Chapter 14 - [A tough weekend (3)]
Chu Yan, who was beside Xu YanRan, was startled by Xu YanRan’s reaction. “What’s wrong, YanRan? Don’t scare me…” Chu Yan’s voice carried a hint of panic.
But Xu YanRan didn’t answer her. Chu Yan followed Xu YanRan’s gaze and briefly saw Ling Fan and Su MoRan’s figures. After an SUV drove by, Ling Fan and Su MoRan’s figures disappeared around the corner.
“Ah… Little Yan, it’s nothing. I just suddenly remembered something,” Xu YanRan said with an apologetic smile, looking at the worried Chu Yan.
“Really? But I saw you staring at those two people ahead,” Chu Yan pointed to the corner where Ling Fan and Su MoRan had disappeared.
“Is, Is that so? You must have been mistaken.”
“YanRan, are you really okay?’ Chu Yan asked, still not entirely reassured.
“I’m fine. Let’s hurry. I accidentally dropped the water bottle, and my shoes got wet. I need to go back and change.”
“Okay, but why do the backs of those two people just now seem a bit familiar.”
Out of trust in her friend, Chu Yan didn’t delve further or question Xu YanRan.
At this moment, Xu YanRan was experiencing a whirlwind of emotions. She wanted to go after Ling Fan to ask why he was there and who the girl beside him was.
It should have been her right to have her arm around Ling Fan, a privilege she had earned through her persistent efforts to break through Ling Fan’s indifference.
Who was that girl, and why was she so naturally occupying the place that was rightfully hers?
She really wanted to ask.
But she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Her rationality restrained her, causing her to retract the steps she had taken towards Ling Fan. After all, she was just an ordinary girl, and her relationship with Ling Fan was merely that of friends.
Even though her mind was filled with countless thoughts, she couldn’t express them.
Resisting the temptation to pursue him, she cast a glance at Chu Yan by her side and dismissed the idea of secretly following Ling Fan.
Instead, she headed back to her own home with Chu Yan.
“Su MoRan, isn’t this a bit inappropriate? I think it’s better if we don’t get this close,” Ling Fan said, his expression slightly stiff as he tried to pull his arm away but remained immobile.
Su MoRan was holding him very tightly. In just a short moment, Ling Fan felt his arm starting to go numb, and Su MoRan’s somewhat developed figure was clearly conveyed to his brain through his arm.
But Ling Fan was not in the mood to enjoy this soft comfort.
Just now, when Su MoRan hugged his arm, Ling Fan felt a chilling gaze sweeping over him, making him feel a shiver down his spine.
But when he tried to look back, Su MoRan had already pulled him around a corner.
Could it be that Su Wen has someone keeping watch? Ling Fan’s mind raced. Moreover, Su MoRan’s house is in this neighborhood. If someone happens to see them and decides to report to Su Wen…
Thinking of this, Ling Fan was determined to free his arm no matter what.
“Hm? Brother Ling Fan, are you worried about something?” Su MoRan continued to smile brightly, and Ling Fan couldn’t understand why Su MoRan had been so cheerful all morning.
“I… Su MoRan, this is near your home. If someone sees us like this and tells your mother, it could be really problematic,” Ling Fan decided to reason with her, trying to explain.
“If it’s just this, Brother Ling Fan, you don’t need to worry. I’ll explain it to my mom.”
“And also, I’ve told you to call me MoRan, but you still haven’t changed your way of addressing me. Why is that?” Su MoRan’s smile suddenly faded as she recalled the shampoo scent from this morning.
Ling Fan’s unease began to rise with the recent unsettling gaze, the proximity to Su MoRan’s home, and the system’s warning from earlier.
“MoRan…” The situation was too dire. Compromising was the only option.
Ling Fan recalled the enticing reward for completing the mission and made a decision.
“I heard you, Brother Ling Fan. I’ll call you Ling Fan, too, then. It’s settled then,” Su MoRan said as she released Ling Fan’s arm. After spending so much time in her room, the shampoo scent should have now dissipated.
Ling Fan sighed in relief at the sight.
“I’m not very familiar with this area, so I’ll follow your lead,” Ling Fan suggested, passing the responsibility of finding a place for lunch to Su MoRan.
“Alright, leave it to me.”
As he followed Su MoRan and chatted, Ling Fan reflected on the events that had transpired this morning.
Su Wen’s absence made Su MoRan’s behavior seem unusually out of character. Usually, Su MoRan struck Ling Fan as a very well-behaved young girl, quite different from Xu YanRan.
Su MoRan was polite and adhered to the rules, never casually sticking to him.
Xu YanRan is quite different. She’s full of tricks, and if Ling Fan isn’t careful, she will stick to him. Moreover, she often makes Ling Fan fetch snacks or pours water for her. In a way, Su MoRan feels more like a student to Ling Fan, while Xu YanRan feels more like a classmate or friend.
This difference likely has to do with their age gap and personalities, was what Ling Fan believes.
However, Ling Fan is perplexed by Su MoRan’s unusual behaviour today. Upon contemplation, Ling Fan thinks that Su MoRan may be experiencing a sense of solitude due to the absence of her family, leaving only him as her sole companion.
It’s completely understandable for a young girl in her first year of middle school to experience these emotions, considering she’s accustomed to having her family close by.
Thinking of this, Ling Fan recalled Xu YanRan. Xu YanRan is different from Su MoRan. Having spent a lot of time at Xu’s family’s home, Ling Fan noticed that Xu’s family rarely paid attention to her.
As an only child, Xu YanRan is naturally pampered a lot, and while her material needs are always met, other aspects of her life seem lacking. Thus, Xu YanRan’s personality is relatively easy for him to foresee.
During the first month of tutoring Xu YanRan, Ling Fan noticed a subtle hint of darkness in her eyes from time to time.
He could feel a hint of loneliness lingering within Xu YanRan.
Ever since this realization, Ling Fan has made it his goal to help Xu YanRan, studying numerous psychology books in the process.
In Ling Fan’s view, addressing students’ psychological issues is also part of his responsibility.
Thus, his interactions with Xu YanRan differed from those with Su MoRan. Instead, he took on a more friendly approach with Xu YanRan, adjusting his behaviors and thought patterns to fit the role.
Thanks to Ling Fan’s deliberated efforts, the results were quite significant. Xu YanRan started to make more friends, her grades improved noticeably, and everything, in Ling Fan’s opinion, was moving in a positive direction.
Ling Fan was pleased to see Xu YanRan’s changes and felt at ease when receiving Xu ZhongHao’s red envelope.
Ling Fan believed that Xu ZhongHao got a great bargain—a single payment for both a psychological counselor and a cultural tutor.
So he tolerated Xu YanRan’s usual playful antics as if he were an older brother taking care of his younger sister.
While Ling Fan was lost in his thoughts, Su MoRan had brought him to a traditional Chinese restaurant and stopped in front of the door.
“Ling Fan, the food here is quite good. I used to come here with my mom often. What do you think?” Su MoRan asked, seeking Ling Fan’s opinion.
“I don’t have any objections. If you like it, then it’s fine with me.”
“Then let’s go in,” Su MoRan said, leading the way through the door. Ling Fan followed closely behind.
After enjoying a leisurely lunch, Ling Fan took Su Mo Ran back to the Su residence.
Noticing that Su Mo Ran was yawning, Ling Fan suggested she go back to her room for a nap. After a short rest on the sofa himself, Ling Fan grabbed his backpack and headed out.
Su MoRan was awake in her room. She was watching an anime on her phone and occasionally gazing at the tablet. The tablet displayed Su MoRan’s living room, with Ling Fan resting with his eyes closed.
When Su MoRan saw Ling Fan get up and leave, she pulled back the curtains slightly to watch him go. Then, she took out a small tracking device from a drawer under her bed and began to fiddle with it.
As she reflected on the memories of Ling Fan calling her “MoRan,” his focused demeanor while teaching her, and his radiant smile, these images played out in her mind like a series of snapshots. Su MoRan shook her head, placed the device back in the drawer, and closed it.
Su MoRan followed Ling Fan’s suggestion and lay down on the lazy sofa he had used, starting her nap.
As she drifted into sleep, her lips curved into a slight smile, and her face showed a look of contentment as if she wanted to share the sweetness of her dreams with those around her.