Chapter 2: "Love at First Sight"
"There is no rush to be reborn, can you walk a little slower?" Shen Feiqi complained, drenched in sweat.
The two individuals made their way to the second basement level, where a wide variety of dining options were available, including KFC, McDonald's, Yoshinoya, spicy hot pot, sushi, ramen, Chinese cuisine, and Western cuisine
"Do you cosplay?" Before Tang Yi could respond, he coldly threw out another remark: "You dare to wear such a short skirt?"
One of the girls glanced at her companion and, tilting her chin, said: "We just can't stand your pretentious demeanor, acting all high and mighty, yet aren't you out all day mingling with men?"
The unfortunate Tang Yi was almost turned into cannon fodder by the barrage of public opinion
Tang turned his head away and said, "You don't need to worry about it, just leave."
Tang searched everywhere for Chen Shang. He was not wearing his school uniform today. She spotted him and Fan Congsi standing in the "Aiwan Pavilion," both holding their phones and whispering about something. In the wind, she faintly heard Chen Shang's voice defending himself, "I don't know either." Her eyes turned red with anger as she rushed forward and pushed him hard, "Chen Shang, you bastard!"
You still say no! Tang Yi couldn't help but raise his voice, startling the others who were speaking. The classroom immediately fell silent
Tang Yi has long developed an immunity to these unpleasant words, not even casting a glance at them. "Aren't you annoying? Don't you have anything better to do? If so, please continue to dislike me," she said without further ado, forcefully pushing them aside and making her way through the gap between the two.
Little did he know that Chen then complained, "Is there anyone who buys only one bottle of water like you?" He only had a credit card on him, with no cash, let alone coins. After watching a movie in the afternoon, he was already thirsty and had been eyeing the bottle of mineral water in Tang Yi's hand.
Fan Congsi hurried over to help Chen Shang up, anxiously asking, "Are you alright?" He then said to Tang Yi, who was standing there with red eyes, "Don't be anxious, let's talk things over calmly."
I sprained it
What about you, what is your name
During the break, several students, both high achievers and underperformers, gathered together with their phones, excitedly discussing something while occasionally casting unabashed glances at her. Tang Yixin thought to herself, "What are you looking at? What’s so interesting? I don’t have flowers growing on my face." She tapped on the table and said, "It’s time to hand in the homework, or else Teacher Sun will start urging us again." It was always them who delayed submission, and even when they had the answers, they wouldn’t copy them down quickly.
The photo incident has stirred up a great deal of controversy. The girls mostly express their disdain for Tang Yi, considering her vulgar, pretentious, and shameless. In contrast, the boys predominantly respond with comments like "Wow, stunning; beautiful; talented and good-looking," lamenting the fact that there is "such a beauty who is unaware of her own charm," leading to a regrettable situation akin to a flower growing in cow dung. They instead direct their ridicule towards Shen Feiqi, who is still in the transformation phase of a swan from a ugly duckling.
Tang Yi saw Shen Feiqi buy a mask of the King of Hell. He looked around in the mirror and couldn't help but curse, "Ugly people cause trouble!" After waiting for a while, she saw him run off to ask about the price of a Kongming lantern. Unable to hold back any longer, she rushed forward and said, "Hey, it's getting dark!" and pushed him back with all her strength.
Upon hearing the name of Chen Shang, the security guard felt a headache coming on, "Why is it you again? Why aren't you sleeping well in the middle of the night? What are you all doing?"
The two moved under the streetlight. Tang Yi sat on the long bench by the roadside, and as he looked down, he twisted his left ankle, which had already swollen to half a finger's height in just a short while; his right foot cramped, but that was not too serious, it would be fine after a little rest
A rather unpleasant voice suddenly came from behind. She had no choice but to turn around and awkwardly face him, taking a while before finally greeting him: "It's you, what a coincidence"
Shen Feiqi ordered a business set meal and asked Tang Yi what he wanted to eat. Tang Yi was not very hungry and ordered a bowl of soup to sip slowly. The place was crowded, so the two of them sat outside to eat.
Tang Yi, filled with rage yet laughing coldly, said: "Do you think you can threaten me with these photos? This does not prove anything at all. I have not done anything shameful; a person of integrity has nothing to fear from shadows. Do as you wish, I am not afraid at all." She was too lazy to explain to him and left without looking back
Did I promise?
Chen ultimately made a phone call to her dormitory. Xia Wenqian rode her bicycle to pick up Tang Yi, who had injured both of her feet.
Tang Yi pretentiously exclaimed, "Oh my, I really like you—ugh!"
Chen Shang was hit and gasped for breath, gritting his teeth as he got up. Rubbing his shoulder, he hurriedly explained: "Tang Yi, listen to me, the photo was really not sent by me. If I wanted to send it, why would I wait until now? I just found out about this myself..."
During the National Day holiday, most students returned home, and even Xia Wenqian went to stay at her relatives' house. Only those like Tang Yi, who had neither relatives nor friends in the area and lived far from home, had no choice but to remain at school
One of the slender girls was pushed by Tang Yi and stumbled, nearly falling, and hurriedly supported another tall girl. The two of them watched Tang Yi's distant figure, stomping their feet in anger, and indignantly said: "What right does she have to be so arrogant? How dare she push us! Let's go and teach her a lesson!"
You—" Tang was so angry that he was momentarily speechless
On what basis?
Going back to school. How about you
Tang sneered and said, "Chen, a real man dares to take responsibility for his actions. I originally just disliked you, but now I utterly despise you." After finishing, he cast a contemptuous glance and stormed off.
The Love Late Pavilion is built on a marble platform elevated half a meter high, and fortunately, outside the pavilion lies a vast expanse of lush green lawn. Chen Shang fell in a disheveled manner, with a blow to his chest.
The two continued their usual banter. The person in charge called Tang Yi over, "It's your turn now, change your clothes first, then do your makeup"
Suppressing the anger within, "Chen, what exactly do you want?"
I am not doing anything, I can't sleep, just walking around. Is it not allowed to take a walk in the school?
Forget it, since the mouth is on someone else's body, they can say whatever they want, and I just won't listen. With that spare time, I might as well use it to do something meaningful. Thus, Tang Yi could only comfort himself this way
These photos are your leverage, and they are quite useful in my hands. Do you think it's that easy to just say delete and it will be deleted? Chen is indeed someone who grew up in a business family, and he is sharp-minded, unwilling to suffer even the slightest loss
The security guard shone his flashlight on their faces and coldly asked, "Which class are you from?"
The local television station is set to record an episode of a variety show and requires some outstanding students to serve as guests, offering a considerable transportation fee for Tang Yi. Without hesitation, she agreed. On the day of the recording, she got up early, took the bus, transferred to the subway, and exerted considerable effort to finally find the location
Six students, three male and three female, are dressed in British-style student uniforms sponsored by a clothing advertisement, standing side by side backstage listening to the person in charge explain the precautions for the recording.
The makeup artist examined Tang Yi's face in the mirror and quickly made a decision, "Curl the hair a bit and tie it into a side ponytail; it will look cuter on camera"
Tang Yi's weight combined with her running speed caused the unsuspecting Chen Shang to tumble over the low railing of the pavilion and fall heavily outside. Tang Yi was momentarily stunned, standing there in shock for quite some time without moving.
Someone pointed outside and said: "Just now, I went out with Fan Congsi."
The other party took off the King of Hell mask from their face to wipe away sweat. Tang Yi, upon seeing the unfamiliar person in front of her, was so frightened that she took three steps back, her face losing color as she shouted, "A ghost!" She quickly realized she had mistaken the person, disregarded her belongings, and ran away. Shen Feiqi, that big fool, if anything happened to him, how would she explain it to Shen Dad and Shen Mom?
Chen was mistakenly believed by her to be using a photo to blackmail her into treating him, which severely wounded his pride. "Do you think I would ask you to pay?" he said, casting a disdainful glance at her.
On that day, Chen finished class and, as usual, arranged to play basketball with Li Zhe and the others. He casually placed his wallet, phone, and keys somewhere and asked a friend he knew to keep an eye on them. The boy sat in the audience feeling bored, and since Chen's phone was the latest model from abroad, he started to play with it. Naturally, he accessed the campus BBS forum. Chen's ID had not logged out, and he was too lazy to log in, so he directly replied using Chen's ID. In the draft box, he saw a set of photos, with even the title already prepared. He found it interesting and, in a moment of impulse, sent it out. This was not a big deal originally, and afterward, he forgot about it.
Chen looked at her struggling figure from a distance, and for some reason, he suddenly recalled the scene from their first meeting, when she was also carrying large and small bags, moving one step and resting one step.
Tang was almost in tears, "You are too much!"
Two people took the elevator down. Shen Feiqi asked her: "Are you hungry? The lunch box was hardly filling."
"Oh my, you are truly capable." Shen Feiqi was tall and thin, looking somewhat malnourished, and Tang Yi was deliberately speaking in irony. The items she carried were considerably more than those of Shen Feiqi.
Chen turned his head to glance at her
Tang's ankle was swollen to the size of a fist, yet she did not go to the infirmary. Instead, she borrowed some safflower oil from the dormitory supervisor to apply. She had difficulty moving, and it was thanks to Xia Wenqian who pushed her to class every day and helped her with meals and water, taking care of her inside and out. By the time her foot healed, it was already a week later, and the students welcomed the eagerly anticipated National Day holiday.
Indeed, it feels as if I cannot get through the day without making him feel nauseated with a couple of remarks
In the end, I found Shen Feiqi through the school broadcast. Tang Yi prayed fervently and hoped for his safe departure, nearly exhausting himself in the process
Tang returned to the classroom without saying a word. The others in the class, having witnessed the commotion earlier, were mostly aware of the incident regarding the photo. Xia Wenqian glanced at her expression and cautiously asked, "Are you okay?"
Chen shot her a fierce glare, and even as he walked away, he could still hear her saying to the person next to her: "I don't know him, I've never seen him before... Oh dear, my favorite Kung Pao chicken is almost gone..."
Tang Yi sat on the ground in silence, and after his repeated questioning, could only whisper: "Class 7, Grade 1, Zhou Xiaotong"
Tang Yi and Shen Feiqi came out after dinner, and the two stood by the roadside talking
Shen Feiqi asked her: "Where are you going now?"
At this moment, Chen was in a position of advantage, seemingly oblivious to her insults. "Do not stand in the aisle blocking others' way, let's go find a place to sit down and talk slowly."
I have quite a bit to say to you. You see—" Chen pressed the confirmation key on his phone, "as long as I just tap this lightly, these photos will spread like wildfire on the school's BBS forum. I've even thought of a title: Heavily made up, dressed provocatively, and on a date with her boyfriend—this is what they call a talented student?"
Shen Feiqi and she are neighbors, childhood friends, and also rivals. They were in the same class from elementary school to middle school, fiercely competing for the top position, which led to many amusing incidents. The adults from both families could not stand it and advised them, "Friendship first, grades second." Tang Yi scoffed at this, stating that the one who represents the class and school to receive awards is always the first; who would remember the second
He Xianyong handed his mobile phone to her
I never expected to encounter Shen Feiqi in the lounge. When the two of them suddenly met, the joy ultimately outweighed the surprise, and the incident of searching for someone with drums and gongs at the beginning of the school year had long been forgotten
If it were other female students studying the arts, such matters would be quite commonplace, and everyone would merely mock a few times and leave it at that. However, because it is Tang Yi, who bears the title of "the best among the best talents," the situation has escalated uncontrollably. Originally, the students of No. 19 High School already harbored enough hostility towards these so-called talented students. Now, being constantly pressured by teachers and parents to use them as benchmarks, they have long been holding in a grudge. With this opportunity for venting, wouldn't they go all out to kick someone when they're down?
He Xianyong looked at her helplessly, then turned his head to seek help from others, but unfortunately, no one stepped forward to help him out. Faced with the sullen and almost dripping expression of Tang Yi, he could only brace himself and say: "It's just a few photos, not even risqué ones. I was just joking earlier, you..."
Tang reluctantly handed him her mineral water, saying, "Here, take it, I will buy another bottle." He took it without hesitation and drank more than half of the bottle in one go. She cleared her throat and said, "Chen, you have drunk my water, so now you should delete the photos on your phone, right?"
When taking the bus to school, it was already dark. The two individuals, carrying backpacks and dragging suitcases, moved forward unsteadily while holding plastic buckets and thermoses in their hands
Shen Feiqi threw his luggage to the ground in frustration, saying, "Today is the Ghost Festival, when wandering spirits run rampant. I should buy a mask to ward off evil spirits."
What does this have to do with you? Tang Yi really could not understand why he insisted on being at odds with her
"Chen, go ahead." The voice that responded seemed to carry a hint of impatience
Chen occasionally created opportunities to run into her, but to his surprise, she completely ignored him. He comforted himself, thinking that she must be too shy to express her feelings. One time, he seized the moment while Tang Yi was in line to buy groceries and rushed up to ask, "Are you Tang Yi?"
In fact, the situation is not as dire as she imagines
Tang focused her gaze and saw that the main subjects of the photo were herself and Shen Feiqi, evidently taken secretly while they were having a meal together just moments ago. Angered, she reached out to snatch it away, "Delete it!"
Tang handed him two pieces of luggage, one large and one small, and said irritably, "I will take care of the other things; this should be acceptable, right!"
"We've arrived, why are you still carrying that? Aren't you tired?" Tang Yi piled all the items from his shoulders, back, and hands at his feet, gasping for breath.
It was merely a joke, yet he took it seriously. Chen Shang felt like the biggest fool in the world, unaware that he had been played. However, he ultimately could not accept this, and with such feelings, he told his parents that he wanted to join the gifted class
She only took a glance, just that one glance, enough for those injuries to linger in her heart like a festering sore. She trembled as she returned the phone to He Xianyong, her expression unchanged as she asked: "Where is Chen Shang?"
The other party said nothing and obediently picked up the luggage, following her closely behind
Tang Yi is on fire, "Hey, you—" A brave man does not suffer immediate losses, she cleared her throat and pretentiously said: "I fell in love with you at first sight." As she spoke, she threw a flirtatious glance over.
"You go alone, I have no money." Tang Yixin thought, I won't be the one to take the fall. She went to the vending machine by herself and took out some coins to buy a bottle of mineral water
She couldn't help but exclaim, "Despicable scoundrel!"
Tang took two steps and paused for a while, taking a long time to walk just over ten meters. She thought angrily, it is all his fault; if he hadn't tricked her into leaving the school, none of these unfortunate events would have happened.
Chen took three steps forward and then two steps to catch up. Tang Yi said unceremoniously, "What are you following me for?" Chen scoffed and lazily leaned against the handrail, saying, "Aren't you being a bit too self-important?"
The two individuals were dressed in student uniforms typically worn during recordings. Tang Yi had styled her hair and applied makeup, resembling a doll, as she sat by the bustling corridor, attracting a gaze rate that could be described as one hundred percent
Am I being excessive? Did I say something wrong? Look at yourself, are you not heavily made up, are you not dressed provocatively, are you not dining with other boys? Go out and ask the people on the street, do you look like a student in this manner? Chen's expression seemed to indicate that he was even angrier than she was
Tang Yi furrowed her brows and coldly said, "He Xianyong, what kind of nonsense are you trying to pull?" He Xianyong, seeing her turn hostile, hurriedly stammered an explanation, "I... I didn't... I... I was just... just saying something fun..."
Chen, with good intentions, was treated by her as a fool, and he was instantly filled with anger and humiliation. "Then you can just go on pretending to be strong," he said, leaving Tang Yi behind and striding away, turning a corner and disappearing in an instant
Chen took a few steps and, seeing that she had not followed, coldly snorted, "What are you dawdling for? Do you want to stay here overnight?"
Fan Congsi gave him a light slap and said, "What are you daydreaming about? Hurry up and think of a solution"
Shifting her gaze to the person sitting opposite her, Shen Feiqi, she couldn't help but frown—who is this person
Tang looked at him in astonishment, "Who are you?"
On the second day of the opening ceremony, Tang Yi, as the representative of the new students, took the stage to speak. Chen recognized her at a glance. It turned out that she was the top-performing girl in the school and quite cute as well. Remembering what she had said to him the night before about "love at first sight," he felt quite excited
Chen raised his arm high, allowing her to jump around him like a clown, and said nonchalantly: "Such a wonderful scene, I would never want to delete it."
Tang Yi realized that he was indirectly insulting himself, which made him so angry that he almost jumped up in frustration
In these past few days, Tang Yi has not spoken a word to Chen Shang. However, Fan Congsi noticed that she had sprained her ankle and specifically came over to ask if she was alright. The next day, he bought a basket of fruit and had someone deliver it to her
Chen did not speak, his eyes scanning her from top to bottom and then from bottom to top. Tang Yi felt uneasy under his strange gaze and could not help but ask: "What’s wrong?"
Nearby vendors, in order to earn money from students, specially launched many masks on the day of the Ghost Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month. These masks included figures such as Yan Wang, the Judge, the Black and White Impermanence, and the Bull Demon King, as well as deities like the Jade Emperor, the Queen Mother, the Supreme Old Lord, and Chang'e. Many students, wearing masks, gathered in groups on the playground to release sky lanterns.
Chen shook his head blankly, "I don't know either"
I have nothing to say to you
As soon as she stepped through the entrance of the mall, she spotted Chen Shang standing there, his hands in his pockets, wearing an expression of impatience, seemingly waiting for someone. Instinctively, she turned her head away and took a few extra steps, hoping he had not seen her
The formal recording of the program had already passed three o'clock in the afternoon, and they were notified to go on stage only after their makeup had nearly worn off from waiting. Although the studio was filled with a dense crowd of spectators, Tang Yi did not feel particularly nervous since the program was pre-recorded and they were merely a segment of the entire show, not the main focus. Their part was completed in less than half an hour, with the majority of the time taken up by the host speaking. When Tang Yi was about to leave, the host called her back for a few additional close-up shots.
It seems that the left foot hurts, but the right foot also hurts
Tang had originally made up her mind to have a serious conversation with him, intending to use all sorts of tricks and deceit to make him delete the photos on his phone. At this point, even her good temper could no longer be contained; she jumped up and glared at him, ready to confront him.
As soon as Chen sat down, he began to criticize Tang Yi, saying, "You are both petty and arrogant."
He Xianyong murmured to himself with a pale face: "Did I do something wrong?"
Tang Yi felt like crying without tears; had she known earlier, it would have been better for her to speak the truth.
Chen Shangfei not only did not sympathize with her, but instead scolded, "How can you be even more foolish than a pig? With a wall this low, how could you manage to hurt both your feet?"
The library and cafeteria at No. 19 Middle School were both donated by the Chen family, so the security guard had no way to deal with him and could only wave his hand, saying: "Alright, alright, go back and get some sleep. Sigh, today's children..." shaking his head as he walked away
As a result, Shen Feiqi successfully went to Shanglin No. 1 High School, while Tang Yi unfortunately ended up at No. 19 Middle School, which was not even a public school. The conflict between the two became increasingly intense.
On the second day of the new semester, Tang Yi arrived at school to register. Tang's mother, fearing that she might catch a cold, brought along all the winter blankets. Shen Feiqi accompanied her, taking on the part-time role of a laborer.
Tang Yi, with his backpack slung over his shoulder, coldly stared at the two unfamiliar girls in front of him and helplessly said: "What exactly do you want? What right do you have to stop me from leaving?"
Tang Yi has always been worried that her makeup might be a bit too heavy, the false eyelashes are also too obvious, and the blush looks like two pieces of red paper stuck on either side of her cheeks. The makeup artist, however, has a good temperament and reassures her, saying: "This is already light makeup, don't worry, once on camera, nothing will be noticeable."
"Climbing over the wall in the middle of the night, this is unacceptable! Come, follow me to the guidance office."
I will also head back. I got up early this morning to record a program, feeling extremely nervous, both sleepy and tired. The two exchanged contact information and went their separate ways. Shen Feiqi walked towards the bus station, while Tang Yi returned to the shopping mall, where there was an underground passage leading directly to the subway station
The television station stands in the bustling area of the city center. Tang Yi looked at the towering skyscrapers lined up along the road and suddenly felt dizzy, unable to distinguish between east, west, south, and north. Shen Feiqi was also unfamiliar with this place; he looked around and pointed to a large shopping mall not far away, saying, "There must be food inside"
Which foot
He stood in place hesitating for a long time, and finally asked in a hesitant manner: "Hey, do you want me to carry you?"
Once the program was recorded, no one attended to them anymore. As the show continued to be filmed on stage, the backstage was in utter chaos. Tang Yi couldn't even find a place to go to the restroom or change clothes, so he said to Shen Feiqi: "Let's go, we shouldn't cause any more trouble here"
You need not concern yourself with this matter" she said coldly, no longer paying him any attention as she took the escalator down
Chen shook his head vigorously and said in a daze, "It seems like I fell and became foolish." Otherwise, why would he feel a sudden rush of emotions? Why did he find Tang Yi, with her tearful eyes and a look of grievance, so irresistibly attractive?
He Xianyong held up his phone and said with a smile, "Tang Yi, I didn't expect you to look so beautiful when dressed up; it’s hard to tell that you have such substance." The other underachievers laughed maliciously, drawing the curious glances of the outstanding students in front.
Little did he know, she flatly refused, saying, "No need, I can walk by myself"
Although she was so open-minded, she still inevitably attracted some young, impulsive girls who spent their days causing trouble. Most people merely pointed fingers behind her back, while one or two openly mocked her. Although she was quite unhappy, she still suppressed her anger and pretended not to hear. What was most infuriating was that someone blocked her path on her way back to the dormitory after evening study.
Tang could only endure the pain, limping forward. It was then that Chen noticed her unusual condition, "What happened to your foot?"
Chen Shang and Fan Congsi were both a bit bewildered; her decisive and swift strike had caught the two of them completely off guard. After a long pause, Fan Congsi finally said: "Is this how it ends, or does she still have unfinished business with you"
Tang Yi, you are truly annoying
Tang Yi clenched his fists and ran out of the classroom in anger
Chen pondered for a moment, raised his eyebrows, and said, "Well, I haven't thought it through yet."
Chen sat down beside her at the fountain. Due to its indoor location, the water from the fountain sprayed quite low, and the searchlights pierced through the mist at the bottom of the water, creating waves of green that rippled and shimmered before their eyes. The two sat with their backs to the fountain, yet they were still occasionally splashed by the water that sprayed onto their bodies, heads, and faces. Fortunately, the gentle breeze and light drizzle were just enough to be refreshing, not uncomfortable.
Tang sneered and said, "Anyway, I have no money." She pointed to the indoor fountain not far away and said, "If we are going to argue, fine! Let's sit down and argue slowly."
By the time Chen Shang became aware of this matter, the BBS forum had already erupted in chaos. Although he immediately deleted the original post, it was too late; reposts were everywhere on the forum, and the situation was beyond his control.
You do not need to know this. Let's go; if we are going to argue, I need to have a drink of water first. Chen strode towards the "Starbucks" across the street.
Tang was so angry that she took two steps down the stairs, placing her hands in front of her chest to make a gesture of "drawing a line." After exiting the elevator, she momentarily lost her sense of direction and was about to ask for directions. Chen raised his phone in front of her eyes, saying, "What do you think will happen if I post this photo on the school's BBS forum? I wonder how everyone will perceive you?"
Someone looked at her back and said in confusion: "What happened to her? She looked so frightening just now!"
Chen Shangchong rushed forward for a couple of steps, but there were simply too many people in the mall. In the blink of an eye, Tang Yi's figure had vanished. She did not have a mobile phone, so he could only return home in frustration
Chen Shang stayed at home during the holiday without going anywhere, feeling bored. After watching a newly released movie, it was hard not to see them. He inadvertently caught a glimpse and did not immediately recognize Tang Yi, who was wearing black-rimmed glasses. It was only when he walked closer and heard her familiar voice that he stopped in his tracks. Turning around to take a closer look, he thought, who else could it be? ... What kind of outfit is this ...? ... This strange appearance?
Tang Yi reacted somewhat and interrupted him to ask, "What photo?"
Tang said gloomily: "It's just a recording, putting on some makeup and dressing a bit extravagantly, what's wrong with that? Yet everyone speaks so harshly."