The school supermarket was located near the canteen and closer to the senior year teaching building.
Most of those lingering in front of the supermarket before class were senior year students.
They seemed to know Yu Wenli well, greeting him from afar.
A few tall boys occupying the leisure tables and chairs were smoking.
They didn't look like good students.
What was more, they exuded an aura of being "not to be trifled with."
They reminded her of the school bullies in Lucheng.
Wen Tingxue had an instinctive fear of older students.
But Yu Wenli was always the center of attention wherever he went, and she was by his side.
Unavoidably, she also became the focus.
Those boys, while chatting and laughing, stared at her with amusement.
As if she were some rare specimen.
As they got closer, Wen Tingxue's resistance grew stronger.
Finally, she stopped in her tracks.
"How about..."
She gently tugged at his sleeve, her expression apologetic.
"How about you go in by yourself? I... won't accompany you."
The young girl's face turned pale, her eyes darting away. Yu Wenli understood what she was afraid of in an instant.
He chuckled and, without further explanation,
He put his arm around her shoulder and walked towards the group of boys.
Even through the not-so-thin fabric, he could feel her trembling.
But—
Yu Wenli hardened his heart, let go of her, and said to the boys,
"She's my sister, I'll look after her for a bit. I'm going to buy some water."
"Got it."
The boy sitting in the middle, with two fingers pressed together, made a cool gesture at his forehead and agreed with a smile.
Wen Tingxue felt her heart pounding in her throat, and Yu Wenli even walked away.
She didn't even have a chance to grab his sleeve.
A sense of grievance welled up, making even her fear recede.
Amidst the boisterous noise, Wen Tingxue tightly clasped her hands together, her lips trembling.
The boy who had spoken earlier silently observed Wen Tingxue for a moment, then kicked the boy beside him.
"Sister, come, sit."
He patted the empty seat next to him with a smile, appearing easy-going.
But Wen Tingxue knew he was far from as good-natured as he seemed.
Unable to refuse, she nervously sat down.
Her big, expressive eyes were filled with fear.
The rowdy boys quieted down, and only Que You smiled and teased,
"Sister, your courage... you dare to be by Yu Wenli's side?"
Perhaps it was because he didn't seem aggressive, but Wen Tingxue dared to look up at him.
Her misty eyes held a look of confusion.
Que You raised an eyebrow, somewhat amused. "You don't know what he does?"
Wen Tingxue instinctively glanced at the supermarket window. The young man, with his tall and straight posture, was paying at the counter.
He was holding a bottle of water and something else, she couldn't see clearly.
Wen Tingxue shifted her gaze back and asked softly, "Isn't he a student?"
A moment later, she remembered that Xie Jin Yi had also said something similar to her.
It seemed that besides being a student, Yu Wenli had other identities.
Que You smiled and raised his eyebrows. "He'll tell you himself."
As he spoke, Yu Wenli walked down the steps with a bottle of water.
Dressed in black, with a stern expression, the sunlight hit him, making him look like a poster, whether still or in motion.
Que You stood up and walked in front of Yu Wenli, lowering his voice to tease.
"Looks like the rumors are true."
He gestured with his eyes towards Wen Tingxue, his handsome eyes full of gossip.
"Even the 'flower on the high mountain' can be plucked?"
Yu Wenli ignored him and asked indifferently, "Didn't bully her, did they?"
Que You rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't dare bully your people, but..."
He changed his tone. "This girl is too timid. Being by your side is very dangerous. Don't get the girl hurt."
At first glance, he didn't believe it.
But Yu Wenli never played by the rules, so it was plausible.
The only thing he was unhappy about was that he felt the girl didn't deserve Yu Wenli.
However, after years of friendship, he wouldn't comment.
He just reminded Yu Wenli of his situation.
Yu Wenli's eyes lowered slightly. "I'll handle it."
Did this mean she was the one he couldn't do without?
Que You raised his eyebrows in surprise and said no more, turning to wave at Wen Tingxue.
"Going now, sister. If you need anything, come find me in Class 3 of Senior Year. Say my name, Que You."
After finishing, he turned back and whistled at Yu Wenli. "See you on the weekend."
-
On the way back to the field, Wen Tingxue kept her head down, lost in thought.
Yu Wenli called her name a few times, but she didn't respond.
As they were about to reach the assembly point, Yu Wenli frowned, then lifted his long leg, stepping in front of her to block her path.
He moved so quickly that even though Wen Tingxue reacted, she inevitably bumped into his chest.
The familiar, crisp scent mixed with his warmth enveloped her, causing a blush to creep onto her face.
"Sorry! Sorry!"
Wen Tingxue quickly took two steps back, habitually apologizing.
Her distant attitude made Yu Wenli's brow furrow slightly, but he first asked,
"Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"
His voice, which struck a chord in her heart, pulled Wen Tingxue's wandering thoughts back.
But her raised eyes still held a hint of dazed confusion.
Yu Wenli's heart tightened, thinking he had made her uncomfortable by his actions. He explained quickly,
"I'm sorry, I know it was wrong to force you to go over there, but I have a friend who lives in Lucheng, so I know a little about your situation."
He paused, then softened his voice, coaxing her.
"Yi Yi, fear cannot solve problems. Only by facing them can you overcome your inner fears. Instead of letting the shadows fester in your heart, it's better to root them out from the beginning."
He knew his words were cruel, at least to her.
But festering wounds needed to have the rotten flesh removed and be bandaged to truly heal.
Otherwise, even if the surface healed, the inside would still be rotten, and it might hurt again at any time.
Wen Tingxue's eyelashes fluttered, then she lifted her face, which had regained some color, and said softly,
"I'm not blaming you. I know what you mean. They are all your friends, they won't hurt me. I was just thinking about something else."
Yu Wenli asked, "What?"
"Hmm..."
Wen Tingxue slowly lowered her eyes.
She was thinking about Que You's words, and also about Xie Jin Yi and Yu Ya He.
But about the latter... she really had no standing to ask.
"Yi Yi and Yu Ya He fell out because of me."
Wen Tingxue bit her lower lip dejectedly, her eyes looking glum.
Yu Wenli's eyes showed surprise. "They..."
Before he could finish, Chi Ze Rui approached with a group of people. "Brother Yu, hey, little sister."
Seeing Yu Wenli frown, Chi Ze Rui quickly shooed away the people around him and approached with a smile.
"What are you two talking about? Can I join?"
As he spoke, he buttoned his school uniform, revealing a thin red athletic jersey underneath.
Wen Tingxue felt cold just looking at him.
But he seemed oblivious to the cold. The first time they met, it was chilly, and he was only wearing a hoodie.
Wen Tingxue was naturally obedient, and with a casual question, she repeated what she had said.
However, her tone was a bit more awkward, lacking the ease she had with Yu Wenli.
Chi Ze Rui raised an eyebrow after listening. "The two of them broke up because of you? Then you are..."
Yu Wenli glanced at him indifferently, and he quickly changed the subject.
"Their relationship was already strained, so it has nothing to do with you. It must be their own reasons."
He nodded in affirmation.
Wen Tingxue: "..."
Yu Wenli then changed the topic. "It's almost time for class. What were you doing at the supermarket?"