Chapter 2, Seizing Meat from the Tiger's Mouth (II)
Later, five more people arrived one after another, bringing the total to eighteen, which was just enough for two tables. In their class that year, there were a total of thirty-six students, so gathering half of them was quite a feat
She wiped the corner of her mouth with a tissue, then spoke slowly and deliberately, "I just feel that this kind of thing is akin to running naked. A person who runs naked demands that others respect his right to do so, and in turn, he should also respect the right of others not to run naked"
Lu Qiran smiled faintly, her pitch-black eyes resembling stars in a cold night. Cheng Rumo glanced at her for just a moment before quickly averting his gaze, pretending to focus on other details: "Why are you dressed in formal attire?"
As Lu Qiran made his entrance, he immediately became the center of attention, surrounded by a crowd of people inquiring about his well-being, leaving Cheng Rumo unable to interject a single word
Tsk tsk, fierce in appearance but weak at heart
Having left the aura of the two prominent figures, Cheng Rumo felt much more at ease and was able to chat normally with the classmates beside her
As Lu Qiran set down his wine glass, before his gaze swept over, Cheng Rumo subtly shifted her attention away
Bai Su also asked, "Yes, I still remember that you planned to go to her city back then"
The more everyone drinks, the higher their spirits rise. It is unclear who started it first, but they all began to talk. To everyone's surprise, the academic achiever who was least likely to fall in love back then turned out to be the first one to get married
Cheng's ink-like eyes flickered for a moment, and then she expressionlessly averted her gaze
As soon as she finished reading, her expression changed instantly, and when she spoke again, her voice carried a hint of uncontrollable tremor: "Lu Qiran, was the car that Bai Su was sitting in a Toyota Camry"
What else can be done? After playing, one simply slaps their backside and walks away.
In an instant, it was as if cold water had been poured into a boiling pot and the fire had been withdrawn; she suddenly became incredibly calm and rational. However, beyond this rationality, there was a completely contradictory fervor. She slowly straightened up and looked at Lu Qiran
After a while, Lin Ran replied to her: "Which piece of leftover meat are you looking at?"
As everyone concurred, Cheng Rumo silently finished the beer in her glass. Just as she was about to set down the cup and take a seat, she caught a glimpse of Lu Qiran beside Bai Su, who was quietly observing her, his gaze seemingly on the verge of speaking yet holding back.
The rain fell lightly, and the umbrella in Cheng Rumok's hand resembled a solemn ornament.
Cheng Rumo increasingly felt a sense of disinterest, and was also annoyed with himself for knowing it was a trap yet still recklessly walking in without regard for his own safety
Lu Qiran stared at the sparkling liquid in the cup for a moment, his gaze lowered, and then he raised the cup and drank it all in one go. The tips of his hair glimmered under the light above, as if raindrops were still clinging to them
She seemed as if she had been struck by an imaginary lightning bolt in an instant, watching Lu Qiran open the car door, his long legs stepping down, his slender fingers gripping the door and pushing it inward, the door shutting with a snap. He then walked around to the trunk, took out a black suitcase from inside, lifted it with one arm, and in the next moment, the suitcase was firmly placed at his feet
What she actually said was not a question, but a straightforward statement
Cheng Rumo and Lu Qiran watched as Bai Su got into the car, which then turned around and drove towards the roadside. Just at that moment, a vehicle approached, and its headlights illuminated the license plate of the car Bai Su was sitting in.
The once noble and aloof academic achiever has now become a reliable young man with a gentle demeanor, smiling as he drinks the toasts offered by everyone, jokingly saying: "I never would have thought that the one most likely to be the first to get married back then, Ran Ge, is still single to this day"
Bai Su said: "If I were to talk about the most dramatic story I have encountered over the years, it would undoubtedly be this one. At that time, I was working at Dachong Network, right? The editor-in-chief was thirty-six years old, well-maintained, and had a girlfriend, but both claimed they did not want to settle down and preferred to play their own games. The year I joined, there was a girl a year below me who was completely captivated by the editor-in-chief's charm and relentlessly pursued him without regard. Men, regardless of whether they like it or not, can always satisfy their vanity—ah, I am only speaking about most men, and I hope my old classmates present will forgive me if I offend. The year I joined, there was a girl a year below me who was completely captivated by the editor-in-chief's charm and relentlessly pursued him without regard. Men, regardless of whether they like it or not, can always satisfy their vanity—ah, I am only speaking about most men, and I hope my old classmates present will forgive me if I offend. Can you all guess what happened next?"
It seems to be based on the model type
Bai Su smiled and said, "I know you don't believe it; I didn't believe it at first either. However, I have come to understand that in matters of love, the most important thing is not to have self-awareness, nor should one adhere to the gentlemanly demeanor. If you want to obtain what you desire, you must be shameless, reckless, and unscrupulous, which can be summarized as 'the three no's.' As long as one is not married, the outcome remains uncertain." After saying this, she cast a fleeting glance at Cheng Rumo. As long as one is not married, the outcome remains uncertain." After saying this, she cast a fleeting glance at Cheng Rumo.
Cheng Rumo could only see the back of Lu Qiran's head from his seat, but he could see Bai Su laughing so hard that she was shaking like a flower in the wind
When did the class beauty's sense of morality become so low? It's quite astonishing
Cheng Rumo actually sings quite well; in the early years, he could dominate at KTV. However, today he is feeling down and has no interest in singing at all, merely sitting in the corner and scrolling through Weibo.
Cheng Rumo, feeling unconvinced, said, "Whoever said that, I will make one for you to see."
Cheng Rumo continued to walk at the back of the line. When they reached downstairs, everyone else left in their respective cars, leaving only Bai Su, Cheng Rumo, and Lu Qiran.
Cheng Rumo finally came to her senses, exaggeratedly smiling as she walked forward: "Lu Qiran, long time no see!"
This sudden question was simply baffling, as Cheng Rumo felt all eyes turn towards him, a mouthful of soup stuck in his throat, making it difficult to swallow or spit out, nearly choking him to death
"You flatter me; most people say I am acerbic. It seems that my old classmates are giving me face," Cheng Rumo said, not once looking at Bai Su throughout the conversation.
The topic of conversation shifted several times during the meal, and Cheng Rumo became immersed in her own thoughts. When she finally regained her focus, she found it completely impossible to join in the discussion.
Cheng Rumo, however, could not eat any longer, raising her eyes to stare at Lu Qiran, unblinking.
Cheng Rumo was walking at the back of the line, intending to sneak away, but Lu Qiran suddenly turned around and casually asked, "Aren't you coming?"
Since the moment she saw Lu Qiran, Cheng Rumo felt a sense of self-loathing, thinking that she was being pretentious. Bah, what does "just like" mean, as if the other person looks at you differently. After all these years, she still cannot change her habit of being overly sentimental, whether it is degrading or not.
Fortunately, someone asked her the question: "This can't be true, Ren Ge, aren't you in a long-distance relationship with your girlfriend, so how come you're single now?"
Cheng Rumo felt a bit dizzy, wondering why she felt this way. After all, it had been six years; any lingering sense of unfinished business should have dissipated by now. Meeting again was simply a reunion of old classmates, where you could boast about your salary card while I could flaunt my romantic history.
I take the subway, Cheng Rumo replied
I have booked a hotel nearby" Lu Qiran replied
Everyone expressed a few remarks and then no longer pursued the matter
Dividing matters among individuals is possible, but you certainly cannot achieve it; you can only remain at the level of fantasy.
This is impossible
Lu Qiran wore a white shirt, the collar slightly open, and the sleeves rolled up about an inch, revealing the neat lines at his wrists. Dressed in white and black, he seemed to blend into the thin mist, like ink and smoke, a delicate brushstroke on a traditional Chinese ink painting.
The light rain, like floating catkins, fell on her hair and body. Cheng Rumo felt every cell in her body boiling and trembling, yet her voice was strangely calm. She slightly tilted her head and looked at Lu Qiran, her delicate face bearing an expression of complete innocence: "Shall we go to my place?"
Bai Su's fingers caressed the rim of the beer glass as she lowered her head and smiled, "Those with a strong sense of morality often experience lower levels of happiness; they either harm themselves or worry about the country and the people, or even engage in groundless fears. If you truly love someone, you won't have time to think about how to win them over, let alone care about the scorn of the masses and the accusations of the crowd." She raised her head to look at Cheng Rumo, "Don't you think so, Rumo?"
Cheng Rumo lowered her head to take a look, as the rainwater flowed down the tip of the umbrella, pooling into a small puddle. She smiled and, taking advantage of the moment when Bai Su pulled Lu Qiran to the seat she had originally occupied, picked up her handbag from the seat and casually moved to sit at another table.
Lu Qiran smiled and said, "I feel it is not suitable, we have broken up"
Fortunately, the banquet ended quickly, and everyone decided to go to the KTV private room that Bai Su had reserved to continue the fun
Bai Su sat in front of the karaoke stage, turned sideways, and chatted with Lu Qiran
Lu Qiran pointed to a nearby budget hotel and said, "I plan to stay there"
Lu Qiran also recognized Cheng Rumo only upon approaching, a moment of surprise flashed across his face, which quickly transformed into joy. However, this joy was too unreserved, as if it had been washed and ironed by the sunlight, devoid of any folds that might provoke fanciful thoughts: "Cheng Rumo"
I rushed to the airport; after the meeting, I came over with my luggage. I wasn't late, was I
We, the youth of socialism, do not believe in superstitions of this kind
How will you go?" Bai Su asked
Bai Su was not angry, and smiled gently, "As expected, Mo Gu's words are sharp."
The latter was also quietly watching her, with a face chiseled like a sculptor's work, the contours austere, yet in the cold star-like eyes, there was a subtle glimmer of light
She opened WeChat and sent a message to Lin Ran: "The tiger is fierce, I truly cannot manage it."
Cheng Rumo paused for a moment, typed down Lu Qiran's name, then deleted it word by word, and instead asked, "Do you think that liking someone means one must resort to any means necessary?"
Yet when the moment truly arrived, she could not deny that she still harbored a flicker of desperate hope. It was akin to a firewood that had already been extinguished; observing it in silence, a breath could reveal the hidden crimson embers within.
Lu Qiran knew that she was not married, but the news that he was still single was indeed quite surprising
Cheng Rumo also said: "It seems you should not have come, as we have gathered thirteen people, which is very inauspicious"
Lu Qiran took a sip of wine, his expression calm. Although he smiled, there was a hint of subtle resistance in his tone, "It's hard to explain in just a few words"
"Ran Ge" refers to Lu Qiran
The two individuals returned to the private room, chatting and laughing like old classmates who had not seen each other for many years
Cheng Rumo subconsciously read in his heart: "Jiang a · hf223"
Around 11 o'clock, everyone agreed on the time and place for the meeting the next day, and then decided to disperse
Cheng Rumo was enjoying a bowl of egg drop soup when she heard this sentence, nearly choking on it.
Cheng Rumo stood silently under the light, her face as pale as wax, without uttering a word
She immediately bent down to pick it up, grasped it in her hand, and was about to stand up when she suddenly recalled what Lin Ran had said to her
Alas, it is a pity that since graduating from high school, you have been in a marathon for many years. How can you just part ways like this?
Cheng Rumo slightly bit her lip and shook her head, saying: "It's nothing, where do you live?"
The gathering will commence promptly at 7 o'clock. As the first cup of wine is filled to the brim, someone proposes a toast to Bai Su, saying, "If it weren't for the generous sponsorship of the class flower, we certainly wouldn't be able to gather here today."
Lu Qiran asked her: "Are you okay?"
Oh, "Cheng Rumor, like a dream awakening, " I have a membership card from there, which offers a 20% discount, " she said as she opened her bag. She was flustered and began to rummage through it. Although she found the membership card, she ended up pulling out a whole bunch of other items.
Bai Su gently touched the earring on her earlobe, smiling as she shook her head. "If this continues, it wouldn't be worth my while to bring it up. This little girl, I don't know what abilities she has, but she really caught the editor's attention. In the end, he broke up with his girlfriend of ten years, picked a date, and got his marriage certificate with the little girl."
There are not many people singing; everyone still gathers in groups of two or three, either playing cards, drinking, or chatting
His tone is, as in previous years, calm and unperturbed
Bai Su smiled, and in Cheng Rumo's eyes, that smile seemed to convey complete reassurance. Just as Bai Su was about to speak, car lights illuminated the area and a horn sounded from a distance. Bai Su glanced over and said, "My boyfriend is here to pick me up, so I will take my leave now. Rumo, please take care and see you tomorrow."
Cheng Rumo folded the umbrella and turned around, saying: "Twelve people are waiting for you to arrive before starting the meal. Do you think you are late?" As she turned, the hem of her white dress twirled slightly in the light rain, resembling a butterfly caught in a fleeting moment.
This moment of daze, or rather frustration, left Cheng Rumo unprepared with a greeting even as Lu Qiran approached him closely