Fang Huahua did not return to her dormitory on this rainy night.
The sudden rain stranded Fang Huahua and Teng Xiling on their way back.
Fang Huahua tugged at Teng Xiling's sleeve and whispered, "Let's go back early, or they'll be asleep and we'll disturb them."
Teng Xiling casually wiped the rain off his face. "Let's wait. The rain is too heavy, it's hard to walk. If we go back soaked like this, we'll catch a cold tomorrow."
There was an arcade nearby, and Teng Xiling pulled Hua Hua inside without saying a word, "Let's take shelter from the rain first, and play for a while."
The arcade was filled with the sounds of joysticks clashing and buttons clicking, and the screens were flashing images of "The King of Fighters." Fang Huahua didn't know how to play, so Teng Xiling bought her some kebabs and invited her to eat next to him while he taught her how to play.
"You play with it, I'm not interested in these."
"Okay, then you eat. We'll go back when the rain gets a little lighter."
Seeing how engrossed Teng Xiling was in playing, Fang Huahua let him play a little longer.
After finishing our fun at Tengxi Ridge, "Huahua, it's so late, let's not go back and knock on doors. It's not good to disturb everyone. I'll take you somewhere to spend the night."
Fang Huahua didn't quite understand what "making do for one night" meant, but she was always willing to listen to what Teng Xiling said.
She liked the focused look on his face when he cooked, and she liked it when Teng Xiling brought her some treats. Fang Huahua thought, "I like him, being with him is enough, it's not a big deal."
The small hotel Teng Xiling found was on a street corner. The corridor smelled of smoke, shampoo, and soap. The room was small, with only a creaky bed, a TV screen with blurry static, and even the lights were dim.
Fang Huahua sat on the edge of the bed, twisting the hem of her clothes with her fingers, not daring to look at Teng Xiling, only feeling the awkwardness in the air slowly fermenting.
Teng Xiling, quite naturally, poured her a cup of hot water and sat down next to her. "Are you cold? Let me warm your hands."
His hands were warm, and as he held Fang Huahua's hands, her heart pounded even faster. She looked up at Teng Xiling, who was smiling at her, and then his lips touched hers.
They had already kissed. Fang Huahua did not resist. Teng Xiling took the cup from Huahua's hand, hugged her, and reached behind her to unhook her bra.
Hua Hua suddenly sat up straight and grabbed his hand. "No."
"Huahua, if you love me, give yourself to me." Teng Xiling's voice was deep, with a hint of coaxing.
Fang Huahua was also stunned. She felt that she loved Teng Xiling, so she slowly let go of his hand, and Teng Xiling continued to kiss Huahua...
The rain outside the window intensified, making a "swishing" sound as it hit the glass.
Fang Huahua lay in Teng Xiling's arms, feeling sweet inside. She thought, this must be what it feels like to like someone—you don't have to think about anything else, just being with him is enough.
The next morning, looking at the unfamiliar ceiling and the sleeping Tengxi Ridge next to her, the scene from the previous night suddenly came flooding back, and her face flushed red.
Hua Hua quietly climbed out of bed, her hands trembling as she dressed, afraid of waking him.
After she finished getting ready, Teng Xiling woke up, rubbing her eyes and smiling at her, "Awake?" Teng Xiling quickly put on her clothes and pants, then turned and went to the bathroom.
Fang Huahua was a little afraid to look him in the eye, and lowered her head to give a soft "Mmm".
She remembered her roommates telling her that there would be bleeding the first time. Curiosity overcame her shyness, and she quietly lifted a corner of the blanket, her gaze sweeping downwards.
Her gaze swept across the area bit by bit, her heart pounding with anticipation and nervousness, afraid of missing out entirely.
She finally saw it, right at the edge of the bed, near her knees.
It was a small, pale red patch, like rouge accidentally dripped onto paper, or like a peach petal just blooming in spring; you couldn't notice it unless you looked closely.
Fang Huahua felt a sense of relief, but also a strange tension. She reached out her finger and gently touched the mark, feeling the rough texture of the sheet and a faint coolness on her fingertip.
The bathroom door opened, and Teng Xiling came out. The moment their eyes met, Fang Huahua's face flushed bright red, the blush spreading from her cheeks to her ears.
Like a child caught doing something wrong, she hurriedly pulled the blanket back. Teng Xiling came over, sat on the edge of the bed, and held her hand. "What are you looking at? Your face is so red." His hand was warm and damp from washing. Fang Huahua lowered her head even further.
“I heard…” Fang Huahua hesitated for a long time before mustering her courage and whispering, “I heard that the first time there will be… there will be blood, and I want to see it…” As she finished speaking, her voice grew softer and softer.
Teng Xiling also lifted the quilt, glanced at it, and then turned his head to look at Fang Huahua's flushed face.
He didn't speak, but pulled Hua Hua into his arms. "Silly girl," he whispered in her ear, "what's there to be shy about?"
Fang Huahua nestled in his arms, listening to his strong heartbeat and feeling the warmth of his hands. The panic and shyness in her heart gradually faded, leaving only a sense of security and sweetness. She reached out and hugged his waist tightly, burying her face in his chest, and whispered, "Teng Xiling, I like you."
Teng Xiling had to go to work a little earlier than Fang Huahua, "so I went straight to the restaurant."
"Okay, I'll go back to my dorm first. Xiling, will your roommates ask you where you went last night?"
"It's okay, they don't always come back."
"Oh. Okay!" Fang Huahua nodded.
When Fang Huahua returned to the dormitory, her roommates asked, "Huahua, where did you go last night?"
"It rained too hard last night, so I stayed at my friend's place," Hua Hua said before disappearing into the bathroom.
The kitchen was already bustling with activity; the chefs were preparing ingredients, and the sounds of pots and pans clattered everywhere.
Fang Huahua quickly changed into her waitress uniform and picked up a rag to wipe the table. But she always felt that everyone was looking at her differently, and she also felt that she was a different person than before.
When it was lunchtime, the sound of stainless steel plates clattering and laughter mingled together in the small aisle where people ate.
Someone started it, and Xiao Shi, a kitchen helper, came over with a tray, winking and calling out to Teng Xiling, "Ling, didn't you go back to the dorm last night? Were you having fun somewhere?"
The moment those words were spoken, the surroundings fell silent. All eyes turned to Teng Xiling and Fang Huahua. Fang Huahua's chopsticks clattered onto her plate, and her face flushed crimson like a ripe apple.
“Exactly!” Xiaoling, the waitress who shared a dorm room with Fang Huahua, chimed in. “Huahua didn’t come back to the dorm last night either! I asked her where she went, and she said she was with her friends.” She deliberately dragged out her words, her eyes darting back and forth between the two of them. “Oh, right, isn’t Teng Ge also Huahua’s friend?”
The commotion immediately erupted. Some people whistled, some slapped the table and laughed, and even the usually serious supervisor crossed his arms, looking on with amusement.
"Tell me the truth!" Xiao Shi leaned even closer. "Is something good coming up soon?"
Fang Huahua's face was burning hot, as if she could fry an egg on it. She wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground. She clutched the hem of her clothes tightly, unable to utter a single word, and could only look to Teng Xiling for help.
Teng Xiling put down his chopsticks, smiled at everyone, and said, "Don't make wild guesses. It rained too hard last night, so I couldn't make it back and just stayed at a friend's house for the night."
"What friends? What a coincidence, your friends are all in the same place?" Xiaoling persisted.
"Yes, in one place. Are you satisfied now?" Teng Xiling said, raising his head.
The laughter around them stopped abruptly, only to erupt into even louder laughter again.
"Hurry up and eat, the guests will be here soon."
While we're enjoying the gossip, everyone should hurry up and fill their stomachs. When the guests arrive and things get busy, we'll need to be well-fed to have the energy to work.
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