Chapter 6

Fragments of light and shadow filtered through the leaves.

The dappled sunlight filtering through the trees fell on his face, obscuring his expression.

He was wearing a white and blue school uniform, riding the latest model bicycle, so carefree and unrestrained.

"Robbery?" Jiang Li's gaze swept slowly and lazily over the branch she was holding, and before Guan Nan could reply, he asked, "Are you robbing me of my money or my virtue?"

Guan Nan: "..."

If someone else had said this, Guan Nan would have been dismissive, even thinking the person was overly narcissistic. But when these words came from Jiang Li, everything seemed to make sense.

This person is used to being liked by others, so it's perfectly normal for them to have such thoughts when faced with this situation.

Then, recalling what Chen Aimei had said at noon, Guan Nan became even more convinced that it made sense.

But she doesn't have those feelings for him right now.

Guan Nan opened her mouth, wanting to explain, but when she met that nonchalant face, she instantly became speechless.

She lowered her head, picked up the leaf, and said in a muffled voice, "I'm sorry, I'll leave now."

Seeing that he stopped talking, Guan Nan breathed a sigh of relief and slowly stood up.

The tops of the banyan trees on both sides of the road intertwine, and boys and girls chase and play along the lush, shaded path.

"Hello."

His voice was casual and lazy, and he wasn't serious at all.

She pretended not to hear and quickened her pace. But a few seconds later, he was walking alongside her.

Guan Nan immediately lost her temper.

"Little student."

Guan Nan wrinkled her nose: "I have a name."

"Oh," he said, then suddenly laughed.

For some inexplicable reason, Guan Nan didn't know what to say and continued walking forward with her head down.

Jiang Li then said, "I know."

What do you know?

Guan Nan gave him a strange look.

Students chasing after her came up behind her, and Guan Nan instinctively tried to dodge to the side, but she still couldn't escape being hit.

The incident happened suddenly, and Jiang Li quickly reached out and grabbed the person tightly.

Guan Nan lost her footing and stumbled, her forehead hitting his collarbone squarely. The pain shot straight to her brain, and immediately, the hand that was holding her turned into a support.

She paused for a moment, then instinctively tried to distance herself from Jiang Li, taking a sudden half-step back.

Jiang Li didn't let go, his gaze sweeping down on her, a casual yet flirtatious smile on his face. "What are you doing, throwing yourself into my arms?"

Suddenly, my heart skipped a beat.

I don't know if it was because of those words, that nonchalant yet alluring smile, or the illusion created by the delayed onset of the pain from the earlier bump.

Guan Nan temporarily categorized it as the final reason.

Her ears burned with heat, and Guan Nan swallowed hard, then looked away, unable to bear looking at him again. Although she knew he couldn't read her mind, she still didn't have the courage to look up.

The person who hit them glanced at them briefly, then turned around with a smile, still trying to cause trouble, but the boy was grabbed.

Jiang Li grabbed the back of his school uniform, his usual nonchalant demeanor gone, and spoke in a cold tone: "Apologize."

His attitude was very tough, and his words were no different from orders.

The boy glanced at him, clearly not recognizing him. He twisted his neck a couple of times but couldn't shake him off. His nonchalant expression instantly turned annoyed: "Who the hell are you? Are you crazy?!"

"I want you to apologize." Jiang Li remained calm about his swearing, focusing solely on the issue of an apology. "Will you apologize or not?"

The boy showed no remorse whatsoever, grabbing Jiang Li's collar and arguing with him until the girl caught up from behind and whispered in alarm beside him, "He's Jiang Li."

Jiang Li.

The mere mention of this name is enough to instill fear and unease.

As a key provincial school, Fuzhong has many students with strong personalities. However, these students pale in comparison to Jiang Li. After all, while they may have their own personalities, it doesn't mean they'd dare to do something as reckless as assaulting a teacher.

During our student days, teachers were the most important figures in our eyes.

If Jiang Li dares to hit even his teacher, what else wouldn't he dare to do?

Immediately, the boy changed his attitude, but then, wanting to save face in front of the girl, he tried his best to save face, saying in a friendly tone, "I didn't notice just now, sorry bro."

Jiang Li, with one hand in his pocket and the other pulling Guan Nan who was about to leave, remained silent.

Seeing that his attempt to deceive them wouldn't work, the boy gritted his teeth and said in a strained voice, "I'm sorry."

“Tell her.”

Upon hearing this, the boy was so angry that the veins on his neck bulged. His face turned red, and he said to Guan Nan in a perfunctory tone, "I'm sorry."

Jiang Li looked directly at him: "Say it again, I didn't hear you."

"I'm sorry," the boy said through gritted teeth.

Jiang Li: "Speak louder."

The tree-lined path was bustling with people, and the scene was quite awkward. Many students were staring at this side, as if a strong spice had finally been added to their otherwise barren high school life.

Guan Nan felt very uncomfortable and tugged at his sleeve, "Jiang Li—"

The boy steeled himself and shouted, "I'm sorry."

"I bumped into you, I apologize, I'm sorry!"

He stared at Guan Nan with wide eyes, his face flushed red, and his words sounded more like a threat than an apology.

Jiang Li: "Trying to cause trouble, huh?"

Hearing this, the boy decided to give up entirely, asking, "What else do you want?"

Seeing that things were getting increasingly out of control, several students nearby grabbed the boy and kept urging him to leave.

Guan Nan pulled him back, looked up at him with wet eyes, much like the little white rabbit he used to raise.

She said, "Jiang Li, let's forget about it and not cause trouble."

Seeing the fear in her eyes, and as if to reassure her, Jiang Li said nonchalantly, "I'm too lazy to be stupid enough to argue."

They walked forward slowly, and because of what had just happened, the two seemed to have become more familiar with each other.

The atmosphere was a little awkward. Just as Guan Nan was hesitating about whether to say something, she saw Jiang Li turn his head over, raise an eyebrow slightly, and say lazily, "Aren't you going to thank me this time?"

this time?

After a while, she remembered the incident on the notice board a few days ago, where she had also bumped into him.

He was the one who reminded her to thank him.

“…” After a moment’s hesitation, Guan Nan became a little flustered and stammered, “Thank you.”

He smiled again.

It was the same last time, and it's the same this time.

Guan Nan couldn't help but wonder if her "thank you" was just too funny?

But after glancing at Jiang Li, he gave up on asking for clarification. Let it be funny if it's funny.

After a long pause, Guan Nan clasped his hands together and said slowly, "Don't be so impulsive in the future."

After a few seconds of pause, seeing that Jiang Li remained silent.

Guan Nan hesitated for a moment, then slowly said, "Fighting is not good... You have to write a self-criticism, and you also have to get a disciplinary action."

She had never been in a fight, and when she talked about the downsides of fighting, she hesitated and stumbled.

After a while, still not hearing Jiang Li speak, Guan Nan looked over somewhat awkwardly, "Uh..."

Jiang Liwei lowered her head slightly, her shoulders shaking with laughter, her expression relaxed and content.

He looked over, slowly regaining his usual nonchalant demeanor, and said lazily in a drawn-out tone, "Don't be impulsive?"

Guan Nan nodded: "Mm."

"Don't fight?"

"..." Guan Nan paused slightly, feeling a bit strange, but still nodded: "Mm."

Jiang Li said lazily, "Do you know?"

"What?"

Jiang Li glanced at her, his voice soft and tinged with amusement: "Only my girlfriend can control me."

"·····"

Why did he tell her this?

Guan Nan frowned, muttering under her breath in dissatisfaction, "I never said I was going to interfere with you."

"Oh," Jiang Li said in a drawn-out tone, with a meaningful look, before changing the subject, "So what were you doing just now?"

"I, I..."

"Um?"

Guan Nan kept her head down, thinking about how he had helped her earlier, and seemed to have finally found a suitable excuse: "Thank you, thank you for what you did earlier..."

Should she thank him for standing up for her?

That doesn't seem right either. She doesn't need anyone to stand up for her, she doesn't want to drag anyone down, and she doesn't want to depend on anyone.

If Jiang Li hadn't been there today, even if she had fallen down on the spot, and no one had apologized or helped her up, she wouldn't have said anything. She would have just silently brushed the dirt off her body and continued walking forward.

But just now, Jiang Li did help her, preventing her from falling and making her receive an apology.

Guan Nan thought to herself, "I should thank him."

"No need for thanks," Jiang Li said with a smile, but he was no longer looking at her, and his voice was much softer. "You've already thanked me."

Upon hearing this, Guan Nan glanced at him and silently shut her mouth.

As Guan Nan walked downstairs to the teaching building, she subconsciously slowed her pace and distanced herself from Jiang Li.

Jiang Li seemed to have seen through her thoughts and didn't intend to make things difficult for her. He silently reached into his pocket for his phone and said, "You go first."

After a pause, Guan Nan remained silent and slowly walked upstairs.

She had just climbed a few steps when she suddenly heard Jiang Li call her name, neither too loud nor too soft: "Guan Nan."

Turning his head, Jiang Li stood under the iron gate, holding his phone high.

"Alright, let's go." Jiang Li raised his chin, gesturing for her to go her own way.

Guan Nan looked at him without saying anything.

Jiang Li stared at her for two seconds, then casually looked away and calmly snapped photos of the notice board.

Seeing this, Guan Nan opened his mouth, and then heard him say something.

"He's firmly in first place in the grade."

"Closing the University—"

This time, Guan Nan didn't hesitate at all and turned to go upstairs.

Jiang Li tapped the screen and clicked his tongue.

As Guan Nan entered the classroom through the front door, she noticed Chen Aimei talking to a few girls at the desk in front of her, and they seemed to be laughing happily.

One of them, Chen Mengjie, had spoken to Yu Shu. As for the other two, Guan Nan didn't know them, the test papers hadn't been handed to them, and she didn't remember their names.

Guan Nan handed the bag to Chen Aimei: "I saw that you didn't eat much for lunch, so I bought these for you."

"Did you buy this for me?" Chen Aimei was surprised, jumped up and hugged her, saying with great emotion, "Thank you, Guan Nan, you're so kind~"

Encircled by her, Guan Nan's movements were a little stiff. She didn't particularly like this kind of intimate behavior, but she didn't show any obvious resistance either.

Chen Aimei stuffed the bag into the desk drawer and asked, "Have you chosen your deskmate yet?"

Guan Nan shook her head.

"Have you calculated it yet?" Chen Aimei asked again, "We were just calculating who we'd be sitting with. We'll have them help us move the table later."

Guan Nan smiled, shook her head, and said, "It wasn't counted."

"I'm leaving." Chen Mengjie wasn't interested in other people playing the sisterly love role.

The other two girls exchanged a glance, neither leaving nor speaking.

"Let me help you calculate it." Chen Aimei's report card was still open on the table, covered with colorful pens circling one name after another, making it dazzling to look at. "Don't leave yet."

Although she wasn't particularly curious about these things, she didn't want to disturb Chen Aimei's interest, so she just stood there to the side.

Guan Nan wasn't sure if this was the right way to maintain the friendship.

"Wow!" Chen Aimei exclaimed, attracting several classmates who crowded around her desk to look, pushing Guan Nan aside. "You're sitting with Guo Yuhang."

As soon as she finished speaking, a classmate immediately chimed in, "Look at me, look at me!"

"Me too!"

"Hey Zhang Ruiwen, you're squeezing me!"

In no time, Chen Aimei's seat was completely surrounded, and the two people who had been silent until now quickly joined in. They laughed and joked around.

Guan Nan glanced at it again and silently walked back to her seat.

Just as she sat down, she caught a glimpse of Chen Mengjie carrying trash to throw away, so she snapped out of her reverie and opened her book.

After throwing away the trash, Chen Mengjie paused for two seconds by her table and calmly said, "I think it's fine for you to play alone sometimes."

After saying that, she added, "Some people are only suited to playing alone."

Guan Nan was confused and somewhat stunned.

Without waiting for her to react, Chen Mengjie walked away without changing her expression, as if nothing had happened.

Playing alone.

It's only suitable for playing alone.

Guan Nan was a little annoyed, not understanding the meaning of her words.

Just then, two girls came in through the back door, looking unhappy. Judging from their tone, it seemed they had just spoken to the class monitor in the office about changing seats: "He's so annoying, we just want to sit together."

"Did you two look for a new boss?" someone joked. "You didn't manage to switch, did you?"

Girl: "Mmm."

"I told you not to go," the man said gloatingly.

The girl was already unhappy, and his words made her even more annoyed: "Can you get lost? You're so annoying."

Banban entered the room at this time, just as the bell rang.

He waved his hand, signaling that it was time to line up and change seats. Everyone obediently stood at the door according to their ranking, waiting to be assigned a deskmate. At the same time, voices urging each other to line up could be heard from other classes.

Banban stood directly in front of the two teams, holding the report cards in his hand. "I won't say much more as usual."

"Come on," Banban glanced at the report card and called out two people first, "Liu Wentao, Chen Miaomiao, go in and choose your seats."

The two people whose names were called walked out of the line. One of them wore thick, heavy glasses, and the other was thin, short, and somewhat frail.

After confirming that the two were seated, Banban glanced at the report card again, on which was circled the name: "Zhang Yang".

Zhang Yang is the physical education class representative. He's tall and burly with dark skin. He's also nearsighted.

The line moved forward on its own. Guan Nan glanced back and saw that Zhang Ruiwen, the imaginary deskmate she had predicted at noon, had already been replaced by three people. She lowered her eyes and remained silent.

The teacher said, "The last two students, go to the classroom and move your seats, one on each side of the podium."

With everything arranged, Banban patted Guan Nan on the shoulder, signaling her to go in and choose a seat first.

Guan Nan understood, and before entering the classroom, she glanced at the 18 students next door.

She chose the third seat in the fifth group, which offered an excellent view.

Before the class teacher could let 18 in, someone said, "Teacher, Yu Shu has otitis media and can't hear if he sits far away."

"Really?" Banban asked, half-believing. "Why haven't I heard you mention this before?"

Yu Shu nodded resignedly, "Yes, I'm sorry."

"You're so thick-skinned, yet you know how to be embarrassed?" Banban teased him with a laugh.

Yu Shu was miserable.

"Alright, you can go in now."

Yu Shu, who suffers from otitis media, grabbed his schoolbag and sat down at the desk to the right of Guan Nan. At this time, the classroom was still mostly empty.

The sound rang out, and Guan Nan turned around to look.

"Hey, top student," Yu Shu said with a grin.

He said her words were still ringing in his ears.

Guan Nan admired his composure, but felt awkward and uncomfortable, so she forced a smile and said, "Hello."

As she turned her head, Jiang Li, who was standing far away from her in line, cut in line with the 23rd person and walked openly into the classroom.

He was very tall, and even in his school uniform, his arms and legs looked long. He was arrogant and unrestrained.

Guan Nan: "..."

The queue gradually shortened, and the classroom slowly filled with people.

The class is divided into four large groups and eight smaller groups. The only change in each seat is the number of people; the desks haven't been replaced yet.

Midway through, the class monitor received a phone call, indicating that they should take advantage of the opportunity to move the textbooks.

Guan Nan didn't want to change the chairs; she just wanted to move all her things over. Then she overheard Yu Shu say, "Don't bother taking your things. Just move the table. Otherwise, it'll look even better if they're all over the floor."

It fell all over the ground?

Guan Nan was puzzled for a moment, but before she could think about it further, her classmate sitting next to her urged her to hurry up. She didn't have much stuff: a schoolbag, a stack of books, and a few scattered test papers.

In no time, everything was moved away.

The classroom was filled with the sharp marks of desks and chairs scraping against the floor.

Guan Nan hung her schoolbag on the side, placed her frequently used textbooks and notebooks on the desk, and organized the rest into the desk drawer. Everything was neat and tidy.

When a desk was moved over, she turned her head and her eyes widened instantly.

Suddenly I understand that the phrase "falling all over the ground" is not an exaggeration at all.