Chapter 87 Lies [VIP]
Chapter Summary: This is the last kiss.
"No, you've had too much to drink."
After saying this with a shrug, Fu Xianyin turned her head away.
It's already summer outside the window.
The wind carried a warm, oppressive heat, blowing into the classroom and hitting Fu Xianyin's face, causing her to furrow her brow slightly.
On Cheng Zhaozhao's birthday, Cheng Zhaozhao and Lin Anxu were practically drunk.
Lin Anxu was slightly better; the wind sobered him up a bit after he left the karaoke bar. Cheng Zhaozhao, on the other hand, kept chattering and making a ruckus, showing no sign of stopping.
Actually, the one I drank the most was Fu Xianyin.
She drank a little more than two bottles, but she didn't drink in a hurry. In addition, she knew her limits and her alcohol tolerance was pretty good. After drinking, she only felt a little hot, but her mind was still clear.
Gu Linzhao looked at the group of drunk people and resigned himself to sending them back one by one. When it was Fu Xianyin's turn, before he could say anything, he saw Fu Xianyin shake her phone.
She said, "I've already hailed a taxi, you don't need to take me."
He looked at Fu Xianyin and suddenly thought of that drop of bitter liquid.
He watched Fu Xianyin get into the car, waited there for a while, and only took a taxi home after Fu Xianyin replied that she had returned.
After the Labor Day holiday and the resumption of school, Gu Linzhao did ask about that tear.
He tried many methods, direct and indirect, and asked for a long time, from the beginning of the semester to the third mock exam. Even now that the third mock exam is over, he still suddenly blurts out this sentence.
However, Fu Xianyin still only said one sentence:
No, you've had too much to drink.
But he clearly didn't drink a drop of alcohol that day.
Fu Xianyin was even unwilling to acknowledge that last, somewhat flustered kiss.
Gu Linzhao didn't know what was wrong with him. Even though Fu Xianyin seemed unwilling to answer, he still wanted to get to the bottom of it and find out the reason.
“Fu Xianyin,” Yin Zexuan said as he walked in through the back door, “Sister Gao wants you to go to her office.”
Fu Xianyin nodded, stood up from her seat, and walked towards Gao Ying's office.
The door to Gao Ying's office was ajar. Fu Xianyin knocked on the door, and a voice came from inside: "Come in."
She pushed the door open and went inside.
There was a chair in front of Gao Ying's desk. Hearing the noise, Gao Ying looked up, tapped the desk, and said, "Sit down."
Fu Xianyin sat down.
On the table was a report card, the results of the third mock exam that had just come out.
Gao Ying's office window was open, and a warm breeze blew in through the crack, lifting a corner of the report card.
Fu Xianyin reacted quickly and pressed down on the report card, preventing it from being swept away by the wind.
After writing the last sentence, Gao Ying closed the notebook, turned to look at Fu Xianyin, and asked, "How have you been feeling lately?"
Fu Xianyin pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, and finally told Gao Ying the truth.
She said, "It's not very good."
Gao Ying seemed to sigh softly.
She said, "You haven't seemed quite right since the first mock exam. Your grades have been declining from the second to the third mock exam. Is something on your mind? You can talk to your teacher about it."
With that thin report card in her hand, Fu Xianyin immediately spotted her own name.
With a total score of 611, he ranked twelfth in his class and outside the top 200 in the grade.
Fu Xianyin lowered her head.
Gao Ying didn't urge her to answer, but just sat quietly with her.
About a minute later, Fu Xianyin looked up.
She looked at Gao Ying and said softly, "Teacher, I'm not going to take the college entrance exam."
Gao Ying was stunned for a moment.
She looked at Fu Xianyin.
The girl had dark circles under her eyes from staying up late, and her eyes looked dull and gray.
She said, "I registered for AP exams, and the exam dates just happened to be around the same time as the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao), and the exams were held in Beijing."
Her lips seemed to be trembling.
Gao Ying heard her say, "So, teacher, I'm not taking the college entrance exam."
After being a teacher for so many years, Gao Ying was at a loss for words for the first time.
She only knew how hard Fu Xianyin had worked.
She could see how many notebooks she had filled, how many pen refills she had used, how many practice problems she had completed, and how many nights she had stayed up.
No one wanted to get good results in the college entrance examination more than she did.
Gao Ying didn't know what kind of mood Fu Xianyin was in when she gave up the college entrance examination.
She suddenly wondered if anyone was there to comfort Fu Xianyin when she made such a difficult decision, or if anyone had given her a hug.
So Gao Ying opened her arms.
She said, "Come here, let your teacher give you a hug."
Just before she threw herself into her arms, Gao Ying saw the shattered expression on Fu Xianyin's face.
She felt the fabric on her shoulder gradually becoming damp, and heard Fu Xianyin sobbing, "Teacher, I'm sorry."
Gao Ying raised her hand and touched Fu Xianyin's hair.
She said, "Why apologize to the teacher?"
Fu Xianyin didn't cry for long.
Perhaps it was only three to five minutes before she let go of his embrace.
Her eyes were red, and Gao Ying handed her a few tissues, gently instructing her, "Wipe your tears and wash your face when you go out later."
Fu Xianyin nodded and said, "Thank you, teacher."
Her breathing was still unsteady, and she was sneezing a little.
Gao Ying wiped away her tears and said, "Since you've already made your choice, don't hesitate. There's a saying that goes, 'Don't overly romanticize the path you didn't choose.' Don't be sad. Your teacher believes in you. No matter where you study, you will definitely be the most outstanding and excellent student."
"You will definitely have a bright future, Fu Xianyin. Your teacher wishes you well and believes in you. You will have a bright future."
Amidst the piercing chirping of cicadas, the bright red countdown on the bulletin board finally dwindled to single digits.
Fu Xianyin practically counted down the days.
Qin Yi had already given her several AP mock exams, and with her current level, she could practically get a perfect score with her eyes closed.
So, with only a few days left before the college entrance examination, Fu Xianyin began her intensive preparation for the exam.
She wasn't just pretending to study; she was genuinely studying hard, getting up early in the morning and staying up late at night, doing practice questions and summarizing her lessons every day.
In the numerous tests, both large and small, before the college entrance examination, Fu Xianyin's scores steadily improved.
In the last complete exam before the college entrance examination, Fu Xianyin once again scored a high score of 713.
He ranked second in the grade, only 3 points behind Gu Linzhao.
When Gao Ying announced the results, the whole class seemed to be injected with adrenaline.
Fu Xianyin's grades seem to represent them; they have ups and downs, fluctuations, and instability.
The final 713 not only signifies the return of the awesome Fu Xianyin, who is about to shine in the college entrance examination; it also represents that all of them, like Fu Xianyin, will still achieve excellent results in the college entrance examination, despite the ups and downs in their daily lives.
On June 5th, Beichuan No. 1 Middle School canceled the mandatory evening self-study session.
There were no afternoon classes either; instead, the teachers took turns encouraging and inspiring them.
Surprisingly, not a single student in the class was carrying a schoolbag when school ended in the afternoon.
Everyone is waiting for evening self-study to begin.
Gao Ying came to supervise the first evening self-study session.
Saying it was to supervise evening self-study wasn't quite accurate. To be precise, it was the last time I reminded them of the important things to do for the college entrance exam. I told them to bring their pens, stationery, and admission tickets, and to check everything at least three times before leaving home to make sure everything was in order before heading to the exam venue.
After explaining the last point of attention, everyone started packing their things.
The books in the school had been mostly moved out in the last couple of days. Everyone was moving tables and packing their things. Fu Xianyin sat at the table, slowly stuffing books into her schoolbag, her movements as slow as if in slow motion.
She folded an exam paper in half and unfolded it in her hand, then put it together with other exam papers; after putting it in a folder, she took it out again, took out a book, flipped through a few pages, and casually stuffed it in. After putting the book in her bag, she seemed to feel uneasy and took it out properly again.
As she was repeating this tedious and meaningless work, a soft laugh suddenly came from beside her:
Why are you dawdling?
Fu Xianyin looked up and saw Gu Linzhao standing in front of the table, looking at her with a half-smile.
Seemingly speechless, or perhaps his kindness was starting to overflow, Gu Linzhao tapped the table and said, "I'll collect it for you."
Almost the instant those words were spoken, Fu Xianyin heard a chorus of shouts coming from outside the building:
Good luck on the college entrance exam!
It was a routine shouting ceremony held by the high school before the college entrance examination.
A loud shout seemed to awaken everyone, and soon, shouts echoed throughout the entire campus.
Good luck on the college entrance exam! Our No. 1 High School will definitely succeed!
"The college entrance exam is a piece of cake!"
Fragments of paper drifted down from the sky, and Fu Xianyin turned her head.
The torn pieces of paper were thrown down in handfuls, the white fluttering down from the sky as if it were winter.
Fu Xianyin was even momentarily dazed.
She stared blankly out the window. For a fleeting moment, she even felt that the wind blowing in from outside had turned into a fierce winter wind, while she was in that happy, blissful winter.
The crisp snap of fingers brought Fu Xianyin back to her senses.
She turned her head and saw Gu Linzhao.
In the noisy classroom, he looked down at her and asked softly, "What are you staring at?"
Fu Xianyin looked into his eyes, as if she were on that mountain on New Year's Eve, looking at her own clear reflection in his pupils.
She said, "It's snowing outside, just like winter."
This remark must have tickled Gu Linzhao's funny bone; he laughed so hard his shoulders shrugged, and after a long pause, he finally said:
"But it's summer now."
It wasn't a cold, biting winter filled with the sounds of firecrackers and a sky full of stars.
Instead, it was a warm and gentle summer, but one filled with heat and unease.
Fu Xianyin said, "Yes, it's already summer."
The countless stars have long since disappeared, and the meteor shower that streaked across the sky has also passed.
The harshness of winter has long been driven away, along with all the love, happiness, and hope that once filled it.
Not a single one left.
In the end, Gu Linzhao helped pack Fu Xianyin's schoolbag.
He helped her pack all the test papers and exercises, zipped up her schoolbag, and even moved the desk and chair for her.
As Fu Xianyin took the schoolbag and slung it over her shoulder, Gu Linzhao suddenly grabbed her hand.
Fu Xianyin swayed slightly, not as if she was trying to break free, but simply took his arm and gently shook it.
However, Gu Linzhao gripped her hand even tighter.
He said, "Don't let go."
Fu Xianyin stopped moving.
Gu Linzhao wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt that Fu Xianyin seemed to be holding on even tighter.
The corridor outside the classroom was still dimly lit. This road, which they had walked countless times with different feelings, was finally coming to its final end.
The exam venues for the college entrance examination were randomly distributed. Cheng Zhaozhao and Gu Linzhao took the exam at the affiliated high school, while Chen Nianke was lucky enough to take the exam at her own school. Lin Anxu and Fu Xianyin were assigned to No. 7 Middle School and No. 13 Middle School, respectively.
The group parted ways at the school gate.
Cheng Zhaozhao made a promise with them: "Let's go on a trip after the college entrance exam! We'll contact each other after the exam, okay?"
She was dreaming about her graduation trip.
"Let's go eat delicious food together, see beautiful scenery, and take lots and lots of photos!"
Everyone readily agreed.
Only Fu Xianyin gave a vague answer.
She had just nodded a few times, but for some reason, Gu Linzhao caught her today.
He kneaded her fingertips and said, "You should go too."
Fu Xianyin nodded.
Gu Linzhao said, "You'll come with me."
Fu Xianyin nodded again.
Gu Linzhao was still dissatisfied at this point, for some unknown reason.
He said, "You said you would go."
He looked directly into Fu Xianyin's eyes.
She knew he wanted reassurance.
I also know he wants a commitment.
For a fleeting moment, Fu Xianyin even wondered if Gu Linzhao had already realized she was running away.
That's why he pursued the matter so relentlessly, and that's why he pressed for details.
But so what if you can see it?
Nothing can be changed anymore.
He wanted a promise, which, to her, was just another lie.
Anyway, she's told enough lies already.
So Fu Xianyin nodded and said naturally, "I will go."
Gu Linzhao said, "I will go with you."
Fu Xianyin smiled.
There was an indescribable emotion in her eyes, and she seemed to sigh softly, but still followed Gu Linzhao's lead:
"I will go with you."
Even though she had heard what she wanted to hear, Fu Xianyin felt that the force in her hand had not weakened at all; on the contrary, it had tightened even more.
Everyone parted ways at the school gate.
Cheng Zhaozhao and the other two went back to their respective homes, but Fu Xianyin and Gu Linzhao seemed to have agreed not to mention going home or leaving.
Their hands were clasped tightly together, and they walked along the road, and walked on and on.
It was as if they were going to walk to the ends of the earth like this.
The noisy voices gradually faded away, and the two of them had unknowingly walked for quite some time.
Fu Xianyin stopped in her tracks, looking at the shadow that stretched out beneath her feet.
The streetlights stretched the two shadows long, blurred them, and finally they merged together.
She stared at him for a long time, perhaps only two or three seconds, before suddenly raising her head to look at Gu Linzhao.
That was a very complex look in his eyes.
The moment it came into view, Gu Linzhao's heart trembled.
In those eyes, there was sadness, joy, nostalgia, and reluctance.
There is also a surging love hidden beneath the calm.
He looked at Fu Xianyin and suddenly said, "After the college entrance exam, I'll come to No. 13 Middle School to find you."
Fu Xianyin chuckled and said, "Didn't you just promise Cheng Zhaozhao that we'd go on a graduation trip together after the college entrance exam?"
Gu Linzhao said, "I'll go find you first. Once I see you, we'll go together."
"Is it good?" he asked. "Is it good, Fu Xianyin?"
Fu Xianyin heard herself say, "Okay."
That's so strange.
They've already told so many lies, they've already been a shameful liar for so long.
Why would she still feel sad about this?
In the distance, the city lights illuminated the night sky, making it brightly lit.
Fu Xianyin stood still, looking at the bustling night scene in the distance.
That's all for now.
She told herself, "That's enough."
That's enough, isn't it?
You have already received more than enough.
So much love, so much tolerance, so many opportunities to be willful, act spoiled, and be a little capricious.
besides……
So much love.
That's enough, Fu Xianyin.
That's enough.
She suddenly said to Gu Linzhao, "Can you kiss me?"
"Let's just say it's a wish for my college entrance exam to go well." She found a seemingly appropriate reason for herself.
Her chin was gently cupped, and Fu Xianyin tilted her head back to receive the kiss.
This is the last kiss.
Fu Xianyin thought she might become hysterical, or perhaps she would go crazy one last time.
She might bite his lip, forcefully and wantonly, trying to grasp everything she could get her hands on.
But when they actually kissed, Fu Xianyin was surprisingly calm.
She simply felt her lips gently touching.
It was just a gentle, soft touch.
There wasn't even the slightest excessive action.
This kiss lasted longer than the previous ones.
When they parted, Fu Xianyin couldn't help but touch her lips with her hand.
She pulled her hand away from Gu Linzhao's, her eyes crinkling into a smile as she said:
"Then I'm leaving."
Good luck on the college entrance exam!
[Author's Note]
That concludes the high school section!
The next chapter will be the urban setting, and you might see a Fu Xianyin and Gu Linzhao who are somewhat different from their school days.
I've been writing the campus part for almost five months, and now that it's suddenly turned into a city, I'm still not used to it, haha.
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