Evanescent Dreams

6. Can you help me?

The school bell rang, marking the end of the school day.

Before Lin Xingren could ask Chen Siyun more questions, Chen Siyun scrambled out of the classroom with a flustered face, saying she had to find a senior called Weng Bai. 

I thought Weng Bai was in our grade...

The gravel below her feet crunched as Lin Xingren trotted on her way to the front gate. The sun was still high in the sky, and this was the time when most people stayed at school for extracurriculars or group studying. The time that physically separated presenter students with puppet students.

Hence, when Lin Xingren saw Ye Zhen at the school gate, leaning on the school fence and emotionlessly scrolling through his phone, she was finally convinced that he was indeed a puppet student.

Why does he looks so calm? Is he waiting for me? What's with the surprise, he could've just sent a message. 

Lin Xingren slowly crept out the school gate, trying to prevent him from realizing.  

Bzzz!

Ye Zhen looked up and raised an eyebrow. The random phone notification betrayed Lin Xingren's presence. 

Ugh! Freaking scam messages. 

"Hi?" Lin Xingren tried to crack a smile. She quickly opened her phone to swipe away the message, but then saw that it was from Ye Zhen: 

Do you have time? I'm at the gate. 

Ye Zhen zipped open his bag and took out a dark leather notebook. He walked over to her.

She wobbled a step back. 

What is that? Don't tell me...my martial arts treasure book? Please no, nonono. 

Lin Xingren evidently forgot the color of her martial arts treasure book from seven years ago.

"This has yesterday's class notes. I heard you saying to Chen Siyun that you couldn't concentrate in class."

Lin Xingren let go of her breath, "Oh, thanks."

Why is he so nice to me?

She stuffed the grey notebook into her scrap paper-filled schoolbag.

"Do you drink bubble tea?" he helped her close her fat bag.

"Oh, uhh, No. I'm ok with it."

"Then do you have time right now?"

"Why?"

He raised a brow, "bubble tea?"

Really? Why is he suddenly being so kind? No, there must be something...I just wanna go home.

Lin Xingren could not decipher the expression behind his dark bangs because of the blinding sunlight.

Before she could reply, Ye Zhen strolled onwards along the sidewalk in a way that made Lin Xingren confused if he wanted her to follow along or not. 

Hi? Hi?

She stopped herself from waving behind his back like a retard and gave in to the belief that Ye Zhen was walking towards a milk tea shop and expected her to stay with him. 

Walking on a tranquil road, Lin Xingren sighted a line of Sakura flowers across from her, almost ready to bloom into the Spring. Clouds floated on every corner of the sky, and bubbles were  blown by a group of elementary schoolers. Perhaps because she was now out of the school for good, Lin Xingren felt much more at ease. Much more like a normal person.