Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared
Chapter 1098: She’s Different

Chapter 1098: Chapter 1098: She’s Different

"Xiaoling, I can’t believe how much you’ve grown up," said Sister Li Shi, thrilled to see Gu Ling, as if they were real sisters, both excitedly holding hands.

Gu Ling also smiled and said, "Sister Li Shi, you too, you’ve become so much prettier. I almost didn’t recognize you. If it wasn’t for you sitting here with my brother, this blockhead, I wouldn’t have dared to speak to you."

Upon hearing this, Gu Fan almost rolled his eyes. What sister would so roast her brother? He truly felt his affection was in vain.

"Sister Li Shi, why did you just move away like that? Do you know? After you left, no one helped me with my homework anymore. My grades dropped a lot. My brother is just useless, not teaching me anything," Gu Ling praised Li Shi while not forgetting to roast Gu Fan, almost causing him to choke.

In high school, Gu Fan and Li Shi lived in neighborhoods not far from each other, and they would meet on their way to school and walk home in the same direction after school.

Occasionally, Gu Ling, who was also on her way home from school, would bump into Gu Fan and Li Shi, and that’s how Li Shi met Gu Ling. She instantly liked Gu Ling and thought Gu Fan was lucky to have such a likable sister.

Of course, Gu Fan explained that Gu Ling’s likability was just a show for others, and in reality, she was quite a handful.

Now, as Li Shi and Gu Ling reconnected, their conversation flowed naturally, touching on various topics effortlessly and leaving no chance for Gu Fan to interject.

Gu Ling still roasted Gu Fan from time to time: "Sister Li Shi, do you know? Ever since you moved, my brother has been depressed. After that, he couldn’t find anyone to copy his homework from during the summer and winter vacations."

Upon hearing this, Li Shi became annoyed: "Exactly! Your brother would block me at my doorstep every day just to get his hands on my homework. He would even shout my name underneath my window late at night, making my parents almost think I was in a premature relationship, forcing me to lend him the homework. Just thinking about it makes me angry."

Gu Fan finally couldn’t restrain himself and retorted, "I had no choice, okay? Don’t keep blaming me. Remember when you kicked a soccer ball and shattered the principal’s office windowpane? You squarely framed me, and what did I say? I just silently took the blame."

Li Shi was not having it: "You were no better. After school, when we stayed to clean the classroom, you would say you were going to buy drinks for me, but you’d just disappear, and it happened every time. How could you let a fragile girl clean alone? Doesn’t your conscience hurt?"

Li Shi and Gu Fan traded barbs back and forth, neither willing to admit defeat.

This time, it was Gu Ling who couldn’t get a word in, silently sighing, "They’re adults, yet they still act like this."

Although superficially, Gu Fan and Li Shi seemed to be bickering like a couple, upon closer consideration of their dialogue and their expressions, there was an undeniable understanding that seemed to exist only between them.

Eventually, Gu Fan couldn’t complain about Li Shi anymore and simply surrendered, obediently picking up the tab. When Li Shi left, she walked away triumphant, as if she had won a great battle.

Seeing Li Shi leave, Gu Ling immediately looked at Gu Fan with curious eyes, her gaze filled with intrigue, as if she was very curious about what Gu Fan was thinking now.

Gu Fan ignored Gu Ling’s inquisitive look and just walked away.

"Brother, wait for me." Gu Ling hurried after him, gazing at Gu Fan with a smile, "Brother, you said Sister Li Shi just returned to the city and you’ve already reconnected. It seems like your bond still exists."

"Don’t talk nonsense. Her sudden move away already meant it wasn’t meant to be. Then I met Lin Xi, which showed that Lin Xi is truly where I belong." Gu Fan spoke earnestly, which puzzled Gu Ling. "Brother, you’re so serious. Are you feeling guilty?"

"Guilty about what?" Gu Fan looked genuinely confused.

Gu Ling added, "I know you’re dedicated when it comes to relationships, but have you truly forgotten Sister Li Shi? Didn’t your heart flutter at all when you saw her again?"

Hearing this, Gu Fan looked annoyed and then pinched Gu Ling’s ear as he warned in a stern tone, "Little girl, don’t talk nonsense; it could lead to serious consequences."

"Don’t worry, I definitely won’t tell Sister Lin Xi. I wouldn’t want my future sister-in-law to get so upset she blows the roof off our house." Although Gu Ling meant it as a joke, the imagery was vivid, and it sent a chill through Gu Fan.

Truthfully, when Gu Fan saw Li Shi again, his heart did flutter. Those high school days, filled with precious memories, were mostly connected with Li Shi. A person as sentimental as Gu Fan, how could he easily forget?

Gu Ling interjected, "Brother, I really do trust you. If you were fickle, you might already be with that other girl."

At that, Gu Fan chuckled dryly, "Xiaoling, let’s talk less about such things in the future."

"Alright!" Although Gu Ling knew she had spoken out of turn, she couldn’t help adding, "I think Sister Lin Xi trusts you so much that even if she knew about Sister Li Shi, she wouldn’t mind much, right? Just like when you and Sister Su lived together for such a long time, everything was fine."

"Su Hui and Li Shi aren’t the same." Gu Fan said this casually, and initially, Gu Ling didn’t get it. How were Su Hui and Li Shi different? Both were stunning, and Su Hui even lived under the same roof as Gu Fan. If Lin Xi could trust Su Hui, why couldn’t she trust Li Shi?

Later, Gu Ling realized that Gu Fan and Su Hui had just shared a friendship from the start, and this friendship tied them together—both unwilling to cross beyond it.

But the connection between Gu Fan and Li Shi wasn’t just about being classmates; both had secretly liked each other, just never openly declared it, so it wasn’t just classmate feelings that linked them.

At that moment, watching Gu Fan’s retreating figure, Gu Ling could sense the complexities brewing within him.

However, Gu Fan’s discernment of the difference between Li Shi and Su Hui also indicated that he was clear-headed, understanding the necessity of maintaining distance.

"Sister Li Shi, Sister Su, Sister Lin Xi, plus your ex-girlfriend Leng Le, brother, your love life is quite colorful." Gu Ling suddenly felt as if her own romantic life was a blank slate, somewhat envious of Gu Fan’s simultaneously blissful and troublesome existence.

Gu Ling felt regretful; from her perspective, Li Shi matched Gu Fan the best in terms of understanding and compatibility.

But Gu Ling knew Gu Fan’s choice. Since it was missed, let it be missed. What mattered most was to cherish the people around him, so no other woman could shake Lin Xi’s position in Gu Fan’s heart.