Marriage at Thirty - Chapter 57

“Lin Ran, I’ll go line up for food; you go grab the chicken drumsticks,” Lian Fang and Lin Ran divided their tasks.

Chicken drumsticks were limited in supply every day and given on a first-come, first-served basis. Every day, they had to fight tooth and nail for them.

Lin Ran was at the back of the line when a friend from another class spotted her and proactively grabbed an extra two drumsticks for her.

The canteen was bustling, and their table was lively with conversation.

Suddenly, Lin Ran noticed a figure entering through the back door, sitting silently in the corner at a table alone, eating quietly.

She had been at the school for over a month and had gotten to know everyone in the class and made friends.

Only this one person was always alone.

“Fu Linling comes so late every time, she must never get a chicken drumstick, right?” Lin Ran whispered.

“She hasn’t eaten from the canteen since last year. She brings her own lunch from home,” Lian Fang said.

“Why?”

“The canteen gets crowded. She accidentally spilled her food on someone once, and they scolded her terribly—really hurtful stuff,” Lian Fang shook her head.

Lin Ran occasionally glanced over and noticed Fu Linling finished eating in less than ten minutes.

That was incredibly fast.

“Why does she eat so quickly?”

“She’s busy doing homework. She studies whenever she has a spare moment. Do you ever see her wasting time with others?” Lian Fang said.

“No wonder she’s a top student. I could never achieve that level,” Lin Ran sighed.

She only knew Fu Linling was the number one student in Class Six, but she didn’t realize how significant that title was until the monthly exam results were posted. Staring at the grade ranking board, she was stunned. “Fu Linling beat the second-place student by over fifty points?! Is she even human?!”

Lian Fang laughed uncontrollably. “Relax. We’ve been used to it for a long time. You’ll get used to it soon enough.”

Lin Ran walked into the classroom and glanced at the last row. Sure enough, Fu Linling was studying again.

Even after getting first place in the entire grade, she didn’t look particularly happy. She was too calm!

The classmates seemed accustomed to her brilliance, and no one went over to congratulate her or make a fuss; they just continued with their own activities.

“Why doesn’t anyone go congratulate her?” Lin Ran asked, confused.

“Maybe because she doesn’t need it,” Lian Fang whispered. “She doesn’t like playing with others and is always busy studying. Even if we wanted to hang out with her, we’d be afraid of affecting her grades.”

“That makes sense,” Lin Ran nodded in understanding.

She realized that a top student was a top student because of their extraordinary focus and self-discipline.

When others played and messed around during the break, Fu Linling did practice problems.

When others played during P.E. class, Fu Linling did practice problems.

When others went shopping and had fun on the weekend, Fu Linling did practice problems.

When others slept and snored during class, Fu Linling did practice problems.

She was absolutely relentless with her practice.

Every time Lin Ran unintentionally looked over, Fu Linling was always engrossed in reading or practice, almost never changing her posture. She was like a statue.

If Lin Ran hadn’t been caught skipping class and running into Fu Linling, she probably wouldn’t have dared to disturb the top student.

“Fu Linling, could you please not tell the teacher?” Lin Ran had even offered her some of her snacks.

But then she regretted it. Would Fu Linling think she was trying to bribe her?

The teacher discovered the skipping anyway.

During the break, Fu Linling walked up to her, probably to apologize.

But Lin Ran was busy copying vocabulary, so she pretended not to see her.

She was also a little angry.

If Fu Linling didn’t want to keep her secret, she could have simply refused her in the first place.

However, even though she was slightly annoyed by Fu Linling’s actions, Wang Zhe insulting her face-to-face was a matter of morals!

During the P.E. class break, she returned to the classroom to catch up on sleep, only to hear Wang Zhe and classmates ridiculing Fu Linling.

She couldn’t let it slide.

She was initially just arguing with Wang Zhe, but when Lian Fang walked in, she thought they were fighting and immediately rushed over to join the tussle with Wang Zhe. It ended up escalating to the class teacher.

The few of them were all punished to write a reflection essay.

During the break, she passed by the office and heard Fu Linling pleading with the class teacher, explaining the cause of the fight and hoping the teacher would spare her and Lian Fang.

Lin Ran hid outside the door, secretly poking her head in to look at Fu Linling.

Fu Linling’s back was facing her, so she couldn’t see her expression, but her head was bowed as she recounted the insults Wang Zhe had hurled at her.

For some reason, Lin Ran really wanted to pat her head.

This top student is quite well-behaved.

Regardless of whether Fu Linling had reported her earlier, Lin Ran decided not to hold a grudge anymore.

The class teacher indeed exempted her and Lian Fang from the reflection essay and gave Wang Zhe another stern lecture.

Lin Ran was happy and glanced back at Fu Linling.

Unexpectedly, the statue, which should have been looking down at her book, was looking at Lin Ran.

Their eyes met. After a few seconds, Fu Linling quickly lowered her head to look at her book.

“Pfft.” Lin Ran suppressed a laugh.

“What are you laughing at?” Lian Fang asked.

“I think Fu Linling is kind of cute,” Lin Ran said, covering her mouth.

Lian Fang looked toward Fu Linling, whose face was completely hidden by her book, and couldn’t see anything cute about her. She’s purely a study machine, isn’t she?

One Saturday, Qingzi came to school to see her.

Lin Ran pulled Qingzi to her dorm room and chatted with her all afternoon, only to learn that Qingzi’s main purpose was to accompany her crush, who was participating in the math competition, and she had dropped by to see Lin Ran on the side.

“I heard this competition gives bonus points for the college entrance exam. She’s definitely going to win an award,” Liang Qingbo said proudly.

“Math competition? Someone from my class is also participating,” Lin Ran said, flipping through the snacks Qingzi brought.

“How good are their grades?” Liang Qingbo slurped her jelly, trying to scout the competition.

“Can someone who participates in a competition have bad grades?” Lin Ran compared Fu Linling’s usual grades to Liang Qingbo’s crush’s and comforted her, “Facing our class’s number one, she’ll probably only get second place at best. This is your chance. Go comfort her later.”

“Oh, come on! Are you even my friend? Shouldn’t you be on my side and speak up for her? You know how good her grades usually are.”

“I am your friend, but she’s not your girlfriend. I’m just stating the facts. Seriously, do you have a filter for top students?”

“Yes! Don’t you? I definitely like top students.”

Lin Ran thought about it. They were all students, who didn’t have a filter for top students?

Liang Qingbo continued to defend her crush. “Even if she doesn’t get first, it doesn’t mean your classmate will get first. This competition is fierce!”

A month later, Fu Linling won first place in the competition.

[Ran.]: I told you my classmate was awesome!

Lin Ran messaged Liang Qingbo on QQ.

[Qingzi]:

Qingzi’s crush didn’t win a prize and was supposedly heartbroken for days.

During the break, Lin Ran looked at Fu Linling’s calm demeanor and truly admired her ability to remain unfazed by success or failure. Her surprise mixed with admiration. When she accidentally ran into Fu Linling, she couldn’t help but praise her. “First place in the competition! You are too amazing!”

Fu Linling pursed her lips and gave Lin Ran a faint smile.

Thinking back, this was the first time Fu Linling had ever smiled at her.

Lin Ran felt a little happy, so she shared some of the snacks she had just bought with her.

In the spring, after completing her art examination, Lin Ran returned to Class Six to continue her studies, finding that her classmates had all become very serious.

The countdown on the blackboard grew shorter. An invisible pressure and tension settled over the room. Even the usual crowd of friends rarely went out to wander, let alone the top students.

But she noticed that Fu Linling, who was usually the most diligent, was exercising these days, often going to the field to run during the long break of evening self-study.

One time during the afternoon break, Lin Ran went to the rooftop alone, hoping to get some fresh air, only to run into Fu Linling doing sit-ups.

She looked like she was struggling. Her breathing was heavy, and every time she sat up, it took extra effort, and her legs trembled uncontrollably.

“Need any help?” Lin Ran walked over and asked.

Fu Linling looked up at her, and her face immediately flushed.

Perhaps she didn’t want anyone to see her.

Lin Ran awkwardly scratched her head. “If you don’t need it, then I’ll go back—”

“Yes,” Fu Linling whispered.

Lin Ran smiled and squatted down to hold her feet.

Fu Linling bit her lip, doing sit-up after sit-up. Sunlight shone on her sweat-covered face.

No one spoke.

Lin Ran quietly watched her strenuous effort, feeling that Fu Linling truly possessed a stubborn vitality.

If she weren’t afraid of disturbing her studies, or if Fu Linling were willing to make friends, Lin Ran would genuinely want to be friends with her.

“Class is starting soon,” Lin Ran glanced at her watch.

Fu Linling collapsed onto the ground, letting out a long breath. Exhausted, she struggled to sit up.

Lin Ran offered a hand. Fu Linling silently looked at her hand.

Just when Lin Ran thought she was going to refuse, Fu Linling took her hand.

Lin Ran pulled her up.

“Am I very heavy?” Fu Linling stammered.

“No, you’re not. I just pulled you right up. You’re not heavy, really not heavy,” Lin Ran said.

“Thank you,” Fu Linling whispered behind her.

“You’re welcome.” Lin Ran smiled and, with a quick pace, ran down the stairs in a few light steps.

She intended to go help the top student exercise again the next day, but her period arrived.

It was late every month, and the cramps were agonizing.

She lay on her desk for several classes, her face pale.

Lian Fang made her brown sugar water, but it didn’t help. Finally, the pain was so bad that she tipped backward, falling off her chair with a loud crash.

Seeing her pale face, the teacher shouted, “Lian Fang, quickly take her to the nurse’s office!”

Lian Fang was petite and struggled to help her up.

“Fu Linling, you go with them too.” The teacher called on the tall Fu Linling.

Fu Linling hurried out and, seeing the two struggling to walk, came up to them, squatted down, and said to Lian Fang, “I’ll carry her.”

“Okay.” Lian Fang quickly helped Lin Ran onto Fu Linling’s back.

Lin Ran felt much more secure draped over her back and recovered a little strength. She spoke weakly into Fu Linling’s ear. “Thank you…”

“Don’t talk yet.” Fu Linling carried her quickly toward the nurse’s office.

The doctor gave Lin Ran painkillers. After taking the medicine, Lin Ran rested on the bed and weakly said to them, “Thanks. You two go back to class now. I’ll come back by myself later.”

“I’ll stay here with you. I can’t understand math class anyway.” Lian Fang pulled up a small stool next to her. She turned to Fu Linling and said, “You go back. I’ll stay here. But you can’t miss math class.”

Lin Ran managed a weak smile. “Right, Fu Linling, hurry back. Thank you for your trouble today.”

“It’s nothing…”

Fu Linling wanted to say something else, but the doctor shooed her away. “This doesn’t need so many people accompanying her. Hurry back to class. No skipping allowed under this pretense!”

Lian Fang was also chased out later.

After her period passed, Lin Ran regained her vigor. As the weather got warmer, she kept buying ice cream.

One day, she ran into Fu Linling at the entrance of the school store.

“You shouldn’t eat these so often,” Fu Linling said, looking at the ice cream in her hand.

“But it tastes good,” Lin Ran was a classic case of healed scars leading to forgotten pain.

“Have you seen a traditional Chinese medicine doctor? You could try internal conditioning.”

“Not yet. That painkiller from last time was pretty good. It works fast.” Lin Ran laughed twice before her friend pulled her away to buy hotdogs.

Walking quite a distance, she unintentionally looked back and saw Fu Linling still standing in the same spot, looking at something.

The college entrance exam was less than a month away.

Lin Ran also had to return to her original school.

She was afraid that telling her classmates in advance would lead to overly emotional farewells, or them preparing gifts, which would both waste their money and interrupt their study time, so she didn’t notify anyone.

Instead, after a peaceful lunch break, everyone found a postcard on their desk with Lin Ran’s blessings written on it.

The students looked at the cards, then at the suddenly empty seat. The sense of farewell before the Gao Kao came suddenly. Many girls cried, and even many boys were quiet.

Fu Linling took the card and went up to the rooftop alone.

The handwriting on the card was beautiful—

To the amazing top student, I wish you all the best in getting into your dream school and a splendid future. ^_^

She stared at the card for a long time until her vision was blurred by moisture.

Lin Ran returned to her original school. Her old classmates were very happy and asked about life at the Sixth High School.

“Although it’s a small place, the local customs and people are great. The classmates there are really nice. I made so many good friends,” Lin Ran told them about several classmates with distinct personalities and shared some fun stories.

Liang Qingbo asked, “What about your class’s number one student? Why aren’t you talking about her this time?”

“What do you want to know?”

“I want to know if she’ll be the top student in the college entrance exam,” Liang Qingbo still seemed upset that the number one student had won the competition.

“I can’t say for sure about anything else, but she’ll definitely be the top student at the Sixth High School. It’s even possible she’ll be the top student in the province,” Lin Ran said.

“That strong? Are you two close friends?” someone asked.

“No, I’m actually not that close with her. I just simply believe in her. She’s a really amazing person. She’s definitely going to have a wonderful future,” Lin Ran smiled.

End of Book