Chapter 41: Sudden Yet Still Beautiful

The time for a song passed quietly.

As the song ended, Tang Song returned to his squad amidst a tide of enthusiastic applause; no sooner had he sat down than Lin Yang gave him a thumbs-up.

"Tang, that part just now was truly beyond words. Look at how many girls around here are casting amorous glances this way."

Shen Yan snapped his fingers and said with a smile, "Someone was watching you from the sidelines the whole time; if you call her out alone later, I reckon it's a sure thing."

Tang Song nodded with a chuckle.

Just now on the field, he had been secretly observing Yuan Mingqing's reaction; that shy, downcast look could not be faked. It made sense, too; the two of them already had mutual feelings, and now that the window paper had been poked through, the rest would naturally fall into place.

Glancing to the front right at Wu Yue'er's graceful and charming back, Lin Yang began to sigh repeatedly, wondering why liking someone had to be so difficult.

Shen Yan shook his head helplessly; Lin Yang was of average height, average ability, and only slightly handsome, and he wasn't a rich second generation—what did he have to impress Wu Yue'er with?

People! The most terrifying thing is not that one's strength doesn't match one's ambition, but that one cannot see oneself clearly.

If you choose the wrong path from the start, how could you ever reach the finish line?

Yet, things like this are hard to say plainly, as it hurts one's self-esteem; some people just don't know what despair is until they've tried their hardest.

Hopefully, after some time, Lin Yang will hit a wall and come to his senses.

At nine in the evening, most students had finished class and returned to their dorms; the winding paths of the campus flickered with light, lined with tall dawn redwood trees, from which came the sparse chirping of insects and birds.

Having finished a day of military training, the vast number of freshmen rushed out of the playground in a swarm, full of joy and excitement, either heading out in groups or returning to their nests like birds; in an instant, the quiet and lonely campus became bustling with noise once again.

Ten minutes later, Shen Yan and Hao Anqi were strolling along Zijin Road in their camouflage uniforms, the bright moon casting charming light and shadows that stretched their figures long and thin.

"Shen Yan?"

Suddenly, Shen Yan heard someone calling his name; he turned his head and discovered his counselor, Huang Shuren, stopped by the side of the road on a small electric scooter, looking at him in surprise.

"It really is you."

Huang Shuren had a very deep impression of this student who had expressed an intention to transfer and was devastatingly handsome.

Shen Yan was slightly taken aback and said, "Is Teacher Huang also out for a late-night snack? What a coincidence!"

Huang Shuren nodded, glanced at Hao Anqi, who was standing prettily to the side, and teased, "Heh! You kid are something else; you've only been in school for a few days and you're already bringing a girl out for a late-night snack. Girlfriend?"

Hao Anqi pursed her lips and smiled, standing obediently by Shen Yan's side, lowering her head slightly to put on a reserved appearance, waiting for Shen Yan to introduce her.

Uh... this question really stumped Shen Yan; if he said no, he was afraid Hao Anqi would overthink it, but if he said yes, that layer of window paper hadn't been poked through yet.

To hell with it! It was going to happen sooner or later anyway.

Shen Yan admitted it generously: "Teacher Huang really has eyes like torches; you even discovered this."

???

Hao Anqi felt her cheeks burning hot; even as lively and cheerful as she was, she couldn't quite hold it together now.

She hurriedly lowered her head, pretending to be deaf and dumb.

Did this blockhead even hear what he was saying? Did he take the wrong medicine today or what? First he complimented her on being pretty, and now he was admitting they were a couple.

She was now doubting if she had lost her memory and missed some plot points; the progress was developing beyond her expectations.

Oh well! Regardless, at least the result was good.

This time it was Huang Shuren's turn to be dumbfounded; this pair of handsome man and beautiful woman were indeed a match, but school had been open for less than ten days, and Hao Anqi was a complete stranger—she definitely wasn't a student in the class. Was the speed at which you two hooked up a bit too fast?

Thinking again that he was nearly thirty and had never even held a woman's hand, he felt like dying for a moment.

Truly, the waves behind the Yangtze River push the waves in front, and the front waves die on the beach.

Sob sob sob! You can't just crush people like this.

Especially when he learned that Hao Anqi was a student at the Communication University of China, Huang Shuren's jaw dropped; good heavens! In such a short time, you've even managed to win over someone from the neighboring school.

A love saint!

Huang Shuren thought to himself, should he ask Shen Yan for advice? If he could just learn a trick or two, wouldn't finding a partner be as easy as reaching for something?

After Huang Shuren left, Shen Yan looked at Hao Anqi, who was blushing with her head down, scratched his head, and then took her soft, slender hand.

Having lived for over thirty years, he couldn't always let the young girl take the initiative.

Hao Anqi's brain crashed instantly; she let Shen Yan hold her hand like a machine, and it was a long while before she came to her senses, asking in a low voice with a red face, "You... I... are we a couple now?"

Shen Yan nodded and said, "Someone's little thoughts were almost completely undisguised, and I'm not stupid, so of course I could feel it. Besides, someone has been running through my mind lately; although it's a bit sudden, the result should be considered a happy ending for everyone."

"Of course, if you're not willing, pretend I didn't say anything."

"I'm willing! I'm willing!" Once things were out in the open, Hao Anqi returned to her lively and cheerful self, her eyes filled with irrepressible joy.

"I'm a bit curious, what exactly do you like about me? That I'm handsome?" Shen Yan asked the question that had been hidden in his heart for a long time.

"Anyway, you grow on my aesthetic; tall and big, very safe."

The two walked and chatted, you look at me, I return your smile, and the hands they held never let go, passing a hot and burning affection to each other.

The bright moon quietly hid behind the clouds, as if covering its shy eyes.

Walking along and looking at the flowers, the Gourmet Street was filled with lingering aromas, appearing and disappearing like a fairyland, making people immerse themselves in it. When passing a fried rice stall, Hao Anqi pulled Shen Yan and said longingly that she wanted to eat fried rice noodles.

Shen Yan naturally had no objections, but suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him; he wanted to show off his skills for the person he liked. Since there were no customers at the stall right now, he said to the boss, "Can I borrow your ingredients to make two portions of fried rice noodles? I'll pay the price."

Hao Anqi was slightly puzzled and asked, "You can fry rice noodles too?"

"I have relatives at home who run a noodle shop, and I've received the true teachings; I guarantee you'll be surprised in a moment."

Hao Anqi nodded expectantly; the boss heard that the money would be paid and he didn't have to do it himself, which was equivalent to money being delivered for free—where could he find such a good thing? He nodded and agreed decisively.