Chapter 55

At eight-thirty in the evening, Li Luo strolled out of the sixth-floor classroom with Ying Chanxi, stretching his arms.

Classmates on the playground were still enduring grueling military training; Li Luo had come as class monitor to attend a meeting and listened to the arrangements for tomorrow's trip to the camp.

"Did you use the sunscreen I gave you this morning?" Ying Chanxi asked, turning her head as they went downstairs.

"Weren't you watching me use it?"

"I'm asking about this afternoon," Ying Chanxi gave him a look, "Did you apply it?"

"... No."

"I'll make sure you apply it tomorrow at noon."

"Why are you acting like my mom?" Li Luo looked exasperated. "Boys have healthier skin when they're a bit darker."

"... Do you think I enjoy taking care of you?" Ying Chanxi snorted, stepping down the stairs with extra force. "Apply it or don't!"

The two chatted and bickered all the way to the playground entrance, then parted ways, each heading toward their respective class formations.

Twenty minutes remained until the end of military training; the entire playground had entered the break phase.

When Li Luo returned to his formation, everyone was sitting on the ground—except Lin Yuan, who stood at the front singing "A Little Sweet."

"A talent show?" Li Luo plopped down beside Yan Zhusheng and turned to ask curiously.

"Mm." Yan Zhusheng nodded, then seriously critiqued, "You missed two notes just now, and your high note was strained."

"... You don't need to be so harsh on a classmate," Li Luo said, exasperated, recalling how Yan Zhusheng had trained him in guitar and singing during his past life.

Back then, Yan Zhusheng had nothing else to do besides practicing piano and singing, eating, and sleeping.

Most of his free time was spent either listening to music or reading.

Later, he added one more thing: teaching Li Luo to play guitar.

It wasn't because Li Luo actually wanted to learn—he'd just taken on a Short Drama script where the lead had to play guitar, so he asked Yan Zhusheng for a quick overview.

Before long, he'd somehow ended up actually learning.

Yan Zhusheng was meticulous about this; Li Luo's questions were basic, but Yan Zhusheng always explained them in great depth.

As a result, the Short Drama script contained too much technical detail and was later cut by the production team—Li Luo earned not a single cent.

"Aren't you going up to sing?" Li Luo smiled, recalling these amusing memories, and turned to ask.

"How do you know I can sing?" Yan Zhusheng countered.

"Don't you remember?" Li Luo reminded him. "You said during your self-introduction that you liked music and running."

"But I didn't say I liked singing, did I?" Yan Zhusheng tilted his head, probing sharply on this tiny detail.

Faced with this familiar feeling, Li Luo could only twitch his lips: "... It was just that the moment I saw you, I thought you'd sing beautifully."

"Then I'll sing," Yan Zhusheng said. "Listen."

"Sure."

Just as they finished talking, Lin Yuan finished "A Little Sweet," walked back to the formation, stole a glance at Hua Xiuxiu to gauge her reaction, then sat down blushing.

At that moment, Yan Zhusheng stood up, about to step forward—when a long whistle suddenly blew from the center of the playground, announcing the end of tonight's military training.

"Pity. Guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow," Li Luo laughed, stood up, patted his backside, and headed toward the classroom after Instructor Zhang announced dismissal. "But I've got a guitar at home—I can bring it tomorrow and accompany you?"

Yan Zhusheng, who had been frowning slightly at missing his chance to sing, suddenly relaxed his brow at Li Luo's words: "Really? You can play guitar?"

"Just a little," Li Luo said, pinching his thumb and index finger together to gesture.

In front of Yan Zhusheng, Li Luo dared only claim he knew a little—after all, this guitar skill had been taught to him hand-over-hand by Yan Zhusheng in his past life.

According to Yan Zhusheng's own assessment, Li Luo was barely at beginner level—enough to fool those unfamiliar with music.

The two returned to the classroom. Li Luo packed his bag and prepared to go home.

Other boarding students still had to attend evening self-study before dismissal.

At that moment, Yan Zhusheng turned to Li Luo and suddenly said, "Can I ask you a favor?"

"Huh? What's up?"

"I ran out of sunscreen," Yan Zhusheng pulled out an empty bottle and shook it. "Can you buy me a new one?"

"This?" Li Luo raised an eyebrow, instinctively opened his bag, pulled out a bottle of sunscreen, and handed it toward Yan Zhusheng. "I've got one here—just take... wait."

As he spoke, Li Luo caught sight of Ying Chanxi's figure by the back door and immediately snatched the sunscreen back, shoving it into his bag.

He'd been an idiot—he'd almost given away the sunscreen Ying Chanxi had given him.

If she found out, he'd probably get his head smashed in.

Thinking of this, Li Luo's lips twitched, and he quickly corrected himself: "I'll buy you one when I get home. I'll bring it tomorrow."

"Oh." Yan Zhusheng watched the sunscreen disappear into Li Luo's bag but asked no further questions, simply nodding. "Thanks."

Li Luo waved his hand, slung his bag over his shoulder, and walked out of the classroom.

Outside, Ying Chanxi eyed him suspiciously. "What were you two talking about?"

"Guess."

"I'll guess your big head!" Ying Chanxi snorted, turning toward the stairs. "Fine, don't tell me."

As the two walked out of school, only when they neared the community gate did Li Luo say, "My desk partner ran out of sunscreen. She asked me to buy her a new one."

"That's what you were talking about in the classroom?" Ying Chanxi asked.

"Yeah."

"Didn't you have one yourself?" Ying Chanxi's gaze flickered, stealing a sidelong glance at him as she probed.

Hearing her ask this, Li Luo immediately adopted a solemn, serious tone: "This was given to me by you. How could I give it to someone else?"

"Hmph. At least you've got some sense," Ying Chanxi's lips couldn't help curling upward, her steps lightening as she headed toward the supermarket by the community gate. "Come on. I'll buy one for your desk partner—you don't know which brand is good. I'll pick for her."

Early the next morning, Li Luo arrived at Class Eight's classroom carrying a guitar case, while Ying Chanxi brought an extra new bottle of sunscreen.

Spotting Yan Zhusheng at her seat, Ying Chanxi walked up warmly, pulled out the sunscreen she'd carefully chosen the night before, and handed it to her.

"I heard from Li Luo that you ran out of sunscreen, so I bought you a bottle," Ying Chanxi said. "This one has better moisturizing effects—just apply it once in the morning and once at noon."

"Oh, thank you," Yan Zhusheng took the sunscreen, then asked, "How much did it cost?"

"It wasn't much—consider it a gift," Ying Chanxi waved her hand. "Just use it. I'm leaving now."

With that, Ying Chanxi turned and walked away gracefully, under the gaze of the students in Class Eight.

Yan Zhusheng held the sunscreen in hand and looked up at Li Luo beside him: "Should I give you the money?"

"No need," Li Luo shook his head. "It wasn't my money anyway. If you want to repay her, just treat her to a meal sometime."

"Oh," Yan Zhusheng nodded, then said, "Your cousin is really nice."