Chapter 13 Chapter 13
Although the misunderstanding was resolved, Ren Li always wanted to avoid Wen Shuo in the following days.
She didn't mean it, but when she thought about meeting Wen Shuo on the school bus in the morning and that he would give up his seat for her, she instinctively wanted to escape.
After all, Wen Shuo is the "light of No. 4 Middle School", the "center of the universe", and the "focus of the audience", and all the girls in No. 4 Middle School are intelligence experts. Ren Li does not want to be famous in the "gossip tabloids" on campus.
Ren Quan happened to have a rare day off these past two days. Ren Li simply stuck with her father every day, asking him to pick her up and drop her off at school. It was a rare occasion for his daughter to need him so much, so Ren Quan quickly agreed.
Every morning, Ren Li quietly slipped into the classroom on time. She didn't know what Wen Shuo was thinking. Instead of explaining to him, she would pray every day that Wen Shuo would not remember this.
Anyway, it was just something I said casually that day, don't take it seriously.
Fortunately, the week went by peacefully. At least Wen Shuo behaved normally every day.
Ren Li thought Wen Shuo had forgotten about this matter and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
The monthly exams were approaching next week. The atmosphere in the classroom grew increasingly tense. Even the usually lively Zhang Xintong had lost her usual energy during these chaotic days, sighing daily.
The number of people lounging in the hallway outside after class had also decreased significantly; it was clear that most of them were there to see Wen Shuo. Not only the key classes, but the regular classes as well were also tense all day, simply because this was the first monthly exam since entering high school.
When Ren Li was in the affiliated high school, she had never been nervous about any exams, and she was used to not caring about anything on weekdays. But now she was also affected by this inexplicably tense atmosphere, and even changed the music playlist in her headphones after school to BBC English.
Of course, when everyone is nervous, there is always only one person who is an exception, and that is Wen Shuo.
He was used to doing things his own way, so Ren Li didn't see the slightest hint of nervousness in him. But this was also a characteristic of a top student, and there were only a few people in the entire Fourth Middle School who were like him.
After class on Friday afternoon, Ren Li went to have lunch with Zhang Xintong as usual. As soon as she walked out of the teaching building, she received a message from Lin Yuan.
She said she was in a meeting outside today and passed by nearby, so she wanted to take Ren Li out to eat something good to replenish the energy her brain had consumed.
Although Ren Li felt that her level of study was not yet at the stage of brain supplementation, she could avoid eating at convenience stores. This was a rare opportunity, so she enthusiastically invited Zhang Xintong to go with her. Unexpectedly, this time, Zhang Xintong showed social anxiety, waving his hands repeatedly and saying that "Auntie is too polite", and finally followed Zhou Qi to have lunch.
Lin Yuan's car was easy to spot: a red BMW with consecutive license plates. As Ren Li exited the school gate, she spotted Lin Yuan standing in front of the car. Lin Yuan, dressed in a sharp business suit and sunglasses, smiled and waved, calling out, "Li Li, Mom's here."
Ren Li walked over. It was very sunny at noon, so she quickly got into the car.
"What do you want to eat?" Lin Yuan asked as he drove the car out of the roadside parking space.
"Well, anything is fine. Mom, we have limited time for lunch, so fast food is fine."
Lin Yuan: "Fast food is not okay. Mom will treat you to delicious food today."
She drove around for more than ten minutes and finally picked a place that looked decent.
This place was beyond the normal range of activities for the students of No. 4 Middle School. There was an office building nearby, with some food on the first floor. Ren Li, who wasn't usually picky about food, followed Lin Yuan out of the car and into the air-conditioned first-floor restaurant. A question suddenly occurred to her.
Is today an important day? Otherwise, why would my mother choose a place like this?
This restaurant is indeed quite high-end. From the spotless, shiny floor, the meticulous waiters at the door in suits and ties, and the luxurious decoration, Ren Li dared to conclude that if it was just a meal, Lin Yuan would not make such a big fuss.
Driven by the desire to survive, she quickly went through today's date in her mind with all the birthdays and anniversaries she could think of, but none of them matched.
"Mom, what day is today?" The two of them picked a table and sat down, and Ren Li finally asked the question in her heart.
Lin Yuan was clearly in a good mood today. She flipped through the menu the waiter handed her and said, "Lili, I have good news for you. The IPO project for the company Mom used to be in charge of finally got approved today. It was incredibly difficult, but everyone's hard work and overtime during this period has finally paid off."
Ren Li thought, no wonder, Lin Yuan has been so busy these past two days, going out early and coming back late every day. She seems to be under a lot of pressure and not easy to deal with, so she recently asked her father to pick her up from school.
Fortunately, the final result was good. Judging from Lin Yuan's expression, the project bonus should be secured.
"Have you told Dad about this?"
"Of course." Lin Yuan put down the menu, wanting to say something but stopping himself. "Your dad got a call from work this morning saying he had something urgent, so he quickly packed his bags and went back. How about I pick you up after school tonight?"
Ren Li's expression visibly darkened: "Ah, Dad hasn't been home for a few days at all."
"It's okay. Lao Ren said he'll be back for a while after this busy period. Don't be unhappy."
Ren Li lowered her head to look at the menu, remaining silent.
Lin Yuan called the waiter and ordered a few dishes. Ren Li finally cheered up and ordered a dessert she liked.
There weren't many people around at noon, so the food was served quickly. Lin Yuan picked up some of Ren Li's favorite dishes and put them on the plate in front of her, gradually piling up a small mountain. Ren Li was a little impatient and looked up: "Mom, I'm already such a big person——"
The second half of the sentence got stuck in his throat, and a familiar figure suddenly came into view.
Ren Li's seat faced the main entrance of the restaurant. When she looked up, she saw Wen Shuo pushing the door and walking in from outside.
He was not alone either. Following closely behind him was a fashionably dressed and very young lady.
"Hello, do you have a reservation?" The waiter walked up and asked politely.
The moment Wen Shuo's gaze swept over her, Ren Li quickly picked up the menu stand on the table and covered her face.
She didn't know why, everything just happened naturally and subconsciously.
On the other side, Lin Yuan thought Ren Li was aware of her guilt and continued nagging: "What's wrong with you at your age? I raised you. You're just too thin. You should eat more. How can you study well without nutrition..."
Ren Li didn't hear anything, her eyes were following Wen Shuo, and she saw Wen Shuo and the lady find a seat by the window and sit down.
"Don't be distracted. It's so hard to chat with your mother."
Ren Li put down the sign on the table, took a sip of soup with the spoon Lin Yuan handed over, and quickly wiped her mouth with a tissue: "Mom, I'm done, let's go."
The waiter arrived with the final dish, the dessert Renlit had ordered. Seeing that the customer seemed anxious to leave, he immediately summoned the composure typical of a star-rated restaurant and leaned over to ask, "Ladies, are you satisfied with the meal today?"
Ren Li: "Satisfied. Excuse me, can this be packed?"
"It's still early, don't rush." Lin Yuan said, "We just ate a while ago, and there's still early for afternoon classes. Let's take a rest after dinner before leaving. Mom will take you there later."
Ren Li couldn't tell Lin Yuan that her deskmate was here. She didn't know how to explain why she always wanted to avoid Wen Shuo.
She stayed in her seat for a while longer because she couldn't leave, so she quickly finished the remaining food.
These were all bought by Lin Yuan, so they can't be wasted.
Fortunately, Wen Shuo didn't notice the commotion here. After finishing the meal, Lin Yuan paid the bill, and Ren Li quickly grabbed her school uniform jacket and walked towards the restaurant entrance.
Perhaps because she was in too much of a hurry to leave, Ren Li tripped over the carpet at the door and almost hit her head on the glass.
Lin Yuan hurriedly helped her up, and the waiter at the door also subconsciously reached out his hand. Fortunately, Ren Li finally stabilized her body, said "I'm fine" embarrassedly several times, and quickly slipped out the door.
The sun was blazing outside, and even in the darkened room, everything looked very clear. Wen Shuo had been sitting with his back to the door, and he hadn't had time to turn around after the brief commotion. Jiang Lan, who was sitting opposite him, looked out the window and casually asked, "What's going on?"
"Is that little girl outside from your school? I see she's wearing your No. 4 Middle School uniform."
Wen Shuo then turned his gaze toward the window. The girl, with brisk steps, had reached a red car in just a few steps. She leaned sideways, reaching for the door. She had a very fair complexion, slender wrists, and her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail. A light blue hair tie with a string of tiny stars swung back and forth with her movements, drawing considerable attention.
Isn’t this Ren Li?
Although Wen Shuo was filled with doubts, he remained calm on the surface and replied calmly, "Yes, she also went to No. 4 Middle School."
Jiang Lan: "I heard from Lao He that he recently arranged a deskmate for you. She's a very quiet girl."
Wen Shuo: "Did he go and tell tattles on you again?"
Jiang Lan: "Teacher He is doing this for your own good. She reports your school life to you regularly and responsibly. How come you think of it as tattling?"
Wen Shuo curled his lips and stopped talking.
Jiang Lan: "Teacher He said that the deskmate he assigned to you is called Ren Li, right? You don't bully her in class, do you?"
Wen Shuo sighed, "How dare I?"
The two of them ate for a while, and Jiang Lan seemed to remember something and reminded Wen Shuo: "I'm flying to Hong Kong tonight and won't be back for a few days. Remember to eat well. By the way, your grandfather said he's been thinking about you a lot these past two days, don't forget to call him back."
Wen Shuo responded absentmindedly, and remembered how Ren Li had hurriedly walked out just now.
After he was full, Jiang Lan paid the bill, picked up his bag and prepared to leave.
"Should I give it to you?" she asked.
"Of course, you can't just pick up the passengers without sending them off."
"You little bastard, you're still so mean when talking to your mother."
…
In the afternoon, Wen Shuo entered the classroom a minute before the bell rang. Ren Li, who had been writing with her head propped up, subconsciously sat up straight when she heard the noise beside her.
This was the action she would make when she was nervous. Over the past period of time, Wen Shuo had basically understood the meaning of some of Ren Li's specific reactions. For example, when she was embarrassed, she would touch the tip of her nose, and when she was embarrassed, her eyes would dodge...
So this is an act of guilt? Wen Shuo thought, but why did she feel guilty?
So Wen Shuo decided to scare her on purpose.
He sat down and asked, "Did you go out at noon today? I just saw someone who looked like you in the restaurant."
Ren Li was stunned at first, then shook her head like a rattle: "No, no, why would I run so far to eat?"
Wen Shuo: ...
She probably wasn't born to lie.
Run so far? If she hadn't been there, how would she know it was so far?
The hypothesis was confirmed, and Wen Shuo knew why Ren Li felt guilty.
But he just couldn't understand why Ren Li had been avoiding him recently.
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