For Li Qingci and Song Yanv, life has orchestrated a farce even more ludicrous than the plot of a third - rate movie. Initially, they were plunged into the worst - case scenario - sharing the same compartment of a bullet train with two men. Subsequently, a rather "eccentric" man emerged. This man managed to bring a dog onto the train, completely disregarding the feelings of the two women. He enthusiastically recounted to the two men in the lower berths, who seemingly knew him well, how he outwitted the train police and overcame numerous hurdles, culminating in his so - called "glorious exploits". His vivid account, accompanied by spittle flying everywhere, was truly exasperating.
Even more detestable was his blatant lack of public - mindedness as he smoked wantonly in this public space. Once the door was shut, the cramped four - berth compartment was instantly filled with thick, choking smoke that permeated the entire area, subjecting the two demure girls to great distress. When they considered that there was also a mongrel lying beside the man, who was highly likely to be ticketless, Li Qingci and Song Yanv were consumed by fear and helplessness, not even daring to entertain the thought of protest. They were terrified that the three unruly strangers in the lower berths might, in a fit of rage, commit even more heinous acts against them, such as assaulting them. This fear loomed over them like a dark cloud, making them feel extremely restless in the tiny compartment.
Li Qingci was born with an acquiescent nature and outstanding tenacity. Otherwise, as a girl who had no interest in science subjects, she wouldn't have been able to get into the Mathematics Department of Shanghai Jiao Tong University just because of her parents' request.
However, her companion, who was used to living as a pampered young lady, finally secretly sent a distress text message to her would - be boyfriend after suffering for a whole 10 minutes. In her view, men should be used for saving beauties in distress. Song Yanv liked to call it maximizing the utilization of resources.
In less than three minutes, her would - be boyfriend, a school - hunk - caliber guy, stormed over with three of his die - hard pals. The moment he flung the door open, his brows knitted tightly in a fierce frown. He'd always been so careful about Miss Song's feelings that, despite being a chain - smoker who'd started lighting up Chunghwa cigarettes as early as primary school, he'd never dared to mention his smoking habit since they got together. Now, faced with the room choked with swirling smoke, as if filled with devils, his anger flared up like wildfire. It was as if these three rascals had robbed him of some precious first with the woman he hadn't even had a proper chance to hold close. It was a maddeningly strange feeling, a blend of fury and frustration.
He wasn't much of a fighter himself, having to uphold the image of a genteel young gentleman. But those pals of his, they'd stuck with him all this time. Sure, their similar family backgrounds played a part, but more importantly, it was their wild, reckless, and overbearing nature. They'd been living it up, flaunting their ways since they were kids. Back in middle and high school, they'd learned more than a few tricks from the professional hooligans and delinquents around. When it came to a brawl, they were real pros.
Song Yanv quietly poked her head out from under the quilt and let out a sigh of relief. To be honest, although "cohabiting" with two men for nearly ten hours was not pleasant, her first impression of them at the bottom of her heart was not bad. One of them was the type that would be automatically filtered out of her vision all her life. Boys of this kind neither could rely on their looks to get by, nor were they so ugly as to be an insult to the Party and the people. As for the other one, even Song Yanv, who had extremely high standards, admitted that he was an impeccable man. At least his appearance was more eye - catching than that of many of her would - be boyfriends who she dropped after just a bit of flirting. Hiding under the quilt and waiting to see how things would develop, she could still clearly remember the vigilance and coldness in his eyes when he first saw them, just like a proud male peacock sizing up two little hens. This had made Song Yanv feel uncomfortable at that time. She prayed in her heart that Han Kun, who had almost gone through all kinds of hardships to win the status of would - be boyfriend, could beat him up severely, popping his good - looking "balloon". Otherwise, Song Yanv was really afraid that she couldn't resist the pursuit of "beauty" and finally end up chasing after that hateful male peacock, which would completely ruin the good reputation she had built up over more than a decade.
Han Kun had come once before, with the intention of swapping places with the two guys in the lower berths. The thought of two men sleeping in the lower berths beneath them made him feel extremely uncomfortable. One of the women was the future girlfriend he was painstakingly wooing, and the other was the campus belle who he secretly regarded as the object of his sexual fantasies. There were just too many implications. However, the two guys in the lower berths, one of whom had the look of a gigolo, flatly refused him without leaving any room for negotiation, which made him lose a great deal of face. Now, he rushed over full of resentment and anger, only to find there was also a madman smoking and playing with a dog. Han Kun's mind, which had been well - nurtured by his police - chief father, went blank for several seconds. Then he sneered, "Get out and smoke."
Apart from the remarkable man playing with the local dog, the pretty - boy with an effeminate temperament in Song Yanv's eyes stopped smoking after finishing one cigarette. He only occasionally bent down to touch the dog's head. That unremarkable mongrel was also quite spirited. Every time, it would raise its head and make friendly and happy sounds. Song Yanv happened to be in the upper berth diagonally opposite him. By chance, she caught a glimpse of the way he looked at the dog. It was so tender, which was a world of difference from the way he looked at the two of them. This made Miss Song, who felt inferior to the dog, gnash her teeth in anger.
And a certain man who could hardly cause any stir anywhere was leisurely flipping through a magazine with an indecent cover. From time to time, he clicked his tongue in admiration. Presumably, he was applauding for some vase - like woman with huge breasts like weapons in the magazine. This guy had an ordinary appearance and wore a very old - fashioned pair of black - framed glasses. Combined with his expression when browsing the 18 - plus content, he looked very nerdy and lewd. However, he had a well - proportioned figure. He wore name - brand clothes from head to toe that hardly added any points to his image, but he still looked clean and fresh. When he grinned, his teeth were snow - white, making people mistakenly think that he brushed his teeth seven or eight times a day. When he saw Han Kun and his group come over menacingly, the "hero" playing with the dog continued to puff on that 20 - cent - a - piece Zhongnanhai cigarette, and the guy opposite in the lower berth didn't even lift his eyelids. So he had to smile, put away his precious magazine, and got up, saying, "Sorry, bro. We'll go to the washroom to smoke. The cigarette craving is too strong to resist. Forgive us."
It's true that you don't hit someone who smiles at you. However, Han Kun had no intention of letting things slide when he came here. Without some powerful background, it would be absolutely impossible to arrange for all his friends to be in adjacent soft - sleeper compartments of the same bullet train during the massive student rush in early September. Besides, he was from a city near the capital where there were many talented people. After all, he was also part of the Beijing - Tianjin circle. He hadn't learned to keep a low profile, but he had heard a lot of stories about the young masters in the Beijing - Tianjin area. Now that he was finally out of the Beijing - Tianjin circle, weren't all the people he met outsiders? Why should he hold back when he was in the right? So Han Kun had no intention of letting it go and pressed on, saying, "Well, you're really something, bro, being able to bring such a big pet on the train. Am I not at least a provincial - level official?"
" You're really good at joking. We're leaving right away." The guy, who had taken a step back to calm things down as soon as they met, still had an innocent - looking smile on his face. He got up and kicked the bold man who had brought the dog onto the train, then winked at his sworn follower who was sitting still, trying to make a full display of his conciliatory and low - key attitude.
"By the way, move your stuff. I don't want to see you again. Otherwise, if you keep smoking and bringing this kind of mangy dog, the consequences will be very severe." Han Kun said in an unfriendly tone.
The guy, who had already gotten up, kept his smiling face unchanged after hearing Han鲲's threat. He just sat down again, then lay on the bed and continued to flip through the magazine, looking calm and composed.
Han Kun couldn't figure out what this wimp meant for a moment and froze on the spot. Song Yanv, who loved to join in the fun most, had already sat up, hoping for more chaos. At first, she was quite dissatisfied with the unimpressive comrade in the lower berth. How could a man be so cowardly? Just when she was disappointed that there would be no good show to watch, unexpectedly, a little spark burst out after Han Kun's threatening words. She winked at her best friend Li Qingci across from her, signaling her to get ready for a great show. However, she found that this girl had opened her big, bright eyes and was looking down obliquely. If Song Yanv's guess was right, it was the position of the mediocre - looking man. Song Yanv was stunned for a moment. Could it be that Qingci, the fairy - like senior sister in the eyes of all the junior students in Tang No.1 Middle School, had come down to earth?
"Close the door and let the dog loose!" The tough guy who brought the dog onto the train said with a smile, looking somewhat gloomy and cunning.
Actually, he wasn't burly at all. He was just a little over 1.6 meters tall, a rather short stature. His hair was shiny, just like the popular hairstyle in Shanghai in the 1930s. In the eyes of Song Yanv, Han Kun and their group of rich young ladies and gentlemen, these three people in front of them seemed to be from three different worlds. One was surely a great school hunk who could drive many crazy fangirls wild. One was a homebody who probably hadn't even held a girl's hand, let alone touched a woman's breast. The remaining dog - walking guy was a complete insignificant straggler in the hooligan circle.
"Fuck off with your dog!" A guy who was unusually tall among Han Kun's followers roared angrily. Being cynical was the privilege of rich young masters like them. How could this low - class little ruffian be allowed to jump around in front of the two beautiful girls?
"I neither smoked nor brought a dog. You can fight or make a fuss as you like, just don't accidentally damage my luggage under the bed." The guy reading the pornographic magazine said rather unchivalrously.
Li Qingci frowned slightly and shrank back under the quilt again.
The affluent material life hadn't cultivated a conceited personality in her. Instead, it had allowed her to witness many vivid farces of city - level dignitaries with her own eyes. Many examples had taught her a truth that a man's inconstancy and unrighteousness towards his friends are like twins. A man who is unrighteous to his brothers will, no matter how much he seems to care for a woman on the surface, expose his inconstant nature at a critical moment. Of course, she hadn't fallen in love with the boy in the lower berth, who should also be on his way to study in the south, at first sight. She was just interested in how an ordinary peer who didn't attract much attention could understand a German magazine. Li Qingci had been wondering whether he could understand the text or was just skipping through to look at the pornographic pictures. Now, seeing his unrighteousness, even the last bit of curiosity that Li Qingci had used to kill time disappeared.
"Yeah. Uncle Balang has nothing to do with this today. The dog was brought by me, and the cigarette was given to me by Xiao Cao. We two will take the blame for this. Don't waste your breath on me either. Come at me all together. I can overthrow all of you with one hand!" The skinny bamboo - pole - like guy, who was half a head shorter than Han Kun when he stood up, was very responsible and talked big, giving Han Kun and his group the middle finger.
Some sentences for describing characters' actions and speech are as follows.
Two groups of people cursing at each other for a long time and finally dispersing is the most common and least significant confrontation on campus. Such boring things will never happen in front of two beautiful girls. So Han Kun's group rushed forward straightforwardly. And that guy who was talking big and almost made Song Yanv think he was the Chinese version of 007 at the beginning, instead of impressing Song Yanv by knocking down everyone with one hand, was beaten up by Han Kun's group. The only redeeming feature was that he gritted his teeth and remained silent when being stepped on. It can be seen that he had no real skills, but fortunately, he still had some backbone.
And a certain extremely unchivalrous and unkind guy even "thoughtfully" helped close the door. Then he continued to read the magazine with an air of calmness under Li Qingci's disdainful look, as if he didn't even understand the basic principle that when the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold. He naively thought that he wouldn't be affected. Li Qingci, who grew up in a single - parent family, especially hated men who were inconstant, unrighteous, and brainless. So she turned over, preferring not to see it. Finally, Song Yanv, who had been paying a great deal of attention to a certain person, observed that the guy gently rolled up his cuffs, indicating that he was about to fight. She seemed to be of the same kind as the man in the lower berth. She had no intention of warning her "own people" at all. She just waited heartlessly and quietly for someone's strike.
"Don't make it too bloody." Song Yanv heard the mediocre - looking man in the lower berth say something very puzzling. Then, without giving her time to think about it, she saw the male peacock with outstanding looks and temperament suddenly make a move. He dragged the poor wretch who was being beaten on the ground backward with one pull. Then, facing one of the guys who hit the hardest, he delivered a beautiful knee strike. Song Yanv, not blind, could immediately tell that the movement was rapid. As for the terrifying force, she didn't notice it, but the tall and strong alumnus, who had never been known to lose in school fights, immediately crouched on the ground, sobbing. Song Yanv immediately realized that this male peacock in the lower berth was no pushover. For a student, he was definitely a tough character at the level of a martial artist. The second unlucky guy who wanted to stand up for his companion was, unsurprisingly, blocked by him when throwing a hook punch, and then was elbowed on the cheek. The whole person swung sideways like on a swing and smashed into the guardrail of Song Yanv's bed, startling her a great deal.
Half of the four guys were incapacitated in an instant. Han Kun took a few steps back. Pride kept him from running out of the room. But he knew, even if he was stupid, that he couldn't be a match for the opponent even if he threw himself in. How could he have expected that this sissy, who looked more like a gigolo than a pretty boy, would be such a tough nut to crack? Now he was in a dilemma, full of bitterness.
Just at this critical moment when Han Kun was in a difficult situation, the peacemaker showed up again. The guy, who always had an honest and warm - hearted smile on his face, put down the magazine, first kicked the dog - walking man's butt, and said, "Get up if you're not dead." Then he smiled and looked at Han Kun, saying, "Look, our man has been kicked by you guys on the ground for a long time. You've vented your anger. How about we all take a step back? There's a vast world out there. What do you think? Out of blows friendship grows. Just consider it as making a friend and let this matter pass."
Han Kun's face flushed red and he didn't say a word. He led his wounded and defeated men and retreated. He was thinking that frontal confrontation wouldn't give him an advantage, so he would take the underhanded approach of stabbing in the back. But at this moment, the smiling tiger said with a smile again, "If I'm not mistaken, you are in Room 04 of the next carriage. When I'm free, I'll take this Laifu to visit you. You mustn't let the conductor know that I have a dog."
Han Kun's heart tightened. He knew that the other was using an implied meaning to warn him. He retreated shamefully, feeling extremely humiliated and helpless. He self - consoled that this was just a strategic withdrawal. Later, he would gather everyone and make a comeback to avenge this humiliation.
"Damn it. I really only have 10% of my combat effectiveness without weapons. If I had weapons, I would have wiped them out long ago." The dog - walking man had only been kicked a bit more on his back and butt, so he didn't have a black - and - blue face. Sitting on the ground, he rubbed the local dog's ears and said smugly as if nothing had happened, "Fortunately, I protected my face in time, and my handsome and dashing appearance has been preserved ~"
"You idiot. Aren't you ashamed of yourself?" The male peacock, whose combat ability and appearance were in an astonishingly positive proportion, said in an unfriendly tone. Although his tone was bad, he still threw a cigarette to that good - for - nothing.
"Stop smoking. There are girls here. Behave yourselves." The young man with the dual identities of the smiling tiger and the mediocre - looking man said in a mild - mannered way.
With just one casual and light sentence from him, the peacock, whose fighting ability was quite good even in the real world of tough guys, and the dog - walking hero with equally abnormal resistance to blows actually stopped smoking without hesitation. One put the lighter back in his pocket, and the other clipped the cigarette behind his ear.
Li Qingci and Song Yanv were both startled. They were not stupid; otherwise, they couldn't have been admitted to famous domestic universities with excellent grades among the top 400 in the province. They finally realized that this guy, who seemed the most mediocre and had the worst character, was the real core of the three - person group. The reason why Han Kun could become the core figure in his circle was not only because of his father, who worked in the capital and could make mayor - level officials show great concern every time he returned to TS City, but also because of his top - ranking grades, good looks, and excellent sports talent. It can be seen that in any circle, whether it's the leader among the outstanding or among the ordinary, there must be something extraordinary. Song Yanv was terrified, for she was afraid that the smiling tiger in the lower berth would take his anger out on her. Li Qingci, on the other hand, regained a moderate level of curiosity about him. When a young person shows shrewdness and forbearance that don't match his age, girls with early - maturing minds like her will be especially interested.
The thing that Song Yanv was most worried about finally happened. The guy with hidden depths stood up and gently knocked on her guardrail. She couldn't help shrinking back, and the thought in her mind was that if she couldn't escape the fate of being insulted and violated, she would rather it be that proud male peacock.
"Beautiful lady, we're sorry for smoking. It's not your fault for calling for backup. This Laifu is mine, and I shouldn't have brought it on the train. I just want to ask you. If you can tolerate it, that would be great. If not, I'll ask Biaozi to take it to the washroom." The young man still had an implicitly flattering tone, far from being aggressive. There was even a bit of shyness and restraint when talking to a beautiful woman.
Song Yanv's back was pressed tightly against the wall. At first, she was as if facing a formidable enemy. But when she summoned up the courage to look directly at the head that was just a head higher than the bed, for some reason, she felt more relaxed with every word he said. Maybe it was because he really looked so reassuring, and he didn't look like a vicious and dangerous criminal at all. He was just like one of the many secret admirers of hers who were unknown. It was as if he had finally got a chance today to pour out his heart to the goddess in his heart, nervous and green.