Chapter 3: The Legend of Milk Tea House

  In the early summer night, the gentle breeze was still cool, and the stars were still twinkling in the sky, but my mood had changed beyond recognition. The latest free chapter of this book is available at [website]. Keeping my head down, I quickened my pace to closely follow behind him. As the weather gradually became hotter, the warm wind blew, and I couldn't help but shiver slightly. Where was he taking me after all? I thought anxiously, and suddenly bumped into a hard back, rubbing my sore head and looking up to see him with a faint smile in his eyes.

  "What's going on? You stopped without even saying a word!" I complained softly.

  "We're here." He didn't listen carefully to what I said, and with a lift of his chin, he pointed towards a pub with bright lights.

  Then he rudely grabbed my hand, and I took a step back in resistance. His good-looking eyebrows furrowed, with sharp glints flashing in his eyes, "You'd better listen obediently."

  "Why did you bring me here? What is this, I don't want to go in!"

  "Hmph, whether you want to or not is up to you." Another mocking tone, "Or should I just carry you in like luggage?"

  I stared with wide eyes and an open mouth. I should be the most aware that it's pointless to talk to this kind of boy, as they always do what they want and like to control others with their own will.

  In his half-pulling and half-dragging, he felt that every part of his body was not his own, his arms moved his body and then his head, like a full-body exercise in radio gymnastics.

  The ball-shaped revolving lamp that suddenly appeared dazzled my eyes, and I felt a wave of dizziness. The bar was playing DJ music that made people's blood boil, and in the central dance pool, a group of dark shadows were dancing wildly.

  A girl with the appearance of a high school student walked in front of me, wearing a suspender mini-skirt and a super short skirt, revealing her sexy figure. Her face was heavily made up, and her eyes were staring at me sharply. Then she turned to the milk tea boy next to me, grabbed his arm, and said in a soft voice: "Yu Ge, why are you just coming? We've been waiting for you."

  A sly smile appeared on Yu's face, which I accidentally caught a glimpse of. His profile was clear-cut and dignified, with a hint of cold light in his eyes. He released my arm and took my hand, sending a warm current through me. My face flushed slightly as he held my hand tightly in his palm. As I realized he was leading me forward, I felt an inappropriate flutter in my chest and couldn't help but scold myself. I adjusted my breathing and tried to remain calm.

  I'd rather be blind at this moment, at least I wouldn't be deceived by his appearance.

  In the dimly lit corner, a group of black shadows immediately perked up and stood up straight, quickly making way for us to take over a spacious seat.

  "Brother Yu."

  "Brother Yu."

  "Brother Yu, sit down!"

  Everyone was busy and didn't notice me greeting Yu. I saw Ji Dong staring at me in the crowd with a serious expression, but the lighting was too dim to make out his face clearly. Yu pulled me in, head held high and chest out, and sat down squarely on the couch, forcing me to sit tightly against him, then put his arm around my shoulder, the movement very natural.

  He glanced around and said lightly: "Sit."

  Everyone sat down in a flurry, the table was filled with all kinds of wine and high-footed cups, someone started opening bottles, one after another, Ji Dong, who was closest to Yu, poured him a full glass. Between me and him was only Yu, I stretched my neck to give him a signal, but he didn't even glance at me, just focused on pouring wine, drinking wine.

  Everyone is indulging in luxury here, only I seem out of place, even during my glorious days I never came in.

  It was my first time in this kind of place, and I was bewildered by the dazzling lights and the cacophony of sounds. Suddenly, a drunk Shu Yu pushed his wine glass in front of me, his voice full of seductive magnetism, "Come on, have a drink."

  I covered my mouth with my hand and shook my head: "I won't." He ignored my excuses, directly pinched my chin, and the strong liquor poured down, stimulated by the intense alcohol flavor, I coughed violently, punching my chest and stomping my feet, bringing out his exaggerated laughter, seemingly enjoying my painful expression, watching me with relish.

  Ji Dong was drinking on the other side, his face calm and expressionless. He finally glanced at me, but it was like looking at a stranger, his eyes were dull, and then he turned back to continue clinking glasses with them.

  At this moment, I suddenly felt like being knocked into a deep abyss, so desperate.

  ??***

  "Rice rice..."

  "Rumi... Mimi..."

  In a daze, I heard someone calling me, like an echo in the valley, coming in waves, but each sound clearer than the last. Suddenly I came to my senses and saw Teacher Bai's astonished face right in front of me. I rolled my eyes: This look of astonishment has been happening too frequently these past few days.

  Knowing I made a mistake, I quickly wiped the corner of my mouth and stood up awkwardly, feeling extremely guilty.

  "Teacher, I'm sorry..." Last night after the bar closed, everyone was drunk, and I took advantage of the chaos to escape. However, I couldn't get into my dormitory, so I found a secluded big tree to lie down under. I didn't have any sleepiness at all, my ears were ringing a bit, and I hadn't yet recovered from the shock. After struggling until dawn, I went to open the classrooms with dark circles under my eyes, and then continued to doze off.

  "Rice Rice, I heard you slept for a whole morning, is anything uncomfortable?" asked Teacher Bai with great concern.

  It was already lunch break time, and there were only the two of us in the classroom. "I'm fine, I just feel really tired, didn't sleep well last night." I forced a smile, my lips curling up unnaturally.

  "Rice, rice..." She had something to say but hesitated, her expression tangled. Under my curious gaze, she cleared her throat and asked: "Li Xiaoran said that you refused to help her with her homework yesterday because you were going on a... date. Is it true?" The two words "date" were spoken especially softly, but I still heard them clearly.

  "Does the teacher think I'm this kind of person?" I didn't answer and instead asked back, suppressing the guilt in my heart.

  "Of course not, just..." She hastily denied it. In her eyes, I had always been a good student, excelling in both character and academics, the most suitable candidate for the next student council president.

  "Never mind, Mimi. Xiao Ran said that she must ask you to stay and help her today." Teacher Bai put on a kind smile again.

  "I will!" I nodded vigorously, giving her a reassurance.

  The afternoon passed quickly, and I finally made it to the end of school in a daze. My classmates chattered and laughed as they poured out of the classroom, while I lay on my desk with my eyes open, pretending to be dead. Even if I didn't act like a sycophant today, Xiaoran would still come to me voluntarily. Sure enough, she walked slowly towards me, like a fairy stepping on colorful clouds. I still didn't dare look into her eyes, feeling guilty and caught red-handed.

  She must have hated me, otherwise she wouldn't have reported to Teacher Bai.

  She didn't say a word and I remained still. Suddenly a crystal tear fell on the back of my hand, turning into a transparent small flower.

  I had no choice but to force myself to stand up, lowering my voice and saying reluctantly: "Xiao Ran, I'm sorry." Or perhaps the three words people say most often are not "I don't know", but "I'm sorry".

  "Want me to hit you back? But let's switch sides, okay?" I tilted up my face, narrowing my eyes slightly, "After we're done, I'll help you with your homework."

  It's better not to tell her the truth for now, it's hard enough to establish my authority as class leader, can't let others know I was coerced by him. Let's wait a week and then talk about it later. Today's slap will be remembered on that devil's face!

  "Actually, I know it's not your fault." She stopped her tears and was amused by my actions, the corners of her mouth slightly curved up. "I've been with Yu for four years now, although I always knew he didn't like me, but I chose to stay by his side because from that moment four years ago, I couldn't help myself." She became immersed in memories, her thoughts seemingly returning to that day four years ago, her face filled with tenderness.

  "Xiao Ruan, don't be deceived! He's only decent-looking, everything else is terrible! His personality is also extremely bad! I'm telling you, actually...” I almost blurted out the fact that he was pretending to be her boyfriend, but she glared at me fiercely, her gentle face suddenly filled with anger. "You don't understand! He wasn't like this before, he was so gentle... If it weren't for what happened, if his dad hadn't abandoned them and left, he wouldn't have become like this! During that time, he was like a different person..." She stopped talking, choking back tears. I gently patted her shoulder, falling silent. It turns out he also had a similar experience to Ji Dong.

  "He is different in my heart."

  "Uh, sorry..."

  "Although he didn't like me, I could still be his girlfriend until he met you."

  ??“……”

  You don't understand, I silently said in my heart. I'm nothing special, it's obvious from his playful eyes, I'm just a pastime for when he's bored.

  "A few days ago, he met you there. He's been distracted ever since, and when I talk to him, he gets annoyed." She actually knew about that day all along, but even if she used her toes to think, she'd know it wouldn't be easy to spark anything between them! Especially since I've been labeled as "odd and mismatched".

  "That day, if I hadn't been in a bad mood and let him take his brothers to 'Tea Infatuation' to ask about the rumor that ghost knew something. He wouldn't have met you, he wouldn't have left my side." She's being stubborn again, this is completely unrelated!

  "What legend? What legend is that?" I shifted her attention and was also curious, never having heard of any legends about milk tea houses before.

  "The fate of those who read books to death." After being with Yu for a long time, Xiao Ran's tone also made people clench their teeth. She then said mysteriously: "That milk tea house has been around as long as our school's history. In the backyard of the house, there is an ancient bell. Legend has it that if the bell rings in any year, the owner of the milk tea house will host a grand banquet. During the dance party at midnight on New Year's Eve, the boy and girl who dance together for the last dance will have a smooth and blessed romance!"

  This English High School is said to have a history of over 100 years, and has been given a unique halo by the small town, which is more valued by the government than the only second-tier university in the suburbs.

  "Oh, I see." Thinking back, during the Monday flag-raising ceremony, there was indeed a thick bell sound coming from afar. I thought it was the monks of Zongchan Temple striking the bell, and when students whispered to each other, they were even scolded by the head teacher.

  "Ah! There used to be a reliable one! Ah~ If I had waited patiently until today, and the notice had been released... it wouldn't have ended up like this." Her eyes dimmed for a few seconds before shining brightly again as she stared at me, her fists clenched in front of her chest. "Now I must seize this last opportunity, huh! Class President, you said you dislike Yū, so you won't compete with me, right?"

  "Of course! I find him quite annoying too!" He was extremely repelled by the familiar shadow on his body, "Don't worry! I don't like those dance parties either! If you need any help, just look for me!" The class president's standard phrase.

  "Thank you, class monitor! I was wrong yesterday, sorry!" A sweet smile finally appeared on her face, like a lotus flower emerging from the water.

  As I walked out of the school gate, I saw that Cha Mi's Voice Color House was surrounded by students, three layers deep inside and out. The storefront had been carefully decorated, with colorful balloons hanging from the high eaves, and a large heart-shaped design made of colored foam on the glass window. Lan Xin and Ruo Xi, the owners, stood under the paulownia tree in front of the door, surrounded by small potted plants filled with fresh flowers of various colors, filling the air with fragrance and instantly lifting my mood. They smiled and greeted me as they saw me approaching.

  The legendary Lan Xin sister, who is always seen but never fully revealed, has finally shown up today. Normally, she leaves the milk tea shop entirely in the hands of Ruo Xi's management, unless something big happens. If you're not a loyal customer like me, who visits every two or three days, it's hard to catch a glimpse of her.

  "Lan Xin Jie, Ruoxi, what's going on in the store? Why are there so many people and you're not even going in to greet them?" I walked over with a smile.

  "They all heard that our store is going to hold a masquerade ball and signed up, and they are preparing for it now!" Yifeng said excitedly.

  "Is there really such a legend? About eternal love and all that?" The word "dance party" is a sensitive term for me.

  "Ah, it's great to believe in it! Mimi, look at this scene, it's really exciting! The young people of today are so full of energy! Ah, being young is wonderful!" Lan pointed at the long queue that was filled with students, each one looking lively and excited. Unconsciously, the crowd surged forward into the school gates, where the security guard uncle was chatting and laughing with the students. There were many couples among the students in the queue, who would normally be punished for holding hands on campus, but now they were all hand in hand, lost in their own little world of romance.

  Having been used to the dull life in school, such a lively scene made me feel great and excited.

  ?? Creek leaned in close to me, putting her mouth next to my ear and whispering: "Mimi, that really rude guy last time, go invite him over, don't you know his brother?" Seeing the slight smile on my face, she blushed and added: "I just want to apologize to him in person, sorry for dragging you into this!"

  "Oh? Really? I thought little girl had a crush on someone!" I teased her, and she playfully punched me on the shoulder. We've been friends for seven years now, how could I not understand her?

  "I was wrong, I'll do as you say! But... you have to treat me to milk tea!" Although she resented her weak self for being coerced by him, she couldn't deny the fact that he was a handsome guy. He was the type of idol that girls in their teens would fall for - his cool exterior made ordinary people not dare to approach him, which only made him more attractive to girls.

  Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives.

  "Hey! Don't forget your mission." The indifferent voice formed a stark contrast with the atmosphere at this moment. The boy in front of him had no expression on his face, still looking lazy, with both hands inserted into his black jeans and his head held high.

  "Come with me." He said, and then reached out to grab my hand. I slightly pulled back and dodged him, taking a few steps back, staring at his eyes. Why did he have to find me in such a crowded place? Was he hoping that after a few days, people would laugh at me for being dumped by him?

  Behind him was Ji Dong, his face as expressionless as an iron board, with his arms wrapped around his legs and standing with his feet apart. The blue dragon on his arm was particularly eye-catching. And what's the point of saying you want to protect me? Seeing your boss not daring to fart, what kind of friend is that?! I thought indignantly.

  "Isn't that Zhang Jueyu?"

  "He's also going to participate, so is there still a show for us?"

  "What's his relationship with that girl?"

  "That girl is really ugly, not even half as pretty as me, how did she manage to hook up with Ze Yu? I wonder if there's something fishy going on."

  Hehehehe...

  ??“……”

  The whispers of discussion in the crowd one by one entered my mind, striking my heart. Ruoxi was also looking at me with an incredulous gaze, her mouth opening as if to say something but not speaking. I suppressed my grievances and pulled her hand over, similarly whispering softly into her ear: "I have nothing to do with him, believe me." She seemed to see the pain in my eyes, smiled slightly, tightly grasped my hand once, then let go.

  "How dare you!" He strode up to me with an intimidating air, grabbed me by the arm, and everyone was shocked into silence by his actions.

  "Ow, be gentle!" His strength was no less than Ji Dong's. To avoid being hurt by his roughness, I quickly followed him. My good image was shattered by him, and at this moment, yielding was the best strategy. Besides, I also wanted to escape from this place where even the gaze could kill people as soon as possible.