Chapter 1 Encounter with Iced Sparkling Water
Wancheng, early morning in late summer.
In an old residential building.
The iron security door hit the door frame with a clang. The sound, not loud at all, was particularly noticeable in the quiet of the corridor.
Yan Ning was waiting behind the door with a light blue backpack on his back. When he raised his eyes, he met Lin Xinci's gaze.
So, I could only suppress the yawn that was about to come out of my mouth.
"Have you confirmed that you have everything?" Lin Xinci asked, holding the door handle.
"I've brought everything." Yan Ning nodded and answered obediently.
But in fact, her schoolbag was empty except for a pencil case and a notebook.
After all, today is only the first day of school at Wancheng No. 1 Middle School, and the textbooks have not been distributed yet, so there is no need to bring anything else.
The keychain rustled.
Lin Xinci turned around and came back, locking the door while continuing the sermon that had started early in the morning.
But it was outside Lin Xinci's field of vision.
Yan Ning secretly finished his long yawn.
Last night, she had some insomnia because she was going to a new environment. This morning, her mother woke her up twenty minutes earlier than the alarm clock. Yan Ning was really...
Very sleepy. Very sleepy.
The only consolation was that if she went to school at this time, she should still be able to catch up on some sleep on the desk in the classroom...
In the corridor.
Sunlight streamed in through the not-so-big window, and the air was stagnant and a little stuffy.
The walls on both sides have been mottled and peeling off over the years, and the distance between the stairs is only enough for two people to pass side by side.
Walking down from the 3rd floor, I could hear the "tapping" sound of high heels on the concrete steps.
Yan Ning followed behind Lin Xinci, with her eyes lowered, listening quietly to her mother's instructions about her school admission.
until.
Suddenly, there were some subtle noises coming from downstairs——
It's footsteps.
Someone entered the unit door.
Yan Ning paused.
Immediately, her eyes swept up from the dark gray steps, and with a bit of urgency and hope, she looked at Lin Xinci's back in front of her.
But it didn't work.
As always, Lin Xinci turned a deaf ear to the outside voices and continued to talk about Yan Ning's physics grades, which he must work hard on, in the same tone.
Yan Ning sighed in his heart.
She has long been accustomed to such things.
At the bustling school gate, at the lively gathering table, in the clothing store opened by Lin Xinci on the commercial street.
Yan Ning's academic performance at every stage of his life, from childhood to adulthood, has been described countless times by Lin Xinci, turning it into a large-character poster placed on a display stand for passers-by to browse at will.
Yan Ning had tried to raise objections.
But Lin Xinci said, "Why can't you talk about a child's learning problems? You still care too much about what others think!"
It was blocked back.
It’s like “little kids” can’t have opinions.
No need for privacy.
It's like you'll never grow up.
Yan Ning tightened his grip on the backpack strap for a moment, his fingertips briefly sinking into his palm before loosening, leaving behind a slight tingling sensation.
Her mind became clearer, and at this moment, perhaps to pass the time, she focused most of her attention on the downstairs.
She heard the old door creak and the unit door was closed.
The man who entered the room walked steadily up the stairs.
After a few footsteps, the sound suddenly stopped.
Yan Ning paused again——
Could it be that.
Is that person on the first floor?
So if he opened the door quickly enough, or if she found a reason to delay Lin Xinci's steps a little, then there would be no need for an awkward encounter in the corridor.
One dizzy morning, Yan Ning just thought that he finally had something to be happy about.
But in the next second, it was broken by someone——
The footsteps going upstairs started again.
The man was only staying on the first floor for a short time.
Yan Ning: ...
Hope this kind of thing.
Perhaps it is because I once had it, so the disappointment that follows has a stronger aftertaste.
Turning the corner on the stairs and looking at the second-floor platform right in front of him, Yan Ning suddenly felt a sense of powerlessness.
We are about to meet, but time is too short.
She was now like a fish stranded far from the shore. No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't change the subject in such a short time and maintain her remaining self-esteem.
But, it was at this time.
Yan Ning heard some subtle differences from the sounds downstairs -
I don’t know whether it was intentional or not.
The man's pace going up the stairs seemed to be much slower than before.
Yan Ning was stunned for a moment, then immediately chose to seize this sudden opportunity.
So, while Lin Xinci was casually saying, "Do you remember this?"
Yan Ning immediately agreed: "I'll remember it!"
Then, she adjusted her tone and continued as if on impulse:
"By the way, Mom, after the opening ceremony this morning, can I stay at school for lunch? I don't have anything to do in the afternoon, and I want to go to the bookstore with Xin Jing to buy some tutoring books."
Although he spoke quickly, Yan Ning left two questions in his two sentences:
1. To celebrate the start of high school, Lin Xinci went to the supermarket yesterday and bought a lot of fruits, vegetables, pork, beef and mutton.
Although Yan Ning's father, Yan Xiangrong, will also come here to reunite tonight, judging by the size, it must include today's lunch.
Yan Ning's sudden announcement that he would not go home for lunch was bound to make Lin Xinci unhappy.
2. Xin Jing was Yan Ning’s closest friend when they were in the first and second year of junior high school at the Affiliated Middle School.
Xin Jing lived up to her name and had a personality completely opposite to Yan Ning's: she preferred activeness and disliked quietness. During their two rare meetings, Xin Jing left Lin Xinci with the impression of being unreliable. Therefore, both overtly and covertly, Lin Xinci disliked Yan Ning's frequent interactions with Xin Jing.
Yan Ning had not yet told Lin Xinci that Xin Jing had been admitted to the key class of the No. 1 Middle School in the city.
Sure enough, as soon as these words were spoken, Lin Xinci stopped, turned around with a calm expression, and glanced at Yan Ning.
Yan Ning stopped immediately.
My heart was filled with inexplicable tension and hidden anticipation.
She was waiting, waiting for Lin Xinci to choose one of the topics and expand on it.
Even if she faces criticism and education next, she will most likely face it.
But it is better than the endless study topics in this cramped space, which will then reach the ears of people downstairs who don't want to listen in the first place.
After a second, Lin Xinci suddenly nodded and said, "Okay."
Yan Ning was stunned.
She didn't even react for a moment, and Lin Xinci agreed to her request.
Then Lin Xinci continued:
"Speaking of tutoring books, I just asked Uncle Fang from your dad's workplace a few days ago for a list of tutoring books for his child who got into Shangqing this year, from freshman to senior year. You can go to the bookstore today and buy the books for this semester."
His shoulders collapsed, and the back of his schoolbag hit Yan Ning's heart, the seedling called "hope".
Because she knew exactly what Lin Xinci would say next.
Lin Xinci turned around and continued downstairs, muttering as Yan Ning expected:
"You've met Brother Fang Liang, Uncle Fang's brother. He scored 148 in English on the college entrance exam, just two points shy of a perfect score. Although Ningning's English is relatively good, you still need to work harder in high school and strive to improve..."
The topic came back again.
The stairs in front of me are almost at the bottom.
The footsteps downstairs were getting slower and slower, and getting closer and closer.
Yan Ning bit his lower lip.
He immediately quickened his pace and caught up with him.
Lin Xinci had just said a few words about her English study plan when Yan Ning took a break to change the subject again:
"Which bookstore should I go to buy Brother Fang Liang's book? The one on Qingfu Road, or..."
"I asked, the one on Qingfu Road is fine." Lin Xinci interrupted without even turning her head.
What a coincidence.
The first option hits the mark.
Yan Ning was a little discouraged.
Not only did her plan to count the six or seven bookstores of all sizes in the surrounding area to delay time fail, but Lin Xinci had already stepped onto the second-floor staircase platform.
And judging from the sounds, the person downstairs should have reached the platform between the first and second floors.
In my ears, Lin Xinci's topic of education is obviously going to continue:
"besides……"
It seems like everything is a foregone conclusion.
Like a dried salted fish, she no longer needs to turn over.
Yan Ning lowered his eyelashes, staring at the pair of white sneakers on his feet, thinking -
She would wait and then go downstairs in this position.
However, within two seconds of choosing the pose, Yan Ning suddenly saw a pair of brown wedge-heeled leather shoes in his field of vision.
It belongs to Lin Xinci.
Yan Ning looked up and noticed that Lin Xinci had stopped on the second-floor platform at some point and had even stopped talking.
Yan Ning couldn't help but feel strange:
Are there any "horrifying" scenes?
What would make my mother behave uncharacteristically and keep quiet when meeting others?
In the corridor, the remaining heat was lingering on the skin, and there was no coolness. Two bird calls suddenly sounded from the electric pole outside, like a harsh noise, which was annoying.
It was at this moment that Yan Ning turned around and saw the young man standing quietly downstairs.
The boy was wearing a blue and white school uniform, short-sleeved shirt and long pants. He had a tall figure and a few wisps of slightly wet hair on his forehead. His eyebrows and eyes were clear and bright, with a hint of smile.
He just stood there in the mottled sunlight coming in from the window, raised his eyes and looked over.
Yan Ning's heartbeat suddenly quickened, and he quickly lowered his head and looked away.
Then she heard his voice:
"Good morning."
The voice is clear and crisp, even better than the mountain spring water in June.
Perhaps it was because of the boy's polite smile, which was just the right amount, not too much or too little.
Or maybe it was his tall stature, fair face, regular features, and short black hair style that completely met the requirements of No. 1 Middle School.
All of the above are very consistent with Lin Xinzhi’s impression of a good student.
Lin Xinci, no longer in her usual defensive stance, smiled and replied, "Good morning to you too, little classmate."
Lin Xinci has apparently switched to social mode.
So, unexpectedly, Yan Ning achieved her goal in a different way.
Before Yan Ning could react to what he was feeling, he heard the boy's voice again:
"You go first."
Lin Xinci was obviously very pleased with the young man's politeness and humility. She responded to his words with a smile and continued walking.
Yan Ning lowered his eyes and followed quietly.
The conversation in my ears is still going on.
"Are you also a student of No. 1 Middle School?"
"Yes, Auntie."
"What grade are you in this year?"
"First year of high school."
"Hey, you're in the same grade as my Ningning. Have you had breakfast?"
"have eaten."
"You came back so early this morning. Did you forget to bring something?"
"Yes, I came back to get something."
Although upon closer inspection, the boy's words were completely in line with Lin Xinci's answers, not revealing any unnecessary information, his attitude was impeccable.
After a few exchanges, Lin Xinci had a better impression of him and her tone became warmer:
"It's almost half past seven. You better hurry up, or you'll be late."
Yan Ning recalled the time on the clock when he left the house:
[6:55]
She couldn't help but sigh that time passed so quickly at her mother's place.
"You are right."
The boy still answered politely and calmly.
Yan Ning listened to his unchanged tone and inexplicably had some strange intuition -
He and she seem a little bit alike.
However, before Yan Ning could put this feeling into practice, she saw Lin Xinci's figure suddenly turn in her sight.
Yan Ning looked up subconsciously.
Only then did she realize that she had unknowingly reached the second to last step.
At this moment, Lin Xinci, who was on the platform, nodded to the young man, and the young man also nodded in response.
The farewell ceremony was completed in a flash. Lin Xinci turned around with satisfaction and continued walking down.
Next second.
Before Yan Ning could move his eyes away, he suddenly met the young man's gaze head-on.
There was still a faint smile in those dark eyes.
This guy is ridiculously good-looking.
Yan Ning paused.
Because she was on the stairs, her line of sight was almost level with the person in front of her.
But her face was blank for a moment.
She hadn't figured out how to face this classmate she had suddenly met.
It was at this moment.
Out of Lin Xinci's field of vision.
Yan Ning saw clearly that the boy looked back at her and suddenly raised his eyebrows casually, even with a bit of ruffian attitude.
That perfect and standard etiquette smile was ruined on him just like that.
Before Yan Ning could react.
He mouthed to her silently:
"You're welcome."
As expected, he had just slowed down his pace on purpose to give her time.
At that moment, Yan Ning's heart seemed to be gently poked by something warm.
Her gratitude was beyond words.
But now is obviously not the time to express too much.
The "tapping" sound of high heels hitting the steps began again.
Afraid that Lin Xinci would notice what was happening here, Yan Ning didn't dare to delay any longer. As he hurried down the stairs, he mouthed a serious and sincere reply to the boy:
"Thanks."
Then, he lowered his gaze.
But just as he was about to pass him by, Yan Ning remembered that something was missing.
Haven't said goodbye yet.
It was really difficult to look at people by craning her neck, so she chose to settle for the next best thing, lowering her voice to the lowest level and adding in a low voice:
"goodbye."
In fact, I didn't expect him to hear it.
But the next moment, a male voice, also very low, almost whispered to her ear:
"Yeah, see you at school."
It was clearly a perfectly normal sentence, but Yan Ning felt an inexplicable heat rising in the area of his ear that was closest to his.
She nodded randomly.
He walked away quickly, passing the young man.
As she lowered her eyes, she saw a bottle of iced sparkling water in a transparent convenience store coffee bag on the side of the black backpack he was carrying on one shoulder.
The bottle was emitting a slight chill, and the condensed water droplets around it were wrapped in a plastic bag, so they did not wet the cloth bag of the backpack at all.
The boredom she had felt all morning suddenly appeared at this moment, like bubbles rising in her vision.
Broken, scattered, and disappeared.
The author has something to say:
----------------------
Next book: "Crush is my secret crush?!"
【Sweet Cookies/University Background】
[Chatty Little Sunshine Girl X Cool Little Tea Master]
-
Secret love is too painful.
So, Zhu Qingqing thought about it and decided to post a white wall - she found a secret crush.
What a good and wonderful pairing!
After finding a partner, Zhu Qingqing not only had someone to help her share and resolve the ups and downs of her secret love and all her worries.
Even after that, Zhu Qingqing found that her good luck was rising sharply——
Not only with Crush, but also with Senior Lu Qingzhou, the chances of encountering each other are increasing!
And! There has been tangible progress!!
Study together, eat together, go out together...
But just when Zhu Qingqing thought that her secret love career would make rapid progress until she and Senior Lu finally got married.
The plot takes a sharp turn for the worse.
Zhu Qingqing is heartbroken.
The secret crush is as good as ever. After hearing the news, he asked Zhu Qingqing to meet him to comfort himself.
But after meeting—
A caring sister is a good match...
How did he become Lu Qingzhou, the 188cm tall, cold white skin, and brown pupils?!?
Senior Lu was no longer so aloof. He tilted his head to the side, and the night light shone right on his face, making him look even more handsome, making people unable to take their eyes off him.
He is also very considerate and serious:
"We're not partners. I also hope that we can be friends first."
But Zhu Qingqing was completely dumbfounded.
etc.
Bridge bean sack.
Friends or not, let’s talk again later!
That is to say.
So she already had Crush's contact information eight hundred years ago???
-Breakup is a misunderstanding
Welcome the babies who like it to add a collection [kiss]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
