It's the students' fault if they are too popular.

"I've calmed down a long time ago. But she won't let me play with you anymore." Bai Lu said, looking away unnaturally, "I won't live in the dormitory anymore. I'll go to school as a day student."

Dong Yang was silent.

"I'm sorry." Bai Lu said again. In the noisy teaching building, her voice gave Dong Yang the illusion of being quiet. Quiet? From childhood to adulthood, Bai Lu had never been quiet. After saying it, Bai Lu seemed to have the courage to look at Dong Yang. The tenderness, reluctance, and self-blame in her eyes made people feel complicated.

"It's not my mother's fault. It's my fault." Bai Lu stroked the broken hair on her forehead. "If I were good enough, I would have the confidence to argue with my mother. My mother lives too hard. She is anxious every day. In order for me to be like others and not lose at the starting line, her health has been very bad over the years..."

She whispered, "I have to make her worry about everything."

Dong Yang looked at Bai Lu in front of him. This girl was different from before. She used to be heartless, but now she was sensible and well-behaved. Can a winter vacation change a person so much? But perhaps growth is a matter of a moment.

She remembered that since she was a child, she liked the feeling of being relied on by Bai Lu. She was willing to be the object of Bai Lu's dependence, even though she didn't know the reason, just because she felt happy.

When Bai Lu seemed to no longer need to rely on her, she felt a little lost.

"Yeah." She raised the corners of her lips and forced herself to smile. "It's never too late to study hard. If you have any questions in the future, you can ask me."

Bai Lu scratched her hair, with a thousand words in her heart, but in the end it all came down to one simple word: "Thank you".

-

-

When did you become distant with a friend?

I don’t know how long ago was the last time we communicated electronically. The number of times we ate together decreased, and the desire to chat together gradually faded. The best friends in elementary school were often replaced by better friends in junior high school.

Bai Lu had never asked Xu Dongyang any questions, and Xu Dongyang was the kind of person who could sit at his seat and do exercises all day long except for going to the toilet, eating, and getting water. If it weren't for this exam, they hadn't been so close to each other for a long time.

Today is the biology experiment test.

The whole class was waiting outside the lab, with four people taking the test at a time, and the teacher would call their names to go in. Dong Yang was still holding the biology materials, and standing in front of her was Bai Lu, and the two stood next to each other because their student numbers were next to each other.

This exam is very important. As part of the final examination, it accounts for 10 points of the high school entrance examination score.

The two of them didn't say anything, each looking at their own materials. Soon, someone came out after the test, and everyone asked what the test was about. The person couldn't help but say that he had drawn the two simplest experiments, which made everyone envious.

"You have to use a microscope. It's a must-test!"

"By the way, there are two microscopes in there that have lights, so you don't need to aim them, so remember to grab them!"

"Ah? Still want to rob?"

The lighting in the lab was poor, the small lamp on the table was just passable, and everyone hated the operation of the reflector.

Bai Lu's heart sank. Seeing others coming out easily and with joy on their faces, she felt very pressured. She could only pray in her heart that she would not be drawn to a difficult experiment. In this kind of exam, everyone strives for full marks, and even a half point deduction would be considered a huge loss.

The teacher poked his head out of the door: "The next group is coming in, Xu Dongyang, Bai Lu, Zhang Zixin..."

Why are they here now? She hasn't reviewed enough!

Bai Lu wails.

She has read the materials countless times, but she is not sure about the practical application... She has only taken two experimental classes this semester and she is not sure about the practical application.

Xu Dongyang glanced at her and walked into the laboratory silently.

Before entering the laboratory, the first thought in the minds of several people was to grab a good microscope. But after entering, they were dumbfounded. The microscopes were all in boxes, and they had no idea which one did not need to be aligned.

"What are you looking at? Get ready!" the invigilator urged impatiently.

Bai Lu was struggling with her thoughts when suddenly a sweet voice like a clear spring came to her ears. Because the volume was suppressed, it seemed a little... erotic.

"The one in the second row on the left."

Bai Lu was stunned, and then Xu Dongyang passed by her and sat in the first row.

Dongyang...don't you want to choose that microscope?

How did Dongyang know which one to choose?

Seeing a boy about to choose that seat, she quickly ran over, smiled embarrassedly, and sat down first.

Then, the teacher gave them the lab test in turn.

The two test questions she drew were about operating a microscope and observing oral epithelial cells.

She breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't that difficult.

She couldn't help but look at the haunted figure in front of her, then retracted her gaze and focused on the exam. She opened the box of the microscope, and it really didn't need to be adjusted. She subconsciously looked at Xu Dongyang again. The beautiful and delicate girl also put the microscope on the table, and the reflector below was facing her, which was dazzling.

"Hasn't started yet?" The teacher looked at her strangely.

Bai Lu came back to her senses and started the operation immediately. It must be said that without the need for light adjustment, this question was quite easy. After operating the microscope and completing the preparation process, she took out a toothpick and scraped it in her mouth. Although she felt that there was nothing on the toothpick, she still followed the operating procedures and stuck it on the slide.

Then the coverslip...

In this quiet laboratory, suddenly, there was a crisp sound, the sound of a piece of glass breaking.

Teacher: “Hmm?”

Several people who were doing experiments also stopped and looked curiously to see who it was.

Xu Dongyang also heard it. The voice came from behind him.

Bailu.

"Teacher...it suddenly broke..."

The girl's voice was trembling a little. The teacher came towards her, glanced at her gloomily, and turned back to make eye contact with another teacher.

The other invigilator was their biology teacher.

The biology teacher sighed and walked over, expressing her disappointment at this girl with average grades:

"What happened? I've told you so many times to be careful. Do you think you can do it again?"

The people outside heard the noise inside, and some tried to look inside through the small square window on the door.

Bai Lu said nothing, feeling ashamed and sad.

The teacher scolded him for a few words, then sighed after a while. After all, he was his student, so he couldn't bear it:

"Find a piece of paper and write down the experimental steps. You won't get zero points."

"Yes." Bai Lu lowered her head, "Thank you, teacher."

She only hated her own carelessness.

You deserve it, idiot, big fool.

She wrote down the steps of the experiment on a piece of paper, reciting them quickly because she had memorized them by heart. Someone next to her had already finished and was about to call the teacher to check, when suddenly, there was another crisp sound.

Scored twice.

Xu Dongyang said calmly: "Teacher..."

"What's going on?!" the teacher was angry, "Did the glass offend you?"

"..."

The biology teacher was heartbroken. How could his best and most outstanding student also fail?

"Just like her, write down the experimental steps."

Xu Dongyang: "Thank you, teacher."

A small farce, started abruptly and ended hastily. Bai Lu stopped writing, staring blankly at the onion on the table, this material prepared for another experiment but not used, at this moment, it stung her eyes.

No.

She wiped her eyes - she couldn't cry in front of Dongyang again.

The two boys finished the exam first, Bai Lu slowed down, and finally handed in the paper at the same time as Xu Dongyang.

As a result, by the time they left the lab, the news that the two of them had broken the slide had spread everywhere.

Everyone looked at Xu Dongyang with sympathy. Perhaps they felt that a top student like Xu Dongyang would be very sad if he lost a few points, because they believed that what Xu Dongyang cared about most was grades.

Bai Lu walked through the crowd and followed Dong Yang silently, one meter away.

I have something to say, but it feels like something is stuck in my throat.

Finally, it was Dong Yang who stopped and looked back. His hair was straight and a beautiful pure black color:

"Why are you following me?"

Bai Lu stood up straight, and after thinking for a long time, he said hesitantly:

"You didn't have to... break the slide on purpose."

She was a little sad because Dongyang's high school entrance exam score dropped several points because of her. She didn't want Dongyang to comfort her in this way, but... it must be said that the greatest consolation for those who failed the exam is that others didn't do well either.

She moved on her tiptoes awkwardly, wondering why Dong Yang didn't react.

As a result, Xu Dongyang looked at her steadily and slowly uttered four words:

"You are so narcissistic."

Then he added, "Don't make up your mind. I just fell accidentally. Those few points are not important. There are nine subjects in the high school entrance examination. How much do these few points account for?"

Bai Lu stood there in a daze. Even though she said that, she still felt very uncomfortable because she had a few points less than others. She could only... work harder in other subjects, right?

She lowered her head with a sad face, but suddenly she felt a warm touch on her head - it was Xu Dongyang's hand. The distance between the two of them became closer, and the long-lost intimacy was a little strange. If her mother knew, she would probably be angry...

Her face began to get hot, but she lowered her head even lower, grabbed the tail of Xu Dongyang's scarf with her hand, and played with it in her hand to ease the embarrassment:

"I...I haven't washed my hair in a few days."

Xu Dongyang: "Well, no wonder it's a bit greasy."

Bai Lu wanted to burrow into the ground, so she quickly changed the subject: "How do you know which microscope doesn't need to be aligned?"

Xu Dongyang: “I asked the boy who came out first which seat he sat in during the experiment.”

Xu Dongyang withdrew his hand, and his head felt lighter, and Bai Lu's heart also felt empty.

As for the fact that I failed the biology experiment, I had forgotten everything about it without realizing it.

Extra: Winter Sun (Twenty-Eight)

The following year, summer solstice.

Every entrance examination is a turning point in life.

With the development of education, the high school entrance examination has become more and more complicated. After a year, the students have developed in all aspects of morality, intelligence, physical fitness and aesthetics. Even Xu Dongyang's thin body has gained some strength - from sit-ups and 800-meter training.

Everyone works hard to train, striving to get this important physical education score before the high school entrance examination.

Everything is ready, but when you actually step into the examination room, you can't help but feel nervous. It's solemn, dignified, and even has a sense of sacred ceremony. Everyone wants to gain something from their three years of hard work.

For Xu Dongyang, the questions in the high school entrance examination were not difficult.

The high school entrance examination lasts for three days.

The last subject was English. After the listening section was played on the radio, the examination room was filled with sighs of boredom. Xu Dongyang answered the questions calmly. When she put down her pen, there was still half an hour left before the end of the exam.

Junior high school is over.

She slightly side-glanced at the tree branches outside the window. The chirping of birds on the branches was the unique noise and tranquility of summer.

……

"Collect the papers! Stop answering the questions!"

"That classmate, why are you still writing? Believe it or not, I will give you zero points!"

"Don't move, wait until you finish checking the test papers!"

……

Finally, everything was settled. At the graduation ceremony, the grade leader spoke passionately, and a group of usually naughty children were touched and their nostalgia for their alma mater was awakened. Many of them burst into tears.

"How did you do on the test, Chu Jie?"

"It's over. I have to go to No. 28 Middle School."

No. 28 High School is the worst high school in the area, and many people like to use it to exaggerate how badly they did in exams.

"Do you want to go karaoke in the afternoon? If you want to go, come and sign up!" The class monitor began to call for help in the class group.

When Xu Dongyang saw that Gu Nian and Bai Lu both tapped “1”, he also tapped “1” to indicate that he wanted to go.

How can there be no party after graduation?

In the end, more than twenty people signed up, and many more chose to leave without saying goodbye or stay with their families.