Chapter 39: Jing Yiran and Song Hanzhan are supporting characters (extra chapter)
It was a day after a spring outing. Jing Yiran was writing furiously in the classroom. These math problems were giving her a headache. She felt like she would never be able to solve them. Every day she asked herself, "Can I still get into a top university?"
"Jing Yiran, a classmate is looking for you outside," a student from Group 1 suddenly called out from inside the classroom.
"Why is someone looking for me again? I've been getting so many calls lately." Jing Yiran sighed inwardly. Her already difficult study process was now being interrupted every day.
"Who is it?" Jing Yiran was still quietly reciting the formulas she had just memorized as she left the classroom. She wanted to see who was so reckless as to disturb her studies. If it was someone or something insignificant, she would have a breakdown. But instead, she saw someone she didn't expect at the classroom door: Song Hanzhan, the sports committee member of Class 1.
Perhaps recalling what Ning Yanzhao had said during PE class, Jing Yiran, usually so carefree, suddenly adopted a strange expression. "Why is it you? Did you need something?"
"I...I came to ask your class for the video of our last spring outing. Our homeroom teacher asked your homeroom teacher, and they said it was with your class's entertainment committee member. So I asked who your class's entertainment committee member was, and they said it was you..."
"Oh, I see. You wait here, I'll get it for you." This is barely considered a serious matter, so let's not blame Song Hanzhan for now.
Jing Yiran walked into the classroom, took out the camera's memory card from her desk, and when she came out, her expression had returned to normal. "Here you go."
"Thank you... thank you." Song Hanzhan accepted it somewhat shyly.
"It's alright, no need to thank me, just remember to return it." Jing Yiran turned and left.
"Jing Yiran, classmate."
"What's wrong now?"
“Our homeroom teacher showed us a video edited by your class, especially the footage of our class participating in activities together. You edited it very well. Could you send me the original video to take a look? Although we still have more than a year to study together, we may not see each other again after graduation. I want to make a copy of the original video to keep as a keepsake.”
So she came prepared all along, and with such a series of reasonable and irrefutable reasons—could what Ning Yanzhao said actually be true? Oh, I simply can't believe it.
Since Song Hanzhan's reasons were so convincing, Jing Yiran naturally couldn't refuse: "How do you want to send it? USB drive or MP4?"
At that time, the school prohibited everyone from bringing smartphones. Compared to USB flash drives, which could only be used for copying files, many students preferred MP4 players. So many students secretly bought traditional MP4 players. They could not only use them to copy PPTs to make up for notes that they didn't copy down in class, but boarding students could also occasionally listen to music to relax when they were stressed. And most importantly, if the homeroom teacher or other teachers found out, they could say that they were listening to English listening exercises.
"This is my QQ number." Song Hanzhan handed over a sticky note.
Wow, coming prepared makes it even more convincing. Jing Yiran couldn't help but look at Ning Yanzhao with new respect. This person's true intentions were indeed somewhat "suspicious," but she still just nodded calmly: "Okay then, I'll be online this weekend and send it to you then."
"Thank you."
When Jing Yiran entered the classroom, Ning Yanzhao, mimicking Jing Yiran's manner during the last PE class, said with a smile, "Hey, hey, hey, tell me, tell me, what did the Class 1 PE representative say to you just now? What did you take out? Let me guess..." Ning Yanzhao was that kind of person; she could analyze other people's emotional situations like a master, but she had no clue about her own. She was commonly known as a "master of watching the show."
"Stop guessing, just ask me for the original file of that spring outing video, as well as the video I edited."
"Oh~"
"Ning Yanzhao, do you have a death wish?"
"I want to live, I want to live."
At that time, the "battle" between Jing Yiran and Ning Yanzhao was used as a pre-class activity for the students of Class Two.
Since the other party had made such a sincere request, Jing Yiran added Song Hanzhan's QQ account on the weekend as agreed. The friend request was accepted almost instantly. Hmm, he's quite addicted to playing on his phone.
Jing Yiran noticed that Song Hanzhan's QQ nickname was "SHZ," which was just an unremarkable abbreviation of his name in pinyin. His profile picture was a small nightlight, but she didn't care about that because she quickly went offline after sending him the spring outing video.
For a period of time afterward, Jing Yiran had no contact with Song Hanzhan, either online or offline.
Then, one day later, when Jing logged onto QQ again, she received another message from Song Hanzhan.
【SHZ】: I did very poorly on my math test today.
Jing Yiran: ? What does Song Hanzhan's poor math score have to do with her? Shouldn't she correct her mistakes herself and only ask the teacher if necessary? This guy is really weird. Jing Yiran, who felt like he was a bit sick, naturally didn't reply to his QQ message.
For a while afterward, Jing Yiran didn't see Song Hanzhan at school again, and her studies and life continued without any major ups and downs.
In her final year of high school, even someone like Lian Jing, who was passionate about idol dramas, idol activities, and shoujo manga, had to temporarily put aside her hobbies and devote herself wholeheartedly to her studies, striving to achieve the best possible results in the upcoming college entrance examination. Consequently, she spent almost no time using the computer or playing on her phone.
To maximize the success rate of the college entrance examination, schools have implemented a full range of measures. In addition to increasing the intensity of courses and exams, even physical education classes for senior high school students have become a mere formality, with classes or exams being the only options, and the best outcome being self-study.
Of course, the senior year's running exercises were often canceled, which was the only thing that made everyone feel fortunate, since running several 800-meter runs every day was still very painful.
The year of senior year was painful, yet time flew by, and soon it was June of that year.
One day during self-study, Jing Yiran was so overwhelmed by the problems that she decided to go outside the classroom to relax her eyes. That's when she saw someone who shouldn't be there.
Song Hanzhan was intently watering a succulent plant outside the classroom of Class 2, where Jing Yiran's classroom was located. He looked particularly gentle as he watered the plant in the sunlight.
Jing still remembered that she was the one who raised this succulent. She had been so busy lately that she had forgotten about it and couldn't even remember how long it had been since she last watered it. But now Song Hanzhan was watering it. Seeing how well the succulent was growing, could it be that he had been watering it all this time?
“Hey, you…”
Upon hearing Jing Yiran's voice, Song Hanzhan realized that she had come out of the classroom. He then nervously hid the small watering can behind his back.
Seeing this, Jing Yiran smiled and said, "Thank you."
"It's okay, no need to thank me." Song Hanzhan clearly remembered that this class was a self-study period for Class 2, and Jing Yiran shouldn't have shown up. Being caught red-handed was still quite embarrassing.
Jing Yiran wasn't oblivious to the situation. After relaxing her eyes, she softly said, "Good luck on the college entrance exam. I wish you success." Then she turned and walked into the classroom.
"You too." I wish you all the best in your college entrance exam.
The summer wind is really quite hot.
After June, the college entrance examination ended, and all senior high school students, regardless of whether they did well or not, relaxed for the time being.
After the college entrance exam celebration banquet, Jing Yiran and Ning Yanzhao made plans to go to her house together that evening. Both of them had done exceptionally well on the exam and planned to play games all night long.
When the two went out to a restaurant together, Jing Yiran saw Song Hanzhan again. He was standing under a tree, staring straight at her, as if he was waiting for her to come over.
“Let’s go, I believe you.” Ning Yanzhao also noticed and nudged Jing Yiran with a mischievous grin.
Jing Yiran: "..."
Okay, okay, let's go then.
“Jing Yiran,” Song Hanzhan spoke first.
"Were you waiting for me?"
"Um."
"Speak."
“Jing Yiran, I really like you, I’ve always liked you. Now that the college entrance exam is over, could you consider me? I did very well on the exam, and I’m willing to go to university with you no matter which city you go to.”
“You…” Although Jing Yiran was somewhat prepared when she walked over, she was still taken aback by Song Hanzhan. This usually shy person was now being so direct, making Jing Yiran feel embarrassed. “How can you be like this?”
"sorry."
"I'm not blaming you."
"By the way, aren't you afraid of running into my parents when you suddenly show up at the entrance of our class's celebration party?" Jing Yiran asked deliberately.
"To be honest, I'm a little scared, but I don't want to miss any more opportunities, so I have to be fearless. I'm afraid that if I wait any longer, you'll find someone you like, and then I'll have even less of a chance." Song Hanzhan returned to her usual shy demeanor, but her eyes were exceptionally firm.
"You don't need to tell me your answer so quickly. Just send me a message when you've thought it through." Song Hanzhan thought that even if they couldn't be in the same school, being in the same city would be fine.
"Hmm... Since you've asked so sincerely, I'll consider it?" With the weather so nice, under the summer sunset, Jing Yiran glanced at the sky, which was now full of red clouds, just like a few days before the college entrance examination.
One day during their university years, the two were chatting in the school garden when Jing Yiran suddenly remembered something that had happened before and asked Song Hanzhan, who was peeling an apple for her, about it.
Do you know what I used to think you were?
"What?"
"I thought you were sick."
Song Hanzhan: "..."
“You may not remember, but I do remember that one night you texted me saying ‘I did poorly on my math test.’ At that time, I thought you were being completely unreasonable, so I wisely didn’t reply.”
As Song Hanzhan listened to Jing Yiran continue speaking, he also recalled that spring that left a deep impression on him.
Song Hanzhan had already used up the reason she had finally found—the reason of recording the spring outing—but she really wanted to find a reasonable and legitimate reason to chat with Jing Yiran. So, when she saw the perfect math test paper on the desk, she had a "bright idea" and sent a message to Jing Yiran's QQ: "I didn't do well on my math test."
Song Hanzhan thought that as long as she replied with one sentence, he would be able to respond with a series of prepared replies, ensuring that the conversation would never run out of steam.
Unfortunately, Jing Yiran never replied to him. Song Hanzhan also thought that Jing Yiran simply hadn't seen it, so he didn't reply with a single punctuation mark.
However, Song Hanzhan now realized that Jing Yiran had actually seen it, but hadn't reacted because she thought he was sick. It turned out that this was the real reason.
However, Song Hanzhan did not regret her decision. At least she had tried her best. It is only natural to have regrets in youth. Whether or not one can get the best result after trying one's best is up to fate.
“How could I not remember? Because I did it on purpose.” Song Hanzhan handed the peeled apple to Jing Yiran and said this.
"ah?"
"Yeah, right."
"You're lying to me, or I'll beat you up."
...
On a windowsill somewhere, the succulents that the two people were raising were still thriving under the sun, and all the days that may have been somewhat gloomy would pass.
Since the two of them ended up together, and Song Hanzhan got the best result he had imagined, the previous unsatisfactory conversations no longer seemed so important.
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