Chapter 20
Ren Qiao'an returned to the dining table again, her thoughts swirling. It was not because of what she had just overheard the two girls gossiping, but because of the look Jin Xi gave her when she left. That look seemed to have cut deeply into Ren Qiao'an's heart, making her tremble and unable to help but think too much. Could there be hurt behind the disgust?
With this thought in mind, Ren Qiao'an began to observe Jin Xi intently. To her surprise, Jin Xi acted perfectly naturally from beginning to end, even smiling more freely. The boys on both sides also became more attentive, like a mandala blooming in the depths of the world, full of danger, its bright red brilliance luring countless imps. Jin Xi, as if sensing a different kind of gaze, glanced towards the source. Ren Qiao'an immediately lowered his head, as if guilty, and pretended to play with his phone.
"What are you doing?" Yan Yiyi was almost caught off guard by Ren Qiao'an's large movements, and the drink in her cup was almost spilled. However, who had Ren Qiao'an been looking at since he came back from the restroom? The clever Yan Yiyi looked in the direction Ren Qiao'an had just turned his head. She didn't know until she saw it, and her heart skipped a beat. No way, Ren Qiao'an! On second thought, Ren Qiao'an seemed to have just made his sexual orientation clear to them last night. Yan Yiyi felt like she had brought Ren Qiao'an to the wrong place. "Ren Qiao'an, you are not looking at Jin Xi, are you?" Yan Yiyi asked in a low voice, expressing her guess.
"Yeah, I care a little." Ren Qiao'an told the truth.
"Ren Qiao'an!"
"Hey!" Yan Yiyi suddenly raised her voice, startling Ren Qiaoyuan. She tilted her head and looked at Yan Yiyi in confusion, "What's wrong?"
Yan Yiyi glanced around. Fortunately, her voice wasn't too loud in the noisy environment, so it didn't shock everyone. Yan Yiyi whispered earnestly, "Even if you changed your sexual orientation, you can't fall for Jinxi. Look how happy she is with a group of boys. She's not the type to be in a relationship."
Are you happy? Ren Qiao'an couldn't see the happiness in her smile. No, what do you mean by falling for Jin Xi? What the hell.
"When did I say I liked her?" Ren Qiao'an expressed that he felt wronged.
"Then why are you looking at her? Still looking at her." It was fine that the group of boys were surrounding Jin Xi. Although Yan Yiyi could not see any desire in Ren Qiao'an's eyes and knew that there was more scrutiny and exploration in her friend's eyes, she still had to remind him that Jin Xi was not the same kind of person as them.
Ren Qiao'an, who had already suffered the sharp, knife-like gaze of Yan Yiyi, put away his restless gaze and said, "I'm just curious. Do you think she's happy now?"
Are you unhappy?
Yan Yiyi, who hadn't allowed Ren Qiao'an to watch, started watching herself. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but she saw boys approaching Jin Xi with wine glasses, one after another, attentively and flatteringly. Jin Xi accepted almost every toast, chatting and laughing calmly. "I don't know if I'm happy or not, but I'm really popular. I'm a real party girl."
"Yeah, with ease." But Ren Qiao'an could not see the smile in Jin Xi's eyes, only hidden coldness and disgust?
"Amazing! This drinking capacity is really amazing!"
"Yeah, one against a thousand."
"I can't get drunk even if I drink a thousand cups, tsk..."
Wait a minute, why is she looking at Jinxi with Ren Qiaoan and praising Jinxi? She must be crazy. "Don't look at it. It has nothing to do with us. It's a problem."
The entire dinner lasted over two hours, with the first half devoted to eating and the second to drinking madly. Ren Qiao'an's table was relatively quiet; aside from a few men, no one had touched a drink. They'd finished their party long ago, but the next table seemed to be just reaching its climax. So, aside from a few who went to the next table to continue drinking, the rest of the group played a few rounds of "Who's the Undercover." While they didn't indulge in the heavy drinking and eating that the next table had, they still had a good time.
Around eight o'clock, the party finally began to disperse. Ren Qiao'an had been getting restless for a long time, but she vaguely heard someone suggest going to a karaoke bar to continue the party. Yan Yiyi looked eager to try. Ren Qiao'an figured that if Yan Yiyi wanted to continue the party, she would definitely not accompany her. She had been through enough noise, and there was no way she would go to a place like a karaoke bar again.
"I have already reserved a private room. Students who still want to sing can continue to have fun." Tang Mu popped up and announced.
The captain of the badminton team also said, "Thank you very much, Deputy Director Tang, for your thoughtful arrangement. I will first organize the boys to take the drunk students back to school, and then take them to the KTV. Anyone else who is interested can go ahead with Deputy Director Tang."
As expected... these people are all bored, where does the interest come from?
Ren Qiao'an followed the group slowly. Seeing Yan Yiyi and Tang Mu chatting and laughing, it looked like they were about to be scammed. Ren Qiao'an decided to run away first and then inform Yan Yiyi on WeChat.
"Hello."
Ren Qiao'an, who was about to quietly leave the team step by step, was stopped by a cold voice. Ren Qiao'an turned around and saw Jin Xi, and standing next to her was the captain of the badminton team.
"You need to go back."
It sounded like a question, but Ren Qiao'an only heard a tone of affirmation. Haha, it was a bit embarrassing to be caught sneaking out. Ren Qiao'an couldn't help but touch his earlobe, "Ah? That's right. I feel a little dizzy, so I won't go to KTV."
"I'm with you."
"Jinxi?" The captain of the badminton team was very gentlemanly, supporting Jinxi and looking at her with concern. "Didn't we agree on this? I..." Jinxi interrupted him before he could finish his words. "No need. They need you more." Jinxi was referring to the boys at the back who were starting to act crazy and were about to get out of control. The captain of the badminton team did not object, as he did have to ensure the safety of the drunk guys.
"I'll just go back with her. We live in the same building." Jin Xi continued and walked towards Ren Qiaoyuan.
"Okay. Then you guys be careful." The badminton team captain cast a worried look at Ren Qiao'an, "Classmate, please take good care of Jinxi. She drank quite a bit tonight."
"Okay, okay." What else could Ren Qiao'an say? It seemed that no one had asked her wishes. Seeing Jin Xi walking further and further away on her own, what else could Ren Qiao'an do? "I will send Jin Xi back to the dormitory safely. Well, goodbye." After hurriedly leaving the words of assurance, Ren Qiao'an chased after Jin Xi.
"Hey, go ahead... wait for me." Ren Qiao'an trotted to catch up with the person in front. She really didn't understand how someone who drank so much could still walk so smoothly and steadily. However, just as Ren Qiao'an was praising him in her heart, the figure in front of her staggered. Ren Qiao'an hurried forward to support the staggering body. "Slow down."
Jin Xi froze for a moment. She subconsciously wanted to shake him off, but she didn't. She just let Ren Qiao'an hold her arm with one hand and loosely circle her waist with the other.
As the distance between them shortened, a strong smell of alcohol hit him in the face. Ren Qiao'an frowned unconsciously, then looked at Jin Xi's two bare white arms, and his frown deepened. "Where's your coat?" Ren Qiao'an remembered that Jin Xi came wearing a coat.
Jin Xi said sullenly, "I don't know." She didn't remember which boy she gave it to.
"Take mine on first." Ren Qiao'an pulled Jin Xi to stop and began to take off his coat. "It's a bit cold. I'm afraid you'll feel like vomiting if you get a little wind." Ren Qiao'an didn't drink any alcohol so it didn't matter if she got a little wind. She talked to herself and put her coat on Jin Xi without waiting for anyone's consent.
Fortunately, Jin Xi had no intention of refusing. She followed Ren Qiao'an's movements and tightened the collar of her shirt that had fallen open on her chest. It seemed that she was really feeling a little cold.
"Where are we going?" As he walked, Ren Qiao'an realized that this road didn't seem to lead back to school.
"you…"
Jin Xi's mind was both lucid and a mess. She'd drunk too much, let herself go too far, and wasn't she also seeking revenge on those people? Someone couldn't stand it, right? Haha, she, Jin Xi, was just trying to attract everyone's attention and make those who disliked her even more unhappy. But why did she have to hear it... "You heard it all, right?"
"Hmm?" Ren Qiao'an was still wondering where this road led to.
Jin Xi had heard a lot of discussions like that. Not to mention behind their backs, there were also some who spoke in a sarcastic tone right in front of her. But why did she have to meet a pair of clear eyes again this time? "How do you see me?" How great it would be if those eyes contained the same disgust as theirs. "Same as theirs..."
Jin Xi's voice was so soft that Ren Qiao'an couldn't tell if she was talking to herself or to someone else. However, the quiet wind carried every word of Jin Xi's words clearly to Ren Qiao'an's ears and heart.
Ren Qiao'an didn't know how to answer. Didn't she know how she saw it mattered? "I only believe what I see," she said, implying that seeing is believing, hearing is not.
"Haha, they are right." Jin Xi suddenly quickened her pace and broke free from Ren Qiao'an's protection.
“…”
Ren Qiao'an, still in a bad mood, quickly chased after him. She couldn't just leave a "drunk" alone. "Do you care?"
"I don't care." Jin Xi quickened her pace as she walked.
"Then why are you angry?" Ren Qiao'an tried hard to keep up with Jin Xi's pace.
"I don't."
She kept saying no, with a long face, and walked faster and faster as if she was angry with a child. Ren Qiao'an suddenly felt like he was chasing and coaxing a child, "Okay, if there is no, then there is no. You don't care, don't be angry, don't be sad. Sister, go slower, be careful not to twist your ankle..." Then Jin Xi really stumbled violently. Fortunately, there was a wall next to her, and Jin Xi managed to hold on to it, avoiding falling.
"Ouch." Ren Qiao'an hurried forward to support her. Could she be a blessed crow's mouth? "Are you okay?" He quickly helped Jin Xi to sit on a bench nearby. Ren Qiao'an squatted in front of Jin Xi, wanting to check her injury. "You didn't really twist your ankle, did you?"
Jin Xi raised her head, her blurry eyes misting over, "It's all your fault."
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