No one understands rebirth better than me

Chapter 178 Heart-Fluttering (Two chapters combined into one)

Another long break between classes.

"Guan Ren?"

"Hmm? Oh, it's nothing, uh... I'll sit for a while."

Ever since Gu Youli started "final exam mode", Guan Ren's daily companionship during the long break between classes has turned into listening to music together.

The two people were using the same pair of earplugs.

One for each person.

To avoid being caught by Li Min, they always put their clothes in from under their clothes and then stick them out from the collar.

Such companionship has always brought peace and tranquility.

But ever since Guan Ren pointed out that Luo Xiaobei was jealous last time.

Guan Ren himself also began to consciously maintain a certain level of "discipline" during the "tablemate emotional exchange" session during the long break.

Like this moment.

Luo Xiaobei was still eating Want Want Rice Crackers in the classroom.

Guan Ren decided to refrain from listening to music with Gu Youli for the time being.

Although you still have to listen in the end.

But it won't be as blatant as before. At least not in front of Qingmei. It's better to avoid her for now and wait until she leaves the classroom.

……

Du Zihan played a significant role in this regard.

Because Du Zihan would take her best friend and deskmate Luo Xiaobei out for a stroll during almost 80-90% of the long breaks between classes.

First, go to the convenience store to buy something.

After buying it, I strolled around the playground.

Du Zihan would also take the opportunity to look for handsome guys all over the playground.

Luo Xiaobei was responsible for critiquing the handsome men she found.

For example, phrases like "not as good as Guan Ren" or "Isn't Guan Ren more handsome than him?"

As a result, when Du Zihan finally admitted her mistake and said, "Yes, yes, Guan Ren is the most handsome,"...

Luo Xiaobei was unhappy again.

……

Sure enough, after waiting for two minutes, Guan Ren saw Du Zihan drag Luo Xiaobei out again.

"Give."

Guan Ren then took out his earphones and listened to "Elegant Little Tunes" with Gu Youli.

In other words, instrumental music that doesn't interfere with reading.

----------

Afternoon, physical education class.

"Everyone, this lesson will teach you how to practice Tai Chi."

"what?"

Many people thought that Brother Qiang was teaching a very new kind of physical education class.

But Guan Ren knew that this seemed to be part of the new curriculum standards, and that Qiang Ge was just completing his teaching duties normally.

"Watch closely, see how I play."

Brother Qiang began to demonstrate, and the crowd formed a circle, seemingly focused on learning, but in reality, many of them took the opportunity to chatter amongst themselves.

"Wow, Xiao Bei, your gloves are so cute!"

"Is this Liu Bei? And Cao Cao too?"

"Let me see, let me see... wait, there's only one! Where's the other one?"

Someone discovered a glove that Luo Xiaobei had gotten from Guan Ren earlier, and picked it up to examine it repeatedly.

Luo Xiaobei was also quite pleased with herself, and with a smug chuckle, she took it back.
"You can only look, not touch. Guan Ren gave it to me. The other one is with him. Who's responsible if you break it?"

……

Guan Ren, who was listening nearby, couldn't help but shake his head.

When did you say you were going to give it to her?
She was the one who wanted to go there; we're just letting her wear it for a few days temporarily.

Moreover, strictly speaking, these gloves were originally a gift she gave herself last year, not a gift from Guan Ren.

"This guy might be better suited to study journalism or media studies in the future..."

……

Guan Ren was lost in thought.

Meanwhile, Gu Youli, who had also heard Luo Xiaobei's commotion, was staring at Guan Ren's other glove on his right hand.

Her clear eyes wavered slightly before she turned back to look at the teacher, her ponytail swaying gently, without uttering a word.

----------

"Second Master, what are you planning to do for New Year's Day?"

"Nonsense, Ren, stop talking. Come out and surf the internet, there's an event for LOL."

During evening newspaper reading time, Guan Ren was lying on the table, happily enjoying Xiao Ningmeng's soft and sweet ASMR broadcast, when Xu Hui and Liu Xiong, two unpleasant and vulgar people, came to spoil the mood.

"talk later."

Guan Ren stretched:

"The main problem is that New Year's Day is on Friday, and with the weekend off, we only get three days off. Then the monthly exam is on Monday. Are you sure these three days off aren't for studying?"

"Ugh."

When this topic came up, Xu Hui complained:
"We already have exams at the end of the semester, why are we having another one on New Year's Day? Is it really necessary..."

Liu Xiong, on the other hand, took it all in stride:

"It's fine, it doesn't feel like a difference of three days... Hey? Ren-ge, what are these tally marks on the side of the podium? Did you carve them?"

"This..."

As the semester draws to a close, the inscriptions "Guan Ren" on the side of the podium have accumulated quite a few without my realizing it.

Guan Ren couldn't directly say that he had recorded Gu Wancheng's class, and was thinking about how to make up a lie when the homeroom teacher, Li Min, stormed in with an unfriendly look. Liu Xiong and Xu Hui immediately shrank back to their seats.

The other students in the classroom, who were still making noise, all fell silent when they saw Li Min scanning the room from the podium with a dark expression. They only dared to ask quietly:

"Who has upset her this time?"

"I don't know."

A few seconds later, Li Min spoke:

"They all study in their pigsties every day, without even bothering to take care of themselves! Who put all that chewing gum and confetti in the hallway outside? There's even some joss paper stuck to the ground!"

Paper flakes are just scraps of paper, and gold paper is just scraps of gold paper; they were probably scattered outside during the Christmas season.

People from Jiangzhou County like to use reduplicated words when they speak, and Li Min is no exception.

However, it certainly won't have the same cute effect as girls; on the contrary, it will only add to the comedic effect.

"It's the same in the classroom! Especially the last few rows, you can smell the stench even in winter! What will it be like in summer? What are those people in the last few rows doing? Are they taking a dump in the back every day?"

After a burst of laughter, Li Min immediately issued the top order:
"Get someone to sweep the floor! It's everywhere, inside and out! Which group is on duty this week?"

Someone below answered timidly:
"I don't know... It seems like no one has been on duty for several weeks."

Li Min's face darkened further, and she tapped the air with her finger:

"You're all so lax and undisciplined! Everything must get back on track starting next semester! Students numbered 1 to 10, come out and do the cleaning! Right now!"

--------

And so, numbers 1 through 10 were struck by an unexpected calamity.

Guan Ren and Gu Youli were among them.

"Ugh, cleaning in winter is the worst."

"Exactly, it's really annoying."

Amidst the complaints, the cleaning work gradually began.

Two clever girls grabbed two rags and a basin and ran to the bathroom immediately.

And once you leave, it will most likely be for a lifetime.

First, they held the towel between their fingertips, trying to avoid touching the cold water, and chatted by the sink while washing the towel as if dipping it in water.

After dawdling for half a day, they would return to the classroom, and again, they would hold a towel between their fingertips and drag it back and forth on the windowsill several times, and that would be considered wiping it up.

"Excuse me, could you wring the towel dry?"

"Oh dear, I can't turn it on, and the water's cold, so I'll just leave it like this..."

It's usually the boys who mop the floor.

Those old-fashioned cloth mops, after being soaked in water in the sink, often feel like holding a magical weapon in your hand.

Especially when dragging it down the corridor, leaving a trail of water, you feel like Guan Yu dragging his sword, leaving a trail of "blood".

Yeah, it's a bit cringey, but it's also pretty cool.

But if Li Min sees this, I'll get scolded:

"Pick up the mop! You didn't mop the classroom properly, but you've mopped the hallway clean!"

……

Overall, among the ten people, Guan Ren and Gu Youli were the most hardworking.

Little Pear Blossom needs no introduction; she takes everything she does seriously.

Even though she wasn't good at physical labor, she rolled up the sleeves of her thick down jacket, revealing her snow-white forearms, and carefully wiped the cabinets and the podium.

Guan Ren is decisive and efficient. Now he often helps Guan Qiaoyun with housework at home, and he is very skilled at sweeping and other tasks.

But I also encountered some annoying dogs.

For example, the "good brothers" on both sides of the aisle will take the opportunity to throw all the garbage they have stored into the aisle.

These Dogecoins are not thrown away when no one is sweeping the floor, but are sold off when someone is sweeping the floor.

The trash thrown out often left Guan Ren, who was bending over to sweep the floor, covered in dust.

"Damn it! I quit!"

Finally, after scanning one set, Guan Ren looked around and realized that he and Gu Youli were the only ones who had worked the hardest.

Goodness, in one office, there are only two honest people who actually do the work, and the rest are all slacking off, right?
In other words, this matter doesn't involve paying wages, otherwise Guan Ren would have stopped tolerating these comparisons long ago.

……

At this moment, Guan Ren couldn't help but recall some unpleasant memories from his previous life when he was working.

There is an old Deng.

There are also younger Dengs who think that by learning from Old Deng's experience, they can become "mature adults in society."

They all use the banners of "lying flat" and "anti-involution" to dump their work on honest people.

If an honest person actually finishes their work, and if they're lucky enough to get some recognition from their superiors, they'll immediately start complaining and calling the workers "scabs."

I learned a few words without even understanding the concepts, and then used them all to memorize them, just to make excuses for my behavior.

In the end, they didn't dare to confront their superiors, but they did their best to take their bad intentions out on their colleagues.

……

Although the other new companies Guan Ren went to later were not like that, the only group of people he encountered left a bad impression on him.

Faced with a similar situation now, he was filled with rage and malice.

Then I looked at the corner of the wall.

Two bamboo-woven trash baskets, one of which was completely full.

Not quite full, but almost there.

"Sister Gu."

He went straight to Gu Youli, and to prevent anyone from getting there first, he pressed both hands firmly against the edge of the basket: "Let's go, take out the trash."

Upon hearing this, Gu Youli frowned slightly in a daze.

"This trash can seems to still hold some, shall we go again later?"

Oh no! Guan Ren is the kind of person who retaliates in kind, but Xiao Lihua is the real honest kid!
Guan Ren was moved to tears by her innocence and kindness, and then whispered:
"Sister Gu, don't ask anymore, just come with me."

"it is good."

Since he said that, Gu Youli nodded indifferently. Just as she was about to reach out, Guan Ren called her to stop, then took out two sheets of toilet paper and placed them on the two sides of the trash can.

In this way, Guan Ren and she each carried one side, so their hands wouldn't get dirty.

"Let's go."

"Ah."

----------

"Sister Gu, remember this: the trash can is always a hot commodity during big clean-up!"

"why?"

"Because there are too many wolves and not enough meat, if you're late, you won't be able to get any."

"..."

Little Pear Blossom may be an "honest child," but she is not a "stupid child."

When she asked "why", she already understood the reason.

Then a moment of silence.

It was just because Guan Ren's saying "there are too many wolves and not enough meat" made me think of some other things.

Gu Youli was thinking:
In a sense, her bad deskmate...

Is it considered a piece of meat...?

"Sister Gu, let's slow down."

……

During this time period, most classrooms are usually sweeping.

So it wasn't just Class 7 of the second year of high school; as soon as you stepped out of the teaching building, you could see students everywhere carrying trash cans, walking around the campus and heading towards the garbage trucks.

It usually takes two students to carry one trash can.

If they are junior high school students, you'll often see them roughhousing.

For example, one of them might deliberately let go suddenly.

High school students are more composed, and many of them, like Guan Ren and his companion, walk slowly.

If a man and a woman are together, the man will sometimes deliberately shake the trash can, faster and faster, until the woman is about to hit him. He has to take the hit before he stops with a grin.

what…

Ah, youth…~
Guan Ren looked at the boys and girls under the winter sunset, a smile appearing on his lips.

"why are you laughing?"

"nothing."

Guan Ren casually pointed to a person not far away, a rare sight indeed, carrying a basket and laboriously emptying the trash:
"I was laughing at him. There are so many people taking out the trash, and he's the only single guy. Isn't being a single guy funny?"

Gu Youli's ears felt slightly warm, and her heart skipped a beat.

If that person is single, then what is she and Guan Ren...?
But then again.

This was the first time Gu Youli had ever strolled leisurely through the campus at dusk with her "bad" deskmate like this.

"..."

The sounds of laughter and reading from the campus seemed somewhat blurred in my ears.

Gu Youli turned her head slightly, her long, curled eyelashes lifting slightly. In the inverted orange-yellow sunset, her profile facing the playground was slightly obscured, but her faint smile could still be vaguely discerned.

They nodded again, the glow of the setting sun blurring their hands that were not far apart.

In this moment that was both brief and long, Gu Youli's heart was calm and sweet, languid and tender.

Suddenly, I had a fleeting wish that we could stay together like this for a very long time.

"Alright, let's go to the convenience store."

Aren't you going back?

"No rush, it's still early. We can go back when it's almost time for class."

……

After taking out the trash, Guan Ren took Gu Youli to the convenience store.

To be honest, in Gu Youli's opinion, this was somewhat like something a bad student would do.

Before meeting Guan Ren, I would never have acted this way.

It's all Guan Ren's fault; it seems he's leading her little by little astray.

"Let's sit down for a while and let those lazy dogs experience the hardships we've endured."

Guan Ren put the basket aside and sat down with Gu Youli on the wooden bench in front of the convenience store.

"Sister Gu, would you like something to drink? It's on me."

"You really think you're sitting in a coffee shop?"

"Hey, more or less."

Guan Ren grinned and went to get himself a bottle of apple-flavored Sprite.

He hadn't had this drink in years.

I remember that Guan Ren used to like to treat the three drinks, "Xingmu," "Jianjiao," and "Pulse," as three brothers. Just hearing their names made him especially fond of drinking them.

Gulu…

Gulu…

As Guan Ren tilted his head back and drank heartily, Gu Youli noticed a small detail.

That means when he drinks a beverage, he doesn't put his mouth completely over the bottle opening.

Gu Youli always felt that drinking water like that made it easy to spit some of it back into the bottle, which was quite messy.

Many boys are like this, especially.

But Guan Ren is not.

He would only use his upper lip to block half of the bottle opening.

In this way, the water in the bottle can be drunk smoothly and in the right amount without being held in the mouth and spat back.

So the bad deskmate...

Indeed, he's different from other boys in many ways...

"what?"

After Guan Ren finished drinking the water, he looked at Gu Youli with a frustrated expression, as if he had missed out on some big prize.
"Sister Gu, did you... smile just now?"

"No."

"No, no, no, absolutely!"

Guan Ren rubbed his eyes:

"I just saw it with my peripheral vision, just a little bit, I couldn't see it clearly, can you do it again?"

"..."

Upon hearing the word "side light," Sister Gu's eyelids immediately drooped.

Again.

He is indeed different from other boys.

This also includes the stupid part.

"Sister Gu, give me a smile."

"hehe."

"Ugh…"

Guan Ren regretted that he hadn't captured that moment, and if he had asked Xiao Lihua to smile deliberately again, it would have turned into a forced smile.

It's really not easy to catch a glimpse of her smile, something I've never seen in either my past or present life; it feels like a campus legend.

Not only my sister...

It seems like my older sister is like that too…

"Sister Gu, are you really not going to have anything to drink?"

"No need, it's already quite cold."

Gu Youli rubbed her left hand, the one that had been carrying the trash can.

Guan Ren took the hand and touched it; it was icy cold from the cold wind that had blown it all the way.

Gu Youli subconsciously glanced at Guan Ren's glove.

Do you want some gloves?

Guan Ren noticed her gaze and raised his gloves, teasingly saying:
"I'm sorry, I can't give it to you. I've already given one to Xiao Bei, what would I do if I gave you another one?"

"..."

Gu Youli turned her face away and remained silent.

She had nothing to say, because she knew very well that some things were destined to belong to his childhood sweetheart.

For example, his gloves.

For example, his bedroom and bed.

"But it's okay, even though one is for Xiao Bei, we can share one."

"Shared?"

Gu Youli was stunned for a moment, then her attention was drawn back to Guan Ren's words.

Then, Guan Ren pressed his right hand and Gu Youli's left hand tightly together, and then used the remaining glove to put both of their hands inside.

"Look, isn't this warm?"

Gu Youli shrank her face slightly into the collar of her down jacket:
"Um…"

At that very moment, Gu Youli no longer needed gloves or Guan Ren's pig's trotters.

Because the warmest warmth had already traveled from her heartbeat to her palm.

"There are still fifteen minutes left, let's listen to some music."

Guan Ren made the suggestion.

Now there's no need for instrumental music, and the two of us don't need to hide our headphones anymore; we can share them like gloves.

Immediately, whether intentionally or unintentionally,

A gentle and melodious tune reached Gu Youli's ears.

Will you remember what you wrote in your diary yesterday tomorrow...?

……

The twilight of the winter sunset is refracted by drifting clouds.

Gu Youli's profile, just like his back then, was shrouded in a soft golden-pink halo, making it impossible to tell whether the blush on her cheeks was the color of sunset or a rosy blush.

This was the first time that Little Pear Blossom had truly understood it in her heart.

Or rather, it was the first time I had truly accepted it in my heart.

What makes Guan Ren different from other boys.

Aside from the stupid parts.

And there were parts that really, really made her heart flutter...

(End of this chapter)