The WeChat ringtone broke the stagnant atmosphere in the room.
Xiang Qing picked up her phone and immediately panicked. "It's my mom!"
Smack
Chen Zhenzhen stepped forward and turned on the light.
Zhang Zhaomu stood up at the opportune moment and hurried towards the restroom. "I'm going to the restroom, I really need to go."
At the same time, he screamed inwardly:
Thank you, Auntie!
Otherwise, he really wouldn't have been able to find an excuse to escape this disaster scene.
Seeing the bathroom door close, Xiang Qing took a deep breath, suppressing her inner panic, and answered the video call.
" Qingqing." Xiang Qing's mother's voice came from the phone. "What were you doing just now? Why did it take you so long to answer?"
"I... Zhenzhen and I were studying, we weren't paying attention to our phones." Xiang Qing tried her best to make her tone sound normal.
"I see." Xiang Qing's mother paused for a moment, then said, "Studying is a good thing, but it's also important to Zhenzhen work and rest, especially since it's not good to always have someone else tutor you at their home."
Chen Zhenzhen had already composed herself, so she leaned closer to the camera and said with a smile, "It's okay, Auntie. I enjoy studying with Qingqing; it's a way for us to improve together."
"What a good child." Xiang Qing's mother's tone was full of praise, "She's good at studying and so kind-hearted. It's a blessing for my Qingqing to be your friend."
"By the way, it's almost nine o'clock, aren't you guys going to sleep yet?"
Xiang Qing quickly said, "Usually at this time, school hasn't let out for evening self-study yet, and we can't sleep anyway, so we're planning to study a little longer."
"Hmm." Xiang Qing's mother nodded. "By the way, Qingqing, I've never seen you wear these clothes before. Didn't I buy them?"
Xiang Qing was startled.
Fortunately, Chen Zhenzhen reacted quickly and said, "Auntie, Qingqing didn't bring any spare clothes, so she's wearing my clothes."
"Yes," Xiang Qing quickly chimed in, "Because it was a last-minute decision to stay at Zhenzhen's house due to the rain."
"That's true." Xiang Qing's mother smiled and said, "Alright, I was just asking. You guys should get some rest and not stay up too late."
"Okay, Mom." Xiang Qing obediently replied.
The call ended, and the two of them breathed a sigh of relief.
"Auntie... really cares about you." Chen Zhenzhen sighed.
She originally wanted to say that he was indeed very perceptive, checking up on everyone in great detail, but she felt that saying it that way was a bit impolite.
"Hmm." Xiang Qing nodded, then glanced at the bathroom door, her face suddenly turning red again.
She hesitated for a moment, then took Chen Zhenzhen's hand and whispered, " Zhenzhen, just now... I didn't mean to... but Zhang Zhaomu seems angry..."
Chen Zhenzhen's expression froze slightly.
I was thinking that we should all tacitly agree not to bring up what happened earlier and just let it go, but why did you have to bring it up again?
The resentment in her heart surged up again, but looking at Xiang Qing's innocent and pitiful expression, she really couldn't bear to lose her temper with her.
How can you blame her? There's absolutely no reason to blame her, is there?
Xiang Qing was the one who respected tonight's event the most. She watched the movie attentively the whole time without any ulterior motives. In the end, she was just startled and that's why she reacted so strongly.
In contrast, the decision to watch a horror movie was made by her own little scheme. Choosing this movie with a sudden scare at the end was entirely her own idea. Even Zhang Zhaomu only sat between the two of them because of her.
Thinking about it this way...
"It's all Zhang Zhaomu's fault," Chen Zhenzhen said firmly. "Why is he angry? He was probably secretly thrilled just now!"
"But..." Xiang Qing's tone still carried a hint of guilt, "He looked really upset just now."
"You're faking it." Chen Zhenzhen sighed. " Little Mute, you actually feel guilty about something like this? Your thought process is really a bit too strange. You're a girl, you're the one who should be suffering."
"How can you think like that?" Xiang Qing explained, "This kind of thing has nothing to do with gender. Whether it was hugging his arm without permission while watching a horror movie or suddenly sitting on him, it was all my own doing without Zhang Zhaomu's permission, so of course it's my fault, and Zhang Zhaomu is the one who should suffer."
Chen Zhenzhen's lips twitched slightly.
Why do I have to repeat what you just did?
Stop reminding me of those moments! I want to erase them from my memory forever, completely!
Although she should rightfully criticize Xiang Qing's righteous yet twisted values at this moment, a strange sense of bitterness in her heart made her unable to hold back, and she went straight for the point as always. " Little Mute, can I ask you a serious question?"
Xiang Qing paused for a moment, then said, "Of course you can."
Chen Zhenzhen pursed her lips, glanced at the still-closed bathroom door, and lowered her voice, saying, "You can be so naturally close to Zhang Zhaomu, and you don't resist physical contact with him at all, is it because... you like him?"
The moment the question left her lips, Chen Zhenzhen felt her heart pounding like a war drum.
"Huh?" Xiang Qing opened her mouth, looking confused, and asked, " Zhenzhen, are you talking about liking someone between a boy and a girl?"
"Of course." Chen Zhenzhen unconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes.
Xiang Qing shook her head. "I can't date during high school, otherwise my mom will be very disappointed."
Chen Zhenzhen's tone was a little hurried. "I didn't ask you if we could date, I asked you if you like Zhang Zhaomu."
Your aunt doesn't even allow you to have contact with boys, yet you still sat right on Zhang Zaowan!
"Oh." Xiang Qing thought about it seriously for a moment, then shook her head. "No."
"Although I'm not entirely sure what it feels like to like someone, I've only known Zhang Zhaomu for three weeks, and we've barely spoken for two weeks. There's no way I could like him."
"Besides, Mom said that feelings are a very, very serious matter. So-called love at first sight is all fake. Only when you thoroughly understand a person, understand their past, understand their heart, understand their joys and sorrows, can you be qualified to talk about liking someone."
"That makes sense." Chen Zhenzhen nodded.
She felt a sudden sense of relief.
Then she couldn't help but feel a little ashamed. How could she have doubted the Little Mute, and even secretly been angry with her?
Standing before Xiang Qing, she felt as if the other radiated boundless light, while she herself was like a petty person filled with dark thoughts, melting away without any way to hide when illuminated by that righteous light.
" Zhenzhen," Xiang Qing suddenly asked, "Then... do you like Zhang Zhaomu?"
"No!" Chen Zhenzhen was startled and answered quickly.
"But you can also be very naturally close to Zhang Zhaomu, and you don't resist physical contact with him at all," Xiang Qing said earnestly. "Besides, you've known him for a very long time, you know him very well, and he knows you very well too, so it's possible for you to talk about liking each other."
Pfft--
Chen Zhenzhen felt as if she had heard a voice that had struck a chord deep within her heart.
Her expression was a little flustered, and she stammered, "You... you're right... but..."
"Knowing something doesn't mean you have to like it..."
"It's precisely because I know Zhang Zaowan so well that we're actually better off as best friends... you know what I mean?"
Xiang Qing shook her head. "I don't understand."
"Best friends... best friends are people you can hang out with for a lifetime!" Chen Zhenzhen tried to explain, "But couples, once they break up, they never speak to each other again, so why take that risk?"
Xiang Qing looked puzzled. " Zhenzhen, why would you think that? What's the risk? You like each other, so why not just not break up?"
"Shouldn't people who love each other be together for life?"
Chen Zhenzhen:
Looking into the other person's eyes, she sensed that this person genuinely believed it and held a firm conviction in it.
What kind of pure love movie heroine is this?
Please go back inside the TV. The real world is too dangerous for you; it's not suitable for you!
She sighed and said, " Little Mute, there are many things you can't understand yet. The real world is complicated, and feelings aren't as simple as you think."
Xiang Qing stubbornly said, "I know the world isn't black and white, but... feelings are different. They're the simplest and purest thing."
Chen Zhenzhen was speechless.
In the end, she could only awkwardly end the conversation. "Anyway, I don't like Zhang Zaowan, I really only see him as a buddy!"
"Oh." Xiang Qing nodded. "That's good."
"Hmm?" Chen Zhenzhen immediately became alert. "Why do you seem relieved?"
"Because..." Xiang Qing answered honestly, "If you like Zhang Zhaomu, you'll definitely be jealous of what I just did, right? And then you'll be very angry, and in that case, I'll have to apologize to you properly."
Chen Zhenzhen:
What kind of person can get angry at you?
Anyway, Chen Zhenzhen felt that she was completely unable to be angry with Xiang Qing anymore.
"Besides, I really enjoy playing with you guys, but if you like Zhang Zhaomu, I'll have to be careful to keep my distance from him. It's even possible I won't be able to sit next to him anymore..." Xiang Qing continued, "I like sitting next to Zhang Zhaomu. If it were anyone else, I'd definitely feel very uncomfortable."
Chen Zhenzhen:
Is this what they mean by sincerity being the ultimate weapon?
Isn't this ultimate move a bit too powerful? Chen Zhenzhen felt completely unable to resist it.
She couldn't help but take Xiang Qing's hand and say, "Don't overthink it. The three of us are good friends. Just be yourself."
Xiang Qing was immediately moved. " Zhenzhen, you're so kind! We'll be best friends for life!"
"Yes!" Chen Zhenzhen nodded vigorously.
Just then, the toilet door clicked open, and Zhang Zhaomu poked his head out.
"Sorry, I'm a little constipated."
He still looked a little awkward because of what had just happened, his gaze wandering. "Have you finished your call with Auntie?"
"I finished a long time ago!" Chen Zhenzhen glared at him and said irritably, "I thought you were going to stay in the bathroom a little longer."
"I didn't expect you to be faster than I thought."