Vol 2 Chapter 15: Take Me Home

The sunset shone in.

This cast a peculiar glow on Li Wanran standing at the classroom door. Because she was backlit, the two of them couldn’t clearly see each other.

Sun Fan, whose eyesight was not very good, squinted. When he finally recognized the girl standing at the classroom door, he was stunned for a few seconds.

Then, he instinctively opened his mouth wide in disbelief.

He glanced incredulously at Liu Changqing, who was expressionless beside him, before shifting his gaze back to the door.

He blinked.

Before Sun Fan could say anything, Li Wanran, who appeared at the classroom entrance, faced Liu Changqing with a smile and said,

“Want to go home together?”

Although it was a question, there was an inexplicable sense of insistence in her tone.

Whether he noticed this or not, upon hearing Li Wanran’s question, Liu Changqing’s previously emotionless expression changed slightly.

His brows furrowed for a moment, then quickly relaxed again.

He did not answer but averted his gaze, lowered his head, and picked up his backpack.

He gently pushed Sun Fan, who was blocking his way out. After Sun Fan stepped aside, he calmly walked out.

Before leaving, he didn’t forget to say,

“Stop staring and go home.”

However, this action only made the already bewildered Sun Fan more confused.

This best friend of his, who always liked collecting the things Li Wanran discarded and cherished them carefully, usually stammered incoherently when he saw her.

So why today...

Without noticing what Sun Fan was thinking behind him, Liu Changqing, ignoring Li Wanran, walked straight toward the classroom door.

But as he was about to exit, Li Wanran blocked the main exit of the classroom.

His footsteps halted.

Towering over her in height, Liu Changqing lowered his head slightly.

He looked at her.

“What act are you putting on?”

“Going home together.”

“Not on the way.”

“It’s on the way.”

“...”

Silence fell. Liu Changqing stared at the girl in front of him, whose appearance fully deserved the word beautiful.

For some reason, his subconscious told him not to get involved with her.

Otherwise, it would be troublesome.

Although this feeling was strange, Liu Changqing’s attitude wasn’t entirely based on intuition.

Knowing all the memories of the original body, he really didn’t want to have any necessary relationship with the person who had once worshipped him like a slave.

He didn’t believe that the girl who had been looking at him with disgustful eyes just a few days ago suddenly fell for him within two days.

That wasn’t realistic.

Unless she had also been replaced.

But judging by how much she knew about the surroundings, it didn’t seem like she was the same as him.

Given this, the result was obvious.

The girl called Li Wanran in front of him was probably trying a different method to reject the obsessive pursuit of the original owner of this body.

Although he didn’t know why she was doing this, Liu Changqing had a bad feeling... if he really took the bait, it might not end well.

He maliciously speculated that she might be trying to lure him first. If he lost control and did something outrageous to her, she could use that to report to the school and severely punish him.

Looking at it this way...

She was ruthless.

In an instant, Liu Changqing guessed this outcome.

However, at this moment, Li Wanran had no idea that the high school version of Liu Changqing before her was so misinterpreting her.

She just wanted to be happy.

To prevent tragedy from repeating...

Usually cold and expressionless, only when facing Liu Changqing did she show a smile.

That smile had never appeared on her face before.

It was a smile only for him.

Unfortunately... he didn’t buy it.

After a brief silence, Liu Changqing turned and left through the classroom’s front door, walking toward the back of the classroom.

He reached the back door, opened it, and stepped out.

Li Wanran watched this whole move but didn’t try to stop him at first. She just watched Liu Changqing leave through the back door.

A few seconds later, she also left the classroom entrance and walked toward the stairwell.

After both left, only Sun Fan, who was still standing stunned in place, and a few other students who hadn’t left remained.

Filled with confusion, he stared at the door, replaying the recent conversation in his mind.

He thought... someone as beautiful as Li Wanran actually showed affection toward his best friend...

“Ah...”

He let out a meaningless exclamation, then raised his hand to wipe his face.

As if frightened, he murmured,

“Is she blind...?”

————————————

Arriving at the bike shed,

Liu Changqing found his old bike. First, he pulled the key from his pocket, unlocked the bike, and put the lock away. Just as he was about to push the bike away, a familiar voice came from behind.

“Take me home.”

“...”

His body stiffened as he gripped the bike’s handlebars, exhaling deeply.

Pretending not to hear, he turned the bike around and pushed it past her side.

He got on the bike.

His left foot on the ground for support, his right foot on the pedal.

But before he could pedal, he suddenly felt the rear tire become much heavier.

Then, a pair of arms wrapped around his waist.

In an instant, every hair on Liu Changqing’s body stood on end.

He broke out in goosebumps.

Before he could react, Li Wanran, sitting sideways on the back seat, spoke.

“Let’s go. You know where I live.”

“Not... ”

Liu Changqing, pedaling the bike, tilted his head and glanced back at the girl.

His expression was full of confusion.

Honestly, even he didn’t understand why Li Wanran, who had always disliked his current body, would go this far.

“What exactly do you want? If it’s because I used to stalk you, I apologize. That was my fault. From now on, we’ll stay out of each other’s way. Please... don’t torment me anymore!”

“What nonsense are you talking about? How am I tormenting you?”

“Aren’t you? What era is this, and you just go around hugging my waist like that?”

“I want you to be my boyfriend.”

Faced with Liu Changqing’s question, Li Wanran straightforwardly said this sentence.

Then, her arms hugging his waist tightened, showing no intention of letting go.

She continued,

“I already told you this this morning, didn’t I?”

“Do you really like me?”

“Yes.”

“Are you crazy, or am I crazy?”

“Neither is crazy. Like is just like.”

“...”

The back-and-forth conversation went on without pause.

Until Liu Changqing shut his mouth.

He turned his head to look at the girl sitting behind him on the bike.

October’s weather was still somewhat sultry.

Because it was hot, Li Wanran wore short sleeves.

Because of the short sleeves, Liu Changqing could feel the sensation of her arms wrapped around his waist.

And...

Her body temperature.