The last period was a self-study class. The homework on the first day of school wasn't too much, and Lu Chuan finished it ten minutes before the end of class. He packed up his bag, glanced at the clock in front of the classroom, and began to kick Liu Ru Yan's chair.
"Liu Ru Yan, hurry up and pack your bag, it's almost time to get out of class!"
"Ugh!" Liu Ru Yan bit her lip and tried to hold back her anger without turning around.
Lu Chuan kept kicking. "Didn't you hear me? What, don't want to leave with me?"
"Liu Ru Yan! Still angry? Why are you so temperamental? Can't I apologize? Is it my fault, handsome as I am?"
Everyone at school thought Lu Chuan was a man of few words, but only Liu Ru Yan had seen how noisy he could be. It was already a lot for him to go a whole day without talking to her.
"Fine, fine." Liu Ru Yan turned around and shot Lu Chuan a glare.
"If you have any questions you can't solve, just ask me. I don't mind sacrificing my precious time to help you."
"Hey, Liu Ru Yan!"
"Lu Chuan, are you sick? Can you stop making so much noise and just shut up!" Liu Ru Yan finally couldn't take it anymore and yelled at Lu Chuan.
Perhaps because she had regained her strength thanks to Lu Chuan's annoying chatter, Liu Ru Yan's voice was full of energy. Her shout startled classmates who were seriously doing their homework, reading extracurricular books, or quietly napping. Everyone turned their curious heads towards Lu Chuan and Liu Ru Yan.
"Sorry, sorry!" Liu Ru Yan realized what she had just done and awkwardly apologized to those around her.
What a shrew! Revealing her true nature so soon. Liu Mei Na secretly gloated. It's no wonder Lu Chuan likes her; thinking about how she had suffered over this girl made her feel ridiculous.
But she forgot to consider why Liu Ru Yan was angry with Lu Chuan. It was because Lu Chuan talked too much. And why did Lu Chuan usually say so little? Because he was only interested in Liu Ru Yan.
Even after being scolded by Liu Ru Yan, Lu Chuan wasn't angry at all. Instead, he stuck out his tongue and made a funny face. That's right, Lu Chuan actually made a funny face with his extraordinarily handsome face!
This expression looks so familiar. Liu Mei Na suddenly remembered that Liu Ru Yan had made the same expression at her in the morning.
Sure enough, Liu Ru Yan returned Lu Chuan's funny face, signaling the end of their cold war!
After a day of intense emotional impact, the classmates seemed less surprised by their antics. They finished watching the drama and went back to their own business.
"I think Lu Chuan definitely likes Liu Ru Yan."
"Of course, anyone with eyes can see that."
"Shh, don't let the class monitor hear."
"Hmph, what's there to be afraid of? She's so flamboyant all the time. She must have lost badly this time."
…
The talk about not letting the class monitor hear was actually meant to let her hear it. Liu Mei Na clenched her fists tightly, her fingertips turning white.
"Five, four, three, two, one."
"Ding ding ding!" At Ye Zi Ming's countdown, the school bell finally rang. The students, who had been waiting for the bell, chirped like birds and rushed out of the classroom.
"Fang Er, what are you doing later? Are you going to play ball?" Ye Zi Ming asked Lu Chuan, slinging his backpack over one shoulder.
Lu Chuan pointed to Liu Ru Yan. "Ask her."
"No way, you're still going to leave with her after school?" Ye Zi Ming's voice broke with excitement. "Also, can you stop speaking in two-word sentences?"
"Heh, no can do!"
"My dad is picking me up. If you want to play ball, go ahead. I'm heading home first." Liu Ru Yan turned to Lu Chuan and said, then patted An Ran. "An Ran, let's go together."
"Let's go." An Ran affectionately hooked her arm with Liu Ru Yan's.
"Then I won't go either. We'll play another day." Lu Chuan said, then followed behind Liu Ru Yan and the others. When he left in the morning, Lu Chuan's mother had told him that she and his father were going out for a social event that night, and asked him to go to Liu Ru Yan's house for dinner.
"Why has everything changed since Liu Ru Yan arrived? Lu Chuan, can't you show a bit of the reservedness expected of a campus heartthrob!" Ye Zi Ming grumbled as he trailed behind the group.
Liu Ru Yan and An Ran walked hand in hand towards the school gate, with Lu Chuan and Ye Zi Ming following at a reasonable distance. The group of handsome boys and beautiful girls was a sight to behold, and this sight soon stirred up a commotion.
"Hello, classmate Xie, I'm Fang Yu from Class 9. I admire you very much. Can we get to know each other?" Suddenly, amidst a crowd of people egging him on, a tall and thin boy came up to Liu Ru Yan and greeted her.
Liu Ru Yan was startled. Although she had been approached before, it was her first day at this school.
"Not convenient!" Before Liu Ru Yan could speak, a cold voice came from behind.
Lu Chuan walked over with his hands in his pockets. "You say you admire her? You haven't even seen her face and you say you admire her? Isn't your admiration too cheap?"
"Lu Chuan, stay out of it! What does it have to do with you if I'm talking to Classmate Xie?" Fang Yu was also a well-known figure at the school, one of the few underperforming students.
Lu Chuan grabbed Liu Ru Yan's backpack and pulled her to his side. "Who says it has nothing to do with me? Her matters are my matters!"
"What a joke. Do you think just because you have the title of campus heartthrob, you can control everything?" Fang Yu looked at Liu Ru Yan. "Classmate Xie, can we be friends?"
"Can't you understand what I'm saying?" Lu Chuan stood in front of Liu Ru Yan, rarely speaking with such agitation.
"Forget it, forget it, Lu Chuan, let's go." Liu Ru Yan tugged at Lu Chuan's clothes. "Um, Classmate Fang Yu, I remember you, but I have to go home now. Goodbye."
With Liu Ru Yan's firm insistence, the group finally reached the school gate amid the many curious onlookers. An Ran was picked up by her mother, and Ye Zi Ming went off to play ball with his classmates.
"Ru Yan, Xiao Fang!" A black business car across the street honked twice and then lowered its window, calling out to them. It was Liu Ru Yan's father, Xie Yun Chuan.
"Hello, Uncle Xie!" Lu Chuan obediently followed Liu Ru Yan into the same car under everyone's gaze.
"Xiao Fang, how was Ru Yan's day at school? Didn't get into any trouble, did she?"
"No, Ru Yan is very popular at school. Just now, a classmate wanted to be friends with her," Lu Chuan said in a deliberately sarcastic tone.
"That's good to hear." Xie Yun Chuan smiled with satisfaction. "Ru Yan, since you're in the same class as Xiao Fang, don't bully him, okay?"
"Dad, what are you saying? How could your daughter bully him? Why do you always side with him?" Liu Ru Yan muttered discontentedly.
"No way. Xiao Fang, you have to take good care of Ru Yan at school, okay? Don't let anyone bully her."
Xie Yun Chuan understood his daughter well. Although she appeared carefree, she was actually kind-hearted. Even though she often bickered with Lu Chuan, it was just a way of showing her affection to someone close.
Lu Chuan answered seriously and firmly, "I definitely will!"