A Young Woman's Heart

As he spoke, he gently took Wang Jiale's small hand. This couple often made intimate gestures, which was nothing unusual to others.

Wang Jiale was just used to it, but whether she was being held in the hand or hugged, she couldn't feel the sweetness that couples should have.

To her, Lu Bolun felt more like an older brother.

As they were about to leave the teaching building, Lü Bolun opened his umbrella. Wang Jiale hesitated for a moment and didn't take out her own umbrella.

Under a small umbrella, the two huddled close together.

A light drizzle was falling from the sky, turning the entire city into a blurry ink painting.

It has a unique beauty, just like in modern romance dramas.

Time seemed to stand still at this moment, and even the passersby seemed to be surrounded by a picturesque scene.

Yukong High School is located on the edge of the city, next to several streets that are not usually frequented by many people.

—The road is well-maintained, perfect for a couple to take a quiet stroll.

Lu Bolun tilted his umbrella slightly, shielding Wang Jiale from more of the rain blowing in from the side.

Wang Jiale didn't feel much, but he felt particularly warm around him, and at the same time, he was trying to find the feeling of 'being in love'.

It is said that when you are in love, you feel sweet, blush and your heart races. Even after you have been together for a long time, you will feel at ease when you are with your partner.

But right now, she has none of those feelings.

I felt neither nervous nor expectant; it was just like taking a normal walk.

Sometimes, feelings are a very subtle thing. If you don't feel anything, then you really don't feel anything, right?

Wang Jiale questioned herself and couldn't help but recall her past relationship in junior high school.

Hmm... I was even younger back in junior high. At most, we held hands, but we never even hugged. And, thinking about it carefully, it doesn't seem like I felt like I was in love. It was more like I was completing a task to be with a certain boy.

Perhaps they felt that this way someone would protect them?

"Lele".

"Ah."

"Hehe... Shall I put my arm around you?"

"what ever."

"Hmm..." Lu Bolun hugged Wang Jiale and let her head rest on his chest. "It seems like no one passes by here."

"Ah."

"If it were a sunny day, I could sit on that bench for a while, but that's definitely not possible now."

"Rainy days are more romantic, aren't they?" Wang Jiale looked at the fallen leaves that were wet from the rain. Now, walking on them was no longer crisp, and some of them would stick to the soles of his shoes, only falling off automatically after he 'walked' a few steps.

"Want to go to the park?"

"casual."

"Let's go for a walk in the park. Oh, let me tell you, today Liu Xiaowei..." Lu Bolun started to find topics to talk about, usually trivial things in life, and occasionally some of them could make Wang Jiale laugh.

Every time she smiled, Luberon couldn't help but stare at her.

Why are you staring at me like that?

"Hehe, because you look good when you smile."

"Ugh, that's so cheesy."

"Pfft, haha, what kind of Taiwanese accent is that?"

No way!

Have you been watching Taiwanese dramas lately?

"Well, it wasn't me watching, it was my mom watching, and then I watched along with her. After watching it a lot, I remembered it."

"Which one is it? Could it be the same one my mom watched?"

"That one..."

"They really are the same!"

"Ah."

“One world, one mother.” Lu Bolun laughed loudly, then suddenly thought of something, “Hehe, I guess I can call her ‘Mom’ from now on, right? To your mother.”

Wang Jiale glanced at Lü Bolun a few more times: "I have a feeling you're saying some swear words."

"No, no... cough, oh, there's a fried food stall near the park entrance?" Lu Bolun chuckled awkwardly, changing the subject. "Want some?"

"Sure."

A young couple holding an umbrella walked slowly past. A large umbrella was placed over the fried food stall, but rainwater still occasionally drifted in at an angle.

What's being blown up?

"Fried bugs, want some?" The woman selling fried skewers spoke with an accent that sounded like it came from the north, though it had a strong rural feel to it.

"Fried bugs?" Wang Jiale subconsciously took a half step back.

Lu Bolun gently stroked her hand a few times: "Uh... can I eat it?"

"Why can't you eat them? There are locusts, spiders, cicada nymphs, scorpions, silkworm pupae, bean worms... They'll taste good after being fried. I've cleaned them very thoroughly, so you can eat them without worry."

Wang Jiale didn't dare look at the things on the stall and shook his head vigorously.

"Uh, no, no... we can't eat this kind of food."

"Sigh, why can't I eat this? When I first came to the South, I also couldn't eat this. Actually, it's really delicious. Back then, I was in Guangdong..."

"Uh...uh..." Lu Bolun tried his best to pick an edible insect, but couldn't find one he could bite. In the end, he hurriedly fled with Wang Jiale.

"Oh my, it's really delicious... This little kid doesn't know what's good for him." The proprietress shook her head and sighed.

She clearly didn't intend to set up a stall at the park entrance; she was just trying to start a fire in this relatively empty spot and fry a few sample items.

Seeing that the two had left, she pushed her bike toward the school gate.

I wonder if she'll be able to close a single deal this afternoon.

However, there will definitely be a lot of onlookers...

"I actually saw a stall selling insects elsewhere... but these insects are much more terrifying than the ones I saw at the farm where Xiaoxi works last time..."

"Uh, have you eaten this before?... I have absolutely no appetite for these." Lu Bolun scratched his head sheepishly, his tone tinged with caution. "I doubt anyone could eat this, right?"

"That's not necessarily true. Didn't she say that people in Guangdong like to eat this? Hmm... If it's a cute bug, I can eat a few with my eyes closed."

"Hey... I don't know what constitutes cute, but those weird-looking bugs probably don't fit the cute category at all, right?"

"Yeah, it's actually quite terrifying."

The conversation proceeded in a lukewarm manner, with nothing seeming to pique her interest.

Half an hour later, Luberon finally fell into a long silence.

After a while, he smiled again and said, "Sitting with you, even in silence, is wonderful..."

“Lü Bolun”.

"Huh?" Lu Bolun was somewhat flustered, because Wang Jiale rarely called him by his full name.

"I want...that."

"Ok?"

"I don't think I have any real feelings for you. When I'm with you, it feels...like being with a brother or a male friend, not like being in a romantic relationship." Wang Jiale nervously looked at her thighs. "Um...I'm not saying you're bad...I just...um...it's just...oh dear, I don't know how to put it!"

"Haha...don't joke around!"

"I'm serious!"

“…Ah.” Lu Bolun’s expression froze. For a full five minutes, he struggled to find the words to say, trying to speak several times but saying nothing.

"Well, it's not that I blame you. Actually, I still really like you. It's just that, when we're together, it doesn't feel like we're dating. You...you...um...you understand? That's roughly the feeling." Wang Jiale was also a bit incoherent because Lu Bolun's expression was very sad. Although she thought boys were all strong, the big boy next to her seemed to have tears in his eyes.

“Ah… I know.” Luberon forced a wry smile. “I had a feeling about it before.”

"So... um... you understand?" Wang Jiale gently bit her lip. "I'm sorry, you're really a very good person... can we always be friends?"

"I... um... actually I really want to... marry you."

"Well...but..."

"Phew." Lu Bolun let out a long breath, then suddenly cupped Wang Jiale's face in his hands and gently pecked her forehead. "Well, but if you feel you don't want to continue, then I can't force you."

"Well……"

"Well... uh, well..." He forced a smile again, "I don't like to try to keep people, it's very ungentlemanly, and Lele, you must have thought this through before saying this, right? I'm sorry, you've always been accommodating me, um... well... let's break up."

"I'm sorry..." Wang Jiale felt as if she had deceived someone, and lowered her head. When she looked up again, he was already gone—but the umbrella was still on her, shielding her from the light rain.

……

Chapter 121 A Funeral Song of Trouble

"Hoo..." Mo Xueyao held her teacup and gently exhaled a breath of hot air.

A pale green, translucent liquid floated in the glass, but it did not appear cloudy; on the contrary, it was quite clear.

This is pine needle tea. The two sisters from the Mo family picked it from the mountain, dried it, and brought it to school.

When people drink it, they usually put it into a teapot and boil it with water, and then pour it into their own cups, so that the taste won't be too bitter.

The sky outside the window had only been lit up for a short time, and a few clouds were slowly changing shape in the playful hands of the wind.

"Click." The door to the band room was gently pushed open, and Wang Jiale walked in, yawning as he carried his bass bag.

Good morning, Lele.

"Good morning..." Wang Jiale rubbed his eyes, looking like he hadn't woken up yet. He wobbled as he put down the bass and then plopped down in front of Mo Xueyao.

Would you like some tea?

"Drink up..."