“Huh?”
When Tong Ming and Zhao Hainan returned to the dorm and saw Jiang Fan, surprise appeared on their faces one after another.
Jiang Fan closed his laptop and glanced at them. “Is it really that surprising for me to be in the dorm?”
Tong Ming replied as if it were obvious, “Of course it’s surprising. At this hour, you should be on a date with Senior Xia Chan. Why are you still in the dorm?”
Zhao Hainan looked full of envy. “Jiang Fan, don’t think we didn’t see it. After military training ended, Tong Ming and I saw Senior Xia Chan waiting for you outside the field from a distance. You’re really lucky. Oh right, since you’re about to go on a date, why are you still wearing your military training uniform? Go take a shower and change.”
Jiang Fan wanted to explain, but in the end, he gave up.
Even if he explained, these two would not believe him.
“It’s not a date. Just a simple meal.”
Before entering the bathroom, Jiang Fan left that sentence behind. It was his final bit of stubborn pride.
Tong Ming and Zhao Hainan looked at each other and both curled their lips.
“This Jiang Fan is way too thin-skinned. Hiding a relationship like this. If I could get together with a top-tier beauty like Senior Xia Chan, I’d announce it to the whole world. I really don’t get what there is to hide.”
Zhao Hainan glanced toward the bathroom and hesitated before speaking, “Tong Ming, I also want to date a girl from the campus beauty list. Can you help me?”
Tong Ming acted as if he had just met Zhao Hainan for the first time. With his hands behind his back, he circled around him a few times and teased, “Wait, weren’t you obsessed with math before? Didn’t you look down on dating? Didn’t you say you had no interest in beautiful girls?”
Zhao Hainan’s face flushed red. “People change. Is that not allowed?”
Tong Ming shook his head like an old scholar. “Xioa Nan, it’s not that I won’t help you. Girls on the campus beauty list are top-tier beauties, not cabbages at the market. How could they be so easy to pursue?”
As he said this, he muttered softly, “I’m still single myself…”
Zhao Hainan opened his mouth but did not know what to say.
It seemed…
He really had been thinking too simply.
After showering, Jiang Fan changed into a different set of clothes. His image transformed completely.
At 1.83 meters tall, with delicate features, slightly long black hair, and a pair of clear, steady eyes, he was not a stunningly handsome man, but he was more than qualified to be considered good-looking.
“Damn.”
Tong Ming, who was playing a game, looked up and could not help blurting out, “Jiang Fan, I just realized something serious.”
Jiang Fan was puzzled. “What?”
“You are threatening my position as the most handsome guy in Dorm 606.”
“… ”
Zhao Hainan, who had been doing practice questions, also put down his pen and came over to examine Jiang Fan. “To be fair, he is somewhat handsome. Just slightly inferior to me.” Visit g.com for the full chapter.
Before Jiang Fan could say anything, Tong Ming could not stand it. “What are you talking about? Slightly inferior to you? Xioa Nan, go look in a mirror, will you? In terms of looks, Jiang Fan may not be as handsome as me, but he absolutely crushes you.”
“Bull…”
Taking advantage of their argument, Jiang Fan slipped away. After going downstairs, he took out his phone and checked WeChat. Seeing that Xia Chan had not sent him a message yet, he decided to first return his laptop to his rented apartment.
However, just as he stepped out of the school gate, Jiang Fan noticed Xia Chan standing under a camphor tree to the right of the entrance.
At that moment, Xia Chan looked troubled. Holding her phone, her slender fingers kept scrolling across the screen. “A place under 50 yuan per person… where am I supposed to find that? Jiang Fan is clearly making things difficult for me…”
Hearing this as he approached, Jiang Fan could not help sighing.
“Senior.”
“Hm?”
When Xia Chan saw Jiang Fan, her eyes lit up. “Perfect timing. It’s really hard to find a place under 50 yuan per person. You should choose where we eat.”
Jiang Fan raised his right hand and pointed across the road at Shaxian Snacks. “Senior, places under 50 yuan per person are everywhere. For example, that one.”
Xia Chan followed his gesture and looked over. She froze immediately.
The next second, her face turned red. She explained weakly, “I… I was afraid you might think places like that aren’t very clean.”
“Unclean food won’t make you sick.”
After replying, Jiang Fan asked directly, “Are we eating or not? If not, I’m leaving.”
“Eating.”
Xia Chan had waited half a month for this meal. Naturally, she would not let Jiang Fan walk away like that.
…
“Boss, one plate of fried rice noodles, one bowl of vegetable noodles, and a basket of steamed dumplings.”
“Alright, please wait.”
The two of them sat facing each other, their eyes meeting.
Just as Xia Chan was about to speak, Jiang Fan stood up and interrupted, “What do you want to drink?”
“Mineral water.”
Jiang Fan nodded and walked alone to the refrigerator in the corner, picking up one bottle, touching another.
Xia Chan moved her lips slightly. “Is it really that hard to choose a drink?”
Only after the boss brought the food to the table did Jiang Fan return slowly with two bottles of water. As soon as he sat down, the boss said, “Young man, you’re quite lucky.”
Jiang Fan forced a smile. “Boss, we’re not the kind of relationship you think.”
Jiang Fan picked up his chopsticks and began eating.
Watching the way he ate, Xia Chan reminded softly, “Um… you can eat a little slower…”
“I have no manners.”
“… ”
Xia Chan silently ate a few bites of her vegetable noodles before putting down her chopsticks. During the meal, she tried several times to break the silence. Each time she started to speak, Jiang Fan cut her off with six words.
“No talking while eating.”
The meal cost Jiang Fan 24 yuan. After paying, he had less than 200 yuan left on him.
By the time they finished eating, it was already dark outside.
As soon as they stepped out, Jiang Fan spoke first. “Senior, we’ve eaten. Let’s head back. I still have things to do later.”
“Wait.”
Xia Chan looked frustrated. “I still haven’t said what I wanted to say.”
Jiang Fan secretly curled his lips.
What she wanted to say? She clearly wanted to scold him.
No way. He absolutely could not give her that chance.
He cleared his throat. “Senior, I don’t live on campus. It’s a long walk from here to my rented place. It’s already dark. Walking at night isn’t safe. As a guy out alone, I need to be careful. Whatever you want to say can wait for another day.”
“I’ll walk you there. We can talk while walking.”
Xia Chan’s quick response caught Jiang Fan off guard.
Did she really want to scold him that badly?
An idea flashed through Jiang Fan’s mind. “Sure.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he strode east along the sidewalk.
Seeing this, Xia Chan hurried to catch up.
But Jiang Fan was walking far too fast. Within just a few breaths, the distance between them widened.
Helpless, Xia Chan quickened her pace. From brisk walking to jogging, then to running.
She could still keep up?
Hearing her footsteps behind him, Jiang Fan felt surprised. He increased his pace again, almost breaking into a sprint.
He would not let his good mood today be ruined by Xia Chan.
This scolding, he was absolutely not going to listen to it.
Under the dim yellow streetlights, Xia Chan chased while Jiang Fan hurried ahead, her voice calling out desperately behind him…