Lemon Soda Candy

On Friday, the mid-term exams scores and rankings were officially announced.  

Chen Luobai still remained as the top of the grade. And just as Zhu Ran said, Class 2 average scores were several points higher than the second place Class 1.

Zhou Anran was not particularly outstanding in other subjects outside of English and Biology, but she did not fall behind either. Her overall score placed her 61st in the grade.

There was a 60-place difference between her and the first place.

Zhou Anran was on duty that afternoon. After cleaning, she and Yan Xingxi walked arm in arm towards the east gate as usual.

When they passed by the basketball court, Zhou Anran's gaze instinctively drifted toward the third court in the first row. 

There was no sign of that familiar figure.

As they drew nearer, she noticed that even Zhu Ran and Zong Kai were missing. 

She wondered what he was doing today.

Zhou Anran withdrew her eyes with some disappointment.

As the cleaning was delayed for quite a while, they managed to avoid the peak time of people leaving the school, most of the back seats were empty when two of them boarded the bus. 

Zhou Anran sat down, moved her school bag to the front, pulled out a vocabulary book from inside, and turned to the page marked with a bookmark.

Yan Xingxi had just put her own bag away when she saw this scene, "You still memorizing words at this late hour, don't tell me you're really trying to surpass Chen Luobai?"

Zhou Anran's fingertips that were holding the pages curled up, muttered softly,"Maybe." 

In fact, she was not quite sure herself. 

She just wanted to….

Work a little harder. 

So that the gap between them could be a bit smaller.

So that he would notice her a little. 

Yan Xingxi patted her shoulder, "I need to learn from you."

"Huh?" Zhou Anran paused and inclined her head to look at her.

Yan Xingxi: "Not interested in boys, only focus on studying. Other girls chase after Chen Luobai the person, but you only want to catch up with his grades." 

Zhou Anran opened her mouth.

Wanted to admit that she was no different from those girls, that she also really, really likes him. 

That she only dared to like him secretly in her heart. 

However, the moment the words reached her lips, for some reason, she was unable to say it. 

She has tried to tell her several times, but in the end, she always fails.

Expressing her emotions was not something that came easily to her. 

So every time she saw Yan Xingxi confide everything to her, Zhou Anran couldn't help but feel guilty. She pressed her lips together, "I'll go with you and talk to Auntie." 

Yan Xingxi scored poorly in Maths and Chemistry this time and dropped several places in the rankings.

"Forget it, my mom is determined this time, no one can talk her out of it." Yan Xingxi rolled her eyes, "But you still have to go to my house. Help me take some stuff and secretly hide them in your house. My mom doesn't know how many CDs and merchs I own anyway." 

Zhou Anran nodded, "Okay."

When they arrived in the neighborhood, Zhou Anran followed Yan Xingxi to her house first.

The two families live in buildings across from each other. Zhou Anran was familiar with Yan Xingxi's house as if it was her own, but this was the first time she had done anything dishonest behind parents' backs. She was drowning in guilt as she greeted Yan Xingqi's mother. 

But perhaps because Yan Xingxi's mother always regarded her as a well-behaved and obedient child. 

Even when Yan Xingxi filled her school bag to the brim, Yan Xingxi's mother didn't suspect a thing and only asked her to come over for lunch tomorrow before she left.

At home, Zhou Anran cleared out a large drawer and organized Yan Xingxi's CDs and merchs. 

After dinner, Zhou Xianhong turned on the TV to watch CBA like always.

Unlike Yan Xingxi, her ranking in the mid-term exam improved by a few places from last time. As a result, He Jiayi didn't set the usual TV time and allowed Zhou Anran to watch as much as she wanted that night. 

Zhou Anran decided to go to her room first to get her vocabulary book before returning to the living room to accompany her father. 

Zhou Xianhong was puzzled by her action, "Are you here to watch the match with me, or to study?" 

Zhou Anran: "Both, I'll memorize the words during intermission."

Zhou Xianhong: "You're still a freshman. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. The mid-term exam just finished, it's okay to take a break for the day."

As Zhou Anran stared at the players running on the field, the boy's slender figure appeared in her mind.

"But my classmate is so outstanding, I wish to keep up with hi——" Zhou Anran paused, not wanting any slip out to happen again, and changed the last word, "them." 

Zhou Xianhong: "......"

While other parents have to force their child to study, why does it feel like it's the opposite in their family?

For fear of dampening her enthusiasm for learning, Zhou Xianhong did not speak further and just pushed the fruit bowl towards her,"Have this first before you start studying." 

Zhou Anran nodded, took an orange and peeled it open, eating slowly. 

Inside the screen, the match was halted by the referee due to a violation. 

Taking advantage of the pause, Zhou Anran lowered her head and memorized a few words.

By the time she looked up again, the referee was making a gesture with his hand.

Having accompanied Zhou Xianhong to watch several matches this month, Zhou Anran had a general idea of what the gesture meant. She asked, "Dad, why did the violation just now escalate into a flagrant foul¹?"

Zhou Xianhong's expression showed a hint of disdain as he replied, "The other team did undercut² to player number 4."

At this moment, the screen was displaying a replay of a zoomed-in footage when the player undercutting². 

It really looked dangerous. 

Zhou Anran put another grape into her mouth and continued to watch the match.

Counting the time, she only watched for 45 minutes then went back to her room with the English book, as she usually did.

He Jiayi, who was in the middle of changing her duvet cover, was slightly surprised when she saw her come in, "Why did you stop watching?"

Zhou Anran pulled out a chair, "I want to do some more math problems." 

Learning is probably the one thing where effort always pays off. 

Hard work will never never be in vain, even if the rewards are not immediate or equal, it will never let you down. 

***

The ordinary and uneventful days fly by. 

When another monthly exam came around, Zhou Anran discovered that she could solve the questions more smoothly. She has compiled all the questions she missed in the last mid-term exams into a designated book. She analyzed and revised them repeatedly. That's why, when she encountered similar questions again this time, she could already handle them easily.

She may not have significantly improved her score and ranking yet, but she is already seeing the results of her efforts.

No. 2 High school grading speed was still as fast as ever. 

The second afternoon after the monthly exam, Zhou Anran and Yan Xingxi went out to eat and came back. Not long after they took their seats, Sheng Xiaowen ran over from behind and threw herself on her.

The jump caused Zhou Anran to fall sideways, Yan Xingxi tried to help but also lost her balance, resulting in all three girls collapsing to the side.

Both Sheng Xiaowen and Yan Xingxi yelled 'Aaaaah'. 

In the end, a speechless Dong Chen helped Yan Xingxi up, and the three managed to steady themselves.

Zhou Anran propped herself up on the table then sat back down, "What's wrong?"

Sheng Xiaowen, who had just recovered from the shock, seemed to recall something, circled Zhou Anran and exclaimed 'Aaaah' again. 

Confused, Zhou Anran was about to ask another question, when she heard Sheng Xiaowen beside her say, "Ranran, you scored 149 in English, even that immortal Chen Luobai only got 148 this time, but you actually got 149!" 

Zhou Anran suddenly froze.

She tried to work a little harder to catch up with his grades and knew that she should have done well in English this time, but she never thought that she would surpass him this soon.

Sheng Xiaowen continued, "I don't care, you have to treat me. Otherwise, I won't know how to face everyone as the English class representative." 

Zhou Anran was still in a daze.

Sheng Xiaowen squeezed her face, "Do you hear me?"

Zhou Anran snapped out of her daze, "Huh?"

"I said you scored 149 and asked you to treat me." Sheng Xiaowen repeated. 

Zhou Anran finally calmed down, a smile unconsciously forming on her lips. She nodded, "Sure, I'll bring you breakfast tomorrow.

Yan Xingxian chimed in, "Me too."

Zhou Anran nodded again,"Okay, I'll bring your share as well." 

Dong Chen joined in, "Zhou Anran, does the listener also get a share?" 

After saying that, he elbowed his deskmate, He Mingyu. 

He Mingyu adjusted his glasses, "I heard it too."

Zhou Anran's eyebrows arched, "Alright, I'll bring it all to you guys."

Only then did Sheng Xiaowen release her, "I'm going to the teacher to check the situation."

After Sheng Xiaowen left, the surrounding finally quieted down.

But Zhou Anran's heart was far from quiet, it felt like there were loud fireworks exploding one after another. 

She couldn't understand a word of the questions in front of her.

Zhou Anran extended her hand to grab the tumbler on the table and asked Yan Xingxi, "Xixi, I'm going to get some water, do you want it too?"

Yan Xingxi handed her a cup, "Then please help me get some."

The place to fetch water is located at the end of the corridor on the first floor. Zhou Anran slowly walked over, filled the cup with water and covered it tightly.

Yan Xingxi, conscious of her young age, refused to use a tumbler and instead used a plastic cup. However, when filled with water, the cup became too hot to touch. Zhou Anran carefully held the string on the lid of the cup, turned around and went back.

Halfway through the stairs, Zhou Anran suddenly heard what sounded like Zong Kai's voice. 

"The english score already come out, I heard that a girl surpassed you this time."

Zhou Anran could instantly guess who he was talking to, her heart pounded heavily.

If she walked further, she would probably run into them.

Zhou Anran's brain was still in a mess from the exploding fireworks, she simply could not think properly, her thoughts were in chaos, and the body seemed to make a decision on its own accord.

Turn to climb the stairs to the third floor.

Avoiding the upcoming encounter.

Zong Kai's voice could still be heard clearly, "It seems to be the girl who came second in your class last time, what was her name again?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Anran, who had just reached the corner of the stairs, immediately stopped in her tracks, her breathing becoming shallower.

In that brief moment of silence, she felt as though an invisible thread was tugging at her heart, lifting it up high. 

Soon after, Chen Luobai's voice sounded, "I think it's Ran something."

The thin thread broke off.

Her heart crashed down. 

Zong Kai laughed,"You've been classmate for almost a semester, how can you not even remember her name."

In a nonchalant tone, a familiar voice replied, "I have no reason to remember her name." 

Unbeknownst to Zhou Anran, her fingertips tightened around the cup handle, and the cup filled with hot water swayed lightly to her other hand. Perhaps due to the scalding heat, her nose suddenly felt sore. 

Downstairs, someone seemed to be walking quickly, there was a sound of pattering footsteps.

Sheng Xiaowen's voice then rang out, "Chen Luobai, there you are, English teacher is looking for you."

Zhou Anran stood in place for a while.

Waiting until she couldn't hear any more familiar voices before turning around and slowly making her way back.

The moment she returned to the classroom, she placed Yan Xingxi's water on the desk. Feeling that her emotions were getting out of control, she buried her head in her arm.

Her mood change might be too obvious that Yan Xingxi immediately noticed it.

"Ranran, what's happened with you?"

The soreness in her nose gradually spread  to her eyes.

Zhou Anran tried to suppress it, her voice sounded muffled, "It's nothing, I just didn't sleep well last night, a little sleepy."

Aware of how hard she had worked this month, Yan Xingxi didn't doubt her,"Then go get some sleep." 

Zhou Anran pressed her forehead against her arm, her eyes started to felt sore again.

But actually, she should have seen this coming.

He ranked first in almost every subject.

She was just lucky to beat him in one of them, it was nothing worthy to be noticed by him. 

But knowing was one thing.

Hearing those words from his mouth with her own ears, however, was another.

In the dimly lit space formed by her arm, Zhou Anran tried to control her emotions.

But the soreness kept coming up the more she tried to push it down. 

A sound of footsteps passed by her, and soon moved away.

Even if no one could tell what she was upset about at this moment, Zhou Anran didn't really want her classmates to see her in this messy state. 

She leaned on her desk, trying to suppress the sourness that was rising inside her.

There are another footsteps approaching.

Zhou Anran waited for that person to quickly walk past her.

But this time, the footsteps seemed to stop right next to her desk.

Followed with two very soft knocks.

Someone was tapping gently on her desk.

Zhou Anran was not sure if her eyes were red or not and didn't dare to look up. Instead, she moved her head slightly to peek through the small gap between her arms. 

Light once again entered her vision.

She saw a pale white hand resting on her desk, with a small brown mole on the wrist. 

______

¹: A type of violation when a foul could seriously injure an opponent.

²:A situation when the opposite team takes out the legs of a player who is about to make a shot mid-air, leaving the player defenseless and unable to land on his or her feet.