Chapter 61 The Delinquent School Beauty Transfer Student 2 (Replacement) At the beach...
I saw Yun Chiyi again a few days later one morning.
People and bicycles slowly weaved through the alley. Lin Hengzhi sat at the old-established breakfast shop at the entrance of the alley, as if watching a mundane street movie.
The breakfast shop was doing brisk business, with regular customers and new ones coming in as well. Lin Hengzhi ordered a basket of fresh bamboo shoot shumai and a bowl of savory soy milk, as usual.
He always eats very slowly; the people sharing the table changed two or three times before he had finished half of his food.
A bunch of keys appeared on the table, tied with a red string; it was just another person who had to squeeze in with him because there was no room available.
Lin Hengzhi didn't look up, slowly scooping up a mouthful of soy milk.
The person opposite sat down, and a clear, melodious female voice rang out: "Is it delicious?"
Lin Hengzhi looked up and saw Yun Chiyi staring at the food on his chopsticks with a smile.
She said, "I just moved here and I'm not familiar with this area. Could you recommend some of the store's signature items?"
Lin Hengzhi's bangs covered his eyebrows, and when he looked down, even his eyes were not clearly visible. Yun Chiyi leaned against the table and looked at him for a while, then clicked her tongue in disappointment.
She turned to the proprietress and asked for half a basket of fresh bamboo shoot shumai and a bowl of savory soy milk.
The items he ordered were almost identical to Lin Hengzhi's, except for the portion sizes.
She seemed idle and had nothing to do; even her movements while stirring the soy milk were slow and leisurely.
"I've run into you around here again. Where do you live?"
Lin Hengzhi remained silent and ate quietly.
Yun Chiyi chuckled: "I'm not a bad person, I just want to make friends with you."
"Forget it, you don't think much of me."
"Looking at you, you must be a good kid and a good student, while I look like a bad student who doesn't study hard. Why would you want to be friends with me?"
She talked on and on, and when others wanted to share a table, she refused, saying, "This table is so big, how can three people fit?"
Yun Chiyi took a bite of a fresh bamboo shoot shumai, the rich meaty aroma and crisp bamboo shoots making her brows curve into a smile.
No wonder Lin Hengzhi liked to eat it; the moment it entered his mouth was truly amazing.
Yun Chiyi picked up the second shumai and had just put it to her mouth when the usually silent statue opposite her suddenly spoke. She heard a sound, stopped eating, and looked at him.
Lin Hengzhi said calmly, "Lin Hengzhi, that's my name."
This self-introduction came out of nowhere. Yun Chiyi was initially taken aback when she heard his words, even though she already knew. She then pretended to be surprised and polite: "What a nice name."
Yun Chiyi rested her chin on her hand and leaned closer: "Why are you suddenly willing to tell me again?"
Lin Hengzhi replied seriously, "It was pretty awkward just now, wasn't it? Last time you said that to avoid awkwardness when we meet again, we should exchange names first, but it seems that it didn't work, and it's still just as awkward."
Yun Chiyi laughed upon hearing this, then turned hostile and said, "That's because you're boring. Besides studying and being a good student, what else can you do?"
She was just a stranger he'd met twice, yet she spoke so tactlessly. Lin Hengzhi's gaze turned slightly cold upon hearing this: "To casually judge others, it seems your upbringing is rather poor."
"My family has very good upbringing; personal habits should not be projected onto the family."
Yun Chiyi answered haphazardly, showing no sign of anger. She had gone out today and even managed to annoy Lin Hengzhi, achieving twice the result with half the effort—perfect for her.
She planned to finish breakfast and then figure out where to go next.
As a result, there was only one shumai left in the steamer, but it was taken away by chopsticks that appeared out of nowhere.
Yun Chiyi was confused and somewhat surprised. She looked in the direction the chopsticks were moving and saw several students she had just met in the past few days standing to her right, blocking the aisle in twos and threes.
The girl with short, ear-length hair who took her shumai was slurring her words as her mouth was bulging with food. "We're going out to play, are you coming?"
Yun Chiyi remained seated: "Where are we going?"
Wang Jiajia, hands on her hips, said, "By the sea, let's get some exercise."
The boys and girls behind her chimed in, "You're new here, go out and familiarize yourself with the surroundings."
Originally, Wang Jiajia and her group were used to being wild outside, and they were usually the same few people who traveled in groups. They generally wouldn't accept newcomers.
But Yun Chiyi is an exception.
She just moved here and is unfamiliar with the area, doesn't have her own social circle yet, so she's easily influenced. Besides, her personality is very much to Wang Jiajia's liking, and Wang Jiajia is willing to take her out and have fun.
Most importantly, Yun Chiyi is beautiful, and walking together with her makes them feel proud.
Seeing Yun Chiyi slowly drinking her soy milk, Wang Jiajia tugged at her shoulder: "If you want to leave, then leave."
Yun Chiyi said, "Finish your drink before you leave."
Wang Jiajia stood by and said, "Okay, we'll wait a few more minutes for you."
Seeing Lin Hengzhi, who looked delicate and like a well-behaved student, Wang Jiajia joked, "Is this your friend? Let's go play together."
"He has no desire to be my friend."
Yun Chiyi put down her bowl and said, "Let's go, you've been waiting for me for so long."
Wang Jiajia chuckled and tapped the table, teasing Lin Hengzhi: "Handsome, let's play together next time! You always come and go alone, aren't you lonely?"
Lin Hengzhi kept his eyes down and didn't reply, his expression calm.
That's what they said, but the group of people just thought it would be funny to tease him.
Yun Chiyi, carrying her bag, was pulled onto the road by Wang Jiajia, who hooked her arm around her shoulder.
Wang Jiajia lowered her voice and said, "You're new here, so you don't know. The students in the neighborhood don't like that Lin Hengzhi, but the adults in his family think he's a talented person. He can study well and keep the house clean and tidy. What else could he be but a talented person?"
Yun Chiyi understood: "So he's someone else's good kid."
Wang Jiajia scoffed: "My mom is envious too, but what can she do? She doesn't dare to really acknowledge him as her godson, she's probably afraid of him too."
Yun Chiyi sensed the disdain in her tone, so she pressed on, "What's wrong with him?"
Wang Jiajia said, "His mother died because of him, and his father has been missing for many years. Some people say that he has a tough fate and that anyone who gets close to him will be unlucky."
Yun Chi wanted to turn around, but Wang Jiajia stopped her again. Wang Jiajia clicked her tongue, thinking it was a bit of a downer: "Let's talk about something else. How about we go for barbecue tonight?"
Yun Chiyi said, "Besides, I might have something to do."
They walked away laughing and joking. The sound of their laughter reached Lin Hengzhi's ears. The tableware that Yun Chiyi had left behind had already been taken away by the proprietress. The traces of her presence were always so easily cleaned up.
Lin Hengzhi raised his eyes, his gaze fixed on the direction Yun Chiyi had left in.
They said they were going to the beach, and the place isn't too far from here.
He slung his backpack over his shoulder and walked slowly toward the sea.
An hour later, Yun Chiyi was playing volleyball with Wang Jiajia and the others on the beach. The damp sea breeze carried a salty smell, and her hair was a little messy, occasionally brushing against her cheek.
At first, she was too lazy to move, but as she played, she became interested. She rolled up her sleeves, swished the racket over the net, and missed the catch. She grinned and gave Wang Jiajia a high five.
After winning several times in a row, she was in high spirits and didn't feel tired even though she was sweating profusely. Yun Chiyi grabbed Wang Jiajia, who was sitting on the ground, and said, "Don't sit down, I can't play against three people at once."
Wang Jiajia was panting: "You have so much energy, look, they're all too tired to move, but you won by yourself." As she spoke, she leaned to the side and dry heaved.
Everyone collapsed from exhaustion in the sea breeze, except for Yun Chiyi, who remained standing with the bright sunlight behind her and the howling sea breeze ruffling her sleeves.
She feels like she's on a countdown to her life, making the most of every second.
Last night, as she lay in bed, she placed her hand on her chest. The heart belonging to this body was pounding very fast, as if it didn't believe she could change the final outcome.
Yun Chiyi sat on a rock, looking listless, to rest.
The others chattered away, jumping from one topic to another, going wherever the conversation took them.
"School is about to start, and I haven't done my homework yet."
Wang Jiajia kicked the boy: "Why bring this up? It's a downer."
She suddenly remembered and asked Yun Chiyi, "You also go to No. 2 Middle School? Which class are you in?"
Yun Chiyi: "Class Two, Study Literature."
After hearing this, Wang Jiajia teased, "I heard that there are a lot of handsome guys and beautiful girls in Class Two. If you're added to that, it'll be even more amazing. However, they have a serious problem with academic discrimination. If you get bullied, just tell me, and I'll back you up."
Yun Chiyi suddenly laughed out loud: "Do I not look like a good student?"
Wang Jiajia frowned dramatically: "Looks like a ghost."
Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Yun Chiyi happily patted the dust off her pants, picked up her dusty bag, and said goodbye to everyone: "I have tutoring this afternoon, so I won't be having lunch with you."
Wang Jiajia clicked her tongue: "She's taking extra classes. Looks like she wants to fit into the new class."
Yun Chiyi waved to the others: "I'm leaving now. I'll treat you to drinks next time."
She was carried by the sea breeze up the earthen slope, through the weeds, and onto the clean road when she suddenly stopped.
Lin Hengzhi was sitting in the bus shelter by the roadside, writing and drawing in a notebook with a pen in his hand.
Yun Chiyi walked over to greet him, deliberately patting his shoulder as if they were old friends: "Lin Hengzhi, what a coincidence."
Lin Heng subconsciously slapped her hand away. The dust on her sleeve was clearly visible in the sunlight, and it fluttered up because of his movement.
He said without any hesitation, "Gray."
Yun Chiyi stepped onto the stool and began vigorously brushing the mud off her trouser legs: "What are you doing here?"
Lin Hengzhi closed his notebook: "Let the wind blow on it."
She plopped down again, close to his shoulder, and pointed with her dusty finger at the group of young people lying haphazardly on the beach: "Aren't you envious of them?"
Lin Hengzhi glanced over indifferently. His eyes were always more mature than his actual age, like the thin mist on the beach at dawn, damp, faint, and unrelated to worldly affairs.
"Why?"
Yun Chiyi countered, "Look at you, you don't even have a single friend. Why do you think that is?"
Lin Hengzhi began packing his things and walked back the way he came.
Yun Chiyi followed up by poking at his heart: "You're too cold-hearted. They all remember you, but you don't recognize anyone."
Lin Hengzhi carried a backpack and took small steps, with the wind occasionally ruffling the hair on his forehead.
Seeing his indifferent attitude again, Yun Chiyi turned on her toes and walked backwards: "Is your memory really that bad?"
Lin Hengzhi looked at her, his eyes still calm, his pupils dark and somewhat dim.
Yun Chiyi smiled and pointed to herself: "If I weren't so bad, would you remember me?"
Lin Hengzhi said, "The clouds linger."
Yun Chiyi shrugged weakly: "It seems you didn't even remember. Maybe to you, we are all insignificant people."
She smiled and said confidently, "But it's okay, you won't forget me in the future."
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