Zhou Mo recalled the scene at that time...

"It seems to be exactly as you said," Zhou Mo said. "At that time, he was a transfer student who had just joined our school. He was not very popular and no one wanted to talk to him. We were neighbors and took the same route home from school. We would occasionally chat on the way home. Maybe that was when he started to like me?"

Zhou Mo was not sure when Han Chen fell in love with her.

"I was furious because he suddenly bumped me off the list after a year of hard work. He made me miserable, so I didn't want him to either. So, in a rage, I asked him if he wanted to have a relationship, a secret one, without telling our parents," Zhou Mo recalled. "He showed no expression other than a hint of surprise. He nodded and said 'yes,' agreeing without even thinking."

Shen Pan took a sip of lemonade and coughed lightly a few times, "This... He must have liked you for a long time, and you just asked for it, which is what he wanted, right?"

Zhou Mo pondered for a moment. "No way? I didn't interact with him that much. He was pretty close to a childhood friend of mine. If I had to say who treated him the best, it would definitely be that childhood friend. My childhood friend was very enthusiastic. If it weren't for him, I probably wouldn't have come into contact with Han Chen."

Chen Pan: "Your childhood friend, boy or girl?"

Zhou Mo: "Male."

Chen Pan was helpless. "Isn't it normal to have some romantic thoughts during adolescence? Your childhood friend is a boy, not a girl. Do you think Han Chen doesn't like you but likes your childhood friend?"

"Puff..." Zhou Mo's defense was broken and he laughed out loud, "That's definitely not possible."

"Don't worry about why Han Chen likes you. Anyway, he is yours now. Life is so short, it's not easy to meet someone you can live with and who you love."

Zhou Mo nodded. "But I'm still a little curious. I wasn't very friendly to him at first, so why did he agree to my request to date me so readily?"

The red list is the goal Zhou Mo has been thinking about for two years and has been preparing to achieve since his freshman year of high school.

There is a rule in No. 2 Middle School that after the end of the second year of high school, a weighted statistical analysis of the entire academic year's grades will be conducted, and the total score of each course will be calculated. The names of the top ten students in the grade will be listed separately and written on a large red paper. It will be hung on the honor wall in the corridor until the end of the third year of high school, so it is commonly known as the "Red List."

The total score is not determined by a single score, but by the midterm and final scores of the two semesters. The score of the first semester accounts for 40%, and the score of the second semester accounts for 60%. The total score of each course is then added up.

It’s such an honor to have your name hanging in the corridor for a whole year.

Zhou Mo started working hard to lay the foundation in his freshman year of high school, and continued to persevere for a whole year in his sophomore year. Finally, after the results came out, he got tenth place.

This is a valuable encouragement for her, whose grades are unstable, sometimes making it into the top ten, and sometimes hovering outside the top few dozen.

All the dreams were shattered because of Han Chen's arrival.

He only took one final exam in his second year of high school, and was ranked first based on the total score of that exam.

It was a completely different experience from those who took the exam for a whole year.

Zhou Mo couldn't understand why.

Han Chen did get first place in the final exam of the second semester of his senior year. She was not jealous because that was Han Chen's ability.

But I worked hard throughout my second year of high school.

Throughout my second year of high school, I couldn't perform poorly in any of the four exams, including the midterm and final exams. I finally managed to get the tenth place and got this opportunity to show myself in front of everyone.

It is really unfair to others that Han Chen made it onto the list of top scorers based on just one exam.

It was even more cruel to Zhou Mo.

There are only ten places on the red list. Han Chen ranks first, and Zhou Mo, who ranks tenth, is destined to fall off the list.

At that time, Zhou Mo probably felt like he had seen an enemy when he saw Han Chen, and he wanted to cut him into pieces.

Being able to hold back from getting angry with Han Chen and not cursing at him was already Zhou Mo's greatest forgiveness.

She also treated him badly, even though Han Chen was always with her childhood friend.

So Zhou Mo was very curious. They were like enemies, so why did Han Chen agree so quickly and decisively when she suggested "dating".

Han Chen is a man of few words. Although he answers every question, he rarely reveals his thoughts about the past and never talks about his own mental journey.

On the contrary, Zhou Mo always talked about how he squeezed him out of the red list. As he talked about it, he didn't hate him so much anymore.

Especially after hearing that Han Chen had abdominal muscles, Zhou Mo put his hatred for Han Chen behind him.

But they are too young to bear the pressure of reality, so they can only compromise and go their separate ways.

"You can't keep wasting time like this. When are you going to tell your parents?" Chen Pan said, "You're not anxious, but Han Chen is anxious, right? He's a son-in-law recognized by the law, but when he sees your parents, he can only call them uncle and aunt."

"I have a headache too. Let's just try and get along first." Zhou Mo also wanted to come clean. After all, lying doesn't feel good. "My dad means that we need to meet Han Chen's parents first."

"Haven't you already met his mother?"

"Not enough. My dad probably wants to meet Han Chen's father and the family behind him," Zhou Mo said, "but Han Chen's father... Han Chen and Aunt Liang never mentioned him. I don't know what the situation is, and it's not easy to ask."

Han Chen didn't mention it, which shows that he was keeping it a secret. Regardless of whether the person was alive or not, it was most likely a sad memory.

Zhou Mo would never do such a thing as exposing people's scars to satisfy his own curiosity.

"The best way is for Han Chen to tell me himself," Zhou Mo said, "but Han Chen's personality... he probably won't tell me."

He was even unwilling to elaborate on things like his card being confiscated, him being penniless, and his dire situation. Zhou Mo didn't expect Han Chen to open up on his own initiative.

"As expected, it's different when there's an emotional foundation," Chen Pan said, "If Han Chen knew you were so considerate and caring about him, he would probably be moved to tears."

Zhou Mo frowned: "I have never seen Han Chen cry."

In Zhou Mo's impression, people like Han Chen are insulated from tears.

He doesn't have that many desires, nor does he have that many things he can't get, so for him, losing is at most an emotional cold that he will recover from quickly.

Chen Pan said: "It's okay to be caring. I'm afraid of those who are not caring. No matter how much you give, they will just turn a blind eye."

Zhou Mo could tell that Chen Pan was being sarcastic towards Lu Zhishu.

After the food came, Zhou Mo started to divide the pizza between the two of them.

Chen Pan obediently pushed his plate to Zhou Mo's hand and smiled, "I'm still happier with you. I feel like I'm being taken care of and I don't have to suffer."

Zhou Mo also smiled, "I'm older than you, so of course I have to take care of you."

Chen Pan: "Being your sister should be a very happy thing. It's a pity that your family doesn't want a second child."

Zhou Mo: "Da Mai, not to mention that family planning was strictly enforced at the time, I just don't like sharing my parents' love with others. I'm very jealous."