secret
Xu Zhiyi quickly stepped forward, stood in front of Zhang Ningxia, and looked directly at the boy: "She doesn't want to answer, please move aside."
The boy is Gao Ze, a freshman in high school.
He sneered: "Xu Zhiyi, this has nothing to do with you, right? I just want to ask Ningxia some questions."
Zhang Ningxia tugged at Xu Zhiyi's sleeve and whispered, "I don't want to bother with him, but I can't refuse him."
"She doesn't want to answer any questions right now." Xu Zhiyi said firmly, "We are going home."
Gao Ze was relentless, "Zhang Ningxia, are you just so disrespectful?"
"I won't give it to you, what can you do?" A voice came from the bottom of the stairs.
Song Chengrui took two steps at a time up the stairs and stood next to Xu Zhiyi.
He stared at Gao Ze sternly. "You're not going home after evening study, but are here to pick up girls? You're quite capable."
Gao Ze's momentum obviously weakened: "This is a matter between her and me. It has nothing to do with anyone else."
"It's nothing to do with them? They are my friends!" Song Chengrui interrupted him, "If you keep pestering me, why don't we go out and fight?"
Gao Ze's face changed, he glared at Zhang Ningxia angrily, then turned and went downstairs.
After they left, Zhang Ningxia breathed a sigh of relief. "I was so scared. Luckily you guys came. This guy has been pestering me for days, and he won't listen to anything I say."
Xu Zhiyi patted her on the back and said, "Just tell the teacher next time."
Song Chengrui frowned: "I'll find someone to talk to him tomorrow."
"Don't," Zhang Ningxia quickly shook her head. "The more you pay attention to him, the more he gets excited. If you ignore him for a few days, he'll be fine."
Xu Zhiyi frowned, a little worried, "Ningxia, why did he come to see you?"
Zhang Ningxia lowered her head, "Reconcile..."
Xu Zhiyi sighed: "What do you think..."
Zhang Ningxia's face turned a little ugly. "What a rotten guy... I just want to stay away from him."
The three of them went downstairs together. Zhang Ningxia tactfully found an excuse to leave first, leaving Xu Zhiyi and Song Chengrui behind.
The campus became quiet at night. Xu Zhiyi looked down at the shadows walking side by side on the ground, and a sweet feeling arose in his heart.
"Wait for me after evening self-study next time," Song Chengrui suddenly said, "I'll take you home."
Xu Zhiyi was stunned for a moment: "Don't bother, Ningxia and I will go together..."
"In that situation just now, you two girls are not safe." Song Chengrui said firmly, "It's settled."
Xu Zhiyi felt warm in his heart and said "hmm" softly.
During the break the next day, Xu Zhiyi discovered that Gao Ze did not harass Zhang Ningxia again. Instead, he would take a detour when he saw them.
She asked Song Chengrui curiously: "What did you say to him?"
Song Chengrui twirled his pen nonchalantly: "Just tell him that people who bully girls won't be able to get by with me."
Xu Zhiyi couldn't help but laugh: "So social?"
"Isn't it natural to protect the people?" Song Chengrui blurted out, and then both of them were stunned.
This is the first time they have explicitly mentioned the term.
Xu Zhiyi's cheeks were hot. He lowered his head and pretended to organize his books, his heart beating like a drum.
Song Chengrui also felt a little uncomfortable and coughed lightly: "Um... I'm going to play basketball."
"Okay." Xu Zhiyi's voice was as light as a feather brushing past.
The library was packed on the weekend before finals.
Xu Zhiyi and Song Chengrui sat side by side by the window, and the sunlight shone through the glass onto the books.
Xu Zhiyi was concentrating on solving math problems, while Song Chengrui was looking at the English test paper with a bitter look on his face.
"Here," Xu Zhiyi tapped his test paper lightly, "the tense is wrong. It should be the perfect tense."
Song Chengrui suddenly realized: "No wonder it feels awkward to read." He turned his head to look at her and felt that her whole body was shining.
"Look at the question, why are you looking at me?" Xu Zhiyi's ears turned red.
"You look better than the question." Song Chengrui blurted out, and was then lightly kicked by Xu Zhiyi under the table.
"Focus on reviewing."
"As you command, Mr. Student Councillor."
During the break from studying, Song Chengrui slipped out to buy some hot milk tea.
When I came back, I found Xu Zhiyi taking a nap on the table with his textbook spread out beside him.
He sat down quietly and carefully put his coat on her shoulders.
Xu Zhiyi was actually not asleep. Feeling his movements, ripples appeared in her heart.
She pretended to turn over, turned her face towards him, and quietly opened her eyes a little, and saw Song Chengrui looking at her gently, as if he was looking at some rare treasure.
The final exam came as scheduled. After the exam, the class organized a New Year party.
The classroom was decorated with lights and desks were arranged in a circle, with a performance area in the middle.
Zheng Yan urged Song Chengrui to perform, but he couldn't refuse and picked up his guitar: "I don't sing well, please forgive me."
The prelude sounded, it was Jay Chou's "Qilixiang".
Song Chengrui's voice was low and pleasant, and his eyes drifted in Xu Zhiyi's direction from time to time.
The classmates started to cheer tacitly. Xu Zhiyi lowered her head and smiled, feeling sweet inside.
When he sang the chorus, Song Chengrui suddenly stopped: "Wait a minute, the tune is too high." He plucked the strings again, "This song is not suitable, let's change it."
A new prelude sounded, it was "Simple Love".
This time he sang smoothly and emotionally, his eyes never leaving Xu Zhiyi.
"I want to hold your hand like this and never let go. Can love always be pure and without sadness..."
The classroom fell silent and everyone looked at them.
Xu Zhiyi felt her cheeks getting hot, but she bravely met his gaze.
The song ended with thunderous applause.
The class teacher Xu Dongxing was standing at the door at some point and started clapping with a meaningful smile on his face.
Halfway through the party, Xu Zhiyi was pushed out by Zhang Ningxia to participate in the game session.
In the blindfolded guessing game, she was blindfolded and her classmates walked in front of her one by one. She had to guess the person by touching their hands.
When she touched the fifth pair of hands, Xu Zhiyi paused. These hands had distinct joints, were warm and dry, and the palms were slightly sweaty. This feeling was very familiar to her.
"Song Chengrui." She said softly, feeling her hand being gently held.
After removing the blindfold, she met his smiling eyes.
The classmates around him cheered: "You can even recognize this!"
Zhang Ningxia yelled, "No, no, this question is too easy!"
The party ended and the students left one after another.
Song Chengrui helped Xu Zhiyi pack her schoolbag and naturally put it on his shoulder: "Let's go."
It was a winter evening and it was already dark.
The two walked side by side on the campus path as the street lights gradually lit up.
"What are your plans for the holidays?" Song Chengrui asked.
"I'm preparing for next semester's content and reading a few books I've always wanted to read," Xu Zhiyi answered honestly. "What about you?"
"My family found a tutor for me," Song Chengrui kicked a small stone away, "and... can I see you occasionally?"
Xu Zhiyi smiled and said, "How do I find it?"
"For example," Song Chengrui stopped and took out a small box from his schoolbag, "a New Year's gift."
Xu Zhiyi took it in surprise and opened it to reveal an exquisite silver bracelet with a small osmanthus pendant hanging on it.
“This is so…”
"Don't say it's expensive," Song Chengrui interrupted her, "I just wanted to give it to you."
Xu Zhiyi stroked the small osmanthus flower, his eyes burning with warmth: "Is it specially given to me?"
"Yes," he said softly, "In the new year, I wish you success in the exams."
Xu Zhiyi looked up at him. The boy's eyes under the street light were bright and sincere.
She took a deep breath and mustered up her courage: "You too..."
Before he could finish his words, Zhang Ningxia's voice came from a distance: "Zhi Yi! The car is coming!"
The two smiled at each other, helpless yet sweet.
"Be careful on the road."
"good."
Halfway through the journey, Xu Zhiyi hesitated for a moment and said softly, "Happy New Year, Song Chengrui."
"Happy New Year," he smiled, "See you back at the start of school."
Xu Zhiyi took a few steps and looked back, only to find that he was still standing there watching her.
She raised her braceleted hand and waved, seeing a huge grin spread across his face.
When she got home, her mother was preparing dinner. She glanced at the new jewelry on her wrist and just smiled: "Wash your hands and eat."
Xu Zhiyi breathed a sigh of relief, feeling warm in his heart.
She touched the osmanthus hairpin in her hair and looked at the bracelet on her wrist, feeling that this winter was incredibly warm.
Outside the window, light snow was falling. Xu Zhiyi stood in front of the window, watching the snowflakes falling, and silently made a wish in her heart:
I hope that in the new year, all good things will come as expected.
The winter vacation passed slowly, and the days were getting closer and closer to New Year's Eve.
On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, Xu Zhiyi followed Xu Wangping to a distant vegetable wholesale market to buy New Year's goods.
The air was filled with the smell of fruits and vegetables, the noise of people was bustling, and the sound of tricycle bells and the cries of vendors could be heard one after another.
Xu Wangping skillfully moved among the different stalls, and Xu Zhiyi followed behind him with a cloth bag in his hand.
The father and daughter didn't talk much, but they had a tacit understanding with each other. Xu Wangping was picking vegetables in front and carefully told Xu Zhiyi the price and quality of the vegetables. Xu Zhiyi nodded and packed the vegetables.
"I'll go check on the fish and shrimp, and you go buy some peppercorns and chili powder."
Xu Wangping pointed to the dry goods section on the right and said, "I've told you the prices. Buy from whichever store offers the best bargains."
"Okay." Xu Zhiyi responded and turned away.
Just as she was comparing peppercorns of different prices, an unpleasant voice sounded behind her.
"Hey, isn't this Zhang Ningxia's good friend Xu Zhiyi?"
When she heard her name, she turned around and saw Gao Ze wearing a black down jacket with another boy.
He put his hands in his pockets, with an uncomfortable smile on his face, and moved closer to Xu Zhiyi.
"Why, buying New Year's goods?"
Xu Zhiyi didn't want to pay any attention to this person, so he took his things and was about to leave.
Gao Ze stopped her, "Hey, don't leave so quickly. I want to discuss something with you."
"We are not familiar with each other, right?" Xu Zhiyi turned his head to look at him with a light tone.
Gao Ze touched his nose, feeling a little embarrassed. "Well, what's the matter? I'm also your best friend, how can you say that?"
Xu Zhiyi rolled his eyes. "You and Ningxia have nothing to do with each other. I have something else to do. Can you please stay out of my way?"
Gao Ze sneered, "Oh my, this academic master is different when he's in love. His tone has become much tougher."
When Xu Zhiyi heard this, she looked around unconsciously. When she didn't see any familiar figures, she retorted angrily.
"Ningxia doesn't want to have anything to do with you anymore. You should have expected this when you broke your promise. Why are you still pestering me now?"
Xu Zhiyi clenched his wrists, feeling a little nervous.
"Also, I'm not in a relationship, could you please stop talking nonsense."
Gao Ze sneered and looked at his friend next to him, "You know whether I'm talking nonsense or not. Besides, this is no longer a secret."
He took a step forward. "It's simple. Tell Zhang Ningxia that I really didn't mean it. Ask her to pay attention to me just once. Just once, and I won't tell anyone your secret. How about that?"
"Not very good. It's terrible."
Xu Zhiyi took the peppercorns and went straight to pay.
"Xu Zhiyi!"
Gao Ze's defense was almost broken.
Xu Zhiyi's heart was beating fast, but she remained calm. "If you have nothing to do, go shovel snow on the road, so you don't get too full."
"grass!"
When Xu Zhiyi passed by him, he seemed to hear Gao Ze's angry words.
But she didn't show any sign of timidity at all. This kind of person can't be treated well, otherwise he will think that everyone is a soft persimmon that can be manipulated by him.
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