Xu Nianhua smiled and nodded, responding, "Right, just friends."
Zheng Jin happily linked arms with Xu Nianhua, saying, "Then from now on, we can’t lose touch with each other."
Xu Nianhua smiled and agreed, as a classmate nearby came up to her with soda pop to chat, and their whispering conversation thus came to an end.
At first, the girls all drank soda, but as time went on, more and more began to try beer. Once a few started, the number of beer drinkers steadily increased.
"This isn’t bad, why not give it a try?" Zheng Jin had also tried a beer, and in the scorching summer heat, it must have been chilled in well water— the ice-cold beer was especially refreshing.
Xu Nianhua glanced at it and laughed while declining, "No need."
She couldn’t handle her liquor; one drink and she’d be done for.
There were still so many classmates around; it was better not to make a fool of herself.
Zheng Jin was finally letting loose and naturally wanted to savor the moment.
Xu Nianhua sat in a corner, occasionally chatting with people who approached her, so she wasn’t bored at all. She kept an eye on her second brother, Xu Nian’an, from across the table. Well, it turned out the second brother could hold his liquor; she watched as he downed several bottles of beer, his face growing redder but not seeming drunk.
Xu Nianhua’s eyes twinkled. If she wasn’t mistaken, several girls had taken the opportunity to strike up conversations with Xu Nian’an while he was away at the restroom.
Second brother is quite popular, huh.
Xu Nianhua sat by the window, in a cozy corner where a gentle breeze blew in, bringing a touch of coolness that dispelled the heat inside her. Looking out at the night scene, she felt extremely content.
A male voice sounded, prompting Xu Nianhua to instinctively look away from the window. She turned and saw Chen Hu with a flushed face, and couldn’t help asking, "Are you, drunk?"
Chen Hu shook his head, having mustered up the courage to approach her while Xu Nian’an was away in the restroom, seizing the moment to find her alone by the window, enjoying the breeze.
Xu Nianhua laughed softly, not contradicting him. With an air full of alcohol, surely a drunk person would never admit to being drunk.
"Xu Student, I..." Chen Hu gathered his courage, but just as he started to speak, looking into Xu Nianhua’s deep and bright eyes, he swallowed his words back down.
"I wish you success in getting into college!"
Xu Nianhua, holding her soda, initiated the toast.
Chen Hu clinked glasses with her, tilted his head back, and finished off his beer. He said, word by word, "Xu Student, I like you."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Chen Hu didn’t dare to look at her, turning to leave straight away.
As Chen Hu turned around, he bumped into a stranger at the corner. He jumped in fright, feeling a chill all over. He didn’t pay it much mind, only wanting to leave quickly.
He had finally spoken his heart out!
Xu Nianhua watched his hasty retreat and muttered to herself, "Isn’t one supposed to wait for an answer after confessing?"
"You wanted to accept?" Another male voice asked.
Without thinking, Xu Nianhua replied, "Of course not."
She didn’t want to waste time dating. She looked up and her words faded away as she instinctively stood up, her heart fluttering even though she hadn’t had a drop of alcohol.
"He’s not worthy of you." Pei Yicheng sat down opposite her, taking in both her and the scenery behind her in a single glance.