Chapter 203 - 171: The Shura Field That Shouldn’t Exist

Chapter 203: Chapter 171: The Shura Field That Shouldn’t Exist

The next day, it started in the morning.

It wasn’t just Lin Zhengran who noticed. All their classmates could clearly see that things were strange between Fang Meng and Jiang Qian.

The two, who had previously been inseparable, suddenly stopped speaking to each other in the classroom. They would just exchange a glance and walk right past one another.

They even stopped sitting together for lunch, insisting on eating separately.

That afternoon, the academics representative called out to Fang Meng, "Fang Meng, can you give this to the vice class president for me? It’s hers..."

Fang Meng had already taken it, but she paused and handed it back. "Give it to her yourself."

"Huh? But Jiang Qian isn’t here, is she? You used to say that when Jiang Qian wasn’t around, I could just give her things to you..."

Fang Meng sat at her desk, looking like she was in a huff. "That was before. From now on, just give her things to her directly."

The student stood there dumbfounded. ’What’s going on?’

The same thing was happening with Jiang Qian. In the past, if something concerned Fang Meng but she couldn’t be found, going to Jiang Qian was just as good.

But now, Jiang Qian would just say, "Go find her directly. It’s no use telling me."

The confused classmate asked, "But aren’t you two best friends? I can just tell you, and you can tell her when you have time."

Jiang Qian replied with a blank expression, "She won’t listen to anything I say..."

Fang Meng, who was nearby, walked past and overheard what Jiang Qian said to the other person. She glanced at Jiang Qian, who seemed to be talking to that person in anger.

And so, Jiang Qian naturally took her leave.

Fang Meng looked back halfway, her brow furrowing even more as she watched Jiang Qian’s cool and aloof retreating figure.

Although Lin Zhengran hadn’t seen all of these strange incidents, he had figured out that the two of them must have had a fight—and a serious one at that.

Of course, a fight between best friends should have had nothing to do with Lin Zhengran. But alas... sometimes it wasn’t a case of him looking for trouble, but trouble finding him.

「During PE class on Thursday」

Lin Zhengran was sitting on the edge of the sports field, resting.

After finishing her run, Fang Meng was panting, but she also seemed to be holding in her anger. She spotted the jacket Lin Zhengran had casually tossed aside.

She walked over, sat down next to him, and picked up his jacket, beginning to fold it with meticulous, painstaking care.

Lin Zhengran was stunned to see Fang Meng suddenly approach and start tidying his things. "What are you doing? Are you so bored you have to fold my stuff?"

Fang Meng said frankly, "You’re right, I am bored. It’s been too long since I’ve tidied up for someone, and my hands were getting itchy. Besides, I’m technically your childhood betrothed, so there’s nothing wrong with folding your things."

Lin Zhengran: "..."

Lin Zhengran couldn’t completely understand what this girl was saying.

After she finished folding, Fang Meng placed the neat jacket aside and asked, "I’m going to buy a drink. Do you need me to get you some water while I’m at it?"

"No, thanks. I’m not thirsty."

"Okay, then I won’t get you one." With that, Fang Meng got up and left.

But when she came out of the school supermarket after buying the water, she found herself holding two bottles.

In the past, she would always buy a bottle for Jiang Qian, too. It was a habit practically ingrained in her DNA.

She couldn’t possibly drink two bottles herself, so she had no choice but to give the extra one to Lin Zhengran.

Who would have thought that just as Fang Meng was walking back to the field to find Lin Zhengran, two bottles of water in hand...

As she got closer, she saw Jiang Qian walking toward him from the opposite direction, also holding two bottles of water. It turned out she was the same; in the past, whenever Jiang Qian bought a drink, she would always get one for Fang Meng, too. It was just habit.

At that moment, the two girls stood on either side of the path leading to Lin Zhengran, each holding two bottles of water. They locked eyes.

Instead of giving the water to their former best friend, they both chose to walk toward Lin Zhengran, each offering him a bottle.

In unison, they said, "This one’s for you..."

The students taking a rare break on the field were all stunned.

Watching this dramatic showdown, they broke into a flurry of discussion, eagerly consuming the gossip.

"Look, look!"

"What’s going on here? I heard they had a fight recently."

"So it was because of the class president?"

...

Sweat beaded on Lin Zhengran’s forehead. "What do you two think you’re doing? You’re making it easy for people to misunderstand and think you’re fighting because of me. This has nothing to do with me, right? I don’t even know why you two are fighting."

As he said this, he suddenly felt a displeased gaze from afar. Lin Zhengran turned and looked toward the distant school building.

Sure enough, in a classroom window, a certain fox was watching them with a small pair of binoculars.

When she realized Lin Zhengran had noticed her gaze...

Han Wenwen smiled benevolently from the classroom.

Immediately after, she was caught by the teacher and made to stand up and recite from the textbook as punishment.

Down on the field, Lin Zhengran broke out in an even colder sweat.

「On Friday」

The homeroom teacher held a short meeting. Afterward, she announced something that made everyone cheer.

If the class’s mock exam scores were good next week, she would secretly play a movie for them during Chinese class.

It was to help them relieve the pressure of the college entrance exams.

One curious student raised their hand and asked, "Teacher, can we switch seats with each other then?"

The homeroom teacher laughed helplessly. "You guys are really pushing your luck, aren’t you? You should be grateful you get to watch a movie as third-year students, and you still want to switch seats? Well, you’ll have to be mindful of your behavior. The class president will be in charge of maintaining discipline."

Everyone cheered.

They all promised they wouldn’t talk or cause trouble.

Many students who were good friends started discussing who would sit with whom and who would trade seats.

It was as if victory in next week’s mock exam was already in the bag.

Meanwhile, Jiang Qian and Fang Meng both sat at their respective desks, still showing no intention of speaking to each other.

「This Saturday」

Lin Zhengran’s mother, Lin Xiaoli, had caught a cold, so he planned to go home to see her.

But when he got home that morning, backpack in hand, he heard someone else in his mother’s bedroom.

"Auntie, drink it slowly."

"Alright, but I can manage it myself, Auntie. You don’t have to take care of me so meticulously."

"It’s okay, Auntie. I’m very good at this sort of thing."

"But you don’t have to hold it for me while I drink, haha..."

Lin Zhengran initially thought it was his dad, but the voice sounded familiar, and he quickly guessed who it might be.

He went to his mom’s room and opened the door to find, sure enough, Fang Meng, her hair in a side ponytail, holding a cup of cold medicine for his mom to drink.

"Fang Meng?"

Fang Meng and Lin Xiaoli both looked toward the door.

Fang Meng wore an innocent expression. "You’re back?"

Lin Xiaoli, also holding the cup, said, "Ranran, you’re back? Meng heard I was sick this week and came especially to see me."

Lin Zhengran grunted in acknowledgment. ’What is she up to?’ he wondered, walking over. "Mom, how are you feeling?"

Lin Xiaoli coughed twice. "It’s nothing serious. Your father and I went hiking last week, and I caught a cold after we got back."

"Hiking?"

Lin Xiaoli gave an awkward chuckle. "I didn’t tell you. Your dad and I were planning a secret little trip, but I guess we can’t hide it now."

Lin Zhengran was used to his mom and dad’s secret dates. In fact, after all these years, he was more surprised that they hadn’t given him a younger brother or sister.

The couple was unusually inseparable.

Fang Meng said, "I’ve checked her pulse. It’s just a chill, nothing serious."

Lin Xiaoli also praised her, "Speaking of which, I had no idea Meng could read pulses. It’s really amazing."

Lin Zhengran grunted, eyeing Fang Meng.

Fang Meng eyed him back, and they stared at each other for a moment.

Lin Xiaoli lay down to rest, while Fang Meng followed Lin Zhengran to his bedroom and started taking off her clothes.

To talk.

In the bedroom, Fang Meng’s voice was filled with surprise. "What are you doing, taking your clothes off?"

Lin Zhengran took off his jacket. "Changing my clothes. I’m more curious about what you’re doing in my bedroom."