Chapter 457 — Wasted Effort: Feng Xiaoxiao wiped away her tears and stopped crying, yet did not leave; with her chin propped in her hand, she gazed at Wei Zhao unblinkingly, her eyes brimming with adoration and tenderness.

Feng Xiaoxiao's stare made Wei Zhao uncomfortable, and Tang Yun found it even more awkward. What was this, really? Wei Zhao was her boyfriend, yet here sat one of his admirers, watching him like that without so much as blinking. Was she ever going to get to eat in peace?

"Feng Xiaoxiao, aren't you eating?" Tang Yun could hold back no longer. She could not very well chase the girl away, but neither could she let her go on and on staring at Wei Zhao.

"No. Watching Wei Zhao eat makes me happier than eating myself," Feng Xiaoxiao murmured.

"You—" Tang Yun was so choked by Feng Xiaoxiao's answer that she could not find another word to say.

At last they survived that awkward stretch in the cafeteria, and Wei Zhao led Tang Yun outside.

"Can you make sure she doesn't tag along next time?" Tang Yun could not help saying to Wei Zhao. "With her sitting beside us I feel all strange; I can't even eat anything."

"You think I want her following us around?" Wei Zhao smiled ruefully.

Tang Yun pouted in some displeasure, but could think of no way out of it. She wanted to say something, yet feared Wei Zhao would think her petty, and she was secretly annoyed with herself: why was she growing so prone to fretting over every gain and loss? Where had her old courage gone?

Before, she could have mocked Wei Zhao without a care, even stomped on his foot; but now, before doing anything, she had to think it over first. Was she really afraid that Feng Xiaoxiao would come and wrest Wei Zhao away from her?

What on earth am I thinking? Tang Yun felt a flush of shame and clicked her tongue at herself, refusing to dwell on such nonsense any longer. The college entrance examination was only a few months away, yet because of troubles at home and with Wei Zhao, she had only just finished reviewing the second-year curriculum. She still had the whole third-year course to go over, or there would not be time.

Back in the classroom in a hurry, Tang Yun took out her third-year textbooks and set to work, flinging all those muddled thoughts aside.

When Feng Xiaoxiao returned to the classroom she had bought Wei Zhao another bottle of drink. "Wei Zhao, this is a newly released fruit tea; it looks like it tastes really good. I bought two bottles — try one?"

"Feng Xiaoxiao, what exactly are you after?" Wei Zhao took the drink she offered but did not drink it, setting it down beside him instead.

"Nothing, really. I just want to be able to stay by your side — that's all." Feng Xiaoxiao spoke earnestly. "I won't tease you again; you can count on it." Hearing such airy, hollow words from her, Wei Zhao knew that going on with the conversation would be pointless, and he simply stopped paying her any attention.

Wei Zhao had expected Feng Xiaoxiao's novelty to last no more than a day or two: if he ignored her and let her plan go no further, the girl would grow bored and retreat in the face of such a rebuff. But to his surprise, for day after day Feng Xiaoxiao held to a single posture — wherever Wei Zhao went, she went with him.

When he went to the restroom she waited at the door; when he went to find Tang Yun she trailed along beside them. Tang Yun was nearly grinding her teeth in fury, and in her heart she grew all the more suspicious of Feng Xiaoxiao's motives.

Zhong Yongliang had genuinely managed to charter a private seaplane through the seaside beach club in Binfen City. The fee was steep — tens of thousands of yuan for a single flight — but such expenses were nothing to Zhong Yongliang now, far cheaper than buying an aircraft of his own, surely. And if it pleased Gu Mengyao, he did not mind spending a little more.

The plane, though not large, had more than enough room for the forty-odd members of the class, so Zhong Yongliang did not trouble himself to arrange a coach as well. One passenger cost the same as forty; the charter fee was fixed regardless.

When Zhong Yongliang announced that he would take everyone to the beach by private plane, the whole class erupted in excitement all over again.

"However, when you pack personal belongings, you must take care — no flammable or explosive items." Teacher Liu began reading out the flight security regulations to them.

Though the screening for a private aircraft was not as strict as ordinary airport security, certain dangerous goods were still forbidden. To avoid any trouble, Teacher Liu had to give everyone advance warning.

Most of the students would not be carrying anything dangerous, so having heard the list of items from Teacher Liu, they concluded it had nothing to do with them and paid it no mind. Zhong Yongliang, however, was going to have to change some of his plans.

Originally he had meant to bring a barbecue grill and some charcoal along to the beach for an open-air cookout; but since no open flame was permitted aboard the plane, he could not take those things after all.

"Xiaofu, it looks like the barbecue plan is going to run aground. And Gu Mengyao and the others still want to grill shark meat — how are we supposed to manage that for them?" Zhong Yongliang asked.

"Brother Liang, I hear there are those new solar-powered barbecue grills now. Want us to buy one of those?" Gao Xiaofu suggested. "It doesn't seem expensive either — only a few hundred yuan."

"Is that so? Not a bad idea at all. Go buy one, then — I'll leave this in your hands." At Gao Xiaofu's words Zhong Yongliang's mind was immediately put at ease.

Early on Saturday, Zhong Yongliang and Gao Xiaofu arrived at the school loaded down with bundles and bags. A coach had already been booked to wait at the school gate, and the whole class boarded it and set off together for the airport.

Zhong Yongliang had originally meant to drive there himself, but reflecting that both Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu would be riding the coach, he decided he had no business putting on airs of privilege; so once he reached the school he sent his father's chauffeur back and waited with the rest of the classmates for the coach.

Feng Xiaoxiao wore dark sunglasses and a sun hat, with a little backpack on her shoulders — the very picture of a girl off on a trip, dainty and charming, drawing more than a few sideways glances. In the past, the boys in the class had kept their attention fixed almost entirely on Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu; now, with Feng Xiaoxiao among them, a share of it had been drawn away.

Feng Xiaoxiao stood right beside Wei Zhao, leaving everyone half envious and half jealous; yet Wei Zhao himself wore an air of complete indifference, and every one of those boys felt an urge to step forward and take his place.

"Wei Zhao, I brought lots of delicious things!" Feng Xiaoxiao turned her head, her small face flushed pink and glowing with excitement.

"Oh..." Wei Zhao answered flatly.

"I can't swim. When we get there, will you teach me?" This time Feng Xiaoxiao was not lying to Wei Zhao — she truly could not swim at all, a complete landlubber.

"Oh, is that so?" Wei Zhao said lightly. "Neither can I."

"You—" Feng Xiaoxiao was seething. No matter what she said, Wei Zhao always wore that air of it being none of his concern, of not caring in the slightest! Blind man! Feng Xiaoxiao railed inwardly. She had taken such great pains to dress herself up nicely just to win more of his attention, yet Wei Zhao had not so much as glanced at her. All that wasted effort!

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