“Ran-jie,” Xu Chengan, feeling warm all over, softened his voice and negotiated: “Can we not go home tonight? Let’s stay at a hotel, okay?”
Chen Jing looked at him in surprise.
Xu Chengan felt even more embarrassed under her gaze. Seeing she didn’t respond, he impatiently grabbed her knife and fork, his voice even softer: “Ran-jie, okay…?”
Chen Jing: “…Okay.”
Getting her response, Xu Chengan was in high spirits, taking her cutlery, sticking close to her and helping her cut the meat.
Chen Jing was happy to be served, tilting her head and watching his not-quite-skilled but serious movements.
One word: Cool!
After dinner, Chen Jing suddenly felt interested and pulled Xu Chengan out for a walk.
A light breeze blew through the leaves, rustling, then sweeping across their faces, lifting their clothing edges. The fresh air was intoxicatingly pleasant.
“Hey,” Chen Jing swung Xu Chengan’s hand: “We have nothing to do, so tell me about our school days.”
Xu Chengan was stunned: “Ah?”
“What ‘ah’?” Chen Jing raised an eyebrow: “Don’t tell me you had a secret crush on some girl back then?”
Her words were suggestive, and Xu Chengan’s heart trembled: “You really want to know?”
Chen Jing nodded: “Really want to.”
“Okay,” Xu Chengan took a deep breath, his gaze passing through the weak street lights ahead. He said in a low voice: “There was a girl I had a crush on.”
Chen Jing glanced at him and nodded, signaling him to continue.
She thought that if Xu Chengan shared this unrequited love and she found a way to comfort him afterward, the effect would surely not be bad.
Xu Chengan pursed his lips: “She was very beautiful.”
Chen Jing hummed in response.
“The first time I saw her, before I even knew her name, I was already imagining spending my entire life with her,” Xu Chengan stopped, lowering his eyes to look at Chen Jing, his gaze soft: “Ran-jie, do you know? I thought then that if she would love me, I’d be willing to die immediately.”
“But then I thought, what if I died and she married someone else?” At this point, Xu Chengan’s eyes darkened: “Just imagining her laughing and chatting with other men, hugging and kissing after my death, I’d become so furious I wanted to kill someone.”
