Just as Sang Yan finished speaking, the class bell rang.
This sound was practically equivalent to liberation. The bespectacled boy imperceptibly sighed in relief and quickly apologized. Sang Yan didn’t dwell on it further, merely glancing at him before returning to his seat.
The surrounding crowd gradually dispersed.
At this moment, the classroom was unusually quiet before the teacher’s arrival, a rare occurrence.
Wen Yifan took out her textbook from the drawer and turned to the content for this lesson. However, her thoughts lingered on the recent events. Recalling yesterday’s encounter with Sang Yan and his group in the cafeteria, she slowly pieced things together.
So, others thought she had two-timed Sang Yan and gotten together with Xiang Lang.
Wen Yifan’s pen tip paused.
No wonder someone called her disgusting.
She looked up in Sang Yan’s direction.
Due to his height, his seat was arranged in the last row of the first group, quite a distance from her. At that moment, he was lowering his head, and reading some books.
The boy sitting next to him was talking to him, but Sang Yan didn’t look up, his facial expression barely changing.
Wen Yifan withdrew her gaze, thinking she should find an opportunity to thank him later.
…
This was just Wen Yifan’s idea.
She had no idea that she wouldn’t get the chance at all.
Because there was hardly ever a moment when Sang Yan was alone. He seemed incapable of walking independently; even going to the bathroom or getting water was done in groups.
Wen Yifan wasn’t in a hurry, thinking she’d eventually find an opportunity.
This wait lasted until the following Friday after school.
The class duty roster was arranged by odd and even weeks, and Sang Yan was scheduled for Friday of even weeks. Because of his duty, he left later than his classmates. His usual buddies, at this crucial moment, chose to abandon him to play basketball.
Sang Yan stood at the podium, wiping the blackboard with a damp cloth.
Wen Yifan packed her things, put on her backpack, and walked to his side to call him.
“Sang Yan.”
Sang Yan glanced at her sideways and continued wiping the blackboard: “Speak.”
Wen Yifan sincerely said: “Thank you for what happened before.”
He paused and looked at her again.
“What?”
“The things people in class were saying,” Wen Yifan explained and thanked him again, “Thank you for speaking up for me and clarifying.”
Sang Yan made an “oh” sound: “Your thanks are quite timely.”
Wen Yifan: “Hm?”
“Just as I was about to forget this matter,” Sang Yan said lazily, “you helped me recall it.”
“…”
Knowing that she had indeed dragged this out for too long.
Wen Yifan felt a bit awkward but didn’t show it: “I couldn’t find the right opportunity.”
“No need,” Sang Yan didn’t take this matter to heart at all, finishing wiping the last part of the blackboard, “If this had nothing to do with me, I wouldn’t have bothered with this nonsense.”
Wen Yifan nodded slightly: “Still, thank you.”
Sang Yan didn’t respond further.
Wen Yifan didn’t say more either, stepping towards the exit.
At the doorway, for some reason, she turned back to look at Sang Yan once more.
He had just finished wiping the blackboard and seemed to be heading to the bathroom to clean the cloth.
As he lifted his eyes, their gazes met.
Sang Yan’s expression showed no surprise, his eyebrows raised: “What?”
“Huh?”
Sang Yan said cockily: “Have you fallen head over heels for me?”
“…”
Before him, Wen Yifan had never met someone like this.
Born with innate arrogance, every corner of his bones seemed to be carved with pride, yet it wasn’t off-putting. It only made people feel that he was born to be this way.
Like a star surrounded by admirers.
Wherever he was, there was always a radiance accompanying him-
Coming down from the second-floor booth area.
Sang Yan entered the employee rest area downstairs.
He sat on the sofa, took out his phone to look at it briefly, then put it down. His alcohol tolerance wasn’t small, and he hadn’t drunk much tonight, but for some reason, his head was inexplicably throbbing.
Sang Yan pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, took one out, and lit it with the lighter he had brought down from upstairs. He smoked by himself for a while, and not long after, Su Hao’an also came in.
“You didn’t leave? Weren’t you tired? Or are you waiting to go back with Goddess Wen?” Seeing him, Su Hao’an asked in surprise.
Sang Yan had his legs crossed on the table, ignoring him.
Su Hao’an sat down next to him, also took out a cigarette from the pack, and lit it. He looked upset: “Sigh, I was almost over it, but mentioning this woman today has made me feel bad again.”
“…”
“I’ve been a player in the field of love for so many years,” Su Hao’an lit his cigarette but didn’t have time to smoke it, his mouth constantly moving as he spoke, “This is the first time I’ve been cheated on, can you believe it, I look like this—”
Su Hao’an stopped, pointing at his face, emphasizing: “I look like this! And I have money!”
“…”
“But I got cheated on!”
“With your intelligence,” Sang Yan chuckled lightly, “You call yourself a player?”
“Get lost, are you even human?” Su Hao’an reproached, “I’ve never heard you comfort me once!”
“Comfort what?” Sang Yan seemed a bit sleepy, his eyelids drooping, his voice sounding deep, “How whiny can a grown man be saying these things.”
“Mainly, this Wang Linlin always told me that he was her cousin,” Su Hao’an ranted frantically, “I believed it, even met him a few times, always politely calling him cousin. Then last time I went to find her, the two of them were kissing passionately.”
“…”
“I almost puked out yesterday’s meal, fuck that shit!”
“Alright,” Sang Yan said impatiently, “Didn’t you already break up?”
“Can’t I vent a little!” Su Hao’an started to get annoyed too, “What’s wrong with you tonight? Your brother got cheated on! Broke up! Heartbroken! And you’re impatient with me!”
Sang Yan tired of listening, suddenly straightened up and put out his cigarette: “I’m leaving.”
Su Hao’an was stunned, and even in his dullness, he noticed his mood.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“…”
“You didn’t drive here, and you’ve been drinking, how are you going back?” Su Hao’an immediately stopped him, “Qian Fei is coming over in a bit, let him give you a ride, you’ve got nothing to do at home anyway.”
Maybe feeling his words made sense, Sang Yan didn’t get up, leaning back into the chair.
Su Hao’an stared at him: “Are you drunk?”
“…”
Su Hao’an: “Or are you upset because of Xiang Lang?”
Sang Yan remained silent.
“Is that necessary? They’ve known each other for so long that if they were going to be together, they would have been long ago—” Saying this, he suddenly felt these words also applied to Sang Yan, and quickly changed his tune, “By the way, do you still like Wen Yifan? I originally thought you still had feelings for her, that’s why I thought of finding an opportunity for you two to live together. But seeing your attitude towards her, it makes me think I guessed wrong.”
“…”
Su Hao’an patted his arm: “Come on, talk to me. I can guarantee, I definitely won’t be as sharp-tongued as you, stabbing where it hurts when someone’s sharing their heartache.”
“Am I sick to talk heart-to-heart with you,” Sang Yan laughed, “How are you any different from a loudspeaker?”
“…” Su Hao’an was choked, about to argue with him.
“I’m just tired,” Sang Yan drooped his eyelids, speaking sarcastically, “You’re quite imaginative.”
“Get lost,” Su Hao’an stood up, “I wasted my feelings.”
Su Hao’an was never one to stay still, after sitting for these few minutes he was planning to go out and have fun again. Hearing Sang Yan’s words, he also felt he was being a bit dramatic tonight, actually thinking this young master who looked down on everything would be affected emotionally.
Before leaving the rest area, Su Hao’an looked up, watching Sang Yan who was now lying on the sofa.
In a flash, he felt his current state was somewhat familiar.
It reminded Su Hao’an of the day their college entrance exam results came out.
Su Hao’an’s grades were terrible, he only got into the key science class in his senior year because he had an uncle who was the principal at First High. The system at that time was to estimate scores after the exam, and only after submitting preferences would the actual scores come out.
From the moment he left the exam room.
Su Hao’an knew he was done for this time.
But because Su’s father had told him earlier.
If he could get into any first-tier university in the college entrance exam, he would buy him a new computer.
Su Hao’an was extremely tempted, and on the day of the exam, he confidently told his father that he would pass the first-tier university line and that even getting into Nanwu University would be a piece of cake.
Su’s father believed in his boasting.
The next day, he bought Su Hao’an a new computer.
Time passed day by day, when the first batch of college entrance exam admission results came out, Su Hao’an didn’t dare to go home all day, staying at an internet cafe for the entire day.
Later, he simply went to Sang Yan’s house.
It was already eight o’clock in the evening, and neither Sang Yan nor his father Sang Rong was at home.
Sang Yan’s mother, Li Ping, was teaching Sang Zhi homework, with a gentle expression, telling him to wait in Sang Yan’s room first. Su Hao’an was a frequent visitor at Sang Yan’s house, so he didn’t feel awkward and went straight into Sang Yan’s room.
Su Hao’an turned on the game console in Sang Yan’s room and started playing games by himself. After facing these electronic devices all day, he soon felt tired and fell asleep on Sang Yan’s bed.
When he next became conscious, it was to the sound of a door closing.
Su Hao’an was woken by this noise, opening his eyes to see Sang Yan.
The young man had just closed the room door, wearing a deep black short-sleeved shirt and gray trousers.
The upper body didn’t show it, but the color of the pants was noticeably darker in several spots, and with his hair slightly damp, Su Hao’an immediately asked: “Is it raining outside? The weather was fine when I came.”
Sang Yan glanced at him: “Why are you here?”
“The admission results are out,” Su Hao’an sighed, “I don’t dare go home, afraid my dad will break my legs.”
“Serves you right,” Sang Yan sneered, “Weren’t afraid of broken legs when you were bragging.”
Tonight he was Su Hao’an’s savior, so Su Hao’an didn’t argue with him: “Where did you go? I waited half the day to play games with you.” Saying this, he looked at the time: “Damn, it’s already eleven o’clock.”
“Nowhere, I’m back now, aren’t I?” Sang Yan didn’t go to shower either, sitting on the carpet in front of the game console, throwing a game controller in his direction, “Still want to play?”
Su Hao’an immediately got up: “Let’s play.”
The two chatted while playing games.
Su Hao’an: “You came back so late, didn’t your uncle and aunt scold you?”
Sang Yan: “Is that possible?”
“…” Su Hao’an was speechless, “So you’re asking for it, aren’t you?”
He asked again: “Where did you go? Aren’t you already admitted to Nan University, how cool is that? If I had those grades, I’d be acting like the king at home.”
Sang Yan: “Why do you have so much nonsense to say?”
“Sigh,” Su Hao’an was used to Sang Yan’s attitude and continued, “I don’t know what school I can get into. I just saw Chen Qian post a status, she got into A University. But I didn’t apply for any schools in A City.”
Sang Yan remained silent.
Su Hao’an continued to chatter.
After who knows how long.
Su Hao’an noticed that on the game screen, the character controlled by Sang Yan suddenly stood still, not moving at all, allowing him to hit. He had never won against Sang Yan in games, so he thought it was just a lag and took the chance to unleash his ultimate move frantically.
After killing him, Su Hao’an looked at him, feigning concern: “Did you lag or what, why are you so bad—”
Before he could finish, the words got stuck in his throat.
For some reason, at that moment, Su Hao’an found himself unable to speak.
Sang Yan was looking down at the game controller in his hand, very quietly, yet not seeming to see the object. He seemed to have zoned out, his body slightly bent, looking tense.
Like a frozen image.
Or like a bowstring stretched to its limit.
Su Hao’an had known him since middle school.
From the first time they met, Sang Yan had always had an air of arrogance and indifference to the world. He looked down on everything, lived as if no one else mattered, didn’t care about anyone, and wasn’t impressed by anything.
Like someone born to live at the top.
But in that instant.
Su Hao’an inexplicably had an illusion.
His pride and unyielding spirit.
It seemed as if someone had shattered them.