0011 Condition
The hellish days finally came to an end, and students from various departments sat in small circles on the lawn of the playground to bid farewell to their instructors.
Song Ning found it hard to imagine anyone being reluctant to part with these instructors; at least she wasn't.
She looked at the bouquet the class had prepared for the instructors: "Why do I have to give one too?"
Teaching assistant: "Lin Qianqian recommended you, and the other students have no objections, so when the instructors arrive, the task of delivering the flowers will be assigned to you. Although Instructor Shen has been a bit strict with you lately, strict teachers produce outstanding students. In the end, you won the Special Excellent Military Training Student Award, which is a good start in university. Song Ning, keep up the good work."
Song Ning glanced at her roommate Lin Qianqian, who was also holding a bouquet of flowers, and then at the teaching assistant's kind smile. She finally understood how hard Cheng Yanchu worked to play the role of a good student. She smiled and said, "I understand. I will do my best. Thank you, teaching assistant."
The teaching assistant smiled and nodded, seemingly having a high opinion of Song Ning.
In the distance, the instructors marched in formation, their steps perfectly synchronized, and deafening cheers echoed across the nighttime playground, brimming with youthful energy and enthusiasm.
The instructors saluted, gave commands, and then dispersed to their respective classes.
"Song Ning, let's go." Seeing Shen Jiayi approaching, Lin Qianqian took the lead.
The teaching assistant urged, "Go ahead."
Having no other choice, Song Ning took the bouquet and walked up to Shen Jiayi, then stood next to Lin Qianqian.
Lin Qianqian handed the flowers to Shen Jiayi: "Instructor Shen, this is a gift that the class specially prepared for you. We hope you will accept it. We are very grateful to you for your help during this time."
Shen Jiayi smiled and accepted the bouquet, then looked at Song Ning as if to say, "Aren't you going to give it to her?"
They really didn't hold back at all.
Song Ning handed over the bouquet: "We were going to give you another award banner, but the students didn't agree."
Shen Jiayi laughed heartily, showing none of the solemnity she had during military training.
After Song Ning presented the flowers, the other students raised their hands and shouted in unison, "Thank you for your hard work, instructor."
On the playground, shouts rose like surging waves, one after another, each vying with the other.
Shen Jiayi placed the bouquet on the ground, stood at ease, then stood at attention, and gave a military salute: "Thank you everyone, you've all worked hard too."
Looking at Shen Jiayi, Song Ning felt a dull ache in her back for some reason.
The atmosphere relaxed after that, and everyone started to show off their talents. Someone egged Shen Jiayi on to perform one as well.
Shen Jiayi didn't refuse and stood in the circle formed by the students. As soon as the intro on her phone started playing, Song Ning's face instantly darkened.
Shen Jiayi sang Alicia Keys' "If I Ain't Got You".
This song is a classic and is commonly used in talent shows, but after Shen Jiayi gave Song Ning a meaningful look, everything became clear.
When Song Ning was 17, she spent more than half a month at the bar owned by Jiang Xisheng. During that time, every time the bar closed, she would sit in the bar, randomly playing the drums and crying her heart out while singing this song.
That was the first time that Shen Yuxiu did not appear in front of her after she acted out.
After Shen Jiayi finished singing, Song Ning lost all interest in staying any longer. She lied and said she felt dizzy, then left early and went to the balcony of a quiet activity center to light a cigarette.
[Lo……：Sheng and I are taking Jiayi to the airport tonight, want to come along?]
It was a text message from Shen Yuxiu. Song Ning put away her phone and ignored it.
——Even though we're going through it
If it makes you feel alarmed
Just know that I would die for you
The phone's ringtone was especially clear in the quiet place, so Song Ning simply turned it off.
As the ashes settled between his fingers, Song Ning couldn't help but lean out onto the balcony and look down.
Young Shen Yuxiu sat on the balcony of her downstairs room, holding his newly bought phone, and gently sang "The Little Insects Fly" to her.
In the middle of the night, Song Ning lay in bed unable to sleep. She turned on her phone and found only one text message and one missed call.
The text message was from Shen Jiayi, and Song Ning opened it.
[Something came up in the team, I have to go. If it doesn't work out, we'll find someone else.]
Song Ning chuckled silently in bed, thinking to herself, "Why didn't you choose someone else back then? Why is it that you could win over Jiang Xisheng, but she couldn't win over Shen Yuxiu?"
In the end, however, Song Ning still considered changing to someone else.
She texted the owner of the missed call.
Song Ning: [What is it?]
Cheng Yanchu: [Where are you hiding to smoke again?]
Song Ning: [Get to the point, then go to sleep.]
Cheng Yanchu: [Come be my dance partner at the freshman dance.]
Song Ning: [Okay.]
Cheng Yanchu: [Your answer was a bit unexpected, but I'm very happy and honored. See you at the ball, darling.]
The freshman dance is a tradition at Changqing University. The freshman dance of Song Ning's psychology department is jointly organized with the economics and management department, physics department, and journalism department, where Cheng Yanchu is located.
On the night of the ball, Song Ning deliberately dressed up to be very dazzling.
She has striking, slightly arched eyebrows, captivating eyes with upturned corners, long, wavy, reddish-brown hair, and a vintage purple mermaid-patterned, diagonally slit fishtail dress that hugs her curves and reveals her shapely legs as she walks.
When Song Ning came downstairs, she was not surprised to see Cheng Yanchu's amazed and lustful gaze.
"I'm going to be the envy of everyone tonight." Cheng Yanchu's lips curled up, looking every bit the "elegant gentleman."
Song Ning recalled how Cheng Yanchu had stormed off in anger the last time, and sneered, "Then you'd better keep a close eye on me, or you might be accused of being jealous of others."
"What, are you going to cheat on me again?" Cheng Yanchu retorted sarcastically, not to be outdone.
The two walked side by side. This time, Song Ning didn't say a word. Her crystal high heels swayed on the ground as she walked, seemingly enjoying the summer night breeze. But only she knew that she was just trying to give up on someone again after her pride was hurt.
"Don't tell me he's coming again tonight?" Cheng Yanchu said jokingly, but his face darkened.
Song Ning: "No, you're overthinking it."
A university professor and doctoral supervisor coming to their undergraduate freshman orientation? Even if the dance was co-organized with their physics department, it's still impossible.
His excuse for bumping into her would only be something she couldn't verify or that made no logical sense.
"No, you have to promise me first that even if he comes, you won't do what you did last time."
Cheng Yanchu stepped forward, intending to grab Song Ning's hand, but Song Ning slapped it away. The sharp slap made both of their palms swell and turn red with blood.
Song Ning asked calmly, "Do you want to go to the dance alone tonight?"
"If it's like last time, I'd rather go alone," Cheng Yanchu said bitterly.
"Tonight I'll be your dance partner."
Just as Song Ning promised, she refused all other people's invitations to dance during the ballroom dance segment, choosing to be Cheng Yanchu's dance partner alone.
As the music started, Song Ning moved closer to Cheng Yanchu, as docile as a kitten. When she hugged Cheng Yanchu’s back with her left hand and clasped his right hand with hers, Song Ning felt Cheng Yanchu’s obvious stiffness. But soon he wrapped his arms around Song Ning’s waist and danced with her to the rhythm.
Melodious musical notes, soft and ambiguous lighting, a fishtail skirt spreads out, spinning rapidly on slender calves like blooming flowers, dark blue trousers and crystal high heels like soldiers fighting back and forth on a battlefield.
With a graceful swing, Song Ning's lithe figure swirled out like a colorful butterfly, her fingertips drawing straight lines that hovered high in the air before flowing smoothly down to Cheng Yanchu's chest. Her soft, slender waist arched backward, her long legs stretched out and hooked back, and in a moment, she landed back on the ground, lifting herself up to dance with Cheng Yanchu once more.
Song Ning felt the hands around her waist tighten, the warmth of their palms pressing against her skin.
A look of passion appeared on the handsome face before him, and even his voice became magnetically husky: "Song Ning, be my girlfriend."
Song Ning did not avoid Cheng Yanchu's gleaming gaze. She looked directly into those arrogant eyes, so different from Shen Yuxiu's: "Okay."
"What are the conditions?" Cheng Yanchu clearly didn't believe that Song Ning would agree to him so easily. He brought his face close to Song Ning's ear, testing her bottom line, as if wanting to see when she would reach her breaking point.
Song Ning then rested her chin on Cheng Yanchu's broad shoulder.
Cheng Yanchu froze for a moment, then tightened his grip on Song Ning's waist, pulling her into his arms and calling her affectionately, "Ningning."
They're all the same, so why can't I forget them? Song Ning wondered.
Song Ning's first ballroom dance was taught by Shen Yuxiu. At that time, Shen Yuxiu was practicing the piano in the piano room, and she was always restless. So Shen Yuxiu asked her if she wanted to learn to dance, so that he could accompany her in the future.
She still remembers that the sun was shining brightly that day. Inside the transparent glass room, "The Little Insects Fly" played on repeat. Song Ning stepped on Shen Yuxiu's pedicure, feeling as happy as a rolling cloud, a fluttering butterfly, or a swallow taking flight.
At the end of the dance, Song Ning spun backward and, together with Cheng Yanchu, completed the final ballroom dance ritual, bowing to each other.
Cheng Yanchu seemed still immersed in the intimacy from just now. He stepped forward to take Song Ning's hand, but Song Ning dodged it.
"Weren't you asking me about my conditions?"
Cheng Yanchu was in a good mood, smiled, and patiently said, "Even if you wanted 100 million now, I would give it to you."
Song Ning smiled, knowing he wasn't lying; he now had that ability.
How could the youngest son of the richest man in South Sudan not even have 100 million? Just for his coming-of-age ceremony, he received shares worth 1.5 billion US dollars from his father.
Unfortunately, Song Ning already has 100 million; he doesn't need to give it to him.
Song Ning leaned closer to him: "You should be more generous, maybe I'll be more tempted."
"Stop teasing me, just tell me, what are your conditions?"
As Cheng Yanchu spoke, the lights flickered, the catchy rhythm made the blood boil, and the surrounding crowd cheered wildly.
Song Ning blended into the crowd, her body pulsating with energy, and shouted, "I'll tell you when it's over!"
"Crazy!" Cheng Yanchu laughed and cursed, moving closer to Song Ning and blocking the others who were surrounding them, protecting Song Ning as if she were a possession.
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