Chapter 31

Chapter 32: Ripples

Perhaps you have felt it before: at some unfamiliar time, in some unfamiliar place, amid an incident that could stir ripples in an otherwise ordinary life, there would always be one or two unforgettable people.

For Wang Weiwei, life occasionally held surprises, but mostly remained calm. His family had always been strict with him, after all, and there were limits to the days and nights he could spend fooling around with his closest friends. Their little group only indulged themselves occasionally and had never done anything too outrageous. Still, they were not the sort to come off worse anywhere. Being mocked as Su Can had mocked them that day was a first, and it had the novelty of a bride's first ride in a wedding sedan.

Wang Weiwei had no shortage of flatterers around him. After going home, the more he thought about Su Can, the more extraordinary he seemed, and the more excited Wang Weiwei became. What had started as a desire to ask him for gaming tips gradually became an interest in making friends. Though Wang Weiwei knew a great many people, he was not arrogant toward everyone. When someone particularly caught his attention, he would want to get to know them better. After all, the interactions he usually had with people at formal functions were trying enough. This time, he had happened upon someone he rather admired. Who would have thought that afterward, Su Can and his friends would vanish from that arcade as though into thin air? It became a regret of Wang Weiwei's.

Now that he had spotted Su Can, Wang Weiwei, who had only intended to say hello and do them a favor, actually decided not to leave. He sat down beside Su Can and, in excellent spirits, chatted with them about everything under the sun.

Zhang Xi, who had maintained an unruly air until then, now restrained himself enough to seem like an ordinary person. Li Ai chimed in with Wang Weiwei from time to time, both of them hoping to win his favor. Such was the reality of their circle. Given Wang Weiwei's family standing in Xiahai City, even someone from a background as respectable as Zhang Xi's did not dare put on airs.

Wang Weiwei had seen plenty of the world and was long past the stage of needing to save face before people who did not matter. He saw nothing inappropriate about deliberately trying to befriend Su Can. On the contrary, he felt that behaving this way amply demonstrated how much he valued him.

But those around them saw things differently. Reading expressions and taking cues was the bare minimum required in their circle. This young princeling, who could make even someone like Zhang Xi smile ingratiatingly and had taken it upon himself to cover their entire bill, was actually treating Su Can with marked respect. Anyone with eyes could see that Wang Weiwei had meant to leave after greeting Zhang Xi and Li Ai, yet had stayed upon seeing Su Can and his friends. Clearly, this princeling valued Su Can more highly than Zhang Xi, Li Ai, Sun Ziyi, and the others.

Zhang Xi had only met Wang Weiwei at a military district banquet his highly respected grandfather had taken him to. As far as Zhang Xi remembered, wherever his grandfather went, everyone took their cues from him; he carried considerable official authority. Yet when they went to that Government Compound, his grandfather, whose face was normally stern with everyone, actually smiled at everyone he met.

His grandfather was usually the center of attention wherever he appeared, but at that banquet, he and Zhang Xi had sat on the fringes. Others gave them no more than a cursory greeting before hurrying over to compete in offering toasts to Wang Weiwei's elders and their party. Well accustomed to such occasions, Zhang Xi had naturally seen who occupied center stage. He also knew that Wang Weiwei came from a military and political family and was someone of considerable importance himself.

Now, hearing that Wang Weiwei had been berated, he asked with some hesitation, "Weiwei, what happened? Someone berated you?" He had initially assumed that, easygoing as Wang Weiwei was, he was merely making a big deal out of something minor as a joke.

To his surprise, Wang Weiwei pointed at Su Can without a second thought and laughed. "Who else but Su Can? He actually called me trash! He laid into our whole bunch and left us thoroughly humiliated, but we really couldn't argue back! A true expert!"

Xue Yiyang and Liu Rui practically broke out in a sweat. Su Can gave a wry smile too. "All right, enough. It was only because you're so broad-minded. I wouldn't have done that with anyone else!"

Wang Weiwei had felt rather awkward saying it himself, but Su Can's way of smoothing things over actually put him at ease.

The whole table fell silent. Wang Weiwei, whom everyone at No. 1 High School regarded as a lofty crown prince, had actually been called "trash" by Su Can. Now everyone looked at Su Can with a mixture of awe and puzzlement, reassessing this young man's background and identity.

Zhang Xi's heart gave a jolt at those words, and even Li Ai's gaze shifted as he looked at Su Can. He had never expected this fellow to be so confident that he dared berate even Wang Weiwei. Wang Weiwei's easygoing nature was one thing, but they knew about his whole bunch of friends. Their tempers were directly proportional to their families' standing. For all of them to have put up with it, Su Can could hardly fail to inspire awe.

As for exactly what had happened to get Wang Weiwei berated, they did not dare probe any further. After all, though Wang Weiwei showed no sign of it, he might be displeased inwardly.

As though Su Can had acquired another layer of gold plating, several girls who had previously looked down on his background could not help warming to him again.

Chen Lingshan could not help giving Su Can a few more looks either. Wang Weiwei spoke with unusual poise, and once he arrived, no one competed with him for the center of attention. Even Zhang Xi and the others had fallen quiet. Yet Su Can could chat animatedly with him, neither servile nor overbearing, seemingly showing no deference on account of his privileged family background. This made him seem all the more unusual.

A few girls occasionally struck coquettish poses and joined the conversation. Su Can greeted them with smiles too, but his gaze never turned toward her again.

Recalling the cold attitude she had shown earlier after learning Su Can's true background, Chen Lingshan could not help feeling a trace of regret.

"Luo Ran mentioned you to me afterward, too. Ha, we're at the resort next door. Interested in coming over to hang out?" Wang Weiwei had not taken the initiative to invite Zhang Xi, but invited Su Can first.

Lin Luoran? Zhang Xi was shaken. That breathtaking beauty at the banquet, the girl whose background so many people had discreetly asked about-with her pure, otherworldly beauty, she had actually mentioned Su Can? She was nearby? Zhang Xi's heartbeat quickened. Shaken as he was, he also had no idea what had happened between them.

If they learned that the two sides had actually met, and even become acquainted, in a shabby arcade, they might not have known whether to laugh or cry.

"I'll pass. It's getting late. Once we're finished here, we'll pretty much be heading home." Su Can politely declined.

Wang Weiwei nodded without pressing him. After all, their circle really was at odds with the calm, carefree air of the Su Can before him. Rather than feeling annoyed at being turned down, he admired Su Can's unruffled attitude. After getting Su Can's phone number, he left cheerfully, naturally not forgetting to settle the bill for their entire gathering.

In the end, the large group cycled home in a sprawling procession along the coast. As they entered the city, Wang Xuebing returned everyone's contributions. They had all spent the day cycling, enjoyed seaside barbecue, and even had someone else pick up the bill, leaving them in particularly high spirits. As they were about to part, the plump girl whose mother worked in the same department as Su Can's mother made sure to summon her courage and say, "Su Can, come visit No. 1 High School sometime. My treat!"

Su Can answered, then turned his bicycle around with Xue Yiyang and Liu Rui, preparing to split off from the main group.

Several times, Chen Lingshan started to speak, then stopped. She seemed to want to say something, but did not know how to voice her apology. She simply watched the three of them cycle farther and farther away down the camphor-lined street, feeling a hollow sense of having left something unpaid.