artificial
In another corner of the city, on a north-south street, the sunlight splits the alley in two.
The boy in black sportswear squinted his eyes and exhaled, and hazy smoke covered his face.
As the scarlet red spot flickered, footsteps were heard and someone came over and extinguished the fire that was about to burn the boy's fingertips.
The boy didn't care. He threw away the cigarette butt, swatted it with his foot, and said nonchalantly, "It seems that girl went to Qing or something park today."
"Aoki Park." said the visitor.
"Oh, yes," the boy suddenly realized and tilted his head, "You're not going?"
The man didn't say anything. With a "bang", the empty can was flattened and smashed into the green trash can. The crisp sound of the collision echoed throughout the alley.
The boy listened to the footsteps gradually fading away. He put on his sweatshirt hood, put his hands in his pockets, and walked slowly to the other end of the alley.
"Brother, are you okay?" The man leaning against the motorcycle immediately stood up straight when he saw the boy coming out.
"Yeah." The boy took out the key from his pocket and threw it to the other person.
"Brother wants to see you."
The boy didn't stop moving and got on the car. "Let's go."
"Okay, brother, sit tight."
The roar of a motorcycle sounded, stirring up a cloud of exhaust fumes as it sped through the bustling crowd.
There are also a lot of people in the park, especially near the square full of amusement facilities. The crowd is crowded with old people, children, couples, and various snack vendors.
But Jiang Qing, who was in it, was not afraid of getting lost, because——
She looked up at the pink bunny head floating high above her head and asked the boy, "Is this necessary?"
Lin Nanyan deftly tied a bow on the girl's clothes. He tugged at it to make sure it wasn't loose. He took two steps back, followed the girl's gaze upwards, and said simply, "There are so many people around, it's quite conspicuous."
Jiang Qing turned around, pulled the rope to hold the floating rabbit head in her arms, and asked, "Do any of you want one too?"
When everyone heard this, they immediately shook their heads like rattles, which was unnecessary.
In the end, only Jiang Qing couldn't bear to refuse her and stayed with her. Jiang Qing looked at the fiery red lion floating on the senior's head and was deeply moved: "Senior, I know you are the most beautiful and kind-hearted person."
Jiang Qing pursed her lips embarrassedly, a faint smile appearing at the corner of her mouth.
Song Shuang was so disgusted by the cheesiness that he stomped away a few steps and said, "Be more normal."
"Hmph, I told you not to accompany me," Jiang Qing snorted angrily, then turned her head and changed her expression in an instant, almost choking her throat as she spoke, "Senior, let's go on a boat trip together."
Jiang Qing nodded, and Jiang Qing walked towards the lake hand in hand with her senior sister with a smile on her face.
The rabbit head and the little lion floated high above the two girls' heads and gradually moved away, leaving behind Song Shuang who was stunned by Jiang Qing's sudden change of expression.
Her hand trembled as she pointed in Jiang Qing's direction, and she began to doubt her life: "Is there something wrong with her brain?"
"The behavior is artificial," Ye Meiyan, who was observing the whole process, commented calmly, "but the senior sister doesn't seem to mind."
Song Shuang agreed with Ye Meiyan's words very much, until she heard the second half of the sentence, she could no longer nod her head.
Is this okay?
At the ticket office by the lake, Chen Heng brought the seven tickets he had bought and led everyone in.
Jiang Qing pulled out a life jacket from the side and handed it to Jiang Qing, then put it on herself lightly and skillfully.
Turning around, she saw the senior student putting on her life jacket slowly and awkwardly. She ran over and passed by Chen Heng who was about to come over to help Jiang Qing put on her life jacket like a gust of wind.
Chen Heng paused and met Lin Nanyan's gaze. He calmly withdrew his foot.
Jiang Qing gently pushed aside the senior sister's hair that was pressed by the life jacket, then turned to the front, inserted the buckle neatly, and pulled it with both hands to test the tightness.
Jiang Qing remained obedient throughout the entire process without moving. When Jiang Qing stepped back, she blinked and whispered, "Thank you."
A big smile bloomed before her eyes.
Jiang Qing: "You're welcome."
"Oh," Song Shuang, who was standing on the other side, watched the scene and secretly complained, "What a lackey."
Ye Meiyan turned around when she heard this. Song Shuang was frantically fastening his life jacket. She understood: "Do you need help?"
Song Shuang immediately shut up, her hands and feet stiff as she watched Ye Meiyan's smooth movements in front of her.
"How come you are so skilled?" she asked for conversation.
“I often use it when I’m learning to swim.”
"Ah, do you also need a life jacket when learning to swim?" Song Shuang asked in surprise.
Ye Meiyan took a few steps back and checked her equipment again. "Why do you ask?"
Song Shuang: "I thought people like you would have indoor swimming pools and personal trainers for everything you learn, so it's safe and you wouldn't need a life jacket."
Ye Meiyan: "No matter how safe it is, a life jacket is essential. We are all beginners, there is no difference."
"And," she raised her eyes and asked, "what kind of people are we?"
"Just..." Song Shuang looked around and said vaguely, "A smart person who can learn quickly."
"Okay, try it." Ye Meiyan lowered her eyes, "It shouldn't be tight."
Song Shuang jumped on the spot and felt it. "It's not tight. Thank you."
As she danced, she saw Lin Nanyan standing beside Wang Huaqiang and helping him adjust his laces. Song Shuang pursed her lips and turned her head away.
Seeing that they had packed up, the staff took them on a boat. The boats here were small and could only carry four people, so they had to split up into two boats.
Jiang Qing set off first, holding Jiang Qing's arm and sitting together to watch the people on the shore. Lin Nanyan followed closely behind as usual.
There was only one seat left. Song Shuang was about to go up, but when she lifted her leg, her vision suddenly blurred. She looked closely and saw that Chen Heng had already taken her seat and was sitting there steadily, looking at her.
Jiang Qing looked at Song Shuang: "How about..."
There were two handsome guys in front of the moored boat, and her best friend in the back. Song Shuang rolled her eyes and immediately retracted her leg, which had stopped in mid-air after moving too fast, and interrupted Jiang Qing, "Ahem, I still like the shape of the other boat."
It was not until she got on another boat and looked back to see Ye Meiyan and to the right to see Wang Huaqing that she came to her senses and felt as if she was sitting on pins and needles.
Song Shuang's heart was suddenly filled with tears. Jiang Jiang, I have really paid too much for your lifelong happiness.
Jiang Qing, who was being nagged by her, knew nothing about it and felt nothing.
Although there were two men sitting in front of her, her eyes and heart were all on Senior Jiang Qing beside her.
Chen Heng leaned slightly to the side and asked, "Would you like some water?"
He took out the lemonade he had bought in the square while a few people were buying hydrogen balloons and handed it to Jiang Qing.
"Thank you," Jiang Qing took it, inserted the straw naturally, and handed it to Jiang Qing, "Are you hot? Drink this."
"Let me tell you, lemon is definitely the best partner in summer, especially with ice," she turned to ask Chen Heng, "By the way, how icy is yours?"
Chen Heng: "...lots of rock sugar."
Jiang Qing turned around and continued to recommend it to her senior: "It's very cold, it will cool you down and quench your thirst."
Jiang Qing looked at Chen Heng and then at the enthusiastic Jiang Qing. She lowered her head and took a small sip. "It's delicious."
Jiang Qing said happily: "I knew you would like it."
Lin Nan reached out and took out two more glasses of lemonade from the bag next to Chen Heng. He put a straw in one and handed it to Jiang Qing, and the other to Chen Heng.
He looked at the other person and said, "Drink it."
Chen Heng watched Lin Nanyan's extremely natural movements. He reached out to take it, his Adam's apple rolling, and used ice water to cool down in this hot summer.
The boat started slowly in the lake. Jiang Qing puffed and pedaled quickly, not forgetting to give verbal instructions.
"Hurry up, you two boys! The boat is yawing."
"It's off to the side, it's too far, turn around."
For a moment, the boats were filled with chatter, and the girl even poked her head out to challenge the boat that was lagging behind them: "Great! Why are you so slow?"
She retracted her head after she finished shouting, and urged as if on fire: "Hurry, hurry, let's go around from the side and don't let her catch up."
Lin Nanyan and Chen Heng were being commanded around in circles, and Jiang Qing also pedaled anxiously. The boat went fast, then slowed down, turned, and then sprinted.
Fortunately, there was order in the chaos, and finally, after stumbling and struggling, he swam to the center of the lake first.
Jiang Qing popped her head out and glanced behind her, then turned back happily: "Look how well we understand each other, they're still circling behind us."
Everyone on the boat was silent for a rare moment, because of her inexplicable confidence.
Is it possible that there are four of them rowing the boat, and there are two people rowing from behind, so it would be difficult to catch up no matter what.
"Why aren't you talking?" Jiang Qing asked with her eyes wide open while sipping lemonade. She had been so busy with the competition that she didn't even have time to drink.
Lin Nanyan: "...quite fast."
Chen Heng: "...very smooth."
Jiang Qing met Jiang Qing's satisfied gaze and said with a smile, "Yeah, we have a good understanding."
Although she almost wanted to vomit because of the swaying, fortunately the lemonade could suppress the feeling. The boat was going quite fast, so... they had some tacit understanding.
Song Shuang was so excited by Jiang Qing's shouting that he pedaled very fast, as if he was riding a Hot Wheels.
But the speed of the ship is not something she can decide alone. If she goes faster on one side and slower on the other, the ship will turn uncontrollably.
But there was a noisy voice in front of her that kept mocking her. She couldn't help but look to the right again and again, and finally she couldn't help but gasp.
"Wang Huaqing, could you please cooperate with me and speed up?"
Wang Huaqing was stunned for a moment when he was called, then a smile appeared on his face. "Okay."
One of the two people in the front row was so angry that he was fuming, while the other one was good-tempered and tried to cooperate in a frantic manner.
Ye Meiyan sat quietly in the back row, and after a few seconds she closed her eyes and let herself sway with the boat.
How can two people rowing a boat compare to four people?
When the three of them stopped and went up to the pavilion in the middle of the lake, Jiang Qing and her group were already sitting in a row on chairs waiting.
Seeing the people coming up, Jiang Qing rummaged through Chen Heng's bag and handed it to Song Shuang: "Here, have some water. This is a friendly donation from classmate Chen Heng. Why don't you thank him quickly?"
Song Shuang was blocked for a moment and had no time to say anything. She followed Jiang Qing's thoughts, took the drink and said to Chen Heng, "Thank you."
Chen Heng nodded indifferently.
Jiang Qing once again peeled off Lin Nanyan's life jacket from the boy's waist. She took out her phone and called out to everyone, "Come on, take a picture and check in to commemorate our first trip to the lake."
The seven people followed the instructions very consciously and lined up, with the boys at the back and the girls in the front.
Jiang Qing looked at herself and saw that her face almost took up half of the screen because she was standing in the front and holding up her phone to take a selfie. She suddenly turned her head.
Lin Nanyan met her gaze:???
Jiang Qing: "Come and squat down in front."
Lin Nan extended his legs, stepped over, took the phone, lowered his knees, looked back to make sure everyone was in position, and pressed the button.
Seeing that the photo was ready, Jiang Qing excitedly pulled the boy's arm to check the photo effect, and soon a wailing sound rang out -
"I blinked, and this picture makes me look so ugly," she said, turning around to show the person next to her, "Look, we look like the staff here in our life jackets. It's so funny."
"Yeah." Lin Nanyan actually couldn't tell whether the photo was good or bad, but he didn't think it was ugly at all.
Jiang Qing: "You all took great photos, but I was the only one who blinked."
Song Shuang immediately became interested when she heard it. She stood on tiptoe and said, "Let me see, let me see how ugly you are."
Jiang Qing: ...
She turned her head and slapped away Song Shuang's outstretched hand without any hesitation.
"I won't show you." She said, pulling the person next to her and deliberately motioning for him to look, "Chen Heng, look, these people..."
As she spoke, she looked up proudly in the direction of Song Shuang, and suddenly saw something, and her lively expression froze.
Before Chen Heng could see the photo in the girl's hand clearly, he saw the girl quickly withdraw her hand.
Jiang Qing quickly withdrew her hand and checked the photos in her hand.
Sure enough, in an inconspicuous corner of the photo, there was a small figure, which was easy to overlook if you didn't look carefully. She quickly exited and clicked delete.
When she looked up, she met Chen Heng's puzzled gaze. She smiled and explained, "The photo is too ugly. You'd better not look at it."
Jiang Qing kept an eye on the person opposite her and couldn't help but feel concerned.
Why...is he here?
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