"I think the Little Mute seems a bit drunk."
On her way to Chen Zhenzhen's house, she came to this conclusion. "No matter how clueless she is normally, she wouldn't be so presumptuous as to... or even start taking off her clothes while you're still around, would she?"
"Indeed." Zhang Zhaomu nodded and sighed.
Chen Zhenzhen: "?"
She instantly became perceptive. "Were you feeling regret just now?"
"How could that be!" Zhang Zhaomu straightened his back. "I'm a gentleman!"
"Do you even believe what you're saying?" Chen Zhenzhen punched him lightly.
Zhang Zhaomu chuckled awkwardly, "Okay, there is a little bit..."
He wasn't shy about discussing this kind of thing with his buddies, saying frankly, "It's normal, right? I'm a guy, how could I not have some thoughts..."
"However, I also feel a bit guilty, as if I'm taking advantage of someone in distress. Sigh... this is the dilemma that morality brings."
"Normal my foot! You're disgusting! Scummy! Pervert!" Chen Zhenzhen gritted her teeth and snapped, "Moral distress? So you're blaming me for reacting too quickly, for not letting you use the excuse of it being an accident to look at me without any moral burden?"
"Go to the welfare bar?"
Zhang Zhaomu slapped his thigh. "You know what, you really shouldn't say that!"
"I didn't realize it until now, but you're the real culprit, Chen Zhen! Dad's always treated you well, but when it really matters, you don't think about your buddy at all! You have to make up for it!"
"You want me to compensate you? How am I supposed to compensate you?" Chen Zhenzhen was so angry at this shameless man that she almost laughed, "How about I lift it up right now?"
As she spoke, she made a gesture as if to tug at the corner of her clothes.
"Ahem, that's enough." Zhang Zhaomu quickly stopped her, "I was just joking, why get so worked up?"
She dared to lift Zhang Zhaomu but not even look... Just imagining it makes my nose bleed.
"Hmph!" Chen Zhenzhen pinched Zhang Zhaomu's waist hard. "I warned you, you're not allowed to take advantage of the Little Mute! Not even looking!"
Zhang Zhaomu grimaced and muttered, "I never intended to take advantage of her! Otherwise, I would have already agreed to let her stay at my place. Besides, Chen Zhen, why are you being so nosy!"
Chen Zhenzhen was speechless. From a friend's perspective, he had indeed been meddling a bit. Even if Zhang Zaowan and Xiang Qing started dating, as a friend, shouldn't he just offer his blessings?
Then Chen Zhenzhen felt even angrier and increased her intensity. "So what if I care! I want to protect the Little Mute!"
"Okay, okay! You're right, you're absolutely right!" Zhang Zhaomu quickly begged for mercy, "Stop pinching! You're going to pinch my flesh off!"
"You need to know what pain is, otherwise you'll just be thinking about those filthy things all day!"
"Don't push me!" Zhang Zhaomu snapped, "Believe me or not, I'll strangle you back!"
You dare!
"Hey?" Zhang Zhaomu, his evil intentions growing, reached out and pinched Chen Zhenzhen's soft waist.
Before she even exerted any force, Chen Zhenzhen jolted and darted several meters to the side.
"You... you really pinched me!" Her face flushed red as she clutched her waist. "You pervert!"
"Am I, Zhang Zhaomu, the kind of person who would be bullied and cower in fear?" Zhang Zhaomu sneered.
Chen Zhenzhen bit her lip and glared at Zhang Zhaomu.
I don't know why, but I just felt very wronged.
She couldn't figure out what she was wronged about. Zhang Zaowan didn't seem to have done anything wrong; that's just his personality. In the past, the two of them had secretly commented on beautiful women before, and she never got angry then. She would even joke about it, saying things like, "I'll create an opportunity for you, get your contact information, and so on."
Why is it different now? Why does hearing Zhang Zaowan say those things make my heart ache so much, completely...
Is the method going to be a joke again, like before?
Zhang Zaowan must hate this version of herself... Not only did she create obstacles for him, but she also pinched him, gave him attitude, and made him angry.
He must think I'm being unreasonable.
Chen Zhenzhen also hates this side of herself, hates how she gets unhappy and loses her temper so easily, but she just can't help it and can't control herself.
It turns out that not only Zhang Zaowan has changed a lot, but I have changed a lot too.
When did it start? Was it from the first day of school when I noticed Zhang Zaowan had changed her skin and her behavior was completely different from before?
Or did it start from the first misunderstanding that Zhang Zaowan's friendship had soured and that she had designs on him?
Or perhaps it started that time Zhang Zaowan because she had to go with Duan Chan'er to get the dog checked?
Or was it because he believed Qianqian's words and thought that Zhang Zaowan's sudden serious study was for his own sake?
Chen Zhenzhen couldn't find the answer.
But there's no point in dwelling on these things anymore. Anyway, we can never go back to those days when it seemed like my whole life consisted only of myself and Zhang Zaowan.
And so, her eyes slowly and unconsciously became misty.
"Holy crap!" Zhang Zhaomu's expression changed drastically. "Don't cry... no... I didn't pinch you either!"
He started to panic; this guy hadn't cried much before.
And they've played around like this before, so why are they acting so strangely today, suddenly dropping their little pearls?
Chen Zhenzhen wiped away her tears, turned around without a word, and walked forward on her own.
"I was wrong, so wrong!" Zhang Zhaomu quickly followed up, "Fine, I'll let you keep choking me, this time I'm absolutely as solid as a rock... no, I'm ready to be slaughtered!"
Chen Zhenzhen ignored Zhang Zhaomu's nonsense.
"If all else fails, you can treat me to dinner tomorrow?" Zhang Zhaomu leaned closer, shamelessly saying, "Hot pot! The most expensive one!"
Chen Zhenzhen remained unresponsive.
"That didn't work?"
Zhang Zhaomu was helpless. Normally, if she heard this, even if she was angry, her first reaction would be, "Why should I be the one treating you to dinner?"
"At least say something!"
He couldn't help but gently tug at Chen Zhenzhen's arm, "Even if I'm to be sentenced to death, there has to be at least one crime that I can accept convincingly, right?"
Chen Zhenzhen took another step back and finally spoke, "N-nothing..."
I'm not angry with you.
"Well... there's a problem I need to think about carefully..."
"What are you thinking about?" Zhang Zhaomu pressed his advantage, grinning mischievously. "I'll help you think. Let me tell you, I have the most powerful brain, I think things through the most clearly! I guarantee you'll want to use it a second time after you use it once, you'll love it!"
Chen Zhenzhen shook her head. "I have to figure this out myself."
Zhang Zhaomu opened his mouth, instinctively wanting to continue using his most familiar joking manner to ease the atmosphere, but looking at the other person's tearful eyes, he suddenly couldn't say anything.
"I'm almost home, you should go back first." Chen Zhenzhen tried to keep her tone calm. "Otherwise, it'll be hard to explain to my mom if she sees you dropping me off at the door."
"Okay." Zhang Zhaomu's expression became more serious. "Although I don't know what you're thinking, don't forget we're best friends."
"Let me know when you've made up your mind. I'll be waiting for you at Liu's Noodle Shop tomorrow morning."
Chen Zhenzhen waved her hand and walked into the darkness.
Zhang Zhaomu stood there until she watched her back turn around the street corner before turning away and letting out a soft sigh.
" Chen Zhen is starting to have girlish feelings too..."