Rebirth: My Childhood Sweetheart Came into My Arms

"Brother Yao, woof woof, what are you doing here?" Jiang Nanqiao went up to greet them.

Bei Yao: "We...we were just enjoying the breeze on the rooftop."

Gu Wang: "Cough, yes, the wind."

As they spoke, the two of them took a half step back in unison, as if afraid that the smell of instant noodles on their bodies would drift into the noses of the people opposite them.

Jingran looked Bei Yao and Gu Wang up and down. "Did you two eat too many lamb kidneys? Coming to the rooftop in this cold weather to get some fresh air?"

Bei Yao remained silent, probably trying to find the right words, but Gu Wang, standing next to him, couldn't hold back any longer.

"How did you know we went out for barbecue last night? Yao-ge really ordered a lot of lamb kidneys, he almost threw up, haha..."

Jiang Nanqiao & Han Zhiruo: "..."

Jingran: "Why are you eating so many kidneys?"

Bei Yao: "Haven't you heard of the saying 'you are what you eat'? I've been having kidney deficiency lately, so I need to take some supplements."

After Bei Yao finished speaking, the air suddenly became quiet.

Jiang Nanqiao's expression was indescribable, and some impure thoughts were flooding her mind.

She really doesn't want to be the kind of girl who understands everything instantly...

Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Bei Yao looked at Han Zhiruo and forcibly changed the subject, "And who is this student?"

"She's a new transfer student to our class, her name is Han Zhiruo," Jiang Nanqiao introduced enthusiastically. "Ruoruo, these two are seniors in the second year of high school, Bei Yao and Gu Wang, both on the basketball team, and they're really good at basketball."

Upon hearing this, Han Zhiruo extended his right hand without hesitation, saying, "Nice to meet you."

Bei Yao was taken aback, probably not expecting Han Zhiruo to be so proactive. After a symbolic handshake, he withdrew his hand.

"It's her first day here, and we're showing her around the school," Jiang Nanqiao said. "Xiao Jing, why don't you go play with Yao Ge? I'm taking Ruo Ruo to the girls' restroom later, and it's not convenient for you to come along."

Jing Ran: "???"

Go into the women's restroom? Excuse me? What's so interesting about that place?

"Hey, Qiaoqiao, well, I think I..."

"What are you saying? Go do what you're supposed to do." Jiang Nanqiao snapped at Jing Ran, then instantly switched back to her gentle expression. "Ruoruo, let's go~"

After Jiang Nanqiao finished speaking, she grabbed Han Zhiruo and disappeared in a flash.

Looking at Bei Yao and then at Jing Ran, I felt utterly superfluous at this moment.

"My stomach hurts, I need to go to the toilet, I'll go first." Gu Wang made up an excuse and left.

Now only Bei Yao and Jing Ran were left in the corridor.

Jingran lowered his head somewhat awkwardly, as if he had been muted, and couldn't say a word for a long time.

"Why are you avoiding me?" Bei Yao grabbed his wrist and pulled him into her arms. "Didn't we agree on a one-month trial period? How can I perform if you're avoiding me?"

Jingran blinked guiltily, "I didn't..."

"You haven't?" Bei Yao pinched his chin, forcing him to look at him. "I greeted you at the school gate this morning, and you pretended not to see me, didn't you?"

Upon hearing this, Jingran's face flushed red. "Well, isn't it because you didn't call me properly? There were so many people watching, I couldn't possibly agree to your request, could I?"

"Why not?" Bei Yao lowered his head, his voice low. "Anyway, they'll find out sooner or later that you're my wife."

Jing Ran swallowed, watching helplessly as Bei Yao's lips drew closer and closer...

Then, stick a claw on it.

Bei Yao: 「(⊙x⊙)」

"You can only kiss me after the trial period is over!" Jingran said in the harshest tone, with the least confidence in her voice.

Faced with Jing Ran's threat, Bei Yao was not intimidated at all. He curled his lips slightly, pulled Jing Ran's troublesome hand down, cupped his face and gave him a big kiss.

The sound was so loud that it could be heard throughout the entire hallway.

"Bei Yao!" Jing Ran's face flushed red. "As the head of the Discipline Inspection Department, I'm informing you that your behavior has been inappropriate and violated school rules and regulations. Half of your moral education points will be deducted!"

Upon hearing this, Bei Yao smiled even more broadly.

"Why don't you just deduct them all? I don't care about those few moral education points anyway."

"..."

After saying that, she cupped Jingran's face in her hands again.

This time, I kissed him directly on the lips.

Jing Ran's legs went weak, and she subconsciously grabbed Bei Yao's waist, intending to sneak a kiss on his waist, when a fragrance wafted into her nostrils.

"Why does it smell like instant noodles?" Jingran pushed Beiyao away, sniffing around like a puppy. "But it still smells like my favorite braised beef..."

Bei Yao: Damn, I almost forgot about the instant noodles.

"Are you hallucinating?" Bei Yao chuckled, took off his jacket, which was covered in the smell of instant noodles, and threw it over his shoulder. Then he took Jing Ran's hand with his other hand. "Come on, let's go to the convenience store to buy a bottle of air freshener."

……

On the rooftop, Jiang Nanqiao sat on the left side of the rattan swing, reached out and patted the seat on the right, "Ruo Ruo, come sit down, let's enjoy the scenery together."

Han Zhiruo gazed at Jiang Nanqiao, who sat on the swing with a bright smile, her lips red and teeth white, and was slightly dazed.

Because of a deep-seated, unspeakable "little secret," she has always kept her distance from girls since childhood. When she was in the United States, she often went alone. Her classmates jokingly called her a goddess who could be admired from afar but not approached.

But only Han Zhiruo herself knows that she is not actually that aloof; when it comes to people and things she likes, she is even passionate.

"Ruo Ruo?"

"Um?"

"What are you thinking about, so seriously?"

Jiang Nanqiao lightly tapped the ground with her toes, swinging back and forth on the swing.

"I was thinking..." Han Zhiruo steadied the swing with one hand and sat down next to Jiang Nanqiao. "You must be the prettiest girl in your class, right?"

Jiang Nanqiao was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, and then her face turned red.

"Me? How could I possibly be the class beauty? There are plenty of girls in our class who are prettier than me."

"Yeah?"

Han Zhiruo raised an eyebrow and carefully recalled the classmates she had met today, but she did not find the "girl prettier than her" that Jiang Nanqiao had mentioned.

Is humility a common trait among beautiful women?

"To be honest, I've never been complimented on my looks before." Jiang Nanqiao nodded slightly, her fingertips unconsciously picking at the rattan chair. "They only ever say I'm good at studying, have a good personality... I'm never mentioned when it comes to looks."

"I remember when my junior high school organized a sports meet, the teacher wanted to select girls to walk at the front of the formation and hold up signs. I really wanted to get that opportunity, so I practiced marching and facial expressions every day after school, but I was still not selected in the end."

"The teacher selected the two prettiest girls in the class. Even though they walked in a weak and unsteady manner, they still changed into different dresses than the rest of the class and stood at the front on the day of the sports meet, shining like stars."

"I was so upset at the time. I hated myself for not being able to grow taller and have bigger eyes. I would hold a small mirror and look at myself every day in class. I even thought about getting plastic surgery."

Fortunately, that unrealistic idea was fleeting, and now, looking back, it's just funny.

Jiang Nanqiao spoke in a relaxed tone, her curved eyebrows revealing a gentle kindness.

Han Zhiruo stared at her for a while and said, "There are countless kinds of beauty in this world. Fiery roses are beautiful, and elegant lilies are beautiful too. But no matter what kind of beauty it is, it deserves to be appreciated."

Like Jiang Nanqiao, although she is not the kind of "at first glance beauty", she is very pleasing to the eye, like a gentle stream, quiet and beautiful.

"Thank you for telling me all this~" Jiang Nanqiao said, then suddenly jumped off the swing. "In return, I'll help you push the swing so you can experience what it's like to look down on No. 8 Middle School."

Han Zhiruo was slightly taken aback. Before she could refuse, she was suddenly lifted into the air.

A gentle breeze brushed against my cheek, sunlight streamed down, and the hair tie on my ponytail came undone, my long hair cascading down like the brushstrokes of an ink painting, quietly blooming in the early winter season…

……

That evening, He Ziyu returned home and handed his midterm exam report card to his parents.

"122nd place?" Seeing He Ziyu's ranking in the grade, He Lianghan could hardly believe his eyes. "Isn't there more than 350 people in your grade?"

"Yes," He Ziyu nodded, "Dad, take a closer look. My grades in every subject have improved, so it's normal for my ranking to go up."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ying eagerly clung to He Lianghan's shoulder and watched with him.

Of the eight subjects, I failed only politics, which is the opposite of what I used to do. In the past, it was considered good if I could pass even one subject.

"My God, honey, am I seeing things?" Zhou Ying rubbed her eyes hard. "Our son passed all seven subjects? And he even got 113 in math!"

"Great, really great." He Lianghan finally smiled. "I knew it, our son couldn't possibly have any intellectual problems."

He Ziyu: "..."

The couple looked at the report card from left to right, their joy evident.

Zhou Ying is someone who values ​​the process, and she was already happy to see He Ziyu's efforts. But He Lianghan is different; he cares more about the result. Seeing He Ziyu deliver a satisfactory answer, he felt genuinely gratified.

"I said when school started that I would work hard this time and make my parents proud. Although my current grades are still far from being excellent, I will not give up. I hope my parents can believe in me. One day I will become a child that makes them proud."

When He Ziyu said these words, his expression was serious and resolute, which made Zhou Ying's eyes redden and she almost cry.

She walked over and hugged He Ziyu, "Silly child, no matter what score you get, you'll always be Mommy's darling, Mommy will always love you..."

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

He Lianghan responded, and the door opened, with He Ningqiu walking in holding the report card.

"Dad, the exam results are out..."

"I know," He Lianghan said with a smile, "How did the exam go?"

"good."

As He Ningqiu spoke, she handed the report card to He Lianghan.

He ranked 56th in the grade in this exam, which puts him in the upper ranks and is a significant improvement over He Ziyu's 122nd place.

"56th place? Not bad, but how come he only got 98 in math? Even A-Yu got 113..."

He Lianghan's tone was neither warm nor cold, completely different from when he had just praised He Ziyu.

This made He Ningqiu feel very uncomfortable.

Why is it that He Ziyu, who ranked 122nd, is praised, while he, who ranked 56th, is nitpicked?