Chapter 17 - Pretty

Chapter 17-PrettyTranslator-zyzy Editor-Aru

The moment Meng Ting heard Jiang Ren’s name, her whole body froze.

Time seemed to slow down, she could feel his warmth from the breathing surrounding her.

She was so terrified that she couldn’t care much about the water droplets on her eyelashes and hurriedly opened her eyes.

It was already the evening, the sun slantly shone into the assembly building, creating a shadow.

The warm yellow rays, he was holding her face, watching as she opened her eyes.

Jiang Ren couldn’t describe what he was feeling at the moment.

It was the first time in his life, like a retarded dummy, his fingertips that were touching her face went numb. That numbing sensation flew right to his heart. His whole body turned weak, the numbing sensation made him feel like he was drowning.

The delicate girl in the picture he saw started to come alive.

All grown up, she became the Meng Ting now.

Her light brown pupils reflected his expression now, dumbfounded, impressed, and slightly crazy over her. Sᴇaʀch* Thᴇ N0vᴇlFire(.)nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

People in the past that laughed at her for her eyes immediately became complete fools.

She had a pair of beautiful eyes, pure and clear, regardless if she smiled, they had the light of stars. Just like the night at Little Harbour, he jokingly stared at her eyes for 10 seconds, that beauty hidden under a veil.

His mind went completely blank, as Meng Ting forcefully pushed him away frustratedly, all his mind could think of is how screwed up he is now.

Oh god, he’s done for.

His heart couldn’t stop beating crazily, that exact feeling he felt when his illness kicked in, but this time, he didn’t have the impulse to rage, the fingertips that touched her felt indescribably amazing.

Meng Ting never ever felt the urge to hit Shu Lan, her clothes were all messy from the fighting.

She hurriedly squatted down to pick up her glasses, the glasses that stuck with her for 3 years, now what was left was only it’s pitiful frame and pieces of shattered glass. She immediately felt weak.

The few dominating girls dazedly looked at Meng Ting.

Meng Ting picked up the glasses frame and stood up, she knew that it couldn’t be used anymore. 

Shu Lan matched her gaze, looking slightly dazed and also with a hint of hatred. At that moment, Meng Ting suddenly understood that her cheap sister, since ages ago, already didn’t like her. 

Meng Ting didn’t dare to look Jiang Ren in the eyes. 

She bit her lips but still didn’t think of seeking revenge of any sort. 

Jiang Ren would be a serial killer in the future! 

Thinking of this almost made her breakdown and cry. 

Tried her best to avoid him, but fate was joking with her, everything turned back to the starting point. 

When she walked towards Li Cai’s school gate silently, she bumped into He Jun Ming and Fang Tan that was following over. 

After a few more steps, He Jun Ming widened his eyes, his gaze locked on her, after a while, he difficulty swallowed his saliva: “That pretty girl looks so familiar.” So god damn beautiful, she’s the prettiest girl he’s ever met in his life.

He Han wanted to tease him by saying that every pretty girl he sees looks familiar to him, but the moment he looked at Meng Ting, he was also dazed: “She’s the girl from the medal.”

They all agreed that she’s pretty, so damn beautiful! She’s both pure and pretty. 

But she didn’t only look familiar.

He Jun Ming stuttered as he couldn’t believe his eyes: “She looks like……like the one from Seven High…… Meng, Meng Ting.”

Fang Tan took a look at Jiang Ren and nodded: “It’s her.”

My god! 

He Jun Ming was about to go crazy, no way! That ordinary blind girl, the Seven High’s overachiever that was only good in academics, was the same pretty girl from the photo! 

It was like a small cliff, saying that it’s higher than the Himalayas. 

But this small cliff was, in reality, really higher than the Himalayas! 

He Han couldn’t help but blush, he couldn’t resist but steal a few more peeks at her.  

By that time, the basketball match had already ended, the school compound became relatively quiet, only a few students that were cleaning up the venue were staying back to pick up the rubbish. 

Jiang Ren came back to his senses after a long time and quickly chased her down. 

If Meng Ting wanted to exit from the school gates, she had to pass the small passageway filled with willow trees. This season, all the willow trees were bare, only the brown branches swayed along with the wind.

She was only halfway through it, someone pulled her over. 

He was panting, his forehead covered with sweat, his eyes were scarily black.

Meng Ting leaned on the bare tree, frustratedly looking at Jiang Ren.

Why is he going all crazy! 

“What are you doing?”

The wind along with her smell entered his lungs, his hands rested on the willow tree behind her, trapping her in that small space. She looked straight at him but didn’t speak a word.

This posture, during the year that she died, was considered a very humiliating gesture. However, this year, everyone was still quite close-minded, very few people would do this. 

Meng Ting reached out to push his hands away.

The teen’s arms were strong, with his black and white elbow pads still on, she wasn’t merciful, terrified that he would hate her again, she pushed him away with all her might. However, even as her face turned bright red, his arms didn’t even budge. 

She got so angry! This crazy bastard! 

This “Crazy” silently watched as she struggled, he suddenly smiled, Jiang Ren didn’t let her move an inch: “Meng Ting.”

She looked up, her eyes turned red from the anger. 

It was like the peach blossoms in March, an indescribable kind of beauty. 

“Why did you lie to me?”

She confusedly looked at him, her pure eyes clearly portraying what she was thinking———When did I lie to you? 

Jiang Ren chuckled: “You student card, you were messing with me.” He arrogantly looked at her from top to bottom, “You’re so pretty, are you scared that I’ll do something to you?” 

Meng Ting only remembered that she really did lie to him, she did say that her eyes looked scary because of her injury, just like the look on her student card. Jiang Ren believed her words then.

Her lie was exposed, she felt slightly embarrassed. She slipped out from the teen’s strong arms after lowering her body. 

Her face turned boiling red: “Jiang Ren, can’t you just talk properly, don’t touch me.”

His gaze with a slight smile: “But I haven’t done anything right?”

Meng Ting didn’t want to deal with him, she was both in a bad and complicated mood, she just wanted to leave without another word.

He looked at the bottled water in her hands and smiled mischievously: “Damn, trying to run away with my money? Where is my 100 note change?” 

Meng Ting only remembered about this, her mind was all over the place, she hurriedly fondled through her pocket, there were 86 bucks left. She stacked them neatly and placed it in the teen’s palm.

Meng Ting seriously explained: “The water was 2 bucks, the towel was 12 bucks.”

She was worried that he didn’t believe her, this year, the goods weren’t as expensive as the goods in the future. That bad quality towel, at most, would only cost 3, 4 bucks. But the sellers raised the prices of the goods like crazy because of the basketball match. 

He was looking at her fair, silky hands.

The money that she touched was blessed with the gentle touch of a beautiful woman. 

Meng Ting passed the water to him and he accepted them. 

She softly continued: “The towel……” The towel got dirty because of her, Jiang Ren used it to wipe off the water on her and dried her hair. She held onto it tightly. 

“The money for the towel, I’ll pay you back another day.”

He couldn’t help but smile: “No, this, just give it to me.”

In the end, she knew that this belonged to him and hesitantly passed it to him.

Meng Ting sighed in relief, she finally cut ties with him. 

She turned around and walked towards the school gates, the branches of the willow tree elegantly swaying along with the wind, her figure quickly disappearing from the school compound. 

Jiang Ren leaned against the tree, looking at her figure from the back, he twisted open the cap of the bottle and drank a few gulps. 

His moves unruly, the water flowed down his chin, passing his Adam’s apple, soaking his collar. 

Even when He Jun Ming and the others came over, he still hadn’t come back to his senses.

The heat from the competition hadn’t passed, the group of them didn’t even have the time to wipe off their sweat, they had to follow Jiang Ren to look for someone already. He Jun Ming took the towel in Jiang Ren’s hands: “So hot, let me use it.” 

Jiang Ren used the bottle to block his hand: “Get away, don’t dirty it. 

He Jun Ming was speechless, god damn it, is it poisonous, it’s just a towel, isn’t it used for wiping off sweat? 

He Han gave it some thought but he still couldn’t help but ask: “Boss Ren, was that Meng Ting just now?” 

Jiang Ren said yes in response. 

He Jun Ming could finally speak his mind: “ I previously thought that Sheng Yu Qing from Seven High was already god damn beautiful, but Meng Ting is even prettier! The people in their school are really blind, her results are really good too right, Last time, Lu Yue lost to her in the competition. Good results, pretty, in my mother’s eyes, this type of good student would forever be someone else’s kid.”

He completely forgot that he also once mocked Meng Ting’s eyes.

He Han snorted: “Forget about it, Sheng Yu Qing and her aren’t the same types of people.”

He Jun Ming: “I agree, previously at Little Harbour, she almost cried right. That’s no fun, can’t play with people like this, she might even look down on people like us.” 

Fang Tan was startled, looking across, as expected, Jiang Ren’s smile disappeared from his face.

He obviously also remembered that incident

The things that this bunch had done before, riding on mountain bikes to snatch her stuff, forcing them to head to Little Harbour. The girl that was with Meng Ting almost cried out of humiliation.

It would be weird if Meng Ting responded to them. 

But people with good results always felt superior, weren’t they already used to this? 

The fool, He Jun Ming, also wanted to add on, to praise Meng Ting’s beauty, but he heard a sound “Dong”, Jiang Ren threw the empty bottle into the rubbish bin. With the towel in his hand, he walked away without a word. 

Fang Tan slapped He Jun Ming on the back: “How dense can you be, can’t you tell Boss Ren’s expression is not right.”

He Jun Ming confusedly said: “Ah?”

~ 

When Meng Ting was home during the weekend, Shu Zhi Tong saw as she didn’t wear her glasses, the old man got so excited that he couldn’t speak clearly: “Ting Ting, is your eyes all good now?”

Shu Yang looked up, he looked surprised that Meng Ting didn’t tell Father Shu about this good news. 

Meng Ting nodded.

Father Shu couldn’t speak coherently: “That’s good, that’s good.”

She felt bad. 

In these two lifetimes, the father she had always cared for and respected, he couldn’t fully care for this family. The things that Shu Lan had done today, completely shattered her intentions to change all this. 

Not long after, Shu Lan came back in a horrific state. 

Her face covered with slap marks, the moment she saw Father Shu and Shu Yang, her tears fell: “Dad, Brother, I was bullied today.”

Father Shu’s expression changed, and pulled his daughter over to look at her injuries: “Who did this?”

Shu Yang furrowed his eyebrows, he took a look at Meng Ting but didn’t say anything. 

Shu Lan suddenly turned her head, angrily looking at Meng Ting: “Father, when I was beaten up, Meng Ting passed by, she didn’t even think of saving me, I won’t accept her as my elder sister anymore!”

Father Shu’s immediate reaction to this was to scold Shu Lan: “What bullshit are you on about!”

Shu Lan innocently: “Really! I’m not lying, you guys always say that Meng Ting is obedient, but she’s evil! You said that sisters should always care and love each other, which part of her actions sounded like an elder sister.”

Father Shu wanted to scold Shu Lan again, but Meng Ting threw her broken glasses at her. 

The clear sound of her glasses landing beside Shu Lan’s feet, she immediately kept quiet. 

Meng Ting never once so clearly understood that she was just an outsider in this house. As Father Shu was not her real biological father, no matter how good he treated her, even when she felt wronged, she would just keep it to herself. She had no one to rant to, even so, she could never accuse her biological daughter.

Shu Lan could, no matter how bad Shu Lan acted, she could.

She could complain first even if she offended her in the first place, she could call for her father and brother without any worries, to exclude her, the outsider.

Meng Ting is not going to stay quiet anymore: “I don’t know why you got hit, but you can tell Father Shu in detail. I don’t regret my decision of not helping you, if you gave me another 100 chances, I still won’t help you. Shu Lan, you’re right, we were never sisters.”

Her voice sounded hoarse: “I’m sorry Father Shu, I’ll move out soon. My grandparents, they……”

Shu Zhi Tong suddenly said: “That’s enough!”

He picked up the glasses on the floor and said to Shu Lan: “Go back to your room!” His voice stern, Shu Lan couldn’t help but obey, before she left, she took a look at Meng Ting, looking delighted.

He waited until Shu Lan and Shu Yang left.

Meng Ting clenched her fist, her shoulders softly shook.

Shu Zhi Tong sighed: “Ting Ting, what happened? Whatever you say, I’ll believe you.”

Meng Ting’s eyes turned red, she wanted to just cry, telling him about the hardships throughout her past 2 lifetimes. Talking about how her face got disfigured, and how the relatives bullied them.

Talk about the years after Father Shu’s death, how sad she was, talk about how Shu Lan wasn’t holding good intentions. She even thought for the first time, why did her biological father dump her mother, but this man who had no blood relations with her said, Daughter, I’ll believe whatever you say.

However, her resurrection was something so unbelievable, she even started to think that it was just a dream, the longer she stayed, the more blurry the memories became, her whole life was right there, but she started to not believe in it, the person that she is now felt the most real to her.

She couldn’t talk to anyone about this.

She tried very hard to swallow back her urge to sob and started to explain what had happened with Shu Lan this afternoon.

Shu Zhi Tong furrowed his brows, he only realised then, the seriousness of the issue, it was way beyond a fight between sisters. He said: “Ting Ting, I watched you and Lan grow up together, when you two were still young, you guys went to the neighbour’s house to play, their family raised a huge dog. When it rushed over, the both of you were scared, but you hugged Lan, the dog almost bit you. You were always a good sister, so father believes you, if you don’t recognise her as your sister, she must’ve done something unforgivable that made you sad.”

Meng Ting with a nasal voice: “Father Shu, don’t continue on.” If he continued, she couldn’t contain her tears anymore.

This is the person she was the closest to for her two lifetimes.

Shu Zhi Tong said: “It’s my fault, I don’t have the time to educate you all. Lan’s personality is problematic, I’ll teach her properly, Ting Ting, don’t ever say things like moving out of the house anymore, this is your home.”

He said it with a firm stance, Meng Ting’s eyes started to water, she couldn’t hurt the heart of the person who raised her anymore, she nodded.

Shu Zhi Tong sighed and went to punish Shu Lan.

Shu Lan couldn’t believe that her own father would side with Meng Ting, she threw a tantrum, Shu Zhi Tong got so angry, he almost gave her a beating. After that, Shu Yang even said abruptly: “Are you done being a nuisance, didn’t Meng Ting ask you to explain why you got beaten? If you don’t tell us, I’ll ask them myself, I’ll bring justice for you!”

Shu Lan only stopped fooling around and unwillingly said: “They just don’t like me.” but she was still very reluctant to talk about the fact that she stole someone else’s boyfriend.

This matter came to an end.

But everyone believed, from that day onwards, Meng Ting was no longer Shu Lan’s elder sister.

When Meng Ting was about to head to school on Monday, Father Shu, as usual, checked her eyes.

After a while, he softly smiled: “Ting Ting, you’re all grown up, you’re the prettiest girl.”

Children from single-parent families were always very obedient since young, this made everyone pity them even more, they were god’s gift, but they are angel’s without any special treatment.

He encouraged: “Your eyes are all healed up, live bravely!”

Meng Ting nodded and smiled for the first time in ages.

There was nothing to be afraid of, she makes her own life choices since she gets to relive her life again, she’ll enjoy it this time.

Her timetable was different from Shu Lan and Shu Yang’s, hers was way earlier than theirs when she walked out of her neighbourhood, Meng Ting felt like she embraced the world again.

That 14-year-old young girl, that shined so brightly, she had always been her!

There were very few buses in the morning. Meng Ting started to memorise the syllables when she got on the bus. The people on the bus couldn’t help but look at this beautiful young lady.

She was used to this kind of attention since she was young, at first, the people’s gaze was a mix of fondness and astonishment, but after, they turned into a pitiful gaze towards a blind person.

Now, it turned back to the gaze of admiration.

Meng Ting looked out the window, the syllables, one by one, repeating in her brain. The world is colourful, she softly inhaled.

She came early, it was only 7 in the morning.

The security at the gate was yawning.

Meng Ting wanted to take out her student card from her bag, but she saw the eye-catching mountain bike parked beside the school gate.

Jiang Ren was leaning against it, beside his feet were a few cigarette butts.

In the chilly morning, he was wearing a black jacket. His silver hair was slightly messy from the wind, the scene was pleasing to look at.

But no matter how she looked at him, he still looked like a bad student.

Meng Ting looked down, she had a bad feeling about this.

She was about to sneakily pass by him, he cursed secretly, but still couldn’t help but smile: “Hey, Meng Ting, I’ve been waiting for you since 6, if you dare, try going in?”

She could only reply: “I need to attend my classes.”

Jiang Ren threw his cigarette away: “Who are you lying to, it’s an 8 am class.”

He was scared that she’ll really go in, he continued: “Can I just ask you a few questions?”

Students started to arrive.

Jiang Ren always was the centre of attention, she didn’t have any other choice, but nodded: “Ask away then.”

He got close to her, he smelled like the morning dew with a slight cigarette smell: “Are you scared of me?”

Meng Ting awkwardly shook her head, because she lied, her face turned slightly red.

“Then look at me.”

She hesitantly looked at him.

Her light brown pupils, so clear and beautiful. He got lost in them for a moment, his heartbeat started to race.

He forgot what he wanted to ask, but it suddenly felt that nothing else was important anymore.

That mesmerizing moment from yesterday, it really wasn’t a dream.

He took a box from his bike and placed it in her hands.

The box felt heavy.

It was the first time he realised the gap between her.

She was still wearing the school uniform that was old fashioned in his eyes, with a high ponytail, her soft and silky long hair dropped down, it gave off an indescribable youthful and obedient vibe. Her elegance, obviously was the type that “couldn’t play along”, the good student type that he couldn’t approach.

The first place from the school beside him.

He wanted to get close to her but was reminded of He Jun Ming’s words from yesterday. She was different from girls like Sheng Yu Qing, hard to say but in her heart, she might look down to people like him who didn’t do well in school.

“Hold on to it nicely, I’m leaving.”

He got on his bike after he finished.

Swiftly put on his helmet, Jiang Ren didn’t go for his classes, right until he left her, he only realised how crazy he was.

He didn’t sleep at all last night, he was looking all over the city to find that thing. It was so difficult to find especially during this season, at 6, he rode back and waited for her at Seven High’s entrance.

The chilly wind from the night, it was blowing on him for the whole night, but it didn’t wake him up, reversely, it made him even crazier. He searched for the whole night and finally found it at a plantation area.

He never thought of bullying her in the first place, for real.

Meng Ting waited for him to leave and opened the slightly heavy box.

Inside the box was a basket, inside the basket was filled with dewy mini strawberries. All arranged neatly in the box.