Chapter 63
The standoff outside the stadium was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake. Although it didn't create a huge wave at the time, the ripples continued to spread, making Lin Li feel uneasy for several days afterward.
The moment he closed his eyes, he could recall Luo Yan's pale, panicked yet stubborn face, and how she clutched her backpack tightly, as if it represented her entire world. The feeling of being watched in the shadows, even having one's personal belongings collected, was far more terrifying than a fight or an argument.
"What do you think she's trying to do?" During break, Lin Li couldn't help but complain to Tong Yao again, her tone filled with confusion and lingering disgust.
"I used to think she was just a bit withdrawn, but I never expected..."
Tong Yao was organizing her notes from the previous class when she paused, her pen tip touching the paper. Without looking up, she said, "The motive isn't important; the behavior itself has already crossed the line."
Her voice was calm, carrying a rationality devoid of emotion. "Now that she's been caught, and she knows she's been exposed, she probably won't do this again. Just be more careful yourself."
That being said, this matter is clearly not something that can be easily forgotten.
First, news came from classmates in the humanities class that Luo Yan had taken two days off and returned even more silent, hardly communicating with anyone and always keeping to herself.
Occasionally, when they bump into each other from afar in the corridor or cafeteria, the moment she sees Lin Li, she immediately lowers her head like a startled rabbit and quickens her pace to avoid him, as if he were some kind of monstrous beast.
The anger Lin Li felt from being offended, in this deliberate avoidance and the other party's obviously worsening state, had nowhere to go, turning into a complex emotion that he himself couldn't quite define as either annoyance or a little pity.
Secondly, somehow, rumors about this matter spread within a small circle of the two grades.
The versions varied widely. Some said Lin Li was being stalked by a pervert; others made ambiguous guesses, saying that a girl in the liberal arts class was so obsessed with him that she stole his used clothes... This annoyed Lin Li to no end. Every time he heard it, he would turn pale and wish he could drag the person who spread the message out to confront them.
The rumors circulated throughout the school until the day the second year of high school ended and the holidays began.
Lin Li and Tong Yao went home together.
As they walked to a relatively quiet street corner near the subway entrance, a figure emerged from the convenience store next door and came face to face with them—it was Luo Yan.
She seemed surprised to run into them here, and froze on the spot, dropping the mineral water bottle she had just bought with a clatter to the ground.
She looked at Lin Li, her eyes filled with panic, shame, and a hint of pleading. Her lips trembled as if she wanted to say something, but no sound came out.
Lin Li frowned and subconsciously took half a step forward, shielding Tong Yao slightly behind her. This action seemed to provoke Luo Yan; her eyes suddenly reddened, and she quickly bent down to pick up the water bottle, practically running away, her back view showing a flustered and disheveled state.
"...Is it really necessary?" Lin Li looked in the direction she ran, feeling even more irritated. "It's like I bullied her."
Tong Yao stared in the direction where Luo Yan had disappeared, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly said, "She might have some psychological issues."
"Does having a problem mean you can just take other people's things?" Lin Li was still somewhat indignant.
“I’m not trying to excuse her.” Tong Yao looked away and turned to Lin Li. “Her behavior was wrong and had to be stopped. I’m just saying that this matter should end here. She has learned her lesson, and you have gotten your things back (although you probably won’t get them back from before). Continuing to drag this out will not benefit anyone and will only make the rumors more outrageous.”
She paused, then added, "Moreover, the more you show concern and annoyance, the more you give her that distorted 'attention' in a way."
Tong Yao's words were like a bucket of cold water, calming Lin Li's agitated emotions slightly. He had to admit that Tong Yao was right. Dwelling on this would only make him more frustrated and pointless.
He let out a long breath, as if to release all the pent-up frustration of the past few days: "Forget it, what bad luck! I'll just pretend I don't know this person from now on."
He took Tong Yao's hand and squeezed it tightly, as if trying to draw some calmness and strength from her.
"You got first place in the grade in this final exam," he said, his eyes sparkling as he looked at Tong Yao with a hint of flattery, "So... can I come to your house to play during the summer vacation?"
Tong Yao raised an eyebrow, recalling the pathetic way he looked when he saw her mother at the train station last winter vacation, like a mouse seeing a cat. A playful smile crept onto her lips.
"Sure, if you dare."
Lin Li felt a little guilty under her gaze, but still forced a smile and gently nudged her with her shoulder:
"I...how could I not dare? I, Lin Lili, fear neither heaven nor earth!"
Seeing his instantly cowering expression, Tong Yao finally couldn't help but chuckle.
After laughing, Tong Yao rolled her eyes at him, but her tone was indulgent: "Is that all you've got?"
"Hehe, just seeing you is enough, your identity doesn't matter." Lin Li leaned closer to her, reverting to her playful demeanor. "So, it's a deal? During summer vacation, 'Lin Lili' will come to 'harass' you from time to time!"
"Let's see how she behaves," Tong Yao replied indifferently, but she didn't object and let him hold her hand.
_
This year.
Lin Li is 17 years old, and Tong Yao is 17 years old.
summer vacation.
The sun was blazing, the cicadas were chirping hoarsely, and even the wind carried a scorching heat.
This time, "Lin Lili" really suffered from heatstroke.
In order to legitimately visit Tong Yao as her "best friend," Lin Li once again resorted to his ultimate weapon—dressing as a woman.
He had a long, straight black wig and a floral dress—everything was there. He timed it perfectly, planning to go during the hottest part of the day so he could use the excuse of the heat to stay at Tong Yao's house a little longer.
However, he overestimated his tolerance for wearing non-breathable dresses and wigs in the sweltering heat.
From the bus stop to the entrance of Tong Yao's residential complex, a mere few hundred meters, he felt dizzy and unsteady on his feet. Forcing himself to reach Tong Yao's building, he felt the scenery begin to spin, and sweat soaked the hairnet of his wig, sticking stickily to his scalp, causing him great discomfort.
He leaned against the shade of the building entrance and, with his last shred of clarity, sent Tong Yao that SOS message. Then everything went black, and his body slid uncontrollably down the wall.
When I regained consciousness, the sky outside the window was already tinged with orange-red, and the sun was setting in the west.
Lin Li blinked blankly, realizing she was lying on Tong Yao's soft, faintly fragrant bed, covered with a thin air-conditioning blanket. Her wig had been removed, but her head still felt as heavy as lead, accompanied by waves of dizziness and nausea.
Just as he was about to sit up, the door was gently pushed open.
Tong Yao came in carrying a glass of water and a small brown glass bottle. She was visibly relieved to see that he was awake, but her brows were still slightly furrowed.
"You're awake? How are you feeling? Drink this quickly, it'll cool you down." She walked quickly to the bedside, her tone leaving no room for argument, and handed him the opened bottle of Huoxiang Zhengqi Water.
Lin Li was feeling extremely dizzy and his throat was parched. When he smelled the strong, pungent odor, he instinctively wanted to resist, but Tong Yao's gaze made him open his mouth unconsciously.
A cold liquid, with an indescribable spiciness and bitterness, instantly rushed into his throat. Lin Li choked, his face contorting in pain, and he almost vomited. He forced himself to swallow it, feeling a burning sensation travel from his throat straight to his stomach.
"Water...water..." he hoarsely stood up and called out.
Tong Yao quickly handed him the water glass. Lin Li took it and gulped it down in large gulps, trying to wash away the terrible taste in his mouth.
However, just a few minutes later, a strange warmth began to spread from my stomach to my limbs. What was originally just dizziness now had an added feeling of lightness, a sense of uncontrollable disorientation.
His cheeks flushed rapidly, and his eyes began to become hazy and moist, as if covered with a layer of water vapor.
"Hiccup..." He let out a small hiccup uncontrollably, carrying the unique smell of Huoxiang Zhengqi Water.
Tong Yao stared blankly at his suddenly flushed face and his watery, unfocused eyes for a moment, then an absurd thought flashed through her mind—could this guy be…drunk?!
People who are extremely sensitive to alcohol may indeed experience a drunken-like reaction because Huoxiang Zhengqi Water contains alcohol!
"Lin Li?" Tong Yao called out to him tentatively.
Lin Li turned his head a beat late, his gaze lingering on her face. Then, he grinned, revealing a silly, unguarded smile, his voice becoming slurred:
"Tong Yao...hehe...you're so good-looking, hiccup..."
Tong Yao: "..." Oh no, I'm really drunk.
The next second, Lin Li seemed to lose all his strength, his body swayed, and he fell directly towards Tong Yao. Tong Yao instinctively reached out to catch him, and he leaned limply against her, his head resting on her shoulder, his burning cheek pressed against her neck, and he was unconsciously muttering:
"I like you... I like you so much... Please don't block me..."
His breath was hot, carrying the smell of medicine and a hint of alcohol, spraying onto Tong Yao's sensitive skin and sending a shiver down her spine. Like a giant pendant, he used his hands and feet to instinctively find a more comfortable position, almost completely encircling Tong Yao in his arms.
Tong Yao froze, too afraid to move.
Feeling the hot, soft, and completely unguarded body in his arms, and listening to his drunken words filled with grievance and longing, his heart suddenly raced, and his cheeks burned uncontrollably.
She tried to push him away a little, but the drunkard was unexpectedly strong, or rather, it was his complete dependence that made it difficult to use force.
"Lin Li! Let go!" she whispered, both embarrassed and annoyed.
"I won't let go..." Lin Li hugged her even tighter, like a spoiled koala, her voice nasal, "If I let go... you'll run away... you'll go to study... and ignore me..."
Tong Yao was both amused and exasperated. She looked at the setting sun outside the window, then looked down at the "drunkard" in her arms who had become clingy and talkative because of a tube of Huoxiang Zhengqi Water. All her helplessness and annoyance finally turned into a long sigh.
As night deepened, only the occasional sound of cars remained outside the window.
Tong Yao had just coaxed and tricked the drunken Lin Li, who was clinging to her and whimpering, back onto the bed and was about to breathe a sigh of relief when she suddenly heard the clear sound of a key being inserted into the lock and the security door being opened from the living room!
Mom's back!
"Don't move! Don't make a sound!"
Tong Yao rushed over and gave him urgent orders in a whisper in his ear. At the same time, she hurriedly pulled up the thin blanket that he had rummaged through and covered him tightly with it, covering his chin and even his shoulders, as if she wanted to bury him completely in the blanket.
"Pretend to be asleep! Quickly!"
Perhaps it was the lingering sense of crisis that worked; Lin Li blinked her watery eyes and actually closed them obediently, though her long eyelashes were still trembling uneasily.
Tong Yao took a deep breath, forced herself to remain calm, and quickly walked out of the room, gently closing the door behind her. She leaned against the door, her heart still pounding wildly.
"Mom, you're back." She tried her best to make her voice sound steady.
"Yeah, just got off work. You're still awake?" Tong's mother asked casually as she changed her shoes, her gaze habitually sweeping across the quiet living room.
"Okay, I'll go to sleep right away." Tong Yao stood in front of her bedroom door, her body a little stiff, afraid that her mother would ask to come into her room to get something or check on her.
Fortunately, Tong's mother seemed very tired and didn't make any unnecessary movements. She simply told her, "Get some rest and don't stay up late." After saying that, she went straight to the master bedroom.
Hearing the master bedroom door close, Tong Yao leaned against the wall, her legs feeling weak. She stood quietly in the living room for a few more minutes, making sure her mother wouldn't come out again, before stealthily turning the doorknob of her own room, slipping inside, and immediately locking it.
However, the sight inside the room made her vision go black—
In just a short while, the "drunkard" on the bed, probably due to the effects of the drugs and being drunk, and also feeling hot, had already kicked off most of the blanket!
Even more terrifying, he somehow managed to lift his dress up completely, pulling it up to his chest.
Fortunately, Lin Li was wearing shorts underneath.
Tong Yao was practically suffocating.
She rushed over and wrapped him tightly in the blanket again, this time carefully tucking in the edges. Looking at this "giant hidden danger" sleeping soundly on the bed, she was both angry and scared, her heart pounding for a long time.
Tonight, she absolutely couldn't sleep in this bed. She quietly took out a spare quilt and pillow from the top of the wardrobe and silently made a makeshift bed on the floor in the corner furthest from the bed.
Lying on the hard floor, Tong Yao stared at the blurry shadows on the ceiling, listening to Lin Li's breathing gradually becoming steady and long, her heart filled with mixed emotions—
I'm angry at his recklessness and his current lack of awareness, worried about his health, and even more afraid of being discovered hiding a "drunkard" at home.
The very person who caused all the chaos was sleeping soundly and peacefully in her bed, thanks to the effects of alcohol and drugs.
Tong Yao gritted her teeth in the darkness. "Lin Li, we'll settle the score when you wake up tomorrow!"
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