Young Brave Hearts – CH 020

Chapter 20

Compared to his tone on the phone, these two sentences revealed Lu Rangchen’s true nature.

Both arrogant and domineering, and frivolous and haughty.

Zhu Yunque’s heart fluttered slightly, a feeling she had never experienced before welling up.

Like the nervousness of being subtly caught, or the shyness after being teased by Lu Rangchen.

She typed slowly: 【It’s your phone’s earpiece that’s faulty; I was speaking very loudly.】

This reply seemed rather uninteresting.

Lu Rangchen spoke after a while: 【I’ll leave that thing with you for now, and I’ll pick it up tomorrow.】

His tone was no longer ambiguous.

Zhu Yunque pursed her lips and said, 【Okay.】

She thought the chat was over, but unexpectedly, after a long while, Lu Rangchen said again: 【Send me your phone number; I’ll save it.】

Zhu Yunque’s hand holding the exercise book paused; her heart fluttered like a balloon released by him.

After a moment of silence, she confirmed with him: 【Did you send it to the wrong person?】

Lu Rangchen: 【…】

Lu Rangchen: 【Zhu Yunque, you really know how to annoy people】

There were no punctuation marks, but even through the screen, his speechless tone was palpable.

Zhu Yunque was stunned. A few seconds later, she couldn’t help but laugh and sent him her phone number.

At the same time, Lu Rangchen also sent her his number.

Only then did their conversation truly end.

Zhu Yunque saved the number in her phone’s contacts, thought for a long time, and gave him a unique nickname—”One Hundred Yuan.”

Looking at those three words, the corners of her mouth couldn’t help but curve into a smile again.

She wondered what his reaction would be if he knew someday.

…

The next day was Monday.

Zhu Yunque woke up exceptionally early.

She showered, dried her hair, put on her school uniform, and ate breakfast with Feng Yanlai as usual. The only difference was that she had unusually applied lipstick before leaving the house.

This small gesture was noticed mercilessly by Xu Linda, whom she bumped into on her way to school that morning.

This girl was the only one who knew what had happened between Zhu Yunque and Lu Rangchen yesterday. She gave her a knowing look. “Looks like your date with Brother Rang went pretty well yesterday.”

Zhu Yunque was speechless at her teasing.

She could only give her a silent look.

Xu Linda giggled, and the two walked into the classroom hand in hand.

The bell rang quickly.

On Mondays, students are generally lethargic, dozing off during the morning classes.

Zhu Yunque, however, was full of energy.

She planned to give the bracelet to Lu Rangchen after class, but as soon as the bell rang, Zheng Guoxiong appeared at the classroom door, asking Pang Shuo to switch seats with the boy diagonally behind him.

That boy was Zhao Qijia.

Zhao Qijia looked at Zhu Yunque in surprise. “Wow, Zhu Yunque, you won!”

The noisy classroom quieted down.

Everyone looked towards the first row in surprise; even Gao Ge’s eyes were full of astonishment.

Xu Linda, abandoning her trip to the restroom, blinked and came over to join the fun, asking Zheng Guoxiong if it was true.

Zheng Guoxiong looked at her disdainfully. “What’s false? I’m not blind.”

He glanced at Pang Shuo with exasperation. “Almost fifty points lower than others, I don’t know how you even did it.”

Pang Shuo, thoroughly disheartened by the criticism, looked like a wilted eggplant.

With that, Zheng Guoxiong turned and left.

Xu Linda let out a triumphant shout, hugging Zhu Yunque with great satisfaction, “Congratulations, my Que!!! Now let’s see who dares to gossip about you cheating on the exam!!!” “

The girl’s tone was arrogant and overbearing, as if she wanted everyone present to hear her.

Zhu Yunque was completely stunned.

She genuinely hadn’t expected the results to be announced so quickly, and Zheng Guoxiong had even already chosen who she would sit with.

Because of the seating arrangement change, Zhu Yunque couldn’t go out to find Lu Rangchen after her morning class.

Zhao Qijia, sitting in the first row, was a bit tall.

To avoid blocking the view of the girls behind him, he had to switch seats with Zhu Yunque.

So the three of them messed around for the entire break between classes.

Because of this incident, Zhu Yunque’s reputation quickly spread throughout the second year of high school, with rumors circulating that a female academic genius had emerged in Class B, single-handedly clearing her name of the “cheating” accusation.

In short, she was truly amazing and truly reckless.

She was also genuinely pretty.

Some even said that in terms of looks, Zhu Yunque was no less attractive than Gao Ge.

She just had a very low profile and never dressed up.

Zhu Yunque hadn’t heard these comments herself.

She just noticed that after the first class, there were inexplicably many more people loitering outside Class B.

She didn’t care at all; her only concern was returning her things to Lu Rangchen.

However, when she arrived at Class A and ran into Zhou Chuang, she learned that Lu Rangchen hadn’t come today.

Zhu Yunque’s heart sank slightly. “Is he sick?”

Zhou Chuang shrugged: “I don’t know. He suddenly stopped coming today. I don’t know what happened. He doesn’t reply to my WeChat messages, and I can’t get through on the phone.”

Seeing her slight disappointment, Zhou Chuang kindly asked, “What do you need him for? Should I pass on the message?”

Zhu Yunque could indeed ask him to pass it on.

After all, it was just a bracelet in a box; it didn’t matter who had it.

But… she just didn’t want to.

Zhu Yunque clenched the box in her hand, secretly shaking her head stubbornly, “It’s alright, I’ll wait for him to come.” Back in the classroom.

Zhu Yunque turned on her phone and sent Lu Rangchen a message, asking why he hadn’t come.

She got the same result as Zhou Chuang.

Three classes passed, and Lu Rangchen still hadn’t replied.

Even when Xu Linda was bragging in the group chat that Zhu Yunque had beaten Pang Shuo, Lu Rangchen didn’t show up.

Zhu Yunque asked Xu Linda to ask Deng Zhe, who quickly replied that he didn’t know where Lu Rangchen was either.

Looking at the chat in the group chat.

Zhu Yunque couldn’t help but ask: 【Is he sick?】

She was prepared to be teased when she asked this question.

Deng Zhe, however, was unsurprised: 【That’s possible, but that guy is very healthy and doesn’t get sick easily.】

Zhou Chuang said at that moment: 【Lin Zhinian also came looking for him, saying she couldn’t reach him by text or phone.”

Xu Linda: 【Damn, this woman really cares about Brother Rang.】

Deng Zhe: 【There are plenty of people who care about Brother Rang; do you have to be so indignant about every single one of them?】

Xu Linda: 【You don’t know anything.】

Zhu Yunque watched the two bickering, her feelings mixed.

She couldn’t tell if it was because Lin Zhinian was also looking for him or because she was glad Lin Zhinian couldn’t find him either.

Zhao Qijia returned just then, carrying a half-empty bottle of water, and snapped his fingers in front of her. “What are you thinking about? You’re just spacing out.”

“…”

Zhu Yunque snapped out of her reverie and looked at him.

Zhao Qijia had a sunny and cheerful smile, with a shallow dimple at the corner of his mouth, and he was rather handsome.

He was a completely different type from Lu Rangchen.

This gentle, comforting feeling slightly eased Zhu Yunque’s gloomy mood. She smiled slightly, “Thinking about what the teacher will talk about in the next class.”

As she spoke, she took out the textbooks for the next class.

Hearing her say that, Zhao Qijia also started looking for them.

Perhaps the aura between people can really influence each other.

Zhu Yunque inexplicably felt that the atmosphere between the two of them was much more relaxed than when she sat with Pang Shuo.

Of course, she didn’t know if Zhao Qijia would mind; after all, the seats below the podium were still quite dangerous.

Just then, her phone rang again.

In the group chat, Deng Zhe asked her who her new deskmate was and whether she liked him.

Zhu Yunque paused, not having a chance to reply, when Xu Linda suddenly appeared.

She chattered in the group chat: 【Zhao Qijia, the most presentable guy in our class!】

Upon seeing this, Zhu Yunque was first stunned, then couldn’t help but look at Zhao Qijia.

It was the first time she’d encountered a situation where her gossip subject was sitting right next to her.

Zhao Qijia noticed her looking at him. “What are you looking at? Is there something on my face?”

“No.”

Zhu Yunque shook her head, her thin ears seemingly translucent in the sunlight.

Zhao Qijia unconsciously stared at her for a couple more seconds, then suddenly raised his hand to scratch the back of his head, chuckling to himself.

Zhu Yunque looked down at the group chat conversation.

Xu Linda had already started talking about Zhao Qijia’s personality and character.

In short, he’s a handsome young man with a good temper, and he and Zhu Yunque already have a good relationship; he wouldn’t bully her.

Deng Zhe commented: 【That’s more like it.】

Zhou Chuang, however, was incredibly sarcastic: 【From what you’re saying, I feel like he and Zhu Yunque are actually quite a good match?】

This opinion came as a complete surprise.

So sudden that Zhu Yunque was speechless.

Xu Linda and Deng Zhe in the group chat simultaneously sent two long strings of ellipses.

It was this incredibly awkward moment.

Zhu Yunque typed “Don’t talk nonsense” in the chat box.

But before she could send it, another message beat her to it.

The next second.

Lu Rangchen: 【How could they be a good match?】

These few words appeared out of nowhere.

Several seconds passed before the group chat, seemingly dormant, revived.

Deng Zhe: 【Damn!】

Zhou Chuang: 【You’re alive??】

Xu Linda: 【??? Where did you go, Brother Rang? We were all so worried about you!】

The three chattered away with genuine emotion, like magpies.

Only Zhu Yunque was caught off guard and stunned.

She couldn’t describe her feelings at that moment.

She just felt that if she were a cat, her drooping tail would be held high for Lu Rangchen at that moment.

Briefly lost in thought.

She deleted what she had typed and retyped: 【Why didn’t you come to school? Are you sick?】

She seemed to be naturally slower at typing than others.

This time, before she could even send it, Lu Rangchen beat her to it.

Lu Rangchen: 【The one who lost to me by three points in the last basketball game?】

Zhu Yunque’s fingertip paused.

It took her several seconds to realize that Lu Rangchen’s attention was still on Zhao Qijia.

In that basketball game, Zhao Qijia did indeed lose to Lu Rangchen by three points.

Deng Zhe really didn’t expect this guy to be so persistent and directly teased him: 【Almost there, we know you care about Sister Zhu; you don’t need to show it so obviously.】

Zhou Chuang also said: 【Exactly, exactly, men shouldn’t be so competitive.】

Xu Linda: 【Wow, Brother Rang, you really value your girlfriend over your friends; all of us were so concerned about whether you were dead or not.】

“…”

Zhu Yunque blushed and finally uttered a string of ellipses.

She didn’t think Lu Rangchen cared much about her.

Rather, she felt like she had become the target of their group’s bullying.

As expected, Lu Rangchen remained nonchalant, seemingly immune to his friends’ flirtatious teasing: 【They say she’s my sister; of course, I should care.】

Deng Zhe: 【Holy crap, hahaha, you’re so flirtatious!】

Zhou Chuang: 【What do you mean, ‘your sister’! That’s everyone’s Sister Zhu!】

Xu Linda: 【Awesome, I’m going to screenshot this.】

Zhu Yunque, shamelessly, sent a string of ellipses in the gaps.

Lu Rangchen didn’t respond to this.

He was too lazy to waste time with their noisy chatter and directly messaged Zhu Yunque privately.

Lu Rangchen: 【Something unexpected happened this morning; I’m back in the capital.】

The message made Zhu Yunque’s heart skip a beat.

She instantly understood.

Zhu Yunque: 【So you boarded the plane; that’s why I couldn’t get through on the phone?】

Lu Rangchen typed for a few seconds: 【Did you call me?】

Zhu Yunque: 【…No】

Zhu Yunque hesitated for a few seconds and said: 【They said Lin Zhinian called you but couldn’t get through.】

After saying that, Zhu Yunque’s ears burned, and she utterly despised her own little scheme.

Lu Rangchen said: 【Oh, I did it on purpose】

Zhu Yunque’s fingers paused. 【…】

She suddenly wanted to ask, what if she were the one calling?

If she were the one calling, would Lu Rangchen also not answer?

However, at seventeen, she didn’t have that courage.

Seventeen-year-old Zhu Yunque only had the courage to say: 【When are you coming back? The bracelet is still with me.】

Lu Rangchen: 【Keep it with you for now. I can’t go back for the time being.】

Zhu Yunque was slightly taken aback: 【Why?】

Lu Rangchen: 【Grandma had a sudden heart attack. I need to stay with her for a while.】

Zhu Yunque: 【…】

Zhu Yunque: 【Is Grandma alright?】

Lu Rangchen: 【She’s out of danger.】

That dull feeling in her chest surged up again.

Zhu Yunque didn’t know if she was empathizing with Lu Rangchen, but she inexplicably felt as down as he did.

Zhu Yunque: 【Then you must stay with her.】

Lu Rangchen: 【Okay.】

After a few seconds, he added: 【Please take good care of the bracelet.】

Zhu Yunque looked at these words, as if receiving a subtle comfort, and finally smiled.

She said: 【Okay】

–

The news of Lu Rangchen’s return to the capital spread quickly throughout the school, coinciding with the late winter in Nancheng.

According to Xu Linda, Lin Zhinian has been much quieter lately; she hasn’t been seen going upstairs.

The once bustling entrance to Class A was now much quieter.

Zhu Yunque was oblivious to this.

Ever since learning that Lu Rangchen had returned to the capital, her heart had strangely calmed down, and she became even less concerned about anything else.

But this was limited to school.

In private, she would still pay attention to the chat in the small group, hoping that Lu Rangchen would say a few words each day.

However, in reality, Lu Rangchen rarely appeared.

Even when he did, he would only lazily exchange a few words.

Or else, he would be dragged by Xu Linda and Deng Zhe to play League of Legends.

Zhu Yunque almost never had a real conversation with him alone.

So whenever she saw Xu Linda showing off her match results, Zhu Yunque felt particularly envious, but every time Xu Linda tried to persuade her to learn, she refused without hesitation.

Playing games was too time-consuming, especially playing with Lu Rangchen. Final exams were approaching soon, and Zhu Yunque didn’t want anything to affect her grades.

Xu Linda was utterly impressed by Zhu Yunque’s rationality, saying she must have been drug-free in her past life.

But that wasn’t the case.

Zhu Yunque wasn’t as rational as Xu Linda imagined.

She was simply used to hiding her feelings, used to silently cherishing them alone.

The notebook containing the hundred yuan Lu Rangchen had given her had unknowingly become her “journal.”

She would record every little detail about Lu Rangchen in it.

She would also print out photos of Lu Rangchen she had searched for and paste them into the diary.

For example, the Lu Rangchen she found on Deng Zhe’s WeChat Moments.

For example, his slightly blurry figure in the school tennis team’s group photo.

And for example, how she secretly used Feng Yanlai’s phone to look at Cheng Liru’s WeChat Moments, secretly looking at messages related to him.

Sometimes, if she was lucky, she would steal a photo of him.

It seems that every teenager’s youth needed some meaningless, yet unspeakable, little secrets as a source of emotional support.

During the days when Lu Rangchen “disappeared,” making a “handmade book” became Zhu Yunque’s only pleasure to numb the fatigue of studying.

December arrived in the blink of an eye.

The first snow of winter fell in Nancheng, and Zhu Yunque’s birthday was approaching.

That day was December 29th, the day before her birthday.

The snow was white and thick.

The entire Nancheng No. 3 Middle School was immersed in a strangely romantic atmosphere.

To allow students to relax, the morning exercises were changed to a break that day.

After the second period, Xu Linda dragged Zhu Yunque out for a snowball fight.

Coincidentally, on the playground, the two of them ran into Zhao Qijia and another boy from their class. The four of them were quite familiar with each other, so they simply started playing together.

The group had a snowball fight for a while.

Zhao Qijia overheard Xu Linda talking about the arrangements for Zhu Yunque’s birthday tomorrow and was immediately stunned. “So you’re a Capricorn?”

Zhu Yunque was wearing a short white down jacket and a white hat, her nose red from the cold, looking like a little dumpling.

She nodded. “Don’t I seem like one?”

Zhao Qijia: “Not very much like one.”

He laughed. “Anyway, your temperament is definitely that of a typical Capricorn.”

Zhu Yunque didn’t think it was a compliment; after all, Baidu Encyclopedia described Capricorns as dull, conservative, withdrawn, and lonely.

Feeling a little tired, she asked Xu Linda to go back to the classroom with her.

Zhao Qijia and his friend followed them upstairs. The boy, taking two steps at a time, asked her with a smile, “Aren’t you going to ask what my zodiac sign is?”

Zhu Yunque glanced at him.

Out of courtesy, since Zhao Qijia was her deskmate, she politely asked, “What’s your zodiac sign?”

Zhao Qijia’s smile suddenly became a little embarrassed.

Behind her, Xu Linda finally couldn’t hold back her emotions and suddenly shouted, “You guys go back first; I’m going to find Deng Zhe.”

After saying that, she rushed downstairs like a gust of wind, heading towards Class C.

Zhu Yunque guessed that she must have argued with Deng Zhe again and didn’t say anything.

She turned around and walked with Zhao Qijia to the third floor.

Zhao Qijia said, “This Xu Linda is really unpredictable.”

Zhu Yunque changed the subject. “You still haven’t said what your zodiac sign is.”

“Me?” Zhao Qijia finally got attention and smiled happily. “I’m a Virgo.”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yunque choked.

Suddenly, she understood why he had been so hesitant just now.

Upon reaching the third floor, Zhu Yunque’s lips unconsciously curved into a smile. Just as she was about to say something to Zhao Qijia, her peripheral vision caught sight of a tall, languid figure near the entrance to Class A.

He was so tall that even just leaning there lazily, he was far more eye-catching than others.

His carefree, roguish air only amplified his presence.

Not to mention his strikingly handsome face, which was incredibly captivating to girls.

Even standing at the edge of a group of boys, he remained dazzling, like a cold moon atop a high mountain.

Feeling the deep gaze directed at her, Zhu Yunque’s heart pounded, and she stopped in her tracks.

The oxygen in her chest seemed to vanish instantly, leaving her breathless.

She looked up, meeting Lu Rangchen’s gaze directly.

The boy, dressed in a soft white turtleneck sweater and loose jeans, stood with his hands in his pockets, his thin eyelids drooping, seemingly nonchalant yet unwaveringly glancing at her.

The other boys were chatting and laughing.

He, however, seemed completely uninterested, his gaze fixed intently on Zhu Yunque.

She wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination.

Zhu Yunque felt that his gaze held a certain ambiguity, as if he were questioning her, demanding an explanation.

But… an explanation of what?

Zhu Yunque was momentarily confused.

She moved her lips, wanting to call out to him.

But unfortunately, the school bell rang at that moment.

Lu Rangchen casually withdrew his gaze, as if nothing had happened, stood up straight with a blank expression, and turned to go back into the classroom.

Watching his leisurely, languid figure recede into the distance, Zhu Yunque instantly felt that emptiness again.

It was Zhao Qijia who called her, “Why aren’t you going in?”

Zhu Yunque pursed her lips, snapping out of her reverie, and turned to enter the classroom.

Back in her seat, she removed her hat and gloves, mechanically took off her coat, and hung it on the back of her chair, lost in thought for a few seconds.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated twice.

Zhu Yunque frowned slightly and looked down at her phone.

She never expected the message to be from him.

Lu Rangchen sent her a smiling emoji first.

The next second.

Lu Rangchen: 【Don’t recognize me anymore, huh?】