help

Xu Zhiyi's fingers hovered above the two dialog boxes, and his heart was beating so fast that it seemed like it was about to burst out of his chest.

She took a deep breath and replied "L" first:

[Nothing, I just felt a bit annoyed that I was forced to make up for the missed lessons today.]

After sending this message, she switched back to Song Chengrui's chat interface and carefully considered her words: [Thank you so much! See you on Monday!]

After sending these two messages, she held the phone against her chest and felt her cheeks getting hot.

She never thought that she would have such strange feelings for two boys at the same time.

The phone vibrated, and "L" quickly replied: [That Zhou Yu'an again?]

Xu Zhiyi bit her lower lip: [How do you know? ]

You mentioned it before.

"L" sent a head-patting emoji, [Don't think too much, go to bed early, you still have school tomorrow.]

Xu Zhiyi stared at the message, and a warm feeling surged in his heart.

"L" is always like this, not talking much but always making her feel understood.

She was about to reply when there was a knock on the door.

"It's time to go to bed! We have to get up early tomorrow!" Father's voice came through the door.

"Got it!" She hurriedly replied him with a good night expression and turned off the phone screen.

—

Monday morning was exceptionally bright.

When Xu Zhiyi thought about seeing the action figures Song Chengrui bought later, his steps unconsciously became lighter.

In the classroom, Zhang Ningxia grabbed her and asked, "How is it? Did Song Chengrui buy it for you?"

Xu Zhiyi nodded, his eyes unconsciously glancing towards the classroom door: "He said he would bring it to me today."

"I told you he's reliable!" Zhang Ningxia winked.

The bell rang and Song Chengrui walked into the classroom following the sound of the bell.

His black hair was a little messy, as if he had just run, and there were fine beads of sweat on his forehead.

Xu Zhiyi pretended to lower her head to read, but her eyes couldn't help but follow his figure.

During the break, Xu Zhiyi finally plucked up the courage to walk over to Song Chengrui.

He was sorting the test papers, his slender fingers deftly sorting the papers into categories.

"That..." Xu Zhiyi's voice was so soft that it was almost inaudible.

Song Chengrui looked up, and the sunlight slanted in from the window, casting fine shadows on his well-defined face.

The corners of his mouth rose slightly: "It's in my schoolbag, I'll give it to you later."

Xu Zhiyi nodded, and suddenly noticed the math competition problem set spread out on his desk. Next to it were several sheets of draft paper densely covered with formulas.

In the corner of one of the pictures, there is a small stick figure drawing.

Xu Zhiyi took a few more glances and felt that the figure's outline looked familiar.

Xu Zhiyi wanted to ask more when Xie Lin suddenly rushed over from the doorway: "Song Chengrui, the teacher from the Academic Affairs Office wants to see you."

Song Chengrui stood up, took out an exquisite box from his schoolbag and handed it to Xu Zhiyi: "Here you go."

After saying that, he hurriedly left the classroom.

Xu Zhiyi returned to his seat holding the box and opened it carefully.

Inside are not only limited edition figurines and badges, but also a small card: "The future is promising!"

Her heart seemed to be gently hit by something.

During the break, Xu Zhiyi and Zhang Ningxia stood together. Zhang Ningxia was telling her about the recent gossip in the school, but her mind was on the action figures in the desk. Thinking that she had finally got what she had been longing for, she couldn't help but laugh to herself.

Xu Zhiyi was lost in thought when she suddenly felt someone looking at her from behind.

She turned around and met Song Chengrui's deep eyes.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked in a low voice.

Xu Zhiyi came back to her senses, her cheeks slightly red: "No, nothing."

At this time, the radio gymnastics music sounded and the crowd began to move.

Song Chengrui stood beside her naturally, his warm breath occasionally brushing against her hair.

Xu Zhiyi suspected that he had seen it wrong. Song Chengrui had never appeared during the physical exercise time before. He would always escape if he could.

However, boys' minds may be very changeable, and maybe this time is no exception. Xu Zhiyi didn't think much about it.

But as the movement swayed gently, the next movement was a turn. Xu Zhiyi didn't want to move and did the movement very perfunctorily. However, she found that Song Chengrui seemed to be particularly perfunctory as well.

She took another look in surprise.

Indeed, Song Chengrui seemed to be imitating her movements.

Why?

Why?

Until the end of the physical exercise, Xu Zhiyi was still very surprised. Why did this happen?

She wanted to ask directly but was afraid that she was just imagining things. What if it was just a coincidence? Wouldn't that make her seem particularly self-indulgent?

On the way back to the classroom, Xu Zhiyi stared at Song Chengrui from time to time and was discovered by him by chance.

Song Chengrui turned his head to look at her with confusion in his eyes: "What, is there something on my face?"

Xu Zhiyi was very embarrassed and shook his head hurriedly.

There were already a lot of people going up the stairs, and some boys were grinning and arm in arm, insisting on walking side by side, and occasionally adding body gestures.

Xu Zhiyi couldn't see the stairs clearly to begin with, and now someone pushed her and she was directly knocked against the wall next to her. She frowned in pain and let out a soft cry.

"it hurts--"

She covered her arm, feeling a little aggrieved.

Song Chengrui stopped immediately and called out to the boy in front of him.

"Hey, classmate, don't you know how to apologize for bumping into someone?"

The boy in front turned around and said jokingly, "Oh, it's not a big deal, is it really that serious?"

Song Chengrui's eyes turned cold: "Apologize."

The boy was intimidated by his aura. He said "I'm sorry" to Xu Zhiyi angrily and left in a hurry.

Xu Zhiyi whispered a thank you, but Song Chengrui suddenly tilted his head: "Where did you hit? Is it serious? Or should we go to the infirmary?"

"Forget it, it's no big deal." Xu Zhiyi hurriedly got up and walked away.

"Don't be impatient." Song Chengrui grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him.

"There are so many people here now, it would be better if you follow me."

The two returned to the classroom one after the other, and Xu Zhiyi's heartbeat had not yet calmed down.

Zhang Ningxia finally smelled the scent of gossip this time, and came over in a hurry to inquire about military intelligence.

"Ouch, what's going on?"

Xu Zhiyi lowered her head to organize her books, the tips of her ears slightly red. "Nothing, just got bumped on the stairs."

"Where did you hit?" Zhang Ningxia was a little nervous and hurriedly wanted to tear off Xu Zhiyi's school uniform to take a look.

Xu Zhiyi pushed her hand away and said with a smile, "It's okay, don't worry."

Zhang Ningxia then narrowed her eyes: "Did Song Chengrui help you?"

"He just happened to be next to me..." Xu Zhiyi said vaguely, and caught a glimpse of Song Chengrui returning to his seat, flipping through a book with his head down, his profile clean and neat.

Zhang Ningxia leaned closer and lowered her voice, "He's been treating you quite differently lately, hasn't he? I've never seen him so attentive to anyone before."

Xu Zhiyi's heart skipped a beat, and the fingers holding the pen tightened slightly: "Don't talk nonsense, class is about to start."

Xu Zhiyi sat in her seat, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the figurine box that Song Chengrui gave her.

The metal badge gleamed slightly in the sunlight, and the four words "A Promising Future" on the card were like a small stone, gently dropped into her heart, causing ripples.

She quietly took out a mango sticky note, wrote a few words on it, and handed it to Song Chengrui when no one was paying attention.

This kind of position between the front and back tables makes it convenient to pass notes.

Song Chengrui received the note and was a little surprised when he saw the words on it.

"How much is it?"

Soon, the note was handed back.

Xu Zhiyi opened the note and saw five words written in elegant handwriting.

"Friendship price, two hundred."

Friendship price? Seeing this line of words, Xu Zhiyi's mind exploded instantly. Did Song Chengrui treat her as a friend?

From the last card to this note, does Song Chengrui really treat her differently from others?

The moment this thought came to her mind, she immediately clenched the edge of the card. Was this too self-indulgent?

Maybe it's just a polite remark.

But my heart kept beating faster and faster, and I could even hear the subtle sound of blood rushing against my eardrums.

She was afraid that her expression would reveal something, so she looked around for a long time and finally breathed a sigh of relief when she found that no one paid any attention to her.

After school, Song Chengrui walked to her desk and said, "Want to go together? It's on our way."

Xu Zhiyi was stunned. Before she could answer, Zhang Ningxia had already pushed her with a smile: "Go quickly!"

On the way home from school, the two walked one in front and the other behind.

Xu Zhiyi counted the bricks on the sidewalk, deliberately keeping a distance that was neither too far nor too close.

Song Chengrui's footsteps were light, but she could hear them clearly.

He suddenly stopped when passing a convenience store.

"Would you like something to drink?" he asked, pointing to the freezer.

Xu Zhiyi shook his head.

Song Chengrui stood there waiting for her, "If you don't drink, I might not be able to say it later."

Xu Zhiyi was a little dazed, but nodded.

"Soda water is fine."

“OK.”

After saying that, he turned and walked into the convenience store.

Under the sycamore tree at the corner, Xu Zhiyi sat on a stone bench, holding a soda water in his hand, staring at Song Chengrui silently.

Song Chengrui suddenly spoke up, "Actually, I feel a little embarrassed to tell you this."

Xu Zhiyi stared at the overlapping shadows on the ground and nodded.

She noticed that Song Chengrui was holding the strap of his schoolbag so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.

The moment the street lights came on, she saw the tips of his ears turn slightly red.

Xu Zhiyi was even more confused. "Go ahead."

"It's just... Xie Lin has been feeling a little down lately. Her mother said she seems a little depressed and even ignored Gao Xingxing. So, I'd like to ask you if you could go and give her some counseling. I don't even want the money for the figurine. I'll give it to you for free. What do you think?"

Xu Zhiyi held the bottle of soda water, the cool touch spreading from his fingertips to his palm, but it couldn't suppress the sourness surging in his chest.

She heard her own voice floating in the air: "Okay."

The street lights suddenly came on, and the dim light shone on Song Chengrui's profile.

His brows relaxed, as if he had unloaded a heavy burden, and even his tone became lighter: "Thank you, I knew you were the most reliable."

Xu Zhiyi forced a shrug and looked down to see his shadow so close to her, yet always at a distance.

She remembered the slightly furrowed brows when Song Chengrui said, "Xie Lin has been in a low mood recently," and his cheerful tone when he mentioned "I'll give it to you for free." Her heart felt like it was being gripped by an invisible hand, and it ached dully.

It turned out that his action of blocking the crowd for her, and even the card that said "a promising future", were all just because... he needed her help.

The next day during lunch break, Xu Zhiyi found an opportunity to talk to Xie Lin. Xie Lin raised her head from her arms, her eyes red, but she smiled at her: "Did Song Chengrui ask you to come?"

The sunlight shone through the window onto the ends of Xie Lin's hair, giving it a soft golden hue.

Xu Zhiyi suddenly realized that in Song Chengrui's eyes, Xie Lin needed to be carefully protected, and she... was probably just a reliable "friend".

During the break, Song Chengrui's note came again: "Xie Lin said she is in a much better mood today, thank you."

It was followed by a smiley face emoticon.

Xu Zhiyi stared at the smiley face emoticon for a long time, holding the pen for a long time, but in the end he didn't reply a word.

She took out her notebook from the desk, and the card with the words "The future is promising" lay quietly in the notebook.

The sun shone in obliquely, and the edge of the card reflected slightly, which stung her eyes.

She gently put the card into the deepest part of the notebook. When she closed it, a tear fell on the cover without warning, leaving a small dark mark.