Chapter 56  

It was a warm spring day and willow catkins fluttered in the air. The lake in A-University Campus was full of water flashing with golden ripples, undulating with youthfulness and purity.

Zhen Lang and Lin Zi Chen stood by the lake and watched as the willow catkins fall on the surface water and being pushed by the undulating waters as the waves slapped against the limestone shore walls.

The field of green grass under the trees looked soft and lush.

Lin Zi Chen stared at the water in the lake and his gaze was empty and unfocused. The sunny smile on his face had a hint of loneliness.

"Coming back here evokes your feelings?" Zhen Lang asked mockingly. "Or brings back the memories of your impulsive teenage years? This field of grass is not bad. Perhaps you had also experienced the exchange of whispers and lingering emotions under the trees?"

Suddenly Lin Zi Chen's wandering thoughts halted and returned to the present. A fresh indifferent expression appeared on his face. "Um...... I remembered about our 'loving' past. Do you want us to hug once more and recollect those lingering moments again?"

Recollecting the past rumors about both of them, they exchanged glances and burst into loud laughter at the same time.

"There is still an hour before the talk starts. I want to take a stroll around first." Zhen Lang looked at the time and lifted his eyebrows at Lin Zi Chen. "Would you like to come along with me, just to give the schoolmates a surprise?"

"Damn you!" Lin Zi Chen smiled and shook his head. "I really cherish the memories of this spot. I want to stay here for a while longer."

Zhen Lang nodded and put his hands into his pants pockets before leisurely strolling away.

He is not a nosey person nor is he a person who likes to listen to secrets and gossips of others. Lin Zi Chen's actions had given him a hint to what Lin Zi Chen was thinking and he decided to leave the place to let him reminisce alone.

Today, they came back as the University's invited guests to give talks. They had not been back for many years and when they saw the familiar scenery, the hearts of the two people seemed to have returned to the past and those days of their splendid youth.

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"Zhen Lang!" It was just after class and he was in the bicycle shed retrieving his bicycle. With a glance, he saw a girl wearing a long fluttering skirt standing beside his bicycle. When she saw him coming, she smiled faintly. "I heard you are registering with A-University, is that true?"

He searched in his mind and finally came up with the girl's name.

Bai Wei?

The time when one is 18 to 19 years old, it is the time when feelings among the young are easily evoked. If it is said that Zhen Lang's name is the most mentioned among the girls, then Bai Wei is the most admired by the boys.

She was quiet and dignified and even her smiles were gentle and reserved. She did not have the foolishness of those girls who were studious and neither did she have a crazy, boisterous personality. It seemed she was a symbol of the perfect goddess in the hearts of the boys.

He had heard a lot about her but he did not have any interaction with Bai Wei. Occasionally when he did see her, it was only her name on the yearly performance result notice when he checked his results that he accidentally sees her name listed directly under his.

He revealed his usual gentle smile and the reserved girl in front of him quietly lowered her head.

"It was the teacher's choice."

What he did not reveal to her was that the teacher had chosen the university he could attend but he was still undecided because he was still waiting......

"Today, the teacher also looked for me." The girl's fine voice was gentle. "The teacher said that it should not be a problem for me to get into A-University with my results and maybe we will be studying in the same university in future.

As a habit, he raised his eyebrows and Zhen Lang still had a gentle expression. "Then, jia-you!"

(Jia-you is a form of encouragement for someone to do his best. This term is now accepted by Oxford Dictionary and therefore I have used the original words instead of a translated version.)

Bai Wei's face had a faint blush. "What are you going to study?"

"Medicine." Zhen Lang paused for a while. "I hope to take care of the people around me."

Zhen Mama's health was not good and his father had naturally hoped that he would take up medicine. Of course, his son could make his own choice and the final decision was still given to his son.

His eyes swept passed Bai Wei. In the distance, there was a commotion with noisy shouts and screams, and all the sounds combined together made people's ears buzzed with the noise.

Wherever that person goes, there is sure to be liveliness.

"Hey, Jia Shao! Do you want to compete with S-Middle School? You're sure to win!"

Someone quickly unlocked her bicycle making a loud clanging sound and jumped on her bicycle. She waved her hand in the air and said. "No. I passed A-University's entrance exam and I've to go home to study to prepare for my theory."

She completely ignored the people around her. At this moment, Jia Shao's mind only had one thought and that was to study hard, get into A-University and do battle with Zhen Lang......

In her state of madness, she did not realize that next to her bicycle were two people who were blocking her path and one of them was Zhen Lang, the person who made her teeth itched with hate.

"You are very filial." Bai Wei's voice was very soft and dainty.

Zhen Lang's eyes followed the quickly retreating back view of that person and his lips curved into a light smile. "It's the right thing to do."

Zhen Mama needed his care and another person also.........

One with such happy-go-lucky and unassuming character, she will not take care of herself and she will constantly have major and minor injuries which should be taken care of by others.

He was aware she had passed the A-University professional course, as for the theory.......

(To be eligible to study in a university, a pass in the national university entrance exams is needed before the choice of a university can be made. Some universities set their own tests and put the students through it before they do a final selection to gather the best of the best. This is the scenario the Author is writing about.)

A handsome smile rose and his smile at this moment curved from the corners of his mouth into a wide smile. The spring breeze lifted up the hem of his clothes as the young man stood under the tree with the branches swaying above him. The dark shadows and wavering sunlight made him look even more dashing.

"In future, perhaps I will have to trouble you." Bai Wei did not dare to look at his smile. The blush on her face spread and her usual grace suddenly changed to helplessness. After her calm words, she hurriedly turned away and left.

Zhen Lang mounted his bicycle and rode in the direction of his home at a leisure speed, revealing a hint of steadiness.

Ten minutes later, ahead of him, he saw a bicycle parked by the side of the road under a tree. A short and slender figure was squatting on the ground and carefully checking the bicycle.

He stopped his bicycle and placed his slender legs on the ground. He raised his chin towards the person who was studying her bicycle and asked. "Jia Shao, what's the matter?"

The girl looked up and her expression of concentration immediately changed while she muttered something under her breath. Without even hearing her words, he knew it was not something good.

"Do you want me to help?" His expression revealed a familiar peaceful expression with a little ridicule, a little frivolousness and totally not the demeanor of an excellent student.

Disgust was evident in her clear eyes and Jia Shao said angrily. "I know the Jinx must be nearby otherwise the chain of my bicycle would not become loose without any reason."

"Then it's better for me to stay far away from you." Zhen Lang's eyes were filled with mirth. "Otherwise I might be contaminated by your bad luck."

Jia Shao raised her head and cracked her fingers. "If you don't want to get beaten up, just move further away."

Zhen Lang stepped on the pedal of the bicycle to ride down the path and then stopped 2 meters away. Suddenly he looked back at her and smiled. "Are you really trying for A-University?"

An ugly expression appeared on her face. "It does not concern you."

"You're lucky to get a pass for the professional course but for theory, one must possess real learning abilities. I advise you to give up otherwise it will be too shameful for you." Zhen Lang's voice had a slight sneer and it drifted into her ear with the wind.

Jia Shao's face had turned red. It was not because she is a girl in love but because she was holding back her breath and truly felt like rushing up to him to tear his mouth apart.

When Zhen Lang began to continuously have good grades in high school, the parents of the two families would occasionally talk about his ambitions during the times they gathered together. Several times, they had mentioned about A-University and since then she had also engraved that in her mind. She vowed she would be admitted to A-University and would not allow this guy to be able to live a happy life after he had ruined hers.

It was difficult for her to get through the professional course and no matter what happens, she cannot fail in theory. For the sake of battling with him, even if she has to crawl, she will make sure to crawl into A-University.

"Be careful with your words." She gritted her teeth with indignation. "I haven't been tested yet, are you so sure?"

Zhen Lang held up a notebook in his hand. "The teacher had gone over this and ticked the important points. I was told if I can understand this, I will at least be able to solve 60% of the questions. Of course, I am able to understand. Moreover......"

He bowed his head and squinted his eyes in her direction. "Moreover, I may be able to get a recommendation, so I don't need to take the test. Now to think about it, I may be able to get rid of you in a month and don't have to see you from then onwards. It really feels refreshing. Why don't you consider going back and participate in the competitions again? I wonder whether the national team will still accept you at your age?"

Jia Shao gasped angrily and bowed her head. She did not want to look at the smugness in his eyes. She hooked the metal chain back on the wheels and stepped on the pedal to test it. She finally managed to repair the bicycle and patted her oily hands before mounting her bicycle.

Ahead of her, the sturdy figure and that arrogant voice of Zhen Lang had long gone. Jia Shao stepped on the pedals and unconsciously her eyes looked down. Suddenly, her fingers tightened and jammed the brakes.

On the ground, the pages of a book were flipping and rustling in the windy breeze. The words were dancing in front of her eyes like a tempting hand, capturing her gaze and her heart.

Involuntarily, she jumped off her bicycle and picked up the notebook. She looked at the familiar handwriting of Zhen Lang and hesitated for a moment.

Will his scores suffer without these notes? But it seems the question samples do not affect his scores much. Moreover, he will be recommended.......

Just now he had laughed at her for not being able to get admitted to A-University. She will show him she can! She will show him!!!

When the admission notice was released, the whole school building from the top floor to the bottom floor was in an uproar. The commotion was not about the well-known fact that Zhen Lang was recommended to directly enter A-University but it was about the ignorant and incompetent member of the Jia Family. The boisterous Jia kid had actually scored just 2 points above the minimum score required and was able to forcefully barged through the doors of A-University.

Within the next 2 days, the door of Jia Shao's house was nearly torn down. Everyone came to visit Jia Shao, the prodigal girl who had returned and someone almost had to be placed on the table to be displayed for everyone's careful scrutiny.

After receiving countless praises and admiration, Jia Shao whose head was buzzing found an excuse to leave the house and went downstairs to the open space to take a breather.

She looked at her poor arms covered with blue and purple patches which were traces of love left by passionate friends and family. Jia Shao raked her fingers through her grass-like messy hair, rubbed her painful cheeks and let out a sigh.

"Not bad......" The taunting voice rang out beside her. "We are fated to be together."

Without looking, she already recognized the voice.......that eye-piercing knife. "Who is fated to be with you?"

Zhen Lang lazily leaned against the wall with one knee bent and he hitched up his foot to rest on the wall behind him. He gave her a sidelong glance. "Jia Shao, can it be you have a crush on me? Otherwise, why do you insist on squeezing into the same university as me?"

The little wildcat suddenly jumped up on her feet. "I have a crush on you?!"

He beamed a wide smile. "Isn't that correct?"

"Oh yes, I have a crush on you. I really have a crush on you!!! " Jia Shao clenched her fists. "I really have the urge to tear off your clothes and fiercely pin you down........."

Then I want to skin alive, pick out your tendons, drink your blood and then bite hard to tear off your flesh!!!

All her emotions broke out in an instant but before any word could spill from her mouth, due to being over excited, she was choked up by her own saliva. After a series of severe coughs, she took a deep breath and prepared herself to release the barrage of words.

"That......Jia Shao, ah......." Unexpectedly, a slightly trembling voice sounded beside her. "Our family's Zhen Lang has always been yours but now you are only seventeen, isn't it a bit early?"

Jia Shao was startled and fortunately, she did not land back on the ground with her ass. The words that were lingering at the edge of her lips were forced back.

"Zhen......Zhen Ma?" She screwed up her face and stuttered.

Standing behind Zhen Mama was Zhen Papa as well as her parents, the neighbors who were staying upstairs and downstairs, her friends and her relatives.

Apparently, Jia Papa and Jia Mama were sending off their guests and coincidentally, they happen to overhear Jia Shao's 'love' confession.

"That's right. Although I feel that courting after university graduation is a bit too late but if it is now.......isn't it a bit too early?" Jia Papa felt worried.

"It doesn't matter." Jia Mama waved her hand. "If they want to court, then let them take care of each other, but......" She glared at Jia Shao. "You can court but you can't do anything else, especially you can't force yourself on Zhen Lang."

"It's alright, it's alright. If she wants to, she can." Zhen Papa quickly said. "That is......you must take protective measures. It's alright, you have Zhen Papa's permission."

The large group of people started to chatter and did not even give Jia Shao a chance to speak. She stared at them speechlessly looking at the ambiguity in their gazes and could not utter another word.

And Zhen Lang who was standing on the other side had a smile on his face. In his smile, there was a trace of ambiguity, two points of indulgence, three points pampering, four points bashfulness which totally made up the expression of an inexperienced young boy who had just accepted a 'love' confession. Stepping up, he joined the group of parents to send off the guests.

In less than 2 days, there was a rumor about Jia Shao having a crush on Zhen Lang and she had vowed to follow him to the ends of the earth. Therefore, she had worked hard to be admitted to A-University with such a sterling performance. Immediately the rumor spread among all the people who knew them and became an example of everlasting endurance.