CHAPTER 648: CHAPTER 647: IN A MOMENT OF DESPERATION

As they stood further apart, Han Mingyue’s entire silhouette entered Zhen Yu’s field of vision.

And high above his head, where it slanted across the sky, hung a crescent moon like a hook.

"Don’t move! Stay still!" Zhen Yu shouted while crouching down, bending lower and lower...

As her gaze dropped, an image of "Moonlight Beauty Painting" took shape in Zhen Yu’s mind.

"Snap!" Zhen Yu leaped up and clapped her hands, in that instant channeling Teacher Jin and blurting out a classic line—"Perfect!"

Then she excitedly yelled across the street, "Han Mingyue! I’ve figured out how to design the Hanfu trademark!"

After shouting that, she recklessly dashed across the street, hurrying back to Han Mingyue’s side!

But instead of laughing, Han Mingyue immediately reached out and grabbed her, delivering a sharp slap to her behind before growling, "Zhen Yu! Why didn’t you look for cars before crossing the street!?"

"Uh..." Zhen Yu, knowing she was in the wrong, pursed her lips and hung her head.

Although aware that Han Mingyue was right to scold her, she suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of grievance!

Seeing her silent, Han Mingyue hesitated for a moment but didn’t let go of the hand gripping her arm, and they both stood rigidly in place.

——

One minute, two minutes, three minutes...

After five minutes, it was Han Mingyue who couldn’t bear the silence any longer, pulling her forcefully into his embrace!

"Did it hurt? I... I was just anxious in the moment."

"No!" Zhen Yu said suddenly, her voice muffled.

She buried her face in Han Mingyue’s chest as if hiding from anyone seeing her embarrassment!

When Han Mingyue asked, he didn’t feel too embarrassed, but hearing Zhen Yu’s response, he suddenly felt a bit ashamed.

His gaze wandered for a moment before changing the subject, "You just said you had an idea for the Hanfu trademark design... does it have something to do with me?"

"Mhm!" Zhen Yu still didn’t look up, gripping the hem of Han Mingyue’s clothing tightly as if afraid he would push her away in this awkward moment, which would leave her truly nowhere to hide her face...

Fortunately, Han Mingyue did not do so. Instead, he continued in a soft voice, "Tell me! What’s your idea?"

"I want you to wear Hanfu and take a photo with me! It should have the atmosphere of Li Bai’s ’Moonlight Drinking’."

"Me?" Han Mingyue was hesitant, "I’m fine with taking a photo, but the atmosphere you’re talking about..."

"... How about we switch to painting! I’ll draw a portrait of you! When I paint, I’ll just rely on my imagination to get the right feeling!" Zhen Yu quickly amended her suggestion.

Actually, she mentioned photography first mainly because she was worried her own painting skills wouldn’t measure up!

Compared to photography, she preferred the artistic mood and texture of drawings – after all, painted works felt more ancient in style...

"You can paint portraits now?" Han Mingyue asked in surprise.

"Mhm... how about you wait for me to study a bit more?!" Zhen Yu wasn’t very confident either; after all, she hadn’t been learning to draw for very long! After a brief moment of contemplation, Zhen Yu decisively said, "Let’s paint it during the summer break! There are quite a lot of things happening at Bai Xue’s house anyway, so even if I wanted to hurry, I couldn’t!"

——

As they chatted on, the atmosphere between them gradually returned to normal.

And Zhen Yu suddenly realized that it was getting very late. She hurriedly urged, "Let’s go quickly! If we don’t leave now, the big iron gate at the bottom of the dormitory building will be locked!"

The big iron gate at First High School’s dorm buildings is quite interesting as it seals off the only common exit on the side where the male and female dorms meet!

Once it’s locked, no one from either building can leave! They can only move around and get some air in the building or in the courtyard downstairs.

And those outside can forget about getting in! Because right next to the gate is a small guardroom, where the male dorm supervisor teacher stands guard every night! He secures the dorm area tight as a drum, wishing not even a mosquito could get in!

If you dare to appear within his sight after the gate is locked, he can have you all over the school bulletin headlines the very next day!

So, some students would rather risk being caught by a dorm check and stay outside for the night, instead of returning to school and acting foolishly under his watchful eyes, if they think they won’t make it back before the gate is locked.

After all, getting caught by a dorm check for not returning at night is just the same school bulletin announcement.

But if that old Master Gui catches you coming back late, you’ll also have to endure a round of his scolding before being let in...

So, upon hearing Zhen Yu’s words, Han Mingyue immediately let go of her hand and looked at her watch!

Then he turned to Zhen Yu with a helpless expression...

"You can’t make it back. There’s only three minutes left before Master Gui locks the gate! Unless you can fly."

Zhen Yu: "...What should we do?"

"What else can we do," Han Mingyue took her hand and led her forward, "you’ll just have to make do with going back to your own house for now."

---

Fifteen minutes later, Zhen Yu climbed up the stairs to her own house, following closely behind Han Mingyue.

As the two of them opened the door and entered, they startled Han Jiayang, who was sitting on the sofa watching TV!

"Brother? Why did you bring Zhen Yu back?!"

Han Mingyue responded with a question of his own: "Who let you watch TV?"

"I was waiting for you! I studied until exactly ten o’clock! I only turned on the TV a few minutes ago..."

"Okay, I got it!" Han Mingyue promptly cut off his brother’s words, "You go watch TV for a bit! Let Xiao Yu get washed up first."

"Oh!" As soon as Han Jiayang heard he could watch TV for a while, he fell silent.

Han Mingyue didn’t bother with him anymore and, still holding Zhen Yu’s hand, began speaking as they headed towards what used to be her room, "I’m staying in your old room right now. You can sleep here tonight. I’ll sleep in Jiayang’s room."

"Okay!" Zhen Yu nodded, with no objections.

After bringing her into the room, Han Mingyue ended up tidying up the scattered items on the bedside table and elsewhere.

Zhen Yu obediently sat on the edge of the bed, quietly watching him busy himself.

After quickly organizing things a bit, Han Mingyue then opened the wardrobe, turned his back to Zhen Yu and took out a set of clean clothes.

Just as he was about to close the wardrobe door, his hand suddenly stopped mid-air! He hesitated for a moment, and still, he asked, "Do you want to take a shower? If you do, I’ll find some clothes for you to change into."

Zhen Yu hesitated for a few seconds.

Traveling back and forth by car these last two days, she did feel quite dirty!

And she had spent the previous night at Bai Xue’s house in the town’s bungalows! With a big pot for heating and sleeping on a kang bed, the conditions were just so-so.

Not only had she accumulated a layer of dust, but she had also only managed to hastily brush her teeth and wash her face...