When Ning Yuan knocked on the door, I was standing by the window fanning myself anxiously.
The electric fan in my home died young, and every time the hot summer comes, I can't help but miss it deeply.
The weather was so hot that the asphalt road outside the window seemed to be steaming. The cicadas perched on the branches kept chirping, making people feel particularly annoyed.
I kept fanning myself and taking a big gulp of ice water from time to time. This hot weather makes you want to get into the refrigerator and freeze yourself for a day.
I was muttering to myself when Ning Yuan's knocking on the door sounded again.
"Sister, are you not at home? Sister, please open the door for me!" he shouted anxiously at the door.
Serves you right! I cursed inwardly, but I was still a little annoyed. I have told this kid countless times, but he still has the habit of never bringing his keys when he goes out. He should be taught a lesson by not letting him stand outside in the sun all day on such a hot summer day.
But I know that my dear mother will be reluctant to let me go, and I will be the one who gets scolded, so I'd better go and open the door for Young Master Ning obediently.
Thinking of this, I unconsciously quickened the speed of waving the fan in my hand, as if to fan away the restlessness in my heart.
While muttering to myself, I trotted to open the door for Ning Yuan.
"Here I come!" I responded unhappily, "Master Ning, your fine tradition of not bringing your keys when you go out is really being carried forward. Do you dare to bring your keys with you once and show them to me? Just once will do!"
I opened the door while teasing him.
The door opened with a creak, and I immediately felt a wave of heat rushing towards me. I frowned, and just when I was about to add a few compliments, I suddenly froze in my tracks - there was a strange boy standing next to Ning Yuan.
The boy is very tall, with a fair and clean face, broad shoulders and a slender figure. He has a standard inverted triangle body shape. It is estimated that he would be a spotlight of high wattage when walking on the street.
I quickly identified him and found that he was indeed a handsome guy.
Such a handsome guy actually came to our door on his own initiative and visited our small family. It immediately made me feel honored, even though I was so humble.
I stared at him blankly, my brain short-circuited. I don't know if it was my illusion, but I always felt that there was a flash of cunning in his eyes.
When I came to my senses, I realized that I was wearing very casual pajamas. Because the weather was so hot, this pajamas was also the one with the least fabric.
Thinking of this, my face turned red and my ears felt hot. It felt like I was desecrating the handsome boy's clear eyes. I took two steps back calmly and without even thinking about it, I slammed the door.
After blocking the handsome guy outside the door, I felt relieved, so I breathed a deep sigh of relief. At least I was safe for the time being.
"Sister, why did you suddenly close the door? Open it quickly!" Ning Yuan saw me suddenly close the door, and he knocked on the door and shouted into the house.
I couldn't help but blame him in my heart. This boy didn't understand my feelings as an elder sister at all. He has a handsome guy by his side, so I must pay attention to my image!
I thought to myself, this guy is really unromantic. He kept asking me, "Sister, why did you close the door? Sister, what happened?"
I feel very sorry that our sister-brother relationship has not developed any tacit understanding after so many years.
I quickly went into my room, swiftly put on a relatively normal-looking outfit, then ran to the door and opened it for them.
Ning Yuan frowned tightly and complained to me unhappily: "Ningjing, why did you lock me out again?"
I squinted my eyes at him and said seriously, "You are disrespectful. Call me sister."
Ning Yuan rolled his eyes at me, then quickly supported the door with his hands, as if he was afraid that I would suddenly close the door again. I couldn't help but sigh that this kid did a very poor job of taking precautions. That blockhead is a fool and we can't expect him to be smart at all.
He looked at me, sized me up and down with an inquiring expression, and when he noticed that I had changed my clothes, his eyes revealed a look of understanding.
His expression was really annoying, so I glared at him fiercely. But he didn't care, smiled at me, and asked me: "Sister, who do you think he is?"
This question is really well-posed, coming from my own brother whose IQ is not to be praised. How could I possibly know who he is? If "beautiful boy" can be used as a nickname, I think it should be very appropriate for the handsome boy in front of me.
I turned my head and looked up and down at the handsome boy in front of me, and suddenly I felt as if I had suddenly realized something: "Could it be that he is... But, Ning Yuan, you have a good eye. No matter what, I will support you. But what does mom say? Are you sure you have thought it through..."
"Sister, what are you thinking about!"
Before I finished speaking, Ning Yuan immediately frowned and said in a very dissatisfied tone. He rolled his eyes at me, as if I had just said something outrageous.
"Then he is..."
Thank God, it turned out that I had misunderstood. I looked at Ning Yuan and pretended to be quick and eager to learn.
Ning Yuan's expression became a little excited, and his beautiful eyes seemed to become sparkling. I was wondering, and then I heard him say righteously: "Sister, he is my lifesaver."
"Savior?" These four words startled me so much that I almost bit my tongue. I recalled what happened a few hours ago. My mother said that there was no salt for cooking in the evening, so she asked Ning Yuan to buy salt... Isn't it just buying salt? How come buying salt has become a life-threatening matter these days, and then there is a life-savior?
I felt that my brain was not enough and my thoughts were not sharp enough. I looked at Ning Yuan with shame, then looked at the beautiful boy in front of me, still looking confused.
"Sister, how could you let my savior stand at the door?" Ning Yuan grumbled at me in dissatisfaction, as if I was disrespectful to his savior.
I rolled my eyes at him and thought to myself: The person standing in front of you is your biological sister of more than ten years, and you are yelling at me because of a boy you just met.
Thinking of this, I couldn't help feeling a little angry, so I stood there motionless and didn't say anything.
Ning Yuan turned around and invited the strange handsome guy with a smile on his face: "Brother Qingyu, please come in, it's too hot outside."
In my opinion, Ning Yuan has a fawning look on his face at this moment, and he is calling "brother" "brother". Does he think he is acting in a Korean TV series?
I turned around and walked ahead, ignoring them.
Soon I heard a "bang" behind me, and I knew that it was Ning Yuan who came in with his savior. There were two more people in the house, and the already cramped space seemed even narrower. It was really hot, so I picked up the iced mineral water on the table and drank it.
The weather was so hot and I was wearing an outfit suitable for playing a nun, but my throat was so hot that it almost started to smoke.
I picked up the fan and fanned myself vigorously for a while, then picked up the mineral water on the table and drank it again. Unexpectedly, as soon as I took a sip, I heard Ning Yuan behind me calling me, "Sister!"
I was startled and almost choked on the water. I coughed violently a few times before I recovered. I wiped the corners of my mouth with my hands and glared at him fiercely.
Ning Yuan looked at me with a smile and asked innocently, "Sister, do you have any more mineral water?"
"In the refrigerator." I said briefly and to the point. I really didn't want to pay attention to him.
Ning Yuan happily ran to the refrigerator, opened the door, took out two bottles of mineral water, then ran back quickly and handed one of the bottles to his savior.
I put down the mineral water bottle in my hand, and suddenly I felt like my younger brother had been brainwashed by others after going out for a walk. I frowned and stared at the beautiful boy in front of me, as if I wanted to see some clues from his face.
It would be a pity if such a handsome boy turned out to be a liar.
I felt a pang of regret.
Thinking of this, I said, "Tell me, what happened?" I decided to give the beautiful boy a chance to "clear his name."
Ning Yuan pulled the handsome boy to sit on the sofa. I sat opposite them, deliberately putting on an air of authority, trying to overwhelm them, my eyes still fixed on the handsome boy.
"Sister..." Ning Yuan laughed dumbly, "No matter how good-looking he is, you don't have to stare at him like this." His voice sounded like a teasing, which made me feel a little uncomfortable.
My face turned red, and I moved my gaze to Ning Yuan's face, saying dissatisfiedly: "What do you know as a child? Your savior is not made of crystal, so how could he be damaged?"
"You..." Ning Yuan's face turned red and he stammered, unable to speak.
I felt a little proud, then I looked at the boy in front of me and asked, "Who are you? Tell me." I said coldly, with an expression on my face that said, "You'd better tell the truth, or I will not let you go."
I don't know if it's because my murderous aura is not strong enough, but the handsome boy in front of me was not scared by me, but smiled at me. The corners of his mouth were slightly raised, and when he smiled, a shallow dimple appeared at the corner of his mouth, and the whole person looked naughty and cute.
I looked at him carefully. He was really handsome, and he exuded an aura that was not ostentatious but could not be ignored.
When I thought about the small space of 50 square meters in my own home, I felt a little cramped for a moment. It always felt a little strange that such a noble man appeared here. I suddenly felt very uncomfortable in my heart. He was so out of place in my home.
I was thinking about something when he suddenly spoke. His voice was very low and came through the scorching heat of the summer. Somehow, I felt that there was a little coolness in the air.
I heard him say, "My name is Lu Qingyu, hello, Ning Jing."
He called out my name accurately. I was stunned for a moment, lowered my head and thought carefully, and then I understood that he must have heard Ning Yuan calling my name just now. In any case, he is really a very careful person.
Ning Yuan suddenly interrupted and said, "Sister, you don't know, I was almost robbed by a few gangsters on the street just now. Fortunately, Brother Qingyu came to my rescue and I was able to escape. Brother Qingyu is very skilled. Although there were more people on the other side, he knocked those gangsters to the ground in a few strokes. It was really cool!"
After saying that, Ning Yuan made a few symbolic gestures with his hands and looked at Lu Qingyu who was sitting next to him with admiration.
So that's what happened. It suddenly dawned on me that he really saved Ning Yuan. If Ning Yuan came back with a bruised face, his mother would definitely be heartbroken.
Thinking of this, I couldn't help but feel grateful. Thinking of how cold I was to him just now, I couldn't help feeling a little guilty.
"So that's how it is." I smiled apologetically at the boy named Lu Qingyu. My face turned red when I thought about how unfriendly I was just now.
But he didn't care and smiled again, with the dimples on his lips becoming deeper.
Ning Yuan, on the other hand, looked unyielding and said dissatisfiedly: "Sister, he saved my life, but look at how bad your attitude was just now, and you even locked us out of the door. I am your brother, so isn't my savior your savior?" Ning Yuan looked like he deserved a beating.
Listening to his words, I felt very embarrassed, so I lowered my head and thought about what to say next. At this moment, the door was pushed open with a creaky sound.
I turned around and saw my mother appear at the door with a basket full of vegetables.
Finally someone came to rescue me. I smiled secretly in my heart, then winked at Ning Yuan proudly, and ran to the door in two steps.
"Mom, you're back. Let me help you carry it. The basket is quite heavy." I hurriedly took the basket from my mother's hand and looked at her face which was red from the scorching sun. I felt a little distressed.
Mom wiped the sweat off her forehead with her hand, adjusted her breathing, and said to me with a smile: "Ningjing, I bought some fish at the market. They look very fresh. I'll make a fish dinner for you and your sister tonight. We haven't had fish in a long time."
I was holding the basket in one hand and supporting my mother with the other. Her words made me sad. I turned my head and looked at the deep wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, and I felt even worse.
She looks much older than her peers. The ruthless years have left deep wrinkles on her face. The burden of the family has made her age prematurely. She is not even 50 years old, but her temples are already gray.
Lu Qingyu had already stood up from the sofa at this time. Ning Yuan stood beside him, solemnly introducing his savior to his mother.
I leaned against the wall with my shoulders drooped, looking at Ning Yuan's serious expression, and found it a little funny.
"Mom, do you know? If it weren't for Brother Qingyu, I would have been beaten all over by those hooligans."
Ning Yuan said this exaggeratedly. In his eyes, he was as weak as if he was made of plastic, while the beautiful boy named Lu Qingyu looked like Iron Man.
When I heard what he said, I couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Ning Yuan glared at me, expressing his dissatisfaction with my frivolous expression.
I put away my smile and walked over, and my mother had already held Lu Qingyu's hand.
"Thank you." She nodded at Lu Qingyu. "There are really not many well-educated children like you nowadays." Her voice was full of gratitude.
"Mom, how can it be not much?" I walked over and said, "You watch me every day, and I am also a well-educated young man."
"You just know how to talk nonsense." My mother said to me, her voice still full of kindness.
I looked at her with a smile, and then I heard her say, "Ningjing, sit with Qingyu and chat. Mom will cook for you."
"Ah? Me?" I pointed at my nose, "Mom, I'd better help you cook."
"Why are you so rude? You should accompany the guests." Mom gave the order.
"Don't we still have Ning Yuan? I... okay." Looking at her eyes that brooked no rejection, I had to swallow all my excuses.
"Qingyu, let's eat here today. Auntie will cook some delicious dishes for you." Mom looked at Lu Qingyu with a smile, her face full of enthusiasm.
I thought that guy named Lu Qingyu would refuse, but my last hope was shattered the moment he nodded.
He nodded gently and said with a smile: "Okay, then I'll trouble you, Auntie."
I have to admit that at that moment, I really hoped that I would faint from heatstroke in my house without an electric fan, so that I wouldn't have to chat with this guy.
But God did not hear my prayers. When my mother went into the kitchen to cook dinner, I was still standing there perfectly fine without any discomfort.
Ning Yuan and Lu Qingyu were sitting on the sofa chatting, and suddenly Ning Yuan looked up and called me, "Sister, why are you still standing there?"
I walked over and sat opposite Lu Qingyu, lowering my head and not saying a word.
For a moment, the living room was extremely quiet. Only the scorching hot air was flowing slowly, and there was still no coolness at all.
When I picked up the fan from the table and fanned myself, I suddenly heard Lu Qingyu's voice: "Ningjing, do you know why I know your name?"
I looked up at him, our eyes met, there was a hint of cunning in his eyes, and he was staring at me with a smile.
I frowned and whispered, "Isn't it because Ning Yuan called my name just now?"
Unexpectedly, he shook his head to deny it. I stopped fanning myself and looked at him with some confusion.
Fortunately, he didn't mean to keep me in suspense. He continued, "That's because I knew you before. We went to the same school."
"No way, sister?" Before I could react, Ning Yuan was already yelling, "Brother Qingyu is so handsome, he's the center of attention wherever he goes, and you actually said you don't know him!" Ning Yuan's eyes widened, with an expression of disbelief, "Sister, are you sure you really went to school?"
I rolled my eyes at Ning Yuan, turned my gaze back to Lu Qingyu, and said, "If I understand correctly, you mean that you are also studying at Dijin College?"
He nodded affirmatively.
"Oh, then it seems that we are really classmates." To be honest, I was really surprised. "What a surprise, I didn't know we were from the same school. I'm in the journalism department." After hesitating for a while, I added.
"I'm from the Department of Architecture. It's not surprising that you don't know me." He smiled gently. "Ningjing, you are too aloof. You never pay attention to others."
I have to admit what he said, but for some reason, when he said the word "eccentric", I didn't feel the slightest bit of anger in my heart.
I nodded and said, "I didn't expect you to be my schoolmate. This world is so small."
"Sister, it's because Brother Qingyu and our family are so destined to be together, okay!"
Ning Yuan suddenly interrupted again. I ignored him, just lowered my head and kept silent. I had an indescribable feeling in my heart.
Time passed as Lu Qingyu and I had an occasional conversation. The quartz clock on the wall ticked away, and in the blink of an eye, it became dark.
When it was almost 6 o'clock, my mother finally prepared dinner. When she said "It's time to eat", Ning Yuan rushed to the kitchen like an arrow.
We talked and laughed for a long time during the meal, and by the time we finished, it was completely dark.
I haven't seen my mother so happy for a long time. During the period, Lu Qingyu told us several jokes, which made my mother laugh non-stop, and my mood became happy. Because of this, when my mother asked to see Lu Qingyu off, I took the initiative to volunteer.
I walked him downstairs. The corridor was a little dark and the lights on several floors were broken, so he carefully took out his cell phone to provide lighting.
I walked behind him and he turned back to look at me from time to time.
I put my hands in my trouser pockets and stared at his tall and thin back. When he turned around for the third time, I said, "Lu Qingyu, are you afraid that I won't send you downstairs and sneak back home alone? I'm not so dishonest, am I?"
He was stunned for a moment, then he laughed and said seriously, "I was afraid that you would be in danger alone in the back, or be captured by some monster in the dark corridor, so I kept looking back to see if you were there."
He spoke with a very serious expression, but his eyes blinked, clearly with a cunning look in them.
The corridor was dark, and when he said that, I suddenly felt a chill down my spine. I couldn't help but look back, and there was nothing but darkness behind me.
I breathed a sigh of relief, but I didn't expect that my foot suddenly missed a step. I stumbled and almost fell down the stairs. I was so scared that I couldn't help but scream.
"careful!"
His deep voice reached my ears, and then a pair of strong hands grabbed my arm.
I breathed a sigh of relief after I stood firm.
I looked up and found that he was very close to me, and his hand holding my arm did not loosen. Then, his voice rang in my ears.
He said: "Ningjing, I hope you can smile more in the future."
His voice was very low, like a whisper. I didn't know why he suddenly said that. I broke free from his arm without leaving a trace and walked in front of him alone without responding to him.
The corridor became quiet again, with only the sound of footsteps echoing in the silent air.
I walked ahead silently, without looking back at him or talking to him. I didn't want him to know that his words touched my heart.
I think that he and I are from two different worlds. Since we are parallel lines, there should not be too much involvement.
But what I didn't expect was that I saw him again very soon, so quickly that I was caught off guard.
The next day when I went to school, when I walked to the classroom, I saw a boy standing at the door of the classroom chatting with another boy. There was no way, Lu Qingyu was too dazzling, I recognized him at a glance.
At that moment, several thoughts flashed through my mind. Why did he come to our classroom? Was he looking for me? I didn't want to be the focus.
Thinking of this, I couldn't help but quicken my pace, trying to avoid him.
Unfortunately, I failed. Lu Qingyu suddenly turned his head, blinked at me, and said with a smile: "Ningjing, I didn't expect that we would meet again so soon."
"So, you two know each other?" The "glasses man" who was just chatting with Lu Qingyu looked at me in disbelief and said, "Ningjing, I didn't expect you to know the most handsome guy in the Department of Architecture. Lu Qingyu is a celebrity in our college!"
I was just about to explain that this was only the second time he and I had met when I heard whispers around me.
I turned my head and noticed that a group of girls had gathered not far away. The focus of their attention was naturally on the handsome guy Lu standing in front of me. They all looked at the handsome guy in front of them with shy faces, whispering to each other from time to time, with a crazy expression on their faces, just like they were in an idol drama.
I wanted to laugh but tried my best to hold it back. At this moment, all their eyes turned to me with contempt and jealousy on their faces. It seemed that they were extremely dissatisfied with the fact that Lu Qingyu had just taken the initiative to wave and say hello to me.
There were at least a dozen girls in that group. I thought to myself, he is indeed a handsome guy and very charming, but I don’t want to be the object of their jealousy.
Thinking of this, I chose to ignore Lu Qingyu. I have already stayed in Dijin College silently for two years, and I don’t want any accidents to happen in the last two years.
My life has always been very peaceful. I am also an insignificant existence in school. Many classmates don’t know who I am, let alone know me. But I really enjoy this state.
Some people are born to be in the spotlight, like Lu Qingyu.
And some people are born passers-by, like myself.
But today, because of Lu Qingyu, I attracted the attention of a group of girls, and I suddenly didn’t know whether I was lucky or unlucky.
I lowered my head and ignored him. Unexpectedly, he didn't say anything else. Instead, he said hello to the "man with glasses" and left in a hurry, looking very anxious.
I raised my head only after he walked away, looking at his back thoughtfully.
When I came to my senses and was about to walk into the classroom, I was suddenly surrounded by a lot of girls.
"Hey, what's your name? How do you know Lu Qingyu?" A girl in a white chiffon skirt asked me in a bad tone, with strong hostility in her eyes.
"Why did Lu Qingyu take the initiative to greet you?"
"How long have you known him? Do you have any bad intentions towards him?"
Why do I feel like they are trying to force a confession?
They surrounded me and asked me questions all at once, one question after another, and I gradually became anxious.
While I was racking my brains to figure out how to get out of this situation, the bell for class rang at the right moment.
"Get out of the way, class is starting!" I kept shouting, clearing a path with my hands and rushing out of the encirclement as if escaping.
It took me a long time to adjust my rapid breathing after sitting in my seat. I breathed a deep sigh of relief and was secretly happy in my heart. If it weren't for the bell for class, I would probably be asked by them all day long.
The school bell finally rang after I had been waiting for a whole day.
I was the first one to rush out of the classroom, but was suddenly stopped by someone.
I was in a hurry, but I didn't expect an obstacle to appear halfway. I felt a little unhappy and looked up to say something bad, but I was stunned for a moment.
I think there is only one sentence that can express my inner feelings at this moment, that is "Why are you here again?"
That’s right, who else could appear in front of me at this moment if not Lu Qingyu?
I don't want to explain this matter with something invisible and intangible like fate. I think he must have done it on purpose.
I glanced at him and was about to say something when I heard noisy discussions behind him.
Because it was time to go home from school, the corridor was already blocked by students from various classes. In addition, with the handsome Lu in person, the girls who were his fans had already formed several layers behind him.
I found it a little funny, looking at the three layers of layout there, as if the emperor was on a tour.
I looked at him sideways without saying anything, lowered my head, and tried to slip past him quietly.
But as I took a step forward, he suddenly grabbed my arm and called my name: "Ningjing!"
His voice was loud, and there seemed to be a hint of anxiety in his tone.
I frowned and tried to break free, but the strength gap between me and him was too great, so I turned around and looked at him with dissatisfaction.
"are you looking for me?"
I admit that my tone was not very nice and I looked a little impatient, but the fact is that I didn't hate him very much. I just hated the feeling of being grabbed by him in public.
Not everyone yearns for places with flashing lights. Some people would rather be ordinary and enjoy themselves. I happen to be such a person.
So, I'm sorry I can't be in a good mood at the moment.
I waited for his answer with a gloomy face, and my eyes inadvertently revealed the meaning of "If you can't explain it clearly today, we're not done."
Compared to my anxiety, he still looked calm. He just looked at me seriously. At that moment, the cunning look on his face disappeared and he became as obedient as a little white rabbit.
"Ningjing, can I take care of you from now on?"
"W-what?" I was so frightened by his words that I almost bit my tongue. I started to stutter and couldn't speak fluently. "Lu Qingyu, are you kidding? I'm not interested in playing house with you."
After a moment of shock, I reacted quickly and kept a certain distance from this "luminous object".
I glanced around and saw that the girls who were closer had obviously heard what he had just said. They opened their mouths so wide in surprise that it seemed like they could fit an egg in them.
He made me the target of everyone's criticism. If looks could kill, I think I would have fallen to the ground, vomiting blood and died.
I stood there in a daze. In this 39-degree hot day, I actually felt a chill.
"I'm not kidding, Ningjing, can I take care of you?" He walked up to me, took my hand, and spoke to me affectionately like a prince in a fairy tale.
"Brother, this joke is not funny at all, okay?"
I broke free from his hand and took a step back again, only to find that my back was blocked by Lu Qingyu's fans and I couldn't move back.
I looked up at Lu Qingyu. He had a serious expression on his face, just like when he joined the Young Pioneers as a child. I frowned and asked, "Who do you think I am? How could you say such a thing?"
He still looked very calm and said to me seriously: "You are my milk tea."
As soon as he finished speaking, the people around him burst into laughter.
I never expected that he would answer me with an advertising slogan. I thought, I really don’t understand the world of rich people. He and I only met twice, has it come to this?
"Lu Qingyu, are you teasing me?" After a brief thought, I became more and more certain that Lu Qingyu came here with the intention of teasing me. I thought for a moment and said, "Let me go first. If we can't talk, you don't have to hold on to me so tightly, right?"
He was quite cooperative and let go of my hand after hearing what I said.
I thought about it, looked at him and said word by word, "Master Lu, I am very busy and don't have time to play this kind of game with you. Can you take it as a beg of yours? Don't joke with a commoner like me anymore. I know myself well."
"I told you I wasn't kidding, Ningjing, don't you believe me?" he said, staring into my eyes sincerely.
In return I shook my head.
I don't believe it. I never believed that the Cinderella story would happen to me.
"Ningjing, maybe you don't know, but I've seen you many times before I went to your house. I still remember the first time I saw you was at the freshman opening ceremony. You were sitting in the corner, as if everything around you had nothing to do with you. You were writing something quickly with a pen in your hand. In the last interactive session, when your name was called, you stood up in a panic, and the things on your legs fell to the ground. You looked stupid. I thought at the time, how could there be such a stupid girl?"
When I heard him say that, I remembered that there was such an incident. At that time, I was calculating how to avoid conflicts between my class and part-time job. When I heard someone calling me, I stood up in a panic. As a result, I was very embarrassed, but I didn't expect that someone saw everything.
I looked up at his handsome face, not understanding what he meant by these words: "Lu Qingyu, you..."
He smiled bitterly: "Maybe it was from that time that I started to pay attention to this confused girl. She rarely interacted with others. She was a little cold and liked to walk with her head down... Ning Jing, do you believe in fate?"
I shook my head again.
"But I believe it." He looked at me, his tone very firm, "I believed it the moment you opened the door for me. I also know that I have fallen in love with you."
"Don't be ridiculous." I never really believed such remarks.
I glared at him fiercely, quickened my pace, pushed through the crowd and ran out without looking back.
I raised my wrist and looked at my watch. It was almost time to go to work, and I couldn't be late.
After getting off the bus, I ran all the way to where I worked.
The place where I work is a coffee shop. The owner is very nice, and because I am a student, she always takes extra care of me.
But when I pushed open the door of the store, I suddenly felt a sense of frustration as if I had been busy for a long time and ended up back to square one.
As soon as I opened the door, I saw him. At that moment I thought I had recognized the wrong person, so I rubbed my eyes and looked carefully. Those familiar eyebrows and eyes, who else could it be but him.
I felt a little discouraged. I felt like no matter how fast I ran I couldn't escape his grasp, and I was extremely frustrated.
Just like that, we were walking inside and outside the door respectively, he was smiling and I was crying.
But I couldn't just stand there stupidly at the door. No matter how much I resented him, I still had to walk into the store obediently.
I walked up to him and was surprised to find that Lu Qingyu was wearing the same work uniform as me.
I looked at him in surprise, not knowing what he was up to.
"Why are you here?" I asked with a frown, looking him up and down several times, as if he was a spy who infiltrated our army. However, to be honest, he has a standard model figure, and this ordinary uniform looks so good on him.
"Come to work." He said seriously, and he didn't look like he was joking.
I scoffed at this: "Master Lu, are you here to understand the people's sentiments?"
"Miss Ning won't allow me to use my spare time to work and study?" He frowned, but soon relaxed and said to me with a smile.
"How dare I? Since Young Master Lu wants to work and study, I won't bother you anymore. Bye!" I glared at him and prepared to go to the locker room to change clothes.
He smiled at me and was about to say something when the door of the coffee shop was pushed open with a creaky sound by someone outside.
A little girl in school uniform who looked like a student came in. When she came over and saw the handsome Lu in front of her, there was a strange light flashing in her eyes and her little face looked a little shy.
The little girl said in a sweet voice: "Brother, please give me a cup of cappuccino."
"OK, just a second."
After saying that, Lu Qingyu began to study how to order in front of the computer screen, looking a little clumsy.
I felt like laughing and watched coldly for a while. After such a long time, this young master still didn't understand how to use the machine. It was obvious that he was a pampered young master.
I walked over, stood beside him, placed my order expertly, and said to the little girl with a smile, "Please go to the seat next to you and wait for a moment."
The little girl finally came back to her senses from her beautiful fantasy. She glared at me with dissatisfaction, looked at Lu Qingyu reluctantly, and then looked back every few steps.
She sat down in her seat, still staring at Lu Qingyu intently, with a shy and sweet look on her face.
I looked at Lu Qingyu helplessly. He looked calm, as if he was still thinking about how I had just fiddled with the cash register. He frowned, with a thoughtful expression on his face.
I thought it was very funny, so I watched it for a while and then went to the locker room to change my clothes.
When I came out of the dressing room after changing my clothes, this guy had obviously figured it out and was taking orders for a couple.
"Okay, wait a moment." He said with a smile.
You know what, this guy really looks like a decent guy.
I walked over and looked at him sideways. He was very tall, so I could only look up at him. The feeling of looking up at him made me feel uncomfortable but helpless.
After looking at him straight in the face for a few seconds, I said slowly, "Lu Qingyu, what do you want?"
He stopped what he was doing and turned to look at me. At that moment, I felt his eyes were filled with emotions I couldn't understand. He paused and said calmly, "Ningjing, I just want to come here to work with you. Why are you rejecting me so much? You really don't have to do this."
After saying this, he looked at me with resentful eyes, as if I was a member of the landlord class that oppressed the working people, and a vicious and evil person.
"you……"
I stammered. The unexpected reaction from handsome Lu left me speechless for a moment, and I swallowed the words that I had been brewing for a long time.
He looked like a bullied young wife. I rolled my eyes at him and suddenly I felt a flash of cold light beside me, like a martial arts master using a hidden weapon.
I shuddered all over and turned around, and saw the infatuated little girl who was glaring at me.
Looking at the little girl's expression as if she wanted to eat me alive, I suddenly felt helpless and didn't want to say anything, so I walked past Lu Qingyu without even looking at him.
If I can't afford to offend you, can't I just hide away?
Just at this moment, the couple stood up and walked out of the store. I felt like I saw a ray of hope, and quickly ran over with the table rag.
I think if our boss lady saw this scene, she would burst into tears and say that I am the most down-to-earth and hardworking employee.
I put the cups on the table into the plate, then wiped the table vigorously with a rag, as if I wanted to vent all my anger towards Lu Qingyu on it.
Why is this guy annoying like a fly? Wait a minute, as the saying goes, flies don't bite seamless eggs. I really don't understand what attracted this handsome guy to follow me every day.
I bent over and recalled the scene when I met him yesterday. I was dressed like a dumpling, how could I have given him any hint?
It turns out that the thoughts of rich people cannot be inferred by common sense. If I can't figure it out, I will ignore it. This has always been my unchanging policy. I straightened up, picked up the plate and was about to go into the kitchen when I suddenly felt dazed.
I don’t know what happened to me at that moment. After a brief trance, I seemed to see his figure vaguely. He was gentle and refined, with an elegant smile on his face.
My heartbeat suddenly accelerated, and I felt like I was about to suffocate. It seemed that even breathing became difficult. My whole body was shaking, and my hand holding the plate was also shaking. Finally, my hand loosened, and the plate fell to the ground with a "pop".
Then there was another "pop" sound, and the cup shattered.
I heard the little girl not far away shouting loudly: "Is there an earthquake?"
I came back to my senses when I heard the little girl's cry.
I blinked, and there was no human figure in front of me, only broken glass on the ground, reflecting a dazzling light under the sunlight.
It turns out that the scene I just saw of him was just an illusion, and my heart ached slightly.
I squatted down and silently picked up the broken glass on the ground.
Suddenly, I felt a large area of ​​the sunlight in front of me was blocked. Someone walked in front of me and then squatted down.
I stopped what I was doing, looked up, and saw that the person I was expecting did not appear in front of me. Instead, it was the person I wanted to avoid as much as possible - Lu Qingyu.
I lowered my head in disappointment, not wanting to pay attention to him or talk.
He obviously didn't notice my strangeness, and continued to smile and said, "Ningjing, have you entered old age early? How come you can't even hold things steady?"
I knew he was teasing me, but I was too lazy to argue with him. I was so upset that I didn't even have the energy to speak.
I silently cleaned up the broken glass on the floor and turned to walk towards the kitchen.
I think maybe no one can understand how I feel at this moment, just like no one knows how much I miss him.
Lu Qingyu's emotional intelligence is still very high. He quickly noticed that I was in a bad mood, so he was tactful enough not to bother me again , nor did he pester me and say some inexplicable words to me. At most, he stood in the distance and looked at me silently with a puzzled expression on his face.
After being busy for half the night, the store finally closed at 10 o'clock.
I dragged my tired body out of the store, and just after taking a few steps, I noticed that there seemed to be a car following me.
I turned my head alertly and saw that there was indeed a car following me.
In the dead of night...
I immediately became alert and stared at the car with a wary look.
Even though I am uneducated and know little about luxury goods, I know that it is a Mercedes-Benz, a car that symbolizes the landlord class.
Although I don't have a hatred towards the rich, I couldn't help but look a little fierce at it.
As I stared at it fiercely, the Mercedes suddenly stopped in front of me. I was stunned and took two steps back unconsciously.
I saw the car window slowly lowered. I was wondering who was sitting in the car when Lu Qingyu's familiar face came into my sight.
I didn't expect it to be him. Although I knew his family was rich, I was still a little shocked when he pulled up in front of me in such an expensive car.
While I was standing there looking at him stupidly, he had already opened the car door, got out, and soon walked in front of me.
I stared at him blankly. Maybe because the moonlight was too dim, he looked very gentle at this moment.
Although I don't want to admit it, the fact is that he is really a very handsome boy. I think if he hadn't been pestering me and confessed to me the second time we met, and made such a frivolous move, I wouldn't have been so repulsive to him.
I was thinking about something when I heard him say, "Ningjing, let me take you home."
I said sarcastically, "Master Lu, you said you drove a Mercedes to work in a coffee shop, it sounds so fresh!"
"Huh?" He obviously didn't expect me to change the subject, so he looked at me with a frown.
I looked into his clear eyes and said word by word: "Lu Qingyu, what do I have to say so that you can understand? You and I are really from different worlds. For example, you drive a Mercedes to work, and I work hard to make a living. You and I are not from the same world at all. You may not understand what I say, and I don't know how to understand what you think in your heart. Tell me, why do we have to meet after this? So, please don't come to me again in the future, just let me go, okay?"
After saying these words in one breath, I saw the light in his eyes suddenly dim.
I took a deep breath and suddenly felt that what I had just said was a bit too much, but there was simply no possibility between him and me, so it would be better for him to give up the idea as soon as possible.
I couldn't bear to see the loneliness in his eyes anymore, so I walked forward without looking back. Just after taking a few steps, I heard his sad voice coming from behind me.
He said: "Ningjing, I just want to take good care of you, really."
Maybe it was my illusion, but I vaguely felt that he said this in a crying voice, and my heart ached inexplicably.
I hardened my heart and didn't stop or turn around.
On summer nights, the heat in the air has been reduced by more than half and is no longer so scorching, but the gentle moonlight tonight looks so lonely.
Because of some delay, it was almost early in the morning when I got home.
I was afraid of waking up my mother and Ning Yuan, so I gently opened the door with the key and tiptoed in.
When I passed by the door of my mother's room, I found that the light in her room was still on.
Hasn't mom fallen asleep yet?
I knocked on the door, pushed it open and walked in. In the dim light, I saw my mother doing handicrafts. Because of her age, her eyes were a little blurry, and she was wearing reading glasses and slowly threading the needle under the light.
Seeing this scene, I felt a little sad, and I quickly ran over and shouted distressedly: "Mom!"
Mom looked up. Perhaps because she saw me coming back, her frown relaxed a little. She said softly, "Ningjing, you haven't eaten yet, have you? I've left some food in the pot for you. You can eat it after you heat it up."
I shook my head and said, "Mom, I've already eaten outside."
"Then go to bed quickly. You've been tired all day." She urged me. Seeing that I was standing there motionless, she sighed heavily, put down the needle and thread in her hand, and waved for me to sit next to her.
I sat next to my mother and rested my head on her legs. My heart ached, and I whispered, "Mom, please don't work so hard anymore, okay? I can make money, I can take good care of you and Ningyuan, I can support this family, mom, please believe me..."
"Ningjing, it's all because of mom's uselessness that you and your sister have suffered. Mom is sorry for your dad, and for you and Ning Yuan." Her voice became choked.
I couldn't say anything anymore, I just pressed my face against her legs, tears streaming down my cheeks.
Scenes from the past emerged involuntarily in my mind, like playing a movie, and each picture was so heart-wrenching.
After my father passed away, my mother was too sad and in poor health. As a result, she could not go out to work. In order to take care of my sister and me and maintain the family life, my mother started to do some manual work at home to support the family. Although the family life has been tight in recent years, it can be barely maintained. She works day and night for me and Ningyuan. When I often get up in the middle of the night, I will see her working late at night and wiping away tears. As her daughter, I feel that I am really unfilial.
I controlled my excitement and said with a sob: "Mom, don't I still have me at home? And Ning Yuan is a big boy now, you don't have to work so hard in the future, Ning Yuan and I will take good care of you, trust us, okay?"
"Well, mom knows you are sensible, and mom is really relieved."
Her voice was still choked with sobs, and she gently stroked my head with her hand, her movements so gentle.
"Ningjing, go to bed early. Mom will also go to bed soon, and you have classes tomorrow." Mom reminded.
"Yeah." I nodded.
"Then Mom, you must go to bed early and stop doing needlework. The remaining work can be left for tomorrow. I feel really bad for you doing this. You must go to bed right away, okay?" I said this to her with concern as I pushed the door open and walked out.
When I passed by Ning Yuan's room, I found that there was no one inside. I frowned. It was so late and Ning Yuan had not come back yet. I didn't know where this guy had gone. I guess he went to the basketball hall to play basketball all night again.
I sighed helplessly. I really didn't know when my younger brother would grow up. But then I thought, being able to live a carefree life like him might be a kind of happiness, right?
No matter what, I will be strong enough to support this family, take good care of my mother, and take good care of Ning Yuan, because they are the most important people to me in this world.