Vol 1 Chapter 8.2 (2/2)

I hesitated, not saying anything. Guan He shouted, “Qi Qi.”

Xiao Bo pushed me, “Quickly go, they’re all waiting for you.”

I could only walk towards Guan He, Song Chen and the other. The group of people laughed around, walking towards the night market, discussing which shop’s malatang tasted better.”

As I walked, I kept turning back, watching as Xiao Bo turned around, his hands in the pockets of his pants, walking with his head lowered.

Under the light, his shadow looked long.

I suddenly stopped walking and said to Guan He, “I’m really sorry, I can’t eat malatang with you guys tonight. I still have some things to do.”

Song Chen and the others started shouting, “Too impudent, you’re going back on your word.”

Li Shan gently said, “Let’s all go together or else we’ll be leaving you out. It’s nearly time for our high school entrance exam, every opportunity to gather is another chance we’ll be losing.”

Guan He also tried to persuade me, “Qi Qi, you put in so much effort tonight, how can we celebrate without you?”

I didn’t mind the other people and only smiled apologetically at Guan He before turning around and running to chase after Xiao Bo. When I nearly reached him, I jumped onto him and put my hands around his neck, “Treat me to lamb skewers.”

Xiao Bo gazed at me, smiling, “Aren’t you going to eat malatang?”

“I like eating lamb skewers more.”

Later, I kept thinking, perhaps that night, Xiao Bo discovered that although we’ve known each other for nearly six years and we thought we were family, actually, we weren’t from the same world. He saw me happily bickering and joking around with my cla.s.smates, showing a normal middle school student’s youth and vitality and felt proud and happy so although he clearly came to find me, he didn’t call out to me. He let me pa.s.s by in front of him and walk towards a world that was different to his.

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