Chapter 21

It was Friday afternoon, and there was no class. The dormitory's study atmosphere was too dull, so Zhen Bao went to the library alone to return some books for Jia Xiao Yu.

The veterinary books were all in the southeast area on the second floor. Zhen Bao picked out two and sat down by a window to read. "Is this seat taken?"

A shadow suddenly appeared in her periphery, pointing to the seat next to her and asking. Zhen Bao shook her head, "No..."

When she looked up, she saw a familiar face.

Meng Ji Ning smiled at her, his handsome face illuminated by the sunlight, looking very dashing.

Zhen Bao opened her mouth in surprise, not expecting such a coincidence.

Meng Ji Ning didn't bring a bag. He put a thick academic journal on the table, and flipped through the cover of Zhen Bao's book, speaking to her in a low voice, "You're just a freshman, isn't it too early to read stuff like this?"

Zhen Bao smiled and lowered her head, "I'm just casually looking."

She continued reading, a serious expression on her face. The library was very quiet, although some people whispered, Zhen Bao didn't like that.

Seeing that she didn't seem interested in chatting, Meng Ji Ning also lowered his head to read his journal. But every time he turned the page to the left, he would take the opportunity to sneak peeks at Zhen Bao. He seldom came to the library, and happened to run into her today - was this fate?

After about ten minutes, Meng Ji Ning slid his phone towards Zhen Bao and asked her to help keep an eye on it while he stepped away.

Zhen Bao thought he was going to the bathroom, but after a while, Meng Ji Ning returned with two bottles of drinks and sat back down, placing a bottle of jasmine tea in front of her. Zhen Bao shook her head, but Meng Ji Ning opened the cap for her and said in a low voice, "Drink it, don't waste it."

Zhen Bao had no choice but to thank him and take a sip.

After drinking, she went back to reading her book. She got sleepy midway and took a nap on the table. When she woke up, Meng Ji Ning was still there.

At 4:30pm, Jia Xiao Yu texted asking when she'd be back to get dinner at the cafeteria. Zhen Bao said in a low voice to Meng Ji Ning, "I'm going first."

"Let's go together," Meng Ji Ning checked his watch and stood up too.

The two walked down the stairs side by side. Zhen Bao went to check out her books while Meng Ji Ning followed her the whole time. Out of the library, Zhen Bao went to get her bike and Meng Ji Ning still trailed after her. Since he was acting this way, Zhen Bao felt too awkward to leave first, so she slowly pushed her bike as they walked together towards the girls' dorm building, since the cafeteria was also in that direction.

When they reached the dorm building, knowing that she was going to eat with her roommates, Meng Ji Ning finally left first.

Zhen Bao went upstairs to put down her books. As soon as she opened the door, Jia Xiao Yu rushed over and closed the door to interrogate her, "Who's the handsome guy who walked here with you? Zhen Bao, I'm telling you, you already have a handsome boyfriend, you can't play both sides. If you take them both, what about the rest of us?"

"What are you talking about? That was just Meng Ji Ning, we went to the same high school. He was also at the library this afternoon so we walked back together." Zhen Bao explained with a smile. Because Feng Yue often mentioned Meng Ji Ning in their dorm, her roommates were already familiar with him.

"You two were in the library together for a whole afternoon?" Qian LeLe poked her head out from her bed, joining the interrogation squad.

Zhen Bao admitted it openly, putting down her books before going to the bathroom first.

Jia Xiao Yu couldn't resist following her to the bathroom door and asking suspiciously, "Does that Meng Ji Ning know you have a boyfriend?"

"Mm," Zhen Bao murmured.

Jia Xiao Yu nodded at Qian LeLe, but still reminded Zhen Bao, "Zhen Bao, be careful. A beauty like you is hard to find even in our college, not to mention our whole university. Watch out for people trying to steal Fu Ming Shi from you."

Zhen Bao knew what "stealing a wall" meant, but she didn't think Meng Ji Ning would have any such intentions. They rarely spoke in high school, and only got familiar at university because they were both in the veterinary club. Besides, Meng Ji Ning had even met Fu Ming Shi before, how could he still like her when he knew she had a boyfriend?

Zhen Bao didn't think she had that much charm anyway. "Let's go, time to eat." Zhen Bao was hungry and dried her hands to go get her meal card.

~

That evening, Zhen Bao concentrated on previewing the next day's lessons while Jia Xiao Yu and Qian LeLe sat together watching the hottest Korean drama. It had been quiet, with only the occasional Korean dialogue drifting over. Suddenly both women shrieked and Jia Xiao Yu even ran over to pull Zhen Bao to watch.

Qian LeLe rewound it and Zhen Bao stood behind her to watch.

On the screen, the handsome male lead and female lead were walking on campus. As they walked, the male lead suddenly pointed ahead and asked the female lead to look. The female lead turned her head but didn't see anything strange, so she turned back to the male lead, only to find he had already bent down waiting for her, and pulled her into a kiss.

Romantic background music played, with soft lighting and the beautiful couple - watching made even Zhen Bao's heart stir.

Once her heart was stirred, she couldn't help but think of Fu Ming Shi's sneak attack that day.

They were in the dark bicycle shed, with no lights or music, yet her heart had beat even faster than now.

"Ooh, Zhen Bao's blushing! Were you thinking about your Fu Ming Shi?" Jia Xiao Yu hugged her shoulders and teased her with a grin.

"Stop fooling around..." Of course Zhen Bao wouldn't admit it. She turned and went back to her own seat, pretending to read her book, but her heart fluttered anxiously when she thought of Fu Ming Shi coming this weekend.

Just as Jia Xiao Yu was about to continue her questioning, Fan Xuan, who had gone home that afternoon, suddenly pushed the door open and loudly announced, "I'm back!"

She was holding a huge bag of oranges and distributed three per person.

Zhen Bao liked oranges and finished all three in one go. Right after, Fu Ming Shi called.

Still not daring to talk to him, Zhen Bao rejected the call and put it on silent, then texted: What's up?

Fu Ming Shi: I'll come find you tomorrow?

Zhen Bao: I'm making up Friday classes tomorrow, 8 periods in one day.

Fu Ming Shi: Then I'll come Sunday, around 4pm to your dorm building.

Zhen Bao replied with a complicated "okay".

After the chat ended, Zhen Bao couldn't concentrate on reading anymore, and went to bed early.

She tossed and turned, unable to sleep, and couldn't help pondering the question that had been bothering her for days - why did Fu Ming Shi kiss her?

When a man kisses a woman, it should mean he likes her right? But in the many days since, Fu Ming Shi had sent her goodnight messages every day, yet never said anything remotely suggestive of liking her. If he didn't say it, Zhen Bao didn't dare assume. But if he didn't like her, why did Fu Ming Shi do that? Was he just bullying her?

Thinking of the second possibility, Zhen Bao's eyes grew damp.

She was relying on him now, wasn't she? He was paying for her university fees, just like in TV dramas where wealthy men help poor women, then take advantage of them. Although that usually happens to villain characters, and Fu Ming Shi didn't seem like a bad person at all, Zhen Bao had only known him a few months and couldn't say for sure what kind of person he really was.

After a whole night of wild imaginations, Zhen Bao woke up the next morning to find something wrong with her lips. Touching them and looking in the mirror, she found a huge blister on the right corner of her mouth...

Jia Xiao Yu and Qian LeLe had no sympathy whatsoever, laughing gleefully at her misfortune. Fan Xuan jokingly put away her unfinished oranges, blaming the blister on Zhen Bao eating too many oranges and getting too "hot" in Chinese medical terms.

Zhen Bao couldn't describe her feelings, but still attended classes all day with the huge blister. That evening, Fu Ming Shi texted to confirm their meeting time. Clutching at straws, Zhen Bao replied: Next week, okay?

Fu Ming Shi: Why?

Zhen Bao lied: I have veterinary club stuff tomorrow.

Fu Ming Shi: Then I'll come over tomorrow night.

Just as Zhen Bao was worrying about finding another excuse, Fu Ming Shi sent another message: Don't tell me you're busy tomorrow night too.

Zhen Bao had a headache, but still replied: Come in the afternoon then. The earlier he came, the earlier he'd leave. There were fewer people outside at night on campus, what if Fu Ming Shi tried something fresh with her again? There'd be safety in numbers during the daytime, he probably wouldn't dare.

On his end, Fu Ming Shi saw the message and guessed Zhen Bao was still shy. He smiled and replied: Don't be nervous.

Zhen Bao suddenly didn't feel like talking to him anymore.

~

It was a rare sunny weekend, crisp autumn air and blue skies.

Fu Ming Shi left the villa at 2pm, stopping by a florist first.

"Handsome, have you decided what flowers you'd like?" The florist was a lively young girl. Seeing Fu Ming Shi dressed like a college student, she smiled and asked.

"Roses," Fu Ming Shi replied lightly.

The florist's smile grew even brighter as she led Fu Ming Shi to look at the roses, "For your girlfriend right? How many, handsome? The more roses, the more your girlfriend will like it!"

Fu Ming Shi tried to imagine giving Zhen Bao a huge bouquet of 999 roses, then carrying it all the way back to her dorm. With her dislike of drawing attention, she'd probably just feel embarrassed instead of happy. Besides, Fu Ming Shi didn't like that many roses either, it was tacky.

"Nine," Fu Ming Shi looked at the roses and said, "Don't wrap the outside with colored paper."

He just wanted the roses, everything else ruined the aesthetics.

The florist simply used a red ribbon to tie the rose stems together.

Fu Ming Shi paid and got in his car to head to University A. Once inside the school, he went first not to the girls' dorms but the lake on campus with the best scenery. Some art students were there plein air painting, all female, sitting on the grass. Fu Ming Shi looked around and approached the one dressed most simply.

Holding the roses in his hand, the chosen girl was completely dumbfounded, a guess flashing through her mind that she didn't dare believe.

"Excuse me, can you help me with something?" Since she was sitting, Fu Ming Shi crouched down on one knee to speak to her, his tone gentle.

Blushing, the girl nodded.

Fu Ming Shi gave her a faint smile and held out the roses. "I'm going to bring a girl over in a bit, and I want to confess to her. So could you help me hold onto these first? I was thinking of giving them to her when we get here, the dorm building has too many people around, no atmosphere."

"Of course!" Even though the flowers weren't for her and the handsome guy wasn't hers either, the student was still extremely excited by such a romantic thing. She took the roses and solemnly promised, "Don't worry, I'll hide them behind my drawing board, she definitely won't see them."

"Thank you." Fu Ming Shi smiled sincerely and glanced at her drawing board as he stood, complimenting it too. "It's beautiful."

The girl covered half her blushing face with one hand holding the flowers, completely disarmed.

With preparations complete here, Fu Ming Shi finally headed towards Zhen Bao's dorm building.

Room 307, Zhen Bao was restless, and went to the bathroom several times. She was more nervous than when taking the college entrance exam. Fu Ming Shi seemed even more frightening than the Grim Reaper in films. Finally she received Fu Ming Shi's message asking her to come downstairs. Zhen Bao was so nervous her hands were shaking.

But she still had to go down.

Going down the stairs, Zhen Bao's legs were also trembling. At the turn of the stairs on the second floor, Zhen Bao looked down along the gap next to the handrail. At a glance she saw Fu Ming Shi standing in the lobby, facing the direction of the stairs, with one hand in his pocket. His handsome face was as cold as usual, giving no hint of what he was thinking.

Sensing that he was about to look up, Zhen Bao quickly pulled her head back.

But once downstairs, there was no escaping. Zhen Bao kept her head low, feeling Fu Ming Shi's gaze on her. Her face felt like it was on fire.

She walked down slowly step by step. Fu Ming Shi saw her flaming red face, and also the blister at the corner of her mouth.

Fu Ming Shi stared incredulously at the blister. He could understand her shyness at facing him, but did she have to get so angry over this?

Just as he thought this, the girl on the stairs suddenly missed a step and fell forward straight down.

Fu Ming Shi was shocked. His body reacted before his mind, taking a step forward and reaching out to catch her. He smoothly put his arms around her waist, turned around, and set her down on the ground. Zhen Bao's heart pounded wildly, scared but also nervous. She leaned against him, confused and at a loss. Fu Ming Shi also did not let go, lowering his head to whisper in her ear, "Does this count as throwing yourself into my arms?"

The warm and ambiguous tone blew her mind into even more chaos.