Tao Shuran instinctively took a step back.
A gust of wind swept over, and she was pulled into Liang Yuanjing’s embrace. His jacket draped over her shoulders, and as the clothes fell, his fingertips accidentally brushed her curly hair.
Tao Shuran’s shoulders trembled slightly, and she couldn’t help but move a little.
She mumbled, “No.”
“Is that so?”
“The class monitor said I was coming over, so why did you run?”
He braced his arms against the wall, trapping her in a position with no escape.
He looked at her word by word and said, “You’re avoiding me again. You’ve always used this trick over the years.”
Tao Shuran defended herself in a small voice, “I just want some space to think things through.”
Liang Yuanjing raised an eyebrow. “I won’t listen.”
He placed both hands on either side of her and did something like a push-up motion, over and over. However many times Tao Shuran refused, he leaned down that many times to peck her lips.
This was even more intimate than a regular kiss.
Tao Shuran couldn’t bear it and turned her head away. The next second, his fingers pinched her chin and turned her back with a bit of force.
Liang Yuanjing chuckled and asked her, “Will you dare not to reply to my messages in the future?”
She didn’t speak, and his face drew even closer in her vision.
Tao Shuran panicked inside and quickly said, “I’ll reply.”
“Phone calls?”
“I’ll answer.”
“The museum this Saturday?”
“I’ll go.”
Realizing what she had said, Tao Shuran widened her eyes and hurriedly added, “That one doesn’t count.”
Liang Yuanjing smugly pulled out tickets from his pocket. “Too late. You’ve already agreed to my date.”
“This isn’t a date.”
Tao Shuran looked at him very principled. “We haven’t confirmed our relationship yet.”
“And… we haven’t confirmed our relationship, so how can you kiss me.”
Liang Yuanjing couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
He lowered his head and saw Tao Shuran’s cheeks flushed red, the color spreading to her neck. Her perfectly curved curls reached just to her collarbone. She wore light brown colored contacts today, making her face look even more obedient and soft.
Even at a time like this, she still insisted on logic.
He pretended to be surprised with an “Ah” and hooked her upturned hair ends with his fingertip, playing with it like a new toy, endlessly amused.
His drawn-out tone was full of laughter as he deliberately looked into her eyes and said slowly—
“Because I’m a bad man, baby.”
…
“Liang Yuanjing, we’ve been looking for you everywhere. So you’re here.”
“Hey, why is there someone behind you?”
The class monitor’s voice drew all the other classmates over. The dinner gathering was almost over anyway, and everyone came running to see upon hearing the noise.
Tao Shuran’s heart skipped a beat. She had just poked her head out when she made eye contact with the large crowd.
She shrank back in fright, just like a quail.
Liang Yuanjing smiled instead. He had a cigarette in his mouth and freed up his hands to zip up her jacket properly.
He walked out unhurriedly, handed out two cigarettes casually, and said, “I came out for a smoke.”
“Oh oh, is that Tao Shuran?”
“You two again?”
The class monitor gossiped, “I heard from a friend that Tao Shuran has always had a crush on you—is that true? I heard she even wrote a whole diary for you?”
Liang Yuanjing toyed with the lighter in his hand, and his movements paused when he heard that.
Then he smiled. “Is that so? I only know I wrote a whole Flight Diary.”
“That must be just rumors then. By the way, we’re going to KTV later to sing—want to join?”
The class monitor rubbed his hands and sidled over to chat. “I heard you invested in several projects and made a fortune. Can you let your bros have a share?”
Liang Yuanjing pressed his tongue against his cheek and chuckled twice in agreement.
He lifted his chin. “Sorry, I’m not here to eat.”
He tilted his head toward Tao Shuran’s direction, his posture lazy and defiant. The words that followed were light, but the moment Tao Shuran looked over, he reined in all his casual air and became serious.
He said, “I’m here to chase someone.”
“Tell me, what’s going on with you and Liang Yuanjing?”
On the way back, Fang Qingyi held her hand and walked unsteadily along the street.
Her steps were wobbly, and Tao Shuran supported her, saying softly, “Little Yi, be careful.”
“I’m fine. I’m great.”
Fang Qingyi spun in circles on the street. “Ranran, being with the person you like is truly the happiest thing in the world.”
As she spoke, that sad expression appeared on her face again, tugging at Tao Shuran’s heart.
In her impression, Fang Qingyi was always like a blooming sunflower, with the brightness and passion of spring, warming everyone around her.
But now she often shed tears, and her gaze was filled with lost melancholy wherever she looked.
“Do you have to be so obsessed?” Tao Shuran couldn’t help but ask softly.
Fang Qingyi paused her steps, tilted her head back, and felt the wind brushing across her face.
Her tears were blown away, and she suddenly felt a bit lighter.
“No more.”
She broke into a smile through her tears. “I don’t like Fu Changpei anymore.”
“Accompany me for a big drinking session tonight.”
Fang Qingyi lowered her eyes and murmured, “If I drink too much, I won’t be able to sleep. If I sleep, I won’t think about him anymore.”
“When you have time, tell me your story with him.”
Tao Shuran reached out to stroke her hair and said warmly, “Sometimes, just talking about things can help you let go.”
The gathering spot wasn’t far from University City, and there was a bar street nearby.
Fang Qingyi squinted her eyes and stopped in front of a bar with a bright sign.
Tao Shuran glanced at the name and, unusually, pulled her away, refusing. “Let’s go to another one.”
“What’s wrong? This one’s pretty famous. Is the alcohol bad?”
“Mm… there are a lot of people.” Tao Shuran made up an excuse. “We might run into classmates.”
Fang Qingyi didn’t suspect anything and went deeper into the street to pick a random bar.
The lights were just coming on, and the street was at its liveliest. Neon lights flashed, reflecting off Tao Shuran’s shimmering dress.
She propped her chin and looked down at the menu, her neck line graceful and smooth. Under the lights, her skin looked even whiter.
The bartender at the counter grinned and asked, “What can I get for the two ladies?”
Tao Shuran pointed at the menu. “I’ll have a peach bubble wine.”
“Oh right, do you have ice here?”
Fang Qingyi asked, “Ranran, when did you start liking peach bubble wine?”
Tao Shuran smiled. “I’ve always liked it.”
They arrived a bit late, and all the good spots were pre-booked.
Tao Shuran and Fang Qingyi waited over ten minutes and sat at a table near the door. They were just looking for a place to rest anyway, so they didn’t care about the view.
As soon as they sat down, Fang Qingyi picked up the glass in front of her and downed it in one go.
The moment she finished the drink, her eyes reddened.
With a choked voice, she said, “Actually, I’ve always liked Fu Changpei. Even before high school.”
“We both came up directly from Linchuan Affiliated Middle School. In our third year of junior high, my parents got divorced amid a property dispute that went to court. The judge asked me who I wanted to go with, and I didn’t want to choose at all, but they forced me to give an answer.”
“During that time, to keep their attention on me and stop the divorce, I rebelled, disobeyed, skipped classes all the time. But in the end, my mom gave up on me. She said I was too hard to handle, that she didn’t want me anymore, and told me to go with my dad.”
At this point, Fang Qingyi buried her head and poured another glass.
Tao Shuran reached out to block her. “Drink slower. That’s vodka.”
“I’ve never told anyone about this. My dad was busy with work and didn’t care about me, thinking that giving me enough money was fine. That summer after junior high graduation, I had nothing to do and wandered around everywhere. One day it got late, I turned into a small alley, got lost, and my phone was dead.”
Fang Qingyi tilted her head back, recalling that scene, and the sadness on her face gradually turned into fond reminiscence.
She still remembered how she had walked a long way in fear and confusion in the dark, until she finally saw a dim yellow light at the corner of the alley.
There, she saw Fu Changpei leaning under the light, reading a book. He wore a dark blue plaid shirt, his long lashes slightly lowered, his expression quiet and focused.
It was a completely different vibe from the constant arguments at home.
Fang Qingyi couldn’t help but stop and stand there. After a while, she cautiously spoke up. “Hello, can I bother you for a second?”
Fu Changpei looked up and pushed up his glasses.
He asked, “Do you want to buy something?”
“No…” Fang Qingyi suddenly felt at a loss and gestured. “My phone’s dead. Can I borrow a charger?”
“I’m a bit lost and want to use navigation to get home.”
Fu Changpei shifted aside. “Come in.”
Fang Qingyi squeezed in sideways. The space behind the counter was cramped, and she half-squatted at the charging port, secretly stealing glances at him.
She saw his school uniform on the chair, and her eyes lit up.
She asked, “Are you from Affiliated Middle School too?”
Fu Changpei gave a “Mm” and looked up at the clock on the wall. The hour hand pointed to ten o’clock. He casually asked, “Why are you out so late?”
“Because I’m a bad kid.” Fang Qingyi grinned. Her red-and-blue plaid pleated skirt reached her knees, and as she squatted, it revealed a pair of jade-white calves.
Fu Changpei glanced at her and took out some cooling oil from the drawer to hand to her.
“Do you want to call someone from home to pick you up?”
Fang Qingyi was stunned, then lowered her eyes and said softly, “No one will come pick me up.”
“No one likes me. I’ve been abandoned by everyone.”
Fu Changpei asked, “Why?”
“Because I’m stupid, have a bad temper, and can’t read the room.”
When she threw out that question, Fang Qingyi’s mind was filled with all the things her parents had yelled at her.
She laughed, stood up, pretended not to care with a smile, and flicked her high ponytail in the air, looking utterly carefree.
In Fu Changpei’s world, he rarely saw a girl like this.
Vivid, striking, with a unique blend of purity and vibrancy.
He tapped his finger on the page and gestured for her to look.
Fang Qingyi stared for a bit and slowly seemed to understand his meaning.
She couldn’t help but laugh, thinking he was really interesting—having something to say but not saying it outright, his subtlety oddly cute.
But she was straightforward by nature.
Even after understanding, she still raised her head and asked directly.
“You mean, even if I’m stupid, obnoxious, with a spoiled temper, there will still be someone who likes me sincerely and passionately?”
“Mm.”
“Why?”
“Because he loves you.”
Fu Changpei’s gaze gently fell on her as he said warmly—
“No reason.”