Chapter 19

 "Mou Anping!"

With Amo's loud shout, a young man standing at the school gate turned around. He was dressed in a shirt and jeans, dressed simply and neatly. His tall and slender figure stood erect like a pine tree. When he saw Bai Xinyin, his handsome face paused for a moment before breaking into a smile.

Bai Xinyin had always thought Mu Anping looked handsome when he smiled, with his white teeth and a deep dimple on his left cheek that shone brighter than the morning sun behind him.

But since he transferred to Linhai, she hadn't seen his smile for a long time.

At this moment, there was a familiar yet unfamiliar feeling, which was strangely heartwarming.

Bai Xinyin walked over and smiled back at Mu Anping.

"Amo, Yinyin, long time no see." Facing Bai Xinyin's smile, Mu Anping instinctively dodged at first, then realized his awkwardness and turned his head slightly, his gaze almost affectionate as he stared at her face. His voice was as calm as ever, "How's everything at Sanzhong?"

"It's been good." Bai Xinyin couldn't speak, so Amo took over and babbled to Mu Anping, "What about you? Why did you suddenly come back? Do you remember to come and see us?"

"Of course I remember." Mu Anping smiled gently, his eyes occasionally glancing at Bai Xinyin's face, "Our school has finished midterm exams. It was a day off, and my parents were back in Linlan for something, so I came along, thinking... thinking of coming back to see you guys."

"Okay, Mu Anping, that's very kind of you." Amo couldn't help but laugh, pushing his shoulder like a "good buddy," "It's just a day, and you're thinking of coming back to see us."

However, unfortunately, Sheng Wen happened to pass by and saw Amo and Mu Anping's "harmonious" laughter.

The male student with an eternal expression and a cold face raised his eyebrows slightly, then walked over and brushed off Amo's little fist. In the latter's stunned gaze, he coldly said, "Class time."

He finished speaking and left, as if he were just passing by to remind them.

Amo was stunned for a few seconds, then suddenly covered his mouth and exclaimed with great excitement, staring wide-eyed, "Ah ah ah ah, Sheng Wen was jealous just now, wasn't he?" Amo exclaimed like a lunatic, "He actually patted me just now. Yinyin, do you think he's jealous? Is he, is he?!"

...

"I can't tell you. I have to go after Sheng Wen." After saying this, Amo turned his head again, showing more preference for sex and friendship, and ran while waving his hand to Bai Xinyin. "Yinyin, you can go back to the classroom yourself later."

The two people standing in the original place were a little bit crying and laughing.

"Amo is still the same." Mu Anping withdrew his gaze, smiled slightly, and asked, "Was that her boyfriend just now?"

Bai Xinyin thought for a moment, shook her head with a smile.

In high school, falling in love was not a good thing after all, let alone Amo... he hadn't caught anyone yet, she didn't want to reveal too much of Amo's personal privacy to others.

"Yinyin, say something to me, or type." Mu Anping sighed and sighed deeply, "Are you still angry with me?"

Bai Xinyin was stunned for a moment, shook her head slowly.

"Actually, it wasn't that I wanted to leave back then, it was my mom..." Mu Anping hesitated, but persisted in looking at her, biting his lip and asking, "Yinyin, did you go to see a doctor later? Can the doctor cure your throat?"

In fact, for a disabled person, asking her about her privacy was like revealing her scars—only Mu Anping didn't have the mind to be roundabout.

Bai Xinyin didn't mind his boldness, smiled indifferently, and took out her phone to type:

[I've been to several hospitals and seen a few doctors, but there's no definite answer.]

Her loss of voice was due to stress-induced trauma, not a physiological problem, so treatment in this regard is neither complicated nor necessary.

It's possible she may never recover, or perhaps due to some coincidence or reason, she might suddenly recover.

Before Bai Xunyin was taken to many hospitals for examinations and treatments by Ji Huiying, the answers she received in the end all boiled down to the phrase "leave it to fate."

Sometimes fate is something you just have to believe in.

"Besides Lin Lan? Have you checked elsewhere?" After hearing this answer, Mu Anping frowned, looking obviously anxious. "Although Lin Lan is a big city, the level of medical care may not necessarily be the best. If it doesn't work out there, I can take you to Linhai. There are several top-ranked hospitals in the country..."

He spoke anxiously and couldn't help but reach out to hold Bai Xunyin's hand—only to have his action abruptly intercepted by an intrusive hand.

Mu Anping was stunned and instinctively turned his head to see a pair of cold eyes.

Yue Luoyin's sharp brows and piercing eyes exuded a chill. He usually carried himself with a refined demeanor, but now his whole presence was intimidating, sending a clear message of "stay away" to those around him.

"Let's keep to the conversation." Yue Luoyin stood beside Bai Xunyin, casually draping his arm around her shoulder, and looked at Mu Anping with a slight smirk. "Classmate, why are you still trying to make a move?"

In an instant, Mu Anping felt a mixture of embarrassment and frustration—mostly due to Yue Luoyin's naturally imposing aura.

Although they were of similar age, Yue Luoyin gave off an aura that made others feel "inferior" and "not as good as him."

But in front of Bai Xunyin, Mu Anping didn't want to appear weaker than he was being portrayed.

He frowned, shifted his gaze to Bai Xunyin's face, and asked, "Yinyin, who is he?"

"I am..."

Yue Luoyin was about to speak, but was interrupted by a vigorous pinch from the girl beside him. He lowered his head and saw Bai Xunyin hurriedly sending a message to the boy, which read: [Classmate.]

What a "classmate."

Yue Luoyin couldn't help but want to laugh, his eyes becoming colder and darker.

Upon hearing Bai Xunyin's response, Mu Anping visibly breathed a small sigh of relief, but Yue Luoyin was quick to notice the relaxation in his demeanor.

He watched coldly as his arm lazily draped over Bai Xunyin's shoulder remained unwithdrawn—despite the girl's subtle attempts to signal him to do so, Yue Luoyin paid no heed.

It was Mu Anping who couldn't tolerate it anymore, staring at Yue Luoyin's intrusive hand with sarcastic mockery, "Classmate, is this how relaxed the atmosphere is at your school? Can boys just casually put their arms around girls' shoulders now?"

Still feeling dissatisfied after speaking, Mu Anping recalled Yue Luoyin's earlier words and retorted defiantly, "Are you trying to lay claim to her? I suggest you drop that idea."

"You suggest me? What right do you have to suggest anything to me?" Yue Luoyin smiled faintly, unruffled and composed, his tone calm and unwavering—only those who truly understood him knew that this demeanor was the most dangerous.

Bai Xunyin felt uneasy subconsciously and tugged at the hem of Yue Luoyin's school uniform, trying to stop him from speaking—

"Just based on Bai Xunyin calling me 'classmate'?" Yue Luoyin chuckled disdainfully, unabashed, "Let me tell you, I'm her boyfriend."

The words "boyfriend" spoken by Yue Luoyin weren't loud, but they carried weight.

They struck Bai Xunyin to her fingertips, and Mu Anping's pupils narrowed sharply.

"Boyfriend?" He suppressed his voice, his gaze burning like a fire as he urgently sought an answer from Bai Xunyin, "Is he just making this up? Yinyin, is it true?"

Yue Luoyin's hand, which had been loosely resting on her shoulder, now tightened slightly, as if he could crush her scapula if she shook her head.

Reluctantly, Bai Xunyin nodded slowly.

Yet, deep down, she felt a twinge of resentment, her hand hanging by her side involuntarily tightening.

Bai Xunyin didn't particularly mind others knowing about her relationship with Yue Luoyin, but during their senior year, she preferred not to make it so public, especially in situations where Yue Luoyin seemed to force her to admit it.

"How could that be?" Mu Anping muttered, "Aren't you both seniors in high school?"

"High school students can't date?" Watching his visibly shaken appearance, Yue Luoyin chuckled casually, "Classmate, you're quite old-fashioned."

He had originally come to reconcile with Bai Xunyin and clear up their past misunderstandings, but he hadn't expected to suddenly be confronted with the assertion of a so-called boyfriend... and such a possessive declaration of sovereignty.

Seeing that it was almost time for evening self-study, Mu Anping reluctantly left, his departing figure appearing disoriented and lost.

As soon as he left, Bai Xunyin shook off Yue Luoyin's arm around her shoulder and turned back towards the classroom, walking quickly, her departing figure exuding a distinctly uncomfortable awkwardness.

Yue Luoyin, who had initially relaxed his brows, followed after her with a slightly furrowed brow, taking two steps for every three of hers. "You're angry."

Bai Xunyin didn't respond, not even giving him a glance, just walking on.

Yue Luoyin's brow furrowed slightly more, and he stepped in front of her decisively, his tone becoming serious, "Are you mad at me because of other guys?"

Bai Xunyin looked up at him, her eyes silently accusing.

"Bai Xunyin, can you be reasonable?" Yue Luoyin laughed, exasperated, "Is it that I'm not good enough, or can't you see that guy's interest in you?"

Yue Luoyin felt deeply frustrated by Bai Xunyin's evasion just now.

From childhood to adulthood, he had always been the "golden child" in others' eyes, but now his girlfriend seemed hesitant to acknowledge his identity, which struck him as ironic.

"[Yue Luoyin, just be reasonable.]" Bai Xunyin glanced at her watch, realizing there were five minutes left until class, and sent him a message on her phone: "[There were so many students around just now. Didn't we agree to keep things private at school?]"

Yue Luoyin shrugged indifferently, his lips curling in a nonchalant smile, self-mockingly saying, "[There were so many people... So I'm still not good enough.]"

"[It's not because of that, it's just not necessary.]" Bai Xunyin suppressed the weariness in her eyes, patiently explaining, "[Mu Anping is a student from out of town. He just came by today. Why do we have to explain so much to him?]"

"A student from out of town... Not necessary?" Yue Luoyin chuckled lightly, his eyes deep as he looked at her, "So you still don't understand."

Bai Xunyin was momentarily taken aback.

"Bai Xunyin, I'm not your shameful underground boyfriend." Yue Luoyin's voice suddenly turned cold, "He's from out of town, so you shouldn't hide him."

With that said, he turned and walked away, his slender figure carrying an unshakable sense of restlessness.

The conversation ended on an unfriendly note.

Bai Xunyin stared blankly at Yue Luoyin's retreating figure, her fingers tightening around her phone.

When Yue Luoyin returned to the classroom before the teacher arrived, an aura of coldness enveloped him, almost as if it bore the warning "Keep Out" to all who approached.

With an intimidating presence, he walked in, leaving a trail of stunned gazes in his wake.

He went straight to Amo and, amidst the latter's bewildered expression, asked directly, "Who is Mu Anping?"

He urgently needed to know who this person was—Yue Luoyin could discern a boy's desire for a girl, and only Bai Xunyin would be oblivious enough not to take it seriously.

"Oh... Mu Anping." Amo regained her composure, her large eyes glancing timidly at the intimidating Yue Luoyin, "Did you run into him looking for Yinyin? Um, don't misunderstand."

"No misunderstanding." Yue Luoyin forced a smile to soften his icy demeanor a bit before asking again, "Is he a friend of yours?"

"Uh, yeah." There was no need to hide it, and Amo answered openly, "We, Yinyin, and Mu Anping, we all grew up in the same neighborhood and played together since we were kids."

"Later... when we went to high school, his parents were transferred to Linhai, so he went to school there."

After Amo finished her selective recounting, she cautiously observed Yue Luoyin's expressionless face.

There were many things she hadn't mentioned yet, but there was no need to bring them up now.

Yue Luoyin nodded lightly, gradually calming down.

His flawless face broke into a faint smile. "Thank you."

As Yue Luoyin pondered Amo's words, a phrase popped into his mind: childhood sweethearts.

Well, how interesting indeed.

.................................................................................................................

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