He Jun Ming looked confused: “Wasn’t that given to me by Shu Lan?”
Shu Lan, disregarding everything else, grabbed Meng Ting’s arm. At this point, she knew she had to soften her approach: “It’s all my fault. Can you come with me for a moment?”
Meng Ting had only come to retrieve her belongings, not to cause a scene. She walked with Shu Lan to a corner of the room under the curious gazes of others.
A beautiful music box was rotating on a nearby counter.
As soft music played, Meng Ting’s gaze fell on Shu Lan, feeling somewhat dazed.
This beautiful dress was something she hadn’t dared to touch in her previous life. Even on the day she died, she never got to wear it.
Shu Lan lacked the grace to truly bring out the dress’s beauty. It couldn’t create that enchanting effect on her.
The skirt was both gorgeous and light, originally suitable as a dance dress.
Shu Lan gritted her teeth: “Sister, I know you’re the best. Just let me wear it for tonight, I’ll return it to you tomorrow. As for the gold medal… I’ve already given it to someone, it wouldn’t be right to ask for it back. Do you want people to look down on me?”
Again, the same excuse.
Just like that first time with the piano.
Facing Shu Lan, Meng Ting no longer felt that soft, protective emotion from the bottom of her heart. Looking directly into Shu Lan’s eyes, she used a stern tone for the first time: “This is the last time you touch my things. Give me back the dress immediately, and go get the gold medal back. You surely don’t want them to know that you can’t do anything, that even the piano incident was fake, and that you’ve been taking my things.”
The word “taking” almost made Shu Lan jump. She stared in disbelief: “We’re sisters, how can you use the word ‘take’! You’re breaking my heart.”
Sisters…
For a moment, Meng Ting wanted to slap her hard. She had once treasured those two words, but when she had scarred her face to save Shu Lan, Shu Lan had let her die in a landslide.
Meng Ting closed her eyes, then opened them calmly: “We’re not sisters, and we never will be in this life. Either you give me my things, or I’ll go explain everything myself.”
Seeing that Meng Ting wouldn’t budge, Shu Lan finally realized she was serious. But just two months ago, Meng Ting had been willing to give her anything good. How could she now treat her more coldly than a stranger?
She certainly couldn’t let Jiang Ren and the others know the truth. The piano piece, the dance, the dress – all these belonged to Meng Ting.
She said angrily: “Fine, I’ll give them back to you. Don’t regret it. I won’t consider you my sister anymore.”
Meng Ting said nothing, just quietly looking at her, making Shu Lan feel somewhat guilty.
Shu Lan ran to the bathroom outside. Soon, she came out wearing her clothes. When she threw the dress into Meng Ting’s hands, Meng Ting hugged it lovingly.
Shu Lan couldn’t help but taunt: “You’re so filial. Your mother died in front of you because of this, yet you still want to dance again?” Meng Ting’s beauty was, in itself, a sin.
These words made Meng Ting’s fingers tremble.
She tightened her grip on the dress, unusually angry: “You’d better mind your own business.”
She was the first to walk out, hugging the dress. He Jun Ming saw her and waved excitedly: “Meng Ting, come over here!”
Jiang Ren had also returned, sitting on a single sofa. He looked up at her, his gaze lightly sweeping over the dress in her hands. He couldn’t help but curve his lips: “Your things?”
The dress was very beautiful.
When Shu Lan arrived, it had caught everyone’s attention.
Every time Jiang Ren saw Meng Ting, she was almost always carrying a heavy schoolbag, wearing her school uniform, quiet and well-behaved. Like an obedient elementary school student returning home.
This thing was hers?
Meng Ting’s heart skipped a beat.
She had been angry earlier, almost forgetting that Jiang Ren was still here.
She shook her head: “It’s not.” Then added softly, “It’s borrowed, I need to return it.”
Upon hearing this, Shu Lan behind her felt both relieved and embarrassed.
The girls from earlier covered their mouths and laughed: “Oh my, what was someone saying earlier? A one-of-a-kind custom piece turns out it was just borrowed~”
“She doesn’t know her place, really thought she was something special.”
Shu Lan clenched her fists tightly.
Meng Ting heard it too. In the past, she might have felt sorry for her sister.
But now, she could only say Shu Lan was reaping what she had sown.
Jiang Ren leaned back on the sofa: “Then what about this?”
In his hand was clearly that small gold medal. “Is it yours? Why else would it be returned to you?”
Fearing Meng Ting would claim it, Shu Lan quickly said: “Jiang Ren, that’s mine. Can you give it to me, please?”
Jiang Ren lazily replied: “Get lost. Once it’s in my hands, it’s mine.”
He didn’t even look at Shu Lan, instead turning to Meng Ting: “If you want it, we can play a game, good student.”
Thinking of that photo, Meng Ting knew she had to get it back. She was a bit afraid of him: “What game?”
He casually picked up a pair of dice from the black coffee table and threw one into a dice cup: “Guess big or small. 1, 2, and 3 are small, and 4, 5, and 6 are big. If you guess right, it’s yours. If you lose…” He smiled mischievously, “You buy me breakfast for a week. Are you in?”
He Jun Ming inwardly cursed. Everything else was fine, but this was too shameless of Ren ge.
That die, Jiang Ren could make it whatever number he wanted.
Meng Ting was sure to lose.
Tang Fang also held back a laugh, waiting to see the fun.
Meng Ting’s thinking was different from theirs. If she didn’t bet, she’d never get it back. With one die, the odds of guessing big or small were fifty-fifty. This kind of luck-based thing at least had some probability.
Her tone was soft and hesitant: “Small.”
Jiang Ren shook the cup carelessly, the corner of his mouth curving.
Without looking, he knew it was a 6 inside.
She hugged the dress, looking at his hand seriously and nervously.
The warm orange light above her head made her hair look incredibly soft. It was the first time she focused her gaze on him so intently.
Jiang Ren stopped his movement.
Was this thing so important to her? Even though she disliked him, she was willing to make such a deal.
“Meng Ting.”
“Mm?” Her gaze turned to his face, her upward inflection carrying a soft obedience.
“Come and open it yourself.”
She was a bit nervous, placing her jade-white hand on the dice cup. Jiang Ren felt the momentary warmth of her closeness, a November warmth with a temperature that seemed to burn everything.
The moment the cup was lifted.
She couldn’t help but widen her eyes, then looked at him happily: “You lost.”
He chuckled softly: “Mm, I lost.”
It was the first time he saw her smile. Although he could only see the upturned corners of her lips, it had a sweetness that reached the depths of his heart. So damn pure.
On the white die, a bright red 1 was on top.
Jiang Ren gave her the small gold medal.
She put it in her school uniform. Meng Ting had never gambled with anyone before. She sighed in relief, glad she had won and retrieved her things. It was time for her to go home.
As her indifferent figure disappeared through An Hai Ting’s main door, He Jun Ming and the others still hadn’t recovered.
Holy shit!
No way! How could it be a 1?
He Jun Ming doubted if he was awake, and after a while asked: “Ren ge, how did you lose?”
Jiang Ren leaned back on the sofa, the place on his chest where she had bumped seemed to ache and soften. He said carelessly: “A loss is a loss, what reason could there be?”
Wednesday came, the day for Meng Ting’s eye check-up.
At noon, Father Shu couldn’t come back, so he thought for a moment and asked Shu Yang to go with Meng Ting.
For the past two years, it had usually been Father Shu accompanying Meng Ting, or occasionally Shu Lan when she wanted something from Meng Ting.
But last night, the atmosphere between the two daughters was off. Father Shu thought they had a falling out, so he had no choice but to ask Shu Yang to accompany his sister.
School let out at noon.
Shu Yang waited for Meng Ting at the school gate: “Let’s go.”
He spoke little, had an ordinary appearance, with dark, sunken eyes, and an exceptionally gloomy personality. The two of them were the top students in their respective classes, but no one ever associated them as knowing each other.
Meng Ting didn’t know how to interact with her stepbrother, shaking her head: “I can go by myself.”
Shu Yang didn’t even look at her, his eyes fixed on the falling leaves of the school’s phoenix trees: “Dad asked me to.”
Meaning if Father Shu hadn’t repeatedly insisted, he wouldn’t be willing to go either, and couldn’t report back if he didn’t. Meng Ting’s cheeks reddened slightly with embarrassment: “Sorry to trouble you.”
“Mm.”
The city hospital was a bit far from the school.
Back then, buses to the hospital only came once an hour. When the slow No. 31 bus finally arrived,
Meng Ting got on first, with Shu Yang following behind. The crowded passengers almost bumped into her, but he used his arm to shield her.
Before boarding, he looked back.
A silver-haired youth in a red jersey was watching them expressionlessly.
Shu Yang frowned slightly as he sat down.
He Jun Ming peeked out and looked as if discovering a new world: “That was Meng Ting just now, right? Man, she and that guy…” He chuckled, “Even good students have puppy love, huh? Isn’t there something wrong with her eyes? That No. 7 High School guy has such unique taste…”
Before he could finish, he saw Ren ge seemingly come to his senses and suddenly run towards the bus.
At that age, boys had long, powerful legs.
They had just finished playing basketball, and Jiang Ren was wearing a jersey and shorts in the already cold November.
His calf muscles were firm, his silver hair damp with sweat.
He ran towards the bus stop with an almost reckless intensity.
However, the distance from Li Cai Vocational High School’s gate to the bus stop was quite far.
By the time he ran over, the bus had already left.
Jiang Ren’s eyes were pitch black. He picked up a stone from the roadside vegetation. Almost without hesitation, he threw it at the bus body. The young man’s arm strength was astonishing, making a dull “thud” sound.
Everyone on the bus was startled.
The driver turned back from the window, cursing loudly.
The curses were very vulgar.
But the youth’s pitch-black eyes stared unblinkingly, cold as ice.
Meng Ting also turned back.
She saw him at once.
In the early winter, his red jersey was like fire, his eyes burning with fury that could consume everything. His jaw clenched, the veins on his strong arms pulsing.
He Jun Ming was scared stiff. He patted Tang Fang’s shoulder, almost stuttering: “Tang Zi, what do we do?”
Tang Fang was also stunned.
They all knew that in the two months since coming to Li Cai Vocational High School,
This was… Jiang Ren’s first relapse.