Later, this incident became widely known, and the forums exploded. Even though Li Qifei tried to explain until his lips were raw, no one believed him.
After all, who was Jiang Wen?
A top student, handsome, one of the top ten students, high IQ – just mentioning him made people think he was amazing, with a natural shining buff.
Would someone like that help Feng Ning lie?? Why would he need to?!
And these two didn’t even seem to get along that well!!
After finishing their act, they walked away from everyone’s surprised gazes, leaving the buzzing discussions behind. Jiang Wen’s face showed nothing, but his emotions were actually turbulent, not yet settled.
Under the camphor tree, Feng Ning turned back: “What’s wrong, you’re not happy?”
Jiang Wen: “I helped you deceive people.”
She met his gaze, looking surprised: “What’s wrong with deceiving people, haven’t you ever lied?”
Jiang Wen paused for a few seconds, looking righteous: “On matters of principle, I don’t lie.”
For her, his bottom line kept lowering.
“Hmph, who told him to provoke me.” Feng Ning didn’t care at all, “Actually, I’m a bit dark inside. If people don’t harm me, I won’t harm them. But if they harm me, I’ll get revenge no matter how far!”
Jiang Wen said: “I already made him delete the post and apologize.”
Feng Ning smiled ambiguously: “Remember what I said? When the result is there, what the truth is doesn’t matter at all. Even if you made Li Qifei apologize, what’s the use? Most people have already gotten the ‘truth’ they wanted from that post. What you need to do is destroy his ‘truth’ and then create another ‘truth’ that others will believe, understand?”
Jiang Wen fell silent, quietly listening to her twist that theory.
“The power of gossip lies in satisfying people’s curiosity. Compared to those forum exposés, obviously ‘Pervert’s unrequited love for beauty leads to angry online rumors’ is much more exciting than ‘Poor girl chases rich young master,’ it better satisfies their desires.”
After speaking, she giggled and asked: “Do you think I’m bad?”
Jiang Wen didn’t say anything.
“But I feel so good.” Feng Ning’s words held hidden meaning, “Being good-looking makes it convenient to do bad things. Thanks for helping me today.”
He remained cold and distant: “Don’t flatter yourself.”
“Okay, okay.” Feng Ning bobbed her head, “I understand, I understand, you also just didn’t like him anyway.”
Walking back from the west auditorium to the freshman area required crossing half the campus. Looking up at the sky, dark clouds loomed overhead – it was surely going to rain.
Just as this thought came, a gust of wind suddenly rose, and a few cool raindrops hit her forehead.
“Are you going back to the classroom?”
Feng Ning wiped the water from her forehead, saying carelessly: “Why go back to the classroom? Exams are over, I’m going back to the dorm to pack my things and go home.”
“Oh.”
“By the way.” Feng Ning suddenly became curious, “How come I haven’t seen you with Zhao Binlin and the others lately? Weren’t you guys like conjoined twins before?”
Jiang Wen got goosebumps from her words, “What conjoined twins, don’t say such weird things.” He slowly spoke, “They’ve been busy lately.”
She was intrigued: “Busy with what?”
“Dating.”
“Brothers are worthless in front of women.” Feng Ning sighed, “Then aren’t you very lonely.”
Jiang Wen was puzzled: “What do I have to be lonely about?”
Feng Ning smiled but didn’t answer his question. She stretched lazily, eyes bright, “Jiang Wen, want to go on an adventure?”
“What kind of adventure?”
“You’ll know when you get there, coming or not?”
Jiang Wen refused: “I don’t want to.”
“Come on, come on.”
He remained unmoved: “Not going.”
Gradually, the rain showed signs of getting heavier. Feng Ning puffed her cheeks: “Well then, are you going back to the dorm?”
Jiang Wen nodded.
“Want me to show you a shortcut?”
Jiang Wen shook his head.
“Fine, then I’m leaving first, bye!”
After speaking, she turned around nimbly. Jiang Wen suddenly felt a bit lost.
After the final exams were over, until next semester started, they probably wouldn’t see each other for a long time. Still hesitating, Jiang Wen heard himself blurt out: “—Wait.”
Feng Ning stopped and turned back: “Hm?”
He realized his urgency was too obvious, switched to a calmer tone, and asked: “Where to?”
Feng Ning waved her hand grandly, like a boss commanding her underling, “Follow me!”
The sky started drizzling, and they stopped in front of an iron gate. Jiang Wen frowned: “Where is this?”
Feng Ning answered solemnly: “The girls’ dormitory.”
Jiang Wen had an ominous feeling: “Why did you bring me here?”
“Didn’t I say? To show you a shortcut!”
Because of different schedules, Qide’s senior girls’ dorm was separate from the freshman and sophomore dorms. At this time, the senior students hadn’t been dismissed yet, so the dormitory gates were still locked. The terrain here formed a ‘bu’ shape, and they were stuck at the acute angle.
The obtuse angle was where the girls’ dormitory was. They needed to climb in, then climb out from another spot.
Feng Ning gestured this to him.
Jiang Wen questioned: “You want me to climb the girls’ dorm wall?”
“What’s wrong, why so excited!” Feng Ning reasoned with him, “Following my route, climbing over here saves a lot of walking! When I’m running late, I always take this shortcut!”
Having said that, she expertly took out a square brick from a corner and wedged it between two thin iron bars. Holding it firmly in place, Feng Ning dusted off her hands and said to Jiang Wen: “Watch carefully!”
She threw her backpack over, stepped back slightly, grabbed the railings with both hands, put her foot on the low wall, easily found a foothold, and using the wedged brick, pushed off with her foot, scampering over more nimbly than a monkey.
After getting over in three quick moves and landing on the ground, she asked: “Did you see clearly?”
Jiang Wen shook his head, backing away: “I won’t.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t want to climb.”
Feng Ning got anxious, goading him from the other side, “You’re already here, what are you afraid of? Hurry up, hurry up, are you a man or not?”
After much persuasion, Feng Ning both encouraged and threatened: “There’s nobody here anyway, and once you get out it’s just a few hundred meters. If you take the long way around it’ll take half an hour! Look at the weather, who knows when the rain will get heavy. Really, trust me, I’m not wrong.”
Finally, Jiang Wen was brainwashed by her.
He was wearing jeans today, which limited his movement. Somewhat clumsily imitating her earlier actions, when he reached the highest point, Jiang Wen looked down, his face paled, and he felt helplessly stuck, unwilling to continue.
Feng Ning was waiting below, hands on hips looking up, “Come down! Are you sitting up there enjoying the view?”
“I…” Jiang Wen coughed, “Wait.”
Feng Ning shouted: “The seniors are about to finish class, what are you waiting for!”
He took two deep breaths, feeling he was completely stupid, bewitched to follow behind her doing these childish things that only elementary school students would do.
After thinking for a moment, Feng Ning suddenly realized: “You’re not afraid of heights, are you?!”
Jiang Wen couldn’t stand it anymore: “Shut up.”
Feng Ning repeatedly said: “Okay, okay, I won’t talk.” She was very patient: “Don’t be nervous, don’t look down, I’ll guide you slowly.”
After several minutes, just as Feng Ning’s crow’s mouth predicted, the rain got heavier.
With his long legs, Jiang Wen had a hard time getting over. His hands were shaking a bit, and just as he finally got his foot on the brick and was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he heard Feng Ning cry out “Oh no.”
When it rains it pours – the dorm supervisor’s loud voice came through the megaphone: “What’s going on over there! Are two people climbing the wall?!!!!”
“Not good, not good, the supervisor’s coming.” Feng Ning anxiously urged him, moving forward to support his waist, “Quick, come down, I’ll catch you.”
Jiang Wen had blue veins popping on his forehead, turning his head in anger, “Where are you touching?”
“Ah… ah?” Feng Ning looked closely and saw her pig trotter was on his butt. She moved it to his thigh, coughing and laughing: “I didn’t mean to, it’s so thick I can’t feel anything anyway.”
Seeing the dorm supervisor about to arrive, Jiang Wen couldn’t care about so much anymore and hurriedly landed.
There was a ripping sound – clothes tearing. Both bent down to grab their bags from the ground, and Feng Ning led Jiang Wen turning left and hiding right, running wildly in panic.
The rain fell urgently, and the supervisor behind chased more urgently.
Fortunately, there were many trees here and the terrain was complex. Feng Ning had sharp eyes and saw a narrow passage ahead.
This was a gap between two walls, normally only wide enough for one person. While keeping an eye on the supervisor’s movements, she pushed Jiang Wen hard inside: “Quick, hide in here.”
The red brick wall hadn’t been painted yet, and grey dust mixed with muddy rainwater kept running down when touched. A large patch of Jiang Wen’s light-colored clothes was instantly stained.
He looked down in despair at his limited edition white sneakers now dirty with mud, and the hem of his clothes that had been torn in the rush.
Jiang Wen breathed rapidly, his face twisting for a moment.
“Shh shh.” Feng Ning also squeezed in, panting, pulling him to crouch in the corner.
The space here was already small, the two were practically squeezed together, curled up in this dirty corner, knees touching knees.
Two dorm supervisors ran past outside, not seeing the two people hiding, their puzzled voices faintly coming through: “Eh, where did they go…”
The heavy rain had completely soaked them both. Jiang Wen cursed her through gritted teeth: “This is all your fault.”
He had never been so miserable in his life.
“You can’t blame it all on me.” Feng Ning’s tone was hesitant, “Wasn’t it because you were so slow climbing the wall that we got discovered?”
Jiang Wen had a belly full of anger, unable to control his volume in fury: “I didn’t want to climb, you were the one who insisted on making me climb the wall!”
Feng Ning quickly covered his mouth, “Hey! Keep it down! We’re done for if we get caught! This is the girls’ dorm, and you’re a guy, you want to be treated like a pervert?!”
His lips were soft against her palm. Though Jiang Wen had delicate features, he wasn’t feminine. His eyes were long and narrow, with deep bright pupils that looked extra beautiful as if washed by the rain.
In a daze, it felt like their first meeting. It was also a rainy day when she appeared so hastily, covering his mouth and pushing him against the wall.
They both froze for a moment.
Mysteriously, the atmosphere suddenly became subtly awkward. Jiang Wen turned away first.
Feng Ning removed her hand, cleared her throat, looked up at the sky, “Well… things always have accidents, this, climbing walls… is a life experience, didn’t you ever climb walls when you were little?”
Her thick-skinned words earned another glare from him.
They were trapped here now, not daring to move rashly. Feng Ning said pleadingly: “Okay okay, it’s all my fault, but don’t worry, in fifteen minutes the senior girls will finish class, then we can slip out in the chaos.”
“Looking like this?” Jiang Wen’s just-calmed anger surged again, “Like two beggars, going out to be laughed at by others?!”
“Where would you find such presentable beggars?”
Seeing his face black as a pot bottom, Feng Ning wisely shut up.
Never mind, never mind, today was her mistake, no point arguing with this little peacock.
How cold it is to be drenched in winter, they quickly found out. The adrenaline from their intense exercise earlier had masked it, but as it wore off, they started shivering, teeth chattering.
Jiang Wen’s face was frozen a deathly pale blue, like a male ghost coming to claim lives.
Feng Ning pulled him a bit further in, where there was barely a broken canopy overhead to block the rain.
Afraid the dorm supervisors hadn’t left, they didn’t dare go out. Feng Ning was always thick-skinned, still comforting him, “It’s fine! Once there are fewer people, we’ll sneak out!”
Jiang Wen had already given up.
Feng Ning put her hands behind her back, struggling to pull out a bag of chips from her backpack. Under his slightly shocked gaze, she then pulled out a whole row of AD calcium milk.
Jiang Wen couldn’t believe it: “You still have the mood to eat snacks?”
How could there be such a person.
“Well, nothing else to do while we’re bored.”
He confirmed again: “You brought these to the exam this morning?”
Feng Ning nodded: “Yep!”
“Where are your books?”
“Why bring books to an exam.”
Jiang Wen: “……”
Feng Ning offered the snacks, “Want some?”
Jiang Wen’s cleanliness obsession was acting up, making him uncomfortable all over, “No.”
Feng Ning tossed a chip into her mouth, “Hmph, suit yourself.” She crunched through the chips, then asked: “Then do you want some AD calcium milk?”
He was utterly disgusted, letting out a breath: “I don’t want any.”
“Fine if you don’t want it, why get angry?”
The rain kept falling, and they were trapped in this cramped, dirty corner, breathing close to each other. Feng Ning bent her legs, contentedly eating her snacks. Suddenly, she stared at his face, unable to control her giggles, “Hey, wipe your face.”
Jiang Wen instinctively raised his hand to wipe. But his hand was dirtier than his face, leaving another mark.
It looked ridiculously funny.
But his looks were too good – even in this state, he looked like a fallen prince. She laughed out loud, pulling out a tissue from her pocket to give him.
Jiang Wen’s mouth turned down, forcing out a “Thanks.”
Remember to be polite even at a time like this. His ever-present good manners made Feng Ning find him a bit cute, and she said, “Let me out of your blacklist.”
“……”
“When I go to your house, you’ll need to tell me how to get there.”
Jiang Wen’s eyes suddenly widened: “Why are you coming to my house?”
“To tutor your sister!” She said matter-of-factly, “My boss already arranged it with your mom, they even paid me!”
He couldn’t hold back, “Are you that desperate for money?”
Feng Ning was suspicious: “What kind of question is that?”
Jiang Wen also realized his words were problematic, explaining somewhat awkwardly: “That’s not what I meant.”
But she suddenly got serious: “I actually am very short on money, can you help me?”
Jiang Wen hesitated: “…How can I help?”
“Lend me some money, I’ll pay you back later, I can even write an IOU.” She sighed heavily, looking full of worries: “To be honest, my brother, the one you met, remember? He lost quite a bit gambling outside. Sigh, it’s really hard, my family can barely put food on the table!”
After seeming to consider for a while, Jiang Wen asked seriously: “How much do you need?”
Pressing her lips together, maintaining the grief-stricken expression for two seconds. Feng Ning suddenly burst out laughing, laughing harder and harder, wiping non-existent tears from her eyes, she said: “How many times do I have to trick you before you’ll learn to be more careful?”
Jiang Wen realized he’d been fooled again, angrily cutting her off: “Stop laughing.”
She kept laughing, even harder.
This time it was an annoyed Jiang Wen who covered her mouth.
His fingertips were icy cold and wet, with a smell of ink. She was left with just her eyes blinking, looking at him this way.
Feng Ning wrinkled her nose, the warm sensation making his heart skip a beat, and he hurriedly withdrew his hand.
Feng Ning didn’t notice his strange behavior: “I just imagined a scene.”
“What?”
“Like when you ask me, are you short on money? I say yes, then you pull out a check, arrogantly telling me, fine, then beg me, I’ll keep you, however much you want, I’ll give you however much.”
Jiang Wen’s face flashed with embarrassment, trying to cover it up by saying: “You’ve read too many novels.”
Feng Ning looked serious: “I feel like you could really do something like that when you grow up.” She giggled stupidly, “Little prince grows up to become a domineering CEO, right?”
“I would never.” Jiang Wen stuttered, “Besides, who would want to keep you, am I- am I crazy?”
The end-of-class bell rang. The iron gates of the girls’ dorm were pulled open, and soon light and heavy footsteps could be heard as the area outside became bustling.
Feng Ning absently turned her head to look, “Keep me? You wish, do you have what it takes?”
Cold air crept up from the bottom of her feet as she leaned slightly forward, “Take out your phone.”
Water droplets slid from the canopy edge, dropping onto his cheek and sliding down his neck. Phone powered on, Jiang Wen opened WeChat, and being too close, Feng Ning immediately spotted her contact name: Annoying Spirit
She immediately protested: “Why are you so mean?”
Jiang Wen reluctantly moved his phone away, not letting her see.
Feng Ning took out her own phone too: “Oh right, right, I’ll send you something.”
After sending it, Feng Ning leaned in, stretching her arm to tap on his phone screen, opening the link she sent.
“What are you doing?”
“Just a minute, just a minute.” She simply took his phone.
— The link was to the school beauty poll from two days ago.
Feng Ning acted like she’d discovered new land: “Oh? You’ve already voted on this account??”
Jiang Wen had a bad feeling.
Feng Ning grinned, looking up: “Jiang Wen, so I’m your pick for grade beauty.”
Jiang Wen couldn’t control his expression, his face actually turning slightly red, all the way to behind his ears. He snatched back his phone, still trying to sound cold: “Oh, Zhao Binlin voted for that.”
“Really?” Feng Ning cast a doubtful side glance at him, “Voting doesn’t count as one of your matters of principle, right?”
He didn’t understand: “What?”
“After all, you never lie about matters of principle!”
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