That night at the KTV in the city center, Chen Xixi was singing with her friends, bellowing for two hours. Seeing that it was almost time, she bid her friends goodbye, “I have to head back first, the dorm closes at 11.”
“Let’s sing a bit more, we’re pulling an all-nighter!”
Chen Xixi declined: “No way! We have classes tomorrow.”
Another friend said: “Forget it, let her go back. She’s a study overlord. Hasn’t someone in class been scoring higher than her recently, making her drop to second place? Let’s not disturb this test queen.”
Chen Xixi packed up her things and waved them goodbye, “I’m off.”
Stepping out of the KTV, Chen Xixi looked at the nearby bus stop, which was still over 300 meters away.
Following her navigation app, Chen Xixi walked along when a “meow” sound caught her attention. Over in the small alley was a little kitten. She loved these furry creatures. Just as she wanted to approach it, she suddenly recalled Chu Yang’s words, “Don’t go into small alleys.”
Chen Xixi paused in her tracks, then shook her head. Why should she listen to Chu Yang? She had a protective amulet anyway.
Entering the small alley, Chen Xixi turned on her phone’s flashlight, soon spotting a kitten curled up to one side, looking extremely pitiful. Chen Xixi took out a sausage from her bag, “Kitty kitty, come eat.”
The kitten let out two “meows”, then started eating the sausage Chen Xixi held out.
Suddenly, the kitten stood up, its fur puffing out as it let out a sharp “Meow!”
Chen Xixi: “What’s wrong? Did you choke?”
Chen Xixi wanted to take out some water from her bag, when she suddenly noticed a tall shadow next to her, its hand reaching out towards her!
Chen Xixi was so frightened she wanted to scream but her mouth was covered. She was also drugged and soon lost consciousness. As she fainted, Chu Yang’s words echoed in her mind: Even if it costs your life, you’d still go?
Soon, only the sounds of meowing echoed in the alley.
The man was about to stuff the woman into a bag when several people rushed out from both sides, “Don’t move! Police!”
“Put your hands up!”
The man raised his hands. Taking advantage when the police were distracted, he charged out, only to hear a “Bang!” as the man crashed to the ground!
Nearby residents who heard the gunshot were shocked. Soon, a crowd gathered, unsure of what had transpired, only knowing that there had been a gunshot before the police arrived.
Chen Xixi’s dormmates realized she had been gone for too long even though the dorm had already closed for the night.
“What’s going on? Wasn't Xixi supposed to be back tonight? Why isn't she back yet?”
“Right, let’s give her a call.”
“Dudududu” —
“She didn’t pick up. You don’t think something happened right?”
“Shouldn’t be ba.” The three girls looked at one another uneasily.
Feeling anxious, the three of them rested. However, in the early morning, the dorm advisor made a sudden call, “Something happened to Chen Xixi. I’ll come get you guys to keep her company. Her parents will only arrive tomorrow.”
The three girls:!!!
On Li’s side, he received a late-night call, “The perpetrator has been caught!”
Li:!!!?
Chen Xixi felt like she had been running endlessly, with someone behind her chasing her while holding a knife. She ran for a very long time until her pursuer almost caught her. Chen Xixi woke up with a fright.
Opening her eyes, she saw her three dormmates looking at her. Chen Xixi instantly sat up, “I’ve been saved!”
Zhang Xing quickly patted her back, “Yes, yes, yes, you were saved. Though they don’t actually know what happened either.”
Chen Xixi: “Who saved me?”
Zhang Xing: “The police uncle. That’s who we saw when we came.”
Chen Xixi relaxed, “Police uncle. It must have been Chu Yang.”
Zhang Xing didn’t understand: “Chu Yang? Who’s that?”
Chen Xixi shook her head. “Never mind, it’s nothing. Let me rest a bit more.”
“Sure.”
Early next morning, Chi Yan texted Chu Yang, “The perpetrator has been caught.”
Chu Yang: “That’s good then. Thanks.”
Chi Yan: “You’re welcome. Just serving the people.”
But someone else was looking for Chi Yan too. “Little Yan, how did you know where the perpetrator was?”
“Uncle Chen, I have a friend... who divines things.” Fortune-telling was still more believable than saying he predicts the future. He was afraid claiming prophecy would draw too much attention.
“Since when did you get to know someone like this? Oh well, thank you and your friend! Uncle Chen will treat you to a meal next time.” An esteemed family like the Chi's would know all sorts of people so it wasn’t surprising.
Chi Yan: “No need. Just serving the people.”
“Hahaha, good kid. I’ll be off first to handle some things. I’ll bring you gifts next time I visit.”
“Sure Uncle Chen. You go ahead first.”
After hanging up, Chi Yan heaved a sigh of relief.
After staying in the hospital overnight for observation, Chen Xixi was discharged to return to school. She immediately went looking for Chu Yang at his dorm after she got back. “Where’s Chu Yang?”
The only one in the dorm, Zhou Caicai, replied with a simple sentence. “He went out.”
Without lingering, Chen Xixi promptly left.
When Chu Yang returned to the dorm, Zhou Caicai informed him, “A student was here looking for you just now but she left after I said you weren’t in.”
Chu Yang nodded to indicate he understood. “I see.” No need to think further, it must have been Chen Xixi.
That night, Chen Xixi came by again, awkwardly placing down a bag of food. “Thanks.”
Chu Yang accepted it as a matter of course. “It’s good that you’re fine. Listen to people more next time.”
In the past, Chen Xixi would have argued back but at this moment, she nodded earnestly. “Got it.”
“Anything else you need?”
Chen Xixi shook her head.
Chu Yang: “Then take care going back.”
Chen Xixi paused before swiftly turning to leave in large strides, but not before saying once more, “Thanks.” However, she tripped and fell flat on her way out.
Chen Xixi recalled Chu Yang telling her to “take care”.
...She had been wrong. She thought that was merely a polite phrase.
But in truth, Chu Yang really was just being polite. This fall was merely coincidental but Chen Xixi pondered each of Chu Yang’s words carefully thereafter.
She used to call Jin Yang Chu Yang’s bootlicker... It looked like she herself was becoming a “bootlicker” too.
In a private room of a restaurant near campus, Chu Yang awaited company as she had arranged to meet Chi Yan for dinner.
Without his little lamborghini today, Chi Yan arrived in a mercedes benz, dressed in a t-shirt and jeans, looking very youthful and vibrant.
He had even styled his hair with gel and sprayed on cologne. Not only that, he had also deliberately bathed before coming and placed a bouquet in the passenger seat. Since everything was already laid bare, he might as well be bold.
When Chi Yan entered the private room holding the bouquet, Chu Yang’s expression twitched slightly. As he drew near, she waved her fan and said “Achoo!”
“You sprayed on perfume?”
Chi Yan stood awkwardly frozen on the spot. “Yeah. Sorry.”
Seeing how he had dressed up, Chu Yang suddenly laughed. “Why are you so cute? Are the flowers for me? Bring them over.”
Chi Yan immediately stepped forward. “For you.”
“Thank you.”
