Chapter Eight Reversal One

  One

  Looking at Hongyi standing outside the door, Lan was startled and widened her eyes. She glanced inside the slightly ajar master bedroom door and only relaxed when she saw her mother napping. Then, with a fierce glare, she pushed Hongyi out and didn't forget to close the big door behind him.

  "What are you doing here?!" Lan just slammed the door shut and started scolding him.

  Hongyi signaled her to keep her voice down, the girl hastily covered her mouth and looked nervously towards the door, while her mother murmured and turned over in bed.

  Huang Yiyi couldn't help but mischievously use her finger to flick the clean and shiny forehead that Lan Caiyu had revealed, only then did the girl realize that she hadn't removed the hair clip with Mickey Mouse on it after washing her face, and she was still wearing a Mickey Mouse nightgown. The nightgown which used to fit perfectly now seemed a bit too big, Lan Caiyu felt embarrassed and pulled the nightgown down a bit, all of a sudden the fierce look from earlier had disappeared, now she just looked like a shy little girl.

  "What are you wearing?"

  "Really?" Hong Yat asked in a low voice, then subconsciously pointed at the girl's flat chest.

  Blue? Suddenly sober, but not daring to scold people like usual, stretched out his hand and pinched the tenderest part of Hongyi's arm, Hongyi naturally let out a mournful cry and begged for forgiveness with his eyes.

  "What are you doing here, my mom is home!" Lan shouted, releasing his hand and crossing his arms over his chest to interrogate him.

  Hongyi raised his hands in surrender, dug into his backpack and pulled out a brand new CD to hand over to Lan Caihe, saying: "Last time we went shopping together didn't you want to buy Eason Chan's CD? I happened to have it so I brought it for you."

  Lan picked up the CD in surprise and carefully flipped through it, a happy smile spreading across her face: "You really did it! But why isn't this new?"

  "I bought it when he just released the album, and I'm so tired of listening to the songs inside. So I'll give it to you instead. Let me tell you, this is the authentic version, the only genuine one among all your pirated goods!" Hongyi said nonchalantly.

  "Who cares?" she hummed. Blue's mouth said so, but she was delighted to hold the CD and admire it without letting go.

  Hongyi leaned against the door, watching her smile happily, wisely not saying a word. He was satisfied in his heart, always trying to make her happy, but didn't think making her happy would be such a simple thing. Her infatuation with Eason Chan and her doting had already made him a bit jealous, but when he saw the corners of her eyes curve up as she smiled, he couldn't help but grin foolishly along with her.

  Time flies into October, in this extraordinary month, the school finally gave a seven-day long holiday, which is a particularly humane decision for these third-year junior high school students who are facing the middle school entrance examination.

  During the summer vacation, the school privately asked students to report for supplementary classes, and a good holiday was completely buried. Suddenly received the news of a seven-day small long holiday, everyone is still a bit unaccustomed, it wasn't until after asking the class teacher for confirmation several times that they excitedly cheered up.

  People in the class have indeed been too quiet for too long, and since entering junior high school, they haven't had a good time. The teachers all spread a confusing statement that as long as you get through the middle school exam and college entrance exam, it will be much simpler, so everyone is very willing to study hard.

  In just a few short months, Zhang Chongyu was first in his grade for both big and small exams. His class teacher liked to use him as an example of success to encourage everyone. The boys in the class who often climbed over the wall to go online were also well-behaved, sitting quietly in the classroom from morning till night, and their homework was all handed in on time.

  Lan C has always been at a level that is neither up nor down, with fluctuating grades. When she managed to score 80 points in math, Old Baldy was so excited that he praised her in front of the whole class. Lan C blushed and felt happy inside. But during the second exam, she fell back to just passing, and Old Baldy used her as an example again, saying "pride goes before a fall". This time, Lan C's face turned red with shame.

  And every time the praise was directed at Zhang Chongyu, he always had an indifferent expression, turning his head to glance at Xiao Yi, who just smiled and followed the crowd in applauding. Xiao Yi had taken a month's leave after having an abortion, and during that month, no one knew what happened to her, nor did she allow anyone to visit her. After returning, her grades plummeted, and she lost interest in studying. It was only later that it became known that she had broken up with Zhang Chongyu soon after the abortion.

  That night happened to be the Mid-Autumn Festival, and as usual, they walked home together. Xiao Yi and Zhang Chongyu were walking side by side in front, while Lan ?c and another classmate who was traveling with them were walking behind. Later, when they turned a corner at an intersection, suddenly around ten people appeared out of nowhere, holding clubs and beating Zhang Chongyu. Xiao Yi seemed to be frightened silly and just stood there stupidly.

  Blue? C was stunned at the time, and his subconscious mind rushed to stop those people. Those people didn't take Blue? C seriously and directly pushed him to the ground. Zhang Chongyou hugged Blue? C's head and fell on Blue? C's body to withstand the attack of the sticks.

  Blue? C looked at the front, painful and sweating all over his face, but Zhang Chongyu suddenly became chaotic. At this moment, she began to feel that she had never stopped liking him for a moment. She even wanted to stretch out her hand and hold him tightly, but in the end, she didn't do so.

  It wasn't until those people had dispersed after saying some vicious words that Zhang Chongyu struggled to get up, his t-shirt on his back completely torn apart by the chaotic beating, revealing skin covered in wounds.

  Lan just wanted to open his mouth to ask how his injury was, but Zhang Chongyu had already walked over to Xiao Yi and asked in a low voice if she was injured. Xiao Yi just shook her head while crying. Lan felt lost and lowered his head, only then realizing that a large piece of skin on his arm had been scraped off, which was now burning with pain.

  Zhang Chongyu turned around and told her to go back first, he would send Xiao Yi home first. Lan nodded, picked up the school bag on the ground and watched them walk away.

  After many years, thinking back on these things, I don't know what I liked about Zhang Chongyu, just that he seemed especially good. He was like the clothes in a high-end store window that you like but can't afford, or the shoes in a shoe cabinet that you like but don't have your size. Probably because you can't possess him, that's why you admire him as radiant and extraordinary. What you can't get is probably the best, it's probably this kind of logic.

  Blue? C turned his head and walked into the opposite alley, it was at that time he steeled himself to let go. It was also on this evening that Zhang Chongyu was abandoned by Xiao Yi. He sent Xiao Yi home and just turned around to leave when Xiao Yi called out to him and proposed breaking up.

  Zhang Chongyu lowered his head and didn't speak, nor did he try to retain her. Xiao Yi later told Lan that if Zhang Chongyu had spoken up and tried to retain her at the time, she might not have had the heart to really break up with him, unfortunately, he didn't.

  After the incident, no one pursued the cause of the fight. The school only publicly expelled several students from ordinary classes at the general assembly on Monday. Zhang Chongyu was called out by the director to talk for a long time that day, and he may have known the reason, but when he came back, he didn't say anything.

  It all went by like that, whether or not it was truly voluntary, some things are indeed changing in a direction you don't want.

  The day before the holiday, everyone was a bit restless, but Lan'er felt a bit dizzy. After school, when Hongyi walked into the classroom, he saw Lan'er sleeping with her head on the desk. It was rare to see her not making a face or gesturing wildly, so Hongyi couldn't bear to wake her and sat down quietly in the seat next to her, waiting for her to wake up.

  When the people in the classroom had all left, Lan Caihe finally rubbed her eyes and woke up dazedly. Her pale face had several obvious pressure marks from being pressed against her school uniform. The boy sitting quietly beside her playing games on his phone didn't notice she was awake. Lan Caihe simply rested her head on the desk and looked at him, then couldn't help but move her head over to lean on Hongyi's shoulder. The boy stiffened noticeably, then recovered his usual bad-boy demeanor, saying languidly, "Lan Caihe, do you know that your head is as heavy as a big lead ball?"

  Lan Zhan closed his eyes without a word, and just as he opened them to look up and wonder why Hongyi wasn't complaining as usual, Hongyi's kiss landed on his lips. The kiss was light, like a gentle breeze, and it ended before Lan Zhan could even react, making him wonder if Hongyi had accidentally touched him. But when he saw Hongyi smiling slyly and pursing his lips, Lan Zhan's heart finally started racing wildly, making one wonder if it had stopped beating altogether just moments before.

  Lan Zhan straightened her body and awkwardly looked out the window, where there was actually nothing, only an old banyan tree blocking part of the sunlight, but Lan Zhan felt that at this moment, she couldn't think of anything to shift her attention except staring blankly at one spot.

  It turned out that Hongyi stretched out his hand to comfort Lou, saying: "You look delicious, I just want to try what it feels like."

  "What's it like?"

  "Hmm... slippery." Then she lowered her head and asked her, "How does it feel?"

  "I don't feel anything."

  "Are you a wooden stake? Even if it's an ox, kick it and it will move forward two steps."

  Hongyi saw Lan'er not making a sound, turned her body around to take a look, and the girl's eyes were already red-rimmed, with tears welling up in them. Hongyi was so startled that his face changed color, and he hurriedly apologized nonstop, but didn't know where the girl's weak point was, and spoke stutteringly in his panic.

  "Du Hongyi, must your mouth be so foul?"

  "You... I..." Hong Yi's heart was racing as he looked at Lan, who was on the verge of tears. He hastily forced a smile: "You like Eason Chan, right? I'll take you to his concert, he has one in Hong Kong this month. How about we go together? Just don't cry."

  "I knew you'd use good things to coax me." Lan C wrinkled her nose, without even realizing the spoiled tone in her words.

  As he saw her reveal a sweet smile, his heart suddenly warmed up. He wished that time would stop at this moment, even if it was just for a brief second. Because he didn't know how many days in the future he could still see her smiling like this.