Lin Deng’s appearance naturally led to a few teasing remarks, to which he responded with a bemused laugh.
"Alright, I had him run an errand to the school for me." For once, Gu En kindly jumped in to explain on Lin Deng’s behalf. Then he glanced towards He Zhilan trailing behind him and said, "You sit over there."
He Zhilan looked in the direction Gu En was pointing and was taken aback.
The room was densely populated, but besides Gu En and He Zhilan, there were only two girls who looked somewhat alike. Gu En was pointing towards a spot amidst a group of men.
""Lin Deng, is that girl behind you your girlfriend? You stingy little fellow, did you only bring your girlfriend because it’s your birthday?" The one speaking was Ding Jinshi, Lin Deng’s cousin, who was just two years older than him. Her manner of speaking and her conduct, especially the lit cigarette wedged between her fingers, give her an air of maturity that contradicts her age.
"Jinshi, stop teasing me. Have you ever seen me, Lin Deng, dating a girl in all these years? If I ever get a girlfriend, I won’t hide her. Instead, I’ll want to shout it for the world to hear." Lin Deng replied with an idiotic grin before adding, "He Zhilan is a friend, and Gu En’s roommate."
After finishing his introdcution, Lin Deng surveyed the table and began to arrange for people to move seats, making room for He Zhilan to sit beside him - with Gu En on one side, and Zhou Chenyue, his cousin from his aunt’s side, on the other.
He Zhilan breathed a sigh of relief once she’d sat down. Thankfully, Lin Deng had not made her squished into a bunch of unfamiliar-looking men.
"What’s up Lin Deng, are you afraid we’ll eat your roommate?" A man across the table joked. His gaze upon He Zhilan, however, bore an insidious, teasing undertone.
Avoiding the gazes of the others, He Zhilan cast her eyes down. Lin Deng was no fool; he knew very well the kind of people his friends were. The moment he had introduced He Zhilan, they had started to eye her like predators, their stares insinuating all sorts of things.
"You guys should calm down a bit, it’s not polite to stare at a girl like that." Lin Deng glared at the group across the table, his look suggesting they should show some restraint.
"Ignore them. These men reincarnated from monks in their past lives; they can’t help but turn green with lust when they see a woman." Zhou Chenyue patted He Zhilan’s arm under the table and whispered some comfort.
Ding Jinshi, who was sitting next to Zhou Chenyue, chuckled. "Not just the past life actually, I think it was eight past lives. That’s why they’re willing to die for any woman in this life."
He Zhilan’s face stiffened. She slowly turned to look at Ding Jinshi, sensing an inexplicable animosity from her.
"Ding Jinshi, that comment was inappropriate. At least we don’t harbor any feelings for you or your sister, right?"
"Alright, enough with the fuss. It’s Lin Deng’s birthday today, and we’re lucky to have everyone here since it’s also a National Day holiday. It’s been a while since we last all gathered together ."
The comment defused the situation for He Zhilan. Lin Deng looked at Zhou Hongjin, a thankful smile on his face. He knew he could count on his best friend to step in when matters got crucial.