"It’s been a long ti."
Shen You’an was the first to speak.
His tone was as casual as a greeting between old friends reuniting.
Rong Xianning curved his lips into a faint smile.
His current appearance was a ss, almost unbearable to look at—except for his eyes, which were inexplicably clear and gentle.
On a night like this, his presence was like a spring breeze brushing across one’s face, quietly enchanting and captivating.
"It’s been a long ti."
Feng Cheng looked up and, upon seeing Shen You’an, suddenly let out an "Eh?": "It’s you?"
Feng Cheng turned his head to glance at Rong Xianning, whose gaze remained fixed on the young girl across from him.
Feng Cheng exclaid in astonishnt: "So you two know each other!"
He didn’t bother hiding his surprise as Qi Baotan stared at him skeptically: "Why does this feel so familiar?"
She glanced from Feng Cheng to the yellow-haired, dark-skinned boy across the table. The more she stared, the more familiar his features appeared.
Suddenly, she covered her mouth and gasped in disbelief, blurting out: "Rong..."
Shen You’an let out a soft cough.
Qi Baotan quickly scanned her surroundings, swallowed the na back down, and couldn’t hide the excitent brimming in her eyes.
She grabbed Shen You’an’s sleeve: "I just t him in person...!"
Rong Xianning’s deanor was exceptionally gentle: "Hello."
Qi Baotan stamred, "Y-you... Hello."
Shen You’an asked, "You guys haven’t eaten yet, right? My treat. Let’s go."
Qi Baotan eagerly followed Shen You’an, but she still couldn’t resist glancing back at Rong Xianning.
Rong Xianning stepped forward and joined them.
With the crowd being so dense, it was easy to accidentally lose sight of soone.
Feng Cheng sidled up beside Rong Xianning, casting a glance at the slim, tall figure in the crowd ahead. Curious, he asked, "Aning, what’s your relationship with her?"
He had known Rong Xianning for quite a while, having shared a dorm room and lived side by side for three months. One could say he was the closest person to Rong Xianning in the world, yet he remained utterly clueless about Xianning’s social connections.
Rong Xianning always kept to himself, never contacting family or friends. The only person he ever reached out to was the teacher who taught him.
And now, out of nowhere, there appeared a stunning girl of the sa age who seed quite familiar with Rong Xianning. Feng Cheng’s brain buzzed with gossip, spinning every possible scenario to deduce their relationship.
Finally, he concluded that the two shared a deep, significant connection.
"Friends." Rong Xianning murmured quietly, then added, "We’re friends."
Just the strange undertone in Aning’s response made it all the more suspicious.
Shen You’an chose a small hole-in-the-wall eatery hidden deep in an alley. It wasn’t as bustling as a night market but had a tranquil charm amidst the liveliness.
The restaurant was nearly full, with two makeshift tables set up at the entrance. One table was occupied by four young people, chatting and drinking beer—likely college students from nearby.
Shen You’an’s group of five settled at the other empty table, sitting on cheap, low plastic stools. None of them ca from wealthy families, so these surroundings didn’t bother them; instead, they all felt at ease.
The owner walked out holding a nu: "What’ll it be, folks? I’d recomnd our signature dishes—three-flavored hotpot, crispy fried pork, and sautéed fish fillets. They’re very popular with our guests."
Shen You’an looked over at Rong Xianning and Feng Cheng: "You guys order."
Feng Cheng didn’t hold back, grabbed the nu, and ordered several of the recomnded dishes.
The owner then asked, "Any dietary restrictions?"
Feng Cheng glanced at Rong Xianning: "Aning can’t..."
Rong Xianning gave a mild cough to stop Feng Cheng from continuing, then addressed the owner: "No restrictions. Cook everything as usual."
The owner asked what they wanted to drink next. Seeing that the group looked like high school students, he didn’t bother recomnding beer. Feng Cheng ordered fruit juice and a specialty plum drink from the shop.
While waiting for food, Feng Cheng pulled out snacks he’d bought earlier, shared them with the group, and happily dug in.
Qi Baotan stared at Rong Xianning’s face and couldn’t help but burst into laughter: "If you had walked past like that, I’d never recognize you. Who’s the genius behind your makeup?"
Feng Cheng raised his hand and grinned cheekily: "That’d be ! How’d I do, huh? Pretty great, right?"
"Ugh, I can’t look too long—I might ruin his image in my heart."
The transformation of a delicate and gentle boy into a dark-skinned, yellow-haired anomaly had left such a strong impression that she doubted she’d be able to view Rong Xianning normally in the future.
Shen You’an poured hot water and distributed cups to everyone.
Feng Cheng smirked mischievously at Shen You’an: "Miss, how did you get to know our dear Aning?"
Qi Baotan turned her attention to Shen You’an—she had to admit, she was curious too.
Rong Xianning frowned and glanced at Feng Cheng.
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