Chapter 50

Song Anan didn't know if it was Li Sirui's influence, but she also felt inexplicably nervous.

After the two entered the venue, they sneaked to their seats in a crouching manner.

Song Anan looked around carefully for a good while. Seeing that everyone else was minding their own business without paying attention to her, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Once when she went shopping with her roommate, she was recognized by people at a restaurant in the mall. At that time, she was pulled over by half of the people in the restaurant wanting to take pictures with her. That meal made her almost unable to swallow her food and her cheeks felt strained from smiling.

Just thinking about being surrounded by so many fans in the entire stadium made her shudder.

After sitting down, Song Anan's emotions gradually calmed down. They had arrived before the concert started anyway, so it wasn't long before the concert began.

The entire stadium suddenly went dark, and the stage lights in the middle gradually lit up.

The scene instantly became quiet, as if everyone was holding their breath and staring intently at the stage without even daring to breathe.

Until Pei Kuang appeared on stage, screams instantly echoed throughout the entire stadium.

Song Anan was stunned. She had never seen anything like this before, and felt her eardrums were about to be pierced.

However, amidst such a noisy environment, all of her attention was drawn to Pei Kuang on stage.

This was a side of him she had never seen before, completely different from his usual self.

As Li Sirui described, Pei Kuang on stage was like a charming demon.

The concert lasted two and a half hours.

Song Anan gradually got into the atmosphere, swaying her lightstick along with the music, and shouting along with the fans' screams once or twice.

Her senses were completely carried away by the fans and the person on stage.

Midway through, Song Linchuan came on stage as a guest performer and sang two songs, which Song Anan already knew about, so she wasn't too surprised.

The concert soon came to an end, with only one song left.

Pei Kuang went backstage to change into his final outfit, and the crowd in the venue temporarily quieted down.

But perhaps because they relaxed too much during this break, at this gap, Song Anan was actually recognized by a little girl sitting next to her.

She turned to look at Song Anan and after confirming it several times with an expression of shock, she exclaimed, "Auntie!"

Song Anan was taken aback, only reacting belatedly that her hat had fallen off earlier and she hadn't put it back on, and her mask had slipped down below her nose, barely covering half of her face.

No wonder she got recognized!

With the girl's words, people around them turned to look over.

Gradually, more people recognized her, causing a small commotion, fortunately it was in the inner area and still under control.

Li Sirui held Song Anan's arm the entire time. Just as the two were at a loss, the lights on and off stage switched instantly. Pei Kuang had just changed into his outfit and came up.

The crowd's attention was instantly drawn to the stage.

Now was the time to leave if any!

Li Sirui grabbed Song Anan and took advantage of the fans around them who hadn't reacted yet to quickly slip away.

The two ran all the way and got into a taxi outside the stadium.

"Phew~" Li Sirui let out a long breath, "That really scared me, I thought I wouldn't be able to protect you for a moment there."

Just thinking about being surrounded by so many fans was frightening.

Song Anan was also still apprehensive.

Although she knew they wouldn't do anything to her, the momentum was quite scary.

The two calmed down for the entire ride before the taxi stopped at the north gate of B University.

There was a food street here with many cheap and delicious foods that B University students liked to frequent.

Song Anan had heard before that going to concerts was a strenuous activity. At that time, she didn't quite understand, but today she had personally experienced it.

She was quite hungry.

The two found a restaurant with braised chicken rice and each ordered a serving. Song Anan also went to the milk tea shop next door to buy two large milk teas.

Li Sirui was mainly browsing Weibo. Seeing her come back, she directly handed her phone over.

"You're on the hot search again!"

#Auntie spotted at Pei Kuang's concert, their aunt-nephew relationship is indeed close!#

Song Anan glanced at the tag and felt a little glum.

What close aunt-nephew relationship, they weren't even related.

"Don't worry about it, it'll go down soon. Pei Kuang's side will handle it." Song Anan said.

Based on past experience, Pei Kuang had always been very cautious about getting involved in hot searches related to her, as if afraid of being associated with her.

Although she knew he was doing this to protect her, thinking about it still made her feel depressed.

After eating, Song Anan didn't linger outside the school with Li Sirui for long and went straight back to their dorm.

On the way, Song Anan suddenly received a call from Song Linchuan. Only then did she suddenly realize that she had forgotten to tell him and Pei Kuang about leaving early.

Originally, according to their prior agreement, she was supposed to go backstage to find them after the concert, but this happened midway.

Song Linchuan said he wanted to celebrate the successful concert and planned to have a small gathering at his place, asking if she could make it.

Song Anan hesitated for a moment before agreeing.

After hanging up, she asked Li Sirui if she wanted to go.

Li Sirui always kept her distance. She knew it wasn't suitable for her to appear at such occasions.

She righteously declined, "No, a fan's principle is to keep a distance from the idol's life."

Song Anan: "..."

B University wasn't far from Song Linchuan's condo. Song Anan didn't ask him to pick her up and took a taxi directly from the school gate.

When she arrived, Song Linchuan was already home, but Pei Kuang was nowhere to be seen.

"It's just you?" she asked.

Didn't he say they were celebrating? What was there to celebrate without the main character?

Song Linchuan waved his hand. "Don't mention it. Just now at the condo entrance, Pei Kuang took a call and left. It seemed like it was his family looking for him."

Song Anan was puzzled for a moment. "Family?"

Song Linchuan lightly hmm-ed, "If I didn't guess wrong, it should be his mother. After all, there's not many people left in his family."

Song Anan's brow furrowed slightly. What did he mean not many people left in his family?

Song Linchuan didn't keep her guessing and told her some basic information about Pei Kuang's family.

However, he didn't know too much about it himself, only the general idea.

Pei Kuang's father passed away when he was young. His mother abandoned him and remarried. He grew up with his grandmother and had almost no contact with his mother.

Later his grandmother became seriously ill, which was why he dropped out of school at 15 and hastily signed with an unreliable agency due to lack of money.

"What happened to his grandmother in the end?" Song Anan asked.

Song Linchuan sighed silently, "She passed away too."

Song Anan was stunned for a moment.

Only then did she react belatedly to the deeper meaning behind the words "not many people left in his family".

"Little auntie, if Pei Kuang comes back later, let's try not to bring up his family matters." Song Linchuan said.

Song Anan nodded absently.

She had heard a saying before that some people who seemed casual and unrestrained had already been scarred all over behind the scenes. She thought Pei Kuang was probably that kind of person.

Just like how no one would think that someone who looked so gentle on the surface would have such a desolate family.

Song Linchuan had ordered takeout online before they came back, barbecue and beer.

With Pei Kuang not around, they couldn't let the food sit for too long, so the two slowly started eating. By the time they were almost done, he still hadn't returned.

"Little auntie, are you going back to school or want to stay here for the night?" Song Linchuan said.

Song Anan waved her hand. It wasn't the dorm's curfew yet so she could still make it back.

"I have an early class tomorrow, afraid I won't make it in time."

Hearing her reason, Song Linchuan didn't insist on asking her to stay. He grabbed his coat, about to send Song Anan back, but just as they were leaving, he received a call from Jiang Han.

There was some urgent work that needed confirmation from him now.

"Little auntie, wait for me for a bit. I'll be right back to send you."

With that said, he hurriedly went to his study.

Seeing that he was held up, and since it wasn't too late with the distance being near, Song Anan left him a note in the living room and left first.

When leaving, she saw the trash can and brought the trash down with her.

Song Anan came out from the building. A cold wind blew over and a few snowflakes drifted over and landed on her. She subconsciously shrank her neck.

The weather forecast said there would be snow these two days. She didn't expect it to start snowing already.

Fortunately the snow wasn't heavy yet. She pulled her down jacket tighter and hurried to throw away the trash then get a taxi.

It wasn't good to stay outdoors long in this weather, too cold.

Song Anan jogged towards the trash can to quickly dispose of the trash. Just after throwing it in and looking up, she happened to see someone sitting on the lamp post bench not far away.

The silhouette looked a bit familiar. She walked a few more steps in that direction and confirmed it was Pei Kuang.

He seemed to be in a bad mood, with a cigarette between his fingers.

From the way he smoked, it was skilled and unrestrained, carrying a hint of nonchalance.

Song Anan thought for a moment before walking over.

Sensing someone approaching, Pei Kuang reflexively turned to look. Seeing it was Song Anan, he paused.

"Why didn't you go upstairs?" Song Anan looked at him and asked, "Linchuan and I were waiting for you."

Pei Kuang put out the cigarette in his hand. There were no trash cans nearby, so he could only pinch the extinguished cigarette butt in his hand.

"I was just about to finish this cigarette before going up." He explained.

Song Anan lightly hmm-ed, not saying anything more.

She looked at the cigarette in his hand, wanting to speak out several times, but ultimately kept silent.

Pei Kuang noticed all her little movements, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily curved up.

"What's wrong, not going to say something?"

Like, smoking is bad for your health and the like.

Song Anan didn't answer his question, but instead asked, "Are you in a bad mood?"

Pei Kuang switched the cigarette butt to his other hand and pinched it. "So in your heart, smoking equates to being in a bad mood?"

Song Anan didn't refute his words.

Pei Kuang glanced at her and laughed, "Just had a craving for a smoke, not in a bad mood."

Song Anan lightly hmm-ed again, not saying whether she believed it or not.

The two were silent for a moment.

Snowflakes floated down from the sky lightly and melted immediately upon landing on their clothes.

Song An'an thought of the question he had just asked her, "Why don't you tell me about it?"

Pei Kuang was stunned for a moment.

Where did this question come from? It seemed like he had never thought her talkative before.

Song An'an pouted and lowered her head sullenly, "I know Linchuan has often said this about me behind my back, forget it..."

She was the elder, she would not quibble with him.

Pei Kuang chuckled lightly.

He could not defend Song Linchuan on this one.

"No." He said.

Song An'an turned to look at him, "Hmm?"

Pei Kuang's mouth turned up slightly, "I said, I won't find you talkative."

Song An'an seemed a little surprised, "Do you want me to talk about you?"

Pei Kuang's eyebrows raised slightly,

He looked into the darkness ahead, with a hint of inscrutable emotion passing through his eyes.

After a long while, he suddenly said in a low voice, "You can try."

Song An'an was very surprised. He was so strange, he actually wanted someone to nag him?

But on second thought, considering what Song Linchuan had said tonight, she seemed to understand a little.

Pei Kuang was also very surprised. He couldn't remember how long it had been since someone nagged him. To think he would let a little girl nag him.

He laughed bitterly. He had thought that person would no longer have any influence on him, but it turned out he had overestimated himself.

"Well, isn't it an elder's duty?" Pei Kuang said lightly, "You can't just exercise power without fulfilling your duties, right?"

Song An'an: "???"

What power had she exercised?!

Their nonsensical conversation was forced to stop when Song Linchuan called.

Learning that Song An'an was going back to school, Pei Kuang offered to take her back.

That night, Song An'an rushed back to the dorm before locking the door.

Only Li Sirui and Cheng Ke were in the dorm. Seeing Song An'an, they couldn't help but be surprised.

Li Sirui said, "It's so late, I thought you'd be staying there tonight."

Song An'an replied, "I have class tomorrow morning. I was afraid I wouldn't make it."

The two realized it made sense. Tomorrow morning's teacher was notoriously strict. If she was caught being late, it would be terrible.

Cheng Ke said, "I texted Xiaodi to give her a heads up."

But just as she picked up her phone, the dorm door was pushed open again.

Cai Xiaodi came in carrying a bouquet of flowers, "I'm back."

Li Sirui and Cheng Ke looked at each other in surprise, and suddenly stood up together, "Oh no, we haven't washed up yet!"

With that said, the two rushed straight to the bathroom, pushing and shoving each other playfully.

Song An'an/Cai Xiaodi: "..."

The two who were thought to be not coming back both came back one after the other, making the bathroom suddenly in high demand.

The four took turns washing up, climbed into bed, and turned off the lights.

There was a rustling sound in the dark, as if no one was asleep.

"Since we're all awake, how about a late night dorm chat?" Li Sirui suggested.

Cheng Ke asked, "Talk about what?"

"Of course we have to talk about something exciting!" Li Sirui chuckled mischievously.

The other three: "..."

Li Sirui: "Cai Xiaodi, don't play dead. I'm talking to you, come clean! "

Cai Xiaodi immediately sat up, "Li Sirui, make it clear, what does this have to do with me?" Li Sirui: "Don't give me that. Tell us about you secretly breaking up, we've been too busy to interrogate you about it before."

Hearing it was about this matter, Cai Xiaodi immediately calmed down and lay back down obediently.

"I wouldn't call it a secret breakup. I told you guys the day after we officially got together."

Cai Xiaodi and her boyfriend had just started dating this semester. They were high school classmates. Both went to universities in City B, but not the same one.

But Li Sirui didn't buy it. "How is that not a secret? You and your boyfriend, when did you two get together? We didn't notice anything at all."

Cai Xiaodi argued, "Then it was just you who didn't notice. Cheng Ke had already found out."

Cheng Ke knew about it. Li Sirui was a little surprised. How could she not have noticed at all?

She persisted, "Cheng Ke knowing alone doesn't count. Among the four of us in the dorm excluding you, An'an and I didn't know. Three to two, okay?"

Cai Xiaodi: "Who said An'an didn't know?"

Li Sirui couldn't believe it: "How is that possible!"

Song An'an honestly replied, "...I guessed a little."

Li Sirui was no longer calm. So it turned out she was the only one kept in the dark!

Moreover, this was illogical. Song An'an was just a clueless bookworm. How could she have discovered what she herself failed to notice?

"An'an, how did you guess?"

Song An'an thought about it and replied, "One night some time ago when I came back, I passed by the small woods next door and saw Xiaodi's boyfriend confessing to her."

Not just Li Sirui was surprised to hear this, Cai Xiaodi was even more shocked.

When she told her roommates she was in a relationship, seeing that Song An'an didn't seem very surprised, she thought Song An'an must have guessed something. She didn't expect her to have caught them in the act!

"Little An'an, I can't believe you kept it to yourself after witnessing that!" Cheng Ke admired.

Cai Xiaodi and Li Sirui agreed with a murmur.

After all, after Cai Xiaodi was confessed to by her boyfriend, she had agonized for a whole month before agreeing.

Song An'an scratched her head. She actually didn't know why she kept running into people's confession scenes, first Song Linchuan, now Cai Xiaodi.

However, it wasn't that Song An'an had kept it to herself, she just didn't know how to talk about it.

By analogy, she felt Cai Xiaodi probably wouldn't have wanted too many people to know back then either. Otherwise she would have said it herself.

The topic of interrogating Cai Xiaodi seemed to have passed, but the topics that followed still revolved around her.

Of course, Li Sirui and Cheng Ke did all the questioning, Cai Xiaodi answered, and Song An'an just played audience.

But the scope kept expanding, from when they held hands, to whether they kissed, and then to whether they...

Cai Xiaodi was obviously struggling to parry. "What are you guys doing? Pay attention, don't forget there's still a minor here."

Cheng Ke waved dismissively, "What's there to be afraid of? The child's about to grow up. It's time she knew."

Li Sirui echoed, "Exactly! We can't be overprotective either. Why, when I was seventeen, I had already started browsing adult manga."

The other three: "..."

Cai Xiaodi coughed lightly, "In that case, you two have already asked so many questions. It should be An'an's turn to ask now."

The two agreed it made sense. "Alright, An'an you ask then."

Song An'an was surprised. Let her ask?

But what to ask?

She thought about it for a good while, and asked, "Xiaodi, how did you confirm you liked your boyfriend?"

The first reaction from all three was a bit of confusion. What kind of question was that?

But Cai Xiaodi quickly understood what Song An'an was asking.

She and her boyfriend were high school classmates. Although they went to different universities after enrolling, they still kept in touch all along, but it had always been as friends.

This was also why Cai Xiaodi had agonized for a whole month.

She wasn't sure if what she felt was really liking someone.

As for how she confirmed it...

Cai Xiaodi thought about it and replied earnestly: "When we have physical contact, my heart pounds. I often can't help but want to see him. I'll wait for his messages unconsciously. I'll fret over everything about him. I'll..."

In the darkness, Song An'an's eyes flickered slightly.

That night, she confirmed one thing.

So these were all manifestations of liking someone after all.

And she, she had fallen for Pei Kuang.

Time passed steadily. The New Year holiday soon arrived.

For medical students, the New Year holiday was virtually non-existent, after all, finals were after the holiday.

And for medical students, there was no such thing as focusing on key points, because the whole textbook was key points.

Song An'an spent the three days of holiday in the library.

On the third night, she suddenly received a WeChat message from Shen Tang, asking if she had time because there was something she wanted to discuss with her.

When Song An'an came out of the library, Shen Tang was already waiting at the door. The two found a bench to sit on in a nearby lawn.

"Sister Shen Tang, what did you want to see me for?"

Shen Tang smiled and said, "Nothing much, just wanted to apologize for what happened last time."

Song An'an was puzzled. Apologize for what?

Seeing her reaction, Shen Tang knew she hadn't taken what happened to heart at all. Shen Tang thought that was good, no need to get angry over insignificant people and matters.

"Last time on my birthday, I didn't know Liu He would bring those friends over either. Sorry about that." Shen Tang said.

Song An'an then recalled what had happened. "It's really okay. I forgot about it long ago. Are you and your boyfriend alright?"

Shen Tang waved her hand. "More accurately, ex-boyfriend."

Song An'an was stunned for a moment.

Could it be related to what happened that day? Then wouldn't she be implicated too?

Shen Tang patted her shoulder, "It's got nothing to do with you. We just weren't suitable to begin with."

This was also why she had waited so long before looking for Song An'an. She had broken up with him after the birthday party, and it had dragged on for so long.

"Although Liu He was my first boyfriend, he wasn't the first person I liked..."

Shen Tang seemed to really want to confide in her, and started telling Song An'an about her relationship and crush history.

It turned out she had liked a boy in high school, but because that boy was going abroad, she didn't confess her feelings to him, although he had confessed to her.

"At that time, I don't know why I could be so rational, thinking that time and distance would eventually fade everything away. So I figured, why even start."

Song An'an looked at Shen Tang, suddenly a little hesitant.

Shen Tang touched her own face, "What is it? Is there something on my face that you're staring at me like that?"

Song An'an shook her head. "Sister, can I ask you a question?"

Shen Tang was startled, she probably guessed what Song An'an wanted to ask.

"Were you wondering if I regretted my choice back then?" Song Anan nodded.

Shen Tang let out a deep sigh, her gaze falling somewhere in the void.

"How could I not regret it? At the age when I should have been brave, I hesitated and looked back..."

So later, although I knew that Liu He and I had some differences in values, I still recklessly followed my initial fondness.

Just like this birthday - according to her, we'd find a nice, affordable place near B University and celebrate with friends.

But Liu He felt we had to go to some high-class club, or it would be too embarrassing.

Still, I don't regret starting this relationship. After all, we did have some really happy times together.

"So, I should have followed my own heart back then. Whether or not it worked out doesn't matter." Shen Tang lamented.

"What's important is that I tried, I did my best, so I have no regrets!"