Chapter 144: Did he fall from the sky?

Xu Yanfeng probably really feared Xia Xi would barge into his dorm, so he quickly replied: "Later."

WeiaiXYF: "There's another question you didn't answer me. Can we have dinner together tonight? 【Sincere face】"

After a few seconds, Xu Yanfeng politely declined: "I have plans to dine with someone tonight."

Xia Xi felt an alarm bell ring in her heart: "Who?"

Xu Yanfeng replied: "Roommate."

Xia Xi let out a sigh of relief.

Liang Yuan leaned her head over, openly looking at Xia Xi and Xu Yanfeng's chat, clicked her tongue, and thought Xu Yanfeng was clueless about romance: "See? They turned you down."

Xia Xi stayed calm: "So what?"

Liang Yuan: "Sister, are you being too indulgent toward him?"

"You only saw him reject me, but you didn't see him explaining to me. He didn't intentionally avoid dinner with me; he explained the reason, saying he had plans with his roommate to dine tonight." Xia Xi emphasized, "He's explaining to me. Before, he wouldn't explain at all—if he didn't want to, he'd just say 'no,' 'can't,' or 'not allowed,' and nothing else. Now he's explained to me, showing he cares about my feelings."

Liang Yuan rubbed her forehead, nearly dizzy from her words, her head full of the two words "explanation."

Xia Xi was the last to arrive at the dorm; the other three had already tidied their beds and were exchanging local specialties, with several portions of food piled on her desk.

She took off her jacket, rolled up her sleeves, first fetched a basin of water and scrubbed the bedboard that hadn't been slept on for a month several times, let it dry, then took out the mattress and bedding from the closet and laid them on the bed, finally tidied up the items in her suitcase, and handed out the local specialties she brought to her roommates.

Wang Qiuyu glanced at the time: "It's past six, friends—where should we go for dinner tonight?"

"The canteen just lit its stoves today, and I don't know if the utensils are clean—why not eat out?" Zhao Lei suggested.

Wu Qinglu: "I think that's fine."

Xia Xi also nodded.

Everyone agreed without objection, so they all got ready, chatted and laughed as they left the school, took a bus to a Korean barbecue restaurant.

Having pre-ordered a set menu online, not long after they sat down, several plates of meat were served, along with spicy stir-fried rice cakes with fish cake, seafood mixed rice, vegetable pancakes, and kelp tofu soup, filling every empty spot on the table.

They didn't ask the staff to grill the meat; they did it themselves, laying large chunks of beef and mutton and pork belly on the grill, oil splattering and sizzling, and soon the air filled with the aroma of barbecue.

Xia Xi ate rice cakes with stainless steel chopsticks, listening to them talk about funny holiday incidents; when asked if anything fun had happened, she chuckled: "Nothing fun, but there is something speechless."

"What?"

"Does almost going on a blind date count?"

Zhao Lei was snapped at: "Are you kidding? Someone like you doesn't need a blind date. Besides, we're still students—no need to rush this, anyway I still feel like a kid."

Xia Xi shrugged: "My mom didn't say anything; it's my relatives who are eager."

Wu Qinglu whispered: "I thought I was the only one being set up, but I didn't expect Xi Xi too……"

"What? You also went on a blind date?" Zhao Lei looked at Wu Qinglu, expression surprised.

Wu Qinglu nodded: "It's my mother's friend's son, three years older than me, working in Beicheng; we met during the New Year break. He never explicitly said it was a blind date, but I feel it's much the same. My mother asks every few days how I'm getting along with him, which is still rather awkward."

Zhao Lei shivered: "I can't even imagine."

Wang Qiuyu asked Xia Xi: "So how did you avoid it later?"

Speaking of this, Xia Xi couldn't help but laugh: "I just said I had a boyfriend. They didn't believe me at first, until I pulled out a photo of Xu Yanfeng, which finally shut them up."

"You're the one." Zhao Lei gave her a thumbs-up.

"Aren't you afraid Xu Yanfeng will find out?" Wang Qiuyu picked up scissors, cut the grilled meat into small pieces, handed them out, then thought better and said, "No, actually if you don't tell Xu Yanfeng he won't know, and your relatives never get a chance to meet him, so there's no risk of being exposed."

Xia Xi picked up a piece of nicely charred pork belly, dipped it in some chili sauce, wrapped it in lettuce, popped it in her mouth, and shook her head at them.

Wang Qiuyu: "What do you mean?"

Xia Xi moved her cheeks a bit, speaking vaguely: "I only used him as an excuse after getting his consent; even if he finds out it's fine—he's willing."

That statement revealed somewhat unusual information; everyone froze, staring at Xia Xi.

"I seem to taste a hint of sweetness—what's going on?" Zhao Lei pressed her fingers to her forehead, looking thoughtful: "Could it be… that you and Xu Yanfeng made some progress over the holiday?"

Xia Xi laughed at her expression, took a sip of the eyebrow‑raising tofu soup, and held her thumb and index finger a short distance apart: "There's been a little progress. I, for one, traveled all the way to Nancheng to see him on New Year's Eve……"

She leisurely recounted what had happened during this period, including their chats; the few roommates listened with great interest, repeatedly sighing in admiration.

After hearing it, Zhao Lei couldn't help but clap for her: "I used to think you were overthinking, but this time I agree—Xu Yanfeng's motherfucking likes you, absolutely likes you; if he didn't like me I'd rip off my head to give you as a bouquet."

Xia Xi frowned and let out an annoyed "eh," goosebumps rising: "Can you not be so bloody? We're still eating."

The plate of barbecue was nearly finished; Xia Xi picked up the tongs, placed a beef tongue on the grill, flipped it back and forth, when her elbow suddenly knocked her chopsticks away. She tilted her head toward the aisle, looking for a server to get her a new pair of chopsticks.

After waiting a while with no server in sight, Xia Xi put down the tongs, stood up, and went to get them herself.

As she walked back, a guy with dyed red hair blocked her path. She initially thought it wasn't intentional, shifted left a bit, but before she could step, the red‑haired guy followed her left, completely blocking her way.

Xia Xi moved right, and the guy moved right as well.

That was pretty deliberate.

Xia Xi looked at that face plastered with a smirk, completely unfazed, and asked: "What do you want?"

"Which school are you pretty lady from? We ran into each other by fate, let's get to know each other." The red‑haired guy stuck out his tongue to press against the corner of his mouth, handed over his phone, "Let's exchange contact info first, then grab a late‑night snack together?"

Xia Xi has been hit on so many times she can't count; there are polite guys and rude ones, like this guy in front of her. She put on a cold face, her tone impatient: "Sorry, I don't want to meet you; please move aside."

"You've got a temper, I like it." The guy reached out to grab her wrist.

Xia Xi raised her hand so he couldn't touch her, her brows knitting: "Mind your manners in public; if you lack them, I don't mind calling the police to give you a lesson."

After saying that, Xia Xi glanced at the surveillance camera overhead.

The guy wasn't scared by her words, snorted: "I haven't hit anyone, what would the police do?" He leaned in, spitting out vulgar remarks: "You look so alluring, I don't know how many people have played with you, pretending to be pure in public. What's wrong with playing with me? It's not like I won't pay."

At a nearby table sat the red‑haired guy's companions, slapping the table and hooting, drawing other customers to stare.

Zhao Lei and the others sitting far away also heard the commotion, turned their heads without knowing what was happening, not expecting it to be Xia Xi being confronted—a big, tall guy blocking her, not knowing what he said, she was so angry her eyes flared.

They instantly lost their composure, all standing up, about to rush to help Xia Xi, when a figure moved faster than them, in the blink of an eye reached her side, pulled her away, shielded her behind him, then grabbed the red‑haired guy's arm and flung him aside.

The red‑haired guy couldn't keep his balance, staggered a step and fell, crashing into a small cart parked in the aisle; the bowls, plates, and some ingredients on it clattered down, landing on him.

The floor was a mess.

Xia Xi stared blankly at the broad back blocking her front—it was Xu Yanfeng, the one she had long been yearning for.

Is he the one who descended from the sky? Otherwise, how could he just appear?