Someone once asked her how she would respond.
“Then that’s just your bad luck,” that’s what Feng Ning had said.
But now, Jiang Wen sat there with a band-aid that Feng Ning personally bought stuck above his brow bone. It was cartoon-themed, pink and blue, with an innocent little elephant wearing a white daisy. Paired with his lost and dazed look, he appeared as if he’d suffered some great deception.
Feng Ning felt a tiny bit of guilt, reflecting on what she’d done to him. But thinking again, it seemed like she was the one who hadn’t been fair first. After hesitating, she finally felt conscience-stricken, and the words that came to her lips became, “Then I guess I should be grateful for your misplaced love.”
The bus stop was quiet, with few pedestrians. Occasionally, passing cars would splash through puddles. Rain, night, streetlights – one sitting, one squatting, neither moving. It really looked like a scene from a movie.
“Grateful for misplaced love…” Jiang Wen repeated slowly, suppressing his anger, “Weren’t you the one who liked me first?”
“…Huh?” Feng Ning paused, her expression complicated. “Well, um, I’m clear-headed now.”
But Jiang Wen was no longer clear-headed.
Books describe love with too many beautiful filters, but in reality, love makes people vaguely fearful, uncomfortable, and joyful.
Strange confusion and pain caused a surge of strong resentment in Jiang Wen’s heart. Pride, restraint, coldness – he didn’t care about any of it anymore, throwing it all behind him.
He couldn’t bear it anymore and couldn’t understand, “So if you don’t like me, why did you play that kind of joke? Love at first sight in the rain, sticky notes – were you lying about everything?”
“…?”
The consecutive questions left Feng Ning successfully speechless.
She felt helpless, but couldn’t help wondering about Jiang Wen’s innocence that completely contradicted his exterior.
Feng Ning didn’t deny that at first, Jiang Wen’s pretentiousness made her want to bully him, and as she teased him, she even became a bit carried away.
She admitted she was in the wrong, but didn’t want to acknowledge that everything stemmed from her prank.
Feng Ning sighed quietly, sincerely repenting for two seconds, then very cunningly changed the concept, “If you suddenly like someone, you need to be patient. Wait until you can distinguish whether it’s love or hormones before making further decisions. If you haven’t experienced puppy love before, you’ll get used to it after experiencing it a few times.”
These words were ambiguous, making it hard to tell if she was being self-deprecating or trying to educate. However, what Jiang Wen could be certain of was that he had been played.
When emotions reached their critical edge, he somehow became calm.
Under the moonlight, water droplets fell silently from the pavilion eaves. His features were handsome and cold, the last bit of light in his eyes like the most piercing ice spring in a mountain stream, covered by a faint mist.
Jiang Wen stood up, having already returned to his expressionless state. When passing by her, he stopped for a moment and said slowly, “You’re ridiculous.”
Feng Ning took a piece of chocolate from her pocket, tore open the wrapper, broke off a small piece, and put it in her mouth to let it melt.
The continuous rain seemed to divide them into two worlds as she quietly watched Jiang Wen gradually walk away.
The heavy rain fell on the road, his clothes getting wet, and he didn’t look back. His lonely silhouette in the distance was stretched by the dim street lights.
The next day when they ran into each other in the hallway, Feng Ning took the initiative to greet him.
Jiang Wen, wearing a clean white school uniform shirt, looked straight ahead, treating her like a stranger as he passed by.
Sitting in the cafeteria eating, after hearing about this, Shuang Yao was quite surprised, “So you’re saying he really fell for you? What kind of karma is this for the cold-faced young master?”
“What cold-faced young master?” Feng Ning frowned. “Could you read fewer romance novels?”
“Jiang Wen must be 15 or 16 now, he’s lived for over a decade, was he raised in a vacuum? How can such a cold, handsome guy be so out of character, actually being a little white rabbit?? The gap is too big!”
Feng Ning slammed the table, saying frustratedly: “That’s exactly it! Damn it, if I had known he was this pure, this sensitive, I definitely wouldn’t have messed with him!!! Besides, I didn’t even do much, I’m really wronged here, I just teased him a bit, it’s not like I assaulted him, does he need to act like some virtuous housewife who’s been forced to the edge by a bully?”
She fumed while stuffing grilled chicken and fried noodles into her mouth, chewing angrily.
“You uncouth female nerd, you’re so crude, keep your voice down a bit, do you want everyone to hear?” Shuang Yao vaguely felt something wasn’t right about this situation, but couldn’t figure out exactly what. She pondered for a moment, “But anyway, you were the one who started this nonsense, why don’t you just sincerely apologize to him?”
The female nerd Feng Ning put down her chopsticks, “Apologize my ass, idiot. What am I supposed to say, ‘You’re too good for me, forget about me, next please?’”
“…”
Shuang Yao rolled her eyes, “You don’t belong here, you belong in a comedy club.”
Feng Ning smirked.
Who knew life was unpredictable – just two days after receiving Shuang Yao’s condemnation, Feng Ning was freed.
It was an ordinary Wednesday, the setting sun hanging precariously at the edge of the sky. Feng Ning had finished running and was returning to the dormitory from the track field, having to pass through a quiet little garden. The garden used to be a biology garden, with many winding paths.
When passing by the artificial mountain, she suddenly slowed her steps. Small pebbles were kicked away, rolling with a clatter for some distance.
It was particularly quiet here, with only occasional students passing by, making human voices seem especially jarring.
A shy female voice said, “I… have something to tell you.”
Feng Ning was a bit petrified, pondering what scene was unfolding before her. Just as she was about to turn back, her footsteps stopped.
What a coincidence.
That boy turned out to be Jiang Wen.
The girl had her back to Feng Ning, standing on the grass wearing an ankle-length light-colored dress, with loosely curled long hair.
The handsome boy and beautiful girl, matched with the perfect sunset, looked as romantic and moving as an illustration from a fairy tale.
The girl raised her arm, handed something over, her face slightly red, “This is for you, would you like to read it now?”
Feng Ning understood. She changed her stance, both waiting and watching.
She was in a good mood, taking another crisp bite of the apple in her hand. Her hands were still sticky with juice.
With some intention to eavesdrop, she didn’t dare make any loud noise, afraid of disturbing their mood.
Jiang Wen had clean facial features, wearing a loose Nike windbreaker with the zipper open, revealing a black and orange color-block t-shirt inside.
He blankly looked at the girl in front of him for a few seconds, then somewhat perfunctorily and coldly took the love letter from her hand and opened it.
Cheng Jiajia lowered her head in relief, not making a sound.
Suddenly, he said, “You like me?”
Jiang Wen’s expression was very calm, his voice not loud and showing no emotional fluctuation.
Cheng Jiajia couldn’t gauge his attitude for a moment, stunned for two seconds, feeling a bit nervous. She raised her face, unconsciously showing a bit of longing and pleading, “Yes, Jiang Wen, can I… be your girlfriend? Please don’t reject me.”
Jiang Wen seemed to be distracted. Looking towards the artificial mountain, his eyes were coldly out of focus.
Within his field of vision, there was a slightly moving shadow.
The owner of the shadow thought they were well-hidden, but accidentally revealed half a shoulder, holding a partially eaten apple, with a bright red string tied around their wrist.
His gaze wandered, returning to Cheng Jiajia’s face, one corner of his mouth turning up slightly.
“Oh, alright then.”
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