The Cultural Festival was coming and Ming Shu was going to finish her punishment of cleaning the playground. During that time, Cheng Yan didnât show up at all, as if he had vanished.
âAh, the rehearsal is over.â
âLetâs go. Letâs have snacks, Iâm hungry!â
âAre you nervous?â
âNo, Iâm not nervousâŚâ
The students who finished rehearsal left one by one. Ming Shu and her classmates still rehearsed, though, because someone arrived late.
When they finished their rehearsal, almost all the other students had left.
âMengmeng, quickly. Iâm inviting you to eat delicious food.â Ye Miaomiao ran out, dragging Ming Shu who hadnât even taken off her costume.
Food!
Ming Shuâs eyes shone, but she still stopped Ye Miaomiao and took off the costume. She was afraid of being sent to a mental hospital if she left with it on.
Ye Miaomiao found a Huoguo restaurant near the school and invited Ming Shu there.
It was their first time at this restaurant and Ye Miaomiao was unclear about its menu, so she ordered the super spicy dish. As a result, she felt extremely hot while eating.
âHuhuhuâŚâ Ye Miaomiao fanned her tongue with hers hands, tears flooding her eyes. âMengmeng, donât you think itâs too spicy?â
Itâs so so so spicy!
Why is Mengmeng so calm? How is she not even sweating?
âEn⌠I donât think itâs very spicy.â Ming Shu picked up some meat with her chopsticks and asked, âIs it very spicy?
âItâs very spicy.â Ye Miaomiao drank juice quickly. âMengmeng, I remember you didnât eat spicy food before.â
âI also donât know how I ate spicy food before.â Ming Shu picked up more meat.
ââŚâ
She put down her juice quickly and ate some meat. Although it was spicy, it was really delicious. The two enjoyed it happily.
After finishing the Huoguo, they left the restaurant. Then Ye Miaomiao answered a call from home and they parted ways.
Ming Shu walked around. Finally she went to the dessert shop and bought lots of food. When she exited, carrying a plastic bag full of her purchases, she saw some people walking toward her and her smile shrank.
Why is it him again?
Itâs him!
Itâs him!
Troublesome!
Cheng Yan walked with several people, apparently accompanying them somewhere. He was also surprised to see her.
Then he slightly smiled and whispered to the two followers who had helped Ming Shu clean the playground before. The two of them looked at Ming Shu and winked at her vaguely, then left with the others noisily.
With one hand in his pocket, Cheng Yan walked through the crowd to Ming Shu. âLu Meng, long time no see.â
âWhatâs up?â
âIâll walk you home.â Cheng Yan tried to take the bag from Ming Shu, but Ming Shu hid it behind her back suddenly and stared at him with alarm, as if he was going to rob her snacks.
ââŚâ She hadnât been so alert when he showed up.
Thinking of her habit of protecting food, Cheng Yan took back his hand and placed his fist against his lips. He coughed to hide his original intention and said, âItâs getting dark. Iâm going home now so Iâll send you back on my way.â
He was smart. If he said that he wanted to walk her home, he would surely be refused. But the result was different if he went home too.
As expected, Ming Shu looked at him for a few seconds and then walked forward, carrying her bag. She didnât refuse Cheng Yanâs offer.
It was not very late now. Many young people hung around under the colorful lights.
Cheng Yanâs stare roved over the crowd only to fall on Ming Shu in the end. He organized his thoughts and said, âIâve heard that you joined the stage-play drama?â
âWhat, do you have an opinion?â Ming Shu bit her spoon as she answered, tilting her head.
âNo, how dare I have an opinion.â Cheng Yan smiled. He kept silent for a second, then moved closer to Ming Shu suddenly. âLu Meng, you really canât give me a chance?â
âIf I didnât give you a chance, would you disappear?â
âNo.â
âSo whatâs the point of asking me that?â Ming Shu said.
Cheng Yan laughed in a low voice. âLu Meng, I find you more and more interesting.â
âI find you more and more interesting too.â Ming Shuâs tone implied other meanings.
âIn what way am I interesting?â Cheng Yan asked, not realizing Ming Shuâs real meaning.
Ming Shu pointed at her head and said, âDonât give up, maybe youâll be cured one day.â
ââŚâ What do you mean?
Do you mean Iâm sick in the head?
Why am I crazy for liking her?
Cheng Yan was a little frantic. Why was she so stubborn? Because of his followersâ suggestion, he purposely didnât show up before. But she had no reaction to that, which was different from what his followers told him.
Why was it so hard to pursue a girl?
Ding!
It was a message. Seeing that it came from Ye Miaomiao, she read it.
Mengmeng, I left my bag at school. Can you go back to look for it for me? My student ID card is in it. It will be troublesome if I lose it. Iâm busy and canât go back now. Please.
Ming Shu read that twice, then directly called back to confirm.
The call was answered, but it was noisy on that side and Ming Shu couldnât hear clearly. âMengmeng, itâs loud over here. Did you receive my message?â
âYes.â Ming Shu threw out the plastic ice cream bowl and returned to the school. âWhere did you put your bag?â
âMaybe the auditorium. I brought it when I went to rehearse. I canât remember clearly. Go to the rehearsal room and the auditorium and search.â
âEn.â
âŚ
Because tomorrow was the Cultural Festival, there were still some people at school preparing. Ming Shu went to the rehearsal room first and didnât find Ye Miaomiaoâs bag there. Then she went to the auditorium.
But, the followerâŚ
Ming Shu thought for a few seconds. Then she stopped in the corridor of the auditorium and crooked her finger, beckoning Cheng Yan.
Cheng Yan walked quickly to her without any suspicion or hesitation. âWhat can I do for you?â
Ming Shu smiled and pushed him suddenly, surprising Cheng Yan. He fell into a room behind him. Then Ming Shu quickly closed the door.
ââŚâ Why is it so hard to pursue a girl?
Not to mention heâd been hit by her, now he was locked in some room!
Youâll be forever alone!
Cheng Yan groped for the switch and turned on the lights. Maybe it was a room to store stage props, because there were many stage props all in a mess. He looked around and found there was a window through which he could escape.
It wasnât that easy to restrain him.
Cheng Yan left through the window. He returned to the auditorium through another room and walked to the stage where the performance was going to be held tomorrow.
Before he was nearby, he heard somebody talking.
âLu Meng, itâs late, why didnât you go home? What are you doing here?â It was the headmasterâs loud voice.
âYe Miaomiao lost her bag here. Iâm retrieving it for her.â
Even though he couldnât see her face, he could still hear the smile in her voice.
âAll right, you go. Remember to turn off the lights when you leave. Return home as soon as possible!â The headmaster walked toward the place Cheng Yan was. He moved quickly to the corner to hide.
After the headmaster left, Cheng Yan emerged from the dark corner. Meanwhile, Ming Shu stepped out with a schoolbag. When she saw him, a murderous look seemed to appear on her lovely face for a moment.
But when Cheng Yan looked at her more closely, she still had that smiling and innocent expression. She was surrounded by yellow light as if her whole body was radiating warmth.
Cheng Yan furrowed his brow. Had the murderous look been his imagination?
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