Chapter 131: Habit or Affection?

Chapter 131: Habit or Affection?

Let me treat you well from now on.

It was sweetness without sugar, a blade that didn't wound, sulfuric acid that corroded the heart invisibly.

She arrived with a roar, raw and unrestrained, like an avalanche, like a torrent, like a wild beast that could not be caged, instantly knocking Tang Chong to the ground and swallowing him whole.

It was impossible to defend against!

This young girl was using every ounce of her strength to express her apology.

She didn't understand love, so she didn't understand hate either.

She didn't overthink anything, so she feared nothing.

There was no such thing as dignity, nor did she fear losing face—she wanted to do something, so she did it.

From childhood to adulthood, she had always been that kind of person.

Tang Chong was truly moved by this fragile yet brave girl.

Seeing her cry and cry and cry, Tang Chong’s heart ached uncontrollably.

He fished a tissue from his pocket and gently wiped away her tears.

The moment the tissue touched her face, it was soaked through. She was nothing but a little tear-stained doll now.

"You won't be pretty if you keep crying," Tang Chong said with a smile.

"You're lying." Qiu Yihan let Tang Chong wipe her tears as she replied, "Grandma used to say that too. You're all liars."

Tang Chong chuckled and said, "Wait here."

He walked to the edge of the stage, picked up the high heel that Qiu Yihan had accidentally kicked off and had been tossed back onto the stage by a helpful audience member, only to find the heel snapped off.

He walked back holding the broken shoe, crouched down, and said to Qiu Yihan, "Lift your foot."

Qiu Yihan lifted her foot, and he helped her take off the other high heel.

The stage was covered in a red carpet, but Qiu Yihan’s delicate, snow-white feet still felt cold against it.

Tang Chong untied his own shoelaces, took off his white sneakers, placed them in front of Qiu Yihan, and said, "It's cold outside. Put these on."

"What about you?" Qiu Yihan refused.

"I still have socks on." Tang Chong looked up and smiled at her.

Without waiting for her to refuse, he grabbed one of her small feet and tucked it into his still-warm sneaker.

He finished putting them on and tied the laces. He felt the front; there was a large gap.

Tang Chong helped her put on the other shoe so she wouldn't have to walk barefoot.

Only then did Tang Chong stand up and say to Qiu Yihan, "Should we head down? Aside from the host, you’ve been on stage more than anyone else."

"These flowers..." Qiu Yihan held out the bouquet.

Tang Chong didn't take them, smiling instead: "What would a man want with flowers?"

He plucked the most vibrant rose from the bouquet, snapped off the stem, tucked the flower into Qiu Yihan's hair, and studied her, saying, "Flowers only look good on women."

Qiu Yihan lowered her head, bashful and shy.

Tang Chong bowed to the audience, and Qiu Yihan hurriedly followed suit.

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience.

"Bro, well done! You're the pride of us men."

"Hua Ming, you’d better treat the flower of our International Trade Department well, or we won't let you off..."

"May all lovers in the world be siblings separated at birth..."

...

One wearing socks without shoes, the other in an evening gown with sneakers—this strange pair walked off the stage hand in hand.

Behind them, the applause roared, unwilling to cease for a long time.

At their age, who hasn't longed for love?

When they reached backstage, the staff erupted into warm applause and cheers as well.

Everyone crowded around, wanting to see what kind of "divine being" the young beauty Qiu Yihan had pursued to such an extent.

When they saw Tang Chong—they all felt like kicking themselves.

The male host, Zhao Qiuchen, went out to announce the next act, while the female host, Lin Weixiao, walked over happily and said to Tang Chong, "Junior, you're really hard to get. Do you know how many people wanted to beat you up tonight?"

"That's why I didn't dare to come up," Tang Chong said with a smile.

Lin Weixiao touched the red rose in Qiu Yihan’s hair and said, "Yihan, you look so beautiful. I really don't understand—don't you guys love beauties? How could you have the heart to let such a pretty girl get so worked up?"

"He didn't," Qiu Yihan quickly defended Tang Chong.

"Sigh," Lin Weixiao sighed, looking at Qiu Yihan with pity. "Little sister, don't be too good to a man. Otherwise, he’ll have you wrapped around his finger for the rest of your life."

She then glared at Tang Chong, threatening, "Junior, you better treat our Yihan well. If you don't, I won't agree, and the ten thousand people witnessing this tonight won't agree either—at that point, you'll be the enemy of the entire school."

"He already is," a male student chimed in from behind. "Hua Ming, ask any of the guys here, who doesn't want to rush up and beat you up? Being pursued by a beauty is one thing, but to be pursued and then refuse—are you trying to show off?"

Hua Ming, who had just returned from the restroom holding his stomach, looked confused. "What? What am I showing off? I..."

Before he could finish, Wang Aiguo covered his mouth and dragged him away.

Li Qiang walked over, took one look at Qiu Yihan, then said to Tang Chong, "Quickly take her to get some clothes. It’s cold outside."

"We're leaving now," Tang Chong said with a smile.

"Yihan, if Hua Ming bullies you, come tell your big sister. I’ll stand up for you," Lin Weixiao continued to instruct Qiu Yihan.

Because of Tang Chong’s performance tonight, everyone assumed he was a total scoundrel.

Qiu Yihan couldn't explain to them that they weren't a couple, nor could she explain that this guy wasn't Hua Ming—the fat guy from before was.

Student Union President Wei Feng walked over and patted Tang Chong on the shoulder without saying a word.

Regardless of whether the Psychology Department won the "Top Ten Singers" award, they had already stolen the show—our department might not have a Top Ten Singer, but we have someone who can make a Top Ten Singer chase after him.

Besides, the two biggest climaxes of the evening were driven by the young couple before them. Perhaps, many years from now, this would still be a scene that the audience couldn't forget.

"Yihan, your clothes." Luo Huan was waiting at the backstage exit, holding Qiu Yihan’s wool coat.

Tang Chong took it and draped it over Qiu Yihan. It was cold outside with a light drizzle; Qiu Yihan had broken into a sweat running onto the stage, and if she walked out in just her evening dress, she would surely catch a cold.

"You really did it." Luo Huan looked at Qiu Yihan excitedly. "Yihan, you're amazing. You're our pride."

Qiu Yihan’s face turned pink, and she didn't dare to look up.

After hearing Wang Aiguo’s explanation, Hua Ming finally understood what had happened.

He looked at Qiu Yihan and then at Tang Chong in shock, suddenly plopping down onto the ground and taking off his shoes to toss to Tang Chong.

"Number Two, put these on. It's raining outside."

"What about you?" Tang Chong asked.

"I don't have to walk a girl home. I'll just sit here and wait for Liang Tao to bring me some shoes from the dorm." Hua Ming grinned. "I guess I don't need to leave the door unlocked for you tonight, right?"

Qiu Yihan turned to look at Tang Chong and asked, "Are you not going back to the dorm tonight?"

"..."

When they stepped out of the Mingli Hall and breathed in the fresh air, they felt as if they were in another world.

A fine rain drifted sideways, and the sky was dim. A few streetlights looked lonely and pitiful against the endless curtain of rain and the dark backdrop.

The wind blew, leaves fell, and the dense raindrops splattered, splashing their faces and clothes.

"I'm thirsty," Qiu Yihan whispered softly.

"I'll go get some water." Tang Chong took Qiu Yihan to a small shop nearby and said, "Boss, two bottles of mineral water."

"I want ice cream," Qiu Yihan said, pointing at the ice cream in the freezer.

"Drink water," Tang Chong said.

"No, I want ice cream," Qiu Yihan said, acting spoiled.

Tang Chong smiled and said to the boss, "Boss, one bottle of mineral water and one ice cream."

Tang Chong drank his mineral water while Qiu Yihan ate her ice cream.

Others would bite into their ice cream, but she licked hers. She licked the chocolate layer off first, then went to lick the cream inside—her little tongue darting in and out, looking both greedy and adorable.

What was even more dangerous was how much it made one wish they were that ice cream.

The two walked aimlessly through the dark, rainy campus.

It was said that this was the scenery and weather lovers liked best, said to hide the secrets of countless budding romances and breakups, and said—to be where countless first kisses and virginities were lost.

"Why did you think to apologize?" Tang Chong asked with a smile. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"I don't know," Qiu Yihan said happily as she ate her ice cream, speaking with childlike innocence. "I just felt so suffocated. I wanted to cry. I wanted to call you, but every time I did, I didn't know what to say... Then the department asked me to sing on stage. I knew you would be there, so I thought I'd say it on stage. I didn't expect them to be so excited."

"..." Tang Chong was speechless. You were crying and making a scene on stage; how could they not be excited?

If you were ugly, people would just feel disgusted and tell you to get off the stage. But because you’re so beautiful...

Could someone like Feng Jie and Lin Zhiling be treated the same way on stage?

Tang Chong remained silent.

"Why did you stop talking?" Qiu Yihan turned and looked at Tang Chong. Her dark eyes sparkled in the night like black gemstones.

"Why did you do it?" Tang Chong asked in a deep voice. "Have you thought about it—did you do it because you’re used to having me around, or because... you like me?"