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Hao Nan lowered his voice and urged urgently, "Let's go!"
"Didn't you just say you still want to protect Qi Xu?" Wan Xiaoyi asked, puzzled.
Before he finished speaking, Qi Xu had already crouched down and nimbly slipped into the shadows of a nearby shop.
She poked her head out and anxiously waved to the two people who were still stuck in place.
The three of them held their breath and squeezed into the small corner of the shop, their eyes fixed on the empty passageway outside.
"Weren't you pretty fierce when you scolded him at school? Why are you so timid now?" Hao Nan quietly moved closer to Qi Xu and asked in a low voice with a hint of teasing.
"You talk too much," Qi Xu retorted.
"Shh, I'm here." Wan Xiaoyi suddenly tensed up, her voice extremely low.
Footsteps approached. Xu Sheng lit a cigarette and handed it to the person next to him: "What brings you to the mall?"
“That voice…” Wan Xiaoyi’s heart skipped a beat, and she murmured in disbelief, “Xu Sheng? It’s Xu Sheng’s voice? What’s he doing here?”
Xia Zhou took the cigarette, took a deep drag, and casually replied through the swirling smoke, "Looking for someone."
Qi Xu's heart sank to the bottom instantly, a chill creeping up her spine. It's over, they really came to ambush me! She instinctively took a step back, her back slamming into a warm chest—it was Hao Nan.
"Don't be afraid," Hao Nan's voice rang almost against Qi Xu's earlobe, his warm breath brushing against her sensitive earlobe, bringing a slight tingling sensation, "I'm here."
"Who could have made you chase them all the way here?" Xu Sheng's voice carried a hint of curiosity.
"That new girl in Class 8! How dare she call me a good-for-nothing, a piece of trash!" Xia Zhou's voice suddenly rose, his anger almost tangible, his face ashen, as if he was about to drag her out to vent his anger.
Xu Sheng was slightly taken aback. The new girl in Class 8... was only seven. He shook his head helplessly. How did she get into such big trouble so soon after arriving? He tried to persuade Xia Zhou not to be too extreme, but was rudely rebuffed by her.
"Mind your own business and shut the hell up to me!" Xia Zhou waved his hand impatiently.
"What could possibly happen to me?" Xu Sheng gave a bitter laugh, his tone tinged with self-mockery.
"Do I really have to spell it out for you? Li Mengyao or Wan Xiaoyi, which one are you planning to choose?" Xia Zhou bluntly exposed his question.
Wan Xiaoyi, who was listening from the shadows, felt a tightness in her heart and a huge question surged up: Why bring me up?
Qi Xu and Hao Nan's gazes immediately focused on Wan Xiaoyi's face like searchlights, silently asking her a question.
Wan Xiaoyi felt flustered under his gaze and quickly shook her head: "I...I don't know either."
The two then slowly shifted their gaze, their expressions filled with curiosity.
Xu Sheng's face instantly darkened, becoming extremely ugly. He lit another cigarette, took a deep drag, leaned against the cold wall, and silence spread like a thick fog, offering no reply.
"I really don't understand you!" Xia Zhou leaned against the wall, mimicking his posture, his tone full of sarcasm. "You lie to her again and again, can't you just be honest with her?"
He exhaled a smoke ring and continued, "Now look what happened. One lie requires countless more to cover it up, and what's the result? You got what you wanted?"
"Can you shut up? Stop being so noisy!" Xu Sheng finally couldn't hold back and growled irritably.
Xia Zhou shrugged, a knowing yet slightly sarcastic smile on his face, and turned to leave.
Xu Sheng was left alone. He leaned against the wall, looking up at the blinding white light on the ceiling, his eyes vacant, his thoughts seemingly drawn by the smoke back to the distant past.
I first met Wan Xiaoyi when she was nearing graduation from junior high school.
At that time, he was already a notorious gang leader on campus.
She was a model student in the eyes of her teachers, excelling in both character and academics, like a quiet little poplar tree, with a warm and pure smile always on her face.
Two lines that should have been parallel unexpectedly intersected because of an exam.
She sat in front of him. Halfway through the exam, her pen suddenly ran out of ink.
Wan Xiaoyi secretly twisted the pen a few times, and after confirming that there was no hope, she quickly turned back around while the proctor turned around.
At that moment, Xu Shenggang had just been woken up and was filled with annoyance, but when he met her sweet smile, which was full of apology and pleading, all his impatience vanished instantly. He silently handed her a pen.
After the exam, she returned the pen, along with a small note: "Thank you for the pen." In the corner of the note was a clumsy but adorable little rabbit drawn.
For some reason, when he saw that rabbit, he couldn't help but laugh—its round shape bore a striking resemblance to her.
From then on, that clean-cut figure frequently entered his field of vision. Every time they met unexpectedly, she would smile at him.
He often just watched from afar, and that pure joy seemed to have a magical power, causing even his tense lips to unconsciously curl upwards slightly.
She was so pure, so radiant. For someone like him, stained with the mud of society, even approaching her felt like a desecration. So, he began clumsily, almost obsessively, to change himself. He distanced himself from his frivolous friends and forced himself to settle down and study.
He meticulously approached Hao Nan first, and then naturally became her friend as well.
This careful "pretense" has been maintained to this day. He tries his best to play the role of a "normal" good student in front of her. Even when he smokes, he absolutely avoids her, afraid that any trace of wrongdoing will ruin his image in her eyes.
However, Li Mengyao's appearance was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, shattering everything he had painstakingly built. She knew all about his past and his shameful past. He was terrified, utterly terrified that Li Mengyao would tell Wan Xiaoyi everything.
He was afraid to see the pure light in her eyes replaced by shock, disappointment, or even disgust; he was afraid he would never see her smile again. This fear gripped him, forcing him to retreat like a coward.
A choice? If he really had to choose, he'd rather just be friends. Because she was so wonderful, while he was nothing but a bastard who built a facade out of lies.
The difference is like heaven and earth; he doesn't even have the right to compare. She deserves the best of everything in the world, not a liar like him, a man with a dark and murky heart.
The cigarette butt burned his fingertips. Xu Sheng snapped back to reality, stubbed out the cigarette, and threw it accurately into the trash can a few steps away. He took a deep breath, turned around, and unexpectedly met three pairs of eyes—Wan Xiaoyi, Qi Xu, and Hao Nan, standing just a few steps away.
A flicker of panic crossed Xu Sheng's eyes, quickly replaced by a deep, somber look. He looked away and asked, feigning calmness, "Where...are you planning to go?"
"Getting my ears pierced!" Wan Xiaoyi answered first, her tone deliberately lighthearted.
Just as the group was about to leave, Hao Nan was grabbed by the wrist by Xu Sheng.
"You all heard what I just said?" Xu Sheng's voice was low, with a barely perceptible tension.
"Hmm." Hao Nan nodded, his face immediately turning into a gossipy expression. He leaned closer and whispered, "Hey, you don't actually like Wan Xiaoyi, do you?"
A flush of burning red instantly rose to Xu Sheng's cheeks, spreading all the way to his ears. He neither denied nor admitted it, but simply turned his head away in embarrassment.
"Are you stupid!" Hao Nan couldn't help but pat him on the shoulder. "Back then, you got into fights and skipped classes, causing a huge uproar. You even went to the principal's office several times. How could she not know anything about it?"
Xu Sheng was stunned for a moment, then seemed to be struck by something, and a bitter yet relieved smile appeared on his lips: "Yes... I am a fool."
"Whether they're stupid or not is another matter," Hao Nan suddenly remembered something and looked around anxiously, "I only know that they're missing! Damn it, I shouldn't have wasted my breath talking to you."
On the other side, Qi Xu noticed that Hao Nan hadn't followed, and pulled Wan Xiao Yi back: "Let's wait for him."
"Hmm...that's fine too." Wan Xiaoyi actually had her own ulterior motives. She wanted to know clearly: even if he had Li Mengyao, couldn't they even be friends? Why did he have to avoid her?
The two sat down on a bench in the mall. Qi Xu took out his phone and started scrolling through short videos, trying to dispel the awkwardness. Wan Xiaoyi, on the other hand, hugged her knees, gazing at the flashing neon lights in the distance, lost in thought.
After a while, Hao Nan and Xu Sheng finally found them.
"Seven o'clock," Hao Nan said, his tone tinged with grievance and reproach, "Next time, please don't just run off without a word, okay?"
Qi Xu was engrossed in playing "Protect the Carrot" on his phone, his fingers flying across the screen, completely oblivious to what was happening.
It wasn't until the game ended and she looked up that everyone was there. The group then headed to Wan Xiaoyi's nail salon. On the way, Hao Nan occasionally glanced at Qi Xu with a slightly resentful look, but she remained oblivious.
The shop was quiet, and Wan Xiaoyi's older sister, Wenxi Tea, was leisurely watching TV.
"Sister!" Wan Xiaoyi greeted warmly, "These are my classmates, Qi Xu, Xu Sheng, and Hao Nan."
"Hello, sister!" the three greeted in unison.
Wenxicha smiled and stood up: "Sit down. Xiaoyi, pour some water for your friends."
She walked over to Qi Xu and gently pinched her earlobe with her fingertips, the movement practiced and tender: "Which of you two will go first?"
"Me! Me! Me!" Wan Xiaoyi immediately raised her hand and eagerly sat down in the chair. When she poured water for Xu Sheng, she was in such a hurry that the cup tilted, spilling water all over his sleeve. "I'm so sorry!" she hurriedly grabbed a tissue to help him wipe it off.
"It's alright, it's alright, I can do it myself." Xu Sheng quickly took the tissue.
Upon hearing this, Wan Xiaoyi actually withdrew her hand, leaving him to handle it himself. Xu Sheng watched her retreating figure, feeling both amused and helpless.
Wan Xiaoyi sat up straight. Wen Xicha carefully selected the right spot, disinfected it with an alcohol wipe, and with swift movements, "click," the earring gun clicked softly, and a shiny little stud was firmly embedded in her earlobe. Both sides were done quickly.
"Does it hurt?" Qi Xu asked nervously.
"It was just a little bit, like being bitten by a tiny ant, and the pain subsided quickly." Wan Xiaoyi sat comfortably on the small sofa.
Xu Sheng couldn't resist moving closer, wanting to get a good look at her newly pierced ears. Wan Xiaoyi immediately caught his gaze and teased, "What, you want to try it too?"
"Why would I, a man, be hitting this?" Xu Sheng immediately sat up straight and retreated back to the sofa with a slightly embarrassed expression.
"Seven Xu, come on in." Wenxi Tea greeted him with a smile.
Qi Xu took a deep breath and sat down in the chair that looked a bit "scary". When she saw the thin needle gleaming coldly in the earring gun, her body trembled slightly uncontrollably, and her heart was pounding like a rabbit's.
She blushes easily when she's nervous. Hao Nan couldn't sit still on the sofa any longer and jumped up. She's so afraid of pain; this needle is going to go into her flesh! He paced anxiously a few steps to the side.
Qi Xu, who was already highly tense, felt even more agitated by his shaking and couldn't help but growl, "Stop waving around in front of me! Sit still!"
Hao Nan was jolted into silence by her shout, obediently retreating to the sofa and sitting up straight. But his gaze remained fixed on Qi Xu, his brows furrowed, his hands unconsciously clenched, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his palms.
His overly nervous and dazed appearance was clearly seen by Wan Xiaoyi and Xu Sheng, who were standing next to him.
Wan Xiaoyi nudged Xu Sheng with her elbow and chuckled in a low voice, "Look at him, he's so silly."
“Yes,” Xu Sheng’s gaze shifted from Hao Nan back to Wan Xiaoyi’s profile, which was adored with a mischievous smile, and he couldn’t help but raise the corners of his mouth as well. “She’s quite dazed, dazed in a way that’s… kind of cute.”
The process of getting one's ears pierced is actually very quick. With two "snap" sounds, two shiny dots appeared on Qi Xu's ears.
"Does it hurt?" Hao Nan immediately leaned forward, his voice full of concern.
"Quiet down...don't talk." Qi Xu's tension had not yet eased.
Wen Xicha carefully examined the two people's ears and gently wiped the area around their ear piercings with cotton swabs dipped in alcohol: "Hmm, the redness will go away in a while. Remember, don't eat spicy food for a week, don't sleep on your back, and definitely don't get them wet. You can gently rotate the earrings after a week."
"Okay, sis," Wan Xiaoyi replied obediently.
"Okay, be careful on the road," Wenxi Tea said with a smile.
As night deepened, the four said their goodbyes and embarked on their respective journeys home.
Before Xu Sheng even reached the bottom of his building, he was stopped by a figure—it was Li Mengyao.
She held up her phone screen, which was covered with red dots representing unread messages, and her voice was sharp with anger: "Xu Sheng! What do you mean by this?"
"It means exactly what it says." Xu Sheng's tone was indifferent, and he didn't even bother to look at her.
"The time isn't up yet! If you don't want to..."
"Do as you please," he interrupted her rudely, walking right past her. "Don't bother me again."
Li Mengyao trembled with anger at his resolute attitude. Staring at his retreating figure, she almost crushed her phone, and growled hatefully, "Xu Sheng! You'll regret this!"
The lights were still on in Qi Xu's room at night. She was completely obsessed with the game "Peace Elite".
As soon as she logged on, she saw a team invitation from the game friend who had been playing with her. She accepted, joined the team, hesitated for a moment, and typed, "You... think I'm bad? You don't have to force yourself."
When Hao Nan saw this message on the other side of the screen, his heart skipped a beat; he had had this thought before.
But playing games alone is too boring, and who wouldn't want to play with a girl?
He replied quickly: "What are you thinking! Nothing of the sort. Come on, bro, I'll help you sneak in and get points, it'll be a sure thing!"
A new game began. This time, things went surprisingly smoothly; Qi Xu didn't repeat the "godlike" mistakes of the first time, like tripping on flat ground and shooting at his teammates. The two tacitly found a secluded little house to hide in and quietly waited for the safe zone to shrink.
Hao Nan's game character suddenly started dancing joyfully inside the house.
“Follow me and jump,” he typed.
Qi Xu found it amusing and started jumping along with his character. The two little figures wiggled awkwardly in the small safe house.
Suddenly, the sound of a car engine grew louder as it approached! Hao Nan stopped instantly, drew his weapon with lightning speed, and positioned himself at the window to observe. The moment the enemy appeared in his field of vision, he opened fire without hesitation!
Under Hao Nan's command and protection, the two managed to "survive" all the way to the final round and ultimately won!
"So tired." Qi Xu rubbed his sore eyes and quit the game.
After resting for a while, she took out her sketchbook and began to sketch anime characters. When she finished the last stroke, the thought of going to the library the next day came to her mind.
She suddenly remembered that she had promised Hao Nan that she would take him along.
She picked up her phone, opened his chat window, and sent a message: "Are you free tomorrow?"
Hao Nan, who was engrossed in the game, saw this special message notification pop up on the screen. Without thinking, he immediately switched out of the game and replied instantly: "Yes!"
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