A Young Woman's Heart

"Then let's give it a try."

"But I feel like I can't keep going..."

"If it's not fun, then don't play," Jiang Yu said casually. "You can only keep playing if it's fun!"

"Um... Ruoruo, can I try playing the yangqin tomorrow?"

"Hmm? Hmm—let's talk about tomorrow's problems tomorrow!"

She turned over and seemed to fall asleep within a second.

……

(three)

The rain was still falling on Saturday morning.

Rain clouds obscured the cloud cover, making it only slightly brighter than nighttime.

Jiang Yuruo lay on her side, with one leg resting on Yu Shu's lower abdomen and the other on a pillow that had somehow ended up at the foot of the bed.

Yu Shu lay on her back, a little bit of saliva dripping from the corner of her mouth, while Wu Shanshan, who was already squeezed into a corner with little room, could only curl up against the wall.

"Gurgle..."

"rise……"

"Hahoo—"

The three made different sounds, but opened their eyes at the same time.

The other two probably didn't sleep so well that night.

……

(four)

Jiang Yuruo's bathroom is also filled with a rugged industrial style.

Its only advantage is that it's big enough.

Of course, it's so big that it feels somewhat empty.

A very modern toilet was installed in the corner, and there was probably enough space to fit two large beds.

The sink is on the other side, a long strip, even wider than the kitchen countertop in most homes.

The three girls stood side by side in front of the huge washbasin, and Jiang Yuru handed a tube of toothpaste to Yu Shu.

Yu Shu squeezed out the last bit and handed it to Wu Shanshan.

Wu Shanshan gritted her teeth and squeezed hard, but nothing came out. She simply put down her toothbrush, rolled up the toothpaste tube, and tried to squeeze out the last bit of toothpaste.

"Ugh—"

“There are new ones over there.” Jiang Yuruo pointed to a shelf not far in front of her, on which were several new tubes of toothpaste.

In homes with elderly people, there always seems to be an extra stock of daily necessities.

"No need—" Wu Shanshan gritted her teeth, squeezed out a small amount of toothpaste, and happily smeared it on her toothbrush. "Whew..."

"Aren't you tired?" Jiang Yuruo asked, brushing her teeth and glancing at her sideways.

"I always feel a little unsatisfied if I don't squeeze out all the toothpaste."

“Mmm…I sometimes do that too…” Yu Shu nodded in deep agreement.

"Ruo Ruo, you have quite a lot of magazines."

"I'll buy any new magazine I want if I see it when I pass by a newsstand."

"You get that much pocket money?"

"Yes, my parents' salaries are quite high."

"How much?" Wu Shanshan asked curiously, perking up her ears.

"About 10,000 a month per person, I guess."

Wow—so many! What kind of jobs are they? They're even more lucrative than running a business!

"Designer."

At this moment, Yu Shu was leaning against the window, looking out.

The sky brightened slightly, and the rain seemed to be gradually subsiding.

She felt it was about time for her to go home.

Although I was able to meet new friends and spend a night at their house, it was quite enjoyable.

But for some reason, I felt even more tired.

All she wants now is to go home and get some more sleep...

Jiang Yuruo suddenly patted her shoulder hard, turned her head, and saw a face that was winking playfully.

"W-What's wrong?"

Jiang Yu pointed out the window and then at her, then suddenly pushed the door open.

"Huh?"

"Where to?" Wu Shanshan reacted faster than Yu Shu.

“The school!” Jiang Yu Ruo replied briefly.

"Why are you going to school in the rain?"

Jiang Yu didn't answer; this man of action had already run downstairs in his shoes.

Grandpa, who was leisurely sitting at the table watching TV and smoking, seemed completely unfazed and slowly reminded her, "Be careful on the road."

"Grandpa, meatballs!"

"Okay, let's eat it tonight. I'll go buy it for you later."

Jiang Yu gave a satisfied 'OK' sign and took three umbrellas from the umbrella stand at the front door.

The rain wasn't heavy, but it was still falling.

Wu Shanshan took out a magazine by Jiang Yuruo, planning to read it slowly in the car later.

Yu Shu simply cannot read while traveling by car; it makes her feel extremely dizzy.

……

(six)

The empty bus swayed and rocked, raindrops falling obliquely onto the windowpane as the wind blew.

There weren't many pedestrians on the street, and a grocery store owner's child was squatting on the ground observing a group of ants passing by.

The cat was hiding under the eaves, snuggling up with a mixed-breed dog of the same color.

Everywhere was filled with the relaxed atmosphere of a holiday.

On these uneventful days, I don't even expect the bus to go fast; I can even relax and enjoy the scenery outside the window.

"Does Yu Shu prefer rainy days or sunny days?"

"It's...a sunny day, right?"

"I actually quite like rainy days." Sitting next to her, Wu Shanshan tapped her feet lightly.

The reason wasn't explained, because Jiang Yuruo had made another move.

She was sitting in front of the two of them. Now she turned around, leaned on the back of the seat, and pointed out the window with great excitement, ignoring the fact that her hair was swaying with the carriage.

The two looked in the direction she was pointing and saw two dogs with their butts facing each other, entangled as if they couldn't be separated.

Yu Shu's face flushed slightly.

Of course she knew what this phenomenon was.

There was also a cat nearby that loved watching the fun, and even though it was getting rained on, it couldn't resist coming over and taking the opportunity to pat their heads.

The bus didn't stop because of this amusing scene; it continued on its way.

Further ahead are vast stretches of farmland.

This is especially true the closer you get to Yukong High School.

A farmer, carrying a hoe, wearing a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat, sat under a big tree smoking a pipe.

Jiang Yu opened the window, and the clear sounds of rain and wind immediately entered the carriage. Facing the wind and rain, she waved vigorously at the farmer uncle: "Hey—"

The farmer looked up in confusion, his dark face initially showing a hint of doubt. It wasn't until the bus passed by that a smile appeared on his face as he raised his pipe as if in greeting.

Does Ruoruo know him?

"Don't even think about it, she probably doesn't know them." Wu Shanshan said in a knowing tone, "That's just how she is. Sometimes she'll greet strangers for no reason, and act like they're old acquaintances."

"That's amazing..."

"What's so great about her? Pfft, to be honest, sometimes I really think she's a bit crazy."

"Those two dogs were his," Jiang Yu Ruo blurted out, then shouted at the middle-aged man who had been left behind by the bus, "Your dogs—were—fighting—!"

In the wind and rain, overly complex sentences are not easily understood, so until he was out of sight, he wore a puzzled expression on his face.

Yu Shu now felt that she was even stranger than Hua Yinyin.

……

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Note: This chapter is a tribute to KON.

Chapter 108 The Senior Students' Classroom

(One)