No one understands rebirth better than me

Chapter 274 Guan Ren, I Like You (4500 words)

The main gate of Jiangzhou No. 2 Middle School.

Beside a large cement area in front of the door, there were several crooked bluestone slabs. A few boys were playing on the seesaw on them, while a few girls were chattering away, each carrying a few delicate little bags.

During summer vacation, it's common to see teenagers gathering together like this.

In contrast to the boys' casual attire, the girls dressed more brightly when going out during summer vacation, especially for gatherings like today.

In this era, super short shorts are especially popular. Du Zihan and the other girls' fair legs are quite a sight to behold, occasionally attracting the attention of some elementary school boys passing by.

When Du Zihan and the others found out, they immediately ran away, their faces flushed.

"Sigh~ Men, they're always like this, from childhood to old age~"

Du Zihan sighed dramatically, acting like she'd been with countless men, but she'd actually learned it all from soap operas.

On the other hand, look at Zhang Chi and his group.

They chatted casually.

But the content is very simple.

……

How many games did you win yesterday?

Two plates.

"can."

"We lost three games."

"Haha, trash."

……

Ultimately, regardless of whether they are male or female, this group of people mainly arrived early.

Tonight is Gu Youli's birthday party. The group agreed to meet at the school gate, but because Du Zihan gave false information, Gu Youli, Guan Ren, and Luo Xiaobei had not yet arrived when they arrived.

----------

"Wait, wait, wait? Pighead?"

"what?"

Have you set off yet?

"No, there's still half an hour, what's the rush? What about you?"

"I'm changing my clothes."

Guan Ren was astonished upon hearing this:

"Weren't you changing clothes an hour ago?"

"Hmph! What do you know? You heartless bastard! I spent so long getting ready, wasn't it all for your sake?"

"I?"

"Yeah, dressing too casually definitely won't do. That's great, but I'm also worried about stealing the spotlight from your nice deskmate, so of course I need to think about it carefully..."

"hiss…"

"?What’s wrong with you?"

"toothache."

Because Guan Ren detected a distinctly sour, tooth-aching sourness in Qingmei's address of "your good deskmate."

rustle…

rustle…

"What's that noise?"

"What...what noise?"

"Over there?"

"I'm wearing socks."

"Oh...what socks?"

"Cotton socks."

"Oh... what color?"

"Light gray with little white flowers, and a little ribbon tied into a bow at the back of the sock, so pretty~"

"..."

"Hey?"

"Huh? Oh, what's that taste... No, it's good, it's good..."

"..."

The childhood sweetheart was stammering over there.

Luo Xiaobei blushed slightly, somewhat speechless.

This perverted pig's head...

"Hey, you pighead."

"Ok?"

On the phone, Luo Xiaobei's voice suddenly lowered, carrying a touch of cute mischief, whispering in Guan Ren's ear:

"Do you... want to see it?"

"…cough…"

Guan Ren's throat moved:
"What...what are you looking at..."

"Of course it's my fragrant little socks!"

……

Guan Ren admitted that for a moment, he almost said the word "want".

……

But in the end, reason prevailed over his bad habit.

"What nonsense are you spouting? And saying it smells so good... Are you trying to act young?"

"I'm naturally young!"

Luo Xiaobei immediately became unconvinced.

She's a high school girl, she's at her most innocent and vulnerable, why would she need to pretend?
Strictly speaking, she was even younger than the average high school girl.

After all, most girls' high schools are...messy and messy, unlike her, who was smooth and fair-skinned with a rosy glow...

Well?
No, no, what are you thinking...?

Luo Xiaobei shook her head and continued her protest:
"Besides, I wore new socks after taking a shower, so they naturally smell nice!"

"No, I think it's 'coucou'."

"You're the one who's just mediocre!"

My childhood sweetheart has really grown up and dares to say that his childhood sweetheart is rotten.

He's clearly a pervert, yet he's so picky...

Hmph! When we meet later, I'll just shove the sock in his mouth and see if he behaves!

----------

"Young Pear—over here, over here~"

"Happy birthday, Yuri~ Here you go~"

"I have it too, I have it too!"

"Huh? Xiao Bei... actually, it's not necessary, I..."

"Hey, take this! It's so hot. Let's find a place to get some water first."

"Well... thank you, thank you all."

……

About half an hour later, the group had all gathered.

Just as she had said, Luo Xiaobei was dressed appropriately, in an apricot-yellow T-shirt and denim overalls skirt, neither casual nor conspicuous.

Ok…

And just as she said, the socks tucked into her ankle boots were indeed wrapped in a pair of very cute light gray cotton socks.

Just by looking at it, it really might smell nice...

"Pighead!"

"!"

Guan Ren suddenly looked up, frowned, and said seriously:

"Luo Xiaobei, don't be so startled, what's going on?"

"Let's go. Who told you to stand there spacing out?"

Luo Xiaobei rolled her eyes at him, and then gently raised her leg and kicked him.

Guan Ren felt a slight warmth in his heart after being kicked for no apparent reason.

Ugh…

To be fair, this doesn't mean I'm abnormal.

It just goes to show that summer vacation is summer vacation after all; this young man's heart is indeed prone to restlessness.

……

On the other hand, Guan Ren noticed that although Luo Xiaobei's attire was quite appropriate.

However, Xiaolihua's attire was actually more simple than she had imagined.

A simple white printed short-sleeved T-shirt.

Straight-leg jeans.

Even on the day of the date, the ribbon in her ponytail was gone.

Just like her in her school uniform, she is beautiful in a simple and understated way.

"Hey."

So, as the group walked along the road, Guan Ren suddenly moved closer to her:
"You're the birthday person today, aren't you even going to dress up?"

Gu Youli was taken aback, then looked Guan Ren straight in the eye:

Do I look bad today?

"Yes, it looks bad."

His deskmate deliberately questioned him, and Guan Ren deliberately nodded in agreement:

"Where's that dress you wore before? I thought you were going to wear it for your birthday."

"That one..."

Gu Youli thought for a moment, then gently shook her head:
"You can't wear that."

Because it was what she wore on her first date with the boy she liked, it already held a very important and special meaning in the innocent Rinka's heart, so naturally she couldn't just wear it casually.

But she couldn't be bothered to say these things to Guan Ren.

……

"Zhang Chi, you're asking for it!"

"Damn it, Liu Xiong threw it, not me!"

"Liu Xiong! Come here and let this old lady beat you to death!"

"Hey, sorry, you have short legs, I can't hit you."

"Hey, hey, this is it, we're here!"

After a period of playful banter, the group soon arrived at a fast-food restaurant called "Happy Hour".

It sells ready-made rice noodles, fried rice, and other simple meals, as well as a variety of fancy mixed drinks.

The environment is great for students; it's perfect for classmates to get together, chat, have tea, or for couples to grab a bite.

The price is quite good, and it's worth the environment.

The group stopped there to rest, escape the heat, and chat. They even asked the owner for playing cards, turning the place into a teahouse. Midway through, the girls egged Gu Youli on to open the gifts they had given her.

"Hey, what did you send?"

Guan Ren asked Qingmei in a low voice.

"Guess~"

"Guess my ass, just tell me already."

"Tch, what kind of attitude is that... I'm not telling you."

Luo Xiaobei pouted, but then immediately became wary and serious:
"Oh, by the way, what about you? What are you giving?"

"I haven't delivered it yet, I'll deliver it tonight."

"What?"

"You all packaged yours so carefully, I didn't have time to bring mine out, so I'm a little embarrassed to take it out with you... Huh? Why are you kicking me?"

"Who told you to have such long legs? They're practically over here... So what if you're tall?"

"Nonsense!"

"Lel ...

……

The two childhood sweethearts quietly started to bicker.

At that moment, Gu Youli was unwrapping Luo Xiaobei's gift, which was a few particularly exquisite bookmarks. She looked up, about to thank Luo Xiaobei, but her various little actions with Guan Ren were noticed by Gu Youli.

"..."

In the end, Gu Youli's lips trembled slightly before she silently packed up the gifts.

At the same time, the light of a small courage hidden in those clear eyes became even more refined.

……

"cheers--!"

Happy birthday, Gu Youli!

In the evening, everyone gathered for dinner at a newly opened Chinese restaurant called "Forest Delight".

It's worth noting that it's very rare for high school students to host a birthday party at a Chinese restaurant.

It's usually hot pot or grilled fish.

Among the group, the more carefree ones didn't realize the problem.

Guan Ren secretly thought to himself:

That's why my little pear blossom is such a little rich girl...

……

Soon, three rounds of wine had passed and five dishes had been served.

Actually, basically only the boys drank two bottles of Yongchuang beer, while the girls, except for Du Zihan, drank pineapple beer and tea.

Of course, in reality, the alcohol tolerance of high school students is not that low.

Especially during holidays, when relatives hear that you're in high school, they sometimes treat you like an adult and have a drink with you to help you grow up.

Xu Hui and Liu Xiong actually had a great time drinking during the meal, and they certainly didn't have enough. The reason they restrained themselves was that they wanted to save it for the karaoke later.

For high school students, karaoke is also a regular part of their social gatherings.

Zhang Chi even lamented that he saw a group of elementary school students causing a ruckus at a KTV last time, and sighed that the younger generation is formidable and the world is going downhill.

Guan Ren was surprised that Gu Youli actually kept the show in a very proper manner.

As a result, Gu Youli privately admitted that this was actually only the second time in her life she had been to a KTV.

The first time was in the second year of junior high school, when a classmate treated her to a party for their birthday. She spent the whole time curled up on the sofa looking at her phone.

When choosing a shop, Xiao Lihua still opted for something newer.

Firstly, the environment is definitely better, and secondly, there are promotional discounts.

"We're here, let's go! Up to the third floor!"

"Zhang Xue, anyone who didn't know better would think you were treating us."

"Enough with the nonsense, this grandma is going to sing tonight!"

Upon arriving at the store, Du Zihan and Xu Hui first went to select drinks.

Why these two?

Because the owner, Gu Youli, was inexperienced.

The other people are unreliable, and they tend to cause more trouble or mess things up.

"Disney KTV..."

Zhang Chi and Liu Xiong looked around curiously, because the decor of this new KTV was indeed more modern than some of the older establishments.

"Second Master, what's meant by 'wholesale'?"

Zhang Chi asked quietly.

"do not know."

Guan Ren shook his head.

This is the truth.

Whether in the small county town in 2012 or in the big cities he visited in the future, Guan Ren never understood the difference between so-called "kTV chain" and traditional karaoke.

Anyway, his experience was all about going inside and singing and drinking, so I really don't know what's different about it.

……

Soon, peanuts, melon seeds, fruit, wine, dice, and dice cups were all brought into the luxurious private room that Gu Youli had reserved.

"A little rich woman..."

Guan Ren couldn't help but mutter to himself again.

Because this private room is really big, Guan Ren had never been here in high school. There was a microphone in the main hall, a bar in the side hall, and plenty of private restrooms. There was even a pool table behind the partition.

Whose heart is it that remains alone here?

Karaoke queen Zhang Xue started singing right away.

The singing was mediocre; the key was too high.

However, the atmosphere was also very lively.

It is very helpful for newcomers to quickly relax and get into the zone.

The highlight, of course, is when the birthday cake that Du Zihan had ordered in advance was delivered, and everyone sang a birthday song for Xiao Lihua together.

"Happy birthday to you~Happy birthday to you~"

As Guan Ren sang, he also observed Xiao Lihua's expression.

In fact, he has been observing all day.

The initial purpose was simply to see Xiaolihua smile, just like I always have.

As a result, things have not gone as planned until now.

All I could see was the exceptionally gentle curve of her lips.

However, compared to that, this is enough.

Guan Ren could tell that Gu Youli was actually very happy today.

Regardless of the moment, her eyes sparkled in the flickering candlelight of her birthday.

Even during the meal, she maintained a relaxed demeanor.

Even her swaying ponytail seemed much lighter than usual.

All outward emotions are second only to the day I had a date with myself.

"Yuri! It's your birthday! You're one of our school's singing stars, how about you sing a song for us?"

"Yes! Support! Support!"

Amidst the jeers of the crowd, Gu Youli glanced at Guan Ren with a slightly embarrassed expression.

Then, seeing the affirmative look in her deskmate's eyes, Gu Youli pursed her lips, picked up the microphone in a serious manner, and before she could even choose a song, the others had already chosen theirs.

"Faye Wong! Faye Wong! Youli, I still want to hear your Faye Wong! Play 'Red Bean'!"

"Sure, sure! I'll order it directly."

And so, Gu Youli's clear voice sang a melodious song once again.

"I haven't even had a chance to properly experience... the weather when the snowflakes are blooming..."

As soon as she opened her mouth, not to mention others, even Guan Ren, who had heard Xiao Lihua sing more often than others, still found it very enjoyable.

Snapped!
"?!"

However, Guan Ren, who was enjoying himself, was eventually interrupted by Luo Xiaobei and got a slap on the forehead.

"Shaking your head and swaying... It's Gu Youli singing, not you, look at you showing off..."

"Luo Xiaobei, when did you become so nosy?"

"If I don't care about you, who will?"

"???"

"You dare glare at me? Call me Mom... Ouch!"

Taking advantage of the dim light in the private room, Guan Ren slapped the guy's little bottom:

"You want to be my mother, right? Do you believe I'll tell Sister Qiaoyun?"

"whispering sound…"

Luo Xiaobei rubbed her little bottom, pouted, and scolded Guan Ren:

"Sister Qiaoyun didn't say you can only have one mother... Ouch! That hurts!"

"It hurts."

"hateful!"

The two of them started bickering again in the corner of the sofa, and it took them a while to calm down and refocus their attention on Gu Youli.

At that moment, Gu Youli finished singing the last line of her song "Red Bean".

"it is good!"

"Sounds good!"

The others applauded, genuinely captivated by Gu Youli's singing.

"It's my turn, it's my turn!"

Next, Zhang Xue went to the song selection station and selected the next song.

However, she soon noticed that although the next song had started playing, Gu Youli, who was still holding the microphone, stood up and faced the crowd in front of the big screen.

For a moment, Zhang Xue thought she was going to continue singing, so she stopped the karaoke machine.

The entire private room fell silent instantly.

Du Zihan, Xu Hui, and the others, who were planning to play dice, also angrily turned their bewildered gazes back to Gu Youli.

In this atmosphere, Gu Youli took a deep breath and slowly spoke in a slightly trembling voice:

"Today, there are two very important things. The first is to thank everyone for coming to celebrate my birthday and spending an unforgettable day with me."

Everyone was taken aback at first, then someone laughed:
"Oh, Gu Youli, you're too kind!"

“Yes, Yuri, you startled me. I thought it was some big announcement.”

As expected, no one took it seriously, and they all joked around with friendly smiles.

Gu Youli on the stage paused calmly for a moment, then spoke again:
"As for the second thing, it's about myself. Today, I want to say something to someone."

Some people were still confused when these words were spoken.

But Du Zihan, on the other hand, has already begun to widen her eyes and cover her mouth.

"Guan Ren."

Under the colorful lights, Xiao Lihua's earnest and exquisite face slowly turned to the corner of the sofa. Her clear gaze swept over Luo Xiaobei beside Guan Ren, and then fixed on Guan Ren:
"I like you. Will you be my boyfriend?"

(End of this chapter)