We ordinary people also need to fall in love.

"Li Mubai, where were you during the first evening self-study session?"

He came back after the first evening self-study session, so Chen Qiuhe immediately asked curiously.

The surrounding classmates all looked over curiously, but Xie Shu remained motionless, holding her water cup.

"Hmm—" Li Mubai was somewhat speechless.

"Did you go to get into a fight?" Wang Rui asked directly.

Hmm... Li Mubai nodded slightly without saying anything.

"Seriously, Lao Bai, how did you end up in a fight? You seem like a really kind person usually," Yang Kun and Zhao Feng gossiped, crowding around.

"Yes, did someone bully you?"

"Class is about to start, everyone please return to your seats."

Xie Shu finally spoke, dismissing the group of people who wanted to be the first to share their gossip and chatter.

……

Finally, it was quiet, and Li Mubai's tense heart could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Ring ring—

At 10:30, evening self-study ended. Li Mubai packed up very slowly, as did Xie Shu.

"Shubao, let's go!" Deng Yi called out as she slung her schoolbag over her shoulder.

Chen Qiuhe slung her backpack over her shoulder, whispered a few words to Deng Yi, who glanced at Xie Shu, then at Li Mubai, and the two left together.

Li Mubai finished packing, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and went outside.

"I've noticed that some people go for a run on the track when they're in a bad mood." Xie Shu appeared beside him at some point.

"it is good."

He agreed. He wasn't actually in a bad mood, since the main responsibility wasn't his and his father hadn't scolded or beaten him. But he felt a bit depressed, as if an invisible bubble was enveloping him, and he couldn't relax no matter what.

He and Xie Shu arrived at the playground, but instead of running, they simply walked slowly with their schoolbags on their backs.

There seemed to be another couple like them on the playground, but they weren't lovers.

"Li Mubai, is what they're saying true?" Her tone was devoid of any extra emotion, as calm as if she were asking if you'd eaten.

He nodded.

"Are you injured?"

"without."

After walking a few more steps, Xie Shufu asked again:

Why are you fighting?

Li Mubai remained silent.

Xie Shu chuckled softly, easing his gloomy mood. She looked ahead and said:

"Although I don't know what caused it, I believe you didn't do it on purpose."

"Thank you, class monitor."

Thank you, Xie Shu, and thank you for your trust.

"By the way, what was the name of the guy you fought?"

"...Xing Yi."

"it is good."

The weather in March took a sharp turn for the worse. A gust of wind swept by, not only clearing away the dust but also bringing dark clouds to the sky, signaling an impending storm.

"Judging by this weather, it's going to pour tonight! Let's pray it doesn't rain while we're on our way."

Sitting on the bus, Chen Qiuhe opened the window and looked up at the gloomy sky.

"When it's going to rain, it's going to rain; when a mother wants to remarry," Li Mubai murmured.

This proverb actually has two meanings on the surface: first, one cannot defy the will of Heaven; second, one cannot disobey the orders of one's parents.

"Get married? What marriage? I'm not getting married, so what?" Chen Qiuhe retorted as if she had been stressed.

Li Mubai then realized that he had said the wrong thing.

"I'm sorry," he apologized immediately.

"It's okay, just be more careful next time." Chen Qiuhe waved her hand, then, as if suddenly remembering something, asked, "By the way, what was the final outcome of the fight on Thursday? You weren't punished, were you?"

"result……"

As a result, Xing Yi was suppressed by his father's bloodline and had no choice but to submit and apologize to him. He then pretended to forgive him, otherwise it wouldn't be good for him to continue making trouble.

Xing Yi not only had to compensate them for their medical expenses, but also for the cost of the damaged chair. Although it seemed like a drop in the ocean to their family, Li Mubai was always happy to see Xing Yi get the short end of the stick.

"Who is Xing Yi?" Chen Qiuhe asked.

"The class monitor of Class One."

"Oh, I remember now, he's the second debater from the science-focused team. You were in the same class as him in the first year of high school?"

"right."

"Then why did you fight?" Chen Qiuhe was quite curious about this.

"Because he kept mocking me."

"What was he mocking?"

……

"Are you questioning the prisoner?" Li Mubai retorted.

"Yeah, you broke the school rules, you're a criminal," Chen Qiuhe chuckled.

Li Mubai suddenly remembered what Chen Qiuhe had said before, and he repeated it verbatim:

"I don't think the school rules say anything about not being able to violate them."

"Haha, that's what I said. Remember to cite the source next time you quote it." Chen Qiuhe laughed twice, then asked, "But you're not hurt, are you?"

"It's already the second day, and they're just superficial injuries; they'll heal quickly."

"That's good. How about I teach you a move or two? Next time we meet, I guarantee you won't get hurt at all."

"You know kung fu?" Li Mubai was somewhat surprised.

"No, but you can wait until I learn it online and then I'll teach you."

"You'll have to wait until the next life to learn it," Li Mubai said speechlessly.

"Alright, then I'll be your master in the next life, but you can perform the disciple's rites in this life first."

"..."

When Li Mubai returned to Jixiang Restaurant, he was greeted by his stern mother.

"Xiaobai, your dad said you got into a fight on Thursday," Li's mother said.

"Yes."

"Did he hit you, or did you hit him?"

"He struck first, and I was only forced to retaliate. If the school wants to assign blame, it is his responsibility."

Xing Yi was also required to write a self-criticism, but unfortunately Zhong Jianjun and Lu Zhong did not mention it to the whole school, nor did they make him publicly apologize during the school assembly.

"Xiaobai, it's not easy for us to send you to school. You must not cause any more trouble at school. You'll be a senior in high school soon, so you need to stay calm and focus on your studies."

"I don't cause trouble; trouble comes to me on its own."

"I know that whether you hit someone or someone hits you, your dad and I are worried about you. What if you get beaten up and have to be hospitalized?"

"understood."

"Anyway, if something like this happens again, don't rush in impulsively. They say on TikTok, if you win, you go to jail; if you lose, you go to the hospital. If you encounter something like this at school, just go and tell the teacher."

"understood."

Li's mother was always nagging, while Li's father remained silent, scrolling through his phone.

"Mom, I'm going home to study now."

"Okay, go back and do your homework first, then get some rest and don't stay up late."

"Okay, by the way, Mom and Dad, there might be a heavy rainstorm tonight, you'd better close the shop early," Li Mubai reminded them.

"Your father and I know. We'll cook you a fish tomorrow." Li's mother's sallow, rough face was no longer as serious as it had been at the beginning, but instead showed some concern.

They were exceptionally tolerant of the only child in the family who was still in school, and Li Mubai was not the rebellious type of child.

Solitudo: "Dictation".

Li Bubai: "Okay."

He quickly tidied himself up, then expertly took out his dictation notebook and made a video call.

……

"Any math problems today?" Xie Shu's voice came from the phone.

"Nothing for now, today's seems pretty easy."

"Yes, keep up the good work."

He seemed a little silent, as if he didn't know what to say to Xie Shu besides studying. Looking at the video of the other person, which showed a snowman avatar, he suddenly had an idea.

"Class monitor, what is this snowman...?"

Click!

A bright light fell across the dark night sky, followed by a deafening clap of thunder. The torrential rain wove a curtain of rain, blurring everything outside the window.

"It's raining." Xie Shu's voice seemed to carry a hint of sigh.