Chapter 42 As Long as You Like It

Meng Tang took a day off yesterday to go to the museum, but it didn't prevent her from asking her classmates to hand in her homework for her.

We held an internal selection this morning, and Meng Tang's works were unanimously praised.

The teacher asked her to come up and talk about her creative ideas.

Here they go again. Meng Tang pointed and said, "Isn't it all written here?"

His reluctant look caused his classmates to burst into laughter.

The teacher tapped her head and said, "The work is magnificent. How can you do the opposite? I'm doing this for your own good."

Meng Tang had no choice but to go ahead.

If she is carving, she is completely at ease when there are a group of people around her, but she feels uncomfortable when speaking in front of a group of people.

The old man also said that she had learned the silence of wood completely.

After two or three sentences, the teacher said helplessly: "Can't you say more?"

Meng Tang said innocently: "...but I'm done."

The teacher waved his hand and asked, "Have you finished repairing the wood sculpture you entered for the competition?"

Meng Tang thought the teacher was pushing him, and asked in surprise, "Isn't the submission deadline in December?"

"I'm just reminding you."

"It can be delivered in December."

"OK."

—

In the afternoon, Meng Tang took the wooden bookmark to the restoration laboratory.

She took it out and placed it in the repair area, staring at it and laughing. Such a small thing was brought into the intangible cultural heritage restoration laboratory, and its specifications were also improved.

Since it is not the same piece of wood, there are many ways to repair it. She plans to use the color fitting method, select materials and inlay them, and then shape and polish them after the colors are blended.

After half a day and then three days of floating around, the bookmark was finally repaired and a pendant was carved.

I took it back to the dormitory and tried it out in the evening. As soon as I picked up a book, a Pistacia leaf fell onto the table.

Meng Tang picked it up and turned it around out of habit, and the ambiguous scene from that day appeared before his eyes.

She shook her head and put the leaf back into the book.

He took someone else's leaf as a bookmark and then turned around to give one back.

Meng Tang sent a message to Wei Chuan, saying that the bookmark was ready.

Wei Chuan had resumed training a long time ago, and she didn't see him until she was on the way back to the dormitory. He made an appointment to meet her tomorrow.

It would not be good to give it away just like that, so Meng Tang took out a long box from the desk drawer. It was the empty box from which he had bought the hairpin before.

The box happens to be made of wood, which looks quite good.

As for the hairpin inside, it was broken long ago.

The next day was Saturday. Meng Tang and Wei Chuan met at the door of the men's dormitory. After giving her the things, she went to the supermarket as her toiletries were almost used up.

When Meng Tang arrived, Wei Chuan was already waiting.

He is a painting wherever he stands, no wonder so many girls like him.

Wei Chuan glanced sideways from his phone screen for the eighth time, saw Meng Tang, and went straight up to him: "Is it fixed?"

Meng Tang took out a box from his bag and handed it to him.

Wei Chuan was stunned after opening the box. The repaired bookmark had a more lustrous color. He reached out and touched it. It felt as smooth and delicate as fine silk.

"How did you do that?" Wei Chuan suddenly looked up, his tone surprised. "It's amazing. It looks like it was never broken before. And the color is even better than before. It's a light, amber-like glow."

Meng Tang said, "Even if I tell you, you won't understand. Take a look at the pendant. Are you satisfied with it?"

Wei Chuan lowered his eyes again. The pendant was connected by a wax cotton rope of the same color, with lotus petals and lotus pods hanging at the bottom, which was exquisite and eye-catching.

He nodded continuously: "It looks good."

"As long as you like it," Meng Tang said, "Koi and lotus flowers are a natural match in traditional culture, so this combination is more harmonious."

Wei Chuan didn't just like it; he simply couldn't let it go. He closed the box and asked, "What made you want to carve a koi carp?"

Meng Tang said: "Children are obviously more interested in animals, insects and fish than plants and flowers. Moreover, they are all students. Ancient scholars loved to use koi bookmarks, which symbolize the carp leaping over the dragon gate. I wanted to carve a good omen."

"It's a good omen for me." Wei Chuan said with a smug smile, "But I'm also a student, so it's not a loss if you give it to me."

Meng Tang: “…”

He is so shameless. It was clearly him who snatched it away.

"Okay, the stuff has been delivered. I have something else to do, so I'll leave first."

Wei Chuan followed and said, "I'm going to buy some books."

Meng Tang didn't say anything until she entered the supermarket opposite the school and found that Wei Chuan was still following her. She suddenly turned around.

"Why are you still following me?"

"I, I'm going to buy a bottle of water."

Meng Tang made a "please" gesture.

Wei Chuan was about to take a step forward when someone called his name from behind.

Meng Tang turned around and saw Xu Heqing and Xie Lingyin.

Wei Chuan asked: "Why are you two here?"

"Today, fellow villagers are gathering together and coming to buy some things," said Xu Heqing.

So that’s how it is. Meng Tang knew that they had gotten together during their freshman year.

Wei Chuan flicked his fingers across the room: "Why do you two look unhappy? Isn't this a party?"

Xie Lingyin forced a smile and said, "Actually, a senior student from the Nanshan campus fell ill. We're all from the same hometown, so the organizers gathered us together, wondering if we could help."

Wei Chuan: "Donation?"

Xie Lingyin nodded. She and Xu Heqing were both members of the student union and had organizational skills. She guessed that the other party wanted them to communicate with the college and organize students to donate.

The two said goodbye. Meng Tang bought some things and was about to return to the dormitory, but Wei Chuan snatched away her laundry detergent.

Meng Tang was stunned: "Don't you want to buy a book?"

"Why else would I buy a book?" Wei Chuan gestured for her to give him the tissue in her other hand. "It's so heavy, can you carry it back?"

Meng Tang: "...I can do it. When I went to the supermarket with Shi Lan and the others before, I took the most things."

Wei Chuan just wanted to say, "You're so stupid."

Wei Chuan only turned and left after sending her to the dormitory door.

Around nine o'clock in the evening, Meng Tang came out of the restoration room and received a call from Xie Lingyin, who asked him to pick her up while drunk.

"Have you been drinking?" Meng Tang immediately walked towards the door.

Xie Lingyin mumbled "hmm" and couldn't clearly tell the address. It was the bartender who took her phone and told Meng Tang the address.

Meng Tang asked: "Is my friend alone?"

The other side replied: "Yes, she is the only one."

Meng Tang: "Please keep an eye on it. I'll be there now."

Xie Lingyin didn't go to a nearby bar, so Meng Tang was a little worried.

She immediately called Wei Chuan, and the call was connected quickly.

"Has Xu Heqing returned to the dormitory?"

She was breathless because she was running.

Wei Chuan took off his headphones and threw them on the table, saying, "No, what's wrong with you?"

Meng Tang said as he ran, "I'm going to pass by your dormitory soon. Lingyin is drinking. Do you want to come with me to pick her up?"

Bringing a boy would make the way back safer. Besides, Wei Chuan likes Xie Lingyin and would definitely be happy to pick her up.

Wei Chuan said, "Wait for me, I'll be down now. Take a taxi first, my car hasn't come yet."

Meng Tang said "hmm".

Wei Chuan ran out of the dormitory and said, "I couldn't get through to Xu Heqing on the phone. Why is Xie Lingyin drinking alone?"

"I don't know, hurry up."

"Run slower."

"Come on, I'm fine."

Finally arriving at the school gate, the two hurriedly got into the car.

The driver drove for twenty minutes according to the address given by the bartender.

But when he entered the dim and dark bar, there was no sign of Xie Lingyin at all. Meng Tang was immediately frightened and broke out in a cold sweat.