Returning - Chapter 197
Chapter 197: Where Love Begins
Before she ever met Zhuang Ye, Tang Xi first knew the name "Zhuang Ye".
That was when she had just entered university. With the purpose of coasting for credits, she picked a very obscure club that sounded like it wouldn't require much effort: the Dental Care Association.
This club had just been established by the school, and it had very few members. The recruitment fair didn't even require interviews; everyone who signed up was accepted. So Tang Xi joined the club's WeChat group on the spot, and there were only about twenty to thirty people inside.
The club's welcome orientation was scheduled for Sunday evening. Because new members were joining, the group chat began buzzing starting Saturday afternoon.
Tang Xi changed her display name, casually said hello, and didn't show her face in the group again. It wasn't until the evening that she saw that hours earlier, someone had @mentioned her and a person named Zhuang Ye, asking if they were a couple because even their names were a match.
Tang Xi looked closely and discovered that from surname to given name, both she and Zhuang Ye shared the same radical components. Even the sounds of "Tang" and "Zhuang", and the meanings of "Xi" and "Ye", were extremely similar.
Originally, such teasing could just be laughed off, but considering someone had @mentioned her and she hadn't appeared, which was a bit rude, she ended up replying to that senior student.
Who knew that because she, the person in question, showed up, the few offhand remarks from the afternoon were suddenly endlessly amplified. Even the club president chimed in, saying one was a handsome guy and the other a beautiful girl, truly a good match, and said that in the coming days they would heavily promote the two handsome and beautiful members to try and recruit more newcomers.
She was just an ordinary young girl who usually watched dramas and fangirled over handsome guys with Yu Jin. Seeing the president's words, she couldn't help but curiously click open Zhuang Ye's WeChat.
Unfortunately, his profile picture was just a regular internet image, and his Moments weren't set to be viewable by strangers. She couldn't discern anything at all.
But before long, the other person involved, Zhuang Ye, did show up in the group. Like her, he said he hadn't seen the messages earlier and handled everyone's teasing with a similarly lukewarm yet polite manner.
Looking at his reply, Tang Xi inexplicably felt that this person's personality was perhaps quite similar to hers; neither was the type who easily integrated into a group.
With the mindset of seeing exactly how handsome he was, Tang Xi felt a bit more anticipation when heading to the meeting the next evening. And reality did not disappoint her expectations—the moment she saw Zhuang Ye, she was indeed momentarily dazzled.
She didn't know if Zhuang Ye looked her way with the same purpose, but when their eyes met, both were slightly stunned. She blushed a little, a bit embarrassed, yet couldn't control the smile lifting the corners of her lips. Right there, she messaged Yu Jin on WeChat: [Ahhhhh our school really does seem to have lots of handsome guys, just found another one]
Perhaps using handsome guys and beautiful girls as a gimmick did have some effect. The club later recruited a dozen or so more first-year students. Come the weekend, the entire club would have activities together, cooperating with the school supermarket to hand out toothbrush and toothpaste sample packs and do some dental care promotion.
In everyone's words, this club was pretty boring, and most people were just coasting for credits. Usually, when organizing activities, nobody was very enthusiastic.
Tang Xi was thin-skinned. She always felt that if she didn't usually participate in activities, she'd be too embarrassed when later applying to add credits. So she never missed a session. No matter how boring, she still took it seriously. Gradually, she discovered that Zhuang Ye was the same; he hadn't missed a single activity.
Aside from necessary communication, the two of them hadn't really spoken. Although the handsome guy was pleasing to the eye and she would occasionally gossip about him with Yu Jin in private, she never thought of getting close to him.
She could tell he was just like her, the kind of person who was more reserved around those they weren't familiar with. Polite enough to people, yet always maintaining a sense of distance.
The turning point came on a night after the National Day holiday ended.
That evening, Tang Xi went to the teaching building alone to study as usual. Midway, she had a very long video call with her mother. By the time she realized it, it was almost time for the dormitory building to close.
The entire classroom had only ever been occupied by her. She hurriedly packed up her things, preparing to leave through the back door. When she looked up, she discovered that Zhuang Ye was already standing there, she didn't know since when.
She was slightly surprised and laughed apologetically: "Just now... were you also coming to this classroom? Did I disturb you?"
Zhuang Ye smiled and shook his head: "No, just passing by. Hurry up, the dorms are about to close."
The two, who could be considered acquaintances, came down from the third floor together. Only once outside did they realize a light rain was falling.
Tang Xi hadn't got used to Donghai's weather yet and always forgot to bring an umbrella when going out. But seeing the rain wasn't heavy, she didn't plan to wait. Just as she was about to step into the rain, someone called her back.
Zhuang Ye offered her his umbrella: "Use this."
Tang Xi quickly shook her head: "No need, this rain is very light, I won't get soaked."
Zhuang Ye said nothing but pressed the umbrella into her hand, then walked past her, taking the lead.
Watching his tall, slender figure, Tang Xi paused, opened the umbrella, and caught up, holding it over his head to cover them both.
He was just too tall. It was a bit difficult for her to hold the umbrella for him. Zhuang Ye glanced at her and naturally took the umbrella back. The two of them walked in silence through the rain, neither speaking a word.
She wasn't sure where his dormitory was. After walking a while, she could only tell him: "The North Plaza is fine for me."
He replied: "The shops are all closed already, you can't buy an umbrella."
Then he asked: "Which building do you live in? No problem, I'll walk you over first."
Tang Xi told him her building number. When they reached the entrance, she felt even more embarrassed: "Which building do you live in? Will you make it back in time?"
"Not far." He smiled. "Hurry inside."
"Then, thank you for today." Once inside the dormitory building, she looked outside through the hallway window and found him still there, which made her zone out for a moment.
He seemed to snap out of it too, smiled at her, turned around, and slowly disappeared into the rain.
Although school had only started recently and the entire building housed first-year students, there were already couples saying their long, lovey-dovey goodbyes at the entrance. Quietly watching that scene, then glancing again at Zhuang Ye's retreating figure, Tang Xi couldn't help but curve her lips upward.
She couldn't quite explain why. She just felt inexplicably a little happy. The moment she got back to her dorm, she busied herself messaging Yu Jin on WeChat: [What do you think? What if I were to fall in love?]
Yu Jin, naturally piqued by her words with immense curiosity, simply forced her to recount exactly what happened that night in detail. After listening, she came to a conclusion: [The guy seems decent. Want to try chasing him?]
[Just like that, and I should chase him? I also don't feel like I actually like him. I just think he's quite handsome, a nice person. And he definitely doesn't like me either, he was just innocently being helpful]
[You can't be sure about that. Have there been few guys with bad intentions towards you? The more handsome, the faster you should act. What a shame it would be if someone else snatched him away.]
That was all well and good, but Tang Xi had always been a rational person. Everything was still in a hazy, indistinct stage. She couldn't possibly take any action like Yu Jin suggested. She just thought in her heart, Next time we meet, should I thank him once more?
She thought the next meeting would be at the club activity, but unexpectedly, just three days later, they ran into each other again.
That morning after the first period, she needed to switch classrooms for the second period. Walking with her roommate through the passageway between two teaching buildings, she suddenly heard someone behind her say, in a voice not loud nor soft: "Legs spread that wide, definitely not a virgin anymore. Who knows how many guys have played with her."
She wasn't sure if they were talking about her, but such a foul remark was indeed revolting.
However, during these years relying on each other with her mother, she had formed two main life principles: on small matters, bear it if you can, try to avoid trouble; if you really can't bear it, then don't be afraid of trouble, because the weaker you act, the more people will take advantage.
Clearly, the current situation fell into the former category. Never mind not knowing whether it was directed at her; even if it was, enduring it would let it pass. There was no need to make a fuss.
But just as she was linking arms with her roommate and quickening her pace forward, she suddenly heard a somewhat familiar voice: "Legs spread that wide, I'm willing to bet you two have had something shoved up your asses. Who knows how many guys have played with you pervs."
The voice wasn't very loud, but everyone around could hear it clearly. Instantly, explosive laughter erupted, and many gazes landed unabashedly on those few guys who had uttered the vulgar remarks.
Tang Xi looked back. Sure enough, it was Zhuang Ye.
He and his several classmates were laughing the most exaggeratedly. Seeing her turn around, he even raised an eyebrow at her. That face full of smugness seemed to be asking her if he looked cool.
Tang Xi couldn't help but lower her head and laugh, secretly giving him a thumbs-up.
The class that followed was the one and only class she hadn't paid attention in since starting university, because she spent the entire time chatting with Yu Jin.
[What should I do? I really think Zhuang Ye is so handsome, especially today, too handsome, too handsome]
[I think maybe I kind of like him. Hey, do you think this counts as liking someone?]
[Do you think someone as handsome as him might already have a girlfriend?]
[I'm doomed. I really kind of want to be in a relationship.]
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