Chapter 145: Confession
The Spring Festival came early this year; New Year's Day had just passed, and the streets were already filled with the festive atmosphere.
After shopping at the supermarket, the six of them took a taxi to Tan Zhixu's house.
Tan Zhixu's rented apartment was in a commercial area far from the university town. By the time he arrived, it was already four o'clock.
Take the elevator to the 22nd floor.
Upon entering, you'll find a huge floor-to-ceiling window, offering an unobstructed view of the scenery outside.
A river runs between the two districts, dividing the bustling commercial CBD in two. Lu Anlan can almost see what it looks like when the lights come on at night.
Looking at the empty ground in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, Lu Anlan seemed lost in thought.
She didn't come to her senses and go into the kitchen until someone called her, but once the idea took hold, it couldn't be erased.
Everyone set up the pot and washed the vegetables, and only half an hour had passed, but in that short time, the sun had already begun to shine red.
Winter days are especially short; it's only 4:30, and it's almost sunset.
Fiery red light shone through the window, falling on the floor and creating a glittering starlight effect.
I don't know who suggested taking a group photo first.
By the time everyone realized what was happening, the six of them had already gathered together.
Xu Yihuan, holding the camera, said with a smile, "Come on, three, two, one, cheese!!"
A flash of white light, and the photo freezes in that moment.
"Hey, let me see! Let me see!! How's the photo?"
Lu Anlan took the camera first and zoomed in to look at the photos.
"I want to see it too!!" Lu Shui lunged forward to grab it.
The two started arguing.
"Ladies first, don't you understand?!"
Lu Anlan was unwilling to give it, and just then, the doorbell rang.
Everyone looked towards the doorway. Who could be coming at this hour?
As if she had just thought of something, Lu Anlan immediately tossed the camera to Lu Shui and excitedly ran to the door.
When Tan Zhixu saw Lu Anlan's appearance, a bad premonition subconsciously crossed his mind.
Open the door.
"Master, just put it here, in front of the French windows, yeah, right here is fine."
Several workers carried in a mahjong table.
Installation began under Lu Anlan's command.
Tan Zhixu's face immediately darkened, and his voice turned cold.
"Lu Anlan, what are you doing?!"
Lu Anlan has become quite bold today.
She stood with her hands on her hips, staring directly into his eyes, her forehead practically screaming, "What can you do to me?"
"We're installing a mahjong machine, can't you see it?"
Tan Zhixu laughed angrily: "Did I agree? Why are you pretending?"
Lu Anlan chuckled twice, walked to Xu Yihuan's side, took her hand, and said meaningfully, "Is that so? You don't agree? Then tonight..."
Lu Anlan was interrupted by Tan Zhixu before she could finish speaking.
"Okay, just for today. I'll throw it away after today."
Lu Anlan made a face behind him, thinking, "Who cares about him now that today's the end? We can move it next time we need it."
Lu Anlan was about to go and take care of her new pet when she turned around and saw Lu Shui stuffing something into her mouth.
He immediately forgot everything else.
"Holy crap!! You actually ate behind our backs! I'm coming for you!"
The group laughed and joked around.
I don't know how much time had passed, but it had become completely dark.
A steaming hot pot, a movie playing in the background, and the lights of countless homes shining outside.
Beer and hot pot, everyone raises their glasses together to wish each other a Happy New Year.
It wasn't even nine o'clock yet, and Kyoto University hadn't called. The school was deserted with hardly anyone around.
Zhou Yanzhe was alone on a bench at the bottom of his dormitory building.
Holding a computer in his hand, he was intently staring at the screen.
Upon closer inspection, the screen displayed CAM's official website.
Soon, a message popped up on the screen indicating that the battery was low. Zhou Yanzhe pressed his temples, feeling an uncontrollable sense of irritation.
"Hey Zhou Yanzhe? What are you doing here?"
A girl seemed to notice him and inexplicably stopped in her tracks.
Zhou Yanzhe glanced back at her coldly, without saying a word.
The girl wasn't deterred by the coldness; she simply asked, "Wasn't there a power outage today? Why didn't you go out?"
"We're going out for drinks, do you want to come?" The girl was looking forward to it, but her voice still carried an undisguised air of superiority.
Zhou Yanzhe came here through a joint training program; this is a fact that everyone knows.
His academic qualifications are not as good as those of students from Peking University.
Hearing the unpleasant tone of the voice, Zhou Yanzhe subconsciously frowned and refused.
The girl glanced at him and swore.
Zhou Yanzhe didn't hear clearly, but it was probably something like pretending to be high and mighty, or being ungrateful.
Zhou Yanzhe lowered his eyes, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
Wherever he is, he is a chosen one; when has he ever been humiliated like this?
He suddenly thought of Xu Yihuan again; Xu Yihuan seemed to treat everyone the same.
Even though Tan Zhixu's family background was not as good as his, didn't she still have a good relationship with him?
Zhou Yanzhe thought of Xu Yihuan, and his heart, which had been quiet for half a day, began to pound again.
He suddenly felt a strong urge to call Xu Yihuan.
Zhou Yanzhe lowered his eyes, looking at the lit screen of his phone, hesitant.
At Tan Zhixu's home, they had already finished eating and were playing mahjong.
Tan Zhixu and Chen Xi were not interested in mahjong and did not sit at the table.
Chen Xi sat by the roadside watching cards, while Tan Zhixu stood alone in front of the French windows, a cigarette between his fingers.
Perhaps it's to cheer someone on for what's to come.
Lu Anlan has a keen sense of smell and detected the smell of smoke.
"Tan Zhixu, could you please throw your cigarettes further away? They stink!"
Tan Zhixu stubbed out his cigarette and reminded him.
"Yes, it's almost nine o'clock now."
Lu Anlan understood the implication, paused, and then said loudly, "Oh, I know, hurry up, hurry up, what are you rushing me for?"
"Huanhuan, could you go to the refrigerator and get me two boxes of cherries?"
Xu Yihuan was engrossed in playing her cards: "Wait a minute, let's finish this round."
"Let Tan Zhixu help you make it. I want to eat right now. Tan Zhixu just finished smoking, and his hands smell awful."
Upon hearing this, Xu Yihuan burst out laughing.
"Okay, okay, I'll go."
Xu Yihuan turned around and went to the kitchen to look for it.
After searching through the refrigerator for ages, I only found a box of cherries.
Xu Yihuan frowned, not believing it, and continued searching.
Five minutes later, Xu Yihuan confirmed that there was no such thing.
Holding the only box of cherries in her hand, she turned and left.
"Anlan, no..."
Before he could finish speaking, he froze, staring at the quiet, dimly lit hall.
Xu Yihuan walked out the door and looked at Tan Zhixu, who was standing in front of the French windows, and asked, "Have they all left?"
"Um."
Tan Zhixu's fingers, which were holding the cigarette, trembled slightly; he felt a little nervous.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Xu Yihuan casually opened a cherry, ate one, and asked, "Why didn't you turn on the lights?"
In the entire living room, only a dim floor lamp was on.
"You don't feel anything when the lights are on," Tan Zhixu said.
Xu Yihuan was slightly night-blind and couldn't see Tan Zhixu's expression clearly in the dark, but she inexplicably felt that his voice was a little hoarse.
"How does it feel?"
As soon as he finished speaking, drones took off one after another outside the window.
A thousand drones were deployed at once, arranged in the shape of fireworks.
Xu Yihuan was startled, and her gaze was instinctively drawn to look outside.
"I heard that you girls like fireworks, but fireworks and firecrackers are not allowed in Beijing, so I used a drone instead, hoping to achieve the same effect."
Upon hearing this, Xu Yihuan snapped out of her daze and subconsciously took two steps back.
"What...what do you mean by this?"
Tan Zhixu pursed his lips and, from who knows where, produced another large bouquet of Freudian roses, the petals exuding a fresh fragrance.
On the rose in the middle is a necklace, a style that girls would love.
In the darkness, Tan Zhixu's expression was flickering in and out of focus due to the outside lights, making it difficult to see clearly.
"I like you, will you be with me?"
Xu Yihuan took a deep breath and took two steps forward. By the light, she could see Tan Zhixu's expression clearly.
I was unusually nervous.
Xu Yihuan felt a strange urge to laugh, but she felt it was inappropriate and forcibly suppressed it.
He coughed lightly twice, poked Tan Zhixu's flower with his finger, and after holding back for a long time, he managed to say two sentences: "Has anyone ever told you that this kind of confession... is pretty corny?"
Tan Zhixu's expression froze.
This is what he asked Lu Anlan. Could it be that Lu Anlan is setting him up?!
Tan Zhixu's expression turned extremely ugly.
"but……"
Xu Yihuan paused, her breath coming in short gasps, and Tan Zhixu's breathing immediately tightened.
Before Xu Yihuan could finish speaking, her phone rang.
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