Zhu Yaya looked at Li Hao like this and remembered the QQ status he had posted last night.
It was a passage that went: "I still remember that year with the light cherry blossom rain, when you told me to 'get lost,' and from then on, I fell into the river of love. I know you were just worried about me getting tired from walking. You truly are the purest, kindest girl I've ever met. That one 'get lost' has stayed with me for three years; it was the beginning of our love. It made me realize our love is mutual."
It was accompanied by a photo of Shen Wandan's back under a shower of cherry blossoms.
Zhu Yaya: ...She had to admit, she was impressed by his level of devotion.
Perhaps due to the novel's setting, at Scott High School, almost all the girls were infatuated with Murong Beichen with his rainbow-colored hair, and almost all the boys regarded Shen Wandan, the cherry blossom Mary Sue enthusiast, as their goddess.
Except for her, who had transmigrated into this book. And except for Yan Heng.
Zhu Yaya turned her head to look at Yan Heng beside her. His features were handsome and clear, his demeanor cool and aloof. The thought in her heart that he might be the antagonist Ling Yixiao grew firmer.
However, she was curious.
The current Yan Heng, though always ice-cold on the outside, was actually warm-hearted and had a sense of justice. He wasn't a traditional "good student." He would get into fights and seemed to have dealings with those from the rougher side of society. While tailing Xu Chun, Zhu Yaya had seen some thuggish-looking people address him respectfully as "Brother Yan."
Yet, he also honestly worked part-time jobs to earn money, never taking shortcuts, and had demarcated the area around his home in the West District as his own protected territory. She heard this from the owner of the Everyday Breakfast Shop, who said there used to be people coming to collect so-called "protection fees," but Yan Heng had beaten them all off.
Moreover, during her previous visit to the West District police station, the observant Zhu Yaya noticed many officers were very familiar with Yan Heng.
How did a Yan Heng like this become the ruthless, black-hearted Ling Yixiao who specialized in the underworld?
Or perhaps she had guessed wrong. Maybe Yan Heng wasn't Ling Yixiao at all.
Zhu Yaya stared blankly at Yan Heng's attractive profile, her thoughts churning incessantly.
Yan Heng, with his narrow eyes, glanced sideways and saw her holding a fruit box, gazing at him dreamily. The tips of his ears reddened, and the negative emotions born from family matters earlier began to subside.
The early winter sun shone warmly, and he too felt a growing warmth in his body.
He sat quietly in the bleachers, listening to the surrounding cheers and screams, and his heart suddenly softened.
Fortunately, she was here.
Later, it was Xu Baoying who arrived, calling Zhu Yaya's name from below the bleachers, that finally snapped Zhu Yaya out of her reverie.
Her face flushed completely red—she had actually been staring at Yan Heng for so long!
Too embarrassed to look at Yan Heng's face, Zhu Yaya blushed, lowered her head, muttered a "goodbye," and hurriedly disappeared into the crowd, failing to notice the soft light in the boy's eyes behind her.
Xu Baoying smirked slyly: "I saw it all. You were staring at Boss Yan the whole time."
"Don't imagine things. I was just... just spacing out." Zhu Yaya's face turned even redder, almost bleeding.
Xu Baoying didn't buy that excuse. She sighed poetically: "Ah~, if winter comes, can spring be far behind?"
Zhu Yaya poked Xu Baoying's arm in protest.
"But how did you find me here?"
Hearing the question, Xu Baoying smiled mysteriously and pulled out her phone: "Your and Boss Yan's CP fans told me."
On the phone screen was a post from the school forum, featuring a photo of Zhu Yaya looking "lovingly" at Yan Heng. Below it was a string of comments: "Shipping them so hard!"
Zhu Yaya: ...What a blunder. Can we rewind and start over? This is so embarrassing!
Zhu Yaya could only be thankful that Yan Heng didn't browse the school forum.
Little did she know, at that very moment, Yan Heng was holding Li Hao's phone, the screen displaying the exact post Zhu Yaya had just seen.
Li Hao stood beside him with a look of someone enjoying the show.
The morning sports events ended quickly. Zhu Yaya, holding Xu Baoying's hand, dashed to the cafeteria. After lunch, they returned to their class's section of the bleachers.
Not long after, the class sports committee member, Gu Tao, returned from lunch. Seeing Zhu Yaya, his eyes lit up: "Minister Zhu, you're here! You have the 3000-meter long-distance race this afternoon. Here, this is your number bib. Let me help pin it on your back."
Zhu Yaya took the white cloth strip with the number: "No need to trouble yourself, I'll ask Xu Baoying to help!"
"Good luck this afternoon!"
"Don't worry, Sports Committee. It's time to show you my true strength. I've been holding back too much before."
Gu Tao laughed heartily: "Great! I believe in your ability, Minister Zhu."
By the time the afternoon race was about to start, Li Hao had also arrived, with Yan Heng following unhurriedly behind him.
"Junior, we're here to cheer for you!" Li Hao waved and shouted to Zhu Yaya.
Zhu Yaya smiled and ran over.
Yan Heng's gaze remained fixed on her. Seeing her approach, he cleared his throat lightly: "Good luck. Don't push yourself too hard if it's too much."
"Why don't you believe in my ability? How could I not manage?" Zhu Yaya felt somewhat indignant.
She wanted to say more, but hearing the announcement calling participants for the senior high school girls' 3000-meter race to check in at the starting line, she stopped and ran towards it.
Among the line of girls at the starting line, Zhu Yaya's figure was the most petite.
Li Hao watched and clicked his tongue: "With Junior's small build, I wonder if she can really run it."
Yan Heng didn't reply, only furrowed his brows slightly, his focus entirely on Zhu Yaya.
Zhu Yaya warmed up at the starting line. Wearing a dark blue tracksuit, she bent over, revealing a strip of fair, delicate waist.
Yan Heng heard a boy whistle. His eyes darkened dangerously, his gaze sharp and fixed directly on the whistling boy.
If Zhu Yaya were there, she would have realized the person Yan Heng was staring at was the male supporting character, Ling Yiming.
After receiving Yan Heng's visual warning, Ling Yiming snorted in displeasure.
Li Hao adjusted his glasses: "Junior's waist, ah~"
Then, under Yan Heng's death glare, he wisely shut his mouth.
While warming up, Zhu Yaya felt a chill at her waist but didn't pay it much mind. Her eyes looked ahead, eager and ready.
Next to her was a sports-specialty student, tall and imposing, who looked down somewhat on the tiny Zhu Yaya.
"Minister Zhu, go! Minister Zhu, go!"
Zhu Yaya heard Gu Tao leading the Class 1, Grade 10 students in loudly cheering for her. There were others too.
"Junior, go for it!" Li Hao shouted with his hands cupped around his mouth.
"Zhu Yaya, go for it!" came a clear, cool male voice.
This was...
Hearing the voice, Zhu Yaya looked towards the source in surprise—it was Yan Heng! She had never heard Boss Yan speak so loudly before.
She happily waved at Yan Heng.
The sports-specialty student beside her showed a look of disdain. She knew these types of girls—fragile and delicate, couldn't run for long. Coming for the 3000 meters was just for fun, to garner some pity, a mere show.
But she didn't expect to be proven wrong later on.
