Chapter 351 — A Fleeting Tranquility

"Nothing..." Tang Yun shook her head. "Mom, you go ahead and get Dad checked in first. After school tonight, I'll come and see you both."

"All right then. Hurry off and have lunch with Xiaolin — it's past noon already, so go eat, don't let yourselves go hungry!" Mother Tang asked nothing more. She hung up and, beaming with joy, went with Director Qin to complete the admission paperwork.

Guan Xuemin had already put in a word, so of the fees that could be waived, some were naturally waived for Mother Tang; and within the scope of Director Qin's authority, as generous a discount as possible had been granted.

"What's the matter? Not happy?" Wei Zhao glanced at Tang Yun and smiled.

"No... nothing..." Tang Yun was hardly about to admit what was really in her heart. She shook her head. "Come on, let's go eat..."

Wei Zhao and Tang Yun arrived at the cafeteria. It was the busiest hour, and the place was a hubbub of noise and jostling crowds; yet everyone who saw Wei Zhao cleared a path for him of their own accord.

At school, Wei Zhao had become something beyond the Four Young Devils of the campus. Zhong Yongliang, Zou Ruoming — every one of them he had beaten until they dared not strike back. Who would still dare provoke a man like that?

He and Tang Yun ordered two vegetable dishes and one meat dish, and half a catty of rice, then found a table and sat down. Two students were already eating there, but at the sight of Wei Zhao sitting down they gulped their food down in two or three mouthfuls and hastily gave up their seats.

Wei Zhao was somewhat speechless. He had not expected his notoriety to have spread so far. In truth, he had never really done anything villainous, nor had he bullied men and toyed with women the way Zou Ruoming did. So he had dealt with Zou Ruoming and Zhong Yongliang — was that all? What else had he done?

As he set the food and rice on the table, Tang Yun realized she had been too rushed when ordering: the queue had been long, so she had simply asked for half a catty of rice without having it divided into separate portions. Now, eating it would take some effort.

Tang Yun wanted to fetch another bowl and scoop some out, but she was afraid Wei Zhao might think she disliked eating with him. As she hesitated, she heard Wei Zhao say, "Let's share the rice. You eat from one side, I'll eat from the other. You don't mind me, do you?"

"Mm..." Tang Yun shook her head. Since Wei Zhao had said as much, she could hardly go and get a bowl now. Though a little shy, she nonetheless agreed.

Tang Yun carefully ate from her side of the plate of rice, feeling as though countless pairs of eyes were upon her. It was not that the cafeteria had no student couples, but those who dared share a plate of rice in public were very few indeed.

Wei Zhao and Tang Yun had never intended to share a plate of rice; it was only an oversight that had brought things to this pass.

In fact, very few students actually dared to look their way. Who wanted to provoke Wei Zhao? If you looked too long, he might take it as a sign of interest in Tang Yun, and getting a beating for it would hardly be worth the trouble.

Tang Yun's appetite was small; she ate a little and was full. She quickly set down her chopsticks and glanced about out of the corner of her eye. Seeing that no one was looking over, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Only now, the question was no longer whether she minded Wei Zhao, but whether Wei Zhao minded her. She had eaten little and was full before eating much, so the rest of the rice would all be Wei Zhao's — and he would surely eat down to the part she had eaten from...

Did that count as an indirect kiss? At the thought, Tang Yun felt as if a little white rabbit were tucked in her bosom, thumping wildly. She was a little shy, and a little excited too...

She thought of what she had said over the phone last night — that she still owed him a kiss... In what form, in what manner, would she give him that kiss?

Earlier, at the hospital, Wei Zhao had only had her kiss his cheek. But now their relationship had clearly moved a step closer — so would he want to kiss her on the lips?

Tang Yun did not dare follow the thought any further, yet inside she felt not the slightest revulsion... In the past, whenever she saw the hero and heroine kiss on television or in a novel, she would find it disgusting; if a man ever kissed her mouth to mouth, she was sure she would be sick to her stomach... But now, not only did she feel no urge to vomit — deep down there was even a trace of anticipation.

Wei Zhao had eaten slowly at first, afraid Tang Yun would not have enough; but once she had finished, he swept away everything left on the table like wind scattering clouds, leaving Tang Yun staring, dumbstruck.

"Did... did you eat your fill?" Tang Yun had not expected Wei Zhao to have such an appetite. He did not look plump, yet he could put away so much.

"I'm full," Wei Zhao said with a nod.

"Then... shall we go back to the classroom?" A faint reluctance rose in Tang Yun's heart; she did not want to part from Wei Zhao so soon.

"Let's walk around the sports ground for a bit." Wei Zhao stood, gathered up the trays, and walked out of the cafeteria with Tang Yun, setting the trays down carelessly by the door.

The harsh midday sun made Tang Yun narrow her eyes. She raised a small hand to her brow to shield herself from the glare and watched the students frolicking on the sports ground. A feeling of happiness welled up in her.

Just as she was about to leave this school, she had met Wei Zhao. Tang Yun wanted to cheer — yet deep in her heart there was always a faint sense of unease, as though Wei Zhao did not truly belong to her, as though the happiness before her eyes was only fleeting.

In her daze, a large hand caught her small one again. Tang Yun came back to herself, hesitated a moment, then gripped that hand back with all her strength. "Which university do you want to test into?"

This was the first time Tang Yun had worried about their future together; she was afraid this happiness would vanish in an instant.

"I don't know. I don't mind." Wei Zhao shook his head. Wherever Gu Mengyao applied, he would apply — of that there was no doubt. But to set Tang Yun at ease, he smiled and said, "Wherever you test into, I'll test into."

"Mm..." Tang Yun's face broke into a smile, bright in the sunlight, utterly at ease. The stone in her heart finally dropped — though she was still a little worried. "But what if one of us doesn't score high enough?"

"Money can fix it." Wei Zhao shrugged indifferently. "Your worries are unnecessary."

"Nouveau riche!" Tang Yun scolded with a laugh, yet she was truly delighted by how much he valued her.

The two of them walked into the shade of the trees and found a stone step to sit down on.

Tang Yun seemed to have a particular fondness for this patch of shade; she always liked to come here. She propped her chin on her hand and quietly savored the tranquility of the moment.

Wei Zhao stretched lazily, and just as quietly kept her company.

But... this brief tranquility — someone wanted to shatter it...

For Wei Zhao saw Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu walking toward him hand in hand! Gu Mengyao was as cold and frosty as ever, while Shen Yushu was chattering away with a grin...

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