Chapter 4

Xu Jia Ning and Xiao Yan stared at each other for a few seconds. From Xiao Yan's deep eyes, Xu Jia Ning saw a certain resolute meaning.

It was as if protecting Lin Chu Sui was instinctive and natural to him.

Xu Jia Ning didn't want to get into a conflict with his classmate on the first day of school and leave a bad impression on the new class, so he struggled free of Xiao Yan's grip: "I don't want to fight on the first day of school."

Xiao Yan didn't hold it against him and let go of his hand.

The class bell rang, and the onlooking classmates withdrew their melon-eating gazes and obediently went to class.

Lin Chu Sui stared at Xiao Yan, stunned.

If she still couldn't confirm his feelings after the class transfer at first, then now, she was completely certain!

Xiao Yan really had a crush on her!

No, it wasn't just a crush. He was so obvious about it, this was outright pursuing her!

But how could the top student in their grade, the academic god, take notice of her, a loser and a slacker?

This was just too charming!

She took out her phone and sent a message in the "Nancheng No.1 Middle School Belle Group":

Lin Chu Sui: "Help! How can I gently reject him without hurting his self-esteem?"

Lu Chi: "It's been two years since the end of your last fiery first love. It looks like our Chu Jie is about to...enter her second spring! [cigarette emoji]"

Zhang Cheng Yu: "Do you like him?"

Lin Chu Sui: "I don't even know him, why would I like him?"

Zhang Cheng Yu: "Reject him directly."

Lu Chi: "Don't reject him! Chu Jie, this is such a good opportunity! Look at his phenomenal full-mark math test paper. Do you have the heart to let go of such an awesome homework harvesting machine?"

Lin Chu Sui: "I have the heart."

Lu Chi: "Tsk, hypocrite."

Lin Chu Sui: "My child, do you know what the highest realm of the homework copying world is?"

Lu Chi: "[shaking head emoji]"

Lin Chu Sui: "The highest realm of the homework copying world is... I'm too lazy to even copy!"

Lu Chi: "......"

Lu Chi: "Chu Jie, why not give it a try and date him for a bit? After all, he's in high demand. My ex was even planning to confess to him..." Lu Tianbai: "Sister, ignore these scumbags and choose as you wish."

...

Before Lin Chu Sui could even finish typing, her phone was snatched away by the boy next to her.

She was shocked, just about to reach out to grab it back, when Xiao Yan directly turned off her phone and heavily put it back on the desk, tapping the screen with his fingertip as he threatened in a low voice:

"Playing with your phone during class, do you believe I'll throw it out?"

Lin Chu Sui: ?

"Pay attention in class. Your phone is confiscated for now."

"???"

In an instant, she wanted to kneel down and yell "Dad" again.

After school, the Lu Chi and Lu Tianbai siblings asked Lin Chu Sui to go to the movies, but Lin Chu Sui wasn't in the mood and declined, heading home alone with her schoolbag.

On the way, she saw Xu Jia Ning riding a mountain bike into a small park, so she sneaked after him and heard him talking on the phone.

Xu Jia Ning glanced to the side and also saw Lin Chu Sui following him like a little cat.

But he ignored her and immediately switched to English mode, sitting on a bench and chatting with his friend.

Lin Chu Sui's English was a mess, and she couldn't understand him talking either, only hearing him babble a few swear words from movies.

She instinctively felt that Xu Jia Ning must be cursing her again.

So she hid under a tree, took out her phone, and turned on the translation app to translate live:

"I'm so annoyed, but there's no way. My dad insists I move over there, says it's to cultivate feelings."

"The students at the school also have poor quality. Socializing with them takes a lot of effort. The girls are quite obsessed."

"My sister? She's just a rebellious teenager." Xu Jia Ning's tone rose slightly: "Her dad died, and it's like she owes the whole world."

Lin Chu Sui unhappily picked up a small pebble, weighed it in her palm, and prepared to throw it at him.

"The creepiest thing is, she has pasted her dad's photos all over the house. Going to the bathroom at night is horrifying! Old Xu will probably scare her into cardiac arrest when he comes back from his honeymoon."

"She's probably mentally twisted."

"If I wasn't looking at her pitifully for not having a dad to discipline her, I would have taught her a lesson long ago."

"How nice it would be for no one to watch over you. I'd beg for that and still not get it."

...

Lin Chu Sui was about to rush over and beat him up, but after hearing the last part, her eyes suddenly turned sour, and her nose also turned red, for some reason.

She threw away the pebble and used her dirty hands to rub the wetness in her eyes, preparing to leave.

Just then, a pair of hands grabbed her.

Lin Chu Sui looked up and saw Xiao Yan had appeared at her side at some point.

He pulled her dirty hands over, took out clean wet wipes from his schoolbag, and helped wipe the mud and dust off her hands.

"You..."

Xiao Yan gave her a deep look with those pitch-black eyes, and used the back of his own hand to wipe away the tear stains at the corners of her eyes, speaking in a mocking yet gentle tone: "Pathetic."

"... "

Lin Chu Sui quickly retreated two steps back, looking at him guardedly.

She knew this guy had a secret crush on her, but strangely...Lin Chu Sui always saw the shadow of Old Lin in him.

It was no big deal in itself, and she didn't feel particularly upset by Xu Jia Ning's words either.

But the sudden concern and comfort, in an instant, made her eyes turn sandy, with tears streaming down her face.

Very embarrassing. She quickened her pace and ran away.

Xiao Yan strode after her with his long legs.

"Don't follow me!" Lin Chu Sui looked back and threatened, "If you keep following me, I'll hit you!"

Xiao Yan saw a candy-colored dessert cart at the edge of the park, so he quickened his pace and went over to buy a colorful cotton candy.

Seeing him come over holding the huge five-colored cotton candy cloud, Lin Chu Sui didn't understand his intention and said, "What exactly are you trying to do?"

Xiao Yan held out the cotton candy to her: "Stop crying. Let me treat you."

"Who are you? I don't want you to treat me!"

"Then give me 5 bucks and I'll sell it to you."

"... "

Lin Chu Sui cried even harder.

Only when she was in kindergarten would Old Lin use cotton candy to coax her to stop crying. Now that she had grown up, who wanted to eat such childish cotton candy!

Seeing the cotton candy, Lin Chu Sui thought of Old Lin again, and her tears streamed down her face even more.

Everyone told her that she should move on, embrace her new life. Her dad wouldn't have wanted her to be shackled by memories either.

But it's so easy to tell people what they should and shouldn't do.

She just couldn't move on.

Lin Chu Sui didn't care how ugly she became, how annoying and disappointing she was to those around her. She didn't care about anything.

"If you don't know how to comfort someone, then go away."

"Still learning."

Lin Chu Sui gritted her teeth and looked at him resentfully: "You're not my dad, why do you care about me!"

"What if I am?"

Lin Chu Sui gnashed her teeth at him: "Then prove it!"

Xiao Yan remained expressionless.

The two were silent for a few minutes. Lin Chu Sui felt it was absurd and turned to leave.

Soon, Xiao Yan caught up with her and stubbornly held out the cotton candy in front of her eyes again, gently saying, "Be good, don't cry anymore."

Lin Chu Sui abruptly stopped in her tracks.