Chapter 20 - I'm serious

Chapter 20 – I’m seriousTranslator-zyzy Editor-Aru

The youngster’s forehead was covered with sweat, his t-shirt was drenched, clearly outlining his solid body, His black pupils gave out a smile.

Meng Ting hugged her backpack tightly. She only had one thermos flask and she had already drunk from it.

Meng Ting stayed quiet, leaning against the big tree, silently protesting.

He was soaked in sweat from head to toe but she was dry and clean. Her silky hair caressed by the autumn wind, even the leaves yearned for her, falling onto her shoulder gently. Her eyes looking at the ground, he could only see her long and curly eyelashes. What the hell, she looked so beautiful!

Jiang Ren laughed in a low pitch “How stingy of you.”

Meng Ting’s face blushed slightly. Her whole life, this was the first time someone said that she was stingy. She thought of Jiang Ren carrying her halfway up the mountain top, not anyone could do it. It was not the right thing for her to do indeed.

She then opened up the zip of her backpack and took out the white thermos flask.

It was filled with glucose water to replenish her energy. The flask had been with her for some years, there was a delicate azalea flower at the bottom of the flask. She twisted open the lid of the flask and used it as a cup, pouring some of the glucose water out and handed it to Jiang Ren.

But he refused to take the cup: “Give me the flask, who the hell would want to drink from the lid.”

Her eyes were pure and naive, and said in a serious tone: “It’s clean.”

Her fair cheeks were faintly pink. “If you don’t want it, then forget about it.”

Jiang Ren couldn’t stop laughing. “Wait, I’ll drink.”

He took over the cup and finished it within a few sips. It was very sweet, the type of sweet that would seep through your bone. 

His gaze was sharp, he saw the lunch box through the small opening of her backpack. Jiang Ren reached his hand over and took it out. Meng Ting was slower than him. Before she could even react, the lunch box was already in his hands.

The top of the lunch box was transparent, just one glance and he could see that it was just simple egg fried rice.

Meng Ting got anxious. “Give it back to me.”

She subconsciously tried to snatch it. He lifted his hand slightly, only then Meng Ting realised that she was not tall enough compared to him. He held the lunch box at a reachable height, but she needed to try harder in order to reach it. As expected, the girl stood on her tiptoes as she tried to grab it. 

Jiang Ren laughed in his low-pitched voice, raising the lunch box even higher. She nearly pounced into his embrace.

Meng Ting learned dancing before, she was quite flexible. She avoided him easily but was so mad at him. She knew that Jiang Ren was making fun of her and ditched the thought to get it back.

Resentment built within Meng Ting. She was forced to hike to the top of the mountain and this bastard snatched her lunch box away from her

Has he always been a gangster? He was always taking her stuff.

She started to head downhill.

Jiang Ren frowned. It was windy at the top of the mountain. Her eyes started to water because of the strong wind. She looked so angry and pitiful at the same time. He was both amused and genuinely cared for her, worried that she would hike down the mountain with an empty stomach.

He melted from the inside, others brought bread or biscuits which were much lighter and easier to hike with, but she thought of bringing a proper meal. The weight of the lunch box was heavier with the rice in it. She has a pretty and innocent face but her character is even cuter.

She looked so serious along with her gentle and foolish character.

Jiang Ren tugged at her bag, not letting her leave. He cleaned a rock beside the huge tree which was less windy, without saying anything. He then put the lunch box on the rock. He knew that she hated him. “Please don’t be angry, I know that what I did was wrong.”

He said: “Finish your lunch, I will be here taking a lookout for anything, if anyone reaches the peak, I will hide.” 

After finishing his words, he walked far away from her.

Jiang Ren was worried that she would be disgusted from his sweat that didn’t smell pleasant, he then started to guard the path that led to the peak of the mountain, looking downhill.

He sat casually as always, near the slope with his long legs crossed, hands on his knees, looking out to see whether anyone would reach the top.

Meng Ting looked at the lunch box on the rock, she was speechless.

The youngster sat with his back facing her, his shoulder broad, his actions unruly. She saw Jiang Ren reach for his pocket subconsciously, and took out a box of cigarettes, but froze for a second. He then put the cigarette back into his pocket as if it never happened before.

She didn’t know how high the mountain was, but all the way up to the peak, any strong man would get tired easily.

Jiang Ren with his unruly character, he didn’t even bring any water on this hike, not to mention, food.

Meng Ting squatted down, there were two spoons in her bag along with her lunch box. She originally prepared the spoon for Zhao Nuan Cheng. She took a small portion of the rice out, and walked towards him, giving him the other half of the rice and the spoon. He looked shocked.

This time, she didn’t pass him the portion that was on the lid.

She used the lid for her portion instead.

The egg fried rice in his hands seemed to have a different kind of warmth.

There was nothing that Jiang Ren had never eaten before in his life, but looking at the small portion of fried rice in his hands, the rice looked very ordinary, the corner of his lips couldn’t help but curve up. “You sure about this?”

She nodded.

The forest was filled with greenery that year, the old branches swayed along with the wind. The weeds all over the mountain turned yellow in this season, it had a type of golden beauty in it.

He sat at the slope, the moment she lifted her gaze, her light brown pupils looking at her, she said in a serious tone: “Jiang Ren, can you stop taking my things?”

He said with a smile in his eyes: “Alright.”

“And no forcing people to do anything.”

“Alright.”

She was surprised that he didn’t have any objections. Her eyes glowed like the shiny stars. “Don’t look for me anymore, concentrate on your studies.”

This time he didn’t answer at all. Then, he exchanged the two portions of rice, putting the bigger portion of the egg fried rice in her hands. “Eat your lunch, believe it or not, I’ll kiss you if you come over again.”

“……” Her eyes widened, she couldn’t believe what he had just said! She thought that she heard him wrongly. How could he be so straightforward?

She pushed his head away when he leaned closer.

She pushed a little too hard on his black hair.

Meng Ting panicked when she saw his expression change. The boys in her class always said that you could slash a man’s head with blood flowing out, but never mess with his hair.

The head of a man can’t be touched.

Although she didn’t understand why she pushed him heavily just now.

When Jiang Ren smiled, he looked like a thug, but in a good looking way. 

But he looked intimidating when he wasn’t smiling.

He looked so fierce that he looked like he was going to hit someone. Even He Jun Ming and the others, that were so used to him, would panic in this situation.

Meng Ting looked at him, and said quietly “I didn’t do it on purpose, don’t beat me up.”

Jiang Ren was pissed but he laughed.

He was so angry that he could even feel his organs were in flames.

This was the first time he thought that it might be better if he was less manly. Why in the world did she think that he might hit her?

It was true that he wanted to kiss her. He also expected that he’ll be pushed away. She hated him so much, of course, she didn’t want him to kiss her. He just couldn’t help himself even if it was a one out of ten thousand possibilities. He was literally asking for it.

He said: “Look at me again and I’ll throw you down from the mountain.”

Meng Ting thought to herself, why did he have such a bad temper. She ran back to her seat quickly. The little red flags around her fluttered along with the wind, these were all the rewards for the hikers that reached the peak. Unfortunately, everyone had given up.

Unexpectedly, they all belonged to Jiang Ren now.

Jiang Ren looked at the little amount of rice in his hands and tsked, so little, who are you underestimating now? It won’t be enough for him even if he was given the whole box, but he still ate it all, not a single grain left.

Before they started heading downhill, Meng Ting wouldn’t want to waste this journey. “Everyone that comes here makes a wish at the century tree.”

Jiang Ren lifted his gaze and glanced at the old tree.

“So do you want to make a wish?” He tried his very best to hike up the mountain, he could always wish for something like getting accepted into a university or that life would go well for his future.

Jiang Ren said: “It won’t work.”

She looked at him with doubt.

He sneered. “I know what would work, do you want to hear it, good student?” Jiang Ren looked down.

She had a bad feeling about it, the tip of her ears turned red. “No.”

He laughed in a low tone. “Why are you blushing? You don’t even dare to listen to the truth.”

She won’t listen anyway!

She zipped her bag and prepared to go downhill. If she was any slower, she might not catch up with the others. 

~

When the students gathered and checked on the number of students, Fan Hui Yin realised that something was wrong. Class 1 were short of two students, they were Meng Ting and Zhao Nuan Cheng.

She thought of Meng Ting’s eyes that were not so good before, and both of the students that were missing were girls. Fan Hui Yin started to worry. She quickly asked the students if anyone saw them both. One of the male students said: “I saw them together just now, but when everyone stopped hiking and looked for a place to rest, they disappeared.”

Teacher Fan immediately discussed with the other teachers. “Two of the students are missing, what are we going to do?”

The teacher’s face went after hearing the news. They can’t ask the students to go search for them because the signals in the woods are very bad, even the teachers had problems contacting each other.

“Some of the teachers go and look for the missing students, the others lead all the students downhill, we cannot stay here for long.”

The news that all of them were finally going downhill spread fast.

The students were relieved. But there was still a long way to go to reach the bottom of the mountain. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the ɴøᴠel Fɪre.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

When Meng Ting was on her way down, she bumped into a very frustrated Zhao Nuan Cheng. She was still hiking up the peak to look for Meng Ting. She walked as she munched on some biscuits, she almost choked to death because the biscuits were too dry.

When she saw Meng Ting, she almost burst into tears “Ting Ting, are you okay? It’s all my fault.”

Meng Ting was touched from the bottom of her heart but also felt sorry for her. She patted her on her back quickly and let her drink some water.

“I’m fine. I’m so sorry. Let’s head down the mountain.”

Zhao Nuan Cheng looked at the Jiang Ren, the biscuits finally went down her throat.

Meng Ting looked at Jiang Ren and said: “Thank you, I need to go back.”

Jiang Ren knew that they would meet with Seven High’s students very soon. So this time, he didn’t force her any further. He passed her backpack back to her, with a little red flag on the side of her bag.

Meng Ting took the little red flag out and gave it to him. “I don’t need this.” It would be weird if she got that.

She knew it from the very beginning, she couldn’t get along with Jiang Ren. If he did not force her to hike up the peak, just like what Jiang Ren thought of, she wouldn’t even talk to him.

His eyes that were bright suddenly dimmed.

He took it silently, watching Zhao Nuan Cheng and her walk downhill.

The expression on Zhao Nuan Cheng’s face seemed very familiar, both terrified and angry at him. Maybe that was the exact same expression that Meng Ting had on when she looked at him.

He looked at the stupid little red flag. His heart was like a fire that couldn’t be put out,  He threw the flag on the ground.

~

When He Jun Ming and the others found him with their breaths heavy, Jiang Ren was leaning on a pine tree, smoking.

The black-haired teen that was looking down looked cold and distant.

The cigarette was placed between his long fingers. The smoke looked just like the mist that wouldn’t fade away in the mountains.

He Jun Ming smirked. “Boss Ren, how was it?”

Fang Tan was smarter than him. With the look on Boss Ren’s face, he already knew that he did not succeed. So he didn’t even ask and hoped the best for the foolish He Jun Ming.

Jiang Ren curved his lips. “I’ll tell you if you come over.”

He Jun Ming “……” They grew up together and were like brothers. He finally knew what was the situation. He quickly waved his hands. “I don’t want to know anymore, Boss Ren. I was wrong.”

Jiang Ren didn’t have the mood to deal with him at the moment.

“Let’s go, downhill.”

Jiang Ren wore his jacket. She was gone, there was no purpose in staying here anymore.

After a few steps, Jiang Ren couldn’t help but turn around. That stupid little flag was lying beside the tree.

The flag that she didn’t want

He froze for a while, walked back to the tree and took the flag up. He patted away the dirt and put it nicely in the pocket of his jacket.

The other boys looked at him with a confused look.

He didn’t bother looking at them.

He Jun Ming saw how he treasured the flag. What the hell is that rubbish…..he was lost for words.

He said: “Boss Ren, are you serious?”

Seeing as Jiang Ren stayed silent, He Jun Ming advised him sincerely for the first time with a serious face. “Boss Ren, forget about it. Meng Ting is the prettiest girl in Seven High. She is even the first place in her grade. When we were little, the good students in the class wouldn’t even bother looking at us or were frightened to tears if we just whistled at them. Girls like Meng Ting, they are too hard to get, we’re from two different worlds, do you understand?”

What he actually wanted to say to him was, why bother humiliating yourself?

Jiang Ren didn’t say a single word. But the flag was pressed to his chest like it was burning his heart.

He Han couldn’t help but persuade him as well. “True, I also think that way.” He waited for them to walk away from him.

Then only he replied with a whisper. “How would you guys understand.”

After a while, he smiled. The part that hurt, emerged with silky threads of sweetness. How would you guys understand…….