Lin Qingle was upset for two or three days because Xu Tingbai didn't eat the cake she brought. She wasn't upset about Xu Tingbai's attitude, but about the cake. Because the cake was very expensive, it was a pity not to eat a single bite.
That day was Wednesday, and Lin Qingle got up early and went out.
"Qingle, wait for me!" Jiang Shuyi hurriedly bought breakfast at the intersection and caught up with Lin Qingle.
Lin Qingle: "Morning."
"Good morning." Jiang Shuyi glanced at her. "By the way, Qingle, are you still angry with Yu Tingting?"
"What."
"I noticed that you didn't seem to want to talk to her during this period. Is it because of that time when she talked about Xu Tingbai?"
Lin Qingle took a bite of the custard bun and did not deny it: "I don't like her saying that."
"… Yes, what she said was indeed a bit too much, but don't worry, I have already talked to her for you, and she also knows that what she said was inappropriate." Jiang Shuyi said, "Look, she even asked me to apologize to you."
"Apologize to me." Lin Qingle shook his head. "If you want to apologize, then apologize to Xu Tingbai."
"That's right." Jiang Shuyi thought for a moment and asked, "When you were in school, you had a good relationship with Xu Tingbai, right?"
“I guess so…” Although, that person doesn’t admit it now.
“No wonder.”
Lin Qingle is quite popular in the class, because she has good grades and looks cute and well-behaved, many classmates like to ask her questions.
That afternoon, after explaining a math problem to the person sitting in front of her, she went to the cafeteria with Jiang Shuyi to have dinner.
"Wait for me." When they were near the cafeteria, Yu Tingting ran over. "You walked really fast. I chased you for a long time."
Jiang Shuyi: "Why are you here? Didn't you say you were going out to eat noodles?"
"I just suddenly felt like eating." Yu Tingting glanced at Lin Qingle, and her intention to make peace was obvious, "I'll treat you guys to a meal today."
Jiang Shuyi: "What are you doing? What a good day."
"Nothing. Just..." Yu Tingting took Lin Qingle's hand, "I'm here to apologize. Qingle, don't be upset. I won't talk like that in the future. I know I was wrong."
Lin Qingle felt a little uncomfortable that someone suddenly apologized to her like this.
"Come on, come on, I'll treat you to food, take your pick."
Lin Qingle: "No need... I'm not unhappy anymore."
"No matter what, everything you eat today is mine, let's go—"
Yu Tingting dragged her in forcibly.
Yu Tingting’s enthusiasm was not to be refused. After entering the cafeteria, Lin Qingle had no choice but to follow them and find a seat to sit down.
"Brother Kun, Dai Rong really has poor eyesight. You are such a good person, but she has to look at that blind man when you are standing in front of her."
"That's right, what's so good about the last name Xu?"
"Hey... Last time I secretly followed Dai Rong, I saw her go to see that kid Xu Tingbai, and she brought him a lot of things. Do you think they are together now?"
There were a few boys sitting at the next table, eating and chatting. Nothing much happened at first, but later they mentioned the name "Xu Tingbai".
Lin Qingle looked over calmly.
"Fuck, what the hell are you talking about? Can they talk? How can they be together? Dai Rong is just kind-hearted and is showing him mercy. Can she really be with him? You are sick!"
"Yeah, that's a blind man."
"Alright, alright, don't mention him anymore, it's annoying."
The boy called Brother Kun was furious, picked up his plate and left his seat. The others saw that he had finished eating, so they quickly took a few bites and followed him out.
Lin Qingle withdrew his gaze from the group of boys.
Jiang Shuyi glanced at Lin Qingle and said, "That boy is a sophomore named Zhang Yikun. Everyone in the school knows that he likes Yan Dairong."
He would accept whatever Dai Rong gave him.
Lin Qingle took a bite of rice and felt a little depressed when thinking about this sentence. He had lost her cake.
"Who is Yan Dairong?"
Yu Tingting: "She's from Class 5. She's Yu Jiayou's cousin. She looks... okay."
Jiang Shuyi: "Don't worry, she's the cousin of our school hunk. She's pretty good looking, isn't she? She's the school belle."
"School beauty? Who voted for her? Which organizing committee?" Yu Tingting snorted, "I think she's just average, not even as good as me."
"You've got to give up..."
"Then it's better to be Qingle! This will work!"
Jiang Shuyi touched his chin and said, "Although it's a different style... I agree!"
"Is she so familiar with Xu Tingbai?" Lin Qingle asked.
As far as she could remember, she didn't know Yan Dairong, and she probably didn't go to No. 3 Primary School.
Jiang Shuyi: "When the Xu family was still in power, the two families must have been very close, as they were both wealthy and had business dealings with each other. But after the Xu family got into trouble, they probably had no contact anymore... I really don't know whether Yan Dairong and Xu Tingbai are still close now."
Yu Tingting: "Didn't you just listen to what Zhang Yikun said? The two of them were very close."
Jiang Shuyi: "Then they also said that the two were together. Is that credible?"
"It seems unbelievable. How could Yan Dairong be with Xu Tingbai..." Yu Tingting was suddenly stuck when she said this, and hurriedly explained, "Ah, I mean the Yan family is a big family, it is impossible for them to allow their daughter... Oh, I just think the family background is not suitable. I absolutely do not mean to belittle Xu Tingbai, I swear!"
Lin Qingle pursed her lips and said, "Stop talking and eat."
"… oh."
**
Lin Qingle has walked through the alleys of Yueqian Road many times during this period. On Saturday, she came here again as usual.
Xu Tingbai also came back on time that day. Lin Qingle followed him but did not say hello.
When she reached the usual intersection, she turned around and went back.
She felt a little angry, not because he ignored her or was mean to her, but because he was willing to accept other people's kindness but not hers.
She knew he was very popular and had good relationships with people when she was in primary school, but he treated her, his deskmate, better than she did. Although he was friendly and approachable to others, he never treated her more kindly than she did.
Now... it's different.
After returning home, Lin Qingle was depressed for the whole night and even thought about not looking for him again.
However, after waking up the next day, she immediately despised herself for last night.
Xu Tingbai is in this situation now, it's good for him to be kind to someone. No matter who that person is, it's always good for him to accept kindness.
So the mood came and went quickly. On the weekend of the second week, Lin Qingle used the excuse of going to the bookstore to find some information and left home again and went to the vicinity of Xu Tingbai's house.
She waited at the alley entrance for a while and saw Xu Tingbai coming over. He didn't choose to eat rice noodles today and went straight into the alley. Lin Qingle followed him from a distance, thinking about what to say to him.
"Finally I've waited for you, Xu Tingbai."
After turning a corner, Lin Qingle suddenly saw a few more people in the distance.
Seeing Xu Tingbai passing by, they slowly walked to his side and blocked his way forward.
"I heard that you accepted Dai Rong's things." The boy in blue clothes took a step forward with a hint of anger on his face, "How dare you accept her things?"
Xu Tingbai was the same height as them, but much thinner than them. He didn't respond to their words, and tried to walk away with an indifferent look on his face.
"Fuck? What are you showing off like, a blind man!" The man in blue was dissatisfied and kicked his blind stick hard. The stick slipped out of his hand and flew several meters away!
Xu Tingbai paused, a look of hostility suddenly appearing between his brows.
"You took the things but you still don't admit it? Tell me, where did you put them?" The boy in blue was furious when he saw Xu Tingbai like this. He was just a little bit good-looking? No matter how good-looking he was, he was just a blind man. Why should he let Dai Rong bring him food and drinks
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He grabbed Xu Ting's white collar and pushed him back!
"Speak now, are your eyes blind and your mouth dumb?"
The boy was blind and couldn't see anything. Someone pushed him hard and he hit the wall behind him.
There was a dull thud as his body hit the wall, and the young man felt terribly painful.
"I don't know, get out of the way!" He waved his hand to fight back, but the man in blue easily dodged his attack.
The man in blue sneered, "Fuck, Xu, you think you are some kind of young master. You are blind, can you have some self-awareness? It's funny, you still have the nerve to flirt with Dai Rong? You are like this, carrying her shoes... No, you still can't find her shoes, right? Huh?"
“Pfft—hahahaha.”
…
Disgusting laughter came from all directions, but everything in front of him was dark and empty, and he couldn't find where they were at all.
I can't see anything, and even counterattacks become a joke!
Xu Tingbai’s face turned pale, his unfocused eyes “looked” at the source of the sound, his palms aching from his clenched fingertips.
"Have you taken it out yet? Can't find it? If you can't find it, tell me and I'll help you find it when I get home." The man in blue smiled strangely and reached out to grab his collar again.
The collar was pulled tightly, and Xu Tingbai's neck was squeezed by the fabric, making it difficult for him to breathe.
He gritted his teeth and was about to push the person in front of him, but his throat loosened and the hand that was grabbing his collar was removed.
"I called for help!"
He first heard a voice in front of him, and then he smelled a faint scent of jasmine.
The tip of my nose itches slightly, it's the hair, and the fragrance comes from the hair.
He realized that someone was standing in front of him, very close.
The man in blue was stunned when his hand was suddenly pulled away. He lowered his eyes and found that a girl had come in between him and Xu Tingbai. The girl was just as tall as his chin. She protected Xu Tingbai behind her, raised her eyes, and looked at him coldly.
"Who the hell is this..."
Lin Qingle, who ran over quickly, was still panting a little. She pushed the man in blue and said, "Stay away from him! Otherwise, I will scream for help now!"
The man in blue was caught off guard and was pushed back a step. He lowered his eyes to glance at his chest, then looked at Lin Qingle in disbelief: "Calling for help? Little girl, you're fighting me?"
The man in blue was vicious. Lin Qingle was afraid, but there was no sign of retreat in his eyes: "You are the one who should stop making a move. A group of people bullying one person, what kind of hero are you... a good man."
She is really not good at swearing, and since she is cute and lovely, her words are even less offensive.
"Pfft—you're still calling me a hero, but I like being a bandit, okay? Go away!"
Lin Qingle didn't move.
"Are you still not leaving? Get out of the way!" Seeing that she refused to move, the man in blue reached out and pushed her. Lin Qingle was skinny and small, and in front of the tall and strong boy, she looked like a paper figure. He pushed her and she fell to the side.
When she fell, she reflexively used her hands to support herself on the ground. The ground was bumpy and there were small stones scattered around. In an instant, her palms and the flesh on her arms were scratched and bleeding.
However, she didn't care about anything at this moment, and immediately got up and stood back, her voice trembling a little: "I know you are from No. 4 Middle School! You!"
Lin Qingle pointed at a boy standing behind the man in blue: "How dare you come out and bully others in your school uniform? Are you afraid that you won't be punished?"
"What... Kun, Brother Kun?" The man in school uniform looked at the man in blue anxiously.
The man in blue turned around and glared at him: "Why the hell are you wearing a school uniform on the weekend!?"
"…Isn't this just a casual one?"
"Are you sick?" The man in blue looked at Lin Qingle after cursing and calmed down. "What's wrong with wearing a school uniform? Can you still go and report it?"
Lin Qingle: "Then you try, Zhang Yikun, do you dare to let me try? I can call the police now, and then take the police to the school to identify me! Anyway, it's a fact that you beat me."
The girl is small, but her expression makes people feel convinced for some reason, as if she can definitely do it.
Moreover, Zhang Yikun didn't expect that she actually knew him. He frowned and said, "When the hell did I hit you?!"
Lin Qingle raised his hand: "That counts, too."
Zhang Yikun: “…”
Lin Qingle: "Are you still not leaving? It seems like you want to wait until I get to school to punish you!"
Zhang Yikun was so angry that veins popped out on his forehead. He glared at her for a long time before angrily saying, "Fuck! Let's go."
After all, he is still a student of No. 4 Middle School, with a bright future and good grades. No matter how bad or vicious he is outside, he is still afraid of being punished by the school.
Zhang Yikun took two steps angrily, then turned back unwillingly and said, "Xu Tingbai, be smart and don't get close to Dai Rong anymore! And you too!"
He pointed at Lin Qingle and said, "I'll remember you. Don't let me run into you again next time."
"… "
The chaotic footsteps gradually faded away. Lin Qingle breathed a sigh of relief and looked back at Xu Tingbai: "Are you injured? Did you get hit just now? Does it hurt?"
Xu Tingbai pursed his lips into a straight line and said nothing.
"Wait a minute." Lin Qingle trotted to a nearby place, picked up the cane, and placed it in his palm: "Here."
She handed him the cane with one hand and gently placed her other hand on his palm, guiding him to hold it.
Very soft.
He felt her palm, small and wet from the tension.
"Are you really not hurt?" she asked.
Xu Tingbai avoided her hand, said nothing, and walked forward.
Lin Qingle followed anxiously: "They are with Dai Rong... you are with Dai Rong..."
She suddenly didn't know how to ask, because it seemed like a private matter. She thought for a long time before asking, "Do they often come to you like this?"
“… It’s none of your business.”
Lin Qingle ignored it and said directly: "Anyway, if they come again in the future, remember to call the people living nearby, don't keep silent."
"Why are you here again?" Xu Tingbai stopped and gritted his teeth, "Have I told you many times not to come again?"
"Yes, right... But I just came here to eat some rice noodles today."
"… "
How many times have you used this excuse? Do you think he is mentally retarded for coming here every day to eat rice noodles
Lin Qingle: "Well, can I go to your house today?"
Xu Tingbai almost blurted out: "You can't eat at my house!"
"No, no, don't worry, I'm not going to eat noodles! My hand is injured, really! Here, touch it, there's blood." Lin Qingle was afraid that he would not believe it, so he pulled his hand to touch his arm, and said while enduring the pain, "Do you have disinfectant at home? I want to apply some before going home, otherwise my mother will worry."
"Xu Tingbai? Is it okay..."
She came again, pulling him again.
His fingertips also felt the uneven skin on her arm that was rubbed by stones and the slight dampness. It felt strange.
This was as strange as the fragrance he had smelled when she had stood in front of him protecting him just now.
It is inappropriate and unreasonable.