"Есо-Friеndly Fashiоn Shоw"
Сlаss 13, Grаde 2 Solo Реrformanсe: "Ambiguitу"
Сlаss 1, Grаdе 1 Stаge Plаy: "When You Get Robbed"
Su Zаi Zаi: "..."
So whаt rolе is Zhаng Lu Rаng рlaуing...
Sоmеоnе who gеts robbed of thеir dignitу?
Su Zai Zаi imagined Zhang Lu Rаng being mistreаted in her mind аnd immеdiаtеlу соvered hеr nоse.
Shе tооk a dеeр brеath, trying tо shаke оff that unsettling thought.
Аfter the lengthу орening rеmarks, lively musiс stаrtеd plауing in thе bасkgrоund.
Thе fаshion shоw follоwed the оrder оf сlаsses, stаrting frоm thе lоwest grade аnd proceeding frоm the first class tо the last.
Sо the first tо gо on stаge was Class 1, Grade 1.
A boy and a girl walked onto the stage from opposite sides, heading straight toward each other. When they were about a meter apart, they turned and walked toward the audience, then took their positions on either side of the stage.
Each pair didn’t take long, and soon it was Su Zai Zai’s turn.
Except for her shoes, her entire outfit was in light, muted tones. Yet, the elegant clothing did nothing to tone down her vibrant personality, making her appear even more striking.
The two of them had rehearsed beforehand.
When they reached the front of the stage, Su Zai Zai was supposed to turn slightly, facing the audience fully.
Guan Han would then kneel on one knee, take her hand, and pretend to kiss it.
Soon after, they separated and took their positions, striking a pose.
Finally, when it was time to leave the stage, Su Zai Zai breathed a sigh of relief and walked back along the planned route.
As soon as she reached the backstage area, she spotted Zhang Lu Rang standing to the side, preparing to go on stage.
Su Zai Zai’s eyes lit up, and she called out to him, "Zhang Lu Rang."
Zhang Lu Rang didn’t respond. He was leaning against the wall, looking somewhat lazy, lost in thought.
Su Zai Zai moved closer, seizing the opportunity to explain, "The guy you competed with today—people in my class call him 'Nan Shen.' 'Nan' as in 'pumpkin.'"
Zhang Lu Rang glanced up.
Su Zai Zai thought for a moment and added, "But I never call him that."
He didn’t seem to care much, asking casually, "Then who do you call that?"
Hearing this, Su Zai Zai’s heart started pounding.
Did he hear her calling someone "nan shen" back then?
Did he really hear it?
Su Zai Zai swallowed nervously and instinctively looked away.
Whenever it came to crucial moments, she chickened out.
She wanted to say it but didn’t dare.
...No, she couldn’t keep doing this.
You can’t be a coward when chasing a guy!
Gritting her teeth, Su Zai Zai mustered the courage and blurted out, "You."
Zhang Lu Rang remained silent.
Once the words were out, the tension immediately faded.
Su Zai Zai’s courage surged, and she looked up, repeating earnestly, "I was calling you."
The atmosphere suddenly grew quiet.
At that moment, Su Zai Zai seemed to hear nothing, focusing entirely on waiting for his reaction.
But waiting was agonizing.
Her courage was like air filling a balloon.
The plastic balloon was fragile to begin with, and a single glance from him was enough to burst it.
With a "pop," it vanished into thin air.
Just as Zhang Lu Rang was about to say something, Su Zai Zai interrupted him.
Anxious, she clenched her fingers, and the words spilled out before she could think.
"But you might not have heard it clearly when you were running. I was calling you a 'male psycho.'"
Zhang Lu Rang: "..."
She still chickened out...
And the more she tried to explain, the worse it got.
Su Zai Zai lowered her head in frustration, feeling utterly exasperated with herself.She pretended nothing had happened, pointed at herself, and changed the subject: "How do I look?"
"..." Zhang Lurang had no desire to respond.
"Am I not absolutely stunning? The cheers were so loud when I came on stage!"
Su Zaizai just wanted him to forget what she had said earlier. Her mind felt like it was filled with mush, and she began babbling nonsense.
Zhang Lurang: "..."
She cautiously looked up to gauge his expression.
He didn’t seem angry...
Su Zaizai breathed a sigh of relief.
But she also noticed that he still refused to look at her, which immediately made her a little frustrated.
She muttered under her breath, dissatisfied: "Looking at me won’t cost you anything."
Hearing this, Zhang Lurang suddenly found it somewhat amusing.
He finally lowered his head and looked at her seriously.
His gaze swept over her rosy lips and delicate nose before finally settling on her dark, bright, and clear eyes.
Luminous and bold, as if inlaid with glass.
Moist and smiling, as if trying to entice.
His heart suddenly tingled.
He abruptly averted his eyes.
Seeing that Zhang Lurang didn’t answer, Su Zaizai rephrased her question: "Not good-looking?"
A few seconds later.
"Hmm." A muffled sound escaped Zhang Lurang’s throat.
Su Zaizai didn’t mind and lifted her head with a smile: "Your taste is really poor."
Zhang Lurang ignored her.
He lowered his eyes, his thick lashes concealing his emotions.
The dim lighting made it hard to discern his expression clearly.
Faint and indistinct.
But his movements were clear and unmistakable, impossible to ignore.
Su Zaizai saw him raise his hand.
Slowly, as if trying to appear composed, he touched the back of his neck.
A brief touch, then he withdrew.
Chapter 14
I hope he’ll come and rob me of my beauty.
Rob me to death.
—From Su Zaizai’s Little Fairy Diary
Two scenes suddenly flooded her mind.
...
In the classroom of Class 1, Grade 10.
Zhang Lurang was bent over his desk, solving problems, while Su Zaizai sat in front of him, turned sideways to watch him.
Then she took out a workbook, smiled, and said, "Then explain this problem to me."
He paused, touched his neck, and said softly, "I don’t know how."
...
At the bus stop near home, waiting for the bus.
Su Zaizai looked conflicted: "Do you have WeChat?"
Zhang Lurang hesitated for a moment, raised his hand to touch the back of his neck, and said, "No."
...
Now, the same gesture.
So what he meant to say was...
—Not good-looking?
—Hmm.
Su Zaizai’s face instantly burned as if on fire, turning completely red.
A moment of silence passed.
The two stood facing each other, yet neither looked at the other.
But there was an atmosphere between them that no one else could disturb.
The surroundings were not quiet.
Besides the hushed conversations of the backstage crew, the heartfelt singing of the girl on stage echoed in their ears.
One note after another.
As if ambiguity lingered in the air.
Unwilling to leave.
Su Zaizai mustered her courage and looked up.
Just as she was about to speak, she suddenly noticed a few of their classmates standing to Zhang Lurang’s right.
They were watching the two of them with great interest.
The heat on Su Zaizai’s face intensified even more.
She couldn’t take it anymore and, without saying a word, walked straight toward the audience seats.
Immediately, the excited and gossipy voices of the boys followed from behind: "Hey, Zhang Lurang, is she your girlfriend?"
Zhang Lurang remained silent.
On stage, the girl happened to be singing the chorus.
The lights suddenly brightened, shining through the curtains.He still kept his eyes lowered.
His profile was exposed under the lights, making the other side seem obscure and unclear.
Seeing that he didn’t answer, the boys didn’t press further.
They continued to laugh heartily. “A real beauty!”
Hearing this, Zhang Lu Rang finally lifted his gaze.
He secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed he wasn’t the only one who wasn’t normal.
At that moment…
He actually… thought Su Zai Zai looked quite pretty.
Su Zai Zai sat down in her seat.
Jiang Jia was chatting beside her.
She took a water bottle out of her backpack and gulped down several mouthfuls in a row.
Only then did Jiang Jia notice her unusual behavior and found it strange.
“What’s wrong with you? It’s like you’ve never had water before.”
Su Zai Zai lowered her head, covering her face, and mumbled, “Let me calm down.”
“…Oh.”
Jiang Jia waited for a moment.
A minute later, a faint voice came from beside her. “The great beauty wants me dead.”
Jiang Jia: “…Stop being ridiculous.”
“I’m serious,” Su Zai Zai’s breathing had steadied, but her cheeks were still flushed. “He just said I was pretty. I felt like I was about to suffocate.”
The water Jiang Jia had just sipped nearly sprayed out. “Holy crap! Hahaha, my god! I can’t even imagine what it would look like for Zhang Lu Rang to compliment you on your looks.”
Su Zai Zai recounted the incident to her.
Jiang Jia: “…Are you sure he was saying you’re pretty?”
Although the great beauty’s response was a denial…
His actions…
Su Zai Zai wanted to tell her but also wanted to keep this secret to herself.
Many things about Zhang Lu Rang, she only wanted to know by herself.
But about him touching his neck when lying, that was just her guess.
…She’d test it out tomorrow.
Jiang Jia looked at her sympathetically. “You probably can’t accept that your great beauty was surpassed by Wang Nan…”
Hearing this, Su Zai Zai immediately looked at her.
“You must be crazy,” Jiang Jia concluded.
Su Zai Zai: “…Eat shit or die, choose one.”
“I don’t want to eat you, I’d rather die.”
“Get lost.”
As they chatted, the host’s voice finally reached their ears.
“Next, please enjoy the stage play brought to us by Class 1, Grade 10, ‘When You Get Robbed.’”
Su Zai Zai immediately fell silent, hurriedly taking her glasses out of her backpack and putting them on.
The audience seats were plunged into dim lighting.
The red curtains slowly drew apart.
A boy stood at the center of the stage.
In his hands, he held a large white card with four huge words written on it: I’m Very Rich.
Jiang Jia commented beside her, “I’m Very Rich… Why doesn’t he just write ‘Please Rob Me’?”
Su Zai Zai blinked.
Was it divided into robbing for money and robbing for looks?
Then the great beauty would probably appear soon.
Sure enough.
Not long after, Zhang Lu Rang stepped onto the stage.
Behind him followed five or six boys, looking fierce and imposing.
Their exposed skin was covered in temporary tattoos.
Su Zai Zai: “…”
These seemed to be the boys who were standing beside Zhang Lu Rang earlier.
How did she not notice they had temporary tattoos on…
Su Zai Zai shifted her gaze, focusing on Zhang Lu Rang.
Zhang Lu Rang wore a black camouflage-patterned thin jacket over his white class uniform, loose and casual.
His black, tousled hair fell loosely over his forehead, his eyes dark and bright, and the corners of his mouth curled lazily. —-
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