Taking You on an Elopement
The gathering continued from afternoon until evening.
In the middle, Yu Bingqin and her group had to leave for rehearsal, departing just before 5 PM. Dong Chen had some business at school and said he’d join them again tomorrow, leaving early as well. He Mingyu went with him. Xie Jingyi and Bai Lingyun both had meetings in the evening. Yu Xinyue, having spent the afternoon at the club, was missing her library and left with them.
In the end, only Yuan Song remained, mingling with their group of high school classmates, still showing signs of wanting to perfectly integrate into this small circle.
As it neared 10 PM, those who had been singing and playing games grew tired. Everyone sat together to chat, and someone started telling ghost stories.
The dim lighting in the private room provided the perfect atmosphere.
Yuan Song was the most enthusiastic storyteller. When he ran out of ghost stories, he began talking about reality: “Our school was supposedly built on a graveyard, so many places have been haunted.”
“My mom said that when I was little, I claimed to have seen my grandfather on the seventh day after his death,” Sheng Xiaowen added. “I don’t remember it, of course. I was only four, so I probably just saw a photo and told my mom I’d seen Grandpa.”
Zhang Shuxian: “Didn’t they also dig up something when they were building the music building at our school years ago?”
“I did encounter a ghost at our school,” Zhu Ran said mysteriously, stroking his chin.
Yan Xingxi was skeptical: “Really?”
Tang Jianrui and the others didn’t believe him either.
“You’re just listening to Old Zhu’s nonsense. Otherwise, ask him which day it was. If it was such a big deal as seeing a ghost, he shouldn’t have forgotten the date, right?”
Zhu Ran: “How could I forget? It was the first Friday night after the start of the first semester in our second year of high school. We had only had two or three days of classes that week. After school, I went back to find Aluo. On the way, I met a long-haired girl in a white dress, with skin as pale as a ghost—”
Before he could finish, Chen Luobai suddenly kicked him, noticeably harder than his previous playful kicks.
Zhu Ran angrily said: “Damn it, Chen Luobai, why did you kick me? It’s just that day when that girl gave you—”
His words abruptly stopped as he glanced at Zhou Anran beside Chen Luobai.
Zhu Ran suddenly remembered the “ghost sister” from that day and was just casually chatting with everyone. He didn’t expect Chen Luobai to kick him so hard, and in his carelessness, he almost said something he shouldn’t have in front of Zhou Anran.
But it was too late.
Sheng Xiaowen and the other girls had caught on to something. The smiles disappeared from their faces. Yan Xingxi, being the most protective and impulsive, directly asked: “What did that girl give Chen Luobai that day? Why did you stop talking?”
Zhu Ran wished he could turn back time by ten seconds and seal his mouth.
He turned his head apologetically to look at Chen Luobai and Zhou Anran again.
Chen Luobai, the person in question, remained very calm, with one hand casually draped over Zhou Anran’s shoulder, looking at him with a half-smile.
Zhu Ran: “…”
This dog was just relying on the fact that he wouldn’t let him be misunderstood.
For the sake of their years of friendship, Zhu Ran still explained seriously: “It’s nothing, Zhou Anran, don’t misunderstand. That night, that girl just gave him two cotton swabs and two band-aids, but he didn’t even see what she looked like clearly that night, and those things weren’t used at all—”
Once again, before he could finish, Chen Luobai kicked him.
“Chen Luobai, what the hell is wrong with you?”
Hadn’t he already explained everything carefully? Why kick him again?
“Wait a minute.” Yan Xingxi suddenly remembered something. “Anran, didn’t you go back to school on Friday night of the first week of our second year? I remember I went back to my hometown that day, and you messaged me saying you forgot to bring your test papers and had to go back to get them.”
Zhou Anran’s face had long since turned hot: “…”
“Yes, I did go back.”
“Wait.” Zhu Ran finally realized. “So, Zhou Anran, you were that ‘ghost sister’ that day?”
It all made sense now.
Chen Luobai kicked him the first time because he was describing Zhou Anran as a ghost in front of him.
He kicked him the second time because he was telling Zhou Anran that he hadn’t used her medicine that day.
Zhou Anran nodded with a red face.
Yan Xingxi was confused again. She had wanted to ask if Zhou Anran had happened to witness this incident, but how did it suddenly turn into Zhou Anran being the “ghost sister”?
“Anran, didn’t you go back to get your test papers that day?”
Zhou Anran: “Yes, I went to get the test papers, and then I happened to see that his hand was injured, so I gave him some medicine.”
“Well, well.” Yan Xingxi finally understood. “So you’ve been hiding something from us.”
Zhou Anran: “…”
Zhou Anran looked at her pitifully.
Yan Xingxi gave her a “we’ll settle this later” look.
“Weren’t we telling ghost stories?” Chen Luobai leisurely interjected. “Why did we stop?”
Sheng Xiaowen, seeing that Zhou Anran was a bit embarrassed, picked up the conversation: “We were talking about our school’s music room being haunted, right?”
The topic was diverted again.
Zhou Anran let out a small sigh of relief.
Then her cheek was suddenly pinched by a familiar large hand.
“You went to get test papers that night?” Chen Luobai asked, tilting his head.
Zhou Anran nodded: “Yes.”
Chen Luobai had always regretted not looking up to see her that day and also regretted wasting her kindness that day. Not knowing the purpose of her return to school, he had completely overlooked some details.
“From when you gave me the medicine to when Zhu Ran arrived at school, there was about a twenty to thirty-minute gap—” Chen Luobai paused, his dark eyes looking at her directly and sharply, “What test papers take almost half an hour to get?”
Zhou Anran: “…”
Chen Luobai saw her eyelashes flutter lightly several times. He sighed inwardly, not wanting to pressure her: “It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me.”
“No.” Zhou Anran shook her head. “I had already gotten the test papers when I gave you the medicine that day.”
Chen Luobai’s heart trembled slightly as if he had guessed something.
Most of the people in the private room had left, and the two of them were now sitting at the edge of the group. The girl next to him seemed to still be shy, her voice very soft, like a feather lightly tickling his heart.
“You were in a really bad mood that day, and I couldn’t do anything to help, so I just sat quietly in the hallway outside the classroom and kept you company for a while.”
Chen Luobai’s hand hanging at his side suddenly tightened.
Gratitude and regret violently collided in his heart.
He wanted to pull her over for a hug and also seemed to want to do something more excessive to her, to suppress the turbulent emotions in his heart.
Chen Luobai closed his eyes briefly and asked softly: “Will you come back to the apartment with me tonight?”
Zhou Anran paused: “…I’m supposed to go to the hotel with Xianxian and the others tonight.”
Chen Luobai nodded: “So your girlfriends are indeed more important than your boyfriend?”
Zhou Anran: “…”
She grabbed his finger and shook it gently again: “I’ll stay with you tomorrow night.”
Chen Luobai: “…”
Acting coy again.
Someone suddenly said, “It’s almost 10 PM, didn’t we say we’d leave at 10? We’re supposed to visit A University together tomorrow.”
“Oh, is it almost 10?” Yuan Song checked his watch. “It is. I should head back too. Chen Luobai, you’re not going back to the dorm tonight, right?”
Chen Luobai nodded at him.
“Alright, I’ll go first then.” Yuan Song got up and left.
Zhu Ran looked over at them: “So you’re staying at your apartment tonight?”
Chen Luobai lounged lazily on the sofa: “Not going to the apartment either.”
Zhou Anran: “…?”
“Then where are you staying?”
Chen Luobai twirled a strand of her hair, his lips curling into a smile: “At your hotel.”
Zhou Anran: “??”
“Didn’t Tang Jianrui and the others book rooms there too?” Chen Luobai pinched her cheek gently, not wanting to hurt her. “What, you can stay with your girlfriends, but I can’t go stay with my bros?”
*
As soon as they got back to the hotel, Zhou Anran was “held accountable” again.
Yan Xingxi lay face down on the bed, frowning: “Tell me, am I still your best friend or not?”
Zhou Anran pleaded: “I made a mistake. I just felt embarrassed to tell you guys.”
Yan Xingxi, who wasn’t angry, couldn’t keep up the stern face anymore, but still tried: “Well, I won’t forgive you without a cup of milk tea.”
“I’ll treat you tomorrow, even two cups if you want.” Zhou Anran readily agreed.
Sheng Xiaowen lay flat on the bed: “We all heard that.”
Zhang Shuxian: “We’re just not sure if we’re still someone’s best friends anymore.”
Zhou Anran: “I didn’t say I wouldn’t treat you all. I’ll treat everyone.”
“That’s more like it.”
“We’ll let you off the hook this time.”
“Ah.” Yan Xingxi couldn’t hold it in anymore. She chuckled first, then let out a long sigh. “I never thought Anran would end up dating Chen Luobai.”
Zhang Shuxian: “I didn’t expect it either. I remember once saying that if I were Chen Luobai, I’d like someone as pure and gentle as Anran. Now that I think about it, I was practically a prophet.”
Sheng Xiaowen also mused: “And we’ve become friends with Tang Jianrui and the others. We couldn’t hang out together in high school, but now we’re friends. Time is amazing.”
Zhou Anran’s eyes curved into a smile.
She was the one who had least expected it.
Yan Xingxi suddenly seemed to remember something: “Oh right, Anran, remember when I once told you something about God paving a grand path for Chen Luobai? And now that grand path has become my bestie’s boyfriend.”
Zhou Anran wanted to nod but realized she was lying flat on the bed and couldn’t nod conveniently, so she just laughed and responded: “I remember. That afternoon when you were on your way back, you sang ‘The Grand Path is Wide and Broad’ the whole way.”
After a pause, remembering how they always said she kept things from them, Zhou Anran added with a blush: “Then that night when I went back to do homework, I wrote ‘grand path’ all over my draft book. When my mom came in to bring me milk, I felt like I was writing his name and instinctively tried to hide it.”
Yan Xingxi and the others suddenly became curious.
“Then how did Auntie react?”
“She didn’t react much at the time, but later she secretly told my dad not to worry about me dating early, saying I hadn’t grown up yet and was still interested in watching ‘Journey to the West’.” When Zhou Anran overheard this at the time, she was a bit upset, feeling that Mrs. He didn’t respect her privacy enough. Now thinking about it, she just found it warm and funny.
Yan Xingxi and the others all burst into laughter.
Yan Xingxi asked her again: “Have you told Uncle and Auntie about your relationship with Chen Luobai?”
“Not yet.” Bringing up this topic, Zhou Anran felt a bit troubled again. “I still don’t know how to tell them.”
Yan Xingxi thought for a moment: “You’re in college now, they shouldn’t oppose it, right? If needed, I can put in a good word for you later.”
Zhou Anran: “Let’s think about how to tell them when we go back.”
Yan Xingxi suddenly remembered something: “Ah, how did I forget to sing ‘The Grand Path is Wide and Broad’ today? It’s quite nice.”
“Forget it.” Zhang Shuxian teased her. “Once you’re in the KTV, you only remember your idol. How could you possibly remember anyone else?”
Yan Xingxi: “Wuwuwu, I miss my idol so much. When will he come to Beicheng for a tour? If he comes to Beicheng for a concert, Anran, Xiaowen, you two will come with me to watch, right?”
“Hey hey hey, I’m still here.” Zhang Shuxian complained.
Yan Xingxi: “If you want to come, of course I’d be even happier.”
Zhang Shuxian: “…”
“Wuwuwu, why didn’t I score a few more points back then?”
Sheng Xiaowen: “But Anran, will Chen Luobai let you come? He seemed reluctant to let you stay with us for just one night.”
Zhou Anran: “Of course, he will.”
He just sounded a bit sour tonight but didn’t try to stop her.
He always seemed to respect her wishes quite a lot.
However, they’ve been apart for a while now, and he hasn’t sent her a single message. Could he still be upset? But he also hasn’t hung out with Tang Jianrui and the others for a long time, so maybe he’s just having fun.
“Alright, showing off your love again.” Zhang Shuxian nudged Sheng Xiaowen. “You shouldn’t have asked.”
Yan Xingxi: “Exactly.”
Zhou Anran: “I’m not.”
“Your tone is so certain, it’s clear you’re sure of his personality. Showing off your love unintentionally is the real deal.” Sheng Xiaowen grinned.
Zhou Anran: “…”
“What do you guys want to eat tomorrow?”
“Anran, your topic change is too clumsy.”
“So is your boyfriend still treating us tomorrow?”
“If you stop teasing me, I’ll treat you all tomorrow.”
“Then forget it, we can afford one meal ourselves, hahahahaha”
“Exactly.”
The girls made a commotion on the two beds pushed together to form one big bed.
The night grew deeper, but it seemed there were always endless topics to chat about.
Until one by one, they couldn’t hold on anymore and dozily fell asleep.
Regarding today’s gathering, Zhou Anran was indeed the one who had least expected it. She couldn’t have even dreamed of it. Her brain seemed to still be in some kind of excited state. Even after Yan Xingxi and the other two’s breathing had become even, she was still wide awake.
Zhou Anran moved gently, reaching out to turn off the light. She was wondering whether to send a message to a certain someone to appease him again but was afraid he might already be asleep.
In the quiet hotel room, her phone suddenly vibrated once.
C: [Are you asleep?]
Zhou Anran first switched her phone to silent mode and then looked at the time. It was almost 1 AM.
Zhou Anran: [About to sleep]
Zhou Anran: [Why aren’t you asleep yet]
The next second, a new message popped up on her phone.
C: [Come out?]
Zhou Anran’s heart skipped a beat.
Two minutes later, she put on a jacket and quietly left the hotel room.
At the door, Chen Luobai was again dressed all in black, leaning lazily against the doorframe. Hearing movement, he straightened up and reached out his hand to her.
“Will you come with me?”
The corridor light was dim, outlining the young man’s features particularly handsomely and attractively.
Even though she had been dating him for a while now, Zhou Anran’s heart still raced intensely at the sight of him like this.
She locked the door with one hand and placed her other hand in his, letting him lead her forward several steps before she managed to ask: “Where are you taking me?”
Chen Luobai turned back and smiled at her, that smile seeming to carry a hint of mischief, yet also brimming with irrepressible youthful spirit.
“Taking you on an elopement.”
Zhou Anran: “…?”
Her heart was still racing.
Strangely, she felt that even if he were taking her to elope right now, she might be bewitched enough to nod and agree.
Their room was some distance from the elevator.
Chen Luobai didn’t take her to the elevator. After walking a short distance, he directly led her into the fire escape stairwell, then went up two floors before exiting, until they stopped in front of a room.
The young man took out a key card from his pocket and swiped open the door.
Zhou Anran was pulled inside by him.
Then she was pushed back against the door, the force causing the door to close behind her.
The series of actions was completed in one smooth motion.
Whether he forgot or did it on purpose, Chen Luobai didn’t insert the key card into the slot, leaving the room in darkness.
Zhou Anran looked up, only able to make out the vague outline of his face and his extremely bright eyes.
They had practically run up here with him pulling her along, and she hadn’t caught her breath yet, her breathing still erratic: “When you said you were taking me on an elopement, you just meant coming to this room?”
“Where we elope to isn’t important, what’s important is—” Chen Luobai paused, leaning down close to her, his voice and the heat of his breath right by her ear, “to do something naughty.”