Chapter 27 “I beg you to…”
The two senior professors who led the team were obviously exhausted after more than ten days of long journey. For the sake of their own health, they simply gave up and delegated power when they arrived in Suiwu, letting two graduate assistants take the students out for sketching.
Suiwu County has more than ten ancient villages under its jurisdiction, all belonging to different towns. Looking at the map, Wuwu Village, located in the middle, has become an important point on this road due to its superior geographical location, connecting more than ten surrounding villages into a zigzag line.
Since the villages were scattered, it was impossible to visit every one of them in two or three days. So the two people entrusted with the important task discussed with the professor and decided to lead the students in their respective majors and split into two groups.
Tao Siyun was in the habit of choosing his bed when he was out. He didn't get enough sleep at night and was physically exhausted during the day. However, in just a few days, he looked sickly and exhausted from the inside out.
Fortunately, class monitor Zhang Yuhao has pretty good organizational skills. With him around, she basically doesn't have to worry about anything.
At around eight o'clock in the morning, the rented bus took them to the destination on time. Tao Siyun counted the number of people and repeated again that no one was allowed to run around without permission.
Then she found a place to frame the picture, set up the easel, put up the paper, sat down, dipped it in water, and started to mix the colors. If nothing unexpected happened, she would not move for the whole morning.
"Senior, I heard from Teacher Yuan and her group that we're going to three scenic spots today, and we only need to draw about twenty small color sketches. Can we..."
"No." Tao Siyun interrupted him, his hand holding the pen never stopped, his eyes always on the paper.
"Why?"
"Because they are majoring in pure art, they have to hold exhibitions and reports at school. We designers don't need to do as much color training as they do. The focus is different and the requirements are also different."
Zhang Yuhao supported his knees with his hands, half bent over, looked at her beautiful profile, and didn't say anything for a long time.
After Tao Siyun finished the drawing, he took out a tissue to wipe the paint off the pen, wondering if what he had just said was a bit too hurtful to the other person's self-esteem.
After all, according to the admission mechanism of domestic universities, the scores for pure art majors are relatively higher, and many people study design not because they like it.
Yuan Xiao, a graduate of a prestigious art academy, even though he had been accepted into Shanghai University through the postgraduate entrance exam, had said to her more than once, "Even if Shanghai University is ranked among the top three in China, in the eyes of art students, it's just a comprehensive university. Art academies will always be at the top of the contempt chain."
The psychological gap from the eight major art academies to the top three is a complex life experience that most people cannot experience.
How many children who study painting don’t want to be artists or apply to art school?
Tao Siyun thought that the person in front of him was probably another frustrated young man whose dream of attending art school was shattered and who was studying a major that he didn't really like.
"We have to go to Hongbei Village this afternoon, so we don't have time to visit the tourist spots. But if you really want to go, I'll tell Teacher Yuan. You can go with her tomorrow."
"No, that's not what I meant... I..." Zhang Yuhao said "I" for a long time, blushed under Tao Siyun's puzzled gaze, and stammered, "I, I'm leaving."
***
In the afternoon, on the way back to the B&B from Hongbei Village, Tao Siyun was suddenly told that a girl in his class was missing.
"Chen Xuan's boyfriend broke up with her yesterday. She cried all night. She wanted to take a day off today, but she didn't dare..."
The two roommates who shared the room with her were the ones who spoke. The girl with short hair looked really anxious, her eyes were red, and her voice was trembling. "Senior, she won't be upset, right?"
When they first discovered that the person was missing, they did not tell Tao Siyun, but helped cover for him when the squad leader called the roll. When they could not contact him on the way back, they panicked and took the initiative to find Tao Siyun to confess.
Tao Siyun was really angry, but he couldn't get angry at them. "Why is no one answering the phone?"
"I've been calling her since I got in the car, but she didn't answer."
At this time, someone suggested: "Why don't we call the police first?"
Zhang Yuhao frowned, "They're not children. If an adult disappears within 24 hours, we can't file a case."
"What should we do now?"
“…”
Despite repeated warnings and instructions to follow all instructions, I didn't expect that something would still happen in the last three days.
"Senior, please don't tell the team leader. We don't want to be punished..."
Tao Siyun had a terrible headache, so he called Yuan Xiao and briefly explained the situation there, then asked the driver to stop the car on the spot.
"You all go back first."
Zhang Yuhao volunteered, "Senior, I'll go look for it with you."
"Okay, you go to the place where we sketched this morning, and I'll go to Hongbei Village. Keep your phone open. Remember, if you can't find me, come back first, okay?"
"Um."
“…”
The bus stopped by the roadside and the two got off. Tao Siyun stopped a ride and prayed all the way that nothing would happen.
***
Tao Siyun looked around but couldn't find the person. He was getting very anxious when Tao Qian called him.
"Hey, brother, I'm busy right now. I'll get back to you later."
Her voice sounded breathless.
Tao Qian asked, "What's wrong?"
"My student is missing, I'm looking for him everywhere..." Tao Siyun half-knelt on the ground and took a short rest.
"Just you?"
"No, there's another boy. We split up into two groups."
"What are you doing fooling around here? Go back quickly and don't run around outside alone."
After Tao Qian finished speaking, the squad leader's phone call came in.
"Wait a minute, I have to take a call first."
"Senior, Chen Xuan just called her roommate back. She's now at a relative's house in the city. Don't worry, I'm on my way back to the B&B. You should come back soon too."
After hearing this, Tao Siyun let out a long sigh, finally relieved, and said tiredly, "Okay, I got it."
After hanging up the call with the squad leader, she said to Tao Qian on the other end of the phone: "The person is fine, they have been found. I am so tired..."
"Can I still get a taxi at this hour?"
"I don't know." Tao Siyun walked slowly along the path he had taken. "Let's see if I can get a ride or something along the way."
"Find a place to stand still and send me your location."
"What?"
Tao Qian sighed helplessly: "Ancestor, I will send someone to pick you up now."
***
Looking at the name in the address book that he hadn't contacted for almost eight hundred years, Tao Qian hesitated for a few seconds, and finally pressed the call button with a thick face.
Then a very charming voice came from the phone receiver: "What's the matter?"
"Can't I just call you if I'm alright?"
"..." Qiao Ying glanced at the number on the screen without any expression. After confirming that it was this person, he was too lazy to say anything and just waited for his next words.
"are you free?"
"No time."
"Then take some time now."
Qiao Ying said indifferently, "I can't pull it out."
"I beg you, please save my sister."
"?" Qiao Ying's expression softened slightly, "Your sister?"
"She's about ten kilometers away from you now. Could you please run and take her back to the B&B?"
Qiao Ying suddenly thought of something and couldn't help but confirm with him, "I remember your sister is quite timid and doesn't even dare to ride a bicycle. Are you sure you want me to go?"
Tao Qian laughed and said, "You have a good memory. You even remember that my sister was afraid to ride a bicycle."
Qiao Ying: “…”
"Don't worry," Tao Qian said, "that girl just has a shadow on me and my bicycle that has been scrapped for many years. Just change the person and the bicycle and everything will be fine."
"oh."
“…”
After hanging up the phone, Qiao Ying quickly changed her shoes, put her car keys in her pocket and walked out the door. But after taking only two steps, she turned back.
"I'm going out for a while, give me your helmet."
The young man was chatting with an experienced senior. When he saw her leaving, he held on to his helmet tightly and asked eagerly, "Sister, where are you going? Can you take me with you?"
"No." Qiao Ying patted his head, "Give it to me."
“…”
The young man was reluctant to leave and kept chasing the car for a long distance. He put his hands to his mouth and screamed heartbreakingly like the man in the drama who couldn't get the love he wanted. For a moment, it echoed throughout the camp.
"Be careful!!! Ride slowly!!! I'll wait for you to come back!!!"
Everyone: “…”
***
After waiting for about twenty minutes, Tao Siyun vaguely heard bursts of roars coming from the distance. Looking up, she saw a black motorcycle speeding towards her and appeared in her sight.
Before she could react, the motorcycle had already stalled and stopped steadily in front of her.
Qiao Ying took off his helmet and looked at the girl who was wearing a red baseball cap and light blue denim overalls. She was squatting on the ground and was obviously still in a daze. Suddenly, he thought of the protagonist of a fairy tale named "Little Red Riding Hood".
I have to say, they really look alike.
She cleared her throat, as if confirming an order: "Tao, Si Yun?"
Tao Siyun was a little confused, and stood up belatedly. Tao Qian called a motorcycle for her?
She is also a beautiful and cool female rider.
"Yes, I am."
Qiao Ying gave her a faint smile and said, "Your brother asked me to pick you up. Come in the car."
"Oh." Tao Siyun hesitated for a moment, then slowly took the helmet and put it on his head.
She was 1.68 meters tall. She raised her legs, took one easy step, and straddled the car.
"Ah!" The moment the car started, Tao Siyun leaned forward due to inertia and bumped into Qiao Ying's back. She was startled, "Sorry!"
Qiao Ying tilted her head and said in a gentle voice, "It's okay. Sit tight and hold my waist tightly. Don't worry, I'm better than your brother and I won't let you fall."
Tao Siyun immediately grasped the key point from this sentence and asked hesitantly, "Do you know my brother?"
Tao Siyun felt that after he asked this question, Qiao Ying's body seemed to stiffen for a moment.
"We... knew each other before."
When someone says "we knew each other before", the subtext is "I don't really want to know each other now".
In this situation, Tao Siyun could only think of one outcome - breaking up.
It wasn't a very pleasant experience, and we'll never talk to each other again.
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