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Chapter 71: When Did I Ever Confess?

“Ningning, you’re amazing!”

As soon as Chu Zining returned to the classroom, Hao Xin rushed over and enthusiastically hooked her arm.

Chu Zining felt a bit uneasy as Hao Xin broke into her personal space.

“I… I’m not amazing; it was all thanks to Lu Li.” Chu Zining thought Hao Xin was praising her for winning the prize.

Hao Xin shook her head. “Winning an award is nothing special; what’s really impressive is that you dared to confess in front of the whole school!”

“Co-confess?” Chu Zining froze, a flustered look crossing her gentle face. “When… when did I confess?”

Hao Xin giggled and pinched her throat. “Ah, Lu Li, you… you’ll always be a hero, my hero!”

Imitating Chu Zining’s tone to perfection, Hao Xin repeated her earlier words, putting extra emphasis on the phrase “my hero.”

Chu Zining stared blankly, and her pretty face flushed like a lobster dropped into boiling water. “Th-that counts as a confession?”

Hao Xin snorted. “If that’s not a confession, what is? Didn’t you see our homeroom teacher and the principal turn as black as the bottom of a pot after you said it?”

A nearby girl chimed in admiringly, “I always thought Ningning was soft-spoken, but she’s actually so brave that she dared to confess in public!

Ah, if I were that boy, I’d die from happiness!”

Chu Zining’s face turned crimson, and her head buzzed as though white steam were rising from it.

She had just spoken her mind without thinking and never realized those words were no different from a confession.

What will Lu Li think? Will he believe I was confessing?… Chu Zining’s heart pounded like a drum; she glanced timidly toward Class 4, but before spotting Lu Li, she shrank back.

No wonder he wants to eat with me in the infirmary later; could he be…

He probably likes me, right? W-will he say yes?

No, no, no… before college I mustn’t date. If I delay his studies, that would be bad.

But after we get into college…

Chu Zining shook her head vigorously; she almost didn’t want to go to the infirmary.

Yet if she didn’t go, he would surely think she was being disobedient and would ruffle her hair again…

Chu Zining’s hands trembled involuntarily; she pondered back and forth but still couldn’t figure out how to face Lu Li.

Studying is so much simpler; I just want to study… Chu Zining bit her lip lightly.

…

“So the little scumbag you mentioned is him.”

At one side of the track field, Qin Lan, dressed in a white lab coat, slowly withdrew her seductive gaze from Lu Li.

“Of course it’s him.” Jiang Chaoyun, wearing a police uniform, clenched her fist and snorted coldly. “Look at how slick he is… Little Chu is such a perfect girl, and he sweet-talked her into confessing in public.”

“Mm.” Qin Lan licked her lips and nodded thoughtfully. “He does have some skills; he’s handsome, and his cooking is delicious.”

Jiang Chaoyun made a disgusted sound and looked strangely at her high-school bestie. “W-what do you mean by that?”

Covering her red lips with a pale hand, Qin Lan chuckled. “Remember the guy I told you I was interested in before?”

Jiang Chaoyun nodded, then suddenly realized something; her cool eyes widened. “You don’t mean…”

Qin Lan smiled lightly, her eyes shining. “Exactly. You have no idea… his food tastes amazing!”

“Seriously, Qin Lan! You’re interested in him just because he cooks well?” Jiang Chaoyun couldn’t believe it.

Qin Lan gave a low hum. “That’s not the only reason; the guy is pretty interesting…”

Before she could go on, Jiang Chaoyun cut her off. “Qin Lan, snap out of it! That kid is a scumbag!”

“Ow, you’re hurting me.” Qin Lan shook her off in annoyance. “So what if he’s a scumbag?”

Jiang Chaoyun fumed, unable to understand. “What do you mean ‘so what’? He’s ambiguously involved with Chu Zining and he even went to a hotel with another girl. I just don’t get it… why can’t you understand plain language? He’s not good boyfriend material!”

Qin Lan looked completely unbothered; she pointed a slender finger at her own nose. “Given my family background, do you think I can find an honest man and live peacefully for the rest of my life?”

Jiang Chaoyun was taken aback; Qin Lan came from a business family, and her father was a leading tycoon in the commercial world.

Girls like her were born to be married off to other business clans.

Qin Lan had fled from Yongning City to Yongan City precisely because she didn’t like the ugly, stupid, and frivolous fiancé chosen for her.

“If I have to marry that pighead, I’d rather die! But they could drag me back at any time, and the only way to avoid marrying him is to find a man first and seal the deal.”

Qin Lan sighed, helplessness filling her charming face.

“A woman like me marrying an honest man would only bring him trouble. If that honest man clings to me like a cowherd, ugh, I get exhausted just imagining it.”

Qin Lan kept talking to herself, drawing a look of disdain from Jiang Chaoyun.

“Idiot.” She snorted and turned to leave.

“Where are you going?” Qin Lan asked in surprise. “Aren’t you going to have lunch with me?”

“The commendation ceremony is over; I have to hurry and take Lu Li back to the station.” Jiang Chaoyun paused and looked back. “Once everything’s settled here, I’ll treat you to a meal.”

With that, Jiang Chaoyun strode away.

“Alright then…” Qin Lan lowered her head and sighed; she had no one to rely on in Yongan City, and this best friend was the only one she could complain to.

Suddenly her phone rang; Qin Lan picked it up. “Hello, who is this?”

A voice came from the other end. “Is this Ms. Qin? Heh-heh, I’m the landlord Wei Kun; you looked at a place yesterday.”

Qin Lan frowned. “Why are you calling me? Didn’t you say that unit wasn’t for rent? I’m hanging up.”

“Don’t hang up yet! Actually, that unit has a bit of a problem. I was embarrassed to say it before… it doesn’t get any sun and feels uncomfortable to live in.”

Qin Lan paused. “So you mean?”

“The unit across the hall is sunny. You could consider moving there. I’ve already cleaned it up; you can come anytime, and if you like it you could move in within a couple of days!”

Qin Lan brightened and cleared her throat. “The rent…?”

“Same as before: 5,500 yuan per quarter! Relax, Old Wei does business with integrity; I won’t charge you a penny more!”

Qin Lan nodded slightly. “Alright, I’ll come by this afternoon to see it. Will you be available?”

“Absolutely! I’ll be waiting for your call anytime!”

Qin Lan put down the phone, looked up at the sun overhead, then at the tall phoenix tree beside her, and let out a long sigh.

“Can I, like this tree, take root and stand firm in this city too…”

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