Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.\n
When Wang Guangning exited the banquet hall, there was no trace of Zhang Lingyi.\n
So, Wang Guangning made a beeline for the main doors of the banquet hallâs hotel. Outside the doors was a busy road, but still, there was no trace of Zhang Lingyi.\n
Wang Guangning look hither and thither by the roadside, but still couldnât find a trace of Zhang Lingyi. Helpless, he could only pull out his phone to call him.\n
It took quite sometime before the call was picked up.\n
âHello.â Zhang Lingyi sounded a little downcast.\n
âWhy did you leave halfway? The banquet isnât over yet!â\n
âSo what?â Zhang Lingyiâs tone revealed a deep hopelessness. âI donât have pretty girls throwing themselves into my arms.â\n
So Zhang Lingyi ran off because he was jealous that he has a girl? Wang Guangning was extremely pissed off â was that Xia Yuhe worth getting jealous over? (Author: Handsomest guy in school, Iâm begging you, her name is Xia Yingchu!)\n
âAnyway, you already have the beauty in your arms, what are you caring about me for?â Zhang Lingyiâs tone was full of sourness.\n
What kind of twisted logic was this?\n
Wang Guangning was furious all of a sudden. That year, when you got your girl, Laozi [lit. father, but referring to oneself in jest or anger] even gave you his blessing face-to-face. What kind of attitude are you giving me now!\n
Forget it, letâs not follow his train of thought.\n
âWhere are you now?â Wang Guangning asked.\n
âAt Jianse [lit. construction] Road Pedestrian Mall.â Zhang Lingyi mumbled. âWhy are you asking this? Can you bear to abandon your delicate girl?â\n
Why does this tone sound like jealousy?\n
So, is he jealous that he has a girl or jealous that a girl has him?\n
Wang Guangning felt ĺ§ĺ§ [lit. ideographic emoticon but represents anything from annoyance, shock, embarassment, awkwardness, and scorn to a response to silliness] as he hung up the phone. Could it be that Zhang Lingyi was entering andropause?\n
Otherwise, why did he keep harping on the same thing?\n
Jianse Road Pedestrian Mall wasnât far from the hotel. Wang Guangning rushed there and saw Zhang Lingyi standing at the entrance, smoking a cigarette under a streetlight.\n
The pedestrian mall was brightly lit and bustling with people.\n
The crowd was dressed very casually, and quite a few people were just wearing slippers.\n
The tastefully and formally dressed Zhang Lingyi stood out in stark contrast from this background and appeared exceptional.\n
And also appeared exceptionally lonely.\n
Standing alone under the streetlight, without a single expression on his face, with a cigarette in hand, the smoke curling upwards slowly.\n
So beautiful, and so alone.\n
Wang Guangning had an inexpressible feeling in his heart.\n
The Zhang Lingyi that he usually saw was annoyingly confident, or an irrepressible dummy.\n
He had never seen him being this desolate.\n
âHey.â Wang Guangning went over, and aggressively gave his short hair a rub.\n
Zhang Lingyi probably hadnât expected Wang Guangning to appear, and stared at him unbelievingly: âShoushou.â\n
Wang Guangning gave the cigarette in his hand a look and said âThought you said you were going to quit?â\n
Zhang Lingyi awkwardly tried to hide the cigarette behind his back, then felt that this action was just self-deception, so he simply raised it and gave a long pull. Pretending to be strong, he said: âQuitting smoking requires a process.â\n
Wang Guangning rolled his eyes.\n
Zhang Lingyi then said: âWhy did you come out? Donât you have to confess to Xia Yingchu?â\n
When Wang Guangning admitted onstage that the person he liked was in the HR department, Zhang Lingyi thought he once again saw that scene of Wang Guangning confessing to Yu Haining on the dance stage.\n
Just that at that time, he had been scornful, and only thinking of ways to make a swift counterattack.\n
But this time, he was so upset that he couldnât stay any longer.\n
He was fearful of hearing Wang Guangning saying that he had someone he liked.\n
Afraid to hear of any news that would mean there was no longer any possibility between them.\n
Afraid that he would no longer have the right, in the guise of a friend, to do anything that might cross the boundary of friendship.\n
As long as he left the scene, no matter what happened, he could still pretend that he didnât know.\n
And as he left the venue, he smoothly pulled out a cigarette â\n
At such a time, it was always good to have something to do.\n
âWhen did I ever say I wanted to confess to Xia Yingchu?â Wang Guangningâs black lines appeared = = [i.e. he was unhappy].\n
âI clearly just heard you say that the person you like is in the HR department.â Zhang Lingyi blinked at him. The HR department had in total Xia Yingchu ⌠bah, apart from Xia Yingchu, who else was presentable?\n
âAh âŚâŚâ Wang Guangning gave a light smile, with a trace of scorn, âI only said it was the HR department, but I didnât specify the name Xia Yu ⌠Xia Yingchu.â\n
âThen who ⌠can it be.â Zhang Lingyi belatedly realised and widened his eyes. He was absolutely certain that Wang Guangning did not know anyone else in the Huidi HR department except for him and Xia Yingchu. If itâs not Xia Yingchu, then âŚ\n
This guess that was so close to the truth was evidently ridiculous, but so ridiculous that it was bewitching.\n
The question of gender loomed large, and had made it much more difficult for Zhang Lingyi to believe that the one Wang Guangning liked was him than to believe that the one Wang Guangning liked was Xia Yingchu.\n
This was also why he still hadnât dared to make that one crucial step forward.\n
But now the truth was close at hand.\n
He still harboured anxiety and hesitation and worries.\n
But in the face of this great temptation, Zhang Lingyi was unable to convince himself to let go of this one chance for happiness.\n
âWang Guangning âŚâŚâ Zhang Lingyi was unable to restrain himself anymore and grabbed hold of Wang Guangningâs arm, about to ask him something.\n
Suddenly, Wang Guangningâs eyes shone: âSpongeBob SquarePants!â\n
As he said this, he rushed forward. It turned out that as they walked and talked, they just passed by a row of doll claw-crane machines.\n
Needless to say, one of the claw-crane machines was stuffed full of violently yellow SpongeBob SquarePants dolls.\n
Zhang Lingyi: ââŚâŚâ\n
Why was it that after so many years, Wang Guangningâs evil love for SpongeBob SquarePants did not change?\n
When Zhang Lingyi gloomily caught up, Wang Guangning was already eagerly peering at the toys in the machine.\n
âIâll claw up one for you!â Zhang Lingyi said.\n
âThatâs OK!â Wang Guangningâs tone was disapproving with a note of disdain. He hadnât forgotten that the one before him held the record for spending 300 coins without grabbing a single doll. âI appreciate it, but donât do it.â\n
âDoesnât this imply that he canât do it?â\n
What does a little gong abhor the most?\n
To be told by his little shou that he canât do it!\n
As a dominant genuine gong (Zhang Youzhi [i.e. childish] conferred this title on himself), Zhang Lingyi decided to prove himself through his ability, and started to feel himself up.\n
Hmm, indeed, no coins.\n
Zhang Lingyi stared at Wang Guangning: âShoushou, do you have coins?â\n
âHow could I have coins,â Wang Guangning scorned him, âForget it, just let it go, itâs not as though you can grab anything even if you found coins.â\n
This definitely added fuel to the fire. Zhang Lingyi was immediately ignited. He muttered: âIâll go borrow one.â\n
Just then, a tall, thin and busty babe walked past, so Zhang Lingyi trotted out what he thought was the most enchanting and perfect smile, and went up to stop her: âIâm sorry, pretty lady, could I borrow a few coins?â\n
The busty babe raised her head and gave Zhang Lingyi a glance. Suddenly, her eyes shone and she enthused: âHandsome guy, itâs you, we meet again!â\n
Zhang Lingyi: â???â\n
The babe said, âHandsome guy, youâve forgotten me. Iâm Lin Zhiluo. A few years ago, you were auctioning your first kiss at Gulangyu, and Iâm the one who won it!â\n
That nightmarish memory surfaced once more.\n
No way, the babe before him is that little tubby girl?\n
Right now, apart from her bust, thereâs nothing tubby about her?\n
The idiom about not being able to tell what a girl will look like when she grows up â surely the change canât be this drastic?\n
Zhang Lingyi fearfully watched Lin Zhiluo. That this girl tried to French kiss him cast a deep shadow in his heart. He hadnât thought he would meet her again in this life.\n
Although she now had a big bust and tiny waist, Zhang Lingyi couldnât prevent recalling the brutal kiss of that year.\n
It was really terrible, OK?\n
Lin Zhiluo didnât seem to notice Zhang Lingyiâs horrified expression, and smilingly said, âHandsome guy, I can give you the coins you want, but you have to give me a kiss.â\n
Again!\n
Zhang Lingyi shook his head firmly.\n
âJust kissing the cheek is fine.â Lin Zhiluo pointed to her own cheek, and waved a coin in front of Zhang Lingyi.\n
Zhang Lingyi was conflicted as he stared at that coin, weighed the matter over and over again, and finally decided to compromise: âItâs only the cheek, OK!â\n
Lin Zhiluo smilingly nodded, gave the coin to Zhang Lingyi, and put her cheek forward.\n
Zhang Lingyi unwillingly brought his mouth closer ⌠and closer âŚ\n
Just as Zhang Lingyiâs lips were about to press onto Lin Zhiluoâs cheek, Lin Zhiluo suddenly whipped her head round, and both pairs of lips went âpiaâ as they bumped together once.\n
âFckâââ Zhang Lingyi yelled as he stepped back.\n
Lin Zhiluo whooped as she ran off: âI kissed Handsome Guy again!â\n
Zhang Lingyi looked pale as he walked back to Wang Guangning, who had already crumpled over in laughter.\n
âLaugh, laugh, laugh, only know how to gloat at my misfortune, instead of considering who Iâm doing this for!â Zhang Lingyi forcefully wiped his own lips, doing his best to scrub away that strange feeling of terror.\n
When Wang Guangning had his fill of laughter, he raised his brows. Looking at that one coin in his hand, he said disapprovingly: âBased on your luck, is it enough to just ask for one coinâŚâŚâ\n
Should need a catty of coins at least âŚ\n
As a little shou, how could you have such a lack of confidence in your little gong?\n
Zhang Lingyi was very dissatisfied with Wang Guangningâs attitude, and decided he definitely must demonstrate his ability to Wang Guangning through action. So, he valiantly and spiritedly strode to the claw-crane machine and dropped in the coin. Intense music started up. Zhang Lingyi calmly operated the controls, clawed up, dropped down, all in one smooth move.\n
Wang Guangning was dumbstruck by the proceedings. It felt as though he was watching a frog turn into a prince.\n
Zhang Lingyi raised up that yellow SpongeBob SquarePants doll, and triumphantly waved it in front of Wang Guangning: âShoushou, your SpongeBob SquarePants.â\n
Wang Guangning look stupefied as he received that palm-sized toy, and still couldnât quite believe it: âWhen did your skill become so good?â\n
Zhang Lingyi unexpectedly blushed a little, and coughed a few times to hide his embarrassment: âItâs nothing, just practice.â\n
Of course, he was embarrassed to say that in the past four years, every time he passed by a doll claw-crane machine, he would obsessively practice clawing up dolls. There was one time he was even laughed at by a few students.\n
He did this even though he knew that no matter how many dolls he clawed up, Wang Guangning who was far from home would never know, and would not come back.\n
But this was a memory that they shared. At a time when he couldnât see him, he could only use this method to reminisce!\n
And in the depths of his heart, he hoped, there would come a day when he would see him again and he would be able to take him and claw up that SpongeBob SquarePants that only he wanted.\n
In repeatedly doing this thing that they once did together, and in wanting to fulfil an unfulfilled desire on his behalf â in this way, the sweetness and sadness of the past slowly gave way to the undeniable hope that was truly in his heart.\n
Like him, want him!\n
The four yearsâ worth of countless times he spent alone at street corners clawing up dolls â the memories surfaced and receded, and finally came together in the face before him.\n
Wang Guangning slightly tilted his head down, looking at that SpongeBob SquarePants in his hand. He had a light smile on his face, and unconsciously looked breathtaking.\n
âThank you.â Wang Guangning raised his head, and his eyes shone like the stars.\n
Zhang Lingyi could no longer hold back, and took a step forward, grabbed Wang Guangning by the waist, and firmly kissed him.\n
It was like having endured a hot and humid summer, with endless rain and dark and heavy clouds hanging over oppressively for the longest time â before finally a thunderbolt cracked open the sky, and the lightning was bright enough to light up the whole world, shocking and soul-stirring.\n