Chapter 22
The next morning.
Lin Li took her clothes off the balcony and went outside.
He quickly accepted this reality. Running is running, so why not? If he runs fast, he might even bump into Tong Yao.
Thinking about it filled Lin Li with motivation.
From the Times Square to Century Square, it's about two kilometers. Lin Li ran and stopped frequently, and the back of her school uniform was almost soaked with sweat.
He stood at the entrance of the square, supporting himself on his knees, his chest heaving violently. He hadn't seen Tong Yao anywhere along the way—it seemed he hadn't run far enough.
Gritting his teeth, he continued chasing along the straight road for several hundred meters. The road stretched as far as the eye could see; if Tong Yao were there, he would definitely have seen her.
"Ha...ha..." Lin Li squatted on the ground, panting and unable to speak.
"Why...haven't they arrived yet?"
He glanced at the bus stop sign; the timetable showed it was already 7 a.m. With only twenty minutes left before he was late, he had to turn back and go to school.
After anxiously waiting at the platform for two minutes without seeing a single bus, Lin Li had no choice but to continue walking along the roadside, glancing back every now and then.
Just as he was about to walk back to Century Square, a No. 42 bus roared past him from behind.
"Wait! Hey—wait!"
Lin Li took off chasing after it, his heavy schoolbag slamming against his back. But when he staggered to the platform, he could only watch helplessly as the bus disappeared around the corner.
The bus stop sign reads: Next bus, 15 minutes from now.
Lin Li wiped the sweat from her face and resignedly continued on her way to school.
Just as he was about to reach the school, he heard the sound of an electric scooter behind him, and he instinctively looked up—
He then saw Tong Yao, who had arrived late, speed past him on an electric scooter.
Lin Li suddenly snapped out of her daze and stomped her foot hard!
He was scammed!
He lifted his leaden legs and shuffled step by step toward the school building. Finally, just a second before the bell rang, he crawled into the classroom.
Next to the water dispenser by the podium, Chen Yan was leisurely filling her water bottle.
Turning her head, she met Lin Li's deathly pale face, which was covered in sweat. She was so shocked that her hand trembled: "Holy crap! Lin Li, what have you been doing?"
Lin Li's gaze was fixed on the nearly overflowing large cup in Chen Yan's hand. Her chapped lips parted with difficulty, but no clear sound came out.
Water...he needs water!
But no one could understand the longing in his eyes.
Startled by his appearance, Chen Yan quickly stepped aside and slipped back to her seat.
Lin Li's appearance just now was really frightening, so Chen Yan patted Tang Yue, who was sitting at the table behind her.
Seeing that Tang Yue was still reading a novel, he quickly snatched the book away.
Stop reading your old-fashioned domineering CEO novels and look at the door.
"What are you doing?" Tang Yue looked up irritably, then stared in the direction he was looking, and was stunned. "Holy crap! What's he doing?"
Li Jiahao, standing next to him, pushed up his non-existent glasses and said with the confidence of someone who had been there before, "Based on my extensive experience, Lin Li definitely spent the whole night at an internet cafe last night."
Tang Yue was even more puzzled: Didn't he confidently say last night that he was going for a run and would bump into Tong Yao? Why did he end up staying out all night? He's hopeless!
She shook her head in disappointment. This 18-year-old Lin Li was still so useless!
At this moment, Lin Li, clinging to her last breath, collapsed into her seat.
He suddenly remembered the new water cup in his drawer. Ever since the last time he was ruined by cola, he had specially bought a cup to drink plain water. Lin Li in junior high school did not use a water cup; she drank beverages instead.
He grabbed the cup and staggered toward the water dispenser.
Press the switch firmly—
No! Not a single drop of water!
He then remembered that Chen Yan's huge water glass had just taken away the last drop of water.
"water……!"
Lin Li let out a desperate wail and collapsed onto her desk like a dehydrated fish.
Just when Lin Li felt like she was about to die of thirst, a glass was brought close to her water cup.
Then he saw water being poured from the glass into his cup.
The sound of flowing water was particularly clear during the quiet morning reading session. Chen Yan, who had been watching closely, quickly patted Tang Yue on the shoulder.
"Hey, what are those two doing...?"
Tang Yue closed the novel and watched the scene thoughtfully.
"There's hope!"
As Tang Yue spoke, she took out a notebook.
"Take a look when you have time; this is the project plan I wrote."
_
"Drink up." Tong Yao's voice was soft, yet it flowed like a clear spring through Lin Li's parched heart. "Don't faint from low blood sugar again."
Lin Li stared blankly at the water in the cup, which was tinged with red. Was it black tea?
He picked up the water glass with a puzzled look and drank it all in one gulp.
The water temperature was just right, with the sweetness of brown sugar.
Oh, it's brown sugar water.
Oh right, Lin Li opened her schoolbag, took out the school uniform she had stuffed inside, and handed it to Tong Yao.
Tong Yao took the school uniform, put the books on the table into her desk drawer, and then took out her English textbook and placed it on the table.
"Did you go for a run?"
Tong Yao, unusually, wasn't doing any more practice problems and was looking at Lin Li with amusement when she asked.
How dare you bring that up!
Lin Li shoved the water glass into the drawer and said indignantly.
"you--"
Before he could finish speaking, the homeroom teacher had already entered.
"Open your English book to page 67, today we'll learn..."
_
get out of class is over.
Tong Yao rummaged through her schoolbag and pulled out a bag, then prepared to get up.
Lin Li grabbed her, preventing her from leaving.
"Didn't you say you were going for a morning run?"
"Why did you come by electric scooter?"
Tong Yao twisted her wrist, easily slipping out of his palm, and said in a flat tone, "I didn't say it started today."
Just as she turned to leave, Lin Li noticed the small bag in her hand. He had been curious about this bag for a while now, as it had appeared twice recently.
He stretched out his arm and pointed at what Tong Yao was holding, asking, "What is this?"
"It's none of your business." Tong Yao subconsciously hid her bag behind her back.
"How come it has nothing to do with me again?" Lin Li immediately put on a wronged expression, pretending to wipe away tears from the corner of her eye with her finger. "So you were lying to me when you said we were good friends that day. We really are... just ordinary classmates."
His deliberately drawn-out tone left Tong Yao feeling somewhat helpless.
Staring at his exaggerated performance, she said, "Then you'll regret watching it."
He handed over the bag as he spoke.
Lin Li wondered what was in that bag that would make him regret seeing it. Could it be an unflattering photo of himself?
The zipper-zipping motion quickened instantly, and upon opening it, one could see...
Oh, it was a sanitary napkin. Lin Li zipped up the zipper with a bored expression and handed it back to Tong Yao.
Wait, doesn't that mean—
Next, Lin Li stopped stopping her and let Tong Yao leave.
_
Tong Yao carefully observed his reaction. Seeing that he was not flustered as expected, but instead remained calm, she felt a strange sense of displeasure.
I didn't see the embarrassed expression I was looking for, not at all.
She pursed her lips, silently took the bag, and turned to leave.
As Tong Yao reached the corner, she couldn't help but glance back, only to find Lin Li still standing there, one hand in his pocket, looking in her direction. Seeing her turn around, he even smirked and waved at her.
She immediately turned around and quickened her pace.
At that moment, Lin Li, watching her almost running away, finally couldn't help but laugh out loud. He touched his nose, suddenly realizing:
"So it was these past few days..."
No wonder he didn't come for a run.
_
"Splash!"
Tang Yue emerged from the stall as the toilet flushed.
As I was about to wash my hands at the sink, I saw a figure.
"Tong Yao!"
Tang Yue took the initiative to greet them.
Tong Yao had just finished washing her hands when she saw Tang Yue and nodded politely.
"Has Lin Li changed a lot lately?"
"Mm," Tong Yao responded faintly.
“I’ve known him for so long, and the way he used to be, even a dog would shake its head at him. How come he suddenly turned out so good?”
"I don't know." Tong Yao took out a tissue from her bag and wiped the water off her hands.
"Class monitor, can I borrow one?"
Tong Yao drew another card and gave it to Tang Yue.
Tang Yue took the tissue and continued, "I think the only reason this can happen is that he has someone he likes! It's romantic to try to change yourself to be worthy of the person you like, isn't it?"
As Tang Yue spoke, she kept giving Tong Yao meaningful glances and whispered, "It seems like he only started changing when he sat next to you."
The person she likes? Tong Yao's heart sank immediately, and she didn't notice Tang Yue's last words.
Seeing that Tong Yao was deep in thought, Tang Yue nodded in approval, thinking, "She's a quick learner, no wonder she's a top student, she understands so easily."
In this situation, should she add fuel to the fire?
“Actually, Lin Li is quite outstanding,” Tang Yue began, listing Lin Li’s strengths: “Not only can she play the flute, but she also plays the guitar very well.”
"He also participated in the interview for Yucheng Art High School during the summer vacation, and he passed with all A's."
Art high school? Tong Yao stared blankly at the tissue in her hand.
Seeing Tong Yao's serious expression, Tang Yue quietly walked away.
After hearing so many of Lin Li's good qualities from her, I'm sure it will take me a while to process them!
_
Lin Li lay on the table, reading a novel.
I just found this on Tang Yue's desk.
He must have read some really interesting passage, because his shoulders started shaking uncontrollably, and then he burst into laughter so hard he almost slipped off his chair.
Then he closed the book.
Close your eyes and calm yourself down first.
When he opened his eyes again, his gaze suddenly deepened, a faint smile playing on his lips, and he uttered that classic line in a deliberately low voice:
"Woman, you're playing with fire."
As soon as he finished speaking, maintaining his "domineering CEO" pose, his gaze casually swept towards the door—
Tong Yao had been standing there for an unknown amount of time, quietly watching him.
"That's what it said in the novel I was reading..."
Tong Yao remained silent, simply watching him quietly.
"Isn't it funny?" His voice trailed off.
“Childish.” She finally uttered the two words, raising her eyebrows as if mocking him.
"It's obviously hilarious," Lin Li pouted unconvinced, then thought about being stood up. Couldn't he have told him in advance if he wasn't feeling well?
Thinking this way, I felt as if I had found the confidence to fight back.
He deliberately turned his head away and muttered "quietly" in a volume she could hear:
"I'm ignoring you, you boring woman!"
Upon hearing this, Tong Yao's lips twitched slightly.
"Oh."
A clear, cold laugh, laced with sarcasm and chill, rang out sharply in the quiet classroom.
Lin Li shrank her neck and suddenly felt a chill down her back.
_
After school.
Tang Yue found Lin Li.
"Is my book with you?"
Lin Li took the book out of the drawer and returned it to Tang Yue, advising, "Read less of this kind of book in the future, it's bad for your brain."
Tang Yue took the book, not understanding what Lin Li was talking about. Why take it if you don't like it?
but……
She moved closer to Lin Li and said, "Tomorrow is the weekend."
"What's up? Do you want me to go out and play?"
“What’s fun for us?” Tang Yue shook her head and continued, “I have two movie tickets here.”
As Tang Yue spoke, she took it out of her pocket.
She got this from Chen Yan. Chen Yan had made plans to go to the movies with a senior from high school, but the senior came to tell her after class that he had a girlfriend.
Since it was a waste anyway, Tang Yue said she would treat her to ice cream and that she could help her get rid of the two tickets.
"I'll give you a 20% discount, I'll sell it to you."
"No." Lin Li refused decisively. What movie can't be watched on a mobile phone?
“You can invite Tong Yao along,” Tang Yue nudged Lin Li with her elbow and added, “This is a romance movie.”
Watching a movie? That sounds good, Lin Li thought it was a good suggestion.
So I took out fifty yuan and bought it.
When I turned around with the ticket to look for Tong Yao, the classroom was empty and she was no longer there.
They were still there a second ago...
Lin Li figured they couldn't have gone far, so she picked up her schoolbag and chased after them.
After running out of the school gate, I saw Tong Yao's figure.
Lin Li was about to shout.
Then we saw Tong Yao get on her mother's electric scooter and leave.
After Lin Li returned home.
Lala Lala: Are you free tomorrow?
T: ?
Lala: I have two movie tickets, want to go together?
T: I have time, but I don't want to watch.
Spicy Spicy Spicy: Why?
T: Of course, you should watch movies with interesting people.
Spicy Spicy Spicy: Am I not funny?
After typing this string of words, Lin Li suddenly remembered what he had said during the day.
...a boring woman...
Lala: I was just kidding, don't take it to heart.
T: Jokes are always tinged with a bit of seriousness.
Spicy Spicy: Okay.
Lin Li lay listlessly on the bed.
About five minutes later.
T sent me a picture.
T: You took the wrong clothes.
The picture shows a red and white school uniform jacket, with one hand holding the size tag on the collar, which shows 175.
Tong Yao's school uniform size is 170.
Lin Li sat up and looked at the school uniform jacket draped over the chair; the size was listed as 170.
I really did take the wrong one; I was distracted this morning.
Lala Lala: Then I'll return it to you tomorrow.
Spicy Spicy Spicy: When are you home?
T: Okay.
T: Around 9 a.m., at home.
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