Chapter 29

◎ Teddy Bear and Seven Boxes of HB Pencils ◎

Wen Xu has been in Xuecheng for more than two years. At the beginning, Han Ling accompanied him. She helped Wen Xu with everything, such as enrollment, accommodation, and daily routine.

But soon she lost her patience. In addition, she was worried about her career in China and the man who couldn't control his lower body. She left leisurely, leaving behind a nominal bodyguard and a supervisor in reality.

Everything about Wen Xu was controlled. Perhaps money can make the world go round. Although he set foot on a completely distant and unfamiliar land, who he interacted with, who he talked to, and what flashes of inspiration and ideas he had were all recorded and conveyed.

His anxiety and depression have become physical. He often trembles uncontrollably and is afraid of everyone he looks at. He is like a melancholy black ghost shadow walking around the campus.

Learning nutrition and health did not help. He is a hollow person, and his inner spirit has long been disintegrated.

Bodyguard Ren couldn't bear it, so he asked Han Ling, "University has an elective and commuter system. His classrooms change everywhere, and sometimes he has to run around looking for teachers. There are so many people running around that I can't keep up with him. Should we buy him a cell phone for easier contact? ... Just in case."

Han Ling asked Wen Xu about his test scores last semester. Bodyguard Ren sent back a transcript with all A's and a photo of Wen Xu sitting in front of a computer writing a paper, which was dated early in the morning.

Han Ling seemed to be in a good mood and whispered, "Okay, but you have to keep an eye on him and don't let him associate with the wrong people."

Bodyguard Ren replied, "Yes."

Then his voice became sharp and threatening, "I read on the news that American students are drinking, going to bars, taking drugs, and having promiscuous relationships. If he gets involved, I will make you pay for it."

Bodyguard Ren's heart skipped a beat, "Yes."

"Go buy it. Just buy one that can be used. Don't buy one with too many functions," Han Ling said, "Send me the bill and I'll reimburse you."

Before arriving at the laboratory that day, Bodyguard Ren handed the phone to Wen Xu and whispered, "Don't worry about using it. There's no monitoring software installed, but my wife asks you not to associate with the wrong people, otherwise you'll have to take it back if your grades drop next semester."

Wen Xu smiled bitterly and politely said to Bodyguard Ren, "Thank you."

He had lost the habit of socializing and seemed to have no use for this anymore, but he still downloaded a few software apps before the professor arrived.

He looked up at the French window, and all he could see were bleak branches and endless snow. The wind was blowing, and the sky was a bleak black and gray.

One after another, students entered the laboratory, passionately discussing the knowledge of professional courses and where they went to drink last night. Perhaps except for him, everyone chose their favorite subjects and a carefree lifestyle.

Yes, the bleak weather does not affect the fact that this is the freest place in the world.

It does not affect the fact that this is his Free America Prison.

Two years and one hundred and fifty days after arriving in Syracuse, he got an outdated smartphone.

The heated chat in the group continued.

AKA Shanshan: [I met Adu again, haha.]

Then Li Yashan sent a photo. The photo was not very clear, but it could be vaguely seen that a man and a woman were standing in front of the claw machine. The girl was operating it, and the boy was holding a short down jacket in one hand and a small plastic basket for game coins in the other hand, leaning on the side to watch.

AKA Shanshan: [@Rabbit driver, your goddess's claw machine skills are not very good, why don't you come over and show off? /Seduction/Seduction/Seduction]

Rabbit driver: [Nah, her boyfriend is right next to her, why am I doing this?]

Wen Xu enlarged the photo. The boy was only a head taller than her, too ordinary, wearing glasses, too ordinary, wearing a sports suit, too ordinary, no personality, too ordinary.

But maybe under his invisible appearance, he has a heart that loves her and a full spiritual world?

Unlike myself, who is rotten inside.

The professor walked into the laboratory and quickly got to the point with two teaching assistants to demonstrate the operation. Wen Xu put his phone back into his schoolbag, but his mind was in a mess.

He should have been mentally prepared for this. According to Du Ningyang's personality, she would definitely fall in love as soon as she entered college. There is no doubt about this. Even if she really met someone she really liked, it would not be a big deal to fall in love early.

He had been mentally prepared for this, but why was he still not convinced, why did he think she was easy to make do with, why could the former Zhuge do it, why could such an ordinary boy do it.

Compared with him, of course they are better than him. If they can't do it, can such a person who disappears for two and a half years just like that do it?

——It's just that cowards can't do that.

——And he is an out-and-out coward.

The teaching assistant divided the students into groups, asked them to put on lab coats and start the experiment, and the students rushed to the lockers. Wen Xu stopped and glanced at bodyguard Ren who was smoking next to the trash can in the outer corridor, and took his phone to the security passage in the chaos.

He didn't know why he did this, probably just felt heartbroken and frustrated, and couldn't hold on any longer.

AKA Shanshan: [Adu said he wouldn't leave until he got the biggest teddy bear today.]

Taotao: [How is that possible? Let's crowdfund to buy her a cloth bed.]

Du Ningyang has always been like this, he must have the biggest and the best, even if he doesn't have the strength, he will first show his attitude, be it vanity or pretense, he does not hide it, and is full of vitality.

After adding the country code and area code, Wen Xu dialed the landline of the video arcade. Amid the noisy background, he said to the boss, "How much is the biggest teddy bear? I want to buy it."

The boss was confused, "You have to use coins to grab it." Wen

Xu had limited time, "You name a price, and say it's a lucky draw. Take out the teddy bear and give it to the girl with a bun and a black sweater."

The boss looked at the situation over there, where the girl was cursing and very excited, and the boy next to her stood quietly watching, obviously not making a phone call.

It seemed that the caller was a wealthy competitor.

The boss offered an extremely greedy price, and Wen Xu said yes without blinking, and then used the spare cash in the bank card that Han Ling left for him to transfer US dollars to the business card of the video arcade.

It was done in one go, even though his hands couldn't help shaking and his heart was beating wildly.

The boss told him on the phone, "I've given her the teddy bear. She likes it very much. She happily took it home and said today is her lucky day."

Wen Xu smiled, "Okay, thank you."

The boss felt embarrassed, "What are you thanking me for? You spent money. Well, I wish you success."

Wen Xu didn't respond, hung up the phone, walked to the corridor, handed the phone back to bodyguard Ren, and apologized to him.

"I just made a transoceanic call and moved some spare cash to buy things. If my mother asks, just say you don't know and give the phone back to her."

Wen Xu leaned on the bench with his eyebrows downcast, "I hope it doesn't hurt you. After all, you helped me get this phone."

Bodyguard Ren blew out a smoke ring, extinguished the cigarette butt, looked at Wen Xu meaningfully, and patted him on the back, "It's okay, it's okay, it will all be over."

Yes, it's okay. Bodyguard Ren was officially dismissed two days later. When he left, the new bodyguard Wu was already waiting at the door. He had traveled across the ocean and was ruthless.

-

Du Ningyang was still clumsy. He had thrown in ten or twenty coins and threw the doll farther and farther.

Who said that the claws here have become tighter? It's nonsense. The boss has been sitting behind the counter for more than ten years. He has grown from a young man to a middle-aged man. His appearance has become more vicissitudes, but his cunningness has not diminished in the slightest.

"Damn!"

After another failure, Du Ningyang patted the door of the cabinet in anger, and then put coins in again in a resigned manner, as if he was fighting with this fake little bear. Obviously, his expression was stiff and smiling, not cute at all.

Wen Xu moved closer to her, "How about I try?"

"Okay," Du Ningyang was just tired, and was about to retreat to the side to adjust her state before grabbing again, but Wen Xu wrapped her in from behind, covering the joystick with his hand and wrapping her hand.

Very ambiguous action, position and standing posture.

Wen Xu deliberately stretched his legs out to the sides, lowered his height, leaned over and put his chin on Du Ningyang's shoulder, breathing up and down.

"What the hell are you doing... Where did you learn this?" Du Ningyang looked around. Fortunately, this place was deserted and no one was around, otherwise he would be so embarrassed. "Have you ever caught a doll before?"

Why is he like a stinky hooligan?

"No," Wen Xu pushed the joystick and pressed the button to drop the claw, "but I wanted to play like this before."

Seeing her and Jin Zhenqi catching dolls, their heads were so close, he wanted to do this, wanted to put his head on her shoulder, and see from her perspective, what kind of cute doll is so difficult to catch, but must be caught.

He wanted her to cheer for him, wanted her to go home happily with the doll she caught. But he could only save the back view of her and Jin Zhenqi, and then cut off the part of Jin Zhenqi.

She was openly happy, and he could only bless her with entanglement and envy her secretly.

Maybe it was because of good luck that she was finally favored. Her claws hooked the strap of the overalls of an ugly little bear with bared teeth and threw it to the hole.

"Oh my god, you are amazing," Du Ningyang shouted happily, not looking like a mature woman of 28 years old at all. She squatted down and took out the little bear.

"Which one do you like?" Wen Xu pointed to other machines, "You can like any one, I will catch it for you."

But the premise is to maintain such an ambiguous posture, otherwise he can't find the feel; one ugly doll after another was caught, filling up the big bag she brought.

The smile on Du Ningyang's face overflowed, a kind of small-minded happiness. She took a photo of the big bag full of dolls and posted it on her circle of friends with satisfaction.

Wen Xu took the bag, and she pulled her hand back, "Wait a minute." After saying that, she walked towards the counter.

Not knowing what she wanted to do, Wen Xu had to follow.

The boss was concentrating on playing with his mobile phone, and his taste in listening to music has not changed, still noisy rhythmic electronic music.

Du Ningyang raised his voice, "Boss - I want to exchange something. Can I exchange the dolls for something else?"

The boss stretched his neck to look into the bag. There were so many, "What do you want to exchange?"

Du Ningyang glanced at the open storage compartment behind the counter, "Can I exchange it for HB pencils?"

Pencils are not worth much, and no children want them, so of course you can. The boss nodded, "Three dolls for a box."

"Okay," Du Ningyang took out the dolls, "You can exchange for six boxes."

"What do you want so many pencils for?" The boss asked in confusion, "You are not a student anymore?... Oh, I remember you."

When the store first opened, this girl was a regular here. The thing that impressed me the most was that someone transferred him US dollars far exceeding the actual price and bought the teddy bear for her.

I didn't expect to see her again. I thought the old people would never come back.

Du Ningyang pointed at Wen Xu, "He is an art teacher. He needs to use it on a daily basis. The doll is useless, so he doesn't need to buy pencils."

The boss smiled at Wen Xu and said to him, "She is very good to you."

He counted the pencils on the counter and found that there were exactly seven boxes. The boss said, "I'll give them all to you. The extra box probably can't be exchanged. It's troublesome for me to take it away."

"Thank you," Du Ningyang took the pencils and handed them to Wen Xu.

The boss suddenly felt sad and had to get up to see them out, like old friends.

He said to Wen Xu, "She is very popular. Someone used to spend a lot of money to buy my biggest doll for her. She treats you very well now. You must cherish it."

Now it was Du Ningyang's turn to be full of questions, "Isn't the big bear a lottery gift?"

"How is it possible," the boss said, "I'm not doing charity. Someone gave it to you specifically. It was paid in US dollars and transferred to my bank card. I remember it very clearly."

US dollars. No one she knew would use US dollars, except...

She looked up at him and he nodded at her.