CH 142

Chapter 142 Hate

A week later, the HSST ended the final exam.

Jian Chi came home with all the luggage for the year, laid in bed for a long time and slept well. He woke up and stared at the ceiling, only half a minute to realize that this was no longer a student dormitory.

In order to celebrate his high school graduation, Jian Chengchao insisted on going to a high-end restaurant in the city center for dinner. Jian Chi didn’t want to spoil the fun, and agreed, but they had no relatives in Chuanlin, so the dinner for the two of them was too monotonous. In the end, Wen Chuan and Jingjing were somehow pulled along, and it became a dinner for four.

At the dinner table, Jian Chengchao drank a lot of alcohol in high spirits, and his rosy face obviously also went to his head. After a while, he said that Jian Chi was sensible. When he was a child, he could read without someone supervising him as he had no time to spend with him. Just after Jian Chi comforted a few words, Jian Chengchao took Wen Chuan’s hand again and said that if the two of them could go to the same school in the future, not only should they take care of each other, but they should also rent a house together, so he can be relieved. Although Jian Chengchao doesn’t understand universities or majors, he believed in all the choices made by Jian Chi, including Wen Chuan, who was his son’s friend.

Jian Chi didn’t know how to answer, so he had to take the alcohol bottle to a place that Jian Chengchao couldn’t touch.

Before she came, Jingjing knew that Jian Chi and his brother had finished an important exam. During the meal, she imitated Jian Chengchao and lifted the juice to congratulate the two brothers around her, serious and lovely. Jian Chi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, and Wen Chuan whispered in his ear, “She just wants to find a reason to drink juice, I usually control her amount.”

“It doesn’t matter if you drink a little occasionally, happiness is the most important thing.” Jian Chi spoke for Jingjing.

Wen Chuan didn’t refute, his lips pulled upwards indistinctly, and suddenly said, “I’ll pick you up the day after tomorrow.”

“The day after tomorrow…” Jian Chi remembered halfway through the question and stopped his chopsticks, “If I remember correctly, the location was set at the hotel?”

“En, the dance starts at seven o’clock in the evening, and we leave at six twenty.”

Jian Chi remembered the invitation to the prom that he received after the exam. He leaned back in his chair and smiled helplessly at Wen Chuan, “I suspect half of the tuition had been moved to hold these various balls, and there were so many in one year. He couldn’t imagine how many dances people who have studied in Saintston for three years have attended by the time they graduate, he guessed that they probably couldn’t keep count themselves.”

Wen Chuan was noncommittal.

Having said that, Jian Chi didn’t think graduation should be hasty. On the contrary, the ceremony was very important, but Saintston’s method was often rough and lavish, in other words, there was no freshness. But the day before the dance, Jian Chi bought a suit and trimmed his long hair.

When looking at the mirror, Jian Chi couldn’t put together the him who had just entered Saintston with himself now. The clean hairstyle, the brand-new suit, and the face haven’t changed much, but Jian Chi knew that a corner of his heart was quietly changing, and he accepted this change calmly.

On Sunday evening, the sound of the motorcycle’s engine rolled up the dust on the ground. Jian Chi heard the sound and went downstairs. Sure enough, he saw Wen Chuan wearing a black outfit with a bow tie, he had a low-key and calm temperament. The long legs under the suit trousers made his body look extra handsome, and the long hair was scattered behind him. When the dark eyes met Jian Chi, they reached an unspoken consensus.

Until the motorcycle passed two traffic lights, Jian Chi hugged Wen Chuan’s waist tightly and opened his mouth to the wind.

“Why did you come so early, didn’t you say that we would leave after twenty minutes?”

Wen Chuan’s voice came from his helmet: “I don’t want you to ride in someone else’s car.” 

With his chest against his back, Jian Chi felt Wen Chuan’s heart beat faster.

Private cars drove over one after another outside the hotel, and among the luxury cars, a motorcycle was quite novel and a unique outlier. Jian Chi didn’t think there was anything wrong with this. He and Wen Chuan walked into the venue together. Before seven o’clock, some people came alone with their female companions, which gradually made the conversation and laughter equal to the music.

Jian Chi didn’t eat dinner. He deliberately waited until the long table was filled with food and desserts to get a full plate. He stood in a remote location while eating and watching the dance. He glanced at the dancing couple, and caught a glimpse of a white streak in the corner of his eye, the figure came over.

“Jian Chi, can I invite you to a dance?”

Ji Huaisi in a white suit lit up this remote corner, Jian Chi was dazzled and moved to the hand Ji Huaisi handed out, “I……”

Ji Huaisi pulled Jian Chi’s hand and clasped his fingers tightly, before waiting for his response. He lowered his head and said softly, “Shen Shuting and Shao Hang are looking towards this side, they will come later, can you accept my invite?”

Jian Chi had to put the plate aside and let Ji Huaisi pull him onto the dance floor.

The dance steps that hadn’t been revisited for a long time were awakened from the depths of memory, and Jian Chi’s body’s instinctive reaction surprised Jian Chi himself that he didn’t step on Ji Huaisi’s feet. Ji Huaisi held his waist, put his lips to his ear and brushed his breath over, “Remember the dance we danced on the deck? You have improved from last time.”

“Thank you.”

“Actually, I lied just now,” the dance music ended, and slowly stepped into the climax, Ji Huaisi whispered, “Now they see us.”

Jian Chi saw two familiar figures across Ji Huaisi’s shoulders, and quickly glanced away. Every next step felt like two eyes following him, “I guessed that you told a lie after you said it.” 

The clasped palm exerted force, and Ji Huaisi asked, “Then why did you agree?” 

Jian Chi looked at Ji Huaisi, the very close distance allowed him to see his own reflection in these light-colored eyes, mixed with indescribable persistence and deep meaning, he couldn’t help sighing, “You don’t think it’s contradictory to ask?”

Ji Huaisi paused slightly, a smile leaking from his lips.

The contradiction was not only Ji Huaisi, but also himself.

“Jian Chi, do you still remember what you promised me?”

Jian Chi was recalling in his memory, and Ji Huaisi helped him: “After graduation, you will give me a chance to start over.”

His heart jumped two more beats, Jian Chi was about to answer Ji Huaisi’s original words at the time, that his original words were not this, but he felt an extremely distinct, gloomy and different gaze on his body, interrupting his thoughts.

Jian Chi raised his eyes. Bai Shuyun in the crowd was staring in this direction, and even if he discovered this, he did not restrain or panic at all. He didn’t know if the suit was light in color or the powder was too white, but Bai Shuyun’s figure looked thinner than before, and his face was pale and white. Jian Chi’s breath tightened under this gaze. Bai Shuyun didn’t say a word, the hostility stabbed directly at him through the air.

If Bai Shuyun only disliked him in the past, he could feel his undisguised hatred at this moment.

“Jian Chi?”

Ji Huaisi’s voice softly called him back, and Jian Chi reluctantly returned to his senses, and the hand that was held was pulled back, “I’m sorry, I need a little time to think about it.”

This was not a surprise for Ji Huaisi. He bent his lips, and a second before the end of the music, the kiss fell on Jian Chi’s ear, leaving a whisper mixed with elegant gardenia.

“The dance is over, wait for me outside.”

Jian Chi touched his ears. During the change of songs, some people rushed to the dance floor with their dance partners, some people dispersed, and Jian Chi moved to Bai Shuyun’s direction again.

It was unknown when Bai Xiyu appeared. He was saying something when his lips opened and closed, and his worry and panic could be seen from his expression. It was unclear whether Bai Shuyun responded, but he had already turned around and didn’t give him another look, as if the hatred just now was all an illusion.

Jian Chi vaguely heard Shao Hang calling his name behind him, but he still didn’t turn his head until they were completely blocked by the dancing crowd. In Jian Chi’s mind, Bai Shuyun looked at him just now.

It made him uncomfortable.