Lin Deng's appearance naturally led to a few teasing remarks, to which he responded with a bemused laugh.
"Alright, I had him run an errand to the school for me." For once, Gu En kindly jumped in to explain on Lin Deng's behalf. Then he glanced towards He Zhilan trailing behind him and said, "You sit over there."
He Zhilan looked in the direction Gu En was pointing and was taken aback.
The room was densely populated, but besides Gu En and He Zhilan, there were only two girls who looked somewhat alike. Gu En was pointing towards a spot amidst a group of men.
""Lin Deng, is that girl behind you your girlfriend? You stingy little fellow, did you only bring your girlfriend because it's your birthday?" The one speaking was Ding Jinshi, Lin Deng's cousin, who was just two years older than him. Her manner of speaking and her conduct, especially the lit cigarette wedged between her fingers, give her an air of maturity that contradicts her age.
