37. Veto power
As Xiao Cheng approached, Xu Wenqiang subconsciously wanted to avoid him. However, she was holding a bicycle that was not properly upright, and when she was distracted, the bicycle fell down again.
Xu Wenqiang felt a surge of irritation, wanting to kick the bikes to vent her frustration, but she held back. The bikes had been sitting peacefully in the shed, but it was because of her that they were now stacked crookedly.
Xu Wenqiang admitted that it was all caused by Xiao Cheng's youthful appearance.
But the instigator was completely oblivious. He walked over to Xu Wenqiang, picked up the bicycle that had been damaged a second time, and asked again: "Xu Wenqiang, who do you choose?"
Xu Wenqiang stood up straight, afraid of bumping into Xiao Cheng. She didn't want to make this choice, so she said something nice: "The monitor is elected by everyone. My choice doesn't really matter."
But Xiao Cheng said: "But right now, there is only you, so you have a veto power."
Xu Wenqiang's heart skipped a beat: "I'm just an ordinary citizen, don't assign me such a scary task."
"What's so scary about that?" Xiao Cheng glanced at Xu Wenqiang. "It's just you and me here. I'm the chosen one, and you're the one making the choice. To me, your choice is a veto. As for other people, I have no control over how you choose."
In fact, Xiao Cheng's implicit meaning was that he wanted to know what Xu Wenqiang would choose. In fact, it was just a matter of one sentence, but Xiao Cheng made it complicated and serious, which made Xu Wenqiang feel both amused and sad. When did she become so important?
"Can I abstain?" Xu Wenqiang asked.
"It would be pointless to abstain if it's just you," Xiao Cheng replied.
"It's too difficult." Xu Wenqiang sighed artificially, looking at Xiao Cheng, who was nine parts serious and one part nonchalant. The atmosphere had already been heated up to this point by Xiao Cheng, and if she didn't show some sincerity, it would be a bit tactless.
Xu Wenqiang also pretended to be serious and said, "Let me think about it." She wanted to pretend to be embarrassed, but she didn't expect that she would really be embarrassed as she pretended.
Choosing Xiao Cheng would be unfair to Su Xiaoshan, and she couldn't do such a thing. But choosing Su Xiaoshan in front of Xiao Cheng...she didn't seem to be able to do such a thing either.
Seeing Xu Wenqiang thinking hard, Xiao Cheng's mood finally improved a little. Just now, she fiercely defended Su Xiaoshan, which made him jealous for a moment.
He didn't know how she would react if someone spoke ill of him in front of her. But now that he saw her in such a dilemma, Xiao Cheng had a clue. At least she wouldn't pretend not to hear and turn away. She would probably even say a few words on his behalf. So, it didn't matter if she chose Su Xiaoshan.
After hesitating for a moment, Xu Wenqiang suddenly had an idea. She had grown up with Xu Yanmei in business, and business people believed in the principle of "nothing is better than profit" and that they should always choose the one that benefits them. Thinking this way, things became simple. The one who could help her with her bicycle right now was Xiao Cheng, and the one who wasn't was Su Xiaoshan. It was clear who she should choose.
"I've made up my mind." Xu Wenqiang cleared her throat. "Xiao Cheng, I choose you."
"Really?" Xiao Cheng raised his eyebrows in surprise, then smiled, "Thank you for your trust."
Seeing Xiao Cheng's refreshing smile, Xu Wenqiang couldn't help feeling guilty, thinking that she was so heartless.
"Xu Wenqiang, why did you choose Xiao Cheng?" A voice so familiar to Xu Wenqiang that it made her hair stand on end suddenly came from behind.
Xu Wenqiang shuddered, turned around, and saw Su Xiaoshan, who had just been eliminated by her.
Xu Wenqiang felt guilty again, her eyes darting around: "Nothing..."
On the other hand, Xiao Cheng, with a smile on his face, said goodbye and greeted Su Xiaoshan with ease: "Su Xiaoshan, good morning."
"Good morning." Su Xiaoshan's face was calm, but he also greeted Xiao Cheng with a smile. Then, looking at the mess on the ground, he asked, "Xu Wenqiang, could this be you who did this?"
Xu Wenqiang scratched her hair and said, "It really was me who did it."
"Then he--" Su Xiaoshan looked at Xiao Cheng.
"He is helping me." Xu Wenqiang said quickly.
Su Xiaoshan retracted his gaze and looked at Xu Wenqiang: "Do you still need my help?"
"Of course." Xu Wenqiang said, not forgetting to wink at Xiao Cheng.
Xiao Cheng followed suit and said lazily, "Su Xiaoshan, if you are willing to help, that would be great."
"Then hurry up and don't be late." Su Xiaoshan said as he started to work.
Seeing Su Xiaoshan so happy, Xu Wenqiang couldn't help but regret that she should have chosen Su Xiaoshan earlier.
As the three of them packed up their bikes and headed to the classroom, Su Xiaoshan asked Xu Wenqiang, "I heard Chen Yang is on sick leave. He's been being watched closely by his dad in the market lately. Do you know what's going on?"
Xu Wenqiang said, "How would I know? But it would be nice if he could just keep taking sick leave."
"Chen Yang and Yu Yong have fallen out, and so have the two families' masters. People in the market are watching the fun, eager for them to start fighting."
"It would have been easier if I had been there when they started fighting."
"You'd better stay out of it."
"They've caused me so much trouble, it's only right for me to just watch the fun."
"Speaking of exciting things, Sister Huang wanted to extort money from someone again that day, but she didn't expect to meet someone who was willing to take risks, so she called the police directly."
"I also heard from my mom that Sister Huang has finally met her match. She's crying and screaming, and she's threatening to die."
…
Su Xiaoshan and Xu Wenqiang chatted back and forth about the people and things at the farmers' market, leaving no room for anyone else to interrupt. Their familiarity and tacit understanding, built on their childhood friendship, completely shut out the others.
When they were almost at the classroom, Su Xiaoshan suddenly remembered that there were other people around. With a hint of apology, he politely said to Xiao Cheng, "We were just chatting among ourselves."
Xiao Cheng didn't take it seriously: "It's okay, just chat. What you're talking about are like folk tales, which I find quite interesting."
"You think it's like a folk tale?" Su Xiaoshan looked at Xiao Cheng. He and Xu Wenqiang were talking about ordinary, day-in, day-out lives at the farmers' market. They had lived this kind of life since childhood. But to Xiao Cheng, all of this seemed like a curiosity, a social gossip.
"I think it's more interesting than folk tales," said Xiao Cheng.
Su Xiaoshan fell silent. Growing up in a farmers' market, he was extremely sensitive. He felt that Xiao Cheng treated his life as a joke.
But Xu Wenqiang obviously didn't think too much about it. She said to Xiao Cheng cheerfully, "You listened to the story for free, now it's time to ask you for money."
"Talking about money between classmates is too hurtful," said Xiao Cheng.
"Why don't you tell us a story too, and that'll make it even."
"My story is boring."
"Tell me about it."
"Then listen carefully." Xiao Cheng put his hands in his pockets, smiled, and began to tell a story: "Once upon a time there was a mountain, on the mountain there was a temple, in the temple there was an old monk who told stories. The story is about, there was a mountain, on the mountain there was a temple, in the temple there was an old monk who told stories. The story is about-"
"Xiao Cheng, that's enough." Xu Wenqiang couldn't bear it anymore and interrupted Xiao Cheng.
"But the story isn't over yet."
"I'll tell you next time."
"That's a deal."
Xu Wenqiang thought, there will definitely not be a next time.
But Xiao Cheng thought, next time, he could really tell her some folk stories about his family, which were even more exciting than the one at the farmers' market.
As for Su Xiaoshan, there really won't be a next time.
Xiao Cheng had long known Su Xiaoshan's intentions. He had singled out the farmers' market as a topic of conversation, simply to give him the cold shoulder, or even to exclude him. All Su Xiaoshan relied on was the time and friendship he and Xu Wenqiang had shared growing up together.
Xiao Cheng knew he could never catch up with the past time and friendship. Although he was reluctant, he could also accept it. After all, the past was the past, and she had him in her future, and that was the most important thing in life.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
