Meng Ting shook her head. “No need, I can manage on my own.”
Jiang Ren asked her, “Can you fix it?”
Of course, she couldn’t.
He turned his face away, speaking impatiently with a straight face, “Hurry up.”
She hesitated for a long while before sitting in the back seat. Jiang Ren’s lips curved slightly. “Hold on tight.”
He pedaled hard, riding off at lightning speed.
At first, Meng Ting was holding onto the back of the bicycle seat. It wasn’t until later that she started feeling scared.
The young man seemed to have inexhaustible strength, riding at breakneck speed.
She bit her lip, her face turning red as she said softly, “Slow down a bit, Jiang Ren.”
He laughed mischievously. “If you’re scared, just hug me.”
She refused to hug him, instead gripping the back of the seat tightly. The bicycle moved so fast that the wheels spun rapidly, making it feel like he was riding a motorcycle. It was heart-stopping.
As he made a sharp turn, Meng Ting let out a startled cry, feeling as if she might be thrown off. Twilight was setting in, with only a few people on the streets. The young man’s clothes fluttered in the wind, his long legs strong. The young girl remained silent, clinging desperately to the back of the seat, quietly holding back her tears.
He suddenly stopped the bike.
With his foot on the ground, he turned to look at her. A gentle breeze blew, carrying the scent of cement dust from a nearby construction site. Her bright eyes were moist as she looked up at him. Her slender, beautiful fingers had turned white from gripping so tightly, her knuckles red and almost raw.
The wind had disheveled her bangs, making her look somewhat messy and pitiful. Yet her eyes were like stars fallen into water – bright, soft, and heart-wrenching.
He let go of the handlebars and grasped her chin, his eyes roiling with fierce emotion.
“Do you hate me that much?” Not willing to touch him even a little?
She released her whitened fingers and swatted his hand away, lowering her gaze without a word.
He remained rigid for a long while. “Damn it, I’m sorry, alright? Let me see your hand. Did I hurt you?”
Seeing no reaction from Meng Ting, Jiang Ren began to panic. “Don’t cry, okay? I’m a bastard. I shouldn’t have bullied you. Are you scared? I’ll ride slower, even slower than walking. How’s that?”
She finally raised her eyes, still with that gaze that made his heart tremble. Her voice carried a hint of a young girl’s sweet, tearful tone. “Ride slower, and don’t trick me again.”
Though upset, she still clung to her broken principles and still didn’t quite like him. Yet she didn’t hold his bad behavior against him. She was a girl who didn’t hold grudges and was easy to coax.
He chuckled, his heart both sour and soft. “Alright.”
He took off his outer jacket and placed it on her seat as a cushion. Worried about her hands hurting, he tied the jacket to the seat so she could hold onto the cloth.
In the winter twilight, the old bicycle creaked. He had never ridden so slowly in his life. She was quiet behind him, but his heart felt heavy.
He had almost made her cry.
He wasn’t a decent person.
He had only wanted her to hug him, a thought that made his heart ache with longing. It was like an uncontrollable emotion, more like a disease etched into his marrow. So he resorted to underhanded means, racking his brains.
Shielding her from the cold wind, following Meng Ting’s directions, he stopped the bicycle a short distance from the residential complex.
Although this area wasn’t fully developed, the landscaping was quite nice.
She got off the bike, returned his jacket to him, and softly said thank you, her voice trailing off sweetly. Then she pushed the bike towards the entrance of her home.
If it were summer, her silhouette alone would have been stunningly beautiful.
But in winter, it carried an added touch of gentleness and charm.
His chest felt hot, a mix of sweetness and bitterness.
This was the first time in Jiang Ren’s life that he liked someone, and he didn’t know how to like her. But just one glance from her could fill him with joy, yet also make his blood ache with longing.
“Meng Ting.”
She turned back, her gaze puzzled. “Hm?”
He couldn’t help but take a few steps forward before stopping, smiling as he said, “It’s nothing. Go on home.”
She nodded and gradually disappeared into the distance.
When Meng Ting returned home, she found that something had happened.
Shu Lan’s face was a mess of tears and snot, while Shu Zhigang hit her, fuming, “I wish I didn’t have a daughter like you!”
Shu Lan screamed, “You think I want a father like you?!” Poor and stupid, reduced to this state just to raise someone else’s child.
Shu Yang stood to the side, also having received a few blows, but he remained silent, enduring the pain.
Meng Ting hurried in. “Dad?”
Shu Zhitong’s chest heaved with anger. After a while, he threw down the stick and went to his room without acknowledging anyone.
That evening, Meng Ting cooked dinner. Shu Lan had run off. Shu Yang ate half a bowl before putting down his chopsticks. Dad Shu said he wouldn’t eat; his anger had filled his stomach.
Only Meng Ting and Shu Yang were left at the dinner table.
“What happened?”
Shu Yang frowned but didn’t speak. Seeing his silence, Meng Ting brought some red medicine from her room. “Apply this yourself.” She pointed to a spot on his back, worried. “There’s blood here.”
Shu Yang said, “It’s not mine.”
He raised his eyes and finally told her what happened. “It’s someone else’s. I beat him up. He accidentally fell down the stairs and is now in the hospital. Dad just went to apologize and make amends.”
Meng Ting looked at him in disbelief.
Shu Yang, with his steady temperament, didn’t seem like someone who would get into fights.
Shu Yang looked away, his voice strained. “When I went to pick up Shu Lan after school… that boy was kissing her.”
But he didn’t tell the whole story. The boy’s hand had gone inside Shu Lan’s clothes.
Though he was usually indifferent, he was still her twin brother. He immediately pulled Shu Lan away and threw a punch at the boy.
They had been doing their secretive acts in the stairwell, and the boy lost his balance, tumbling down the stairs.
He was immediately taken to the hospital.
The incident had escalated quite a bit, with the boy’s family demanding compensation. They also scolded Shu Lan for being ill-mannered and fooling around with boys at such a young age. No wonder Shu Zhitong was so angry.
After hearing his account, Meng Ting opened the medicine, her tone gentle. “Alright, apply the medicine and finish your meal.”
Shu Yang clenched his fist. “You’re not blaming me?”
Meng Ting shook her head and smiled. “You rarely lose your temper.” Each time he acted impulsively, it was always because of something that even reason couldn’t control. Like that year when her face was disfigured…
Shu Yang had rushed into the fire.
Only… he hadn’t been able to find her.
Meng Ting said, “It’s good to protect your sister, but next time, don’t be so impulsive. If something really bad had happened, you wouldn’t have time for regrets.” She paused. “How much did Dad pay in compensation?”
Shu Yang’s face turned ashen. After a while, he said, “That family wants twenty-five thousand. Dad gave them six thousand first.” He didn’t regret hitting the boy at the time, but later he started to reflect on his rash behavior.
The family didn’t have that much money. Shu Zhigang’s earnings from the research institute were still being used to pay off debts.
Shu Yang’s eyes dimmed, almost devoid of any light.
Meng Ting looked at him, went back to her room, and soon came out with a certificate to show him.
The certificate read: First Prize, National Middle School Mathematics Olympiad, Meng Ting. Awarded in recognition of outstanding achievement.
Shu Yang didn’t understand her intention.
Meng Ting put the certificate in his hands. “This comes with an eight-thousand-yuan prize.”
Shu Yang was stunned.
Then he heard the young girl’s calm and determined voice: “You’re very capable, Shu Yang. Go participate in competitions to earn money.”
A faint light ignited in the young man’s dark eyes.
The night Shu Lan ran away, Dad Shu still went out to find her and bring her back.
Dad Shu was, after all, a father.
No matter how unruly their children might be, parents can never truly cut them off.
Over the next couple of days, Meng Ting learned more details. The boy who had been kissing Shu Lan was Zhang Yiyi’s boyfriend, named Chen Shuo.
Dad Shu wanted to bring some fruit to visit him over the weekend.
No matter how you looked at it, it was his son who had put the boy in the hospital bed. However, the other party was asking for an exorbitant amount, which Shu Zhitong refused to pay. He said he needed to see the medical bills. But the boy’s family consistently refused to provide them, even threatening to make a fuss at No. 7 Middle School.
Chen Shuo could have been discharged from the hospital long ago, but because Shu Zhitong hadn’t paid enough compensation, he was lingering in the hospital.
As Shu Zhitong was about to leave, he received an urgent call from the research institute. Seeing that the hospital was close to the school, he gave the fruit to Meng Ting, asking her to take it to Chen Shuo in the hospital after school. He certainly couldn’t ask Shu Lan, given how angry he was about her involvement with that boy.
Meng Ting nodded.
She had initially thought of asking Shu Yang to come along but worried that it might further escalate the situation, so she didn’t. Shu Yang had been preparing for a physics competition these past few days. He was very good at physics, even scoring a few points higher than Meng Ting.
Zhao Nuancheng saw her carrying so much fruit. “Ting Ting, who are you bringing this to?”
“A boy in the hospital. My dad asked me to take it over.”
“Oh, I see.”
The hospital wasn’t on the way home.
She said goodbye to Zhao Nuancheng and weaved through the students leaving school, cycling towards the hospital.
Zhao Nuancheng waved to her, then turned to see Jiang Ren.
The black-haired youth sat on his motorcycle, his gaze fixed on Meng Ting’s retreating figure. He Junming, however, greeted Zhao Nuancheng with a grin. “Your name is Zhao… Zhao what again?”
Afraid of them, Zhao Nuancheng glared at him and reluctantly said, “Zhao Nuancheng.”
Jiang Ren lowered his eyes. “Where is she going?”
Zhao Nuancheng, most afraid of him, stuttered out an explanation. These guys looked like fierce demons; no student dared to approach, though they all turned to look. Jiang Ren put on his helmet, hiding his expression from view.
When Meng Ting arrived at Room 302 in the hospital, only Chen Shuo was there. He was lying on the bed with his legs crossed, flipping through TV channels with the remote.
Meng Ting knocked and entered, placing the fruit by his bedside.
She didn’t like this person. “This is an apology gift from Shu Yang.”
Seeing him look over, she nodded and was about to leave.
The boy on the bed widened his eyes, staring blankly at her face. As Meng Ting was about to close the door, he urgently called out, “Wait a moment, classmate!”
Meng Ting looked back.
She raised her long lashes, her almond eyes alluringly bright. Chen Shuo’s heart raced.
She was so damn beautiful! Chen Shuo, accustomed to flirting, had often made advances relying on his decent looks. But he had never seen such a stunning girl before.
“Who are you?”
“Shu Yang’s sister.”
In that instant, Chen Shuo had made up his mind. “Wait, don’t go. What’s your name?”
Meng Ting frowned.
Chen Shuo swallowed. “Your family still owes me medical fees, right? Is your dad not planning to pay? There are still nineteen thousand left. But I am indeed injured. How about this…” He gazed at the young girl in amazement, licking his lips. “You become my girlfriend, keep me company for a while, and I’ll drop the matter.”
Before Meng Ting could react, someone walked in behind her.
Jiang Ren kicked the door open.
His eyes are fierce, and he lands a punch on Chen Shuo’s face. Then he dragged Chen Shuo off the bed, pressing his head and smashing it against the floor.
Jiang Ren grabbed the vase from the cabinet and smashed it down.
Blood streamed down Chen Shuo’s head; he was almost powerless to resist.
Jiang Ren beat him like a madman.
Meng Ting was stunned by the scene before her. After a while, she tremblingly pulled Jiang Ren back.
The young man’s muscles were tense as he gave one last vicious kick to the person on the floor. “Now it’s me who owes you medical fees. I’ll play with you some more, don’t worry. I’ve got the funeral expenses ready too.”