Chapter 4 Intersection: A tall, upright young man, hands in his pockets, ...
A week passed uneventfully, and it was time for Yuwu's group to clean the common areas morning and evening.
The public area cleaned by Yuwu is a small garden to the left of the school's main gate, where hundreds of flowers are in full bloom, displaying a riot of colors.
Standing here, especially in the morning, you can smell the fresh, delicate fragrance floating in the air.
Waking up earlier than usual, Yu Wu grabbed a large broom and started sweeping the floor. There was very little trash on the ground, mostly fallen leaves and petals, patchy and sticky, making it a bit difficult to sweep.
Students on their way to school passed by her one after another. Before morning self-study had even started, the clear chirping of birds could be heard from time to time on campus.
Suddenly, a passing boy deliberately threw a bread wrapper towards Yuwu's broom.
Yu Wu raised her eyes and glanced at him. It was Ye Ren, the boy who had teased Director Liu with Ke Yanchen last time.
Ye Ren was a rascal too. He chuckled, broke off another piece of bread and threw it some distance away, shouting loudly, "Hey classmate, hurry up and sweep the floor!"
Yu Wu silently glanced at him, then pursed her lips and swept up the piece of bread on the ground.
"Ke Zi, Ke Zi, that idiot from last time! We would never have been caught without her!" Ye Ren excitedly stopped Ke Yanchen, who was staring straight ahead, behind him. "She really is stupid. You can bully her and she won't say a word. You try it."
Yu Wu glanced at him again; Ke Yanchen looked tired and stood there with his eyes half-closed.
"Give it a try!" Ye Ren encouraged.
Ke Yanchen glanced at him, snatched the bread from Ye Ren's hand, tore it into several small pieces, and scattered them around.
"Yes, yes, that's it!" Ye Ren laughed heartily, clutching his stomach.
Yu Wu quickly grabbed a broom and swept each one one by one.
Ke Yanchen walked over in a few steps and grabbed Yu Wu's broom.
Yu Wu panicked, thinking he was up to something again, and tried to fight him, refusing to give him the broom.
Ke Yanchen was very strong and seemed a little impatient. He glared at Yu Wu unhappily.
"let go."
Yu Wu was startled by him and quickly let go, standing there awkwardly.
Ke Yanchen shoved the broom into Ye Ren's hand, who was watching the commotion, and sneered, "You sweep the floor clean."
Ye Ren's smile froze on his face. Ke Yanchen had already walked away quickly. He called after his retreating figure, "Hey! Ke Zi! You, you, you!" He threw down the broom and glared at Yu Wu, "You idiot! It's all because of you!"
Yu Wu bit her lip and silently picked up the broom from the ground.
Ye Ren returned, grabbed the broom again, and started slamming it across the ground, warning Yu Wu, "I've already swept! Don't talk nonsense!"
Yu Wu nodded blankly.
Ye Ren stormed off.
The morning self-study session was about to begin, and Yu Wu sped up her cleaning.
*
Back in the classroom, morning self-study had already begun, and the sound of students reciting their lessons drifted from the room. Yu Wu jogged into the classroom, searching for a book under her desk while secretly trying to control the ever-present smirk on her lips.
I just saw him again.
Yu Wu really enjoys watching Ke Yanchen; she especially likes him.
He seemed to be on a completely different level from his classmates; his handsomeness was dazzling.
At school, every time Yuwu ran into that carefree boy, her chest would pound, and she would be careful, pretending to glance at him casually.
Every glance is a forbidden yet unrestrained satisfaction.
Once he had passed her by, she would brazenly and greedily gaze at his tall, straight back until he disappeared from sight.
Perhaps because Yu Wu was so ordinary and always careful, he never noticed her.
Although they had a brief encounter, Ke Yanchen seemed not to recognize her.
More than his face, Yuwu was familiar with his tall, slender back and his ever-changing limited-edition sneakers.
Liking him was the most unrestrained and courageous act of her teenage years.
Yu Wu shook her head, picked up her book, and began to read seriously in the morning.
*
The girl's wild thoughts subsided slightly after not seeing him for a few days.
Under the bright sunshine, dappled shadows fell on the tree-lined path.
Yu Wu was delayed by something at noon and let Ji Lingwei go to the cafeteria for lunch first. She walked slowly alone on the tree-lined path of the school, squinting at the glaring sun overhead.
It's already September, why is it still so hot?
When she arrived at the cafeteria, there was hardly any food left because she was late. Yu Wu casually ordered a few leftovers, and the cafeteria lady stuffed her plate full.
Yu Wu thanked her and accepted the food, then casually found a seat. Eating alone was a bit lonely, and Yu Wu suddenly missed Ji Lingwei. She had only taken a few bites when she glanced up casually and saw a familiar figure about a meter away diagonally opposite her.
The boy who was always surrounded by people was eating alone.
Ke Yanchen has excellent manners when eating; he doesn't wolf down his food like some boys do.
A warm current flowed through Yu Wu's heart, and that trace of inexplicable loneliness vanished instantly.
She deliberately slowed down her eating, gently lifting her eyelashes to look at him, afraid that a large movement would attract his attention.
He sat there, and the entire cafeteria seemed to light up. He was so handsome; the veins in his arms were cool to the touch, his fingers were slender and straight like bamboo joints, and his knuckles were slightly reddish. A few beams of light shone behind him, illuminating his earlobes, and through the translucent red light, you could even see the fine downy hairs.
As he moved, the beam of light would dazzle Yuwu's eyes.
But she still faced the light and secretly looked at him.
The waves of happiness washed over her until she was dizzy and disoriented. It wasn't until Ke Yanchen glanced at her with a nonchalant look that Yu Wu snapped out of her daze and hurriedly stuffed rice into her mouth.
That's so embarrassing.
Staring at someone like that is very impolite.
That's so silly and infatuated.
Little did anyone know, Ke Yanchen had no intention of letting Yu Wu off the hook. He carried his empty plate and walked straight over, tapping the table lightly with his knuckles.
Yu Wu frowned in annoyance, raising her flushed face.
"What is it?" Ke Yanchen's expression was indifferent, his thin eyelids slightly lowered when he looked at people, giving off a lazy and aloof feeling.
Yu Wu shook her head vigorously, like a rattle-drum.
Ke Yanchen stared at her silently for a few seconds, then calmly let out a sneer.
"Hey, your face is oily."
His tone was calm and indifferent, yet carried a hint of youthful mischief.
After saying that, he took a long stride and left.
Yu Wu hurriedly grabbed some tissues to wipe it off. Sure enough, there was a large oil stain, which must have gotten on her when she bent down to eat.
She sighed in frustration, realizing how foolish she had been. Watching his receding figure, her heart slowly sank away.
This was the first time she had been alone with him in a space, Yu Wu thought to herself.
*
The next day was Friday, the day of the holiday. The sun was setting, and the orange-red sky hung obliquely in the distance.
Yu Wu and Ji Lingwei left the school gate together.
The school gate was bustling with people, a noisy scene. Ke Yanchen and his group of equally dazzling friends stood in a corner chatting. Although he was standing in the corner, his aura was still striking, exuding a flamboyant and spirited air that made him instantly noticeable.
His arrogant face seemed to be laughing because of something his friend said, his thin lips slightly curved as he gently shook his head.
A brand-new Porsche Cayenne was parked by the roadside, and Ke Yanchen and his friends got into the car one by one under the watchful eyes of hundreds of people.
“That car is very expensive, at least a million!” Ji Lingwei clicked her tongue in amazement.
Yu Wu nodded, her gaze dimming as she withdrew from her seat, and pulled Ji Lingwei away.
They lived at school from Monday to Friday and went home on weekends. Yu Wu Ji Lingwei lived in the neighboring community, and that's how their friendship began.
She went home and watched TV for a while to celebrate the long-awaited weekend, only to realize while packing her things that she had left her wallet at school.
It was already eight o'clock, and it was dark outside.
Desperate to retrieve her wallet, Yu Wu changed her clothes and went out. In her haste, she hastily took a shortcut into the alley south of the school. Going through the alley would save her twenty minutes.
The alley was narrow and long, with scattered streetlights. Every seven or eight meters there would be a dim, shaky yellow light, under which small insects would buzz and huddle together.
Yu Wu walked quickly, even beginning to feel a pang of regret. Director Liu of the Academic Affairs Office had warned the school that thugs often extorted money from students in this alley.
Although her heart was pounding, Yu Wu comforted herself, thinking that it was already past eight o'clock and Hun Hun should have gone home by now.
As we walked, a burst of laughter suddenly came from ahead, mixed with all sorts of vulgar words about human organs flying around.
A group of blond-haired thugs, some squatting and some standing, cigarettes dangling from their mouths, huddled together making all sorts of vulgar jokes and occasionally bursting into ear-piercing laughter. They had tattooed arms, wore tight pants, and exuded a thuggish aura; they were clearly not good people.
Yu Wu stood there with wide eyes, her gaze meeting that of a blond-haired man squatting on the ground.
At that moment, Yu Wu had only one thought in her mind—
We're doomed.
The blond-haired man noticed Yu Wu, squinted and smiled, exhaled a puff of smoke, and patted his brother on the shoulder. His brother also noticed Yu Wu, a malicious smile appearing on his lips.
The blond-haired man whistled, his gaze blatantly fixed on Yu Wu's exposed, fair legs, and said in a flirtatious tone, "Hey beautiful, wanna come over and have some fun?"
The thugs all looked over and burst into disgusting, horrifying laughter.
"Panzi, you've set your sights on another innocent young beauty?"
"Oh, this one looks so innocent, I wonder how slutty she is in bed."
"Hey, hey, hey, if you keep saying that, you'll scare the pretty girl!"
Her heart sank inch by inch, and Yu Wu was almost in tears, her mind filled with endless self-reproach. These thugs had completely taken her for themselves, and it seemed she couldn't escape.
Yu Wu gritted her teeth and retreated step by step, trying to escape in a way that wouldn't anger them.
The blond-haired man approached with a sneer, rubbing his hands together. His teeth were covered in yellow tartar. His tone was lewd and obscene: "Little beauty, don't be afraid. Big brother will take good care of you."
With all her might, Yu Wu growled, "Don't come any closer!" and turned to run. But the visibility was too poor, and she slipped on the moss, falling to the ground with a thud.
A piercing pain shot through her ankle. Yu Wu clutched her ankle, her face filled with terror.
She couldn't even imagine what would happen next; her mind was filled with news reports on TV about missing girls and their bodies being dumped.
A deafening burst of vulgar laughter erupted from the thugs behind him, making Yu Wu almost gasp for breath. The blond-haired man strode over, laughing loudly, "Stupid as hell, trying to run away!"
The moment Huang Mao reached out, Yu Wu's eyes filled with tears, her heart suffocated, and she even gritted her teeth, ready to fight to the death.
Even if it means death, she would never stoop to the level of these people.
In that very second, the blond-haired man was struck hard on the back of the head by a heavy object flying from behind. He staggered and fell to the ground, yelling "Fuck!" before scrambling to his feet and rushing backward.
Yu Wu finally exhaled a breath of stale air and looked back.
A tall, upright young man stood proudly in the dim light, his hands in his pockets and his chin slightly raised, followed by a group of companions who looked like high school students.
The blond-haired man stormed over, cursing, "Who the hell hit me just now? That damn bastard—"
Before Huang Mao could finish speaking, Ke Yanchen kicked him to the ground with a loud thud. Huang Mao clutched his stomach and writhed in pain on the ground.
The situation was on the verge of erupting. The thugs and the men brought by Ke Yanchen rushed forward and started fighting, creating a chaotic scene.
Ke Yanchen and his friend were very skilled and quickly subdued the thugs. The thugs lay on the ground, groaning in pain.
Ke Yanchen turned to a girl behind him with delicate and beautiful features and upturned eyes, and asked, "Who was just spewing filth at you?"
The girl's name was Song Man. She was the most beautiful girl in Ke Yanchen's group, looking like a lazy, elegant cat. Song Man stepped forward and pointed at the blond-haired guy who had just tried to bully Yu Wu: "That's him."
Ke Yanchen sneered, put his hands in his pockets, and stomped hard on the blond-haired man's face.
"Just because of that damn mouth of yours, huh?"
The blond-haired man let out a muffled "hoarse" sound of pleas for mercy from the pain, which sounded extremely terrifying.
Ke Yanchen withdrew his foot, and Huang Mao thought there was no danger. Just as he was about to get up in a sorry state, Ke Yanchen kicked him hard into his mouth again, and he rolled heavily to the ground.
“Apologize.” Ke Yanchen’s voice was cold.
Only now did the blond-haired man finally become afraid. His mouth twisted, and he spat out a mouthful of blood and fallen teeth. He slurred his words, repeatedly mumbling to Ke Yanchen, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
"Apologize to whom?" Ke Yanchen growled in disgust, kicking him again.
The blond-haired man scrambled to his feet and immediately apologized to Song Man behind Ke Yanchen, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
Song Man snorted coldly and tugged at Ke Yanchen's sleeve, "That's enough."
"roll."
The thugs stumbled to their feet and fled in a sorry state.
Ke Yanchen's friend Ye Ren chuckled and put his arm around his shoulder, jokingly asking, "What's the second half of the 'hero saves the beauty' saying again...?"
Song Man pretended to be angry and slapped Ye Ren, who immediately raised his hands in surrender.
Ke Yanchen stood there, shook a cigarette out of the pack, and put it in his mouth. His gaze unexpectedly met the smog in the corner.
His face was expressionless, his dark eyes unfathomable, and he stood there, a cigarette dangling from his lips, slightly stunned. He seemed surprised that there was still a girl present amidst the chaos just moments before.
Ye Ren and Song Man also noticed Yu Wu following Ke Yanchen's gaze, looking at her with confusion.
Ke Yanchen put away his cigarette, glanced at Yu Wu with an emotionless expression, and gestured for her to come over.
Yu Wu quickly limped away from the alley.
She exhaled, patted her chest, and glanced back. They were no longer visible in the alley.
Yuwu was still very grateful to him; without him, she probably would have really been in trouble today.
She hurriedly went back to school to get her wallet, and on her way back, she splurged and took a taxi home.
*
He had helped her several times, although one or two of those incidents were caused by him. Yuwu both admired and was grateful to him.
During a break between classes, Yu Wu wrote the three characters "Ke Yanchen" on a piece of paper. She picked up the paper, held it horizontally out the window, and golden sunlight shone through it. Yu Wu squinted at the black ink stains on the paper, imprinting them firmly in her heart.
The surname Ke is so rare that every time Yuwu saw the character "Ke" after graduating from high school, her heart would throb and she would be stunned for a long time.
By the time she realized what was happening, she was already in tears, looking disheveled.
A note from the author:
----------------------
Is anyone there? Is anyone there?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
