Confess your feelings to me, or I'll come upstairs and grab you.

Confess your feelings to me, or I'll come upstairs and grab you.

The day of the exam finally arrived.

The first exam was Chinese, which lasted two and a half hours. Chinese was one of Lin Shih-ren's strong points, so he answered it very smoothly.

The lunch break was long, but very few people slept. Everyone had books and notes spread out in front of them, cramming and muttering to themselves as they studied.

Zhou Lin's learning style was different from theirs.

He required Lin Shih-jen to write down on an A4 sheet of paper every day, listing any knowledge or question types he didn't understand, and to review the paper before going to bed at night.

Yes, just watching without doing anything.

This allows the brain to continue thinking while sleeping.

The next morning, I would cross out what I already knew, and I would do the same every day. During weekend tutoring, I would then finish all seven A4 sheets of paper I had accumulated throughout the week. ①

Lin Shih-ren experimented with the method for a period of time and found it to be highly efficient, so he continued to use it.

Moreover, Zhou Lin didn't allow her to read before the exam; if she wanted to, she could only read extracurricular books. He said that only by stabilizing her mindset and emotions could she stabilize her performance.

The afternoon exam bell rang, and the sound of desks and chairs clattering filled the classroom. The exam army, like the Great Migration of Africa, headed to their respective exam rooms with paper and pens.

The exam bell rang repeatedly, and the three-day exam passed quickly. When the last exam was over, Lin Shih-ren finally breathed a sigh of relief.

It was just getting dark, and the road leading to the school gate was filled with people discussing the exam questions. She took Dong Rui's arm as they walked and chatted: "How did you do on the exam?"

When you're relaxed, even the air you breathe feels fresh.

"Whatever, the exam is over, good or bad, I've already cleared my mind."

Dong Rui sounds like the kind of girl who grew up in a carefree family, and her spirited demeanor is truly enviable.

Lin Shih-ren: "Okay, let's have something nice to celebrate tonight."

"I want to eat hot pot, and I also want to eat barbecue..."

Amidst the bustling crowd, she spotted Zhou Lin.

In the cold wind, he stood there with his hands in his pockets, his tall stature particularly eye-catching. Song Ci peeked out from beside him and snapped her fingers at them: "Why did it take you so long? Xiao Zhouzhou and I have been waiting for you for ages."

Zhou Lin didn't need to take the midterm exam, so he finished answering the questions and handed in his paper before the bell rang. The proctor glanced at him and reminded the others that there was still half an hour before the exam was over.

Their eyes met, and Lin Shiren waved his hand, saying, "I have something to do tonight, so I won't be going with you."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was sweet and clear. Several boys turned around to take a look as they passed by.

Zhou Lin noticed it keenly. He walked over from the roadside, blocking the flow of people behind him, and then carefully scanned her expression, concluding as if studying it: "Looks like you did well on the exam."

Dong Rui was almost amused by the academic genius's self-cultivation: "Zhou Lin, I swear on your life, you'll stay single forever with this kind of conversation."

Zhou Lin rubbed his temples after being teased by her, Lin Shiren covered his mouth and chuckled, and Song Ci, who couldn't bear to see his brother get the short end of the stick, immediately pressed on with her questioning: "Are you two going to eat? Take us with you."

Dong Rui was accompanying Lin Shiren to buy a birthday present for Zhou Lin. Upon hearing this, she immediately glared at him and said, "We're going to buy things for girls, so you guys don't need to come along."

They have no sense of taste.

Song Ci suddenly realized: "I know, you want to buy large Band-Aids, right? Actually, you don't need to be so sneaky. Menstruation is a very normal phenomenon. It is a barometer of a girl's health, a mark of growth, and a symbol of vitality. You should not feel ashamed."

After delivering a motivational speech, he opened his arms, ready to receive applause and cheers.

Unfortunately, he was met only with a few glares.

What era are we living in? Who would be ashamed of menstruation?

Just as Dong Rui was about to unleash her fury, the phone rang. Her father asked why she hadn't come out yet. While dragging Lin Shiren along quickly, she said into the phone, "Coming, coming, I've already seen your car."

Before getting on the bus, Zhou Lin sent Lin Shiren a message, asking her to let him know when she got home. Lin Shiren's face turned bright red.

Is this the legendary travel history code?

The two chatted away the whole way, and Mr. Dong parked the car at a shopping mall in the city center.

Winter had just begun, but the mall was already overflowing with spring clothes. After browsing for two hours, Lin Shiren finally found a gift she liked in a boutique.

The globe is made of acrylic and is transparent. Inside is a space station. She pressed a switch and the lights inside turned on.

Dong Rui chewed on takoyaki, her words mumbled: "Boys will definitely like it. It looks very high-end as a decoration in the study, or as a night light, so he can think of you every night when he turns off the lights."

"Okay, this one will do."

Lin Shiren blushed at her words. Most of the students could see the ambiguous relationship between the two, but no one said anything.

Dong Rui glanced at the price tag again and clicked her tongue: "Six hundred and ninety-nine, that's too expensive!"

Then she watched in disbelief as Lin Shiren swiped her card. She quickly swallowed the small meatball in her mouth and stared at Lin Shiren's face like a scanner: "Renren, so you're a little rich girl!"

Lin Shiren was amused by her expression and took her arm again: "No, this is my New Year's money."

There are some things that are not convenient to say. If you compare the price of one-on-one tutoring outside, she owes Zhou Lin a lot more.

But Dong Rui interpreted it as something else entirely: on the birthday of someone she was having an affair with, she knew she had to put thought into the gift.

After regaining her composure, she pushed Lin Shiren into the women's clothing store next door and smiled brightly at the sales assistant who came up to her: "Sister, can you help my classmate pick out an outfit for her birthday party tomorrow? It doesn't have to be too formal, just something that will make everyone swoon and leave the birthday girl completely smitten!"

Lin Shiren was so embarrassed that he covered his face with his hands: "Really, you don't need to..."

*

On Zhou Lin's birthday, the weather was gloomy, with a prelude to snow.

The place where the birthday party was held was called Utopia, a detached vacation villa in the suburbs. Lin Shih-Jen took a ride-hailing car at 4:30 pm and arrived when it was almost dark.

The lights were on at the villa's entrance. The first floor was an open-plan living room, complete with a restaurant, karaoke, billiards, and card games. The second floor featured a tatami tea room, a game room, and several private rooms for relaxation.

So many people gave him gifts that they filled the entire coffee table, and Lin Shiren placed his own gift among them.

After searching around, I couldn't find the birthday person, but I did see Xu Yiqiao on the sofa.

Xu Yiqiao's beauty is very flamboyant.

Her eyelashes were clearly defined, as if she were whispering something in Ruan Ya's ear. Her lips were exquisitely shaped, and her pink sequined dress sparkled under the crystal chandelier.

Perhaps sensing the gaze, she turned her head to look over. When she saw Lin Shiren, there was a subtle change in her eyes, but she still took the initiative to greet him: "Hi."

As soon as Xu Yiqiao spoke, everyone gathered around her looked over.

The two haven't spoken since the coffee incident, but Lin Shih-ren could sense the growing distance between their small circle. Fortunately, she was already used to being alone, and ineffective socializing didn't affect her.

This gathering was probably organized by Song Ci. There were classmates she was close to, as well as people she usually played basketball with. When familiar and unfamiliar eyes fell on her, Lin Shiren hesitated for a second, but she quickly adjusted her expression and replied calmly, "Hi."

A message popped up on her phone at just the right time; Zhou Lin had texted her asking if she had arrived yet.

She felt a little unhappy at the time, but she couldn't explain why.

Lin Shih-ren found a secluded corner and replied, "We've arrived."

She asked again, "Why haven't you arrived yet?"

Zhou Lin: "There's a matcha cake on the table. I'll be there after you finish eating."

Looking at the group of people he couldn't fit in with, Lin Shiren retorted, "They're so small, I can finish them in one bite."

Zhou Lin: "Eat slowly, wait for me."

There was a wooden swing in the yard. Lin Shiren sat on it with a cake in her hand, but after a few minutes she felt a bit cold. It was very windy at the time, and she was thinking of just going home when a car headlight swept past and a car stopped in front of the villa. With a "click," the car door opened and Zhou Lin got out of the back seat.

The leaves rustled, and the wind ruffled his forehead. Lin Shiren looked at him, put the last bite of cake in her mouth, while Zhou Lin's gaze fell on her. He closed the car door and walked in her direction.

He stopped in front of her, looked down at her, and asked, "Aren't you cold? Why are you waiting outside?"

She said that, but she was actually happy inside. If she hadn't been so eager to see him, she wouldn't have waited outside in the freezing cold.

Perhaps it was a coincidence, but Lin Shiren was wearing a white sweater and Zhou Lin was wearing a white hoodie. As his gaze grew more intense, her heart pounded faster and faster. She could only look away to hide her feelings: "Who leaves a guest there? The host is the last one to arrive!"

Her tone contained a hint of coquettishness that she herself was unaware of.

But Zhou Lin seemed unconvinced, his eyes fixed on her: "You can help the master greet the guests."

Lin Shiren thought to herself that she didn't need to entertain the guests; they were all incredibly familiar with her. Besides, if she really did entertain them, who knew what Xu Yiqiao's group would squeeze out of her, but she would definitely squeeze out a castle...

The key question is, why should she help greet the customers?

Then she realized what he meant and looked up to see his mischievous smile. She was so embarrassed and angry by his teasing that she said, "You think you're right for being late?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Three consecutive apologies came from afar, showing their sincerity.

Song Ci got out of the passenger seat and raised his hand to greet her, but what surprised her was Song Ci's appearance.

Her hair was combed back with hair wax, a ribbon hung from the collar of her white shirt, and her houndstooth coat shimmered as she walked; upon closer inspection, it was covered in rhinestones. Her flamboyant style rivaled that of the popular Taiwanese drama "Tiny Times," and she exuded an aura that would easily secure her a center position in a boy band competition. Lin Shih-Jen was simply unbearable to watch.

"Luckily we don't share the same last name, so don't tell me I know you later."

Tang Shi walked behind, looking like she wanted to distance herself from him, and explained with a twitching smile, "Being late is all Song Ci's fault, he took too long to get ready..."

"Who said we had to be more formal today?"

“The word ‘grand’ is different in our dictionary.”

"This is because I value my brother's coming-of-age ceremony."

"It's pitiful that my fragile adult eyes have to suffer like this..."

As darkness fell and a few ice crystals drifted down from the sky, the siblings continued their bickering. Zhou Lin patted her head and said, "Let's go inside, it's cold outside."

As soon as Song Ci entered the villa, he started making a big fuss, collecting everyone's phones amidst a series of shouts and yells, and said righteously, "You're here to have fun, not to play with your phones. Come find me when it's time to get yours."

With Song Ci, who loves to make a ruckus, the villa quickly became lively. Some people were slumped on the sofa playing Switch, the girls were eating fruit, and the boys were playing cards together. The cards were also interesting, arranged in the order of Chinese, Math, English, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Politics, and Geography, with seven or eight people sitting or standing around them.

One boy played a card: "Chinese, Math, English, see?"

Another person threw down their cards: "What is this? Three physical cards."

"Holy crap! A game-winning shot!" The crowd erupted in laughter.

It has to be said that after Zhou Lin arrived, everyone became unusually talkative. Lin Shiren looked at the social smile on his lips and thought he was really asking for trouble.

He's someone who's too lazy to even talk, yet he insists on awkwardly chatting with everyone who comes to say hello.

Dong Rui took a glass of juice from the counter, glancing at Xu Yiqiao who was singing karaoke, and pursed her lips: "I heard that Xu Yiqiao made her cake herself."

Although she had no personal grudge against Hsu Yi-Chiao, she had already included Lin Shih-Jin in her close friend group, and her best friend's rival in love was her enemy.

Lin Shih-jen did not respond.

Dong Rui glanced at her expression and then put on a different face: "Making a cake is nothing. We've been classmates for so long. If they really had feelings for each other, wouldn't they have gotten together already? Besides, I've noticed she's been getting quite close to Shen Xuqing lately."

It turns out there were no secrets in the class at all. Lin Shiren sighed, "Forget about them, let's focus on the college entrance exam."

"Lin Shiren, Dong Rui."

Lin Shiren's reply and Song Ci's interjection came together. He pretended to show off his billiards skills, with a lollipop in his mouth, and mumbled, "Come and play billiards."

"We won't."

He bent down, aimed at the cue ball, and struck it with a crisp, clean sound: "I'll teach you."

Some people joked, "Oh dear, why didn't anyone teach me?"

The scene became chaotic, and Lin Shiren, having a headache from their noise, made an excuse to go to the toilet and slipped away.

After washing her hands, she wanted to leave, but Utopia was located in a remote area, and she couldn't get there without a car. It was at this moment that she realized Song Ci's real purpose in taking her phone.

That's so sneaky.

Zhou Lin glanced in her direction several times along the way, clearly intending to come and find her, but was stopped by the people he was talking to, and his expression became increasingly impatient.

That damn Song Ci not only wasted time on the styling, but also sent out random invitations.

Despite the bustling crowd around her, Lin Shiren felt lonely. She often had this feeling, unable to distinguish whether she was an insider or an outsider even when surrounded by people.

Just as she was feeling melancholic, the sound of footsteps came from the second floor. Dong Rui was halfway down the stairs when she frantically winked at her: "Hurry up, come upstairs with me."

"What?" Lin Shiren walked towards her.

Dong Rui was almost driven crazy by her. She rushed downstairs and dragged her arm upstairs, saying, "I went upstairs to steal a phone and just happened to see Xu Yiqiao calling Zhou Lin out."

What exactly is it that requires a private discussion?

The answer is self-evident.

Lin Shiren felt all the blood rush to her head, and her ears were ringing. If Dong Rui hadn't been dragging her along, she wouldn't have known whether to step with her left or right leg first.

The tea room has a great view, overlooking the north garden of the villa. Inside the fence, a miniature horse leisurely swishes its tail, completely unaware that it is about to witness a confession.

Perhaps the suggestion was made too hastily, because neither of them was wearing a coat, and they were half a meter apart. The wind blew Xu Yiqiao's skirt onto Zhou Lin's legs, but he stood still.

Zhou Lin was facing away from the upstairs, so his expression couldn't be seen. All that could be heard was Xu Yiqiao calling his name: "Zhou Lin."

"I kept asking myself, when is the right time? After receiving the acceptance letter? Or on a sunny day? So I hesitated, wavered, and struggled internally. Over time, I found myself becoming less and less like myself."

Zhou Lin didn't interrupt her, and Lin Shiren felt as if her heart was being squeezed lightly.

At that moment, she seemed to realize something: she seemed to have really fallen for Zhou Lin, because her heartbeat and breathing wouldn't lie to her; these two vital signs were out of order.

During the two years she had secretly loved Shen Xuqing, she had never felt this way before.

Moreover, she had always known that Xu Yiqiao liked Zhou Lin, and even welcomed the two of them being together. So when did her heart begin to lean towards Zhou Lin?

"I know that liking someone is a high-probability event, but mutual liking is a low-probability event, so I really want to know the answer to this question..."

As Xu Yiqiao finished speaking, tears began to fall from her eyes.

Someone opened the door downstairs, and Khalil Fong's singing voice drifted out—

"You are the special person I'm meant to meet."

Understanding a person may require patience.

After an accident

Only then did I understand what love is.

……”②

In a quiet and peaceful place, there were only the two of them, and the scene was as romantic as the male and female protagonists in a romance novel.

She said, "Zhou Lin, is it possible for us to be together?"

Time seemed to stand still.

As the soft music played, Zhou Lin spoke, but because his voice was low and there were background noises, they couldn't hear anything clearly.

A few seconds later, Xu Yiqiao left.

Dong Rui's mood was like a rollercoaster ride. She picked at her ear and asked, "Zhou Lin didn't agree just now, did he?"

Lin Shiren didn't know what he said; all she knew was that her heart was beating very fast, so fast it felt like it was going to jump out of her chest.

At that very moment, a male voice suddenly rang out from downstairs: "Lin Shiren, I'll give you two choices—"

"Come down yourself, or I'll come upstairs and grab you."

-----------------------

A note from the author: ① The learning methods are taken from a top student from a certain province who got into Tsinghua University on Xiaohongshu. Please use your own judgment.

②Fang Datong's "Special People" is free of charge based on word count.

50 red envelopes~