CHAPTER 34: CHAPTER 32: A FLEETING GLIMPSE

In the foggy haze, the sound of a soup spoon hitting the ground, Yan Wuxu accidentally let it slip from her hands, the spoon breaking into two, the handle skidding on the greasy floor for more than a meter before coming to a halt.

"I bought it," Su Ziceng stared at the diluted soup like porridge, feeling suffocated as she ate and furious as she watched, replying in a muffled voice.

From Hang Yishao’s perspective, the first thing he noticed wasn’t the pale-faced Yan Wuxu, nor the trembling back of Su Ziceng in anger, but the belly of Qiu Zhi that stood out like a landmark within a radius of twenty meters.

"Ah, it’s Qiu," after the introduction by school leaders, Hang Yishao already knew that Qiu Zhi was the only grandson of the Qiu Family. Hang Yishao thought that since he was the young master of the Qiu Family, business dealings between the two families were inevitable in the future, and now they were classmates, it would be best to keep the tone cordial, "You should have your girlfriend control her eating, otherwise if she ends up with the same figure as you, that wouldn’t be good." Hang Yishao wanted to buy some plain porridge for Deng Jiani after hearing from the doctor that was all she could eat, but who knew Qiu Zhi would come out halfway and interfere.

The air conditioning wasn’t quite enough; someone had turned on the old fan as well, dispersing the steam coming from hot porridge. Behind Qiu Zhi, a person slowly stood up, her ponytail damp with the heat, making her eyes appear bright and watery too.

Fei Qing stood beside Hang Yishao, glancing at the Kelly Women’s College student sitting opposite Qiu Zhi and let out a low whistle. The next second, the whistle was cut short, "Su Ziceng."

Hang Yishao too saw clearly the girl who emerged from behind Qiu Zhi’s shoulder, her eyes weren’t big, but they were bright, her skin slightly sunburned, "Ziceng?" He was still not quite caught up, pointing first at Qiu Zhi then at Yan Wuxu, "Aren’t you supposed to be at Kelly Women’s College?"

Scene One: The porridge bucket was kicked over, fish slices bouncing on the floor, Su Ziceng crushed the rice grains swelled by water with her foot until the white rice was ground into grey ash. "Want to eat porridge, do you? I’ll let you have it, let you have it," she lifted the bowls and chopsticks from the table and smashed them to pieces.

Scene Two: She wanted to rush to the hospital again to give that bitch Deng Jiani a good few slaps.

If it were the old Su Ziceng, she would have definitely done so. Su Ziceng clenched her teeth, feeling a chill from the Red Love at her chest, dispelling the rage surging inside her. Before coming to Kelly Women’s College, considering the Red Love was too precious, she hung it on a necklace, usually obscured because it was worn around the neck.

She wished that at this moment all those red ribbons that could restrain her would burst forth, suppressing her wild jealousy, but they didn’t, her teeth aching from being clenched too tightly.

"Ziceng," Qiu Zhi looked at Su Ziceng who had been standing for a while, worried she would lose her temper, and quickly grasped her arm. A flash of blue light crossed in front of Su Ziceng’s eyes, an unusual feeling. Su Ziceng’s hand, which was about to lash out, instead tightly grabbed Qiu Zhi’s hand in response.

"Hey, I say," Fei Qing was more inclined towards watching the drama unfold, and all the students in the cafeteria were discussing as well. It was unexpected that Qiu would have such a woman’s favor, having just arrived and already stumbled upon a huge romantic opportunity. It’s no wonder others would think so, Su Ziceng gripping Qiu Zhi’s arm tightly, her eyes wide with surprise, her expression that of a young girl ardently seeking love.

Onlookers are confused, insiders know better; what Qiu Zhi felt from Su Ziceng’s ten fingers was not the tenderness of love but an intense, inexplicable suspicion.

"Su Ziceng," Hang Yishao called out displeasedly once again. It had been months since they’d seen each other, and her attire had changed. Could her tastes have changed as well?

Upon hearing Hang Yishao’s voice, Su Ziceng immediately snapped back to reality, letting go of the chubby guy. She remembered how every time she had a conflict with Hang Yishao over another woman, it would result in his disdain. She couldn’t make the same mistake again. With women like Deng Jiani, one must operate in the shadows, not openly. Su Ziceng emulated Wen Maixue’s most habitual expression and put on a sanctimonious face, "It’s so hot, porridge is good, it cools the heat. Fatty, Wuxu, let’s have porridge."

Seeing Su Ziceng break free from Qiu Zhi’s gesture, Hang Yishao felt a bit relieved. He looked at the others who were hunched over their bowls of porridge and signaled to Fei Qing with a glance. It might be better to get the porridge to go instead, but Fei Qing was thoughtfully staring at Yan Wuxu, who was sitting with Su Ziceng.

Yan Wuxu also felt someone sizing her up and when she raised her head, she locked eyes with Fei Qing. She quickly lowered her head again, her ears turning "whoosh" red.

Having filled herself with porridge, Su Ziceng, cautious because Yan Wuxu was present, decided to part ways with Qiu Zhi first. The two of them followed the lake breeze that blew in from West Lake, walking towards Kelly Women’s College.

"Those few Daoquan University boys just now, do you know them?" Yan Wuxu tentatively asked.

"Mm, I’ve known them since we were kids, old acquaintances," Su Ziceng replied.

By West Lake’s side, many senior lovers from both schools walked in pairs. In the moonlight spilling over the lake’s surfaces, their female pair seemed rather conspicuous.

"You go back first," Su Ziceng walked past a couple, and no matter how she looked, they morphed into the image of Hang Yishao and Deng Jiani in her mind. The more she looked, the more irritated she became, and so she sent Yan Wuxu back first. The light she had seen earlier, couldn’t it be? It seemed necessary for her to make another trip back to Daoquan University.

After Su Ziceng left, Yan Wuxu did not immediately return to the ordinary dormitory but kept walking along West Lake all the way to the high-class apartment building. Unlike the ordinary dorm filled with vulgar ivy on the walls, the high-class apartments were independent buildings, and each one had neatly trimmed rose walls and sentry posts at the front. As one got closer, the fragrant scent of nighttime plants hit the face.

"Move, move," Yan Wuxu wanted to get even closer, but a sedan approached from behind, and the unknown driver poked his head out, shouting at her. Yan Wuxu hurriedly stepped to the side, as the car carrying a rich young lady passed by.

After the car had passed, the only thing left for Yan Wuxu was an expanse of empty darkness, as if she was back in Sixth District, where not even a single lamplight existed on the entire street. She suddenly woke with a start; Kelly Women’s College’s night was serene and peaceful, without the barking of dogs or the cursing of drunken thugs, only the harmonious prayers of female students and the soothing piano music.

This was the life she had always longed to pursue. Yan Wuxu’s hand brushed the long hair beside her ear, revealing a pair of multi-petaled snowflake earrings, with two orange diamonds glittering at their hearts. Feeling the diamond earrings, Yan Wuxu straightened up once more, her head held high like any student from the high-class apartments of Kelly Women’s College, stepping forward confidently.