Ruan Mingxian grimaced as he laid there on the cold ground.
Such pain! He had pictured his cool and suave rescue of her as he caught her and made a perfect landing.
However, the task was more challenging than he thought. Not only was he *sprawled on his back, but the pain was taking his breath away too.
(T/N: 四脚朝天 shijiaochaotian – idiom four legs facing the sky. Used here to describe him flat on his back.)
It was so embarrassing that he wished there was a hole somewhere that he could fall right into.
“Are you alright?”
Ruan Mingxian stood up with much difficulty. “I’m all good.”
Peng Zige and Su Zi finally caught up, and in a kerfuffle of hands and legs, helped usher Ruan Mingxian to sit by some chairs at the side.
Su Zi couldn’t help complaining, “What’s with those people! They don’t even have the decency to apologise after knocking someone over!”
Peng Zige also responded in kind. “So true! Were they rushing off to be reincarnated!”
After a while, a slight figure could be seen slowly making her way over — Ruan Nuonuo.
(Minodayz: WHOA … The RUAN siblings are back .….. would it be another dun dun dun??? RS get your bottom back here pronto ya hear me!!!)
Now that the initial pain and panic had passed, what was left was an air of awkwardness between everyone.
However, none of this seemed to faze Li Erqin. She was carefully scrutinizing Ruan Mingxian from head to toe, making sure that he was alright before she offered her thanks. “Thank you.”
Ruan Mingxian *waved his hand.
(T/N : His waving was an action to say, ‘Don’t mention it, it’s nothing much.”)
“Are you still in pain?” Li Erqin enquired with concern.
“Yes.”
“Where are you hurt?”
Ruan Mingxian glanced at her.
Li Erqin didn’t comprehend.
Ruan Mingxian rolled his eyes. His tailbone hurt! How could he tell her that? A big grown man like him, where was he going to hide his face if he had told her that?
“Elder Bro ….” Ruan Nuonuo heard that he was still in pain and asked, “Should we go to the hospital?”
“I’m alright.” Ruan Mingxian helplessly replied, “I’ll be fine in a while.”
Ruan Nuonuo was anxious to the point of tears.
“My bones hurt …”
As Peng Zige noticed Ruan Nuonuo’s eyes slowly filling up with tears, he quickly suggested, “Hey, over there is a McDonald’s. How about we head over, find a seat and grab something to drink?”
Su Zi agreed. “Great idea!” Looking at everyone, she slung her arm around Li Erqin’s shoulders and said, “Erqin and I will grab something to eat. Peng Zige, why don’t you help him over and find us some seats?”
Ruan Mingxian was caught between tears and laughter. “What’s the big fuss? You girls go find us some seats, while Peng Zige and I go get some food.”
Li Erqin doubtfully asked, “You’re really ok?”
“Do you need me to do a live dance performance for you to see?”
tranzgeekDOTwordpressDOTcom ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. All translations on this blog are for non-commercial purposes. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material, except linking and excerpts with due credit to the translators and tranzgeekDOTwordpressDOTcom, is strictly prohibited.
The three girls found some seats by the window and sat in a row, saving the seats opposite them for the two boys who had gone to buy some food.
Ruan Nuonuo had not appeared in front of them since her failed confession with Peng Zige. Their unexpected encounter and under such unusual circumstances was so awkward that it was clearly written on her face.
Li Erqin saw that she was almost plastering her face onto her phone. Unable to resist, she raised her brow and said, “Ruan Nuonuo.”
“Yes?” Although Ruan Nuonuo had replied, she still had not raised her head.
“How did you do on the mock exams?”
Ruan Nuonuo looked up as she replied, “Not too bad.”
“Did you pass physics this time?” Li Erqin asked rather naturally.
“Not too bad, came very close to a merit.”
Li Erqin’s lips lifted up at the corners. “Such a big improvement.”
Ruan Nuonuo relaxed slightly. “The last time when Rong Si taught me, it was all very useful.”
A proud Li Erqin said, “That’s about right!”
Su Zi laughed helplessly.
Ruan Nuonuo finally was able to ask what she had been puzzling over in her heart. “Didn’t Rong Si come out here with all of you?”
Li Erqin shook her head.
Ruan Nuonuo blinked her eyes.
Su Zi laughed as she said, “He had some other things to do.”
Ruan Nuonuo asked curiously, “How many points did Rong Si score this time?”
Su Zi reported a figure.
Ruan Nuonuo shuddered. “How is that even possible?”
Li Erqin and Su Zi both shrugged their shoulders. When they looked at the final scores, they usually only checked the results of the second placed student. To look above that would not be a meaningful exercise because it could easily result in a heart attack.
(Minodayz: I just love the imagery! Looking at 2nd place and not 1st as it could lead to a heart attack! Hahahaha.)
tranzgeekDOTwordpressDOTcom ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. All translations on this blog are for non-commercial purposes. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material, except linking and excerpts with due credit to the translators and tranzgeekDOTwordpressDOTcom, is strictly prohibited.
By the time Ruan Mingxian and Peng Zige had carried their trays over, the atmosphere between the three girls was perfectly peaceful and harmonious.
Peng Zige and Ruan Mingxian both simultaneously released sighs of relief.
Ruan Mingxian could now finally lay his concerns for his sister to rest. He didn’t have to worry about her being unable to untangle her feelings from what had transpired before.
On the other hand, Peng Zige was also able to lay to rest his worry that Ruan Mingxian would want to give him a beating for breaking his sister’s heart.
Moreover when they were ordering their meals, Ruan Mingxian had laughingly hooked his arm around Peng Zige’s neck and mock-threatened, “Don’t initiate any conversation with my sister, don’t look at her, don’t make her unhappy. Or else …”
Peng Zige snickered as he said, “Save it with the ‘or else’. I’ll give her a three-mile wide berth, will that do?”
Ruan Mingxian mulled it over. “That won’t do. I can’t have my sister feeling as if you’re intentionally avoiding her.”
Poor Peng Zige wanted to cry but the tears wouldn’t come.
No one could be sure who had initiated their change of plans, but they ended up chatting and even changing locations to hang out more and have fun rather than everyone heading home after McDonald’s.
Overall they had enjoyed a fun and relaxing day out together.
Before they had finally gone their separate ways, Ruan Mingxian was able to obtain Li Erqin’s mobile number. Just when she arrived home, she received a text from Ruan Mingxian: [Are you home yet?]
Li Erqin: [Yup]
Ruan Mingxian: [We just got back too.]
Li Erqin thought for a moment before replying: [Thanks for today.]
Ruan Mingxian: [Don’t mention it.]
Li Erqin smiled when she saw his response.
When she exited from Ruan Mingxian’s text messages, she saw on her phone Rong Si’s name quietly sitting below Ruan Mingxian’s. On the upper right hand corner was a red dot, indicating that the message was unread.
She was puzzled. When had Rong Si sent her a message?
Looking at the time stamp, she realised that it was sent just after the movie had ended.
So had he calculated when the movie would end before texting?
Tapping into the message, she saw Rong Si’s text message there quietly waiting for her.
Minodayz : I am really missing RS’s presence in the story. Even RNN has made an appearance. This should be interesting when we get round 2 of the siblings. Notice how PZG is still rather sensitive to RNN? I like PZG and SZ so what to do?? I do like it that they are still able to gel as friends. RMX and PZG was rather hilarious together too.
Anyway, I’ll end here coz I am on a road trip and after Monday’s massive ferry and drive, I’m exhausted. Not sure what I have planned for this day. I’m hoping to stay in bed but I’m also thinking of that hot air balloon ride – makes me think of Chestnut story Good Morning, Miss Ghost. Anyway, hope your week goes well. Til Friday and hopefully RS will be back…. fingers crossed.