Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared-Chapter 1693: School Memories

The bell rang, and the students eagerly packed up, rushing out of the classroom. In seconds, the hallways, stairwells, and bicycle parking spots were swarming with students.

Groups of students strolled along, joking and horsing around, full of energy. The entire campus brimmed with the essence of youth.

Gu Fan slipped on his headphones, hopped on his bike, weaved through the crowd, and left the campus, heading straight to the street stalls.

"Oh my gosh, the smell is so nostalgic. Boss, one bowl of stinky tofu, please." Gu Fan was the first to dart over to the stinky tofu stall after school. If he’d been a minute later, he would’ve had to stand in a long line.

The stall owner handed over a bowl of stinky tofu to Gu Fan, just as more students arrived. The growing crowd quickly turned into a bustling scene, and business was booming.

Gu Fan made room to park his bike nearby. Just as he was moving a few steps, he heard a girl shouting behind him, "Watch out! You’re about to get hit!"

"What?" Before Gu Fan could react, he felt a hard collision. In an instant, he thought he might lose his balance, along with his bike.

To save the stinky tofu in his hand, Gu Fan propped it up with one hand while barely managing to support his teetering body with his foot.

Right then, Li Shi appeared and quickly offered her help. She chuckled, "Gu Fan, give me the stinky tofu. Let me save it for you."

Without much thought, Gu Fan handed the stinky tofu to Li Shi. And the next moment, both he and his bike went tumbling to the ground. A sharp pain shot through him, and he cursed under his breath, wondering who had the audacity to crash into him.

When Gu Fan got up, he saw Li Shi happily munching on the stinky tofu, which instantly earned her his disdainful glare.

"Why are you looking at me like that? I saved your tofu, didn’t I? I deserve some sort of reward!" Li Shi said with an air of righteousness, completely unapologetic.

Gu Fan asked sharply, "Be honest. Was it you who bumped into me just now?"

Li Shi froze for a second, then put on a sheepish expression. "We’re classmates! How could you accuse me of something so underhanded?"

"Some savior you are! You’re obviously the one who started this mess. Now, hand the tofu back!" Gu Fan grew angry. Just as he tried to reclaim his food, Li Shi jumped on her bike and bolted.

Fuming, Gu Fan picked up his fallen bike and immediately gave chase. He thought, with his speed, he’d surely catch up to someone like Li Shi.

But right as Gu Fan stepped on the pedal, he saw Li Shi toss the box of stinky tofu aside and wave at him, declaring loud and clear: "I ate it all! What are you gonna do about it?"

Gu Fan was dumbfounded. How could she eat it so fast?

What now? Chasing her felt meaningless, but Gu Fan couldn’t swallow his frustration.

After wracking his brain, Gu Fan finally devised an excuse to give chase. Hopping back on his bike, he stormed off after her, yelling, "You litterbug! Get back here! I’m condemning you on behalf of public decency!"

"Oh come on! I ate one bowl of tofu, and now you’re hunting me down?" Li Shi pedaled away as fast as she could.

Some classmates who witnessed the scene couldn’t help but comment. Why was it that these two always caused such a commotion after school?

In the end, Gu Fan caught up to Li Shi. Resigned, Li Shi treated Gu Fan to skewers as an apology.

The two of them ate and chatted, laughing away, completely carefree. The sight of them together made one think of childhood sweethearts, drawing envy from the surrounding students.

Li Shi casually asked, "Summer break is coming up. After that, we’ll be seniors, and there won’t be much time to have fun. So what are your plans for the summer?"

Gu Fan, while nibbling on a skewer, seemed deep in thought.

"What are you thinking about?" Li Shi pressed him, gently nudging Gu Fan.

He replied, "I want to go somewhere with mountains and the sea, stand at the peak, face the ocean breeze, and scream my lungs out. Spend a few crazy days and release all the stress from studying, then gear up for senior year."

"Sounds great! Let’s bring a few friends and go together," Li Shi said, blinking expectantly.

Gu Fan nodded, "Sure, I’ll invite a few. You ask a few too."

"Deal!" Li Shi enthusiastically stuck out her finger. Gu Fan immediately responded, hooking his finger with hers, sealing the arrangement.

The two went their separate ways amidst the envious stares of their classmates.

Nearby, a boy reached out his pinky to a girl, attempting to make a promise of his own. The girl, however, responded with a disdainful look.

Three days later, after the final exams, Gu Fan rounded up three male classmates, and Li Shi brought in two female classmates. The seven of them sat together and discussed their plans. They agreed to sign up for a travel group and have the thrill-filled getaway that Gu Fan envisioned.

The proposal was met with unanimous excitement, though none of them had ever been far from home before. Without parents around, they couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous. After all, they were just high schoolers, with almost zero survival skills outside their comfort zones.

Still, with a travel group to join, or online guides for self-directed trips, and armed with weapons and essential snacks, they believed they’d manage.

However, to appease their worrisome parents, Gu Fan and Li Shi came up with a lie, claiming they would spend a few days playing at a newly purchased villa in the suburbs owned by a classmate’s family. They promised to return soon.

Luckily, one of their male classmates and one of their female classmates did have villas in the suburbs. Before setting off, the group posed for photos in front of the villa and sent them to their parents for reassurance.

While fooling their parents worked, trouble arose with the travel group. Upon seeing they were all high schoolers, the group refused to let them join.

With no other options, Gu Fan and Li Shi’s group had to buy tickets themselves and hop on a bus to their destination.

Along the way, they admired the scenery outside the windows, chatted enthusiastically, and laughed together. The vibrant atmosphere spread to the other passengers on the bus, who couldn’t resist engaging with Gu Fan and Li Shi in conversation.

Gradually, strangers started to feel like acquaintances. Even the adults on the bus seemed to have no barriers with Gu Fan, Li Shi, and their friends, and the conversations grew livelier.

A few men took a keen interest in Li Shi, trying to flirt with her. Their intent gazes carried an unsettling vibe, which made Gu Fan uncomfortable and wary of any malicious intentions toward Li Shi.

The bus had a total of thirty passengers—some traveling for leisure, others returning home. At that moment, none of them could anticipate how their fates would become intertwined. freewёbnoνel.com

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