【38.】

  After a busy day, when I returned to the dormitory, I was so tired that even breathing was a luxury. I lay on the table with my eyes closed, resentfully thinking about why my life is so hard.

  My phone rang in my pocket, I was too lazy to answer it, but the person calling seemed determined to drag me out of my quietness, so I reluctantly took it out.

  Damn it!

  It's Du Bin after all.

  "Hey!" I blurted out angrily "What's up?"

  He obviously didn't expect me to be so angry either. He was stunned for a moment, and then seemed to laugh: "How can you have such a big temper."

  I was annoyed: "Yes, can't compare with you. When you were having tea in the dean's office, I was still running errands for my instructor. Why don't you try running around for an afternoon and see if it improves your temper?"

  His smile still lingered: "Alright."

  This sentence sounds like coaxing a child, and I feel a sense of powerlessness and indignation rising up in my heart, as if I had punched a cotton ball, the kind of pent-up frustration that has nowhere to vent is the most unbearable.

  I'm silently speechless, and for this kind of good person, sometimes it's really contradictory.

  "Let's go out and eat in a bit."

  "No."

  I responded quickly, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense. Du Bin wasn't one to lose his temper often, but I just didn't fear him, as if I knew he wouldn't get angry with me. In the end, it was because he liked me that he became humble. I'm always polite and courteous to others, so why am I so harsh only towards him?

  Maybe it's because of resentment, or maybe it's because he thinks there's something wrong with this person. But at this moment, suddenly felt that it was very unreasonable, and even the tone softened: "I'm a bit tired today, don't want to go eat. Sorry."

  "He took a deep breath: 'Liu Jia... come out.'"

  This is the rare strong Du Bin, in an instant he didn't react, overlapping with someone in his memory. As soon as he thought of Shen Zhong, his heart felt a wave of sweetness. For a moment, he felt like he was doing something bad behind his back, and then he felt that this idea was extremely foolish.

  "What's wrong after all?"

  "Are you kidding me?"

  This sentence thoroughly awakened me, could it be that he finally revealed his true nature?

  "I like you, so I tolerate your little temper. You can scold me, not like me, and even say harsh words to me, it's all okay." His voice was cool and calm. "However, Liu Jia, you must know what kind of person the one who likes you is. I don't want you to keep misunderstanding me."

  I was left speechless, and indeed, as the head of the organization department, this kind of remark was made with great momentum and a thunderous tone, to the point where even if there were any rebuttals, no one dared to utter them lightly.

  "Willow Jia."

  He called out my name in a low voice again. I had no choice but to respond with "what's up".

  "How much of what I said did you actually take in? Why are you always willing to believe others but not me?"

  What's the relationship between us, and I have to believe you? After hesitating for half a day, I finally squeezed out one sentence: "Anyway, today is very tiring."

  "He sighed and looked at me as if he had no choice: 'When are you free then?'"

  "Never at all."

  Uh...

  I'm so angry I want to punch myself in the head.

  "Look." He seemed to smile. "You're like this, Liu Jia. I've always told myself not to pressure you. People like you, the tighter they're pressed, the less likely they are to be obtained. But I also can't always be so passive."

  I didn't know how to respond because what he said was right, and that's me.

  "My days in this school are numbered. I'm already a junior... He sighed "I don't want to give up on you."

  I suddenly calmed down. Some things are just what I should face up to, even if I don't remember them, there are still people who do, and I can't escape or run away from it.

  "Alright, you said where it is. I'll go find you."

  "I'm right under your dormitory building."

  As expected... He has made up his mind to have a talk with me today.

  Forget it, it's inevitable, can't escape.

  My face was oily, I ran to the bathroom to wash my face. It was a bit cold at night, so I pulled out a jacket and put it on. Only then did I slowly go downstairs with an unwilling look. When he saw me, his tightly furrowed eyebrows finally relaxed a little, and he smiled slightly.

  "You're still feeling stressed about it."

  He said that, and I heard it with my own ears, I just wanted to pinch him to death! He pretended to be so innocent. It was clearly him who started the trouble, okay?!

  I shrugged and pretended to be nonchalant: "I'm used to it, anyway. It's all my business in the end, you won't let me off easy. Ending it early is better, I'll have more free time later."

  He didn't say yes or no, obviously disagreeing with my words. I was too lazy to argue with him, so we reached a very harmonious atmosphere between Du Bin and me. Finally, under my proposal and his promise to treat us, the two of us went to a relatively expensive Hunan restaurant in the city.

  I'm quite fond of spicy food, and when I heard that we were going to eat Hunan cuisine, my mouth started watering.

  Although the dishes here are expensive, they can't stop a large number of delicious people from flocking to them. Du Bin and I came a bit late and almost didn't get a seat. When we passed by a private room, someone came out, and I glanced inside through the door gap, and my heart sank at once.

  Damn it! Why did I have to run into this old man?!

  The door was not closed, and a waitress carrying dishes came over from the opposite side. I turned my body to let her pass, but unfortunately, I lingered at the door for a while again. This time, I got a clear view - Shen Duan was sitting next to a girl with bright eyes and white teeth, who was smiling and looking around.

  I glared at him with hatred and followed Du Bin walking away calmly.

  No sooner had I sat down than Du Bin handed me a menu: "You order first."

  I didn't hesitate at all, as long as the dishes looked good, I ordered them all. Anyway, he has plenty of money, and if we ran out, I'd just tell him to treat me again next time when he's got no more money.

  He looked at me with a hint of a smile and asked, "Not ordering anymore?" as I closed the menu.

  I'm a bit discouraged. How come it's always like this? I want to tease him, but in the end, I'm the one who gets teased.

  The waiter repeated the dishes we ordered, I listened carefully, and couldn't miss a single one. After confirming that everything was correct, Du Bin nodded: "That's it, bring out the dishes now."

  I was listlessly waiting for the dishes, he wasn't in a hurry to talk to me either, just sipping tea cup by cup, so we continued to get along.

  It was me who couldn't help but ask: "Is there anything you want to say to me?"

  He looked at me: "I think you already know what I want to say."

  "I think you also know what I want to say."

  He was taken aback by my words, clearly not expecting me to say that. He silently looked at me for a while, then lowered his head and poured himself a cup of tea, saying: "Is there anything you'd like to ask me?"

  "No."

  He gave me a cold glance with his eyes.

  "Then whenever you have something to ask me, just come find me. Liu Jia, I definitely won't deceive you."

  I nodded like a little chicken pecking at rice: "Then thank you."

  Don't look at the crowd, the speed of serving dishes is not slow at all. We just fought for a round and the dish was served. I took the chopsticks with a hum, picked up some vegetables: "Wow, you only gave us this little meat, it's so expensive."

  He didn't say a word, seemingly aware that I was intentionally being difficult. He didn't even look at me. Feeling embarrassed, I quietly picked up my chopsticks and started eating.

  Awesome!

  So delicious!

  So it makes sense for it to be expensive!

  It's like an advertisement...... Okay, egg butt.

  I wolfed down the food, so much that I didn't even have a stomach to eat the leftovers. Just as I was indulging in the peppers and couldn't help myself, someone knocked on the door.

  He just knocked and came in without getting our consent at all.

  Who's so rude? I had meat in my mouth, turned my head around and got a fright... the meat fell out.

  He smiled and walked over, using his sleeve to wipe my mouth: "Look at you, so greedy."

  Spoiled rotten tone.

  Du Bin also lost that lazy noble appearance from just now, his eyebrows slightly furrowed as he looked at Shen Duan.

  Shen Duan bluntly ignored him and glanced at the dishes on the table: "Is this all you're serving me? Do you think we, the Liu Jia, are inexperienced?"

  Du Bin also didn't show any weakness: "It's all Liu Jia's points, you're probably not qualified to criticize."

  He looked at me with a scolding gaze, patted my face and said: "You still know how to save money for others. But you can't starve your own stomach either... Tsk tsk tsk, let the young master take a look, what a mess of dishes."

  After saying that, Cough cough really took a look at the table and shook his head repeatedly: "Can this be eaten?"

  Grandpa... I'm so sad that I have no tears left. This whole table of food is all mine to eat, and Du Bin hasn't even touched his.

  My awkward response: "Y-yes... it's edible."

  He gave me a glance with eyes like sharp knives, and I didn't dare say another word.

  Shen Duan had never really looked at Du Bin since he arrived, but this time he finally faced him: "From now on, don't give these messy things to Liu Jia. I've been protecting her like a treasure, you mustn't ruin my heart's blood."

  Du Bin stood up and looked at him evenly, without getting angry: "Each other."

  Four ounces move a thousand pounds, I looked at these two people with a sullen face, neither of whom was willing to show weakness. But that's not the point! The key is that I haven't eaten enough yet!!!

  All the delicious food on the table was rejected by Shen Duan, and no matter how open-minded I was, I didn't have an appetite to eat anymore. Shen Duan turned his head and looked at me: "Still not leaving?"

  "Ah? Oh!" I took my coat and followed him, step by step. When we reached the door, I still politely bid farewell to Du Bin.

  He didn't look at me, only showing his profile to me, neither in great anger nor in shame. But a deep sadness. I opened my mouth, but ultimately didn't say a word.