"Liu Ruyan~"
Lu Chuan called out to her in the corridor connecting the teaching building and the faculty office building.
The teaching building and the office building are separate structures, connected by a corridor.
Calling it a corridor is an understatement—it's more like a pavilion. Every few meters, there are columns covered in vines. The green from the vines adds a touch of life to the red brick walls, making the campus seem even more vibrant.
This spot is relatively open, and loud voices tend to echo.
Liu Ruyan stopped and turned to look at Lu Chuan running towards her. His white shirt was billowing with the wind, and his hair was swept back with each step he took.
From a young age, Lu Chuan had always run this way, exuding a youthful charm.
"I'll go for you."
Lu Chuan stopped beside her, breathing slightly heavily.
He knew he hadn't done anything wrong, yet he unconsciously lowered his stance and tentatively asked.
The two stood face to face in the corridor. Liu Ruyan looked up at Lu Chuan, and the gentle breeze lifted the stray hairs at her ears, bringing her soft and tender voice.
"No, it's fine. I'll go myself."
She smiled faintly, as if nothing had happened.
"Um, are you upset?"
Lu Chuan asked softly, his voice carrying a hint of expectation.
"No, why would I be?" Liu Ruyan asked casually.
As she walked over, Liu Ruyan had been pondering why she felt upset.
Was it because too many people liked Lu Chuan?
But he had always been like that, being popular was not his fault. Besides, Lu Chuan had never neglected her because of others.
Was it because someone asked her to pass on a love letter?
She had encountered such things before; girls from the same neighborhood had asked her to deliver letters and gifts to Lu Chuan, and some had even asked for his WeChat and phone number.
Was it because of Ye Ziming's prank?
But the love letter was meant for Lu Chuan, not for her.
If it was because of the first two reasons, there was only one possibility: she liked Lu Chuan and was upset because she felt jealous.
If it was because of the latter reason, it was still because she liked Lu Chuan and felt even more jealous. Since Ye Ziming was a mutual friend, his joke about Lu Chuan and another girl made her even angrier.
Like Lu Chuan???
Liu Ruyan thought it was impossible. If she really liked him, how could she not know? She had always seen Lu Chuan as just a good friend.
Even if she did like him, she had no right to be angry. She was not Lu Chuan's anything, just a childhood friend. Even if Lu Chuan accepted a love letter or someone's confession, she had no reason to be upset.
After much consideration, since she had neither reason nor standing, she decided not to be angry.
So, facing Lu Chuan, who had chased after her, Liu Ruyan convinced herself and answered him without any emotion.
"Oh."
Perhaps because he hadn't expected such a conversation, Lu Chuan took a few seconds to respond woodenly.
As Liu Ruyan's figure gradually disappeared at the end of the corridor, Lu Chuan suddenly felt a pang of disappointment. He thought even if Liu Ruyan had chased after him, angrily shaking her fists and giving him a beating, it would have been better than this.
He had thought Liu Ruyan, like him, didn't like seeing other girls close to him or jokes about him with others.
He had thought Liu Ruyan liked him too, only she didn't realize it.
But her nonchalant attitude, as if she didn't care who liked him or who would take him away, made Lu Chuan, surrounded by many hearts, feel as though he had nothing at all.
Lu Chuan sighed deeply and turned to walk slowly towards the classroom.
In the empty corridor, his tall and slender figure looked somewhat forlorn. Others always saw him as spirited and full of energy; few had ever seen him like this.
"Lu Chuan, you're back. Why are you alone? Didn't you go find Ruyan? Is she not angry with me anymore?"
When Lu Chuan returned alone, Ye Ziming asked a series of questions while looking behind him.
"No, she's fine."
Lu Chuan sat down and flipped through his exercise book, trying to forget Liu Ruyan's smiling face by doing homework, only to find that he had already completed it, including the assignments for the next few days.
Ye Ziming and An Ran exchanged puzzled glances, unsure of what had happened between them.
Soon, Liu Ruyan returned with a stack of homework books.
Ye Ziming quickly approached, "Ruyan, Ruyan, let me help you distribute these."
"Sure, go ahead."
Liu Ruyan handed the books to him with a smile, appearing genuinely relaxed and happy.
While Ye Ziming distributed the books, his eyes followed Liu Ruyan, who, as usual, sat down and began chatting with An Ran, laughing and talking as she did.
Lu Chuan, who had been pretending to read a book, finally looked up after she sat down and gazed at Liu Ruyan with a lingering, wistful look.
What was this situation? Liu Ruyan not being upset was good, but why was Lu Chuan unhappy now that Liu Ruyan seemed fine?
Ye Ziming, straightforward as ever, believed that Lu Chuan liked Liu Ruyan, and Liu Ruyan liked Lu Chuan. He might never understand the confusion and tentative feelings between boys and girls.
After school, Lu Chuan deliberately dawdled, hoping to see if Liu Ruyan would wait for him.
"Lu Chuan, what are you dawdling for? Why haven't you packed up yet?"
Liu Ruyan reached the door and noticed that no one was following, only to turn around and see Lu Chuan still at his seat.
"Oh, coming." Lu Chuan slung his bag over one shoulder and walked over.
Never mind. As long as Liu Ruyan continued to treat him as her special friend, with her daily chattering filling his ears, Lu Chuan thought it was just fine.
"Hey, isn't that Lu Chuan-senpai?"
"He looks even more handsome up close."
"But who is that girl next to him? They seem to know each other quite well."
Today, Lu Chuan intentionally walked beside Liu Ruyan instead of behind her, attracting the curiosity of many lower-grade and new students. His intention was clear—he wanted everyone to think he was already taken.
"Junior, don't you know who that girl is? You should do some investigating. Your Lu Chuan-senpai is quite special to her."
Liu Meina passed by the crowd and, eager for more people to dislike Liu Ruyan, left behind this snide remark before walking away.