Chapter 66

Busy times fly by, and when Guan Nan finally has some free time to think back to the stupid thing she did that day, she can't help but blush.

All the dialogues and scenes kept replaying in her mind.

Every frame and every second is exceptionally precious.

But when the scene changed again, Guan Nan remembered how he and his girlfriend bickered happily, seemingly impatient but actually doting, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.

She thought that they might never cross paths again, never again.

So after paying back this money, there will be no more afterward, right?

Guan Nan suddenly regretted it and impulsively returned to Fuling. She rashly went to a coffee shop and ran into Jiang Li again and again.

On her way back, passing by the pomegranate tree, she saw children praying devoutly. She followed suit and prayed as well, seemingly hoping for a good outcome. After the others finished praying, they threw away their red ribbons. Guan Nan rummaged around for a while, but all she found was the red string in her bag.

She took it out and thought about it for a long time, hesitating whether to throw it away or not, when she heard a soft sneer.

Guan Nan turned around.

Upon seeing who it was, she quickly put the red rope back.

But the man didn't seem to notice her.

"What are you laughing at?" He Jiafen was annoyed by his voice and retorted rudely, "You're ignorant and incompetent, but you won't let others learn?"

Jiang Li made a sarcastic remark: "You'd be better off reading a couple more books instead of wasting your time like this."

He Jiafen got angry: "Why don't you read books yourself? You used to copy homework when you were in school, the kind you copied every day. Don't think I don't know, our eldest brother doesn't talk about the second brother!"

Jiang Li curled his lip, with an air of pride rather than shame: "I got into a top university by copying homework."

"So what?" He Jiafen retorted stubbornly, "I'm a liberal arts student, and you're an art student!"

Jiang Li scoffed, "Who isn't a cultured student?"

"Ha! You're a liberal arts student, so what? Why don't you compare yourself to Guan Nan?" He Jiafen said angrily. "You want to compare yourself to Guan Nan? Would Guan Nan even look at you? With your terrible grades, scoring 250 in three subjects, Guan Nan wouldn't even let you into her door!"

"······"

"···········"

Guan Nan stood in the corner and was inexplicably called out.

There were fewer and fewer people around her, and she didn't dare to move her body much, afraid that someone would find out that she was standing in the dark eavesdropping. She was embarrassed but also curious.

"Guan Nan?" Jiang Li smiled lazily. "What about Guan Nan? She used to pursue me."

ha?

Guan Nan's eyes widened upon hearing this.

With a "snap," the branch snapped off uncontrollably in her hand.

Upon hearing the sound, the two seemed to freeze for a moment, glancing in this direction simultaneously. Guan Nan covered her mouth and tensed up, remaining silent.

He Jiafen turned around with a contemptuous expression: "Anyone can talk big, right? I could also say she's my sister, that she's marrying me tomorrow, that she's my wife."

"······"

After the little girl finished her grumbling prayer, she threw the red silk prayer plaque onto the tree, turned around and left, showing no intention of taking Jiang Li with her.

Jiang Li remained calm and composed, took out his phone, leaned against the pomegranate tree, and began browsing.

Guan Nan's legs went numb from squatting, and seeing that he still showed no sign of leaving, she quietly moved to the side, keeping a watchful eye on the other side.

Unfortunately, the branches and leaves were scattered all over the ground, and even with careful handling, a cracking sound still rang out.

Suddenly, I heard someone say, "Have you heard enough?"

The tone and demeanor were so confident, as if they had known from the beginning that she was in the background.

Guan Nan felt that he might be bluffing her.

So, he remained frozen in place, not moving an inch.

"Is eavesdropping fun?" Jiang Li turned his head. "Can't we just be open about it?"

"······"

"Not planning to come out?"

"······"

There won't be a next time.

Upon hearing this, Guan Nan pursed her lips, remaining unchanged.

A series of footsteps sounded, and just when she thought Jiang Li had left, a tall figure appeared in front of her, casting a large shadow over her.

He didn't pull up his trouser legs, but just squatted down, letting his trouser legs drag on the ground, covering the flowers and leaves.

Guan Nan looked up and met those indifferent eyes.

“I’ve said it before,” Jiang Li looked down at her from the upper right, and stretched out his hand in front of her, “there won’t be a next time.”

When those hands were outstretched in front of him.

Guan Nan was a little dazed. The boy in her memory seemed to have never changed. If you won't come, then I will.

She pursed her lips, didn't take his hand, and got up on her own with her head down.

But that couldn't stop Jiang Li's domineering presence.

He pulled her up with one hand, then placed his hand in front of her again without saying a word.

Guan Nan paused for a few seconds, then said awkwardly, "Thank you."

"..." Jiang Li laughed absurdly, "Who wants your thanks?"

"That······"

"Give me back the money."

"······"

Seeing her in a daze, Jiang Li reminded her, "Paying back debts is a matter of course."

Guan Nan nodded: "Mm."

"So," Jiang Li said slowly, "you want to become a deadbeat?"

"Huh?" Guan Nan snapped out of her daze and quickly shook her head. "No, I..."

"No, then pay back the money."

Guan Nan replied dryly, "I didn't bring any money."

"The common answer."

Guan Nan: "?"

"That's what people who don't pay their debts say."

"..." Guan Nan paused for a moment, thinking that she didn't seem to have meant that, and defended herself, "That's not what I meant."

"Oh." Jiang Li shrugged.

Guan Nan hesitated, "Could you wait a moment? I—"

"No, that won't do," Jiang Li said politely. "Who knows how much longer you can drag this out?"

Guan Nan couldn't help but stubbornly insist, "I'm not going to run away."

Jiang Li: "That's hard to say."

"······"

He said quite reasonably, "This debt has been delayed from May to June, and then from June to July. What, do you want to owe me for the rest of your life?"

Guan Nan was speechless.

"Even though we were classmates, you don't need to resort to such low-level tactics to make me remember you, do you?"

"This..." Guan Nan was speechless for a moment, worried that her shameful thoughts would be exposed, and blurted out in embarrassment, "Does an artist as great as you lack this little bit of money?"

"If you don't owe me, are you going to refuse to pay me back?" Jiang Li retorted, sounding perfectly reasonable.

Before Guan Nan could even reflect or retreat, she heard Jiang Li chuckle casually and lazily repeat, "A great artist?"

Suddenly, Guan Nan froze, only then belatedly realizing what she had said in her panic. She tried several times to explain or defend herself, but couldn't utter a single word.

It was as if everything that had been carefully concealed had turned to ashes in that instant, and the truth was right before our eyes.

However, Jiang Li didn't give her a chance to dodge, and said with a half-smile, "So you're paying attention to me?"

"Could it be that he has a crush on me?"

"Still don't have the courage to admit it?"

Faced with three consecutive questions, Guan Nan couldn't answer a single one.

It's not just a lack of courage, but more so a buildup of insecurity.

It was quiet all around.

At this moment, as they gazed at each other, the trees remained calm, the birds stopped chirping, the wind ceased blowing, and even the air seemed to freeze.

Six years later, when they met again, they tacitly agreed not to mention anything.

The clock tower, Santa Claus, going to university together—none of the promises made were mentioned. It was as if nothing had ever happened, as if the innocence and naivety of those memories had become shameful.

Guan Nan felt a tightness in her chest and wanted to speak several times—

Jiang Li.

How are you?

Are you happy to be a great artist?

Do you... have a girlfriend?

However, the two stood under the pomegranate tree for a very long time, but in the end, neither of them spoke or asked anything.

Just like when we first met again.

A cold and distant one.

A quiet and reserved person.

It seems that's how it is, and that's how it should be.

“I’ve looked—” Just as Jiang Li was about to speak again in a hoarse voice, a voice came from upstairs, interrupting him abruptly.

Qi Yang seemed not to see the other person under the tree, and called out "Guan Nan" directly, asking her where she had gone that afternoon as he went downstairs.

At the same time, a few people scattered under the banyan tree also looked over upon hearing the sound.

Guan Nan was then pulled away to chat with someone.

Then, as if only then noticing Jiang Li standing to the side, Qi Yang smiled warmly and politely: "President Jiang, you're here too?"

Jiang Li remained unassuming, saying casually, "Just passing by."

"That's quite a coincidence." Qi Yang smiled politely. "I wonder when they started building up to building 26 on Xile Street."

Just as he finished speaking, a phone call came in.

Jiang Li waved his phone and walked to the banyan tree to answer the call.

As if he hadn't expected the other party to be so disrespectful, Qi Yang's face stiffened. When he finally composed himself and turned around, he saw Guan Nan sitting on a bamboo chair, listening to his questions.

Looking further out, a tall figure stood beside a bench not far away.

He stretched out his long arm, casually leaning against the side of the bench, and replied to the conversation in a casual manner, his every move seemingly nonchalant yet exuding an air of nobility.

Just now, when I stood with Guan Nan, we looked peaceful and perfectly matched.

After six years apart, Qi Yang never expected that they would actually reconnect, something that shouldn't have happened. He glanced absently towards the clock tower, his previously composed brows furrowing as he seemed to be lost in thought.

Under the banyan tree, they said something to Guan Nan, and then stretched out their hand, pointing directly at Jiang Li.

Guan Nan looked in that direction, and was clearly stunned for a moment. She quickly shook her head and waved her hands.

Immediately afterwards, Qi Yang went over and greeted everyone one by one. After listening to what they had to say, he came to Guan Nan's rescue, saying, "President Jiang has a girlfriend. It's not appropriate for him to make jokes like this with Guan Nan."

“Then it’s a good match for you. You two grew up together, childhood sweethearts, and you’re a perfect match,” the old lady said with a smile, holding Guan Nan’s hand tightly. “Guan Nan has finally come back, you should hurry up and make the most of it.”

Qi Yang, seizing the opportunity presented by the old couple's words, cleverly deflected their criticism: "That depends on her opinion."

Upon hearing this, Guan Nan pursed her lips, somewhat disagreeing with what he said.

Perhaps because of what she said a few days ago, coupled with today's ambiguous remarks, Guan Nan felt even more uncomfortable, and even with everyone's good intentions, she still wanted to say something.

Seeing Jiang Li approaching out of the corner of his eye, he immediately said, "It's still early, let's talk about it later."

So, Jiang Li happened to hear Qi Yang say, "Okay, then let me know whenever you want to talk, and I'll be ready at any time."

"Do we have to wait for notification to start dating?" Jiang Li calmly glanced at everyone present.

The scene fell silent instantly.

Jiang Li tilted his head, "Then I'll get a number too?"

"······"