Chapter 57

After Xu Si treated them to hotpot, the group walked out of the restaurant. Jiang Rong thought since he paid for the meal, she should buy the movie tickets. While she was focused on looking at movie tickets on her phone, someone suddenly took it away.

Xu Si grabbed her phone and looked at her with an amused expression. “Little bookworm, trying to secretly buy movie tickets?”

Jiang Rong replied seriously, “You just paid for the meal, so I should buy the movie tickets.”

Xu Si chuckled, his eyes filled with amusement. “There’s no reason to let a girl pay.”

Jiang Rong glanced at her phone still in his hand but remained silent.

Luo Xing was still chatting with Yang Shikun. Their conversation drifted from movies to melodramatic TV shows, then to gossip. They got increasingly excited as they talked.

Yang Shikun said, “We’ve been in the same class for over a year, yet I never realized we had so much in common.”

Luo Xing replied, “We just haven’t talked much before.”

Hao Ming chimed in sarcastically, “Is there anyone you can’t chat with once you start talking?”

Yang Shikun glared at him. “Get lost!”

“Where do you like to sit?” Xu Si asked Jiang Rong.

“The last row.”

Yang Shikun clapped his hands. “What a coincidence, we like sitting in the last row too!”

Xu Si bought five seats in the last row. While getting tickets at the counter, he noticed the popcorn and turned to ask Jiang Rong, “Want some popcorn?”

Jiang Rong looked up at him, then at the popcorn, and nodded.

Yang Shikun called from behind, “Si-ge, I want cola, not popcorn!” Then he asked Luo Xing, “Do you want some?”

Luo Xing nodded.

Yang Shikun immediately reported back, “Datou wants one bucket, I don’t want any, Luo Xing wants one bucket.”

Xu Si bought three buckets of popcorn and three cups of cola, telling Yang Shikun, “Come get it yourself.”

Yang Shikun happily took two buckets of popcorn and two cups of cola. Xu Si put the remaining bucket of popcorn in Jiang Rong’s arms.

They waited outside for a while before entering the theater ten minutes before the movie started. The five of them sat down, with Jiang Rong sitting at the innermost seat, Xu Si next to her, while Yang Shikun and Luo Xing sat on the outside, still chatting enthusiastically.

The movie began. It was a zombie film with high ratings. Xu Si glanced at Jiang Rong, watching as she focused intently on the screen while putting some popcorn in her mouth.

He didn’t like sweet things like popcorn. When he was young, he used to watch movies with Shen Yuchun, and she would always buy him popcorn. After growing up, he hardly ever ate popcorn anymore.

While lost in thought, Jiang Rong offered him some popcorn, her voice soft: “Would you like some?”

He was about to decline when she added, “This flavor is quite good, not bad at all.”

Xu Si took one skeptically and put it in his mouth. It was sweet. He saw Jiang Rong smile at him, a dazzling smile, and she quietly asked, “Not bad, right?”

Xu Si replied, “It’s okay.”

Jiang Rong put the popcorn between them. “Let’s share.”

She watched the movie intently. When a zombie suddenly appeared, she jumped and leaned back in fright. A warm pair of hands covered her eyes, and the young man’s unique, cool voice whispered in her ear: “Don’t be afraid.”

Jiang Rong’s heart was racing, unsure if it was from the fright or his sudden action. She instinctively grabbed the hands covering her eyes, which caught Xu Si by surprise.

The small hands holding his were soft and delicate, like feathers brushing against his skin, leaving him at a loss for words.

Luo Xing was about to ask if Jiang Rong was scared when she turned and saw the usually cold and fierce young man covering her eyes. The theater was dark, obscuring his expression, but from his profile, Luo Xing somehow felt there was tenderness in the way he looked at Jiang Rong.

Jiang Rong withdrew her hands, her voice still trembling with fear: “Are there more?”

Xu Si checked the screen: “No more.” Then he removed his hands.

Jiang Rong didn’t dare meet his eyes, but heard Xu Si say, “I forgot you were scared. We shouldn’t have watched this movie.”

“I’m not scared, I was just startled,” Jiang Rong explained quietly.

Xu Si turned to look at her and chuckled, “Sure, you’re not scared.”

Jiang Rong met his gaze, and suddenly she couldn’t hear the movie anymore, only seeing the amusement in the young man’s eyes. She looked away and sat up straight.

She reached for her drink, but before it reached her lips, she heard him say, “That’s my cola.”

Jiang Rong looked at what she was holding and realized her milk tea was on the right side. She had accidentally grabbed Xu Si’s cola. As she put it back, she heard him say, “I’ve already drunk from it. If you want some, I can buy you a new one outside.”

Jiang Rong shook her head: “No need.”

She took a few sips of her milk tea, feeling the heat in her face finally subsiding.

After the movie ended, the theater lights came on.

Yang Shikun noticed Jiang Rong’s red ears: “Study queen, why are your ears so red?”

Jiang Rong touched her ears: “I don’t know, maybe it’s the adrenaline.”

Yang Shikun asked confused: “Adrenaline?”

Xu Si glanced at Jiang Rong’s red ears: “She got scared.”

Yang Shikun made an “oh” sound, still trying to remember what adrenaline was from his biology textbook.

It was already past seven when they left the theater. Luo Xing received a phone call and told Jiang Rong, “Qiaoqiao, I have to go. My mom called, saying my grandmother’s here.”

“Let me walk you out.”

“No need, Qiaoqiao, I’ll just catch a cab.” Luo Xing turned to Xu Si: “Si-ge, please take Qiaoqiao home.”

Xu Si nodded.

Luo Xing got into a taxi and waved goodbye through the window. Jiang Rong waved back.

Xu Si looked at Jiang Rong: “It’s past seven, are you heading home now, little classmate?”

Jiang Rong shook her head.

Yang Shikun asked, “Study queen, are your parents strict? What time do they want you home?”

“They’re not home.”

Xu Si nodded thoughtfully: “Then let’s hang out a bit longer, and I’ll take you home after.”

Hearing his tone like he was talking to a child, Jiang Rong nodded gently: “Okay.”

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