Volume 1: Classmate and Youth Chapter 10: I Just Like You

  "I, Qin Yanran, would never like someone like you."

  Qin Yanran's words were like a sharp sword that pierced Su Lin's heart.

  Su Lin didn't mean it that way, he also had self-awareness and knew that with his own conditions, he was fundamentally not a match for Qin Yanran. But Su Lin knowing he wasn't a match and hearing it from Qin Yanran's mouth were two different things.

  If you don't like me, then so be it. I, Su Lin, didn't ask you Qin Yanran to like me either. I didn't even confess my feelings to you in person, I just wanted to say sorry to you, why did you have to say that you would never like someone like me?

  "What kind of person am I? What kind of person am I supposed to be? Just drifting through school, waiting for death? Neither a rich second generation nor an official second generation, soon to graduate from high school, a poor second generation with an uncertain future?"

  Being rejected and scolded by Qin Yanran in public, Su Lin had nothing to say, he couldn't refute. In other people's eyes, wasn't he just that kind of person?

  "Who is that? He actually dared to confess to the school flower in front of so many people?"

  "Right! It seems like it's been a long time since anyone dared to confess to the school flower?"

  "I remember the last time someone confessed to the school flower in public was half a year ago, wasn't it Luo Tian, the basketball team captain who was popular among all the female students? Even he was ruthlessly rejected by the school flower. I saw it myself, Luo Tian's face turned green at that time. He had even bought many balloons and arranged them into a heart shape, how romantic! All the female students were smitten, but our school flower didn't even give him a glance, said something like 'how boring' and walked away directly..."

  "I recognized him, it's Su Lin from the same class as the school flower. It's said that he tried to take liberties with the school flower in class yesterday but didn't succeed. Unexpectedly, he still dared to confess his feelings publicly today. In the past, those who confessed to the school flower were at most ignored by her, but today she actually said such harsh words, it seems he really made the school flower angry..."

  …………

  The onlookers were buzzing with discussion, none of them sympathizing with Su Lin's pursuit of the school beauty. In their eyes, this was truly a joke of epic proportions. They were all waiting to see how Su Lin would make a fool of himself next!

  As for Qin Yanran, being confessed to was something she was used to, and she wouldn't normally say such aggressive words. But today her mood was particularly bad, and Su Ling just happened to be in the line of fire.

  However, to get back on track, Su Lin didn't come here today to confess his feelings; he just came to apologize. Qin Yanran took a slight breath and calmed down, feeling that her words earlier were a bit too harsh.

  "Su Lin just came to apologize, am I being too harsh on him?"

  In Qin Yanran's view, all the boys who want to get close to her are nothing but a purpose, and Su Lin is no exception. Qin Yanran has always adhered to a resolute attitude of refusal and indifference, otherwise, how many boys would be chasing after her every day.

  Realizing she had said too much, Qin Yanran looked at Su Lin who was not speaking and wanted to say something softer, but was afraid that if she said it, the surrounding classmates and Su Lin would think she had a crush on him again.

  When Qin Yanran didn't know what to say after changing her attitude, Su Lin himself had figured it out. He swallowed his pride and a strong sense of determination arose within him: "Fine, you think I'm that kind of person, looking down on me? Then let me show you, I'm not a loser! You like what kind of person? I'll become that kind of person! With my ability to control time and my own efforts, I won't believe it if I still can't become the person you like!"

  Always silent Su Lin, with his head down, his height of over 1.75 meters, bowed his head just right to look down at Qin Yanran, who was over 1.6 meters tall, took a deep breath, smiled slightly, and said confidently but not arrogantly in a loud voice: "Qin Yanran, you think I'm not good enough? But what kind of person am I, Su Lin? Yes, my grades are bad, my family background is bad, and I don't look great either. Indeed, I'm not someone who can be looked up to by the school flower like you. Originally, I didn't plan on confessing anything to you, just simply apologizing for yesterday's incident. I admit that yesterday was my fault, and I sincerely apologize to you. But I don't want to be looked down upon by you anymore. Maybe in the past, I, Su Lin, was someone you couldn't look up to, but today..."

  Su Lin's heart was racing, surrounded by so many classmates watching him. Today, he was going to let it all out. It was certain that when he said those words, he would become the talk of the town and the laughing stock of the whole school. But Su Lin didn't care, he just wanted to find an opportunity to prove himself, he, Su Lin, no longer wanted to be looked down upon.

  Taking a deep breath, Su Lin glanced around and found that his classmates were staring at him intently. With a loud and clear voice, he said: "Today, Qin Yanran, I, Su Lin, am confessing to you. I know you will reject me, you look down on someone like me, but wait for it, I, Su Lin, will become excellent, more excellent than everyone here! Because... I just like you!"

  Sulking is sulking!

  Impulsiveness is just impulsiveness!

  That's youth!

  Why be timid and afraid, why not dare to speak out one's own thoughts. Su Lin just wants everyone to know that she is no worse than others, likes the school flower and goes after her, being rejected is nothing, looking down on me for not being excellent enough? Then I'll become even more excellent and let you see.

  After saying this, Su Lin felt that his whole heart was relieved, and the breath he had been holding back in his heart was finally released.

  But that was just Su Lin's self-consolation, he said it out loud and felt relieved in his heart. However, to others, Su Lin's behavior seemed so ridiculous and unrealistic.

  Excellent?

  Not to mention that Su Lin's current grades are not even average, even if his grades were excellent and he could squeeze into the top 100, what would be the use of that? Several boys who have been ranked in the top ten for years don't dare call themselves excellent in front of Qin Yanran, what is Su Lin?

  It's worth noting that Qin Yanran has been occupying the first place in her grade since high school, and no one has ever defeated her.

  How many excellent grades, good family background, and talented and handsome boys who pursued Qin Yanran were rejected. Can Su Lin really pursue Qin Yanran with just this? It's really ridiculous.

  Soon, a burst of laughter erupted from the crowd.

  It's a joke, and they finally saw it. It wasn't in vain that they stayed here for a few minutes, and finally saw the joke. After the exam was over, when we got back to class, it became a great topic of discussion among us classmates.

  As the person being confessed to, Qin Yanran's heart was not so relaxed. Qin Yanran was born into an official family, and without mentioning the complex relationships within her household, her mother Fang Liping was also the mayor of Jian'an City. Since her father had passed away early on, her mother's strong personality made her learn independence and responsibility at a younger age, making her more mature.

  If it were another little girl, she might still be slightly moved. Being confessed to by a boy in public has always been something that almost all girls take pride in, regardless of whether they like the boy or not.

  But in Qin Yanran's view, Su Lin's approach was really too naive.

  Excellent?

  What does it have to do with liking or disliking?

  The person I like, even if he is no longer, I still like him.

  No matter how excellent he is, if there's no feeling, then there's just no feeling.

  At this point, Qin Yanran's heart felt a little ridiculous, but suddenly, she was startled again, not because of anything else, just because of these two words "like".

  "Do you like it? What is liking? What does it feel like to like something?"

  At seventeen or eighteen, at such a youthful and innocent age, which young man is not sentimental? Which young woman does not cherish the spring of life?

  Qin Yanran was the same, she also looked forward to having someone she liked appear. However, with just this kind of wish and expectation, Qin Yanran was not lacking in suitors, it could be said that every male student in Jianan No. 1 Middle School had a crush on her.

  But Qin Yanran herself didn't even know what it felt like to like someone.

  As for being liked by others, she thought she had become numb to it. From straightforward confessions to various small gifts and love letters from boys, she was already fed up with them - is this what it feels like to be liked? What a truly annoying feeling.

  So what does it feel like to love someone?

  I don't know, Qin Yanran didn't feel anything at all. The book said that if you like someone, you will always have them in your heart, thinking about them day and night, going crazy for them, being infatuated with them, willing to travel the world with them, and even willing to go to hell for them.

  "What is this thing called love in the world? It makes people promise to live and die together."

  Suddenly, a sentence emerged in Qin Yueran's heart. To like someone, to love someone, isn't it just being willing to do anything for that person, transcending the fear of death?

  "Transcend life and death? Can liking someone really make one ignore the fear of death? Then... who can ignore life and death for me? And who can I be reckless for?"

  Compared to her peers, Qin Yanran's idea of love is not something that can be manufactured by idol dramas. As for what it should be like, Qin Yanran herself doesn't know when she asks herself.

  Just now, Su Lin's sentence "I just like you" made Qin Yanran feel a little moved in addition to being ridiculous. Doesn't this kind of fearless and reckless feeling also have a bit of disregard for life and death? Originally, she had already been ridiculed by everyone, knowing that it was impossible but doing it anyway, wasn't she much better than those boys who were rejected once and then gave up?

  Before, Qin Yanran almost never paid attention to Su Lin in the same class, and only exchanged one or two sentences with Su Lin when collecting English homework. As for her understanding of Su Lin, Qin Yanran's impression was just three words: "poor student". Such a person, Qin Yanran naturally didn't want to have anything to do with him.

  But today, two originally unrelated parallel lines actually intersected. Su Lin surprisingly dared to say such unrealistic words under the ridicule of so many people.

  "How dare he say that?"

  As for Su Lin's courage, Qin Yanran was also slightly surprised when she thought about it.

  But now, looking at Su Lin's still confident expression and eyes, Qin Yanran, who was originally going to say the words of refusal, suddenly wanted to change her mind.

  "Su Lin, you just said you like me? Wanting to become better and be worthy of me, is that true?"

  With a faint smile, Qin Yanran surprisingly didn't blow up or get angry. Instead, she changed her original icy attitude and actually smiled at Su Lin.

  It's too unbelievable, the crowd that was mocking suddenly fell silent. It's really too strange, Qin Yanran smiled, Qin Yanran actually smiled at a boy, and this boy is Su Lin, who just now boldly confessed to Qin Yanran with no regard for his own life, that "inferior student".

  Even Su Lin himself was stunned, he had already prepared himself mentally to face Qin Yanran's stormy weather, but unexpectedly it was a smiling face, and Qin Yanran actually asked this way, could it be that she would really accept him? This is also too unbelievable, even Su Lin himself didn't believe it.

  "Yes, Qin Yanran, I know you look down on me. But I will work hard to become better. Because I, Su Lin... just like you!"

  Although he didn't believe it, Su Lin couldn't help but boost his own morale, patted his chest and said confidently.

  "Alright. Su Lin, you said you want to become more excellent... then... if you can rank top 50 in this semester's exam, I'll consider it."

  What? Qin Yanran actually said something worth considering, this is really the biggest news of Jian'an No. 1 Middle School this year.