Chapter 5 (2/2)
Ji Moli peeped over again, “Oh, he’s out with a boy… Hey, that guy looks very familiar?”
Before Ji Qinyang could turn around, Ji Moli suddenly said, “Ah! I’ve seen him on the BBS of the middle school! He’s called… Xie, Xie Meng?”
Han Dong paid for his coffee. He asked Xie Meng, “What would you like to drink?”
Xie Meng glanced at the menu, “Milk is fine.”
“You haven’t changed.” Han Dong paid for it. “You always drink milk every time you come here.”
Xie Meng was noncommittal. He chose a seat by the window, and a bunch of plants behind him blocked him from view.
Han Dong gestured, “Let me show you something.”
He pulled out his phone, scrolled through his photos, and pushed it in front of Xie Meng.
It happened to be the chat record of Zhang Ganggang’s “lip battle” on S High’s group chat.
“…” Xie Meng frowned. “Did you all bullied him?”
Han Dong laughed, “That’s not the point.”
He tapped at his screen. “These few people are from S Middle School, to be able to keep dragging this matter out, they’re also quite capable. Although that old post has already been locked, but it was not deleted. Even though it’s now deep within the records, but there are still clicks. You know what that means.”
Xie Meng did not speak. He drank a mouth of milk, then said after a while, “It doesn’t matter anymore, I’m now in W High anyway.”
Han Dong looked at him. “Lin Hengjing has been discharged from the hospital already. The school is now looking into this. If he doesn’t want his teaching qualification certificate to be revoked, he would definitely insist that you were the one forcing him.”
Han Dong sighed, “You were too impulsive. Those photos were taken at too good an angle already, and the one beaten up has now become the victim.”
The loading of the school’s BBS was not very fast. Ji Qinyang logged in with Ji Moli’s account, and after going through many pages he finally found the locked post, and the title was “Breaking News”.
There were three photos in the first post. From the angle, they were taken secretly, and looking at the images, it seemed as though Xie Meng was pushing someone against the wall and forcefully kissing them.
“Wow.” Ji Moli covered her mouth. “This is our laboratory building… How exciting.”
Ji Qinyang squinted. He studied it carefully, then said, “This is a screenshot. It should be a video, the person who created this post had only captured a few shots.”
Ji Moli blinked. “You mean…?”
Ji Qinyang wagged his finger, and put it lightly on his lips.
The milk in front of Xie Meng had cooled down already. Expressionlessly, he looked outside the window, and it felt like his face had frosted over. The glass window had fogged up, the sky was turning dark, but the lights in the night were not bright.
“I found the person who took the photos, and naturally, Lin Hengjing would be able to do so as well.” Han Dong motioned to the waiter to bring the namecard of the cafe and a pen. “He’s called Zhuo Xiaoyuan. Coincidentally, he has also been admitted to W High. I don’t know if he’s ever looked for you, but the evidence is in his hand. Lin Hengjing would definitely try to find him.”
Xie Meng watched at Han Dong wrote down Zhuo Xiaoyuan’s information and class. He hesitated for a moment, and finally still accepted that card.
“Thanks.” Xie Meng said sincerely.
“I’ve always believed in you.”
Xie Meng gave a nod. “I know. The Academic Affairs Department did not expel me… It’s because you spoke for me.”
“As classmates, it’s something I should do.” Han Dong stood up and patted Xie Meng on his shoulder. “Let’s go, I’ll send you back.”
Qi Fei’s family did not have much, but it had many members. Each lunar new year, even by the eighth day, their dinner parties were still not over. When he received Ji Qinyang’s call, he was carrying a girl belonging to one of his aunts, and that girl just happened to pee on his leg.
“Hey hey!” Qi Fei carried the girl in one arm while answering the phone with another. “Who is this?!”
Amusement could be heard in Ji Qinyang’s voice. “What happened? You’ve been trapped by your aunts again?”
“…” Qi Fei sighed. “Are you here to save me?”
“My spirit is willing but my body is weak.”
Qi Fei was exasperated, “Then why are you calling me…”
“I do have something.” Ji Qinyang lowered his voice and spoke in a rare, serious tone. “Do you know Zhuo Xiaoyuan?”
Qi Fei thought about it. “He sounds familiar… I think he’s from Class 6?”
“Who is he close with?”
“How would I know this…” Qi Fei was puzzled. “Why are you suddenly concerned about others?”
Ji Qinyang did not answer. Thinking through it, he suddenly said, “Alright, I have an idea. I’ll hang up first.”
“Eh eh…” Before Qi Fei could ask him anything, Ji Qinyang had cut off the call.
The little girl on his thigh widened her eyes. Sucking on her fingers she stared at her brother, “Gege 1how kids usually refer to their older brother in Chinese.[/eten_note]… Carry me!”
“…” Qi Fei screamed. “You little scamp! Don’t wipe your saliva on my arm!”
This was not the first time Xie Meng rode in Han Dong’s car. His driver also recognised him, and Han Dong motioned him to go in first.
“How come this doesn’t seem like the car I remembered?” Xie Meng looked at the trunk. “When did you change it?”
Han Dong replied indifferently, “It’s a New Year gift. I’m just driving it around.”
“…”
Xie Meng changed the topic. “Right, do you know a girl called Rourou?”
Han Dong was taken aback, his expression changing subtly. “Why are you asking this?”
Xie Meng explained. “It’s Zhang Ganggang, the one who had argued in your group chat. He’s very close to that Rourou girl. I don’t know if you know her. How is she as a person?”
Han Dong said without any hesitation. “Of course she’s a nice person, she’s very nice.”
“?” Xie Meng looked at him suspiciously. “You’re very close to her?”
“We’re quite close.” He thought about it, then started listing it out. “Her family background is good, her studies are good, her looks are also good. There’s not even a need to mention her character, she respects her elders and cares for her classmates.”
“… I didn’t want to know so much.”
“You can tell all that to your friend.”
Xie Meng thought that that made sense.
“What about him?” Han Dong suddenly ask. “How about that friend of yours?”
“Zhang Ganggang?” Xie Meng replied earnestly. “Of course he’s very nice. He’s very cute, and very lively and generous. He also studies hard.”
“Do you have any photos? Let me take a look.”
Xie Meng showed him the photo he took with Zhang Ganggang in his phone.
Han Dong looked at it for a while then frowned, somewhat dissatisfied. “Don’t you have a photo that’s just him alone? Send it to me.”
Xie Meng, “…”
Han Dong’s car could only send him to the entrance of Shan Tang street. Xie Meng got out of the car and waved goodbye at Han Dong through the window.
“If there’s any trouble, let me know.” Han Dong looked at him. “I’ll help wherever I can.”
Xie Meng stooped down and nodded. “I know, thank you.”
Han Dong waved his hand. He instructed the driver to turn around, and mouthed “goodbye” at Xie Meng.
The celebratory festival in Shan Tang Street had yet to be over. The noisy hawkers bustled around, and it was difficult for Han Dong’s car to make its way through, his brake lights flashing in the midst of the endless neon lights.
The dragon dance group blocked Xie Meng’s view. He slowly walked up the arch bridge, and the granny by the bridge who recognised him gave him a stick of cotton candy that she had just prepared. “Son, Happy New Year.”
“Happy New Year.” Xie Meng smiled.
As he sat by the pier, he could see the boats drifting along the river. The boatman sang his song, and with a stroke of his oar he broke the reflection of the lights on the water. The string of lights winded along the riverside, and lit up the walls and pavilions along the bank.