(14-02-2025)

"Lu Lu, wakeup! "

"Mom, 5 more minutes"Zao replied.

" You brat! Wake up! Do you wanna be late for the first class? "

"Yufei let the boy sleep! " Grandma Gemma(the landlady) defended Zao. "Oh well, getting up" Zao got irritated and got up.

"Mom, pass me the wraps" Zao held his hands out of the bathroom and Yufei passed him something.

"I'm ready" Zao got out of the bathroom neatly dressed in new,ironed clothes. "Lulu, that's still early for school. Could you go buy some breakfast from the store? " Granny Gemma asked. Zao went to the store and bought all the things needed. "Who the hell is that? " He heard a voice as he crashed onto someone. "Who the hell are you? " Zao sail looking up to the guy's face. "Oh sorry bro" the other person apologized"Wait??? Sister?"the guy spoke again smiling at his own worda. "You brat.... I'll get even with you some other day" Zao said and headed to his house.

"Grandma, I bought your things"

"Such a good lad our lu is just one thing, if you were a girl" Zao went to his mother after getting pissed. "Mom, get me a new shirt. This got ruined"Yufei brought a new shirt right out of the closet. "How did you get it dirty!? " Yufei asked clearly wanting an explanation. "I crashed into a walnut. Mom, if it hadn't happened years ago, would I be a ..... " He didn't finish but stood up to leave. "I'm leaving mom. " He shouted as he hopped on his bike. "When will I be able to answer your question, lu? "

...----------------...

"Brother Xaio. Where are you!?...... OMG!! What happened? " A young little girl spoke as she saw the guy while munching her bread. "You weirdo, how do you always eat. I actually crashed into a girlish boy"Gu replied. " Girlish boy? "[Hahahaha]Ling ji started laughing weirdly.

" I'm warning you Nian , don't let this two this free. A boy and a girl unrelated by blood shouldn't be this close"Grandma Ting nagged Niantian. He dragged her to the kitchen. "Ma, listen she left me because of you, Lingji and Xaio Gu had to grow up without proper care. Now you are nagging at my children! Stop it or it will be bad for you" Nian got out of the kitchen. "Xaio, go to school and take Ling ji with you"

"Ok, uncle" Gu replied.

"Listen, goto the class, be quiet and calm, don't get into any kind of fight or you'll not get your allowances" Gu warned her strictly. "OK bro" Ling ji responded and headed to the other direction. Gu took out his phone and started walking staring at the screen"Ouch you....... You girlish guy"He saw Zao rubbing his head slightly. "Are you in a lot of pain Sweety? " Zao gave him a 'unbelievable'look"You... How dare you call me girlish? "Gu bent slightly over to look at Zao's eyes and spoke"'Cause you look sweet like a girl" Zao backed out a step and said"Are you fucking gay? "

"I can be one for you" Gu stepped a step foreward.

"Yuck" Zao cursed and started moving through the corridor till the staircase. "Why are you following me? " Zao said angrily. "Yeah babe, I'm followin' you" Gu teased. "Are you literally..... " Zao couldn't finish but Gu kept his index on Zao's lips, "We are on the same class"

Both went to the same classroom and spoke out loud"May I come in teacher? "The teacher looked at them , fixed her specs and spoke " Oh, dear lu, lucky to have you back"Madam Wang gave a big, wide smile. "And you are? " she asked looking at Gu. "I'm the transferee, Gu Xaio Li, from Guilin"

"Oh, enter both of you and find your respective seats for the whole semester" Madam Wang spoke out clear and loud.

"Hey".. " Dude".... "Man" a few students greeted Zao. "Sweety, you're popular"

"Tss"

"Sweety, you're popular" Xiao said. "Tss" Zao sighed. There were only three seats left empty., two on the third column last row and one on the second column third row. Zao kept his bag on the seat on the second column but Xiao kept his bag over Zao's and said"This is taken, sweety".Zao gave him a disgusting look and went to the last row. "May I come in? " Another boy came in. "Hey Tuo, Zao called out to him. Lin Tuo was about to sit with him, " Dude, settle over there! "Xaio gave him a threatening look and sat with Zao himself.

" Hello, I am Ma Xinchow, your class representative for this session." A boy approached Ling ji. "Oh, Hi I am Xu Xaioling. Nice to meet you". The boy smiled at her" You are the new transferee from Guilin right? "Xinchow asked. " Oh, yeah"ling ji was somewhat shy. "You'll get to meet your desk mate soon" Xinchow said and went back to his seat.

"Hello class, I am you homeroom teacher for this session, and I'll be teaching you language. My name is Su Mang." A beautiful lady stood on the podium. "Fang come and introduce yourself to your classmates" The teacher looked at the door and a lad appeared. "Hello, I'm Fang Tian, I've studied in Hangzhou Middle School, and I've transferred to your class to volunteer. Hope we'll make this class and our teachers proud. " Everyone clapped. Fang walked straight and sat beside Ling ji. "Am I that handsome!? " He asked ling ji who was staring at him effortlessly. "Oh... No.... I mean...yes.. " She replied blushing. Fang chuckled at her.

The next teacher came and called Fang. "Fang, come and distribute these last years question papers. I want everyone of you to solve these."

"Hey, do you know he has anger issues?" A boy called out to Ling ji. "And how do you know?" She looked at the boys mean face. "Well, I was also in the same Middle School and once he beat a classmate very bad." Ling ji found it hard to believe because of his handsome, calm face. He returned to the seat. Ling ji held out her hand and said"Hi, I am Xu Xaioling"He looked at her"Ling ji in short"he added. "How? How do you know? " She asked him being whole confused. "Don't make physical contact with boys" He replied, and she pouted.

"Did everyone bring your Middle School's marksheet? Cone in a queue and submit them" Sir Albus, their math teacher spoke. Everyone went out of their seats and formed a queue. Fang submitted and stood nest to the teacher. Ling ji submitted and moved ahead but stumbled on someone's foot. "I-I-am so-sorry" She looked at Fang and was like mesmerized "Wow"she said looking at Fang's eyes.

They stood up and were both blushing. They went back to their seats. " Can you stop staring?"Fang looked at Ling ji who was staring at his face with angel eyes.

"Hey.. HeyI'm really bad at science and I heard a lot about you. So,... Could you tutor me?" she made all efforts to make him talk but he didn't reply. Sir Albus spoke"Fang stand up. Heis the only boy who got more than 95 in mathematics last year. Everyone, try improving your mathematics skills"

[The bell rang for lunch]

"Hey, sweety. Let's go to the canteen together. " Xiao asked Zao. "Get lost" he replied. They stood up and Xiao was inches taller than Zao. "You are sweet but short" Xiao smiled and hit Zao's forehead.

[tap tap]"Why the hell isn't it working? "Zao groaned looking at the card but then heard a tapping sound. " I paid for you sweety"Xiao smiled. Zao went and sat at the place that was whole empty. He wanted to avoid Xiao as Xiao called him 'sweety', which was absolutely irritating. "I have accepted living like a boy but now this idiot calls me sweety" he murmured to himself. "Hey, sweety do you" Xiao couldn't even finish when Zao stood up with a fork in his hand and said angrily"Dare you to call me that again. I'll cut your tongue and throw it out"."But you didn't tell me your name! "He too screamed getting annoyed. " Xu Zao Lu"Zao replied and started to eat. They returned to the class and sat down.

"Why are you staring? "

"You look like a girl, but prettier"

"Are you fucking gay? "

"What is wrong with you? " Zao said angrily to Gu and after that Gu didn't utter a word to him. The final bell rang and everyone got out of their classes. "Hey, Xiao, Xiao" Zao was screaming but Gu didn't even look back at him. "Hey, I'm actually sorry for shouting at you but I was literally a bit annoyed"." Then, sorry for being annoying"Gu spoke arrogantly and started walking. "Hey, I never said you were annoying" Zao held Gu's hand this time. "Oh, okay" Gu said while blushing and they both headed out.

"Who is it now? " Zao lifted up his head to see a girl., speaking frankly he saw his female version. "We look alike" Both Zao and Ling ji spoke together, Fang and Gu looked at each other in disbelief. Fang said"Maybe you are twins and got separated when you were children"."It's just a coincidence"Gu interrupted and tried to end the conversation. Zao was thinking something else because Ling ji looked the exact her.

Ling ji extended her hand but then remembered what Fang told her so she did a formal bow."I am Xu Xaioling"she greeted and Zao thought to himself "even our first names are same"."Hi,I am Zao Lu"."Brother Xiao it's actually my first time seeing that you are actually following someone"Gu looked extremely embarrassed but Ling ji continued"Did you forget what you promised?"She threatened."What did he say?"Zao lu was curious."He promised that he'd never make any friends"everyone started laughing.

{phone rings}

"Oh,okay we're off"

"Brother dad asked us to go back."Ling ji spoke to Gu and they both went back."Hi,I am Fang Tian"Fang introduced."Where do you live?"Zao asked."36th street,near Fu's noodles"he replied."Wow,I live in 32nd"Zao found a homie."Let's go back together "Fang added and the went back together.

"Mom, I'm back"Zao shouted as he entered the house."Freshen up,I'll bring food for you"Yufei said from her room."Mom,do I still look like a girl?What if you had another daughter?"Zao spoke as he went to Yufei."Don't talk rubbish!Go and freshen up"She freaked out.

...----------------...

"Mom, I'm heading out"Zao informed Yufei and headed out with his bicycle to a place headed 'HAILY'S COMICS'."Baebae, I'm here"A girl appeared before him as he shouted."Yes, coming, coming...Here,take your gift for supporting me since the last 4 years.I was just 15,if you hadn't supported me,then I wouldn't have been able to open this store.I am sincerely thanking you"."No need to thank me,it was your own effort"Zao reassured her "Order a cold drink and chicken feet for me".Baebae nodded.

"Welcome"Baebae shouted as she watched a new customer get in."Hey,brother you are here!"Ling ji screamed happily as she saw Zao.Zao looked at her in surprise and stood up.Ling ji came near him and sat down."Hey,brother Zao can I get your wechat?"Ling ji asked Zao.He hesitated at first but got convinced because of Ling ji's puppy eyes.They exchanged their wechat id's."Brother,how did you do it?"Ling ji asked Zao."Do what?" he asked back."Brother,actually it's my first time seeing Brother Gu with a friend"Zao started laughing."Why?Does he always roam around with girls?".Ling ji shaked her head"No,his parents were friends with my dad and when he was 9 his parents died in a car accident.Dad brought him to live with us and we were living in Guilin.I have never seen him with anyone.He doesn't talk to anyone not girls nor boys.He used to be home all day and skip school,he learnt computer and used to talk to me as we grew up together.I was actually startled when I saw him following you".Zao was surprised "I don't know,he actually talked to me first"

"Welcome"Baebae shouted again."Ling ji are you here?Uncle is searching for you",A boy shouted from the door."coming"Ling ji replied and left the store.

Xiao gu entered and sat on the couch beside Zao.He looked at the figure munching onto the food.He looked to the hands and noticed the band.