Chapter 27
At 5 p.m., Jian Sheng arrived at the entrance of the residential area where he had arranged to meet Qi Jing and Lin You.
When she arrived, only Qi Jing was at the door, her back to her, with a bag on her shoulder and her phone engrossed in looking at something.
Slightly out of breath, Jian Sheng stepped forward and called out, "Qi Jing."
Qi Jing turned around, about to speak, but her gaze froze on her face: "Holy crap."
She said it in a breathy voice, then circled around her once, and said again, "Oh my god."
Jian Sheng straightened up and lowered his head: "What are you doing?"
"Holy crap..." Qi Jing covered her mouth, "Sorry for the swearing."
"I've finally seen your true colors." Qi Jing circled around her again. "Jian Sheng, amazing!"
Jian Sheng looked horrified: "You're exaggerating."
"Oh my god, now no one will scream when I go to the bathroom with you..." Qi Jing murmured again.
"Where's Lin You?" Jian Sheng abruptly changed the subject.
"Oh, she texted me saying she had something to do and went over first." Qi Jing raised her hand, instinctively wanting to take her hand, but then seemed to remember something and could only awkwardly put it down. She glanced at the cute bag in Jian Sheng's hand, "You bought a gift?"
"Hmm." Jian Sheng lifted it in front of her. "I don't know if she'll like it."
"She'll definitely like it, it's very cute, this packaging." Qi Jing gave a positive response.
Suddenly remembering something, she looked up at her phone: "A lot of people have already arrived."
"Let's hurry up. I just hailed a taxi, but the place is a bit far. It's rush hour now, so it might take more than forty minutes to get there." She scrolled through the taxi app on her phone and stomped her foot.
Qi Jing wore a gray short jacket, dark blue jeans, and her hair was down. She had also taken off her black-rimmed glasses, making her look more mature than she did at school.
Jian Sheng pursed her lips and tugged at the hem of her clothes, trying to make her attire neat and clean.
The white jacket and loose black pants she was wearing were the ones Ye Hua gave her the day after she arrived, because Ye Hua saw that she was dressed in tattered clothes.
Gu Zhenyi hosted the dinner at a rather private hotel in Xiqi. It seems that it was originally scheduled to be at Yanjiang, but her father heard that many classmates were being invited, so he changed the venue. He was so enthusiastic that he almost wanted to personally pick them up and drop them off, but everyone refused in the end.
When the two arrived, Gu Zhenyi and Xu Xiaxia were waiting outside. They came up to greet them when they saw them get out of the car.
"Are you alright, Jian Sheng?" Qi Jing got out of the car, walked to Jian Sheng's side, and asked with concern, seeing her uncomfortable expression.
Jian waved his hand and said, "It's nothing, it's nothing."
She patted her chest and felt much better after standing for a while, but the nausea from motion sickness still lingered in her stomach and mind.
"Who is this?!" a surprised yet familiar voice rang out.
The two looked up and saw Xu Xiaxia and Gu Zhenyi walking towards them.
"Wow! Jian Sheng, you got a haircut!" Gu Zhenyi reacted the same way as Qi Jing, circling around her several times, making Jian Sheng feel quite embarrassed.
She whispered, "Happy birthday, Gu Zhenyi."
Gu Zhenyi's eyes lit up: "Thank you, thank you, Jian Sheng."
Jian Sheng handed her the gift, and she hugged it excitedly and politely for a while, until Xu Xiaxia calmed her down: "Hurry up and go in, most of the girls have arrived."
Her birthday was arranged very well. Jian Sheng originally thought he would be meeting a lot of people, but unexpectedly, there were only people from his class in the private room, the girls he had been discussing a few days ago.
The private room not only served as a dining area but also provided entertainment. It was quite spacious and could accommodate many people. The overall style was pink and white, as if it had been specially decorated for a birthday celebration. Jian Sheng stood at the door of the private room, struggling with his thoughts several times before slowly following Qi Jing inside.
As soon as she entered, several people on the sofa by the door cast their gazes at her. Their reactions were exactly the same as Qi Jing's earlier ones, causing her to blush deeply.
She casually sat in the far corner, but Gu Zhenyi was very enthusiastic, chatting with her from time to time, enlivening the atmosphere.
"Gu Zhenyi, didn't you say Class 7 was here?" Zheng Nian asked from before.
Gu Zhenyi turned around and said, "Ah, I invited a batch yesterday. I invited all the familiar people from the other classes."
"Why not do it together? If we do it separately, we'll have to pay twice as much," said the girl next to Zheng Nian.
"To avoid a war without gunpowder." Gu Zhenyi took a breath, put her hands together, and made a bold gesture towards the coffee table full of fruits and snacks.
"I'm dying of laughter. I forgot, Chen Zhoujing and Yu Chao seem to have a grudge," Zheng Nian said. "But... you two."
Gu Zhenyi's eyes widened: "Holy crap, don't tell me."
"Alright, alright, I won't say." Zheng Nian chuckled mischievously. "Why aren't Chen Zhoujing and the others here yet?"
When Chen Zhoujing was mentioned, Jian Sheng raised an eyebrow. It seemed like this person had disappeared for several days, and he hadn't heard him speak for a long time.
Even when the study group was discussing problems, this person didn't say anything. But when she heard the others start discussing Chen Zhoujing, she unconsciously started paying attention.
After a while, it got completely dark outside the window. The waiter served the food, and then a few male voices hurriedly sounded at the door. It seemed that there were not many people yet. Jian Sheng leaned back on the sofa and slowly looked towards the door.
She was leaning back on the sofa, her hands on her lap, her back bent, and her gaze drifting aimlessly.
As she relaxed in the warm and inviting atmosphere, her gaze lingered on Gu Zhenyi, who was running to the door to greet her, for a long while.
At this moment, her high ponytail was loose, with the ends slightly curled. She was wearing a white dress with a white bow on her shoulder, which was very pleasing to the eye. It was the opposite of her enthusiastic and lively personality, but it didn't feel out of place.
Outside the door.
Five or six boys stopped at the door, were led there by the waiter, and then stood to one side.
He Shang rolled up his sleeves, glanced at the respectful waiter beside him, and whispered to Chen Zhoujing, "Damn, this place is so hard to find... Rich people are different, the places they eat are built so high-class."
"The title of 'Number One Girl at No. 7 Middle School' is well-deserved. You didn't know that?" Xu Xiao followed up and punched him.
Chen Zhoujing stood at the door, frowning: "Stop your thuggish attitude, they're genuinely inviting you."
The group remained silent, waiting at the door for a while until Xu Xiu, moving at a snail's pace, finally appeared. Chen Zhou clicked his tongue in surprise: "How come you're so slow? Xu Yanghe prepared all the things for you."
Xu Xiu pursed his lips, his usual confident demeanor gone: "Well... I... wasn't feeling well, so I went to the restroom."
"I think you're backing down," He Shang chuckled.
The boys looked at each other, their plan, which had been secretly plotted for two months, seemed to be struggling under Xu Xiu's tension.
The sound of a door opening came from the side.
The heavy, crystal-encrusted door of the private room opened from the inside, and Gu Zhenyi's face came into view.
Xu Xiu, who was standing on the outermost edge, froze for a moment and silently took a few steps back.
Gu Zhenyi smiled and generously invited, "Come in, come in, all the girls are here!"
"Wow, that's so kind of you, Gu Zhenyi. Happy birthday, happy birthday!" He Shang said, glancing at the interior decoration, and handed her the gift.
"Thank you, thank you. Come in quickly. This floor is for dining. You can play whatever you want in the whole building later." Gu Zhenyi waved his hand dismissively.
"Holy crap..." He Shang swallowed hard.
The group went inside, and the sounds of boys cheering, talking, and playing games came from the private room.
Only Chen Zhoujing and Xu Xiu stood at the door, hesitant to go in.
Gu Zhenyi's head popped out again: "What are you two doing?"
She opened her big eyes and blinked at Chen Zhoujing: "What's wrong? Afraid to go in?"
Chen Zhou glanced at her in surprise: "What are you talking about?"
"Thank you for coming all this way and for helping me get back down to meet you." She gestured with her chin at him, then, as if remembering something, moved closer to him.
"Don't worry, Jian Sheng isn't here..." It was Jian Sheng who had just cut his hair. Gu Zhenyi patted his chest and assured him.
Chen Zhou frowned, said "Oh," and walked around her.
"What are you doing now!" After he left, Gu Zhenyi's voice rose. Seeing Xu Xiu standing to the side with the gifts, she put her hands on her hips and said, "You didn't want to come, but you couldn't refuse me, did you?"
Xu Xiu suddenly looked up: "No, no."
Gu Zhenyi rolled her eyes, took two steps forward, snatched the gift box from his hand, and grabbed his wrist: "A grown man is hesitating."
"This must have cost a lot of money. I didn't expect that you, who usually scold me so harshly, would be so generous." She looked at the gift box in her hand, which was a bracelet from an old brand, the one she had casually mentioned before.
Inside the private room.
After Chen Zhoujing walked in, he was about to find a seat at random, but his steps stopped under that deep gaze. A hint of surprise and amazement flashed in his eyes, and then his steps faltered for a few seconds under that gaze.
Jian Sheng's hair was cut much shorter, fully revealing his beautiful eyes that made him afraid to look at them. His face was small and delicate, quite striking compared to his usual dull appearance when he was bent over.
Even though she was sitting in her seat, there was always a force about her that drew Chen Zhoujing to look at her constantly.
He was a little irritated, put his hands in his coat pockets, and casually found the furthest seat to sit down.
"What are you doing sitting here? Go to the middle." He Shang, who was chewing on a watermelon, walked over from the opposite side. He followed He Shang's gaze and exclaimed, "Holy crap?"
"I didn't even notice she was sitting in that corner. Is that Jian Sheng?" He Shang's eyes widened. "Are you crazy?"
"What are you looking at?" Xu Yanghe leaned closer, "Tsk~"
"So that's why none of those beautiful women caught your eye," Xu Yanghe adjusted his glasses. "They're not as pretty as Jian Sheng."
"This haircut must have hit the spot for someone," he added.
"Get out." Chen Zhou's eyes darkened.
"Alright, Gun-ge!" Xu Yanghe slipped away and ran to find Xu Xiu, who had been sitting silently in the same corner.
He Shang glanced at Chen Zhoujing's dark face and couldn't help but laugh: "Before she transferred schools, you were a sunny and cheerful school heartthrob. After she transferred here, you became a chatterbox, a clingy person, and a brave warrior who charges into battle for love!"
"I admire you, Chen Zhoujing!" He swallowed the watermelon and gave him a thumbs up. "You've suppressed Yu Chao's reputation. He's probably been so angry at home that he can't eat for days."
Chen Zhoujing ignored him and turned her gaze back to Jian Sheng, just as she looked over.
In the dim light and noisy space, their eyes met; his gaze was burning, while hers was indifferent and cold.
Chen Zhoujing didn't move away, his face blank and expressionless. After a while, he suddenly smiled, raised his eyebrows and winked at Jian Sheng.
Jian Sheng pursed her lips and looked away, refusing to look at him.
Chen Zhou's startled laughter turned into a muffled sound.
Amid the noise, Gu Zhenyi went down to pick up Lin You, and about ten people in total arrived.
Lin You came in and moved closer to Jian Sheng. She smiled and said, "Oh, you got a haircut."
"Mmm." Jian Sheng nodded. "I got my hair cut yesterday."
Lin You responded with an "Oh," and said, "It looks good."
Jian Sheng was a little embarrassed and said thank you.
"Did you give the gift?" Lin You suddenly asked.
My gaze lingered on the pile of gifts in the corner. I counted them: eighteen from bottom to top... and eighteen from top to bottom too?
There were only sixteen of them.
"It's been delivered," came the brief reply.
Lin You turned her gaze away and looked at the figure diagonally opposite who was looking down at his phone.
It wasn't until Gu Zhenyi called everyone to dinner that they stopped.
Around 8 or 9 pm, Jian Sheng should have gone home, but she had been brought along by Qi Jing, and she hesitated for a long time before she dared not speak.
The group laughed and joked, saying they were going upstairs to play. She raised her index finger and scratched her cheek, then looked at Qi Jing, who was chatting happily with Xu Xiaxia, and was speechless for a moment.
She gave up.
A moment later, she felt strange gazes around her. She turned her head and met Chen Zhoujing's sleepy eyes. He squinted as if he had just woken up.
Jian Sheng stared at him with wide eyes, completely forgetting to hide her shy bangs.
Chen Zhoujing felt a surge of heat from the gaze at that distance. He suppressed his inner turmoil and gritted his teeth: "Go back?"
Jian Sheng then realized that Chen Zhoujing was also from the same neighborhood.
She frowned and asked worriedly, "Won't this be bad?"
Chen Zhoujing gripped the chair with his fingers, rolled up his sleeves to reveal bulging veins, the lines mirroring his current state of mind—wild and volatile.
His Adam's apple bobbed several times as she stared at him with her bright, sparkling eyes. He spoke slowly, his voice slightly hoarse: "No, there's no such rule."
"Let's go, I'll take you back, okay?" He coughed, his voice softening slightly.
Jian Sheng thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll go tell her."
"Okay, go ahead." Chen Zhoujing let out a sigh of relief after she left.
These days, seeing her ignore him, even though it's the same as before, I inexplicably feel frustrated.
He didn't want to admit it, but he couldn't resist the crazy throbbing in his heart.
I don't know when it started.
After speaking with Gu Zhenyi, Jian Sheng followed Chen Zhou out of the private room, leaving behind a commotion.
She followed slowly behind Chen Zhoujing, from his broad back down to his long shadow, and then, on a whim, stepped on that shadow.
step...
Step two...
He caught her on the third step. He suddenly stopped, and Jian Sheng lost her composure. She instinctively raised her hand to protect her face and bumped into his back. She stumbled backward.
“Um…” Jian Sheng lowered his hand, his eyes darting around, “I’m sorry.”
"Is it fun?" Chen Zhou turned around and curled his lips into a smile.
“It’s not fun.” Jian Sheng avoided his gaze, walked to his side, and looked up at him. “Let’s go now.”
"Okay." Chen Zhoujing's smile was tinged with indulgence as he led her down to the car.
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