Class 3, Grade 8, Junior High School, Spring City No. 10 Middle School.
Xu Qian lay on the table, her face buried in her arms, muttering softly.
"Where's the autograph you promised... School's already started and you still haven't given it to me. Liar, big liar!"
Her deskmate and best friend, Xiaoyu, leaned over and asked in a low voice, " Qianqian, your cousin said he'd ask Yan Ruanning for an autograph for you, any news?"
Xu Qian looked up, a little embarrassed, "It should be soon..."
Upon hearing this, Xiaoyu's eyes lit up, and she said, "I don't want Yan Ruanning's autograph, I want your cousin's."
Xu Qian was taken aback. "My cousin's autograph? He's not a celebrity, why would he want it?"
" Che Baby is more popular than a celebrity now," Xiaoyu said, her hands supporting her chin, her eyes sparkling. "And he's a student at Peking University. My mom even told me to learn from your cousin."
Xu Qian got goosebumps all over.
" Che Baby? What a disgusting title."
Xiaoyu pouted and muttered, "If Che Baby were my cousin, that would be great... um, no, if he were my cousin, we couldn't get married."
Xu Qian looked at her speechlessly. "You really have a vivid imagination."
Just then, a girl walked over from the side.
Her name is Zhou Li, and she is Xu Qian's nemesis. The two have been at odds since the beginning of junior high school.
" Xu Qian." Zhou Li stood beside the desk, arms crossed. "Didn't you say you could get Yan Ruanning's autograph? School's started and you still haven't gotten it. You weren't just bragging, were you?"
A boy next to them chuckled and chimed in, " Xu Qian's brother is a bookworm; how would he possibly get Yan Ruanning's autograph?"
The boy's name is Zhao Peng, and he is Zhou Li's suitor.
He thought he was speaking up for Zhou Li, but as soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Li and several girls around him turned around in unison.
"Shut up!"
Zhao Peng was stunned.
The girl next to Zhou Li glared at him:
"She looks like a toad, how dare she be jealous of our Big Brother Che? She's shameless."
Zhao Peng opened his mouth, his heart shattered.
He looked at Zhou Li, but Zhou Li didn't speak up for him. Instead, she turned her head away, looking a little awkward.
Xu Qian suppressed a laugh when she saw this.
At that moment, the homeroom teacher pushed open the door and walked in.
The other students returned to their seats, and the homeroom teacher stood at the door and called out, " Xu Qian, your sister is here to see you. She's at the school gate and says she wants to give you something."
Xu Qian was taken aback.
Where did she get an older sister?
She is an only child. She has two older cousins, but they live in other cities, and she hasn't heard of either of them coming to Spring City.
Filled with questions, she left the classroom and ran all the way to the school gate.
A woman was standing outside the school gate.
He was wearing a loose-fitting coat, a baseball cap, and a face mask.
Fully armed, only their eyes and a tiny bit of their chin were visible.
Xu Qian slowed her pace.
Dressed like that, are you a human trafficker? Do you think I'm cute and want to sell me?
She was so frightened that she took a step back.
The "human trafficker" seemed to smile when he saw her reaction, then reached out and pulled his mask down.
Xu Qian had seen that face countless times in her dreams.
Yan Ruanning.
Xu Qian froze on the spot, her mouth agape, almost letting out a scream.
Yan Ruanning put her finger to her lips and gently shushed him.
Xu Qian finally realized what was happening, covered her mouth, trembling with excitement, and ran to the school gate.
"Sister-in-law... Sister-in-law."
Yan Ruanning's face flushed red.
She lowered her head to put on her mask, then half-squatted down so that her line of sight was level with Xu Qian Qian's.
She didn't refute the title "sister-in-law," but simply said, "Your brother said you're my fan."
Xu Qian nodded vigorously.
She already considered her cousin a revered figure.
What's a signature compared to this?
He sent someone directly to the school to meet her! My cousin is amazing! Meeting your idol face-to-face is a million times better than getting an autograph!
Yan Ruanning was pleased to see Xu Qian's excited expression.
She recalled the first time she met Cheng Che; the boy was completely calm, showing no excitement whatsoever, and barely even glancing at her.
She later learned that it was because he didn't follow celebrities at all.
But Xu Qian's reaction is exactly right. This is how a normal person should react when meeting their idol.
She originally intended to give Xu Qian an autographed photo and leave, but after thinking about it, she took Xu Qian's hand and said:
"Come on, I'll take you somewhere."
She led Xu Qian to a black sedan parked not far from the school gate and opened the back door.
Xu Qian sat down somewhat awkwardly. The car was spacious and quiet, with a faint fragrance.
Yan Ruanning took a Polaroid camera out of the glove compartment.
Let's take a picture together.
Xu Qian felt like she was about to faint.
She nodded vigorously, her smile almost reaching her ears.
Yan Ruanning took off her mask, sat down next to her, and raised her Polaroid camera.
The two of them huddled together and took several pictures.
Xu Qian's expression shifted from nervousness to excitement to silly grin, while Yan Ruanning remained quite natural, her lips always curled up.
The Polaroid camera spewed out one photo after another.
Xu Qian held it in her hand, looking at the image of herself and Yan Ruanning leaning against each other, her eyes a little red.
"Thank you, sister-in-law," she said again.
This time, Yan Ruanning didn't blush; she simply patted her head lightly.
"Don't call me sister-in-law. Call me older sister."
" Yan Sister Ruanning," Xu Qian obediently changed her address.
Yan Ruanning took another picture and handed her the last Polaroid photo:
"Alright, go back to class. Otherwise, your teacher will get worried."
Holding the photo, Xu Qian got out of the car and walked towards the school gate, turning back every few steps.
Yan Ruanning stood beside the car and waved to her.
Xu Qian walked to the school gate and looked back one last time. Yan Ruanning had already put her mask back on, opened the driver's side door, smiled at her, then got into the car and started it.
Xu Qian stood at the school gate, holding the photo, feeling as if she had just woken up from a dream.
She looked down at the photo in her hand.
In the top picture, Yan Ruanning wasn't smiling much, but she herself was smiling very happily.
She flipped to the next picture, where Yan Ruanning was making a "V" sign at the camera, her lips curled up, and her eyes crinkled.
Turning to the next page, Yan Ruanning looked down at her with gentle eyes.
Xu Qian stuck the photo to her chest, turned around, and ran back to the classroom.