In Yu Tu's home, a dinner gathering had just finished. After seeing off the relatives, he returned to his room.
His WeChat history still remained at the message that he had sent out. He put down his mobile phone and felt a little anxious.
Would he really need to use his driver's license as an excuse?
He opened the window and the cold air from outside hit him in the face. Leaning against the window, he lit a cigarette and gradually calmed down.
Compared with him, she had ignored him for merely two days. What right did he have to be edgy here?
His mobile phone, which was on the desk, started to ring, and he reached over to answer it. It was a call from a senior high school classmate, Li Ming.
"Yu Tu, there is a senior high school classmate gathering today. Everyone is singing at the KTV. Are you coming?"
Yu Tu tactfully declined, "I will not be going."
"I knew it. But if you really have nothing to do, just come. Qiao Jing Jing is also coming…"
Yu Tu suddenly tightened his grip on his phone and interrupted him, "What did you say?"
Li Ming said, "Qiao Jing Jing, the big celebrity. She said she'll be coming to the classmate gathering."
Yu Tu's finger was burnt, but he couldn't care less. "When did she say it? Where?"
"In the class group chat. You didn't look at the chat? At first, less than twenty were coming, but I reckon it is almost 30 now. The class monitor had to quickly change to a bigger room."
Yu Tu hung up the phone and tapped open WeChat. There was already a few hundred messages in the class group chat. He had not looked at them this whole time. He clicked in and his finger quickly scrolled through a few times. Then he grabbed a coat and dashed out.
His parents were watching TV in the living room, and they were surprised to see him like this. They stood up and asked, "What's going on?"
Yu Tu quickly changed his shoes. "I'm going out. You don't need to wait for me, because I'll be coming back late."
After saying that, he closed the door and left.
Mrs and Mr Yu looked at each other, "Oh dear, just how old is he? He's still doing things in such a rush and chaotically."
Yu Tu also felt that he was probably as impulsive as a senior high school student. No, he had never been so impulsive in senior high school.
There were too many people out and about during Chinese New Year. The taxi was stuck in traffic a few hundred meters from the mall where the KTV is located. Yu Tu immediately got down from the car and walked quickly.
By this time, Qiao Jing Jing was already surrounded and stared at by the classmates at the KTV for a while. She had even sung a cheerful and lighthearted song.
Pei Pei sat nervously beside her, for fear that someone would sneak photos or whatnot. Actually, she was over-anxious. A celebrity is also an ordinary person. What's more, all the people here were senior high school classmates. After gathering around and gawking for a while and the novelty had worn off, those who wanted to sing went off to sing and those who were drinkers went off to drink.
Of course, it was inevitable that people would keep coming over to talk or greet her and ask for an autograph. Thus the seat next to her was in great demand. The seat on her left side was fixed, with Pei Pei occupying it, but the one on her right side was ever changing.
Everyone was taking turns to sing songs. The class monitor was busy taking count of people. "Who else hasn't arrived? Hey, the two studyholic top students of our class both didn't come?"
A female classmate said, "I asked Xia Qing. She said that she is having a family gathering out in a country village with her relatives, so she won't be coming."
Another female classmate asked, "Then what about Yu Tu?"
Li Ming said, "I just called Yu Tu. He didn't seem to have seen the class group chat, and he also didn't say whether he is coming or not."
Qiao Jing Jing seemed to be chatting with a classmate next to her, but her attention was actually on them. She silently thought, oh, so he hadn't looked at the class group chat. No wonder he still had not shown up yet… So if they only just talked on the phone with him, how long would it take for him to arrive?
While she was still lost in thought, the class monitor suddenly asked her, "Qiao Jing Jing, do you know Yu Tu very well? Why don't you give him a call?"
Another classmate echoed. "Oh yeah. We've all seen the video of both of you gaming together. He'll surely give face to you."
Qiao Jing Jing:
"..."
Of course it was not possible that she would call him. Qiao Jing Jing was thinking of an excuse to refuse when the door of the room was suddenly pushed open hard.
A tall and straight figure appeared at the doorway.
Everyone looked towards the doorway at the same time. The class monitor stood up and shouted, "Yu Tu!"
Qiao Jing Jing lowered her head swiftly and pretended to play with her mobile phone. She only left her ears pricked to listen to the action in the room.
Yu Tu after all had once been a popular figure on the campus, so his appearance in the room set off a small climax. Many people greeted him, and the scene livened up once again.
"Yu Tu, you have finally arrived."
"You came too late, so you've to drink as your penalty."
"Studyholic top student, long time no see. What are you doing nowadays?"
"Yu Tu, why are you still so handsome? I am already bald."
"Yu Tu, you…"
Yu Tu exchanged conventional greetings with each of them. After quite a while, the noise and excitement subsided. The class monitor greeted him, "Yu Tu, come and sit here with me and have a beer."
Yu Tu politely and tactfully declined, "A little later. I still have something to do."
Qiao Jing Jing secretly lifted her eyelids. In her line of sight, a pair of perfectly straight, long legs unhurriedly walked in her direction and finally stopped in front of her.
The room suddenly became quiet. The people who were singing did not sing anymore. Even the music became less noisy.
Qiao Jing Jing had no choice but to look up. Yu Tu bent down, gazed at her, and asked, "Is it because of me?"
His sentence had no beginning or end, but Qiao Jing Jing knew that he was asking if she was here because of him.
Yes. What else could it be?
Qiao Jing Jing said in a low voice, "Not going to settle the score with you anymore."
Yu Tu was quiet. Her eyes that were watching her attentively instantly shone like stars. Qiao Jing Jing felt uncomfortable with him and the classmates looking at her. She was about to tell him to find a place to sit down, but before she got to say anything, a soft kiss was placed on her lips.
Yu Tu leaned down and kissed her.
Qiao Jing Jing was stunned and momentarily did not clue in to what was happening. It was only after a few seconds that she thought of pushing him away. However, when she raised her hand, he had already known ahead of time what she was going to do and, acting first, caught her hand.
This kiss was not long.
Yu Tu stopped his action shortly, but he did not shift away from her. He still maintained this close to her. His hot breath enveloped her.
"Want to go?"
He asked her this.
Qiao Jing Jing was annoyed and wanted to kick him. Things were like this already; if they weren't going to go, were they going to wait to be stared at by the classmates?
Yu Tu got the answer from the expression in her eyes. He pulled her up and said to all their stunned classmates, "Sorry, we're going first. You all have fun."
Just like this, he took Qiao Jing Jing's hand and left the private room, leaving behind a group of dumbstruck classmates.
Only after quite a while did someone in the private room ask cautiously, "Classmates, did I see wrongly?"
Another classmate muttered in reply, "Probably saw wrongly."
Qiao Jing Jing and Yu Tu did not run far, before he pulled her to the KTV's fire-escape stairwell.
Qiao Jing Jing was gasping for breath from running. "You, you are simply…"
However, Yu Tu only looked at her and pressed, "Why?"
Why was she suddenly not giving him the cold shoulder?
Qiao Jing Jing calmed her breathing, then asked him, "On the day of the exhibition match, when I went to give out awards to the contestants, did you use my mobile phone to help me to get two unique Pentakills? Didn't you say you wouldn't be giving me a birthday present? So why did you give me one?"
Yu Tu remembered this. "Because I wasn't playing with you to get it, so I thought it didn't count."
He frowned, "It was because of this?"
Of course it was not because of this.
Rather, it was because she imagined how he had played the game in the lounge, getting her birthday present while steeling himself to forever part from her, how he had wanted desperately to give her the unique Pentakill before the exhibition match. And then, she seemed to suddenly understand a little of what he had endured and his struggle, as well as, beneath that endurance and struggle, Yu Tu's style of affection and love.
"How did you know my mobile phone password?" Qiao Jing Jing did not answer his question and asked this instead. Her mobile phone password was not the "1316" that was used to get into her home.
"I unintentionally committed it to memory." She typed it in too many times in front of him.
"You played a total of two games, How did you manage to get two Pentakills. It's not like my position is low."
"The moment I went into the game, I said to my teammates, 'Give me the currency. I guarantee you, I'll lead you to victory."
Huh? Qiao Jing Jing was a bit surprised.
"In the second game, a person said, 'And why should I?' I said, 'My girlfriend is watching. Bro, please help.'"
Qiao Jing Jing couldn't help laughing. "It's not like you at all to talk like that."
Yu Tu gazed at her. "Right now, I'm not at all like me either."
Indeed, he did not seem like himself…
Qiao Jing Jing thought of the kiss in the private room just now. She could not stop her face from growing hot.
Yu Tu's hand stroked her hair. "Can we not talk about gaming?"
Suddenly, the atmosphere seemed to become dangerous again.
"Then what do you want to talk about?" Qiao Jing Jing asked in a low voice.
Yu Tu's voice was a bit low and husky. "This means, you've accepted me?"
Qiao Jing Jing bowed her head and began to play with the furry cuffs on her sleeves. "I remember at that time, I also asked you other questions."
"Yes, there was also one about immigration to Mars."
"You need to continue to write."
Yu Tu was surprised. A smile appeared in his eyes. "Okay."
Qiao Jing Jing hesitated for a moment, then said a bit awkwardly, "But no need to stay up late. I am not in a hurry."
There was a long pause this time before Yu Tu said softly again, "Okay."
Suddenly, there were loud sounds of footsteps outside the stairwell. as well as voices speaking. "The elevator is so crowded. It's better to take the stairs."
A creaking sound immediately followed. The door of the safety stairwell was pushed open. Yu Tu reacted swiftly by hugging Qiao Jing Jing and pressing her head against his chest.
The young people who came in probably didn't expect that someone would be here and, what's more, in.... ahem such a posture. They stopped their conversation for a while. While walking down the stairs, they kept looking back at them.
Even though Yu Tu was someone who always kept his calm and composure, even he was also a little embarrassed by their unconcealed interest. He could only lower his eyes and start studying Qiao Jing Jing's hair.
Luckily, they walked past very quickly.
Some faint sound of speaking floated back up the stairwell.
"Wah, they're actually having a date in the safety stairwell. I feel like there is a story behind this."
"That man is very handsome."
"He already has a girlfriend. Take a look at how slim the guy's girlfriend is. Surely, then, she is also pretty."
"Oh gee, I'll go on a diet after Chinese New Year."
Their voices finally disappeared completely. Qiao Jing Jing buried her head in his arms and burst out laughing.
"Very handsome, ah, Teacher Yu."
Yu Tu helplessly said, "With you, even the safety stairwell isn't safe."
Qiao Jing Jing snorted. "Get used to it early."
"I'm already used to it." Moreover, he had already learned the skill of constantly scanning every direction.
Yu Tu said: "Let's go to a different place."
"Where to? Everywhere is full of people." During Chinese New Year, cinemas and the like are all packed with people. And this was not Shanghai, where they could go to her home.
Yu Tu pondered for a moment, then said, "There is a place that will definitely have no people."
Qiao Jing Jing did not expect Yu Tu to bring her here.
Jing City No. 1 Middle School.
Yu Tu went to deal with the security guard. Qiao Jing Jing stood in front of the school's signboard and looked up and down at those few big letters. She could not help feeling like waves were rising and falling in her heart. After a while, Yu Tu waved at her. Qiao Jing Jing ran over, and the guard opened the gate for them from the inside.
At this time, there was indeed no one in the school. It was dark and quiet. Only a few landscape lights were turned on, illuminating just rough outlines of the surroundings.
After walking a little further, Qiao Jing Jing curiously asked, "It's already so late, but the uncle still let us in?"
"I told him that I once was a student here and wanted to bring my girlfriend here to take a look."
"… That 's all? And then he let you?"
"He said he still remembers me."
"Oh~~~ The great godly student Yu must have left a deep impression."
Yu Tu shot a glance at her. "What a pity that it's not convenient for my girlfriend to show her face, or else it may have been even easier to come in."
"Of course." Qiao Jing Jing gave a proud lift of her chin.
Yu Tu couldn't help smiling.
"Actually, I already came here yesterday afternoon, but he did not notice me at the time."
Already came? During the time when she was still ignoring him? Why did he come here?
Suddenly Qiao Jing Jing's mood improved, and her footstep also became quick and light. She decided not to fuss about his using the word "girlfriend" so easily and smoothly.
"Hey, why did the sports field that was here disappear?"
Qiao Jing Jing pointed in front of her. In the past, once you entered the school, the big sports field would be on the right side, but it had become a multi-story teaching building in the location of the original sports field.
"Probably due to expansion of the school?"
Qiao Jing Jing looked at the new building that had sprung up from the ground and felt a sense of loss. Too many memories from her youth had happened on that old sports field, for example, the exhausting 800-meter run, or for example, the suave performance on the football field of this person currently beside her.
"Do you still play football now?"
Yu Tu modestly gave his self-evaluation: "I'm the backbone player of the institute."
Qiao Jing Jing cannot help laughing. When Teacher Yu was narcissistic, other people could not even compare.
She looked up at the new building and was a little concerned. With the sports field gone, where do the students jog and do their morning exercise?"
"A sports center has been built off to the side. It might be over there."
"When we were studying, the sides were still all abandoned fields."
"Oh yeah." Yu Tu remembered something. "Did you once bring a few female classmates out to pick wildflowers and then you got berated by the class head teacher?"
"… Can you remember something good? = ="
Yu Tu smiled faintly. He remembered at that time, it was their first year of senior high school. The class head teacher had called him to the office to talk about a competition. He happened to come across a group of female classmates being berated. One of the ones being severely berated was her. At that time, he had felt awkward, but thinking back on it now was evocative.
It turned out that that girl who was berated more than a decade ago would have a deeper involvement with him.
And it turned out that, one day, they would come back here together to look for traces of the past.
They walked forward, passing the cafeteria, basketball hall, and student dormitory, and then circled over to the pathway along the river.
Jing City is in the Jiangnan area, the area south of the Yangtze River, plentiful in water. Their school was built by the river. Along the river was a long boardwalk that offered beautiful views. Back then, after eating in the cafeteria, many students would deliberately make a detour walk back to the classroom from here.
After walking along the river bank for a while, Qiao Jing Jing halted her footsteps and pointed at a big tree in front of them in the distance.
"Do you still remember there?" She had a mischievous expression.
Yu Tu looked at that tree. Under that tree, his fellow schoolmate Qiao Jing Jing one day had suddenly stopped him in his tracks.
He turned to look at Qiao Jing Jing: "I have been thinking about a question the whole way while bringing you here."
"What?"
"What should I do if you rake up the past?"
Qiao Jing Jing glared at him, and then she couldn't help laughing. "I won't rake anything up today, but… I will sooner or later."
Yu Tu lowered his head. "I am looking forward to it."
The best would be if she kept raking for their lifetime.
He held out his hand to her.
Qiao Jing Jing looked at it, thought briefly, and then put her hand behind her back.
Yu Tu raised his eyebrows and waited patiently.
Only after a long while did Qiao Jing Jing demurely put her hand into his palm.
Yu Tu immediately gripped it tightly.