After a few seconds of reminiscing, Zhou Lei snapped out of his daze and turned his gaze back towards the beggar in front of him.
With a deep sigh, he placed his hands on the beggar's shoulders, which prompted her to stop eating and look at him.
Zhou Lei opened his mouth. "Are you... Zi Yun? Jiang Zi Yun?"
"Ah..." The beggar had some sort of explosion in her mind as she opened her mouth, allowing the piece of sandwich she was chewing to fall onto the cold hard ground.
"Y- yes, I am Jiang Zi Yun."
Zhou Lei already believed in his mind that the girl in front of him was no doubt Jiang Zi Yun. However, hearing her confirm it still made him dazed.
"W- wha-huh? How...?"
This? This unkempt beggar in front of him... was Jiang Zi Yun, the school belle? His former best friend? What happened to her...?
An immense feeling rose inside Zhou Lei, but he himself didn't know for sure what it was. Whether it be pity or obligation, he affirmed himself that he should offer his assistance to the fallen angel.
Looking at the bewildered expression on the handsome youth's face, Jiang Zi Yun stopped eating the sandwich for a second. Only then did she realize that... her identity was revealed!
Suddenly, her eyes turned cold, hiding the sandwich behind her back.
Zhou Lei glanced towards the beggar in front of him, and a cold aura seemingly exuded from her. 'Yup, it's her alright.'
"How... do you know who I am?" The cautious Jiang Zi Yun took a single step back.
"Zi Yun... We were friends when we were first-years in District 5 Middle School. Don't you recognize me?"
Zhou Lei felt a little hurt. After all, before this girl suddenly disappeared, he considered Jiang Zi Yun to be his best friend. After she left, he had no friends to speak of until Lin Hanying.
'Zi Yun... Only one person called me that in middle school...' Jiang Zi Yun scanned the handsome boy's face once more. 'But the face and voice are too different!'
"Don't tell me... you're Leilei?" Even though she was of utmost certainty that the person in front of her wasn't her friend from middle school, she still asked. After all, he managed to recognize her when no other could.
"Leilei..." Zhou Lei felt nostalgic hearing that nickname from the familiar voice. Before he knew it, a tear flowed down the corner of his eye.
Despite this, he supressed his expression. While discreetly wiping off the inconspicuous tear on his cheek, he replied, "Yes, I am Leilei."
After hearing the answer of the boy in front of her, Jiang Zi Yun didn't get shocked. Instead, she decided to believe him halfway. "Okay, then. If you really are Leilei, then you should know these--"
Before she could continue, Zhou Lei interrupted her. "Stop first. I'm gonna say a single sentence that will confirm your suspicions."
With that said, Zhou Lei inched closer to Jiang Zi Yun's ears, who still had reservations about letting people close to her. She retreated backwards unconsciously, but Zhou Lei had already reached the side of her face.
He opened his mouth, a few words coming out of it and entering the ear right in front. After a while, he finished whispering a couple of sentences.
Satisfied, Zhou Lei smiled smugly, crossing his arms in triumph. On the other hand, Jiang Zi Yun wasn't doing so well.
Her face started blushing wildly, and even through the thick cloak of the dirt and dust on her whole body, Zhou Lei felt the urge... to pinch her cheek.
