Chapter 36

When Shang Pingmo came over early in the morning, he heard someone say that Fu Guannan had already gone downstairs with a broom.

"Why didn't you wait for me today? Why did you come down so early?"

Shang Pingmo walked to Fu Guannan and talked to him while sweeping the fallen leaves.

"I want to come down now! I'm a student who needs to study hard now. Unlike you, who comes so late every day."

Fu Guannan swept the fallen leaves into a pile. When he saw the yellow leaves under Shang Pingmo's feet, he said to him, "Make way. There are leaves under your feet."

"Hey, what's wrong with you today? Why do I feel like there's something wrong with you?"

Shang Pingmo stared at Fu Guannan's face, trying to see something, but ended up getting an impatient look from him.

"Sweep the floor well. I have to hurry back for morning reading."

“Puff!”

"Fu Guannan, are you studying hard? Or..."

"Watching others study?" Shang Pingmo moved closer to Fu Guannan and asked in a low voice.

Ever since Shang Pingmo learned of Fu Guannan's thoughts that day, he'd been keeping an eye on his behavior. He'd noticed that Fu Guannan would occasionally glance towards Lin Zhen.

I look at it during morning reading, and sometimes I look over there during class.

Maybe even Fu Guannan himself didn't notice his own actions.

"Rake your leaves."

Fu Guannan didn't know whether he was really annoyed by Shang Pingmo's words or was just angry and embarrassed by his words.

Just like that, a small episode in the public area passed.

——

The midterm exams will be on Thursday and Friday of next week.

Before the exam, the classroom needs to be cleared and all students' books must be moved out of the classroom.

They are usually moved to the teacher's office.

After the midterm exam, we have to move our things back to the classroom.

Lin Zhen was slow to pack up, and she stayed in the classroom until after six o'clock.

So Lin Zhen asked Shi Jinjun to go back first.

Lin Zhen sat in her seat, sorted out her books, and threw away some useless manuscripts and test papers.

"Aren't you going home yet?"

After Fu Guannan finished packing, he picked up his schoolbag and walked to Lin Zhen.

Lin Zhen looked over when she heard the voice and saw Fu Guannan standing on the podium with a black schoolbag slung over one shoulder, watching her pack her things.

Then, Fu Guannan walked down and saw the neatly arranged books in Lin Zhen’s box, as well as the test papers and some notebooks piled cluttered on her desk.

"Didn't you know how to sort things before? Now you have to spend time sorting them." Fu Guannan put his schoolbag on the empty stool in front of Lin Zhen, then pointed to the box of books at Lin Zhen's feet and asked, "Can you move it?"

Because the corridor leading to the classroom is a bit narrow, the head teacher asked the students to put the boxes at the back.

Lin Zhen met Fu Guannan's half-smile, thought about it, and nodded.

"I can move it."

She moved this box of books from the office to the classroom by herself.

Fu Guannan saw Lin Zhen's confident and proud look and smiled.

"Okay, got it."

Fu Guannan put his schoolbag on the stool next to him, then crossed one leg over the stool and sat down. He sat in the seat in front of Lin Zhen. Then, while chatting with Lin Zhen, he watched her pack.

"How did you pack up these test papers? Can I borrow some?"

"Is it easy to take it out like this? Wouldn't it be easier to find it if you put it inside a book?"

Fu Guannan saw Lin Zhen carrying a bag with test papers, and then put the bag into a small box under the stool.

He thought it would be troublesome to take it out like this.

“That way it won’t get lost.”

"Too many test papers will cause confusion."

Lin Zhen looked at Fu Guannan sitting in front of her, still watching her packing. Lin Zhen felt a sense of tension, her palms were a little sweaty, and her movements were a little uncomfortable.

She wanted to finish cleaning up quickly, but also wanted to enjoy the moment.

There was no one in the classroom, only a few bright light bulbs.

It was almost seven o'clock when Lin Zhen finished cleaning up.

Just as Lin Zhen was about to lift the box, Fu Guannan reached out to her.

Lin Zhen looked up, her eyes filled with astonishment, as if to say: Didn't she say she moved it herself?

Fu Guannan seemed to see what was in Lin Zhen's eyes and said, "I want you to move, but I didn't say I won't help you."

The two walked to the back of the classroom, one in front of the other. Lin Zhen's eyes were fixed on Fu Guannan. Although there was no light in the back of the classroom, the only light was enough for Lin Zhen to see the outline of Fu Guannan's face.

That face might be the person in her mind.

The person she wanted to have an intersection with in the future.

In the back of the dim classroom, the two people's thoughts were bright.

The midterm exam is over, which means that the time limit Fu Guannan gave himself to think is over.

He thought, whether it was a full-blown affection or just the beginning of liking someone, it was still love.

"Leaving? Going home."

Fu Guannan picked up his schoolbag and turned to Lin Zhen.

"good."

Lin Zhen thought that everyone was going back to their own homes.

After leaving school, Lin Zhen found that Fu Guannan had arrived at the bus stop with her.

"Are you...going to your grandparents' house?"

Lin Zhen looked at Fu Guannan who was waiting for the bus with her and expressed her doubts.

"Um...yes." Fu Guannan lied.

He wanted to send her back. He didn't know if telling the truth would scare her.

"Oh." Lin Zhen looked down at her toes and replied in a low voice. She deliberately suppressed the surprise in her tone when she heard this.

Gradually, more and more people came to the bus stop.

The bus arrived, and Lin Zhen and Fu Guannan got on one after another.

The car was almost full of people. Lin Zhen and Fu Guannan squeezed in and were squeezed closer to the exit.

“There are a lot of people today.”

"yes."

Lin Zhen rested one hand on the shoulder strap of her schoolbag, her elbow touching Fu Guannan's chest. Her other hand held the pull tab. Lin Zhen didn't dare look at Fu Guannan, only watching the figure outside the window from afar.

She knew that her face was already red at this moment.

Fu Guannan, on the other hand, felt a little uneasy. He could sense a subtle fragrance emanating from Lin Zhen, a scent that seemed to be the same as that day. As he recalled the events of that day, Fu Guannan's mind seemed to wander uncontrollably, with images of Lin Zhen appearing, her ears slightly red. Fu Guannan held the pull tab with one hand and the shoulder strap of his schoolbag with the other, preventing them from touching.

Along the way, the two would bump into each other from time to time when people stopped or got on the bus.

When parking the car, Lin Zhen wanted to change her hand to hold the pull ring, but before she could hold it firmly, her body leaned forward and her head hit Fu Guannan's right arm.

When Lin Zhen lost her balance, Fu Guannan suddenly grabbed Lin Zhen's wrist with the hand on the shoulder strap.

Lin Zhen looked up and met Fu Guannan's concerned gaze. Her face flushed and she took a step back.

However, there were many people in the car and they couldn't move much distance.

Fu Guannan felt his hand loosen, and then slowly withdrew his hand.

"Ahem, stand still." Fu Guannan turned his head away to hide his awkwardness.

The bus arrived at its destination and Lin Zhen and Fu Guannan got off.

As soon as they got off the car, a gust of cold wind hit them.

Lin Zhen suddenly shivered, then pulled the zipper up a little.

When Fu Guannan saw Lin Zhen zipping up her clothes, he stood to her left.

Lin Zhen felt that the wind blowing on her was not as strong as before.

"Thank you just now."

Lin Zhen and Fu Guannan walked side by side. Thinking about what had just happened, they still felt very shy.

"It's nothing, you're welcome."

Fu Guannan turned his head and looked at Lin Zhen with a red face and rippling eyes as she looked at him and thanked him. He felt her beauty in an instant.

A kind of shy beauty of a young girl bloomed before him.

The two walked to the gate of the community, and Fu Guannan told Lin Zhen that his grandfather asked him to buy some things and come back later.

"Then I'll go up first?"

"good."

"Then...good night." Lin Zhen waved to Fu Guannan.

"good evening."

Lin Zhen stood at the door, watching Fu Guannan walk into the supermarket, the smile on her face almost reaching the tips of her eyebrows.

Fu Guannan walked into the supermarket and waited for a long time before leaving.

Grandpa Fu and Grandma Fu went to their daughter's house and were not at home at all.

Fu Guannan thought of his cousin, who seemed to be alone at home.

Then let him spend these two days alone.

…

Lin Zhen returned to the room, sat on the big bed, and started giggling.

When she thought about taking the bus home with Fu Guannan, her heart felt as sweet as if it were filled with honey.

"Fu Guannan."

——

"Hey, Guannan, why are you back a little late today? Hurry up and wash your hands, it's time to eat."

Mother Fu looked at Fu Guannan returning home and asked casually.

"Okay, I'll go back to my room and come down later."

Fu Guannan returned to the room, threw his schoolbag on the bed, and then went to the bathroom.

"Hahaha! She likes me!"

Fu Guannan's mind was filled with Lin Zhen's shy face and her shy smile towards him, which could not be shaken off.

"Fu Guannan, you're awesome!"

The boy in front of the mirror smiled brightly, honestly and cutely.