Chapter 08: Familiar Strangers

"Why not? If you don't want to go, then don't go," he glanced at her and continued, "Xu Ruihuai wouldn't care about these things at all, so there's no question of lying." His teasing expression was mixed with a hint of coldness. From those eyes, as black as jewels, emanated not the helpless anger and chill of youth, but a desolate understanding of the world that kept others at a distance, along with a carefree and reckless attitude towards life.

Talking with strangers can lead to parting ways after just a few words. However, with him, it is impossible to delve deeper, leaving a sense of unfulfillment. Jiang Yunnuo is not at a loss for topics; rather, there are some questions that are difficult to articulate. Why not make a phone call? Why are there only a few words in the reply? ... Why is there never any discussion about his current situation? ... Yet, in the face of someone with such a calm expression, all excitement dissipates. Yes, we have all grown up and become estranged; as siblings who have not seen each other for years, such distance should be quite normal. However, in the presence of someone so composed, all fervor fades away. Indeed, we have matured and become distant; as siblings who have not met for years, this estrangement should be expected. Such blame and inexplicable anger do not belong to us; they are ambiguous and entangled. Therefore, when I see you now, living a carefree life, I find solace.

"It has been seven years since we last met, and you have become increasingly unpleasant. Those who have been to barbaric lands are indeed different." Xu Ke could not help but reach out to tousle her long hair, which was so soft and smooth

As the Mount Tai collapsed before her, the woman slapped his face without changing color, and he continued to smile, how handsome he was. In an instant, a hazy pink cloud floated before the eyes of the women, and some quick-reacting ones hurriedly took out their phones to capture the moment.

"Does Xu Ruihuai water you with excrement every day, so that you can thrive?" Jiang Yunnuo is not too short, as she is at least 163 cm tall, but some people have changed so much that she has to look up at him.

"Forget it, I will lose my appetite facing this firecracker. See you later." Having said that, someone has already floated away.

I am looking for you. Lin Xuan hesitantly walked over, the extremely gentle smile before him had never been directed at him. What he saw was a promise that was indifferent, playful, unexpected, and somewhat fierce. So now, what kind of scene is it?

The two walked into a secluded area of the grove, and Jiang Yunuo's arm was released. After moving it slightly, she frowned and said, "Come on, is it really necessary to use so much force?"

The two of them paused again, unable to help but exchange smiles. This moment felt like a gentle breeze, sweeping away the gloom in Jiang Yunnuo's heart. Keke is still so adorable; she couldn't resist reaching out to pinch his cheek, just like many years ago.

Why not go? Why lie?

This punch is agile and decisive, with ample force.

The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat oppressive. Xu Ke lazily leaned against the tree trunk, arms crossed, observing the suddenly silent girl in front of him with some confusion. She had become more beautiful, with delicate and refined features, smooth long hair, fair skin, a bright expression, and a serene demeanor, of course, when she was not angry. This fierce personality had not changed at all. But at this moment, she lowered her head, slightly furrowed her brows, gently bit her lower lip, and a trace of confusion and helplessness flashed across her face. She looked so small, like a doll.

"Hehe, it's okay, not too serious." She felt a bit guilty, having practiced Taekwondo for a few years, she momentarily forgot to control her strength in the heat of the moment

However, now she actually harbors a trace of doubt regarding such permission, which feels so unfamiliar. There is a sense of disinterest, calm and unperturbed. He often smiles, yet the sincerity of his previous smiles has diminished, replaced by a slight playfulness and a lack of guile, for his eyes are cold, rendering such smiles devoid of meaning, merely a vivid mask. It is akin to the acquaintances of A, B, C, and D, or the strangers on the street, who, in their hurried pace, may also reveal gentle smiles, yet these are fleeting, vanishing in an instant.

Licensing pain is like this: "Don't get touchy-feely with other men in front of your boyfriend," he nodded at Lin Xuan, "We've known each other for a long time. You can handle my older sister, you really are impressive. She's quite a handful, so please be more accommodating in the future."

"Aren't you back to find me?" Someone seems to be quite self-aware, "No wonder you wrote to me last time asking me to come home, you are also studying at this school, right?"

On the stands, the atmosphere suddenly changed, with gasps, whistles, and exclamations rising and falling in succession. Everyone sighed, saying: It seems that yet another love debt has arisen

"Who is this? So cute," a beautiful young girl approached at some point, gracefully sitting down on the chair beside her. As the stunningly attractive couple appeared, a pink mist gradually enveloped them, and in this large room, the sound of continuous swallowing could be faintly heard. The two culprits seemed to have long been accustomed to it, remaining calm instead. "Xu, isn't this the girl from today...? Why is she... um, so fierce towards you?" Looking at the photo, the girl finally remembered but felt too shy to ask directly. It is indeed quite embarrassing for a tall man to be hit by a woman in front of so many people.

When you talk to him, you are like a firecracker; you are not usually like this

Xu Ruihuai said that you are studying in the north. Jiang Yunnuo decided not to argue with this little pest anymore

Lin Xuan, isn't he the core figure in the football team? Sister, you are indeed very popular

"It is none of your business," she replied coldly

"Because I owe her a lot of money, she has come to collect the debt." Xu Ke casually replied as he closed the folder.

With a silent sigh, he spoke in a somewhat deep voice: "In these past few years, you ... ... "

He is absolutely right

What era are we in, still speaking such outdated words? Jiang Yunnuo turned around and said in a dark tone: "There is no need for you to meddle; today I will act on behalf of heaven and cleanse the house."

"How should I do it?" the man in black gently replied, looking at her with a hint of amusement. He then turned his face to the captain and said, "I won't fight anymore, you should quickly replace me." After saying this, he pulled Jiang Yunnuo's arm and walked out.

Permission to open the notebook and search for information online; this case at hand is indeed somewhat troublesome, and it seems I will need to spend more time on it

"Ha, I don't believe it!" the beautiful woman laughed charmingly

You ... ... '' coincidentally, she also spoke.

Suddenly recalling something, he opened a folder containing more than ten photographs, all of the same person

This expression appeared on the face of the licensed individual, a sight that Jiang Yunuo had never encountered before. His height had increased significantly, no longer resembling the previously elegant and slender figure. His facial contours were more defined, exuding a strong and masculine aura. However, his strikingly beautiful features had not changed much, still retaining a hint of the androgynous beauty from his youth, now appearing even more spirited. Therefore, just moments ago in the basketball court, Jiang Yunuo effortlessly recognized him, though he had not anticipated encountering him there.

"This sentence should be spoken by me," the person said, pointing to the already bruised corners of their mouth.

The man in black slowly raised his hand, casually brushing away a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth, his gaze never leaving the woman before him. He then smiled slightly and said, "Jiang Yunnuo, it is indeed you"

Jiang Yunnuo irritably pushed his hand away; this guy was just like before, always managing to make her angry. This was the first meeting in seven years! (Huntun: You still made that beautiful face of hers scarred, and you have the nerve to complain here.) She couldn't believe she had been so hung up on such trivial matters like height for so long. It was truly nothing like the reunion she had imagined! It didn't have to be tearful and emotional; at the very least, she should have felt a bit moved, and then he could have used that signature soft voice to say: "Sister, you finally came back, I've been waiting for you so long, it was so hard." Uh, (Huntun: You still made that beautiful face of hers scarred, and you have the nerve to complain here.) She couldn't believe she had been so hung up on such trivial matters like height for so long. It was truly nothing like the reunion she had imagined! It didn't have to be tearful and emotional; at the very least, she should have felt a bit moved, and then he could have used that signature soft voice to say: "Sister, you finally came back, I've been waiting for you so long, it was so hard." Uh, Jiang Yunnuo looked at the tall figure in front of her and thought: If he really did that, I would definitely kick him out before I got disgusted to death.

"Hey, what do you mean by that?" Jiang Yunnuo jumped up and was about to press on the bruise on his face, when Lin Xuan hurriedly grabbed her hand and said to Xu Ke, "Let's have a meal together and chat while we eat."

"That woman is going to get beaten up," someone shouted from the stands. The captain, who was just announcing the continuation of the match, was startled and worried about the situation. He turned around and rushed outside, but it was too late to catch up. He could only shout loudly, "Brothers, please don't act impulsively; we good men do not fight with women"

"Promise." Someone beside exclaimed

In the evening, at the library

"Even if I am so handsome that it leaves you speechless, you should still consider your own dignity," Xu Ke said, waving his hand in front of her eyes, and then asked, "When did you come back?" There was no surprise, no emotion; his expression was as calm as it could be. As for her, her excited heart plummeted to the bottom, feeling more dejected than ever.

I received the admission notice from there, but later I no longer wanted to go. He explained nonchalantly

You ... ... '', the past is difficult to articulate. It seems that the anger forgotten in the heart still cannot be vented, and there is also a sense of guilt for one's own impulsiveness. Just a few seconds ago, Jiang Yunnuo, who was full of indignation, now finds herself at a loss for words, standing there in a daze.

"You haven't grown at all, but you do have quite a bit of strength," he said, gesturing with his hand to compare their heights. He noticed that Jiang Yunnuo only reached up to his Adam's apple and teased, "Could it be that Jiang Min is mistreating you and not feeding you?"

So as soon as we met, you hit me

The atmosphere is somewhat strange. Jiang Yunnuo looks at Xu Ke and then at Lin Xuan; the former appears to be deep in thought, while the latter has a somewhat guarded expression. Could it be that Xiao Xuanxuan is feeling jealous? "Let me introduce you," Jiang Yunnuo lightly pats Xu Ke's face with one hand, "This is my precious younger brother Xu Ke, whom I have been separated from for many years and have just reunited with today," and then she presses her finger firmly against his injured mouth corner, "Lin Xuan, my boyfriend, who is also a third-year student in the Computer Science department." Xiao Xuanxuan couldn't possibly be feeling jealous, could he? "Let me introduce you," Jiang Yunnuo lightly pats Xu Ke's face with one hand, "This is my precious younger brother Xu Ke, whom I have been separated from for many years and have just reunited with today," and then she presses her finger firmly against his injured mouth corner, "Lin Xuan, my boyfriend, who is also a third-year student in the Computer Science department."

Jiang Yunnuo saw the person coming and smiled as she waved her hand at him: "Lin Xuan, what brings you here?"

Regarding those emails, Jiang Yunuo became even angrier: "Yes, I came back to see if you were dead, and the result was very disappointing"

What?