Chapter 198: Echoes of Graduation

Lin Zheng Ran watched Jiang Qian hurry away and touched his cheek.

Puzzled, he muttered, “So, what’s the link between not standing for it and kissing me?”

He let out a sigh and returned to the sports field.

Though he went back to the sports field too, Jiang Qian was gone. The second miss had dashed to the restroom to wash her face frantically, then sat outside the venue, lost in thought.

She sat with poised elegance, looking aloof, but inside, she kept replaying the moment she kissed Lin Zheng Ran’s cheek.

Her mind swirled with countless pink bubbles that rose and burst.

Lin Zheng Ran got back to the sports field and stayed busy for a while. Since everyone was eager to head home, he figured most things were wrapped up and told them to call it a day.

Soon, only Fang Meng and Lin Zheng Ran remained, handling the final tasks.

Fang Meng finished tallying all the items: “The props here are all accounted for—no missing pieces.”

Lin Zheng Ran nodded, glancing at his list:

“Great, that covers everything. I’ll double-check the doors and windows to make sure nothing’s unlocked. You can head out.”

Fang Meng nodded, but she wasn’t planning to leave: “No rush—it’s just a few minutes. I’ll stick around and help check the doors and windows.”

Lin Zheng Ran shrugged: “Alright, whatever works.”

Then she asked curiously: “By the way, Lin Zheng Ran, where’s Qian Qian? I don’t see her around.”

Lin Zheng Ran climbed the steps and scanned the windows: “Did she leave? I haven’t seen her for about ten minutes.”

Fang Meng thought that was possible, but to be safe, she figured she should call Qian Qian.

She pulled out her phone, about to dial, but hesitated as she looked around the empty sports field with only Lin Zheng Ran and herself there.

In the end, she put her phone away and followed Lin Zheng Ran to check the doors and windows.

Lin Zheng Ran asked: “Did you message her?”

“No, but Qian Qian’s probably just wandered off somewhere. If she’s left, she would’ve texted me. I’ll call her later.”

Lin Zheng Ran shut a window that was still open.

Fang Meng glanced back at the deserted sports field and sighed:

“It’s hard to believe high school’s over. Feels like the military training from three years ago was just yesterday, and now it’s all done.”

Lin Zheng Ran glanced at her and smiled:

“High school flies by—most of it’s just studying, not much to remember. But isn’t it a bit late to get sentimental now? Exams ended days ago.”

Fang Meng stared at Lin Zheng Ran’s profile as he checked the windows, recalling that time at KTV when he sang.

“I never got sentimental about graduating before. In elementary or middle school, Qian Qian was always first, and I was always with her. But things changed in high school—now I’m actually feeling nostalgic.”

Fang Meng said earnestly:

“I never imagined Qian Qian and I would become friends with you. I thought you’d just be one of her rivals, and after she won, we’d never cross paths again.”

Lin Zheng Ran chuckled: “I didn’t expect it either.”

“If…” Fang Meng parted her lips softly, “if high school military training happened again, I bet Qian Qian would bring you iced tea—and I would too.”

“Hmm?” He turned his head just then.

Fang Meng had somehow moved right next to Lin Zheng Ran, her delicate hand grasping his sleeve.

She rose on her toes, eyes closed, and planted a gentle kiss on the right side of his lips.

After the kiss, Fang Meng’s face flushed as she slowly lowered her heels.

She gazed at Lin Zheng Ran.

Lin Zheng Ran thought to himself, what are these best friends up to today?

Fang Meng shyly smiled: “No big reason—I just wanted to kiss you. Isn’t that what you do at high school graduation? To leave no regrets.”

Not long after, Lin Zheng Ran locked up and left the sports field.

He reflected on how eventful the past couple of days had been.

But he hadn’t gone far when he saw Han Wenwen, Lily, and Heqing approaching together.

Lin Zheng Ran asked curiously: “What brought you three back? After the ceremony, I told you to pack up in the dormitory and wait for my call. I’d finish here and let you know.”

Lily said with a touch of pride: “There’s not much to pack in the dormitory—the tricky stuff was done days ago.”

Heqing said timidly: “We didn’t have anything else to do there, so we thought we’d come help you out.”

Han Wenwen linked arms with Heqing, tilting her head with a knowing smile, saying nothing.

Lin Zheng Ran sighed: “I don’t need your help—the teachers left plenty of people for that. We wrapped up in less than twenty minutes. Anyway, if you’re all set, I’ll return the sports field key to the teacher, and we can head home.”

The three little ones replied in unison.

Lin Zheng Ran pulled out his phone to call the homeroom teacher about finishing up at the sports field.

He went to return the key.

With the key returned, the four of them walked toward the school exit. Once they left today, even after the break ended, they wouldn’t return.

Along the way, Han Wenwen suddenly sniffed the air and gave Lin Zheng Ran a puzzled look.

Brother Zheng Ran seemed to carry the scent of several women—and those two scents were oddly familiar.

Meanwhile, after Lin Zheng Ran left, Fang Meng sat in a corner outside the sports field, her face still red as she zoned out for a bit.

After kissing him in the sports field, she’d slipped away, her heart pounding nonstop.

Suddenly, her phone rang. Fang Meng pulled it out and saw it was Jiang Qian calling.

Fang Meng answered: “Hey? Qian Qian, where are you?”

Just then, from around the corner, Jiang Qian popped up: “Xiao Meng, I’m right here.”

Fang Meng looked at her in surprise: “Qian Qian? What are you doing over there?”

“I’ve been sitting here the whole time. I heard your phone ring when I called you.”

It turned out the two had been zoning out in the same spot, just on opposite sides of the corner.

Fang Meng felt a jolt—if she had a habit of talking to herself, Qian Qian might’ve overheard about kissing Lin Zheng Ran.

Then she thought, what now that she and Jiang Qian liked the same guy? How would they handle that?

Jiang Qian reached out: “Let’s head home. There’s something I want to discuss with you.”

Fang Meng took her hand as she pulled her up: “Sure. Actually, there’s something I wanted to talk about with you too.”

The two best friends exchanged looks.

They suddenly shared a knowing smile.

It seemed they both knew what it was about.

After a quick chat, Jiang Qian and Fang Meng left the school. Jiang Qian called her parents:

“Hey, Dad? There’s something I need to tell you. I don’t want to go to Stanford for university. I won’t improve there. Xiao Meng and I are thinking of other schools.”