26 Chapter 25 – Spicy Crispy Skin Fish 3 (1/2)

Restless and nervous, she suffered through the next several days.

And, needless to say, she also wasted away those days, not able to record even a single song … Luckily, it was nearing graduation time, and the university was starting to prepare for the graduation party. Her faculty was also having its own graduation celebration. Naturally, she was recruited into both events, being requested to play the guzheng for one and the piano for the other. Going to rehearsals was enough to whittle away quite a bit of time.

What was remarkable was, Geng Xiaoxing, who never before could be bothered to go back home, suddenly left for home on Friday.

As a result, on Friday night, Gu Sheng was the only one left in her dorm. At least she did not have to worry about dealing with Geng Xiaoxing's ”Why aren't you going home this weekend?” questions … But, there was no one there to discuss with her about how to handle this February 14th anime expo date either.

On this day, when everywhere seemed to radiate an atmosphere of romantic, floating pink bubbles, she felt that not dressing up elaborately would be disrespectful to Toupai …

But if it had only been a coincidence that Toupai had chosen Valentine's Day to go to the anime expo and did not intend to take things further between the two of them, would it be inappropriate if her outfit were too extravagant?

Gu Sheng honestly felt she was going to be sick from having to make all these decisions.

Even the next day at midday, when Toupai sent a message saying he was outside her dormitory building, she was still staring at her pile of clothes not knowing which one to choose. But now that the situation had come to a head and she was in a pickle either way, she might as well let herself act like a starry-eyed girl this once!

In order to fit in with the anime expo, she decided to wear the only student uniform-style outfit she owned.  She had purchased it last semester for the New Year's party. Speedily, she started changing into it: a white blouse paired with a yellow sweater, a yellow and green checkered skirt that came to her knees, dark green stockings, and dark green shoes… Lastly, she put on her white down coat… Too extravagant, wasn't it? T.T She stood in front of the sink, staring dazedly at herself in the dressing mirror.

After standing in front of the mirror for three seconds, her face suddenly flushed a bright red.

In the end, she forced herself to be thick-skinned, and putting on her backpack, she walked out. On a day like this, outside the dormitory, fancily dressed girls could be seen everywhere, as well as boys waiting in all sorts of different postures.

Gu Sheng's eyes glanced all around, but she could not find Mo Qingcheng.

While she was feeling a little bewildered, she suddenly heard someone call her name from far away. It was Toupai's voice. Searching in the direction from where it came, she finally saw Toupai, his eyes on her as he stood a ways off outside the Student Activity Centre with several other people. She walked over toward him and then discovered that one of the people with him was actually one of her senior brothers[1] in her faculty…

”Gu Sheng?” Senior Brother exclaimed delightedly. ”Mo Qingcheng, the one you're waiting for is my junior sister[2]?”

Mo Qingcheng gave a nonchalant ”mm.”

Gu Sheng clutched her backpack straps tightly as she mumbled Senior Brother's name in greeting. She had not imagined at all that this type of situation would happen, where the instant she left the door, she would run into a faculty senior brother…

Senior Brother was apparently very well acquainted with Mo Qingcheng and could not help clearing his throat and teasing, ”You are my senior schoolmate from high school. Gu Sheng is my junior sister from un … You tell me, ha ha, how am I supposed to sort out our seniority ranking? Ha ha ha ha!”

( ⊙ o ⊙)

...

...

Mo Qingcheng smiled and gave him a pat on the shoulder. This dear friend, who had originally wanted to continue laughing, immediately curbed his mirth and hastily fawned, ”Of course, seniority will be counted from you, Senior Brother first. I'll call her Sister-In-Law … Sister-In-Law …”

...

...

Oh Lord, who could come shut him up, ah?…

Thankfully, Mo Qingcheng did not seem to want to let him carry on with his teasing. He asked instead whether Gu Sheng was ready to go. Gu Sheng hurriedly nodded in response and then docilely walked away with Mo Qingcheng. Along the way, from the dormitory building to the university's main gate, the two of them casually chatted on and off. Amid the enthralling sound of Toupai's voice, Gu Sheng could not stop stealing glances at him.

He was dressed in light blue trousers, a black jacket, and a white collared shirt…

So simple…

So handsome…

Mm… so, so handsome T.T

Gu Sheng, that's enough, you…

”What's the matter?” Toupai seemed to have sensed her gaze and lowered his head to look at her walking beside him.

”Uh… I was just thinking about my idea to rearrange that song for you,” Gu Sheng answered in a very proper manner, trying to save some face for herself.

Mo Qingcheng seemed to be smiling. She did not dare peek at him anymore.

She had thought the two of them would be taking the bus, and only when they reached the main gates of the university did she realize that Mo Qingcheng had driven over to pick her up. According to Toupai, February 14th was an extremely busy and crowded day, and if they did not drive, he was afraid it would be very troublesome to take her back home that night. Gu Sheng completely agreed with the first half of his sentence. As for the second half… she had to find a way to get out of it. Otherwise, if the nosy aunties in her community compound saw them, the whole situation would escalate to the level of a household interrogation T.T

Mo Qingcheng parked the car in a community compound that was near the exhibition centre. She discovered that, as Mo Qingcheng drove through the main gate of the compound, the security guard could not even be bothered with them. And after the car was inside, he seemed very familiar with the route as they drove to the parking space. So that meant… This couldn't be the community compound his home belonged to, could it?!

Toupai's home address…

Toupai's home address… She actually found out so easily where he lived T.T...

She glanced around at the quiet surroundings. This seemed a bit like a dream. So this was where he and Jue Mei lived? While she was speculating, Toupai had already parked the car and unfastened his seatbelt. ”This is where my parents live. It's relatively close to the exhibition hall where the expo is being held.  Leaving the car here will be more convenient.”

She was even more surprised by this and took a look around again.