Chapter 4 It turns out that I like you 01
When Lin Mobai unexpectedly met He Qingkong in the antique market, he hid subconsciously.
Even though their relationship was no longer distant, she still couldn't go up to him and say hello when they met by chance, especially since they hadn't seen each other for two weeks. Although their friendship was not distant, it was not close either. Moreover, Shi Xujun's earlier sarcasm and reproach filled with anger still rang clearly in her ears.
Thinking of this, Lin Mobai let out a sigh of relief.
Although she was hiding aside, her eyes couldn't help but fall on He Qingkong.
Just across two rows of wooden cabinets, Lin Mobai saw He Qingkong holding a purple clay teapot, looking at it carefully while listening to the boss's exaggerated introduction.
He Qingkong has never been very interested in antiques, even though his father and grandfather are quite knowledgeable about antiques, and he has only learned a little bit from them. Thinking about it, looking at He Qingkong's serious look at this moment, Lin Mobai couldn't help but become curious, and then she suddenly remembered that next Sunday is Grandpa Ding Zhiyou's 81st birthday.
Grandpa Ding not only likes to drink Kung Fu tea, but also likes antiques.
This is also the reason why I appear in the antique market. Although I don’t understand much, I still hope to buy a gift that the elderly likes.
After solving the doubts, Lin Mobai noticed that a faint smile appeared between He Qingkong's eyebrows. It was obvious that He Qingkong had found the gift he liked.
Although the boss's words were exaggerated, Lin Mobai was not worried about whether He Qingkong was deceived. Looking at him holding the purple clay teapot, she was worried about his uncontrollable and troublesome nature.
Sure enough, when Lin Mobai was getting worried, He Qingkong took the purple clay teapot from him, and then the lid suddenly slipped off.
"careful!"
The next second, Lin Mobai's reminder came out, and after the voice fell, the store was silent. Then, when she looked in the direction where the purple clay teapot lid fell, she found that the boss who was half squatting just caught the falling lid.
She couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, but He Qingkong couldn't escape the boss's complaints: "What's wrong with you? You can't even hold a teapot properly!"
"Sorry." He Qingkong responded to his boss's dissatisfaction with a smile, but his eyes were fixed on Lin Mobai, "Why are you here too, Xiaobai?"
"I... I just happened to pass by..." Lin Mobai realized that he had been exposed, so he made up an excuse, and then quickly reacted, "I was just looking at something inside and didn't notice you. I'm ready to leave now."
"Wait for me." Seeing Lin Mobai was about to leave, He Qingkong immediately tried to stop him, then turned to look at the boss and said, "I want this set of purple clay teapots."
"I have something else to do..." Lin Mobai refused without even thinking about it, but before he could finish his words, He Qingkong interrupted him hastily, "It will be quick, wait a moment, we'll go together."
Lin Mobai frowned slightly when he heard this: "I really have to go."
After she finished speaking, she walked towards the door, but He Qingkong stood in the middle of the aisle. Because the store was small and the aisle was narrow, only two people could pass by sideways, and He Qingkong's 1.78-meter-tall body occupied two-thirds of the aisle, so Lin Mobai could only stand aside helplessly.
Then, as if noticing the wrinkles in Lin Mo's white eyebrows, He Qingkong couldn't help but urge the boss: "Boss, hurry up!"
After receiving the goods and paying the money, He Qingkong gave way and followed Lin Mobai out of the store, asking, "Xiaobai, are you here to look at antiques too? I remember that you are not interested in antiques, but your grandfather likes them quite a lot, otherwise they wouldn't be so close. By the way, you came here to buy a gift for Grandpa Ding, right?"
Maybe it's because we haven't seen each other for so long that even our words sound nagging.
The longing that had grown inexplicably before was obviously like weeds, but it turned into a sea of flowers the moment he saw her. He was so surprised that when she wanted to leave first in the name of passing by, he couldn't help but act like a rogue and blocked her way.
However, compared to He Qingkong who was immersed in the surprise of the encounter, Lin Mobai's reaction was a little cold.
"Yeah." She nodded after a long while as a response, and her answer was so simple that it only had one word.
"Did you buy the gift?" He Qingkong didn't mind. He was still smiling and in a very good mood. "How about I help you choose? I am quite good at identifying antiques. I guarantee that I won't be cheated."
“No need.”
"Are you afraid that I'll get into trouble?"
" No. I just... I just suddenly don't want to give antiques as a gift."
"Oh, what do you want to give me?"
"I haven't thought about it yet." Lin Mobai smiled awkwardly, then raised his hand, pretending to be in a hurry, "It's getting late, I have an appointment with Shiqing, and I have to meet her now. Sorry, Qingkong, you go back first."
"Is that so... you can't take me with you?"
He Qingkong looked at her expectantly.
Lin Mobai shook his head apologetically, and then said directly: "I'll go that way. You will see the bus stop when you go out from here. I won't see you off. You...you hold the tea set, remember to be careful."
Although he was still worried, Lin Mobai never dared to be alone with him.
"Okay." Since she had already said her farewell, He Qingkong could only wave and leave. However, after turning his back and walking a few steps, he turned back and called her, "Xiaobai, will you come to Grandpa Ding's birthday party next week?"
Even though he happened to see her choosing a gift for Grandpa Ding, when he thought of Lin Mobai who only dared to pay homage to Ding Zhiyou in secret on his birthday, he inexplicably felt that she was just choosing a gift and not going to attend the birthday party.
In response to his question, Lin Mobai just smiled and waved his hand without answering, and turned and left.
The more he couldn't get an answer, the more certain he became of his guess.
However, watching Lin Mobai gradually disappear in the crowd, he no longer had the chance to catch up and "interrogate" him.
It was not until he returned to his grandfather's residence and presented the gifts that his grandfather had asked him to buy that He Qingkong asked whether Lin Mobai and his family would go to the Ding family's birthday party. Then, he learned that since Ding Zhiyou's accident, Lin Mobai had never attended any banquets at the Ding family, and only Grandpa Ding had contacts with the Lin family, because Ding's father and mother had always blamed Lin Mobai.
After listening to his grandfather's sad narration, He Qingkong couldn't help but feel sorry for Lin Mobai.
After saying goodbye to his grandfather, He Qingkong went directly to the Ding family to visit Grandpa Ding. Then, he turned around at the gate of Z University instead of going back to the dormitory. While calling Lu Yanqi to make an appointment, he walked towards F University.
It was already 11 o'clock in the evening. Lu Yanqi was surprised but happy to receive He Qingkong's call. He immediately made an appointment to meet at a late-night snack stall outside F University.
Because it took some time to get here from the boys' dormitory, when Lu Yanqi arrived, He Qingkong had already drunk a bottle of Coke in a glass bottle.
Seeing the empty Coke bottle at a glance, Lu Yanqi sat down, asked the boss for a bottle of beer, and then asked He Qingkong: "What do you want to eat? Lamb skewers?"
He Qingkong, who was still thinking about Lin Mobai, was a little absent-minded. He just smiled and said, "Whatever."
"Boss, give me ten skewers of lamb." Lu Yanqi shouted without noticing He Qingkong's strange behavior. After he finished speaking, he seemed to remember something and added, "Another bottle of Coke."
After placing the order, the lamb kebabs had not yet arrived, but the beer and cola had already been delivered.
Lu Yanqi skillfully opened the pull ring of his beer bottle, clinked it with He Qingkong's Coke bottle, raised his head and took a big sip, then smiled and said, "Why are you in such a good mood tonight and asked me out for a midnight snack?"
He Qingkong took a sip of Coke and said hesitantly, "I came to see you for something."
Hearing this, Lu Yanqi looked : "Go ahead."
"It's like this." He Qingkong said, "Yanqi, I know you will attend Grandpa Ding's birthday party on Sunday, so I have something to ask of you. That is, Xiaobai will probably also attend the birthday party that day. I want to ask you if you can calm down and not act impulsively and embarrass Xiaobai, okay?"
He tried to soften his tone as much as possible, but Lu Yanqi still immediately frowned and remained silent.
The midnight snack stall was still bustling, but the two of them were shrouded in a low mood, one was concerned about Lin Mobai, while the other was recalling sad past events.
"Yanqi..." After a moment of silence, He Qingkong sighed. When he was about to say something, Lu Yanqi quickly pulled himself out of his memories and said coldly, "I can't do it."
The answer was full of resentment. After Lu Yanqi finished speaking, he suddenly raised his head and took two big gulps of beer.
However, even at the end of December, cold beer could not extinguish the fire in his heart.
Although He Qingkong was not good at observing people's expressions, how could he not feel the anger on Lu Yanqi's face at this moment? However, although he cared about his feelings, He Qingkong kept thinking of Lin Mobai, thinking of how she had suffered resentment and blame all these years, thinking of her silent forbearance and grievances, and his heart ached.
So, when he opened his mouth, he stood on Lin Mobai's side and persuaded him: "Yanqi, don't be like this. We are all very sad about Zhiyou's death, but it is not Xiaobai's fault. You shouldn't blindly blame Xiaobai..."
"He Qingkong!"
But before he could finish his words, Lu Yanqi smashed the beer can, and the beer splashed all over the floor. He also stood up suddenly, glaring at He Qingkong with cold eyes.
He Qingkong frowned as he looked at him who had lost control, but his tone was still gentle: "Yan Qi..."
"You don't have to say anything more!" Without giving He Qingkong a chance to speak, Lu Yanqi grabbed his collar and pulled him up from the chair, shouting, "Lin Mobai killed Zhiyou. I will never forgive Lin Mobai!"
Even at such a short distance, He Qingkong could feel Lu Yanqi's grief and anger.
He wanted to say something else, but before he could finish his words, Lu Yanqi let go of his hand, smiled bitterly, and said, "It's just that I can't imagine that Qingkong...you would actually stand on her side."
After he stopped talking, he turned and left, his back filled with disappointment and hatred.
The meaning of accusing He Qingkong was already very clear, but even Lu Yanqi himself couldn't say the word "betrayal" in person.
Looking at Lu Yanqi's staggering back, He Qingkong felt helpless besides guilt. Lu Yanqi's idea was too extreme, and he wanted to change it, but he was helpless.
