It takes a hundred days to recover from a bone injury.
With He Li gone and the gangsters unusually quiet, Su Cui's days had been quite comfortable recently, except that she was a bit slow learning square dancing.
Su Baixue's academic life was also proceeding smoothly.
At least, in her own view, it was smooth.
He Li had officially taken sick leave, but the news had already reported it, and everyone knew that he had been beaten up by some school gangsters and hospitalized. The young students were indignant. Upon hearing the news, they all felt sympathy for He Li. In Su Baixue's class, Tian Ling enthusiastically organized the girls to go to the hospital to visit He Li.
Su Baixue wasn't familiar with He Li. On the day Tian Ling asked her to visit He Li, her grandmother said she felt very unwell after hearing about it, so Su Baixue didn't go. At first, Tian Ling was very active in organizing, but after a few days, she stopped mentioning He Li.
After another period of time.
Su Baixue overheard Sun Shumin asking Tian Ling why she didn't go to see He Li anymore. Tian Ling became very indifferent.
"He Li's leg hasn't recovered well. He might be lame," Tian Ling said while scrolling through Weibo on her phone, showing impatience and looking very cold. "Don't mention him. I'm not going anymore."
Sun Shumin smirked knowingly and changed the subject. "Have you seen Su Yang from Class 10?"
Chen Baozhu was applying lipstick nearby. She was striking-looking, and even a little makeup made her look very bright. She spoke up, "He's handsome, but too skinny." Originally, Chen Baozhu had wanted to kick Tian Ling out of their little group, but since Tian Ling had obtained extra tickets for a concert in B City, the group had reunited.
Tian Ling muttered, "Not as handsome as Brother Wei Yun... too skinny. But I heard Su Yang's family is super rich, like connected to the Four Major Financial Groups."
Chen Baozhu rolled her eyes at her, noncommittal. "His surname is Su, how is that possible! I'd believe it if you said Shumin."
Tian Ling asked curiously, "Shumin, your surname is Sun, why don't you know any relatives from big financial groups?"
"Same surname, different fate." Sun Shumin raised an eyebrow and skillfully changed the topic back. "I think if Su Yang weren't so sickly, he wouldn't be inferior to Wei Yun."
The girls chattered and discussed. Most of the first-year girls' topics started to revolve around another person, Su Yang.
The boy from the neighboring Class 10, who had been on leave for a long time, had finally come to class. On his first day, as he walked through the hallway, several female classmates were stunned.
After that, Su Yang's name began to spread widely.
Although Su Yang only came for one day and afterward frequently requested leave due to his health, the girls still enjoyed talking about him and wanted to know more about him.
On the day Su Yang came, Su Baixue didn't run into him. Exams were coming up, and she was busy reviewing.
As they were in the same school, they would eventually meet.
Su Baixue thought so.
The autumn wind was bleak, and the weather turned cold. Withered leaves drifted across the entire campus. When everyone had changed into long sleeves, the midterm exam results were announced.
First place in the first grade: Qi Ji.
Second place: Su Baixue.
...
One hundred and thirty-second place: Su Yang.
The boys from Class 1 chattered around Qi Ji. "You're amazing, I never would have guessed, Qi Ji!"
"Qi Ji, help me with problem explanations next time!"
"Awesome!"
Tian Ling also showed renewed closeness to Su Baixue, but Su Baixue was really afraid of hearing about celebrity fandom. She just couldn't force herself.
For the first time, during the lunch break, she softly and tactfully declined Tian Ling's invitation.
"Thank you for the invitation, but I won't join you. I... I have something to do..."
Tian Ling was surprised. She had spent some time with Su Baixue and knew her a bit better than other classmates. Su Baixue actually refused her! Did she hear correctly?
Tian Ling had originally planned to borrow Su Baixue's notes over lunch. She knew Su Baixue's notes were particularly neat and complete. Seeing Su Baixue avoid her gaze, she felt annoyed: Who in this class would invite Su Baixue? She only invited her out of pity... How ungrateful.
"Let's go, let's go."
Sun Shumin pulled Tian Ling away unpleasantly. "Why did you invite her? She doesn't want to go."
Tian Ling glanced at Su Baixue and followed Sun Shumin away.
The surroundings quieted down.
Su Baixue breathed a sigh of relief. She waited ten minutes until most people had left, then got up from the classroom. At the front of each grade's hallway was the teacher's office. As she passed the office, a young man walked out.
They met, eyes locking.
Both were startled.
Su Baixue was pleasantly surprised. She smiled and said, "It's you, Su Yang."
The young man in front of her was still somewhat sickly, just as she remembered, so thin that it seemed a gust of wind could blow him away. Su Baixue was already fair, but he was even fairer, with unique long, narrow phoenix eyes. The first time she met him, Su Baixue had been deeply impressed.
"Su Baixue." Su Yang's gaze focused on her again, seeming a bit surprised to see her here. "You're at City High too."
"Yes, we're classmates now. I heard you've been on sick leave. Are you feeling better? Are you back for class today?"
"Mm."
The atmosphere became strangely awkward.
They had chatted quite happily after the high school entrance exam...
Su Baixue felt a little disappointed.