Chapter 8: Is it fun?

  "You wouldn't like that girl, would you?" Guo Shangliang saw Ning Qingming looking at Chen Xiaoxuan who had walked away, with a worried face, and said in a sudden realization: "Sexual orientation is something that can't be helped sometimes, don't worry, I won't discriminate against you!"

  "What?" Ning Qingming was taken aback, and after hearing Guo Shangliang's words clearly, he instinctively wanted to hit him. Seeing that the other had dodged, he stomped his foot and said: "With such a handsome guy in front of me, even if I have a problem with my sexual orientation, it would turn back to normal."

  "Ah ha, so you can also tell beauty from ugliness!" Guo Shangliang saw Ning Qing's foot-stamping action, which had a somewhat girlish manner, and he couldn't help but take another look at her.

  To be honest, I had a dream last night that Chen Xiaoxuan and her boyfriend went out, passing by the auditorium, and just as the streetlight was broken, she was dragged away by migrant workers living in a simple shed. So tonight when I saw her going out with her boyfriend, I wanted to remind her, but who knew she would run so fast! Ning Qingming thought of asking Guo Shangliang for help to persuade Chen Xiaoxuan back, so he made up a random lie.

  "Hmm, when I came to find you, in order to take a shortcut, I walked along the road on the side of the auditorium. Just halfway through, the streetlights went out." Guo Shangliang thought for a moment and said: "If there were girls taking a shortcut and passing by that place, it would indeed be quite dangerous. Not to mention the lack of safety, even walking in the dark is not safe." As he spoke, he looked up at the sky, which was dark and gloomy after the rain.

  "When you came to find me, the streetlight just went out? Xiao Xuan definitely doesn't know, and when she comes back, she might really take that road." Ning Qing said anxiously, tugging on Guo Shangliang's sleeve: "Let's hurry up and remind her."

  "Hey, hey, no matter how anxious you are, you can't just take action on the side of the road." Guo Shangliang chuckled and looked at Ning Qingming's hand.

  Ning Qingmin's face turned bright red as soon as she heard the words, and she hastily withdrew her hand.

  Under the streetlight, two figures cast long shadows.

  Guo Shangliang looked at the girl in front of him, whose face was half-hidden by a pair of black-framed glasses, and saw that her complexion had changed from pale yellow to pink. For some reason, he felt a sense of familiarity, as if he had known this girl for a long time. He found it strange, but his eyes kept staring at Ning Qingmian.

  A gentle breeze blew, and the fresh air after the rain was mixed with the smell of mud. On both sides of the road, small white flowers of unknown name bloomed in clusters, as if moved by some thought, suddenly bursting forth with waves of fragrance in the dark night.

  Ning Qing took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in her heart. She lifted her head and met Guo Shang's profound and searching gaze, which seemed both distant and intimate at the same time. For a moment, she forgot what she was about to say.

  "Wasn't it said that we should chase after that girl?" Guo Shangliang withdrew his gaze. The strange feeling that had just surged up in his heart dissipated with the wind.

  "Ah, hurry up!" Ning Qingming looked around and saw that Chen Xiaoxuan was already gone. He quickly quickened his pace to catch up.

  "No need to rush, I have a way." Guo Shangliang followed up and said loudly.

  "What's wrong?" Ning Qing asked while walking quickly.

  "Don't forget, I'm the president of the student union." Guo Shangliang emphasized his identity. "I'll make a call to the school administration office and report the situation at the auditorium. They can just send someone to replace the streetlights."

  "What if they hadn't changed so quickly?" Ning Qing still wasn't at ease.

  "Alright, I'll make another call to the student union and get a few guys to put up some warning signs at the entrance of the auditorium, and then have them patrol around there with flashlights until that girl you 'like' gets back to her dorm safely, how's that?"

  "Wow, thank you!" Ning Qingming once again forgot that it was her first meeting with Guo Shangliang, and she suddenly grabbed his hand, shaking it excitedly.

  "Hey, hey, how many times do you want to take advantage of me in one night?" Guo Shangliang grasped Ning Qingmian's hand, wanting to pull it away, but unexpectedly felt a sense of loss as if some forgotten memory was stirring in his mind, and for a moment, he forgot to let go of Ning Qingmian's small hand.

  A flash of lightning suddenly flashed across the sky, illuminating Guo Shangliang's face with a bewildered expression. The milky white shirt he wore gave off a warm aura.

  Ning Qing's heart was racing wildly, her small hand in Guo Shangliang's palm, reluctant to withdraw it just yet.

  "Rumbling", the thunder finally sounded.

  Guo Shangliang suddenly let go of Ning Qingmian's hand, wondering why he had just held onto the country girl's hand without letting go.

  "Hmm, why is there thunder but no rain?" To hide her emotions, Ning Qingming waved the umbrella in her hand, "No chance to shield a handsome guy from the wind and rain."

  Kuo Shang-liang also felt a bit awkward, and didn't speak, turning his head to look around, "There's a phone booth over there." He said, taking out a phone card from his body and walking towards the phone booth.

  After hanging up the phone, Guo Shangliang looked at his watch and said, "It's too late for a midnight snack."

  "No big deal, you can treat me next time!" Ning Qingming took a deep look at Guo Shangliang, and no matter what, the impression of their first meeting wouldn't be too bad.

  "Oh, you're sure I'll come looking for you again next time?" Guo Shangliang's eyes flashed with a hint of mockery as he looked at Ning Qingming.

  "Don't forget, you promised my brother to take care of me!" Ning Qing's joy vanished instantly.

  "Trouble, I promised to call home every Saturday, I almost forgot." Two figures rushed over, wanting to dodge into the phone booth, but suddenly retreated and looked at Guo Shangliang under the streetlight, it was Duan Shurong and Li Xiuzhen.

  "Guo Xuechang, it's really you!" Duan Shurong exclaimed in an exaggerated tone, "My elder brother is in your class, I met you last time, do you still remember me?"

  Guo Shangliang nodded and said: "I remember, you are Duan Xiaomei."

  "Guo Xuechang, do you remember me?" Li Xiuzhen excitedly squeezed over, "I was with Shurong last time, oh!"

  "I remember." Guo Shangliang smiled slightly and put away the mocking gaze he had directed at Ning Qingmian, his attitude warm and polite.

  "This is..." Duan Shurong turned to face Ning Qingmian, just about to ask if she was his girlfriend. She opened her mouth, but suddenly burst out laughing, "Haha! Ning Qingmian, it's you! Old wine in a new bottle, Cinderella has made a stunning transformation! Wearing a cheap white T-shirt, I almost didn't recognize you and thought you were some new person!"

  "Duan Shurong, please be more polite." Ning Qingming's anger rose, this was his first meeting with Guo Shangliang, and he had been hoping to leave a good impression, but Duan Shurong had ruined it.

  "Did I say something wrong?" Duan Shurong looked at Ning Qingmian with a sneer, humph, a country bumpkin like him also dared to argue with her.

  "You didn't say anything wrong, but every time I see you, it's like swallowing a fly, it makes me feel sick." Ning Qingming recalled the various ways Duan Shurong had bullied her in the past and felt that she couldn't tolerate it anymore. With a look of disgust at Duan Shurong, she waved her hand at Guo Shangliang and said: "I'll go back to my dormitory myself, if you have time, help me get rid of this fly."

  Ning Qingmin had walked far away before Duan Shurong came to her senses, furious and trembling with rage, shouting loudly behind him: "Ning Qingmin, country bumpkin, stop right there!"

  "Who do you think you are? Tell me to stop and I'll stop!" Ning Qing's voice came drifting on the wind.

  Hesitation, fun! Guo Shangliang gazed at the distant Ning Qingmian, perhaps, in a few days, he would come to find her and play again.

  Um, let's discuss with everyone, from tomorrow on, the update time will be fixed at 12 noon every day, is that okay?