Trying to Run? Dream On.

If you offer yourself to me, I might consider it.

— Su Zai Zai Fairy’s Diary

---

In June, the weather gradually shifted from cool and pleasant to hot and dry.

The sky was a clear, vivid blue, and the cement ground was baked scorching hot under the sun.

The cicadas screeched intermittently, their cries loud and sharp.

Inside the classroom, seven or eight students crowded around the bulletin board by the back door, checking the results of the monthly exam.

Soon, a wave of wails and groans filled the air.

Xiao Xiao couldn’t help but turn her head from the front to speak to Su Zai Zai.

She lowered her voice slightly and nodded toward a girl in the class.

“That Lu Yu, she got second place in the grade this time, and she’s still complaining that she didn’t do well.”

Su Zai Zai rested her chin on one hand, lazily twirling a pen in the other as she doodled on her notebook.

Hearing this, she lifted her head, looking slightly hesitant.

Then she said, “But she was first place last time.”

Xiao Xiao swallowed the rest of her words.

“…Alright, I don’t understand the world of top students.”

Sensing the awkward silence, Su Zai Zai changed the subject.

“Who’s first place this time?”

Just then, the person sitting next to her returned.

Hearing her question, Wang Nan raised an eyebrow and said, “Me.”

“Oh,” Su Zai Zai responded flatly, saying nothing more.

Seeing him back, Xiao Xiao asked curiously, “Hey, Nan God, did you get a perfect score in math again this time?”

“No,” Wang Nan sighed. “I miscalculated the last question. Careless mistake.”

After saying this, he glanced at Su Zai Zai and deliberately added, “But I wrote down all the correct steps. I think it wasn’t that hard, actually pretty easy.”

Yet, she had no reaction at all.

Just then, the class bell rang. Wang Nan dropped his head in frustration and flipped open his textbook.

---

A while later.

Su Zai Zai whispered, “Wang Nan, do you know who has the air conditioner remote?”

As the weather got hotter, the classroom’s air conditioning was turned on.

Since the school installed two units per classroom, both were placed on the side of the room furthest from the door.

Coincidentally, Su Zai Zai sat in that section.

“I think the class rep has it,” Wang Nan turned to look at her. “But it’s pointless. They already set it to 28°C. No way they’ll turn it up any higher, or the people sitting near the door will roast.”

Su Zai Zai sniffled and rubbed her arms. “Got it.”

Noticing her lips turning purple from the cold, Wang Nan scratched his head and scolded her, “Didn’t I remind you to bring a jacket yesterday?”

“I forgot.”

After a moment of hesitation, he offered, “Want to borrow mine?”

Su Zai Zai turned to look at him, her expression uncertain.

She quickly averted her gaze and curled herself up into a ball.

That helped her warm up a little.

She rubbed her arms again, trying to smooth out the goosebumps on her skin.

Then, she mumbled, “No need. I don’t like wearing other people’s clothes.”

Wang Nan didn’t say anything else.

After thinking for a moment, Su Zai Zai added, “But… thanks anyway.”

---

After class, Su Zai Zai grabbed her water bottle, intending to get some hot water.

The moment she stepped out of the classroom, a wave of heat hit her.

Her frozen body instantly felt relieved.

She hadn’t walked far when she bumped into Zhang Lu Rang coming out of the advanced science class.

Her nose hit his back, making it sting and tingle.

Su Zai Zai rubbed her nose and grumbled, “Are you trying to murder your future wife?”

Zhang Lu Rang: “……”

Ignoring her words, he turned around, lowering his gaze to check her face.

Once he was sure she wasn’t hurt, he let out a breath of relief.

Then he frowned and scolded, “Don’t say nonsense.”

“What nonsense?” Su Zai Zai asked defiantly.

“……”

“Am I wrong?”

His expression darkened, and he said coldly, “Su Zai Zai.”

Su Zai Zai instantly cowered but still mustered the courage to accuse him, “Why do you always get mean when you can’t win an argument?”

“……”

After a brief pause, she confidently argued, “Where am I wrong? We even set the date for when we’ll get together. The next step after dating is marriage, isn’t it?”

Zhang Lu Rang turned his head away, his ears burning red. He didn’t want to deal with her.

“So what’s wrong with me calling myself your future wife?”

“……”

Getting no response, Su Zai Zai grumbled, “Are you playing with me?”

Hearing that, Zhang Lu Rang turned to her and denied, “No.”

Su Zai Zai didn’t believe him. “But you haven’t even thought about marriage.”

“……”

“I’m really disappointed in you. You’re a scoundrel.”

Zhang Lu Rang finally couldn’t take it anymore. The words slipped out before he could stop himself.

“I have thought about it.”

Su Zai Zai froze. “What did you say?”

His expression turned awkward, and he quickly looked away.

The next second, Su Zai Zai’s face turned completely red.

---

After filling their water bottles, Zhang Lu Rang started heading back.

Su Zai Zai quickly grabbed him.

“Let’s stay out here a little longer. The classroom is too cold—I need to warm up.”

Zhang Lu Rang hesitated but kept walking back inside.

Seeing that, Su Zai Zai didn’t insist.

She walked beside him and suddenly remembered something.

“Lu Rang, how did you do in math this time?”

He answered flatly, “One hundred and fifty.”

Su Zai Zai lowered her head and smiled slightly, feeling happy for him.

Then, in a small voice, she said, a little downcast, “I only got ninety… just barely passed.”

Zhang Lu Rang instinctively turned to look at her expression.

After a brief pause, he said for no apparent reason, “This math exam was pretty hard.”

Su Zai Zai turned her head to look at him.

Seeing his serious expression, his hand, which had been hanging by his thigh, was now raised again, resting on his neck.

She was a bit stunned but quickly reacted, letting out an “Oh.”

Su Zai Zai leaned closer to him, grinning playfully. “Move over, you’re coaxing me.”

As she said this, they had just reached the entrance of the Advanced Science Class.

Zhang Lu Rang didn’t respond to her, walking straight into the classroom and throwing out a sentence:

“Wait here for me.”

Even though she didn’t know what he was going to do, Su Zai Zai obediently stood by the door.

Not long after, he came out with a jacket in hand.

Su Zai Zai immediately put her hands behind her back, completely unwilling to take it.

“You wear it yourself, your seat is under the air conditioner too.”

“……”

“Rang Rang, you getting sick is the biggest trouble for me. Stop making things difficult for me.”

He sighed and said, “I brought two jackets.”

Hearing this, Su Zai Zai’s hands behind her back gradually relaxed. She asked in confusion, “Huh? Why did you bring two?”

Zhang Lu Rang didn’t answer. Instead, he grabbed her wrist and stuffed the jacket into her hands.

“Don’t catch a cold,” he said softly.

---

The days passed, one after another.

Zhang Lu Rang left the house and got into Lin Mao’s car.

He placed his school bag beside him, turning his head to look out at the scenery.

The sunlight was blinding, making people dazed.

Zhang Lu Rang retracted his gaze, adjusted his sitting posture slightly, and closed his eyes.

Lin Mao didn’t start the car right away. His fingertips tapped against the steering wheel as if deep in thought.

Then, he sighed and said, “Ah Rang, you might have to go back to B City for high school next semester.”

Hearing this, Zhang Lu Rang immediately opened his eyes.

“The requirements for out-of-city students to take the college entrance exam in Z City are too many. I’m not confident I can get you the necessary paperwork…” Lin Mao paused before continuing, “I talked to your dad. He said he won’t let you attend B High.”

Zhang Lu Rang said nothing.

Lin Mao also didn’t know what else to say and silently started the car.

Soon, Zhang Lu Rang spoke, his voice quiet: “Can I come back during winter and summer breaks?”

Hearing him speak, Lin Mao finally let out a sigh of relief.

“If you want to come, then come. If your parents won’t let you, I’ll go pick you up myself.”

Zhang Lu Rang fell into silence, his mind blank.

He suddenly thought of that day when Su Zai Zai had looked at the rankings on the bulletin board, eyes wide, grinning as she praised him.

—— “Rang Rang, you’re amazing!”

Even if others couldn’t see his worth, Su Zai Zai could.

Zhang Lu Rang suddenly tugged at the corners of his mouth, as if he had come to a realization.

“Uncle, let’s go to B High then.”

---

Not long after Zhang Lu Rang entered the classroom, Su Zai Zai came in through the back door, standing beside his seat.

Zhang Lu Rang habitually stood up, moved to the seat next to his, and gave up his spot for her.

Su Zai Zai sat down, laughing for a long time.

Zhang Lu Rang sat beside her, his face indifferent.

It wasn’t until Su Zai Zai had laughed enough that she finally spoke.

“Rang Rang, did you know the physics teacher shaved his head? Oh my god, I nearly died laughing… It’s so shiny.”

Zhang Lu Rang: “……”

Seeing his inexplicable stare, Su Zai Zai blinked and asked, “What?”

Zhang Lu Rang was silent for a moment before saying, “He shaved it last Monday.”

“……”

Su Zai Zai immediately lowered her head and obediently admitted her mistake.

“I-I never looked up at him before…”

Zhang Lu Rang frowned and said in a cold voice, “Su Zai Zai, pay attention in class.”

Su Zai Zai didn’t argue and nodded obediently.

She felt a bit exhausted, realizing that she might have fallen for the discipline director.

After scolding her, Zhang Lu Rang parted his lips slightly as if he wanted to say something.

But in the end, he said nothing.

---

After the closing ceremony of the second semester of their first year of high school—

Su Zai Zai lay on her bed in despair, unwilling to move.

She didn’t want the holidays to start at all.

Because once the holidays started, they would be in a long-distance relationship.

Long-distance meant potential, unnoticed rivals.

Before she could think any deeper, her phone vibrated.

Zhang Lu Rang had sent her a message.

—— Can you come out now?

---

Walking out the door, Su Zai Zai skipped over to Zhang Lu Rang.

Seeing that he didn’t look too good, she immediately put away her smile and asked, “What’s wrong…?”

The night air was chilly.

There weren’t many people on the street, and the atmosphere was quiet, almost heavy.

The wind blew, making the trees sway beside them.

Zhang Lu Rang licked his lips and cautiously said, “Su Zai Zai…”

“Yeah?”

He lowered his head, his gaze locking onto hers. “I’m going back to B City for school next semester.”

His words were slow, each syllable enunciated clearly.

Su Zai Zai heard him loud and clear.

She froze for a moment but acted like she didn’t understand.

After a brief silence, she finally spoke slowly.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about… I’m going home.”

Zhang Lu Rang immediately grabbed her hand. “I—”

Su Zai Zai shook off his hand, and her tears instantly fell.

She lifted her hands, covering her eyes as she tried to suppress her sobs while throwing a fit.

“You always do this!”

Zhang Lu Rang stood in front of her, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he struggled to find the right response.

Su Zai Zai, head lowered, wiped her tears and started speaking sarcastically.

“Fine, do whatever you want. As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.”

Zhang Lu Rang opened his mouth, but before he could say anything—

Su Zai Zai suddenly burst into tears, grabbed his hand, and choked out, “No, you’re not allowed to go back. How could you do this… I don’t care…”

“Su Zai Zai, stop crying.” He sighed. “I have no choice but to go back for the college entrance exam.”

“No!” She refused to listen at all, only knowing one thing—she couldn’t accept it.

“No!” She couldn’t accept it at all, only knowing how to refuse.

“I’ll come back during winter and summer breaks,” he said.

Hearing this, Su Zai Zai finally started to stop crying.

But she still couldn’t take it.

School lasted five months at a time, while winter break was only one month long.

A fivefold difference…

“When are you leaving?” she asked, eyes red.

He answered seriously, “I’ll go back a week before school starts.”

“You won’t fall for some other girl over there, will you?”

Zhang Lu Rang looked a little flustered. “…Don’t talk nonsense.”

Su Zai Zai’s thoughts were still in disarray, and she started speaking without much thought.

“You won’t even give me a proper title.”

“…”

She thought for a moment, then said seriously, “Then kiss me, and I’ll let you go.”

Her voice carried a slight nasal tone, as if she were acting spoiled.

Hearing this, Zhang Lu Rang took a step back, his entire face turning red as if it were bleeding.

He lowered his voice and gritted his teeth. “Su Zai Zai!”

Her eyes were still damp, glistening under the moonlight.

She immediately grabbed his collar, full of stubbornness.

She refused to let him escape. She didn’t want to let him escape.