Chapter 20: Arale

"Okay."

Le Ning swallowed back the tears welling in her eyes. Because her other hand needed to hold Ren Xia'an's, she tucked the thermos under her arm, clamped it against her thigh, and screwed the lid back on.

Le Ning had not been drinking. Reason told her that this intimate term of endearment might just be a reckless possessiveness the boy felt in such a setting—like an animal on the savanna declaring its territory to its own kind. Yet, she wasn't sure if she would ever hear it again in the many, many years to come.

This was enough. At least for this one moment in their youth, just as she had felt for him, he had also harbored a tiny, exclusive desire for her.

The other students whispered among themselves. Having all had quite a bit to drink, they weren't sure if they had hallucinated that explosive declaration.

Chi Ao, however, was certain, and he felt a bit dazed. He had drunk more than anyone else. Alcohol acted as an amplifier for emotions, and the frustration and bitterness that had been temporarily suppressed by his high spirits over the past two hours reignited all at once. It was like that saying: when we talk about giving up, we are actually craving to be held back and given a new chance.

Chi Ao’s lips trembled. *Wife...* In this era, at this age, what a forbidden and alluring title that was.

Niu Fangfang cackled, tossed her purple slanted bangs, and fanned the flames by asking Le Ning, "Did you two sleep together?"

Le Ning’s heart and mind were entirely consumed by Xia'an, and she didn't want to pay her any mind. She stood up, slung her canvas bag over her shoulder, but then remembered a small secret Niu Fangfang had confessed to her half an hour ago. She wrapped one arm firmly around the unsteady Xia'an and looked back at Niu Fangfang, nodding faintly. She found the words "we slept together" too difficult to say, so she simply let out an "mm."

That was enough.

*Crack—*

Countless lightning bolts struck the heads of the graduating high schoolers present. Regardless of gender, endless romantic fantasies suddenly bloomed in their hearts.

Watching Le Ning help Xia'an leave, Chi Ao felt completely numb.

"No!" he cried out internally, tears streaming down like a collapsing dam as he rushed out of the hall.

The few students who remained sober shook their heads with feigned maturity, sighing, "The fleeting nature of time... what is love in this world..."

As for the intoxicated ones... "Don't just stand there, keep drinking! This setup, this drama—it’s the perfect accompaniment for alcohol!"

Only Niu Fangfang secretly followed them out. She saw Xia'an vomiting messily in the lobby and Le Ning patting his back. She ignored them and ran downstairs, hopping into the passenger seat of a Volkswagen Golf with a ribbon tied to the hood.

"What are you here for?"

"Then why did you abandon your classmates and run out here?"

Seeing Chi Ao’s eyes red and swollen, with snot nearly running down to his lips, Niu Fangfang gave a playful scoff. "You pathetic loser."

Chi Ao ignored her. He rested his arms on the steering wheel and dropped his head, sobbing.

"Are you trying to look cool? Learning from the old Xia'an to act mysterious and tough?" Niu Fangfang tilted her mohawk and leaned against the car door, continuing to tease him.

Chi Ao still didn't respond. But he *was* trying to look cool. He didn't know why, but his first reaction had been to run to the car and cry. That’s how it happened in TV dramas: the lover leaves, and the soulful protagonist weeps alone over the steering wheel while a torrential downpour rages outside.

"I just want some peace and quiet."

"I'll keep you company."

"Then stop making noise."

"Okay. Can you turn on the AC? It's hot."

"I don't know how. Let me figure it out."

"Your car is so small. Is that a sports car next to us?"

"Yeah, a Bentley. Can you please stop talking?"

"Okay. You have to start the engine first, right?"

"I know! Can you just stop talking already?!"

...

The sun was scorching. The car paint was hot enough to cook on. Tang Wan, who had quickly severed ties with the Tang family, wanted to get out of her car, but she felt too awkward to enter the hotel to find Xia'an. In the hour she spent agonizing over this, she had checked her makeup mirror dozens of times. Even though she was a girl who had seen the world, she was still ashamed of her look today.

*Young people's aesthetic is so strange these days.* Just like this little car next to her—is there a flower tied to the hood? Is this also "non-mainstream"? Won't it melt?

Tang Wan pouted, staring at the plastic flower with a blank, cute expression for a long time until she had filled her heart with courage. *You’re here to give him something, what are you afraid of? You promised to invest in Dr. Lin, you can't go back on your word. Yes, that's right, one must be trustworthy. Besides, he’s out of money too, so you’ll slip him some more. Also, you dressed like this to fit his age, what’s there to be afraid of? Yes, exactly.*

Just as the full-of-spirit Tang Xiaowan was about to get out, she saw a tear-streaked young man run out of the hotel and jump straight into the "non-mainstream" car beside her. Tang Wan lost her nerve again.

When Niu Fangfang came running... *Huh? Why is she wearing the same style as me? No way, right? I don't look like that to other people, do I?*

Tang Wan opened her makeup mirror again. In the reflection, her purple mohawk nearly touched the ceiling. Smoky makeup, thick eyeliner, glittery plastic sequins stuck under her eyes. Large, lensless frames perched on her nose. *Ugh... it really is so ugly.* Tang Wan suddenly didn't want to see Xia'an anymore; removing her makeup was the priority.

White smoke puffed from the four exhaust pipes in the thirty-degree heat. Just as she pulled out of the parking spot, *bang*—she was rear-ended.

...

A minute earlier, Chi Ao had figured out the AC. When the cold air blew, the cabin became much more comfortable. With Niu Fangfang’s distractions, Chi Ao suddenly felt the bitterness in his heart lessen. *Yes, maybe Le Ning is right. In a while, I’ll meet more girls. All the elites of the country gather in Beijing, including a handsome guy like me who has his own ride as a freshman. Yes, the future doesn't seem that bad.*

*For instance, this girl beside me is probably just coveting my youth, money, and family background.*

"Niu Fangfang, shall I take you for a drive?"

"Are you crazy? You've been drinking." Niu Fangfang hurriedly grabbed his arm.

Chi Ao curled his lip in a cold smirk: "Are you afraid?"

Looking at him, Niu Fangfang pursed her lips and slowly let go, then began to giggle while chewing her bubblegum. "Alright, if you're not afraid of dying, I'll go with you."

When they rear-ended Tang Wan, Niu Fangfang felt a sense of relief. She thought, *Thank goodness, at least we didn't get out on the road.* This fool didn't even really know how to drive well; he was just showing off—so childish. She looked at the pale-faced Chi Ao with doting eyes, showing no resentment.

Chi Ao didn't even look at her. *Oh crap, I can't afford to pay for this!* His drunkenness vanished instantly. He snapped at Niu Fangfang: "Are you an idiot? I drank so much, why didn't you stop me?"

Niu Fangfang was stunned for less than a second before she chuckled, patting his head. "Don't be afraid, I'll go talk to the driver." She got out of the car first and bowed to apologize to Tang Wan, who was hurriedly putting on a baseball cap.

...

In his past life, Xia'an had a high tolerance and knew his limits, stopping before he ever reached the point of vomiting. But this Xia'an had been thoroughly scolded by the hotel cleaning staff. As Le Ning helped the cleaning lady wipe the floor tiles, she apologized on Xia'an's behalf.

Xia'an heard her vaguely and made a great effort to sit straight in his chair. He pressed his palms together, unable to open his eyes, and mumbled incoherently, "Sorry, sorry." He looked like a giant monkey performing a drunken martial arts routine.

Le Ning squatted on the floor and giggled, tossing away the paper towels and steadying him. "You silly thing."

Drunks and the dead are the heaviest. Walking out of the elevator and through the lobby, Xia'an’s feet could barely touch the ground. His entire weight pressed onto the slender Le Ning. As soon as they stepped outside, the intense heat hit them, and sweat immediately beaded on Le Ning’s fair forehead.

"Stand here, don't fall. I'll go hail a cab, okay?" she said, struggling to lean him against the wall. Her gaze was filled with love. This person wasn't cool at all when drunk, but he was quite cute.

Xia'an heard her and lifted his head like a zombie. He squinted his eyes, searched around, and pointed forward. "Look, wifey, my car is over there..."

He called her that again. Le Ning couldn't help but laugh, putting on a stern face to coax him like a child. "Stop talking nonsense."

Just then, several people rushed out of the revolving doors—the parents Chi Ao had called and the elders who had followed. There were only a limited number of Bentley Continentals in Dongshan. Tang Wan, whose car only had a shallow scratch, had already clearly stated she didn't need compensation, but Chi Ao had notified the adults out of fear before getting out of the car.

Xia'an held Le Ning’s hand and wobbled into the sunlight. Tang Wan, surrounded by a crowd, felt shy because of her outfit. Yet, through the gaps in the crowd, she saw Xia'an coming toward her with a swaggering, unsteady gait, along with the girl holding him.

Tang Wan walked over. "How are you..."

Xia'an opened his mouth, squinted his eyes, and let out a dazed hiccup. "Whoa, why are you dressed like Arale from the 'Funeral Love' family today?" He gagged slightly and waved a hand at Tang Wan. "Xiao Xue, you go back today."

He then beckoned to Le Ning. "Wifey, I've been drinking, you drive."

Finally, under the watchful, wide-eyed gazes of the crowd, he climbed straight into the passenger seat of the Bentley, buckled his seatbelt with his eyes closed, let his head drop, and fell fast asleep.