them over to play 3v3?"

Zhou Anran only only found out that Chen Luobai played a 3v3 match with the boys from class 6 this afternoon when she returned to the classroom. 

Yan Xingxi didn't have any menstrual pain, and is still as lively and energetic even in her period. 

After they finished eating outside the school, Yan Xingxi dragged her to buy a cup of milk tea then took her to stroll around the nearby stationery store, causing them to completely miss the whole match. 

She later learned that they only played 3v3 for half-time, and that the podium were packed up to the top as if it were a national team event. 

That night, as she listened to her classmates discussing Chen Luobai's six three-pointeer this afternoon that took Zhu Ran and Zong Kai to win a clear victory over the boys from class 6, she regretted she didn't get to see the appearance of the boy she likes on the basketball court today.

She bet he was incredibly flamboyant and full of life. 

Nonetheless, the afternoon match was not the only topic of discussion in the class. There was also a discussion about a senior sister who confessed to Chen Luobai this noon. 

It was not as open and high-profile as the basketball match discussion, though. For the most part, the girls in class would gather in small groups and gossip quietly.

A few girls sitting between the hallway near Zhou Anran were among them.

"From what I gathered, it seems to be someone called Xie something, a sophomore senior from ordinary class. How courageous of her, she even went as far as directly came to our class to find Chen Luobai." Said a girl named Cai Yue from their class. 

Another girl named Zhang Shuxian chimed in,"You mean Xie Yufei? That surname is pretty rare, it must be the flower³ of the sophomore grade."

"The flower of the grade ah."Cai Yue lamented,"No wonder she can be that courageous." 

"I've met this Xie sister. I think she's pretty average-looking."The art committee member, Lou Yiqi, interjected at this time. 

"Average? If I can have her face, I'll have nothing left to wish for."Zhang Shuxian glanced at her, she suddenly switched to a teasing tone,"I noticed that you often mention Chen Luobai to us, don't tell me you like him too, that's why—"

Before she could finish the words, her mouth was covered by Lou Yiqi's hand.

The girl's face was blushing through and through, "Do you want to die, if you keep talking nonsense, I won't tell you any gossip in the future."

Zhang Shuxian apologized half-heartedly, "I was wrong."

Luo Yiqi didn't dwell on it, rolling up her hair, "All I'm saying is, the girls who dare to directly confess their love to Chen Luobai are all beautiful, this senior sister Xie is nothing special compared to them." 

Cai Yue nodded, "You're right."

Luo Yiqi twisted her fingers together, asked again,"So, did Chen Luobai say yes to her?" 

Cai Yue: "I have also inquired about this, he didn't."

"......"

Zhou Anran bowed her head and did the math homework.

Her grip on the pen finally loosened.

He Mingyu, who sat behind her, gently poked her shoulder with a pen, "Zhou Anran, can you help me see what this sentence means?"

Zhou Anran turned around.

Pushing the book in his hand towards her, He Mingyu pointed to the underlined English sentence, "This one."

Zhou Anran straightened the book and took a look at it.

He Mingyu's gaze fell on her fine, butterfly-wing-like eyelashes, before turning his eyes away. 

Zhou Anran pointed to one of the word in the sentence,"Black here refers to 'anger, hatred'" 

He Mingyu lowered his head again, "Thanks."

"It's nothing."

As Zhou Anran looked up, her eyes unconsciously fell on the table sixth in the second row.

The seat is still empty.

She heard after the 3v3 match ended, he invited Zhu Ran as well as the three boys from Class 6 to eat out.

The evening-study is almost starting at this moment. 

If he doesn't come back now, he'll definitely be late.

Zhou Anran slowly turned her head back.

Luo Yiqi and the girls had changed their topics to the most recent hit TV drama, but another group of girls behind her had also started discussing this afternoon's confession. 

That familiar name kept slipping into her ears every now and then. 

With some guesses, Zhou Anran could figure out the reason why he lied to Zhu Ran this morning. 

But she was not expecting a lie he casually told to start a new trend in school.

_______

¹:retain respect; avoid humiliation.

²:Sister.

³:The most beautiful girl in the whole grade.