Two bicycles, a boy and a girl. The boy was handsome and refined, the girl cute. They slowly pushed their bikes toward the exit, and the crowd naturally parted to either side, clearing a path for them like soldiers standing at attention as they watched them pass...
Everyone, young or old, male or female, harbored a hero's dream. Though they watched the spectacle from the sidelines, there was no denying that deep down, they too felt the urge to champion justice.
"Clap!"
"Clap, clap!"
"Clap, clap, clap!"
No one knew who had started clapping, but like a drop of water falling into a pot of boiling oil, the applause instantly spread. Everyone clapped with all their might, paying tribute to the hero who had appeared out of nowhere.
Wang Xiaogang hid among the crowd, feeling deeply awkward yet incredibly excited. It was as if he'd stumbled upon an earth-shattering secret. He clapped alongside a stranger from school, gazing at Su Ke with fervent admiration.
No one knew when the three punks had slipped away from the crowd. All eyes were on Su Ke, and under the applause, the shy, frail boy blushed again.
Su Ke kept his head down, and so did Wei Lan. The two of them slowly pushed their bikes along, walking at a snail's pace.
Wei Lan was just over five feet tall and had short hair. Traces of tears still lingered on her little face, but the panic had faded, replaced by a touch of calm. Girls with baby faces were often incredibly cute, and she was the perfect example.
Although she hadn't made it onto No. 17 High School's list of its ten most beautiful girls, Wei Lan still had plenty of admirers, thanks to the dimples that appeared whenever she smiled. But as the class study representative, she always put her studies first and had turned down every confession for that reason...
Su Ke had absolutely no experience with how a boy and a girl were supposed to interact. The mood felt a little awkward, but he didn't know how to break the silence. He didn't even know where Wei Lan lived, so he could only keep his head down and walk.
"Thank you!" Wei Lan's voice was as soft as a breeze, soothing to the ear.
"You're welcome!" Su Ke's voice was just as gentle.
"They're all thugs. I'm afraid they'll come after you later!" Wei Lan's concern wasn't unfounded. Those punks cared most about saving face. Since Su Ke had taught them a lesson, they might well seek revenge.
"It's fine. They think drawing two ribbonfish on themselves makes them tough!" Su Ke blurted out, then realized the line sounded familiar. It was from a Guo Degang comedy routine he'd been listening to lately.
"Hehe, I didn't know you had a sense of humor!" Su Ke wasn't sociable in class and rarely spoke, like a corked gourd. Hearing him say that, Wei Lan couldn't help laughing, and her two dimples appeared at once.
"I thought I was really funny. I only get a little credit?" Su Ke had calmed down, and now he realized talking to a girl wasn't such a big deal. The flush had finally faded from his cheeks, and he looked much more like himself.
"Don't flatter yourself!" Wei Lan tilted her head and looked at Su Ke beside her. From the side, his features looked refined, his skin was fair, his nose was high, and his eyes were bright. He did have a bit of a pretty-boy look. Honestly, he was kind of handsome. So why hadn't she noticed before?
Wei Lan smiled at Su Ke. When he didn't answer, she murmured, "I was really scared back there. I really wished someone would come save me. But honestly, I never thought it would be you!"
"Really? Were you imagining that the person who saved you would be a peerless hero, dressed in golden armor and riding seven-colored clouds, suddenly appearing right in front of you?" Su Ke found himself speaking more and more smoothly. It was as if getting into a fight had improved his speaking skills too.
"Ugh, you're awful!" Wei Lan knew Su Ke was quoting a line from the movie A Chinese Odyssey, spoken by the Fairy Zixia to Supreme Treasure. He'd only changed the last few words. The thought made her cheeks flush, and she glared at Su Ke with a hint of annoyance.
But Wei Lan soon continued, "The person who saved me wasn't wearing golden armor or riding seven-colored clouds, but in my heart, he's still a peerless hero!"
After saying that, Wei Lan blushed even more.
Being praised to his face, and called a peerless hero at that, was too much for the introverted, thin-skinned Su Ke. He had no idea what to say, so he could only reply weakly, "You really know how to pick 'em!"
After that, they looked at each other and laughed.
After walking for two or three minutes, the sun slowly sank in the west, stretching their shadows long across the ground. Remembering that the family's little shop needed his help, Su Ke finally mustered the courage to ask, "Wei Lan, how much farther is your place? Are we almost there?"
"Huh? Isn't this the way to your house?" Wei Lan asked in surprise, her eyes wide.
"Uh, no! I'm taking you home, aren't I? Is your place not this way?" From Wei Lan's expression, Su Ke realized he might have taken the wrong road.
"I was following you. I thought this was the way to your place!" Wei Lan looked at Su Ke, utterly innocent. It was true—after the two of them had pushed their bikes out of the crowd, they'd simply continued down the road.
Su Ke was frustrated, and Wei Lan was gloomy. They'd spent all that time walking in the wrong direction!
"Which neighborhood do you live in? I'll take you home now!" Su Ke asked, bracing himself. It wouldn't matter if he got home a little late; after all, he'd been the one who offered to walk Wei Lan home.
"Fengze Residential Park! It's over by Beichen Road!" Wei Lan said with a pout, just as frustrated that they'd gone the wrong way.
"Fengze Residential Park? I live in Sunshine Residential Quarter!" Su Ke's eyes lit up. He hadn't expected them to live so close. The two neighborhoods were right next to each other, so now he could walk Wei Lan home without worrying about getting back late himself.
"Really? You live in Sunshine Residential Quarter? Then we're neighbors!" Wei Lan was surprised, but her eyes showed more joy than anything else.
"All right, let's ride home!" Su Ke turned his bike around and waved to Wei Lan. At last, beneath the setting sun, the two of them headed home.
"All right, I'm here!" Wei Lan stopped her bike and smiled at Su Ke.
"Mm. Fengze Residential Park, Building Six, Unit Three. What floor?" Su Ke looked up at the entrance of the building in front of them.
"302. I live on the third floor!" Wei Lan told him without hesitation. In her heart, Su Ke had already become someone she trusted, and she was even beginning to feel fond of him.
"Mm, I'll remember. So today I've officially met your family!" Su Ke waved to Wei Lan and rode away. Wei Lan waited until he was out of sight, then muttered as she pulled out her keys, "What a dummy. You don't even know what 'meeting the family' means!"
"Meeting the family" was a local custom. For a couple to go from dating to marriage, they had to go through three steps: meeting the family, getting engaged, and getting married. Su Ke obviously didn't know that, but Wei Lan did. Otherwise, why would the girl have blushed as soon as she heard him say it?
Before you continue