No one understands rebirth better than me

Chapter 22: Little Pear Blossoms in the Scenery (Two chapters combined into one)

"Guan Ren didn't cheat, I can prove it."

Gu Youli's sudden appearance caught everyone by surprise.

Li Min didn't expect it.

Gu Wancheng didn't expect this either.

Guan Ren was the last one who expected it.

The moment he saw Gu Youli, Guan Ren, who was happily bickering with Li Min, was completely dumbfounded.

Barging into the office, wanting to prove something to him...

Ugh…

Seeing the expressions on Li Min and Gu Wancheng's faces which were obviously more serious than before, Guan Ren smiled bitterly in his heart.

How come my usually honest and quiet deskmate suddenly becomes so stubborn and impulsive?

But then again, humans are emotional animals, and girls are even more so.

When he saw that Gu Youli's hands were trembling nervously under her waist, but her face still looked so tough, it would be a lie to say that Guan Ren was not moved by her silly behavior.

"Young pear."

On the other side, Gu Wancheng, as the guardian, naturally spoke first, looking directly at his sister with calm yet dignified eyes:

"What are you doing in the office during class time?"

"..."

Looking at Gu Wancheng's cold face, Gu Youli hesitated for a moment, wanting to say something, and suddenly there was a bit more determination in her eyes. She ignored Gu Wancheng, but turned her head decisively and looked straight at Li Min.

Even if it was just a brief moment.

But Gu Youli's simple micro-expressions made Gu Wancheng's tightly furrowed brows relax slightly, and a look of surprise and helplessness flashed across his eyes.

"Teacher Li."

Gu Youli raised her serious little face:

"Guan Ren has been studying hard during the period leading up to the monthly exam, especially in math. Besides listening carefully in class, he's even been catching up on his basics since his freshman year. So, he's actually been more prepared for this exam than many others. And Guan Ren's other subjects are also..."

……

Guan Ren was a little stunned when he heard Gu Youli's rapid-fire words.

Because this was the first time in such a long time that he heard his deskmate talk so much in a row.

But when she came to her senses, Guan Ren quickly interrupted her:
"Gu Youli, why are you here?"

Gu Youli was startled when she was suddenly interrupted and looked at Guan Ren beside her.

At this moment, his face was very exaggerated, full of that kind of extremely shocked expression:

"No, I was just joking at that time. I didn't expect you to really come?"

"Eh…?"

Really coming?

What is really coming?
What is he saying?
……

Gu Youli opened her mouth, and suddenly many little question marks popped up in her mind.

Li Min, whose expression had turned grim due to Gu Youli's appearance, took a deep breath, glanced at Gu Wancheng imperceptibly, and asked quietly:

"Guan Ren, what do you mean..."

"Teacher Li, this is it."

Guan Ren scratched his hair, chuckled twice, and explained to Li Min in an "embarrassed" manner:

"Actually, before I came here, I was just joking with Gu Youli..."

"What are you talking about? What did you say? Oh, after all this time, Guan Ren, you're not only being lazy, but you're also kidnapping Gu Youli, right?"

"Oh, you can't say kidnapping..."

This Li Min is indeed a smart person, Guan Ren thought to himself, while continuing to scratch his head "embarrassedly":
"Actually, I was just joking at the time. I told Gu Youli that if I went into the office and didn't come back, you should come and say a few words for me..."

"I…"

Hearing Guan Ren's remarks, Gu Youli frowned and wanted to say something, but her cold palm was suddenly pressed quietly by someone's slightly rough fingers.

"!"

Gu Youli's heart suddenly beat faster, and then she looked at the look in Guan Ren's eyes. For some reason, she felt a strange, calming feeling. She just pursed her lips silently and let him continue talking.

"I was just saying it casually, but who knew that classmate Gu Youli would be so straightforward and actually come over... hehe..."

"..."

Seeing Guan Ren still smiling, Li Min exchanged a silent look with Teacher Hu, then calmed down, but her tone remained stern:

"You sit at the same table with Gu Youli, so it's fine to emulate her. For example, the teachers have noticed your behavior over the past few days. They called you over to discuss this matter... But on the other hand, don't let your own shaky and unrefined behavior affect others. Do you understand?"

“I understand, I understand…”

Compared to his previous chatterbox, Guan Ren is now obviously much more honest.

Seeing this, Li Min handed him his paper, then asked Teacher Hu to go to class first while he started to finish:
"...To be honest, you've made great progress this time. I was planning to have Teacher Hu give you a few more questions and give you a surprise, but what's your attitude? You're just talking nonsense!..."

"...If you do this again next time, I'll really call your parents over!..."

"...At your age, sometimes you don't need the teacher to tell you too much, you just need to think more on your own..."

"...And Gu Youli, you're kind-hearted and innocent. It's right to think about your classmates, but sometimes you have to be careful not to be fooled by people like Guan Ren. Do you hear me?"

After exchanging a few words of instruction as usual, Li Min took a sip of tea.
"Everyone, go back and get ready for class."

"Goodbye, Teacher Li!"

"Goodbye, Teacher Li..."

Guan Ren turned and left, and Gu Youli followed closely.

When passing by Gu Wancheng, Guan Ren also bowed:

"Goodbye, Teacher Gu."

"..."

Gu Wancheng didn't say anything.

Gu Youli had her head down and didn't say anything.

But when she scored the second time, her delicate fingers were secretly held by someone again.

Gu Youli's heart felt hot in a panic, but she also understood what her deskmate meant and said:
"Goodbye, Teacher Gu..."

Gu Wancheng's expression changed slightly, and he nodded to indicate his intention.

The two of them then left the office together.

-----------

After coming out, Guan Ren did not rush back to the classroom. Instead, he glanced back at the office with a sly look and deliberately shouted loudly in the corridor:

"I'm going to the bathroom. What? You want to go too? Okay, let's go together!"

After shouting, Guan Ren took his deskmate to the entrance of a deserted corridor and let out a long sigh:

"Sister Gu, do you know that I almost died of anxiety in the office just now?"

"You're still in a hurry..."

Gu Youli's hands felt a little itchy. She turned her head away and didn't look at him, muttering softly:
"Those words, you can make them up..."

I didn't realize that my deskmate is so good at lying...

"Oh, as they say, in an emergency, one must make the necessary arrangements."

Guan Ren was at a loss whether to laugh or cry:

"There's nothing we can do about it. Who knew you, Sister Gu, would suddenly barge in?"

"I just broke in to help you explain. Isn't it enough to explain it? Why are you still..."

"No, no, no, Sister Gu, please listen to my explanation."

...In fact, whether Guan Ren's paper is fake or not can be decided by just one sentence from Guan Ren.

Because this kind of thing is actually the same as the previous note incident.

He is already in the second year of high school, not a child anymore. Without evidence, even if Li Min does not trust Guan Ren, she cannot force him to be "convicted".

It was just because Guan Ren was unhappy about being "sent to prison for the second time", so he kept talking nonsense and had a bad attitude at the beginning, which made Li Min very dissatisfied. Naturally, she wanted to make things difficult for him and curb his rebellious nature.

Once the filing is done, the matter will actually be over.

However, from an outsider's perspective, Gu Youli thought the situation at that time seemed extremely tense, so she foolishly rushed in, which led to the subsequent incident.

……

"Sister Gu, actually, when you barged in, Li Min's face suddenly turned very ugly."

"..."

Gu Youli lowered her head, changed direction and continued to turn her face away.

"Because you acted so suddenly, it really embarrassed her as the homeroom teacher. And since you're Teacher Gu's sister, she couldn't get angry either... Plus, Teacher Gu had just spoken to you, and you happened to ignore her, so the situation was actually very awkward. To end it, I resorted to this desperate measure."

……

In fact, Gu Youli didn't understand anything Guan Ren explained.

But she just didn't know where she got the energy from at that time.

"I just saw that she doubted you...and the classmates in the class also misunderstood you..."

"It's not really a pregnancy, just talk it out. And even if it's true, I don't really care about it."

He doesn't care...

Yes, he doesn't care.

But there are always people who care.

"If they really want to continue to wrongly accuse you like this, how can you just let them do that..."

"Gu...Sister Gu?"

Guan Ren was stunned.

Because at this moment, my deskmate's voice sounded faintly like crying.

"You've been so focused and working so hard lately. Sometimes you're still reading and solving problems after class... I explained everything you didn't understand very carefully... Your good grades are clearly your due reward. How could they... How could they say that about you..."

I've worked so hard, and I've seen results. But how far do I have to go to be recognized?

If it's just me, forget it, after all, I've already gotten used to it...

But why did Guan Ren also have to encounter such a thing...

"Okay, okay, Sister Gu."

Guan Ren noticed Gu Youli's mood and comforted her:
"Look, actually, they weren't that bad. And no matter what, I was really touched that you supported me like that, hehe."

"..."

Gu Youli sniffed and raised her eyelids slightly:
"I didn't do that to impress you..."

"Of course I know this. Sister Gu cares about her classmates, and even more so about her deskmate. It's only natural!"

Caring about classmates...

Yes, he was her deskmate, so she felt uncomfortable because he was wrongly accused, and that’s why she impulsively ran to speak for him…

So this is not without reason, but a very reasonable thing.

It's just a normal concern between classmates.

"But Sister Gu, let me put it another way."

Seeing that his deskmate seemed to be in deep thought and her mood had calmed down a little, Guan Ren took advantage of the situation and continued to change the subject to try to cheer her up:
"You came over and said I didn't cheat. You were too confident, weren't you? After all, you weren't in the same exam room as me, and I might have lied to you. How could you be so sure that I really didn't cheat?"

"Eh…?"

"Sister Gu, let's talk about this. Is it possible that although I have indeed worked hard to achieve a certain level, this score of 122 is actually partially inflated?"

"How...how could it be..."

Gu Youli trembled and looked at Guan Ren in disbelief. Her heart suddenly felt colder than ever before, and then her clear eyes gradually became visibly covered with a layer of hazy mist.

“? No no no! It’s not…”

It's broken. It's out of control.

At least I didn't cry just now, but now it seems like the opposite has happened.

Although it is said that a youth that makes your female classmate cry is a complete youth.

But Guan Ren didn't want to make Gu Youli cry in such a cold corner at the corridor entrance. At least he would find a warm place to comfort her after she finished crying.

"Sister Gu, Sister Gu! I was just teasing you! I really didn't cheat. I passed the exam on my own ability! Don't cry."

Guan Ren explained.

But Gu Youli remained silent.

Her long eyelashes trembled, and she stared at him intently with her beautiful, wet eyes.

"Well, Sister Gu, please don't cry. Just wipe the corners of your eyes."

Guan Ren raised his hand, waved it in front of Gu Youli for a long time, then retracted it in dismay:
"I want to help you wipe it, but I don't have any paper. Using my hands isn't appropriate. As the saying goes, men and women shouldn't touch each other..."

"..."

Men and women should not touch each other...

Does he understand this now?

This guy who wanted to fall in love right after school started, wanted to shake my hand the day after he confessed his love to me...

now…

Now that he has succeeded secretly in the office, he is still not willing to touch her...

"Sister Gu, I just wanted to be naughty and lighten the atmosphere."

"..."

"I'm just like that. Compared to the average student, I'm more open-minded and casual. Otherwise, I wouldn't be chatting with Li Min in the office, right? Actually, I didn't cheat!"

"Really..."

"real!"

Hearing him speak so decisively, Gu Youli took a deep breath and suppressed the grievance and sadness that surged from her heart, for some heartless person.

The watery eyes were all red.
"You lied to the teacher and you lied to me... Guan Ren... Which of your words is true..."

“This is it, this is it…”

Looking at the little pear blossom in front of him, which was truly covered in tears, Guan Ren always felt that somewhere in his heart seemed to have been soaked by her tears that had not yet flowed, and it kept becoming weak.

“…Although it’s impossible for a person to live a lifetime without lying…”

“…But Sister Gu, I can at least swear that I will never lie to you and make you sad again…”

"...How about this, from now on, I promise that whenever Gu Youli cries, Guan Ren's words will be true, okay?"

……

When Gu Youli was crying.

What Guan Ren said must be true.

……

On this day, the naive girl did not know how deeply and how long these casual words would take root in her heart.

She just stood there, listening to him, looking at the faint gentleness on the corner of his mouth, and looking at the quiet campus scenery reflected in his clear eyes.

Unaware.

The people who were looking at the scenery just moved their mouths.

But a small pear blossom in the scenery quietly moved my heart.

(End of this chapter)