Chapter 25: Plain Ordinary Song Beauty

Heh, a slacker, I don’t know what you’re so proud of.

Feeling Xu Qingzhou’s coldness, Wang Jiangfei mentally grumbled.

He suppressed his irritation and joked to Tian Shuang: “We’ve been out this long—if we don’t go back, your parents might suspect I’ve kidnapped you.”

“We should head back,” Tian Shuang said, unaware of the subtle tension, nodding. Before leaving, she pulled out her phone: “Last time I went to Shanghai, I forgot my QQ password and now I don’t have contact info for a single classmate from junior high. Add me.”

“I don’t have my phone,” Xu Qingzhou shook his head.

“Then tell me your QQ number—I’ll add you.”

Xu Qingzhou recited a string of numbers. Tian Shuang sent a friend request, reminded him to accept after returning, then waved goodbye.

“132××××2859.”

!.{

Song Yao nodded, seeing Xu Qingzhou’s strange expression, explained: “It was Jiahui’s nickname, not mine.”

“Mm.” Song Yao was quietly pleased but kept her expression cold: “My WeChat ID is my phone number.”

“So your idea of going out for fresh air is smoking?” Song Yao frowned in displeasure.

“Alright.” Song Yao’s words made Xu Qingzhou suddenly hungry. He gathered his draft papers: “What should we eat?”

“Read it out.”

!.

Xu Qingzhou suddenly realized they could see the spot where he’d just smoked. He shrugged and muttered: “Cigarettes—man’s best remedy for fatigue.”

“I’m going into math.”

Until ten o’clock, Song Yao packed her things and asked Xu Qingzhou, still scribbling complex formulas across from her: “I’m hungry. Want to get something to eat?”

“Plain Ordinary Song Beauty?” Looking at the nickname that came up in search, Xu Qingzhou felt the vibe was off.

He crushed out his cigarette and tossed it in the trash, then headed toward the library.

“Open until eleven.”

Across from him, Song Yao pulled out her phone and noticed he’d used his real name: “Xu Qingzhou?”

Song Yao glared at Xu Qingzhou for referring to her as “my girlfriend for life,” silently seething. After a pause, she glanced out the window as if casually asking: “Who was that girl just now?”

“My dad visited his house once,” Song Yao said casually.

Song Yao opened Xu Qingzhou’s Moments—nothing there. She carefully exited, staring at the new name in her friend list. She felt something strange: previously, her list had only been her parents and Ding Jiahui; now there was one more.

“Good,” Wang Jiangfei finally relaxed.

Xu Qingzhou really wanted to say Ding Jiahui’s nickname was fitting—it really was kind of plain.

QQ still didn’t have a minimalist mode back then; the interface was garish and unpleasant to look at.

Tian Shuang didn’t mind much: “I just wanted to use him to get contact info for other junior high classmates.”

Xu Qingzhou took the chopsticks, thanked her, and asked: “What major are you planning to apply for?”

Once they were far enough away and Xu Qingzhou was out of sight, Wang Jiangfei frowned: “Xiao Tian, this guy’s obviously a lazy good-for-nothing. We should keep our distance from him.”

After adding each other, both buried themselves in their own work.

“Just kidding, look how tense you got.”

“Smoking’s bad for your health,” Song Yao stared at Xu Qingzhou with mild disgust: “And it leaves a smell.”

“I think you could’ve been more tactful,” Song Yao thought of a saying: men never grow up—even Xu Qingzhou could be childish at times. “I’m planning to apply for economics.”

“What about you?” Song Yao looked at Xu Qingzhou.

Medicine’s decent—get a PhD, stable, respected, high income, though it’ll be exhausting.

“Still open at this hour?”

“If you have WeChat, let’s add each other—I don’t use QQ much anymore,” Xu Qingzhou waved his phone. Back then, everyone mostly used QQ; WeChat was still rare.

“Peking University’s economics school is among the best in the country,” Xu Qingzhou nodded.

“What about you?”

Song Yao really wanted to hit him—he was too mouthy.

“My parents want me to study law or medicine—become a lawyer or doctor someday,” Song Yao said.

Xu Qingzhou imagined Li Dingkang trembling in fear and couldn’t help clicking his tongue: “Our dads are the real deal.”

“Noodles—there’s a great noodle shop nearby.”

“Huh?”

Song Yao ordered a small dish. By the time Xu Qingzhou sat down, she’d already wiped the chopsticks and handed them over.

At that moment, Xu Qingzhou’s voice came to her ear: “Do you have WeChat?”

On the way back, Song Yao kept reading.

“I thought you’d study physics.”

“Oh.” Song Yao nodded, then suddenly realized—she and Xu Qingzhou hadn’t exchanged contact info.

He paid the bill. Over this time, they’d become lunch partners—usually taking turns paying.

After meeting, he always wanted to tease her, but the rest of his words were silenced by one look from Song Yao.

The noodle shop had only two or three customers—Xu Qingzhou found that normal; at this hour, even that many was decent.

Xu Qingzhou didn’t explain. After eating a bit, he said in surprise: “I’ve been bracing for Li Dingkang’s revenge, but days have passed and he hasn’t reacted at all.”

“Xu Qingzhou!”

Law meant debates—even “arguments”—to defend your views. Song Yao couldn’t picture her in a battle with an opponent.

“I only smoked one. The smell isn’t that strong.” Xu Qingzhou sniffed his shirt: “Or are you talking about my breath? We didn’t—”

Xu Qingzhou ate the small dish to satisfy his hunger, speaking confidently: “I’m not bragging—I know physics better than anyone.”

Song Yao didn’t want to deal with him. After a while, she asked again: “What if he actually shows up?”

Seeing Song Yao’s stubborn expression, Xu Qingzhou sighed and nodded: “I’ve already planned to quit. I’ve realized—you’re sometimes even more nagging than my mom.”

“A junior high classmate who went to high school in Shanghai—we haven’t seen each other in three years. Just added contact info.” Xu Qingzhou picked up his phone—sure enough, a new friend request appeared on QQ.

“Yes.” After registering for WeChat, Xu Qingzhou didn’t bother thinking of an ID and used his real name, just as he always had.

“I’d just lie down without hesitation.”

“Huh?”

“Call the police. This kind of thing? Definitely our dads are the real deal.”

“.”

(End of Chapter)