chance encounter
As dawn broke, the old street entrance was already filled with breakfast stalls of all sizes.
Tao Yangnian was still half asleep, so he swam to the familiar steamed bun shop by relying on his nose.
Tao Yangnian played games until 3:30 last night, and now his head was drooping with sleepiness. People around him jostled and bumped against each other until it was finally his turn. He called out, "I want three pork and cabbage buns." The old lady handed him the buns without even looking up. Tao Yangnian didn't react until a girl behind him tapped him on the shoulder, and he exclaimed in surprise, "Huh?"
"Young man, are you still half asleep?" the old lady glanced at him. Tao Yangnian embarrassedly gave up his seat to the girl behind him, scratching his head and saying, "I got up too early, I'm not used to it yet."
The old lady ignored her: "You have three yuan in total. Scan the code over there. Young lady, what do you want?"
Tao Yangnian went to scan the QR code next to him. A shorter head squeezed in front of the stall, and then he heard the only clear voice he had heard since waking up: "Two taro buns, please."
The sound was quickly drowned out by the surrounding noise. Tao Yangnian didn't pay much attention and continued eating his bun on his way to the tutoring class.
It was all because of his mother. Seeing that he had nothing to do, she enrolled him in a tutoring class, muttering something about how diligence can make up for lack of talent, and that he must surpass a certain relative's family in next year's college entrance examination to make her proud.
"Hilarious, trying to smash a golden phoenix out of two duck eggs. If you want to compete, why not compete in how to play League of Legends?" Tao Yangnian scoffed, casually stuffing the leftover plastic bag into the sidewalk trash can.
The intersection was bustling with people. Tao Yangnian was playing on his phone with his hands in his pockets when someone suddenly tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and saw the girl he had just seen at the steamed bun stall handing him something. Seeing that Tao Yangnian didn't move, she added, "Your wallet just fell."
That clear voice entered his ears again, as unforgettable as snowflakes falling on his eyelashes. Tao Yangnian was stunned for a moment, and when he came to his senses again, the girl had already disappeared into the crowd.
—
[King Kong Guang]: You mean? Seventeen minutes and twenty-three seconds ago, you met your destiny?
Most importantly: I'm going to tag Chen Xiang, @Chen Xiang, please share your experience.
【Think about it】: My mood is as the name suggests.
【Tao Yuannian】: ? You don't believe me? That girl really hit the spot for me.
Most importantly: She picked up a wallet and immediately fell for the guy? That girl is really pitiful.
[Think about it]: Hmm. I wouldn't even take someone who's practically throwing himself at me.
【Tao Yuannian】: ……@Chen Xiang@Bai Yao, can you two get lost?
【Tao Yuannian】: Also, @Shen Guanghao, it's 27 minutes and 32 seconds, you're wrong.
[King Kong Light]: Hehe. (Black guy with a question mark face)
...
【Think about it】: @Tao Yangnian, aren't you in tutoring? Where do you find the time to play on your phone? Oh, and Xiyan, are you in tutoring too? @Ruan Xiyan, what are you doing?
The person tagged didn't reply; he had just finished his first round of Chinese tutoring. Ruan Xiyan yawned and turned around to see Tao Yangnian running up to her, excitedly saying, "Ruan Xiyan, I'm in the same tutoring class as you? Now I won't be bored."
Tao Yangnian, Ruan Xiyan, and Chen Xiang were in the same class in junior high school, but they went to different schools after high school. Tao Yangnian attended Huai'an No. 11 Middle School, so they didn't see each other as often, but their relationship remained as if they had never been separated.
"Ah, oh. What a coincidence." Ruan Xiyan said without much emotion, while Tao Yangnian couldn't hide his chatter when he saw an acquaintance, "Do you know, just now, I met my love at first sight."
"It's a pity I didn't ask her for her WeChat. She..."
Ruan Xiyan didn't want to listen, but she couldn't stand Tao Yangnian's constant chatter. The preparatory bell rang, and a few more people entered the classroom. The tutoring center was located in an elementary school, which made it convenient for the students to be reminded by the bell.
Ruan Xiyan was slumped over when a familiar figure caught her eye out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head; the classroom was full of single desks, and the only empty seats were behind and to her right. Tao Yangnian had already taken the seat behind her, so she could only sit on the right.
"Hello?" Ruan Xiyan raised her hand.
Lu Er replied calmly, "Hmm."
Tao Yangnian, who had been chattering incessantly, suddenly stopped talking. His gaze lingered blankly on the two of them: "You two... know each other?"
Ruan Xiyan now knew who he had fallen for at first sight. Before she could speak, Tao Yangnian interrupted, saying, "Thank you for picking up my wallet earlier, classmate. My name is Tao Yangnian, and I went to the same junior high school as Ruan Xiyan."
"..." Out of politeness, Lu Er shook his head, then nodded, "Lu Er. The character for 'ear' with the water radical."
"You two knew each other before?" Tao Yangnian asked tentatively.
Lu Er didn't speak, so Ruan Xiyan had to say, "We're in the same class in high school now. She's our class monitor."
"Oh, what a coincidence! We're actually in the same tutoring class. I'm currently studying at No. 13 Middle School..." Tao Yangnian wanted to continue the conversation, but stopped talking when he saw Teacher Mina stroll in.
Before class, Ruan Xiyan received a WeChat message from Tao Yangnian. He asked, "Are you two familiar with each other?"
Not very familiar with each other. Ruan Xiyan typed these words and then put away her phone.
—
The English class ended at exactly noon. Everyone left the classroom one after another, with Ruan Xiyan and Tao Yangnian lagging behind.
Tao Yangnian glanced unconsciously at the empty space where Lu Erkong had left: "I just sent her a friend request in the WeChat group, but she hasn't accepted it yet. I haven't seen her take out her phone during class. Is your class monitor academically very good?"
“Indeed.” The two arrived on the street. “She is the best student in our class.”
The midday sun was scorching. Ruan Xiyan pulled her baseball cap down with her hand: "What do you want to eat now?"
"Want some stir-fried rice noodles? I remember there's a pretty good place around here." Tao Yangnian, who had been resting his head on his hands, suddenly put them down and straightened up. He tugged at Ruan Xiyan and pointed, "Hey, look. Isn't that your classmate?"
Hearing his words, Ruan Xiyan raised her eyes. Lu Er stood at a distance, handing out stacks of flyers. She didn't shout; as they approached, they heard her pleadingly ask an old man beside her, "Want to take a look?"
The old man ignored her, so she quietly waited for the next person to pass by.
"Looks like this is her first time doing this," Ruan Xiyan thought to herself. If she keeps handing out flyers like this, she probably won't be able to finish until sunset.
Tao Yangnian would never let this opportunity slip by. He rubbed his hands together, urging Ruan Xiyan, "Let's go help your classmate. We're standing under the blazing sun for a long time, so we won't get heatstroke."
Tao Yangnian had no good intentions; his true motives were clearly not what they seemed. Ruan Xiyan didn't expose him. He figured it wouldn't be a big deal to help out, so he followed Tao Yangnian.
"What a coincidence, classmate." Tao Yangnian smiled and immediately asked, "Are you handing out flyers?"
"Hmm." Lu Er's bangs were slightly damp with sweat, and she carefully brushed some aside. Perhaps realizing the coldness of her answer, she added, "I'm doing summer work."
"Xi Yan and I happen to have nothing to do. Let us help you."
Ruan Xiyan knew Lu Er's personality well; it would be a miracle if she agreed. But none of them expected Tao Yangnian to be so enthusiastic in taking away most of the flyers. Lu Er was slightly taken aback and reached out to take them back: "No need, I can do it myself."
"Oh, since you're already here, let me help you." Tao Yangnian pulled out some flyers and handed them to Ruan Xiyan. "You come too." Ruan Xiyan looked up and met Lu Er's gaze. He blinked, spread his hands, and gave her a look that said, "You'll give in to me."
Lu Er felt helpless. Tao Yangnian beside her had already started distributing the food, so she could only let them do as they pleased.
The heavy stack of flyers was cleared out in half an hour. Lu Er glanced at the people next to her, then lowered her eyes: "Thank you both for your help. Let me treat you to dinner."
"No need, no need, it's nothing. You even picked up my wallet for me." Tao Yangnian wiped the sweat from his palms. His scheme had worked, and he quickly made another request that was hard to refuse, "How about this? You see, now that we know each other, why don't you add me on WeChat?"
Lu Er hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay." She took out her phone and accepted Tao Yangnian's WeChat friend request.
Tao Yangnian wasn't about to give up: "Xiyan and I are just about to have lunch. You haven't eaten either, have you? Want to come along?"
Lu Er was shy and found it hard to refuse people, especially since the other person had just helped her a lot. So she agreed, "Okay."
—
The three of them strolled around the mall, discussing where to eat next.
Lu Er slowed down behind the two boys, looking down as he replied to Jiang Yanyan's WeChat message. He was working on the homework she had assigned him yesterday, and was puzzled by one of the questions.
"It's so hot, how about we have some cold dishes?" Tao Yangnian suggested.
Ruan Xiyan had no objection: "Okay."
"Lu'er, what do you think?" Tao Yangnian asked for her opinion.
Lu Er was about to agree when she noticed a small, solitary figure leaning against the glass railing across the way. She paused, walked over, and asked, "Mi Tian?"
The two, bewildered, followed the person forward. Tao Yangnian, watching this scene, scratched his head, "You know this little girl?"
Ruan Xiyan recognized her too: "She's Ms. Mina's daughter." He explained to Tao Yangnian, "She's our class's English teacher's daughter."
"Oh, I almost thought it was a boy. Why the buzz cut?" Tao Yangnian smacked his lips in commentary, then looked around, "Where's your English teacher? Leaving your daughter here alone?"
Lu Er asked Mi Tian, "Where did the teacher go?"
Mi Tian fiddled with a paper airplane: "Mom said she's going to the bathroom. She told me to wait here." Suddenly, she threw the paper airplane, and it flew in an arc, hitting Tao Yangnian precisely on the head. "It doesn't hurt," Tao Yangnian's eyes widened, and Mi Tian glared back without hesitation: "I'm not a boy."
Tao Yangnian laughed in exasperation. Just as he was about to squat down and teach the child a lesson, a gentle voice came belatedly from behind: "Oh dear, Xiaotian, what are you doing? Quickly apologize to your brother."
"Hmph." Mi Tian pouted, clearly unconvinced. "I'm sorry."
"It's nothing, it's nothing." Tao Yangnian felt embarrassed when he was asked to apologize.
Teacher Mina then noticed Ruan Xiyan and Lu Er standing to the side. Her face was pale, but her smile was still friendly: "Lu Er, Ruan Xiyan? You two are together? What a coincidence! Since you've been helping me babysit, I'll treat you to McDonald's."
The five of them went to McDonald's together. When the meal arrived, Ms. Mina's face gradually regained its normal color.
She smiled at the group and asked, "Did you just happen to run into each other after your tutoring get out of class?"
Lu Er answered proactively, "They helped me hand out flyers, and we went out to eat together." Hearing this, Ruan Xiyan glanced at Lu Er thoughtfully.
Teacher Mina: "It's good that everyone attends the same tutoring class; they can help each other out..."
Tao Yangnian was still childishly bickering with Mi Tian: "You're not sweet-talking at all. What's with your name, Mi Tian? You should change it to Mickey Mouse. Have you ever seen Mickey Mouse?"
"Then you are Donald Duck. Tao Laoya, Tao Roast Duck."
"A duck is better than a mouse, right..."
After a round of conversation, seeing Tao Yangnian's expression of being so angry yet helpless, Mi Tian triumphantly raised a paper airplane. Teacher Mina quickly stopped her with an apologetic smile: "That's enough, Xiao Tian, if you do it again, I'll confiscate it."
The meal was almost finished. Teacher Mina glanced out the glass; dark clouds stretched across half the sky, the light seeming to be hiding but not quite.
She reminded them, "Did you bring umbrellas? It's going to rain. If you didn't, go home early since you don't have class."
Lu Er and Ruan Xiyan nodded.
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