Chapter 525: Provoked

Lu Cheng thought that with this stare, Yang Yin would, like many girls of this era, first blush, then cover her face, or even simply lower her head and run away.

But Yang Yin was not shy at all; instead, she provocatively spat out three words.

"I don't believe it."

Lu Cheng, not wanting to be outdone, said, "Want to try it?"

"Do you dare?"

The atmosphere had come to this, and the other side had also set him up; if Lu Cheng did nothing now, wouldn't that be too cowardly?

He wasn't some gentleman; looking at Yang Yin's handsome face so close, his heart involuntarily fluttered.

The moon vanished; he straightened up, glanced around—dark, but a few streetlights nearby cast dim light, filtered through rows of willows, faintly visible.

The couples scattered around the lake were only looking at each other; no one was looking this way.

Lu Cheng, sitting there, seized the chance, extended his arm and pulled Yang Yin into his embrace.

It was summer, their clothes light; the two could clearly feel each other's body heat and rapid heartbeat.

At that moment, time stood still like the lake before them.

Yang Yin seemed to know exactly what would happen next, slowly closed her eyes, her lashes curved and long.

Lu Cheng turned his face slightly, leaned down slowly, and just as their lips were about to meet, a beam from a flashlight suddenly shone on them.

It wasn't just one; at least three or four beams struck the lake surface, followed by a clamor of footsteps.

Startled, the other couples released each other and hurried away.

"Hey, what are you all doing here? What time is it, still not back to the dorms to rest… Don't run, I'm talking to you… A man and a woman out this late, it's corrupting social morals—no, corrupting campus atmosphere…"

Hearing the scolding, Yang Yin quickly rose from Lu Cheng's arms, hurriedly fixed her hair, and when she stood, adjusted her skirt as well.

The two were just about to leave, but were a step too slow; as the footsteps drew near, two beams shone straight onto their faces.

The light was dazzling, and they instinctively raised their hands to shield themselves.

Yang Yin's face showed anger: "What are you shining for! I can't see anything!"

The person holding the flashlight insisted on pointing it at Yang Yin's face, moving it a few inches closer.

"Hey, you're pretty bold! You say you're a female classmate running to the lake with a male classmate, a lone man and woman—don't you feel any shame?"

If it were another girl, being insulted like that without shame, she'd probably have cried long ago.

But Yang Yin simply lowered her hand and stared at the man.

"What's there to be ashamed of! It's 1979, not the old society anymore.

If two young people being together automatically earns them a 'shameless' label, then should male and female workers in factories be forbidden to work together? Should male and female students in university classes be prohibited from sitting in the same row?"

The flashlight holder involuntarily stepped back two paces: "Hey, the way you say that…"

Yang Yin pressed forward unrelentingly: "What's wrong with what I said! The ones who should feel ashamed aren't us, the youth pursuing free thought, but those who view people with old eyes and old ideas, assuming the worst—people like you!"

The flashlight holder was stunned in place by the rebuke, taking a long moment to recover.

He thought the girl was truly impressive, and simply didn't know how to retort.

"Fine, fine, I won't argue with you…"

He moved the flashlight onto Lu Cheng's face, refusing to believe a guy could still be so bold.

"You, put that hand down! You must have lured that female classmate, learning only how to flirt with little girls! Now you have no face to show anyone—take your hand off!"

Lu Cheng waved his hand, moving the two flashlights aside; otherwise they were blinding.

He had intended to explain properly, but seeing the two flashlight‑bearers' attire, clearly also students, he guessed they were from the Student Union.

He thought of flashing his Former President status to settle the matter, but when the two saw him move the flashlights, they thought it was provocation and immediately scolded.

"Hey, who told you to mess with it! Move again and I'll twist you over to the Security Department, lock you up for a night."

One of them said that while again pointing the flashlight at his face.

Lu Cheng squinted; as that person tried to pull his hand away, the flashlight in his own hand suddenly slipped and was tossed into the lake.

"Hey kid, you dared to throw my flashlight, you're done, you're finished today—take those two away."

As soon as the words finished, one of them reached for Yang Yin's arm; seeing the opponent's strength, Yang Yin lost the momentum of her earlier words and, frightened, stepped back.

But the dark hand persisted, reaching for her pale forearm.

Lu Cheng, seeing this, immediately grabbed that person's hand and twisted them into the lake.

The other person was also unprepared, mainly because he didn't expect Lu Cheng to act; by the time he reacted, both of them had fallen into the water.

After two splashes, Lu Cheng looked at Yang Yin, whose eyes were wide open beside him.

"What are you still standing there for? Run!"

"Huh?" Yang Yin was about to decide where to run when Lu Cheng had already grabbed her arm.

"Why did you throw people into the lake?" Yang Yin's whole body was being pulled forward as they ran.

"I didn't want them to touch you."

Yang Yin stared blankly for a moment, watching Lu Cheng run, and let him hold her hand.

There was no time to say more; by then the two people in the lake had climbed out, drenched, shouting toward the others.

"Quick, chase those two—they ran and threw us into the lake, catch them…"

Soon four or five flashlight beams swept toward the direction Lu Cheng fled.

"There! Quickly chase, we must catch a typical case, report to the whole school tomorrow!"

"Slow down, Lu San'er, I can't keep up with you."

Yang Yin ran too fast, accidentally got winded, clutching one side of her abdomen, her speed slowing.

Lu Cheng had to stop, watching the flashlight beams draw nearer, and simply scooped Yang Yin onto his back and ran.

Straddling his broad back, Yang Yin wrapped her arms around Lu Cheng's neck and glanced backward.

"Lu San'er, run faster, they're catching up."

Lu Cheng also wanted to run faster; if it were just him, he could easily get away, but he was still carrying a person on his back.

"Did you get fat? How are you so heavy!"

"I didn't; I'm not heavy at all!"

"Don't run, stop…"

Lu Cheng ignored the shouts behind him and sprinted toward the Girls' Dormitory.

Since Yang Yin was wearing a skirt, which was hard to carry, Lu Cheng, to run faster, lifted Yang Yin's butt upward.

His both hands also hooked around the calves, feeling a delicate, slippery sensation transmit to his palms.

"Don't touch me randomly."

"I'm not touching randomly; aren't you afraid she'll fall?"

"Stop, stop, stop, don't run, don't run… look ahead."

Lu Cheng kept running with his head down; when he looked up, he was already at the foot of the Girls' Dormitory building.

But at the stairwell entrance stood two people holding flashlights, smiling broadly as they looked this way.

Lu Cheng thought about turning around; if he really ended up at the Security Department, it would be so embarrassing. He wasn't scared—after all, he had graduated—but Yang Yin still had classes here.

But people who had rushed from behind also blocked the road.

Both those with lights and without, on closer look, turned out to be about seven or eight people.

Now there was no way to escape.

Yang Yin, leaning on his back, asked, "What should we do, Lu San'er, can you fight off so many people?"

Lu Cheng gave a wry smile; Yang Yin was even less afraid of making a scene than he was.

The seven or eight Student Union members were now slowly surrounding them.

"Run, keep running, you two, this typical case is nailed!"