Chapter 33: Seeing Xiang Ning once more

Xu Tingsheng arrived in Yanzhou on a Thursday. As it was already quite late, he didn't visit her school, instead finding a motel to stay in.

However, even so, he felt all different inside, because she was close. The closer he was to her, the closer he was to that anticipation that beset him, as only now did Xu Tingsheng realise how appropriate his earlier phrase of 'going to experience the world' had been.

Because Xiang Ning was Xu Tingsheng's entire world. The closer he was to her, the more intense this feeling became.

Xu TIngsheng lay on the bed, recalling the scenes of when they had first met. Thinking of his own distress and helplessness at the time, he could not help but laugh embarrassedly.

"Uncle, you're very useless," Xiang Ning had once said in his previous life.

Xu Tingsheng felt that he really had been pretty useless back then. But what about this time? Try to say something to her? Even asking for directions would be fine…right?

……

The first 'acquaintance' whom Xu Tingsheng met was not Xiang Ning but her form teacher Mrs Liu, Liu Xueli, whom he had come to know during his previous bus journey here. Afterwards, Xu Tingsheng had even sent her some indigowoad root as well as white vinegar.

Accurately speaking, it was Mrs Liu who first discovered Xu Tingsheng, having been lurking furtively near the gates of Xinyan Junior High at the time.

Mrs Liu still remembered Xu Tingsheng. She greeted him, eliminating his chances of escaping.

"Have you come to see your cousin? Xiang Ning…do you want me to go back in and call her for you?" Pushing her bicycle as she was about to set off for home, Liu Xueli asked warmly.

Actually, things having progressed to this stage, it was actually already very troublesome. Whether or not Xu Tingsheng met with Xiang Ning now, however he dealt with the matter, the possibility of Mrs Liu consequently bringing up this cousin of hers when speaking with her would be very high.

Fabricate a lie-that was all Xu Tingsheng could try to do right now.

"Right, Mrs Liu. Did you receive the indigowoad root and white vinegar that I sent to you last time? That…everything's good, right," Xu Tingsheng said.

Mrs Liu hurriedly stopped her bicycle by the roadside, saying gratefully, "So it was you who sent it! How come your name wasn't on it, I could only guess…thank you, it's all good, all good."

Xu Tingsheng intentionally scratched his head somewhat perturbedly, "About that, I actually sent some to both you and Xiang Ning back then, but because of some special reasons, I didn't leave behind my name on either."

Being around forty years old, precisely an age to be interested in all sorts of gossip, Liu Xueli immediately became interested as she pressed, "Special reasons, what special reasons?"

Xu Tingsheng told Mrs Liu an actually rather improbable tale. He told a tale where due to tensions between their relatives of the previous generation, Xiang Ning's parents had already cut off all ties with their Xu family, while the Xu family had always felt guilty about this. Therefore, Xu Tingsheng could not appear directly before Xiang Ning as her cousin, yet he still wished to do something for her.

This was an extremely lousy, convoluted tall tale. Whether Mrs Liu would believe it would have to depend on whether she liked to watch those kind of even more convoluted family dramas.

Fortunately, she believed it.

"No wonder even Xiang Ning's parents couldn't figure out who sent the things over last time," Mrs Liu said, "Therefore, I can't tell Xiang Ning about this-is that right?"

"Right, right," Xu Tingsheng nodded repeatedly, "I'll have to bother Mrs Liu on this. I think that it's still better to go slow; after all, the tensions between our two families have already persisted for so long."

"That's also true. So what brings you here this time?"

"I just came out to play with some classmates having finished with my university entrance examinations. Passing by here, I just dropped by to take a look."

"Can you recognise Xiang Ning then?"

"Yes, yes. I've seen her photos over from our other relatives."

The two continued chatting for some time, talking about the university entrance examinations and Xiang Ning amidst other things. After a while, as the students were released from the school, Mrs Liu rode off on her bicycle. Before she left, she repeatedly reminded Xu Tingsheng to definitely come to her house for a meal the next time he visited.

Xu Tingsheng didn't continue waiting by the school gates. The looks the guards were sending him were already getting rather problematic.

Xu Tingsheng found a piece of rock to sit on at the road Xiang Ning had left by the last time he came, and waited patiently. For all he knew, that untamed girl might have been kept behind by her teachers again. Before Xiang Ning appeared, Xu Tingsheng thought alone about the Xiang Ning that Mrs Liu had spoken of.

"Everything else is still good, but she really doesn't work hard," Mrs Liu said.

"Huh, could she been having an early relationship or something like that?" Xu Tingsheng asked hurriedly.

"It's not like that. She's just lazy, and loves to play."

"That's good then."

Finally, Mrs Liu had said, "Based on her current results, there'd be no hope of her entering a first-tier school. I'd estimate her to enter a second-tier senior high."

These words gave Xu Tingsheng a massive hint, "Second-tier senior high, early romance…then, what if Xiang Ning enters a first-tier senior high?"

Xu Tingsheng had always been disturbed greatly by the fact that Xiang Ning would get into a relationship when in senior high. And now, he finally seemed to have found a solution to it. There was no need for him to damage their relationship, no need for him to actively obstruct them from getting together-letting her go elsewhere would already be fine. For two people to not enter a relationship…what more straightforward method was there than for the couple to not have met at all in the first place?

The remaining problem was how to push Xiang Ning to enter a first-tier senior high.

Xu Tingsheng knew that that girl was actually very smart, just that like Mrs Liu had said, she was not hardworking at all. Meanwhile, with his current identity, there seemed to be no way for him to spur her on to work hard. He had already long since and repeatedly asked Mrs Liu to assist if possible in this area, but it was evident that Mrs Liu wouldn't be that volatile factor that could lead to change. Only Xu Tingsheng himself would be the best, greatest volatile factor.

Before the 'volatile factor' Xu Tingsheng was able to think up a plan, the little slacker Xiang Ning appeared.

This time, there was already no longer the lone plait that shot skywards. Perhaps it was due to her change in hairstyle, or perhaps it was because her hair's growth rate was very high, but seeing her two months later, Xiang Ning's hair had already reached her shoulders, falling onto them without any accessories whatsoever just like that.

"Still, you've got to continue working hard and quickly grow into that long, straight, black hair, alright? Afterwards, put on a hairpin and brush those cascades; a true beauty isn't afraid to show her forehead," Xu Tingsheng thought resentfully as he remembered the Xiang Ning in his memories.

This time, Xiang Ning was alone, her face expressionless as she moved leisurely along, wearing a white short-sleeved shirt with Xinyan Junior High printed on it as well as a baggy pair of track pants. This was the standard for school uniforms in China.

"With this, it can't even be seen how beautiful her legs are," Xu Tingsheng thought resentfully again.

My Xiang Ning's long legs…currently, they should still be thin, insipid little legs, right? No, thinking like this is much too immoral…

Xu Tingsheng hurriedly put away such thoughts of his.

Closer, closer, now already less than twenty metres away. Xiang Ning was right about to brush by Xu Tingsheng.

"Should I speak?" Xu Tingsheng felt his throat grow dry as he was nervous to the point of utter helplessness.

Xiang Ning was beside him.

"This student," Xu Tingsheng said, his voice virtually squeezed out of his throat.

Xiang Ning hadn't heard him.

"This student," Xu Tingsheng said again, more loudly this time.

"Huh?" Xiang Ning swivelled her head over to look at him.

Being gazed upon by this pair of eyes, Xu Tingsheng was enraptured.

"Being in your eyes, is so great."

'Huh?'- so this is the first thing that she said to me in this life; it seems a little short.

"Is there something?" Xiang Ning asked.

Xu Tingsheng was abruptly jolted back to his senses. Then…then, he felt into a daze again. She had spoken again, and this time was longer, with three words. Still, this girl…hasn't your mom ever warned you not to talk to strangers before? Especially men, especially men like who are clearly 'harbouring untoward intentions'…it really is a dangerous thing!

"About that; you are a student from Xinyan Junior High, right? I want to ask: How do I get to Xinyan Junior High from here?" Xu Tingsheng asked.

Xiang Ning's gaze suddenly turned vigilant as she furrowed her brows and thought for a while before earnestly replying, "But I saw you in front of the school gates last time, in that little shop. You were crying."

"…"

Xu Tingsheng was shocked silly, not knowing whether to smile or to cry, whether to feel happy or feel depressed.

"Xiang Ning remembers me; she remembered me with just that one glance," Xu Tingsheng thought, "This is called destined to meet on a narrow path; this is called because i just glanced at you once more amidst the crowd of people…right, it's precisely like this. No wonder she will fall in love with me eight years down the road."

This thought left him joyful beyond compare.

But what was to be done now? He'd just been exposed on the spot!

"Xiang Ning, why didn't you wait for me? Gosh…so tiring."

As Xu Tingsheng was pondering on how to explain himself, that long-haired girl who had appeared together with Xiang Ning at that small provision shop last time ran over, grabbing Xiang Ning's elbow as she panted heavily.

Xiang Ning pressed her lips together, saying with a sense of grievance, "Who asked you to have a boyfriend; I thought that you'd already gone home together with him."

The long-haired girl shook her head, "Like I'm the sort of person who'd prioritise boys over friends…who's this person?"

The young girl finally discovered Xu Tingsheng, standing by the side.

Xiang Ning answered, "Come to ask for directions…No, a liar. He's that person who was crying inside the provision shop last time."

The young girl tilted her head to the side and thought for a bit, then, not remembering the person whom Xiang Ning spoke of, glanced at Xu Tingsheng a few times more before turning to ask Xiang Ning, "He isn't an accomplice of those hooligans who stopped you on the street asking for your QQ number last time, right? …Let's go, quickly."

She dragged Xiang Ning along in quickly leaving. As Xiang Ning left, she turned back and glanced at Xu Tingsheng, sending him an apologetic look.

Xu Tingsheng smiled, waving goodbye.

In their second meeting, Xu Tingsheng and Xiang Ning spoke to each other. Even though the process had been rather awkward, even though he had been taken for a liar, at the very least, they could be considered acquainted now.

What Xu Tingsheng was more concerned about was that other matter, the one which that long-haired girl had spoken of, regarding someone having stopped Xiang Ning on the road asking for her QQ number. Honestly speaking, such matters were still rather common in this day and age. Still, since it was Xiang Ning who had been troubled by it, as Xu Tingsheng saw it, it was a major incident that could not be any more severe.

On his way back to the motel, Xu Tingsheng entered a few stores. Not finding something that especially caught his eye, he finally bought a necklace and placed it inside his bag.

For the next few days, he intended to stand guard before and after school till those people whom the long-haired girl spoke of appeared.

…

Back in Libei, Huang Yaming finally extricated himself from his days of warmness. He was the first who had left the trio, but in the blink of an eye, looking for Xu Tingsheng and Fu Cheng, he suddenly discovered that the two of them had suddenly become hard to get hold of as well.

Huang Yaming made several calls before he finally managed to find Fu Cheng and arrange a meeting with him.

Seeing Fu Cheng covered completely in dust and mud, Huang Yaming asked him, "What've you been doing?"

This was not something to be kept from Huang Yaming, as Fu Cheng told him all that Xu Tingsheng had said. This was what he had been spending all his time on these past few days.

Stalking, taking secret photos…Huang Yaming immediately grew excited as he quickly asked, "Have you managed to catch him doing anything?"

"No, it's been pretty normal so far."

"What do you intend to do then?"

"I'll follow him for a few more days. Anyway, I've nothing else to do."

"I'll accompany you."

"You're free? Aren't you doing that…"

"7 days break," Huang Yaming said, "Actually, doing that everyday can also get…rather stale. Right, where's Tingsheng?"

"He's gone to experience the world again."

They chatted a bit about Xu Tingsheng, talking about him and Yao Jing, and also that junior, Wu Yuewei. Huang Yaming felt that Xu Tingsheng was behaving rather strangely in this area. He had painstakingly pursued Yao Jing for two years, but in the end, when the other party had agreed, he had no longer wanted it. That pretty study queen junior as well; with her having gone to that extent, he had actually still managed to harden his heart.

Fu Cheng said, "Maybe he already has someone he likes."

Huang Yaming said, "If he has someone he likes, how would he not tell us? He wouldn't really have been seduced by that Apple, right? That one is a demon; who can bear it."

Fu Cheng thought for a bit before answering, "Perhaps it's someone we don't know. Let's ask him about it next time."

Huang Yaming thought about it for a moment, then no longer continued dwelling on this topic as he dragged Fu Cheng off in going to take those secret photos.

Chapter 34: Fighting in different places

Let alone Libei County, the standard of Yanzhou City's economy was already superior to that of Jiannan City. Therefore, Xu Tingsheng roamed randomly around Yanzhou City everyday, looking for inspiration whilst on the other hand also performing some research on the large scale supermarkets there, snapping a few photos and taking down some notes.

When Yanzhou had the 'stone' character in its name, its industries had nothing to do with stones at all. Of these, the one which had become famous the earliest was tangerines, and prospering the most were the industries for molds as well as plastic. 90% of the plastic basins and trash cans on sale in Jianhai City and the entire China as a whole were produced in Yanzhou.

The air in such a place naturally wouldn't really be good. Still, with it currently being the year 2003, the natural environment still had room to be trampled upon. The sky was still blue and the wind still refreshing. Whenever he was tired out from touring the area, Xu Tingsheng would lie back on the slope of the hill behind Xinyan Junior High, looking at the clouds in the sky, listening to the chattering of the young girls from the school field not far away. It was a very leisurely, comfortable affair.

The great life ahead of him following his rebirth was spent not thinking of a way to make easy money but whiling away his time here-actually, Xu Tingsheng rather looked down on himself as well.

When school was dismissed, Xu Tingsheng would appear on that road leading to Xiang Ning's house, looking warily at everyone walking by who looked like a hooligan. While he knew that Xiang Ning stayed in the school dormitories, who could say for sure that she would not suddenly take leave to go home one of these days?

……

The time that Huang Yaming and Fu Cheng spent everyday climbing high and crouching low was very stimulating, bringing back the feeling of them digging underground tunnels and stealing eggs from the nests of birds back in those village days. Still, they did not see any gains at all.

Of course, that was if only successfully capturing pictures of the bespectacled man acting in a negative manner could be considered seeing gains.

Fu Cheng sometimes didn't know how he should think about this person, what sort of an attitude he should have regarding this matter. He would hope to be able to catch him in the act of something, next preventing Ms Fang from marrying a man who might be a secret 'violent maniac' as in Xu Tingsheng's words. After all, selfishness and jealousy were something everyone possessed. However, as he followed the man everyday and found that he was actually very cultured and refined as well as charming, he would feel very conflicted, thinking that if Ms Fang married a good man, there seemed to be nothing he should resent, much less try to obstruct from the side.

Such an inner conflict stemmed from Fu Cheng's self-awareness, with age playing a very huge role in this. That was to say that if the contrast in their ages and positions did not exist, Fu Cheng would definitely rush up to fairly compete for Ms Fang with the man without reservation.

However, he did not have the power to do so now-at the very least, he himself thought this way.

That day, after his sudden confession, Ms Fang had only said a single sentence, not even going as far as to dish out a rejection, "You should have waited till you've grown up before telling me."

While this sentence appeared completely ordinary, its killing power was actually immense, because this was the problem that Fu Cheng was most unable to overcome.

The two followed the cultured-looking man to beneath the block where he resided.

"Let's go, this is the last day we'll be doing this," Fu Cheng said.

"Don't, this holiday of mine spans 7 days," Huang Yaming answered, "Why don't we keep watch overnight? Usually, it is at night when all those bad things are done. Who knows, maybe he'll go on a rampage in the middle or the night or something."

Fu Cheng was just about to reply when sounds of arguing and crying travelled over from within the house, the voice of that 'cultured man' amongst them. Of course, though, the way that he was roaring and bellowing right now didn't seem cultured in the least. The other voice belonged to an older woman.

Fu Cheng and Huang Yaming climbed onto the clothes washing platform by the window.

"Slap."

"Snap."

The first sound: The cultured-looking man slapped that older woman.

The second sound: Fu Cheng pressed the shutter of the camera.

These two noises had actually been emitted at the same time, the cultured-looking man therefore not noticing the situation over at the window. Fu Cheng and Huang Yaming watched on for around half an hour more, during which time they took several dozen photos. Afterwards, they knocked on the door and rapidly fled.

The reason they had knocked on the door was that they really couldn't take it any longer.

Huang Yaming and Fu Cheng walked on the streets.

"What do we do now?" Fu Cheng asked Huang Yaming.

"Look for Ms Fang, of course. Would there be anything else?" Huang Yaming replied.

"Really?"

"Of course."

……

Fang Yunyao's life had been rather fulfilling and blissful these past days. The university entrance examinations being over, while the school term had yet to end, the teachers of twelfth grade were already basically free other than having to await the release of the examination results as well as attend that end-of-term general meeting. In twelfth grade, the students would be nervous as they faced great hardship while there would also be great pressure on the teachers. Therefore, they would feel the much freer days later on to be especially blissful.

Having discarded the pressure, Fang Yunyao felt as if she was back to being the young girl she was back in those university days. Right, what was wrong about a 26-year-old young girl? Fang Yunyao's old home was in Hunan, only having come to Libei due to being channeled in as a talent. Therefore, she currently still lived in the school dormitory for teachers, waking lazily everyday to the summons of the sunlight and lazing leisurely about on her bed till it was time for lunch. Afterwards, she would go shopping with her friends or colleagues or climb some mountains together. This really was the life of a little landlady, wasn't it.

Another matter that she had rather some anticipation for was that thesis that had been published earlier, having unexpectedly attracted a great amount of attention. An older teacher in the same group as her had recently heard some rumours that the city might be considering marking her as a target for grooming as well as a member of the group for educational topic reform. Since she was already walking down the path of an educator, however much she lacked the ambition for such, Fang Yunyao still wanted to properly develop down that path. Therefore, if such a chance really came to her, she would definitely not want to let it go.

The final matter was that she had been confessed to.

26 years old was actually no longer young. Fang Yunyao's family had constantly been pressing her to get married, while she herself had also always been looking forward to this. However, looking forward did not entail being in a rush. Fang Yunyao's perspective was that that person must definitely have been arranged for her by the heavens since long ago. Only fated love was truly love; he would appear when the time came.

Of course, this person should not be that little boy who confessed to her in a drunken state. Even though his confession had actually left Fang Yunyao rather prideful in secret, even though that little boy was actually pretty cute, still….it wouldn't be him. Just look at how old he was.

Afterwards, another person had appeared. He was called Zhang Junming, and was a public servant. Similarly aged to her, he could also be considered cultured and handsome.

It should be him, right?

The second time the two had met, Zhang Junming had made a very sincere confession. While Fang Yunyao had not agreed to it back then, she had felt very sweet inside. It was just that she had felt that it was too quick, that the two not yet understood each other sufficiently. She had wanted to extend this dating process a little further.

However, Zhang Junming had been very persistent about this. The third time they met, he had even brought his mother along. Not having known about this beforehand, Fang Yunyao had been given a huge scare that day. Still, no matter what, it was still true that she had already met with Zhang Junming's family, and she had quite a good impression of Zhang Junming's mother.

"If I really do marry Zhang Junming, our mother-daughter in-law relationship shouldn't be as terrible as in the television serials, right?" Fang Yunyao thought rather embarrassedly.

Now, knocking noises resounded from the door.

Thinking that it was a colleague coming to eat lunch together with her, she hurriedly yelled, "Wait a moment, I'll go change."

Having changed, as Fang Yunyao opened the door, she found that there was already no one outside, with just a single envelope that lay before the door.

"This is…" Harbouring doubts, Fang Yunyao picked up the envelope and returned to her room.

Within the envelope were a few dozen photographs.

That evening, Fang Yunyao gave Zhang Junming a call, expressing her thoughts in a roundabout manner. She hoped that their relationship would come to an end right there, not developing any further.

Zhang Junming pleaded repeatedly on the phone, even weeping.

Fang Yunyao hung up very helplessly. As the phone rang once more, she hung up again. It rang again. She hung up once more.

Around half an hour later, as the phone kept on ringing, Fang Yunyao could only pick it up again.

"I am downstairs now. Can we speak in person?" Zhang Junming asked.

Fang Yunyao went downstairs. She did not explain the reason. While she did not know where those photographs were from, having seen their contents, she was extremely resolute.

Zhang Junming begged her repeatedly, even making as if to kneel down and beg her, but when he understood that the matter had already gone past an irreversible stage, he changed.

…Zhang Junming roared savagely, even saying, "Bitch, this promiscuous bitch. Tell me why, what's wrong with this old man?"

Fang Yunyao was taken greatly aback. A person could actually have two sides to him that contrasted so greatly in nature. With the cultured, refined Zhang Junming actually turning so savage and frightening all of a sudden, she was shocked, now believing even more resolutely in the authenticity of the photos.

Not rebutting, not arguing, Fang Yunyao apologised, then turned and headed back up the stairs.

Zhang Junming grabbed her arm from behind very forcefully. It hurt a lot, but she was unable to shake it off. Afterwards, she turned and stumbled backwards as he pulled her back. Zhang Junming raised his hand, slapping down forcefully on Fang Yunyao's face.

Then, he raised his hand again.

A figure lunged wildly over, howling like a mastiff as he pinned Zhang Junming down to the ground. The two very quickly became engaged in a sprawling fight on the ground.

Fang Yunyao recognised it to be Fu Cheng.

Afterwards, another figure joined in the brawl. Fang Yunyao knew him as well. It was Huang Yaming.

The three fought for a while before Fu Cheng crawled up, his cheekbone swollen and bleeding as he asked, "Ms Fang, are you okay?"

Collapsed on the ground, Zhang Junming sat up, his teeth clenched and his face twisted savagely as he looked at Huang Yaming and Fu Cheng, "This old man's a public servant, this old man's from the Trade and Industry Bureau. This old man will kill you two little scum dead, and this bitch as well."

"Don't this old man this, this old man that. His old man's name is Fu Qizhi," Huang Yaming pointed at Fu Cheng, telling Zhang Junming.

Fu Qizhi was Fu Cheng's father. He was the Vice Chief of Libei County's Trade and Industry Bureau, the utmost boss of Zhang Junming's utmost boss.

Fang Yunyao was escorted by the two youths back up to her home. Due to embarrassment, she did not say anything other than expressing her thanks. After returning to her room, she locked her door very carefully, next moving a stool and luggage up to block it.

Even so, Fang Yunyao was still overcome by fear. She curled up into a ball on her bed, hugging and weeping softly into her pillow.

Only now did she realise that he was truly still a young girl, a helpless young girl. Her hometown, along with her parents, was very far away. Meanwhile, she also didn’t have many friends. There was only her here, solitary and lonely little her.

She was afraid after the fact. If Fu Cheng and Huang Yaming had not been here today, how would it have turned out? What she feared more after the fact was this: If she had not seen Zhang Junming’s true face before marrying him, how would she ultimately have ended up?

Fang Yunyao was unable to fall asleep. Around 2am, she heard the sound of something knocking against her door.

"Who is it?"

There was no response.

Fang Yunyao thought for a long time before crawling up and grabbing a pair of scissors. She opened the door, having decided to shrink back no further.

What she saw was Fu Cheng, sleeping soundly outside her door.

"Hey."

Fu Cheng hurriedly got up, stammering, "Sorry, sorry! I was afraid that he would come again."

"I know," Fang Yunyao asked, "Were you the one who took the photos?"

Fu Cheng frantically explained, "No…Yes, but I had no ill intentions. I was just worried that he might be a bad guy, just that one in a thousand chance. Sorry, I really didn’t mean anything else. If he was very good, I would have been happy for you…I was just worried…"

"I know," Fang Yunyao cut him off, "Thank you."

Fu Cheng smiled, scratching his head, "It’s alright. After all, there’s nothing else that I have to do now. You can rest assured; if he comes again, I’ll be here. Don’t be dejected, Ms Fang; there're still many good men out there. Just find a good one next time."

Fang Yunyao suddenly felt more at ease somewhat as she chuckled, "If I find another, will you be secretly taking pictures of him as well?"

There was a short awkward moment before Fu Cheng said softly, "I'd come back to take them during the holidays."

Fang Yunyao's mood took a turn for the better as she asked, "Have you been here all along?"

Fu Cheng nodded, asking, "Do you want me to go over by the stairway?"

There weren’t actually many teachers who stayed in this dormitory building. Most of the teachers in Libei County were locals, not needing to stay within the dorms. Thus, there was actually only Fang Yunyao who resided on this floor that held three apartments.

Fang Yunyao thought for a moment before asking, "How about, you come in?"

After that, she took a step back to the side, opening up the doorway.

Fu Cheng hurriedly waved his hands, "I won't come in, I won’t come in. If someone happens to see it, it would be bad for your reputation."

"This mere kid really thinks so much," Fang Yunyao said, "If you stand here, it's much more likely that you would be seen."

Fu Cheng entered Fang Yunyao’s dorm room, then…was rendered helpless, remaining in a position reminiscent of neither standing nor sitting.

"I’m hungry, I’m cooking noodles. Want some?" Fang Yunyao asked.

Fu Cheng hurriedly said that she didn’t have to.

"Fine then."

"I'd like some."

Fu Cheng moved a stool over and sat by the door, eating noodles together with Fang Yunyao. Afterwards, Fang Yunyao sat on her bed and they chatted. They chatted about many things, about the miraculous trio consisting of him, Xu Tingsheng and Huang Yaming, about Fang Yunyao’s high school and university, about the university entrance examinations, about the graduation dinner, about…

The topics stopped with the graduation dinner, because any further and the same thing would come to mind for them- Fu Cheng’s confession.

"You're pretty good at singing and also play the guitar well. In university, there will definitely be many girls who like you," Fang Yunyao skipped over that event.

Fu Cheng inhaled deeply, then said, "Before Ms Fang marries, I won’t enter a relationship."

His bravery ‘killed' the conversation, the two no longer speaking.

The next day, it was already almost noon when Fang Yunyao woke up. She discovered that she had actually unknowingly entered peaceful slumber before that little boy, actually even having forgotten her fear.

Opening the door, Fu Cheng stood outside, saying as he saw her emerge, "You've awoken, Ms Fang. You should eat now; I’ll return home."

……

When Fang Yunyao was bullied by Zhang Junming, Fu Cheng lunged over like a mastiff, even really releasing a low howl like one.

At this moment, at a different place, Xu Tingsheng had actually just finished doing a similar thing, just that his situation was a little more tragic. It was 2 vs 1 on Fu Cheng's side, but it was 1 v 3 for him.

Actually, those three hooligans were still yet to graduate from junior high. Still, Xu Tingsheng accidentally took a few hits from them.

"You are not to harass my sister again, get it?" Xu Tingsheng had on a savage expression as he brandished the bloodied chain in his hand.

Xiang Niang stood not far away, crying as she looked at this man who claimed to be her brother fighting with three hooligans who had constantly been harassing her recently. He had won, but the back of his head was bleeding non-stop.

Chapter 35: Understanding

Xu Tingsheng told Xiang Ning to go home, but she refused.

"I wasn't taking leave to go home in the first place," Xiang Ning said.

"Well, why were you running blindly about then?" Xu Tingsheng asked sternly.

Xiang Ning shot him a wronged look before she pouted, explaining, "Tomorrow's the sports meet, and many people applied for leave. I want to eat some seafood noodles, so I just applied for leave along with them."

She was indeed still a child. Xu Tingsheng touched the back of his head, coming away with a hand full of blood, "You go back to school first. I will bandage this up and then buy your noodles for you. Half an hour later, come to the guardhouse to collect it."

After saying so, Xu Tingsheng left quickly in big strides. Xiang Ning ran a few steps after him, but was glared back by him. She could only hang her head and return despondently to her school.

"What're you so fierce for, even fiercer than the teachers… If not for your bleeding head, I'd totally ignore you, you big liar."

"Still saying that you'd buy noodles for me, but also not asking which store and which flavour of noodles I like."

"Forget it, seeing that you are injured, no matter what noodles you buy later, I'll just pretend that I really like it."

Half an hour later, sporting a bandaged head, Xu Tingsheng arrived at the school gates. As Xiang Ning emerged from the guardhouse and took the noodles, she found that it was her favourite flavour of seafood noodles, from the longtime noodle store that she liked the most.

Over the next few days, Xiang Niang would always get to eat her favourite seafood noodles. A few different flavours were chosen, but the ones that she hated never appeared at all.

This felt very miraculous, as Xiang Ning felt that this big liar seemed to understand her a lot. Yet, he also seemed reluctant to converse too much with her, hurriedly coming and leaving every time he delivered the noodles. Therefore, she was unable to pry further into it.

"Is that very handsome uncle pursuing you?" Xiang Ning's good friend asked her.

Xiang Ning's little heart skipped a beat as she felt nervousness as well as some sort of strange, indiscernible emotion. Was it really like that for him?

"But he's too old," Her friend continued, "It's better to find a classmate, like me. We can attend lessons together; learn together."

The nineteen-year-old Xu Tingsheng didn't know that he was being looked down on due to his age, didn't know that that mischievous little girl was planning to test him.

Today, after he had delivered the noodles, Xiang Ning asked, "Can you really be my brother?"

Xu Tingsheng paused for a moment before replying, "I won't be your brother. Also, I have to remind you that there are many bad people in our society. Actually, you shouldn't even talk casually to strangers, much less eat the food that they buy for you."

Xiang Ning felt very wronged, "But it's not like you're a bad person."

"Would 'bad person' be written on their faces?"

Xiang Ning felt that things were not like this, that she had been wronged. How would she usually not ignore strangers? Otherwise, why would she have let herself get bullied by those hooligans, just not giving them her QQ number?

Still, she was unable to explain it, because it was true that for some mysterious reason, she had believed in this person before her who was similarly a stranger.

"I know, big liar."

Xiang Ning stuffed the noodles back in Xu Tingsheng's hands, returning angrily to her school. Only when she had passed through the doorway did she sniff, tears beginning to fall from her throbbing eyes.

"I definitely won't cry in front of him, that big liar."

"Still saying that you won't be my brother; like I'd want that. I was just testing you, and look, you indeed were a bad guy."

……

Xu Tingsheng felt troubled by the fact that the curiosity of that little girl was just too great, with her vigilance low as a result. He was happy because of how close she behaved with him, but it was also because of this that he felt worried.

Another problem that left him feeling conflicted was this: Was he getting too close to her?

In the next few days, Xu Tingsheng no longer delivered the noodles, and Xiang Ning no longer appeared at the guardroom.

"Looks like that little girl really is angry," Xu Tingsheng thought.

"Looks like that big liar really isn't coming," Xiang Ning thought.

Xu Tingsheng loitered by the road to Xiang Ning's home for a few more days, during which he did not see those hooligans again. On 19th June, Xu Tingsheng bought a bowl of noodles and left it at the guardroom before leaving for Jiannan City.

Before returning to Libei County, Xu Tingsheng toured Jiannan City for a day.

He went to the school in which he had taught for four years in his previous life, seeing some familiar old teachers there.

He went to the small alley in which he had opened his final store in his previous life. That place was currently still a store which sold children’s clothing, and he knew that it would stay open for very long, all the way till the year 2014.

He went to the riverside where he had had his first date with Xiang Ning in his previous life. The dams there had still yet to be constructed.

He intentionally went to many places, but there was one place which he went to by accident, a three-way crossroad. In his previous life, he had 'died' here.

"Perhaps there is a door here, and stepping through it, I'd return to the world of my previous life."

"Are they two parallel worlds, or did the entire world regress with me by a whole 12 years? …Let's hope it is the latter; otherwise, how sad would mom and sis be… What about Xiang Ning, would she know?"

Trembling, Xu Tingsheng used all his strength and courage to walk to that position. He stood there for a few seconds, a car that passed by honking at him, its driver sticking his head out of the window, scolding, "Standing in the middle of the road in a daze like that, are you looking to die?!"

Xu Tingsheng apologetically moved aside.

"There's no door there; nothing brought me back. So, it's not two different worlds; it's that the entire world regressed alongside me," Xu Tingsheng told himself.

Afterwards, he escaped from that place, not willing to think about it any longer, because, he really would be unable to bear the existence of that other world, if it existed.

……

On 20th June, Xu Tingsheng returned to Libei.

His two uncles had already returned, bringing along with them some experts in renovation, officially beginning the renovation of the shopping mall. Because these experts all had experience in renovating large scale supermarkets, also having brought along blueprints, other than giving some general proposals based on his impressions, Xu Tingsheng did not get involved any more deeply.

One of his key proposals was to delegate an entertainment zone for children.

The experts were opposed to this, because 2000 square metres was actually already rather small for a large scale supermarket. If such an entertainment zone still had to be delegated, the amount of space they could use would decrease yet further.

Still, Xu Tingsheng insisted on it. Even if the scale of the supermarket were to be slightly smaller, it would still be sufficient for Libei County. Meanwhile, the existence of this entertainment zone for children would be like the shopping trolleys that could sit little children at their front, in that it would be symbolic, giving people the feeling: Now this is just like those large scale supermarkets we see on television.

After all this had been settled, Xu Tingsheng learnt from his uncles Mr Xu's situation. After having contacted the experts in renovation, Mr Xu had first entered a large scale supermarket to work, learning to keep inventory. Next, he had changed supermarkets once every few days with a job in another area. Xu Tingsheng guessed that his father would definitely have been rejected many times, but he would definitely not give up just because of that.

As for Mr Xu's motive in doing so, Xu Tingsheng was clear on it as well. On one hand, it was to understand the operation of large scale supermarkets, while on the other, and more importantly as well, Mr Xu was also searching for targets for cooperation, or rather to establish an alliance with.

"Now, dad should already be in the midst of negotiations, right?"

Xu Tingsheng made a trip back home before returning to Libei County once more. He then called Huang Yaming, Fu Cheng and Song Ni out to eat dinner together.

Over dinner, Huang Yaming and Fu Cheng finally received the answer they wanted, as Xu Tingsheng admitted that he had fallen in love with a person from outside.

Afterwards, Fu Cheng and Huang Yaming spoke about Ms Fang's matter.

Xu Tingsheng sighed in relief.

"You were in Ms Fang's room for an entire night?" This was what Xu Tingsheng was most surprised by.

"Don't think untoward thoughts," Fu Cheng warned him.

"Then, do you think there's hope for you now?" Xu Tingsheng asked.

Fu Cheng shook his head.

The trio changed the topic, asking Song Ni, "Has that Chen Yulun still come looking for you?"

Song Ni said that he had not.

Afterwards, Song Ni said that she did not intend to go to university, because her results might only be good enough to get her into a higher vocational school, and it would be hard for her to find a good job afterwards even after graduating. Therefore, she still thought it best to just start working already.

"Study-study accountancy," If you can't find a job in the future, you can come help manage our supermarket. I'll let you be a manager."

Song Ni covered her mouth, laughing.

Xu Tingsheng said, "I'm serious."