Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Only Eat with Your Sister
At 10 p.m., Wen Ling returned to her dormitory.
Her roommates were still awake, so Wen Ling distributed the gifts she had bought to them, explaining, "They are... from my sister-in-law, for you... you picked them out."
"Wow, I've been holding back on buying this set of lotion and cream, it's so expensive!" Zhong Yuting exclaimed, her eyes sparkling as she held her gift box. "Lingling, your sister-in-law is so generous!"
Yang Lan and Zhu Xin also came over to express their gratitude.
Wen Ling's eyes curved into a smile: "I'm glad you... like it."
The wound, which she had deliberately hidden under her hair, was still discovered by them. Wen Ling briefly explained what had happened, which made Yang Lan so angry that she cursed at the two of them.
During the day, I felt really sad and humiliated, but with my family by my side, I didn't feel much of that emotion anymore.
Moreover, she was lucky to be assigned three understanding and kind-hearted roommates; otherwise, Wen Ling would probably be renting a two-bedroom apartment with Wen He outside the school at this time.
She still quite enjoys the lively atmosphere of group life.
After taking a hot shower, Wen Ling climbed into bed.
When she opened her phone, she realized that Wen He hadn't replied to the message she sent before going into the bathroom.
Wen Ling sent a questioning emoji.
They had clearly agreed on the way back that Wen He would help her get Shang Chen's WeChat, and although he was reluctant, he still agreed.
She even sent him a special message with the words "Remember to remember" to remind him.
Wen He: [Heart as still as water.jpg]
Wen He: [I'm still working on it.]
Wen He: [Actually, wouldn't it be nice if I treated him to a meal?]
Wen Ling reminded him: "I'm afraid you'll start fighting."
…
When Wen He returned to the dormitory, he was somewhat surprised to find that Shang Chen was still there.
Besides him, the other three in their dorm were all locals who usually went home to sleep on Friday nights. Shang Chen was the first to leave, but I didn't expect him to still be here today.
I had a strange feeling that I had come specifically to wait for him.
In silence, he took off his coat, turned on his computer, and started playing games, completely oblivious to everything else. Then his phone pinged with a message from Wen Ling: "[Remember to get it.]"
He was having a headache; how could he bring this up?
Out of sight, out of mind; turn off your phone and pretend you didn't see it.
Wen He played absentmindedly for half an hour when her phone pinged again. It was another message from Wen Ling. Wen He couldn't ignore it, or she would overthink things.
Scratching his hair, Wen He suddenly stood up.
He turned around, facing the retreating figure, his eyes seemingly unfocused, and said, "Thanks for today."
Although he didn't like Shang Chen, he didn't know how long the argument would have dragged on without Shang Chen's help. Wen He's gratitude was genuine, but... some people just love to push their luck.
Wen He boasted that his voice was quite loud, but Shang Chen didn't react at all.
He didn't believe the man hadn't heard him and was doing it on purpose, so he called out "Hey!" again, loudly.
Shang Chen curled his lips into a smile before raising his head and slowly turning around: "Did you call me?"
Wen He thought to himself, "Isn't that obvious? There are only two of them in the dorm. If we don't call him, are we supposed to call a ghost? This guy is really something, always pretending!"
It would be a miracle if Wen Ling could outmaneuver him.
Wen He, his face tense, hummed in agreement.
Shang Chen raised an eyebrow, feigning ignorance: "What is it?"
Wen He was so angry he almost vomited blood. He coughed a few times, his voice thick with nasal congestion: "Thanks for today."
Shang Chen exclaimed, "What did you say? I didn't hear you clearly."
"You fucking—"
Shang Chen just sat there, watching him approach with his fists clenched, then changed the subject: "Okay, I understand. Now, how are you going to thank me?"
Wen He: "..."
Wen He hadn't intended to beat him up. He stretched his wrists and avoided bringing up the matter: "Brother, I'll treat you to dinner. You can have whatever you want."
"My lawyer should have conveyed my needs."
Mentioning this makes him angry, and Wen He spat out, "What do you want to do?"
Shang Chen raised an eyebrow, smiling without saying a word.
Wen He couldn't stand his attitude and said hesitantly, "Do you think my sister would be interested in you?"
Shang Chen said slowly, "Whether you like someone or not, you'll only know after you pursue them."
The suspicion was completely confirmed, and Wen He felt a wave of dizziness wash over him: "When did this happen?"
Shang Chen was too lazy to discuss these details with him: "Just send a message to your sister on WeChat."
"No, I'll treat you!"
Shang Chen smiled politely: "No, I'll only eat with your sister."
After saying that, as if afraid that it wouldn't be enough of a shock to him, Shang Chen added, "Looking at your face, I can't eat, it makes me nauseous."
Wen He: "..."
Continuing to argue like this would be humiliating.
Wen He still sent him the WeChat message. At worst, she could just be more vigilant and prevent them from acting alone.
Well, Wen He quickly convinced himself.
When they eat, I just go over and mooch a meal from them.
…
It was late at night, the lights were off, and the dormitory was quiet.
Each bed is covered with a curtain, so even if someone stays up late, the light reflected from their phone screen won't disturb others' sleep.
The screen of Wen Ling's phone, which was placed on the bedside table, lit up briefly before quickly going dark again.
Wearing a blindfold, she felt nothing.
Wen Ling usually sleeps very well; she can fall asleep within minutes of lying in bed with her phone on. But today, she's unusually having insomnia, her mind filled with the events of the day.
If she were more articulate, wouldn't she be less likely to be bullied? Wouldn't she be able to use professional rhetoric, like Lawyer Liu, to refute them so effectively that they had no chance to respond?
Even if I couldn't be that professional, at least I wouldn't be like this today, unable to utter a single complete sentence.
Over the years, she had become accustomed to keeping quiet when things happened, or to being laughed at for stammering. She was used to it all, and apart from feeling a little embarrassed, she didn't have any other emotions. But today, she didn't know what was wrong, those scenes brought her an unprecedented and deep sense of frustration.
Wen Ling was very sad.
I also despise my former self and have given up on myself.
After that incident in junior high school, her family found her a teacher to correct her stuttering. Because of her self-esteem, because she kept stuttering in front of the teacher, and because she couldn't finish a sentence no matter how hard she tried, she saw the teacher's disgust and impatience.
Wen Ling then stubbornly refused to study anymore.
Back then, she was extremely sensitive and would often throw a tantrum at home, deliberately saying things that pierced their hearts: "Why...why is it only me who is like this!"
Even when he made harsh remarks, they were intermittent and lacked any deterrent effect.
She clutched at her hair, unsure how to release the pent-up frustration in her heart. All she could do was cry helplessly, sobbing uncontrollably until she was breathless: "I hate myself so much, waaaaaah..."
The final result was that the teacher was politely seen off.
No one forced her to repeat the same sentence over and over again, and no one called their friends to complain, "The girl I'm teaching now is so stupid. If it weren't for the money her family was paying, I really wouldn't want to do this anymore. She can't even explain a sentence clearly after being taught a hundred times. She could teach a pig by now."
And so, Wen Ling experienced a brief period of happiness.
After that, I tried to avoid talking as much as possible and developed the habit of carrying a small notebook with me. Later, when I got a little older, I replaced the notebook with a mobile phone.
Even when there is a dispute with someone, they remain silent.
But today's events made Wen Ling realize that she couldn't continue like this; she couldn't always rely on her family to solve her problems.
Even family members can be absent at times.
After figuring it out, Wen Ling couldn't sleep at all. Her mind was very excited. She took off her eye mask, reached for her phone, and searched online for training institutions that could correct stuttering.
I noticed an extra application message in my WeChat.
Wen Ling clicked on it. There was no note, the nickname was a simple letter 'c', and the profile picture was pure black.
She clicked "accept".
Two minutes later, Shang Chen sent a message: [Are you free tomorrow?]
Wen Ling replied: [Yes.]
Shang Chen: [Then I'll make the arrangements tomorrow?]
Huh? Wasn't she the one who invited him to dinner? How come the initiative has shifted to him?
Perhaps because the doors and windows were tightly closed in the dormitory and there wasn't enough oxygen, Wen Ling felt a little dizzy: "What should I arrange?"
Shang Chen smiled, his fingers flying across the keyboard: [Wen He said you should thank me for taking up a day of your time, is that too much to ask?]
That's still a bit excessive...
Wen Ling: [Okay, sure.]
Shang Chen: [See you tomorrow, goodnight.]
Wen Ling: [Good night.]
…
"Shang Chen, what the hell do you mean?!"
Wen He was really annoyed. Early in the morning, he heard Shang Chen making a lot of noise in the room, which woke him up. He was about to get angry, but then he thought, "He's going to have breakfast with his sister."
He sprang to his feet in one swift motion.
He rushed as fast as he could, just in time to leave at the same time as him. Shang Chen probably figured he couldn't stop him, so he didn't say anything to drive him away.
They waited for Wen Ling to come down from the girls' dormitory, then had breakfast at the cafeteria. The three of them then went to the school gate together, with Wen He squeezed in the middle.
Wen He frowned: "Isn't it just a meal? What are we going to do now?"
Wen Ling shook her head. The red mark on her face was hidden by her hair and could not be seen unless you looked closely: "I...I don't know either. I'll listen to him and let him arrange it."
Wen He asked in confusion, "Why are you still listening to his arrangements, sister? What did you agree to this time?"
Wen Ling blushed for no reason. She was just trying to express her gratitude. She tugged at his hand and whispered, "Spend the day with him."
Wen He decisively said, "No way!"
Shang Chen replied calmly, "You weren't with us, so what's wrong with that?"
…emm, that makes sense.
When they arrived at the school gate, they discovered that the car Shang Chen had his driver bring was a two-seater sports car. That bastard.
Wen Ling: "..."
She was caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to sit down or not.
Wen He stood with his hands on his hips, fuming for a long time, before finally scoffing, "If you don't return my sister unharmed, you'll be in big trouble."
Shang Chen was very satisfied with his sensible nature.
He opened the passenger door and invited Wen Ling to get in the car.
Wen Ling glanced at Wen He and said uncertainly, "Then... shall I sit?"
Wen He nodded, and she obediently sat down, making Shang Chen grind his teeth in jealousy.
The door closed.
Wen He's expression turned serious: "Hey."
Shang Chen stopped and frowned as he looked at him.
“My sister is timid, so don’t scare her,” Wen He said. “I mean, don’t take advantage of her in any physical contact.”
Shang Chen mimicked him, scoffing, "Does he really think I'm a villain?"
…
It was the first time the two had been alone together, and Wen Ling was very reserved.
She remained silent after getting into the car. After hesitating for a long time, she finally took the initiative to say thank you.
Shang Chen said, "It's nothing, just a small favor."
Wen Ling felt that he was different from the person Wen He had mentioned. She tilted her head curiously and asked, "You... and Wen He, do you have a bad relationship?"
"Hmm?" Shang Chen turned to look at her and smiled. "What kind of answer do you hope to hear?"
Wen Ling was a little confused by this answer.
Then he slowly asked in return, "Would you care a lot about this?"
Wen Ling was confused by his question: "What is it?"
“Well…” Shang Chen gripped the steering wheel tightly, not expecting to be so nervous and afraid to hear her answer, “She doesn’t get along with Wen He and doesn’t want to have anything to do with me.”
"hold head high…"
Shang Chen was heartbroken: "?"
Wen Ling didn't see the hurt look on his face; she was just looking down, playing with the charm on her bag. She said, "If I had known before that you were Shang Chen, I would have stayed far away..."
Shang Chen felt like he had come back to life: "So now it's..."
She smiled and said, "You and Wen He are saying different things. I don't know why, but if Wen He really... dislikes someone, he wouldn't say it like this."
Wen Ling turned her head to look at him, blinked, and showed some expectation: "I don't know what happened between you two, but, please don't hate Wen He, okay?"
Shang Chen swallowed hard, realizing he was completely smitten with her.
Throughout his life, countless outstanding girls with great personalities have appeared around him, but he has never been moved. Everyone wonders what kind of girl he would like. In any case, the innocent and soft-spoken type is the first type they rule out, because he himself lacks care, so how could he possibly spend his energy caring for and loving another person?
As a result, Wen Ling appeared.
Even though the people around her protected her very well and she didn't need his help, Shang Chen still wanted to do something for her, which was also his own selfish motive; otherwise, he wouldn't have made this trip today.
When they arrived at their destination, Shang Chen was still thinking that he actually liked sweet girls.
Why did you come here?
Looking at the bustling amusement park in front of her, Wen Ling felt a little excited.
Shang Chen smiled, and instead of answering, asked, "Do you like it here?"
"I like it."
She likes to come to the amusement park; it's very relaxing.
"What do you want to play first?" Shang Chen asked her.
Wen Ling looked around at the amusement park rides, then her gaze returned to him: "Whatever you want to play... is fine with me?"
Shang Chen smiled: "Of course."
Wen Ling immediately chimed in, afraid he might change his mind: "Then...then...cough cough cough..."
She was a little excited, but then she got stuck and choked on her own saliva. Her mood immediately dampened, and she looked at him with some embarrassment.
Although he knew the man already knew about it, he didn't mean to mock him.
But when I embarrass myself in front of him again, I still feel a little nervous.
Shang Chen simply patted her back lightly, without a trace of impatience in his eyes: "Drink slowly."
Taking care of her seemed like a natural thing to do.
He went to the stall next door and bought two bottles of water, unscrewed one of them, and handed it to her.
Wen Ling took it, sipped it, and asked curiously, "Don't you... think I look ugly like that?"
Shang Chen raised an eyebrow, his expression serious: "To be honest, I think you're beautiful no matter what."
"Cough cough cough cough..."
The water Wen Ling drank splashed onto his face.
She hurriedly used her sleeve to wipe the water off his face, unable to utter a single word of apology.
Wen Ling thought sadly that she had messed things up again.
Shang Chen closed his eyes and smiled helplessly: "Well, you're the first person who dared to spray water on my face."
Wen Ling couldn't tell if he was angry or not, so she looked at him with her wet eyes and said, "I...I'm sorry."
“It’s alright,” he said. “Just wipe it clean for me.”
As he spoke, he pulled a tissue from his pocket and handed it to her.
Wen Ling took the paper, stood on tiptoe, and gently pressed the soft paper against his face. She felt a little nervous, wondering if he was angry. After carefully wiping it off, she looked at him cautiously.
Shang Chen noticed, coughed, and hurriedly looked away, his ears burning: "I'm not angry."
Wen Ling confirmed again: "Really?"
"Yeah, I'm scary when I'm angry," Shang Chen teased her on purpose.
Wen Ling breathed a sigh of relief: "It's good that you're not angry."
…
"Want to go ride a roller coaster?" Wen Ling liked these kinds of thrilling rides.
Shang Chen: "..."
He originally planned to take Wen Ling to ride romantic but not thrilling rides like the carousel and Ferris wheel.
He has a severe fear of heights. Whenever he has to fly, he feels like he wants to knock himself unconscious and only wake up after landing.
He asked again, incredulously, "You like playing this kind of thing? Aren't you... scared?"
Wen Ling said, "No, I'm not scared. I've played this many times."
Then, realizing what he meant, she turned back to look at him, a hint of worry in her eyes: "Are you... scared?"
Yes, he was scared; his legs would go weak even while waiting in line.
Shang Chen smiled and said, "Why not? Go and join the queue."
Wen Ling: "Okay!"
However, while waiting in line to enter the station, Wen Ling noticed that Shang Chen's condition was a bit off. His lips were a little pale, his eyes were tightly closed, and he didn't even dare to look in the direction of the roller coaster.
"Aren't you really afraid?"
Shang Chen stubbornly replied, "Yeah, I'm not afraid."
"But your... lips are so white, why won't you open your eyes?"
"...I didn't sleep well last night, I'm a little sleepy."
Wen Ling hesitated and said, "It's okay, I can do it by myself. What do you want to play? I'll play with you later."
Shang Chen bit his lip, stubbornly insisting, "It's okay, let's just play this game."
Shang Chen suddenly opened his eyes and apologized, "I misspoke a little, I wasn't imitating you, don't be angry."
Wen Ling: "..."
Even after he sat down and the staff came to check, Wen Ling was still trying to persuade him: "You can still get off now."
"Really?" Shang Chen regretted it a little as soon as he sat down. He glanced at the highest point and almost fainted. The machine hadn't even started yet, but his heart was already pounding like he was on a roller coaster. "Then how about..."
He turned his head and saw Wen Ling blink. Suddenly, he calmly asked her, "Do you want me to stay with you?"
Wen Ling thought about it seriously for a moment, but before she could speak, the staff member next to her ruthlessly interrupted, "Whether Xi likes it or not, she can't go down."
Shang Chen: "..."
A note from the author:
----------------------
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
