Those things that happened in those years

Chapter 9 Accepting the Challenge

At the back of the classroom, Sun Changlin and Liu Lianbo sat side-by-side in the middle. To their left sat the tall and handsome Zou Jianmin and the pretty-boy Lin Menglong. To their right sat the good-looking Liu Guochen and the burly Yu Deshui.

To the left of Wang Yuxin and Qiao Shuang are the twin sisters Su Yihong and Su Yilan. Later, their classmates got to know them and called them Xiaohong and Xiaolan respectively. The two sisters looked exactly alike, as if they were made from the same mold. They wore the same clothes, had the same hairstyle, and wore the same smiles, making them indistinguishable. Even today, many years later, Hong Liguo still can't tell which one is the older sister and which one is the younger.

To the right of Wang Yuxin and Qiao Shuang are Gao Xiuying and Wang Libo. They are from the same village. Gao Xiuying is chubby and very cute, while Wang Libo always has a sweet smile on her face.

Behind Wang Libo and Gao Xiuying at the next table were Guo Xianmei and Wei Yunjie. Guo Xianmei had a pretty face and was quite a beauty, while Wei Yunjie was slightly plump, and it was clear that her family's standard of living was quite high.

In those innocent days, there was a subtle and indescribable distance between boys and girls. Everyone carefully guarded that invisible boundary, and their interactions were extremely limited.

During recess, the boys were like wild horses, laughing, playing, chasing, and running outside the classroom. Their laughter and shouts mingled together, brimming with youthful energy. Hong Liguo was also among them, playing and frolicking, but his mind was entirely on Qiao Shuang. He would casually glance in her direction, watching her chat and laugh with her classmates, and a strange feeling would well up inside him—a mixture of joy and a touch of sadness. Every time he saw her, Hong Liguo's heart would race uncontrollably, as if a deer was pounding wildly within him, leaving him somewhat bewildered.

One night, while asleep, Hong Liguo suddenly felt some strange fluctuations in his body... and then it dawned on him! Could I be...? This thought flashed through Hong Liguo's mind like lightning, instantly waking him up.

Hong Liguo lay on the heated kang bed, staring at the dark ceiling, his heart unable to calm down for a long time. He recalled certain scenes from the novel, and after verifying them, many thoughts began to arise in his mind...

The days passed slowly amidst the mingled emotions, and in the blink of an eye, the first semester of junior high school came to an end.

During this semester, the four villains, led by Sun Changlin, frequently got into fights and caused trouble, clashing with almost every class, and the disciplinary office became a regular haunt for them. The real battle between Hong Liguo and his friends and the four villains was just beginning.

The apricot blossoms on campus are in bloom. Their petals, fluttering in the wind, are like snowflakes dancing in the air in winter. A gentle breeze blows, scattering the petals and filling the air with their sweet fragrance, a scent that is intoxicating and delightful.

Hong Liguo and his friends gradually grow through the trials of their studies. The ocean of knowledge is like a vast sky, allowing them to soar freely. At the same time, they also struggle in the whirlpool of youthful emotions. The complex and subtle emotions are like fine spider silk, tightly binding them and making it impossible for them to break free.

Every time Hong Liguo and Qiao Shuang's eyes met, he felt his cheeks burning, as if they were on fire, his heart filled with both nervousness and joy. Wang Yuxin's initiative to approach him made Hong Liguo feel both smug and worried, afraid that she would discover his feelings for Qiao Shuang. This conflicting emotion tormented him.

Time's brushstrokes gently paint the years on campus, like a delicate painter outlining vivid and colorful pictures.

Their story has only just begun, and no one knows what the future holds.

Just as Hong Liguo was racking his brains trying to find a way to get close to Qiao Shuang by using plots from novels, Yi Jianping suddenly approached him.

Yi Jianping's face was gloomy, and his eyes revealed a hint of provocation. Without saying a word, he handed Hong Liguo a challenge letter: "Meet me in the woods behind the school after lunch. If you've got the guts, come. If not, don't bother."

After finishing his sentence, Ichikenping snapped his fingers provocatively and then turned and left.

Hong Liguo stood there, holding the challenge letter in his hand, feeling both shocked and helpless.

Sure enough, the calm of last semester was just a facade, and the struggle between Hong Liguo and his friends and the Four Villains was finally inevitable. Just as the calm before the storm was shattered, a fierce conflict was about to unfold...

Holding the challenge letter written by Sun Changlin, Hong Liguo anxiously found Fa Zi, Jun Ge, Hong Bo, Jie, and Yan Bin. The group sat together, discussing their countermeasures with serious expressions.

Fa Zi said, "I thought the unpleasantness between us at the beginning of the semester was over. It seems the Four Villains haven't forgotten what happened that day."

Jun Ge said without any fear, "So what? Are we afraid of them? Look how capable they were last semester. They beat up almost all the top students in the class. I'm afraid the only ones who didn't get into trouble with them were us. I think this fight was inevitable sooner or later."

Jun-ge was absolutely right. Last semester, Sun Changlin really did take care of all the notorious students from other classes. Hong Liguo was probably spared because he was in the same class as them.

Jun Ge, Hong Bo, and Hong Liguo all advocated accepting the challenge resolutely. In their view, retreating would be tantamount to showing weakness to the other side and admitting their cowardice, which would inevitably lead to contempt from others and make it impossible to gain a foothold on campus in the future.

Fa Zi and Yan Bin are calm and thoughtful people. Although they are not afraid of fighting and will never back down, they always believe in avoiding fighting as much as possible, believing that violence is not the best way to solve problems and that peace should be the priority.

Jay had always been seen as a pushover, suffering bullying for a long time, which made him extremely timid and cowardly. Before the outcome was even clear, his legs began to tremble uncontrollably, his eyes filled with fear and unease, as if he were facing not an ordinary fight, but the end of the world.

Jie joined Hong Liguo's team because he had often been bullied. He joined their group hoping they would protect him and prevent further bullying. In fights, he always stayed in the background and rarely participated. Jun and the others knew he was timid and weak, so they didn't force him to fight. Before meeting Sun Changlin, they had almost never lost a fight and didn't need Jie's help.

After some debate, they finally decided to accept the challenge.