Chapter 114: Her Hair

"You need to learn how to produce sound properly—the high notes are still too forced."

"Follow me: make the 'na' sound, then gradually raise the pitch."

"Good, feel the power from your chest—don't fully switch to falsetto; using falsetto for the high notes in this song will lack power."

Although I used a little trick to get Li Luo to stay for private training.

But when it came to anything related to music, Yan Zhusheng was exceptionally serious.

If there really were such a music teacher, Teacher Yan would certainly be outstanding and competent.

Li Luo had already experienced this in his previous life.

Now, receiving Yan Zhusheng's earnest instruction was merely a repetition of their past relationship.

This left Li Luo somewhat dazed, as if he hadn't been reborn, and Yan Zhusheng were still the music girl whose heart disease hadn't been detected.

Inside the room, one sang, one recorded video, one read, one edited, one played piano, one posted videos.

With Yan Zhusheng's monthly income of over ten thousand supporting them, the work was incredibly easy and pleasant, and there was such a beautiful boss to look at.

That period of time truly left Li Luo with unforgettable memories.

Unfortunately, it lasted only half a year before Yan Zhusheng flew abroad and Li Luo became unemployed again.

Who could have imagined that after everything restarted, he would meet her again at this new high school?

"You were daydreaming," Yan Zhusheng said. "Did I teach poorly?"

"No," Li Luo shook his head. "I just had a moment of enlightenment."

"What did you realize?"

"Guess."

Yan Zhusheng looked at him but didn't actually guess; instead, she put the guitar away and said, "If you're tired, we'll stop for today."

"But there are still more than ten minutes left until class ends," Li Luo checked the time. "Should we go back to the classroom?"

"Want to take a walk back?" Yan Zhusheng tilted her head, thinking, then suggested, "I feel like going for a run."

"Fine," Li Luo nodded and followed Yan Zhusheng out of the activity room.

As they walked toward the playground, Li Luo asked, "Do you run regularly now?"

"I wake up a bit earlier in the morning and run for a while on the playground," Yan Zhusheng said. "At night, I just go straight back to the dorm."

Here, Yan Zhusheng suddenly remembered something and turned to look at Li Luo: "Do you want to run with me?"

"Huh?"

"Wake up a bit earlier in the morning and come to school for morning runs together."

"But doesn't the school have group running during the big break after ten?" Li Luo immediately shook his head at the thought of waking up early. "Waking up early is worse than killing me."

"Then..." Yan Zhusheng thought for a moment. "How about we run together after the second evening self-study session? The sports meet is coming soon—we can train ahead of time."

"That's not impossible," Li Luo, now in his fifteen-year-old body, didn't mind running exercise. "But I need to tell Chanxi and the senior."

As they spoke, they arrived at the playground.

Yan Zhusheng took out the Bluetooth earphones Ying Chanxi had given her, put one on herself, handed the other to Li Luo, then opened music on her phone.

A rhythmically energetic tune sounded in their ears.

As Yan Zhusheng began running, Li Luo quickly matched her pace.

Sharing the music from the earphones, they slowly circled the playground.

In the distance, the teaching building glowed brightly with lights.

But the playground itself was dark, indistinct.

Neither spoke while running, until the bell signaling the end of the third evening self-study session rang, and they gradually slowed to a stop.

Li Luo returned the earphones to her, and the two walked together toward the classroom.

Along the way, many students from Class Eight noticed their figures climbing the stairs and were somewhat surprised.

After all, both had vanished for the entire evening self-study, and Li Luo was a day student—yet here he was, still not home at this hour.

And now, looking at their current state...

"Yan Zhusheng's face is so red."

"Why hasn't the monitor gone home? What did she do? Why is she breathing so hard?"

"Damn! What did they do all night?!"

"Tsk tsk, my junior high classmate from another class even asked me about Yan Zhusheng—now I can just tell him to give up."

"No way, maybe they had some other reason?"

"Wasn't it rock club practice? Didn't someone say they were in there?"

"Who knows how it really is? I've always suspected they had something going on."

"The monitor's got it so good—so unfair! The prettiest girl in class got taken so fast."

After passing them, rumors spread rapidly among Class Eight students.

Back in the classroom, Li Luo picked up his bag and walked out of school with Yan Zhusheng.

Watching her head toward the dormitory complex across the street, Li Luo parted ways with Yan Zhusheng at the school gate, then returned to Bihai Lanting 1502.

As soon as he entered the house, he saw Xu Youyu sitting cross-legged on the sofa, chewing on the wooden stick from a finished pudding.

Seeing Li Luo enter, Xu Youyu glanced at him and snorted: "You finally remembered to come back? I was waiting for you to make me dinner."

"Where's Chanxi?"

"She went to her room after showering."

"And you?" Li Luo glanced at Xu Youyu. "You didn't actually wait for me to make dinner, did you?"

At this point, Xu Youyu had already showered and changed into pajamas—a loose white nightgown that concealed her figure.

"You're imagining things," Xu Youyu stretched out on the sofa. "I came back, did a bit more work, ate the pudding, and went to sleep."

Saying this, she sat up straight, slipped on her slippers, and walked toward the bedroom.

But as he passed Li Luo, Xu Youyu suddenly stopped and scrutinized his face closely: "Why do you seem to be sweating?"

"I went for a run tonight."

"Didn't you say you were going to practice with the rock club?" Xu Youyu frowned. "Do they even do fitness training?"

"Isn't the sports meet coming up soon?" Li Luo bluffed casually. "As class monitor, I should lead by example, participate actively, and bring honor to our class."

"Hmph." Xu Youyu kicked him lightly. "Who are you trying to fool? Like you're the only one who's class monitor."

"... If someone insists on taking it personally, what can I do?" Li Luo rolled his eyes. "By the way, what events are you good at in the sports meet?"

Xu Youyu crossed her arms, as if showcasing her burdens: "Do I look like someone who competes? The student council president has tons of work too, you know."

"That really must be tough for you," Li Luo muttered, instinctively glancing down—then immediately locking eyes with Xu Youyu, making him grunt in annoyance.

I got caught again!

"You've improved!" Xu Youyu grinned, waving as she walked back to her room. "You noticed I noticed you in two seconds—keep it up!"

The bedroom door closed.

Li Luo chuckled awkwardly and headed toward his own room.

But halfway there, Ying Chanxi's door swung open.

Carrying a sheet, Ying Chanxi walked out, placed it in the bathroom washing machine, then turned to Li Luo in the hallway: "You're back?"

"You seem a bit down today."

Hearing that, Ying Chanxi glanced at him but didn't answer. Instead, she silently walked toward his room: "I'll change your sheets too—we can wash them together."

"Oh, let me help," Li Luo said, following her into his bedroom—only to watch her effortlessly open his closet and pull out a fresh sheet with uncanny familiarity, placing it neatly on the nightstand.

Then she stepped to the bed, bent down, and gripped one corner of the sheet, ready to pull it off.

But in the next instant, her gaze sharpened, her brow furrowed slightly, and her right hand reached out to gently pluck a single strand of hair from the mattress.

"Li Luo, what's this?"