Don't be So Proud

Chapter 4.2 — Kiss You At the Next Street Lamp

‘He Zhi Zhou’s’ version of Gao Yuan Yuan was fresh out of the oven. The hairdresser was very satisfied and wanted to pose for a photo with He Zhi Zhou but he irritably refused. He looked at ‘himself’ in the mirror, appearing fresh and neat. Moreover no need to worry about combing the hair every morning. But when he looked behind at Shen Xi, the mood was a little complicated. For the first time, he wondered if he had been too impulsive.

After coming out from the hair salon, Shen Xi strode with her long legs and walked in front. He Zhi Zhou pulled her aside, it was his turn to ask her: “Where are you going?”

Shen Xi turned around and replied through clenched teeth: “Go back to pluck armpit hair!”

Okay. He Zhi Zhou no longer felt guilty.

The normal college and S University have a commercial street, with mostly dining outlets on both sides. But both sides will be mostly filled with various kinds of stalls in the evening, mostly the university students coming out to sell some of their gadgets.

He Zhi Zhou saw Monkey and Brawny in this street. Both of them were carrying several shopping bags, all men’s brand.

Monkey waved at him: “Hey, Beautiful Maiden Shen!”

He Zhi Zhou walked over and greeted them: “Long time no see.”

Monkey winked at her: “Ya la, we miss you. Even if you are ignoring Third, how come you are also neglecting us?”

He Zhi Zhou smiled, really flattering.

Then Brawny asked: “Xi Xi, did you cut your hair short?”

He Zhi Zhou nodded: “The weather is hot.”

Monkey nodded in understanding: “I also wanted to shave my head yesterday, but Leader said crew cut doesn’t suit me, so I didn’t do it.”

The person they called ‘Leader’ was Shen Xi. He Zhi Zhou glanced at Monkey and Brawny’s clothes, surely must be Shen Xi’s work. Did she want to transform all the men in dormitory 921 into effeminate men?

He Zhi Zhou’s line of sight stopped at Monkey and Brawny’s capri pants. Previously, they followed him and never wore capri pants, feeling not manly. Currently, Monkey was wearing a yellow capri pants, whereas Brawny was wearing the rainbow colors.

Good for nothing! He Zhi Zhou was fuming with anger, but since he ran into them, might as well make some discreet inquiries. “Let’s go for a drink.” He said, then walked straight ahead.

“Okay!” Monkey and Brawny were happy to follow along. They did not see each other for just a few days, Miss Shen has turned into a diva, ah! They glanced at each other and quickly kept pace with her.

In a cold drink shop at the side of the street, Monkey offered to treat them. He knew Shen Xi likes to drink lime tea, so he ordered a glass of iced tea for her.

There was a painful expression in He Zhi Zhou’s eyes as he said to the waiter: “No ice, warm one please.”

Brawny realized the reason and laughed twice.

He Zhi Zhou found a table and sat down. Monkey and Brawny followed and also sat down. They smiled cordially and asked: “Beautiful Maiden Shen, how are you and Third?”

He Zhi Zhou faintly asked a question in reply: “Why are you so concerned?”

This tone of voice …… why it sounded so much like the former Leader! Brawny laughed twice again: “Just concerned about you.”

“Thank you.” He Zhi Zhou sipped his hot tea and asked the question which he was most concerned about, “Your dormitory mate …… how is He Zhi Zhou lately?”

After hearing ‘Shen Xi’s’ question, Monkey ‘cursed’ in his heart. Could it be that Beautiful Maiden Shen was really interested in the Leader? Brawny has no integrity and immediately betrayed his friend. After drinking his cold beer, he said: “Beautiful Maiden Shen, the Leader may appear cold and noble like a Mr. Prefect but he also has moments when it’s like his brain has derailed, more so recently.”

“Has moments when it’s like his brain has derailed?” He Zhi Zhou has a bad premonition and said faintly, “What do you mean?”

Brawny raised his eyebrows, felt a little uneasy: “Last night, the Leader hid under the blankets and cried ……”

“Hid under the blankets and cried?! Why was he crying?” Suddenly He Zhi Zhou put down the lime tea in his hands, With that ‘thunk,’ an imposing air immediately surged forth from him.

Monkey started to explain “The Leader was reading a novel and his emotions got a little bit out of control.”

“Heehee.” He Zhi Zhou gave a snort of laughter and he has nothing more to say on this. He stood up straightaway and said: “I go first, goodbye.”

“Goodbye ……” Monkey and Brawny did not react in a timely manner, turned their heads —— Before Beautiful Maiden Shen walked out, Lin Yu Tang has already come in. Furthermore he was not alone, a bespectacled girl was following after him.

Can’t be so melodramatic?

He Zhi Zhou saw Lin Yu Tang. He intended to greet him and leave. But he was pulled back by the girl beside Lin Yu Tang: “Hi, Xi Xi, such a coincidence!”

He Zhi Zhou’s lips gave a twitch and looked at Lin Yu Tang. He also looked at He Zhi Zhou. His tone had hints that something had been stirred in his emotions: “Shen Xi, did you cut your hair?”

He Zhi Zhou merely nodded. After patting Lin Yu Tang on the shoulder, he continued to walk away.

“You’ve kept your hair for eight years.” Suddenly Lin Yu Tang turned around to call attention to a certain fact.

He Zhi Zhou frowned and used a placid tone to respond to Lin Yu Tang: “Eight years so what? It is normal to cut long hair. After cutting them off, new hair will grow.”

Lin Yu Tang was left speechless and wanted to vent his anger. But it was as if he had laid a hard punch on a stack of fluffy cotton, and no matter how great the force was, it was useless. He really did not expect Shen Xi will say such words and moreover, it was using a type of tone that clearly drew the line and defined boundaries that distanced her from him.

“When my long hair reaches my waist, young man, take me as your wife, will you?” Shen Xi was saying that to him last year. Lin Yu Tang’s mood was gloomy. Better to introduce the girl beside him to Monkey and Brawny first: “This is Ling Chao Xi, my high school classmate. She came to S University to participate in the national universities debating championship.”

“Wow, welcome welcome.” Monkey said.

Brawny greeted Ling Chao Xi to sit down and politely order a drink for her.

“You are too polite.” Ling Chao Xi smiled, “I don’t know if you like to eat spicy food or not. I brought some W city’s specialty for you.”

“Like like.” Monkey and Brawny nodded repeatedly but they were thinking —— this girl was formidable.

Eight years, how long is eight years?

He Zhi Zhou’s calm mood was disrupted by Lin Yu Tang’s ‘eight years’, like an overturned bottle of pepper in his heart. He tried to call Shen Xi, but no answer. He hung up the phone, went to a confectionery shop and bought a few bags of chocolate.

Finally, he found Shen Xi in S University’s No. 3 sports field. When he found her, the moon was already above her head. Ink-like darkness enveloped the whole ring-shaped crumb rubber sports field. Layer upon layer of shadowy trees all around, as if shrouding the entire sports field into darkness and quietness.

The warm night wind blowing lightly, there was the smell of in the air. The clouds were moving slowly, the shadow of the moon was floating and drifting along.

He Zhi Zhou carrying the chocolate, walked towards Shen Xi and greeted her: “Running?”

You cannot see with your eyes ah! Shen Xi finally halted her footstep, turned her head after a short while and said in a strange voice: “Aiya, isn’t this the school beauty, Shen Xi from the college next door? I cannot recognise you after your haircut!”

“Oh.” He Zhi Zhou snorted and answered coldly with a question: “Become prettier or uglier?”

This man was really annoying! She cannot say she has become very ugly. Shen Xi reluctantly glanced at him and said: “I’ll say I am endowed with natural beauty that is too hard to conceal.”

The corner of He Zhi Zhou’s mouth automatically curved into a smile. He remembered he was here to apologize, but momentarily he did not know how to approach the subject. Thus he handed the chocolate to her: “This is for you.”

“Are you crazy? If I eat this, my exercise in the evening will be completely wasted.” Shen Xi said with exaggeration.

He Zhi Zhou calmly said: “Never mind, eat la.”

“Okay, but wait until I’ve finished running, only three and a half round left.” Shen Xi said.

He Zhi Zhou inserted a hand into his pocket: “Never mind, no need to run.”

Why all of a sudden this man was so amenable? Shen Xi looked at He Zhi Zhou in puzzlement, still feeling something was not right. Then she reached out and patted He Zhi Zhou: “I may be poor in my study and not making good use of my brain but you better don’t dupe me. I’m a trustworthy person. Since I promised you ten thousand metres a day, not one centimeter less …… so you better don’t forget to use the skin care product …… ”

After saying so much, the main point was still skin care. He Zhi Zhou was a little impatient: “Okay, I won’t forget.”

Shen Xi grinned, then very sincerely invited He Zhi Zhou: “Want to run together?”

He Zhi Zhou declined: “It is not convenient for me to exercise now.”

“Sorry!” Shen Xi quickly bent down, “Big brother He, I am letting you suffer, so I’ll go for a run as an apology.” After finished talking, she has already happily ran several metres.

He Zhi Zhou laughed in the heart, his mood a little jubilant. Before his mouth curved into a smile, he unexpectedly saw Shen Xi shaking her buttocks twice and making a strongman movement at him.

He Zhi Zhou saw until the fire in the heart, lung and liver, all started to burn. He wished he could kick her. Shen Xi probably anticipated that she will certainly be beaten up, so she ran far away. But at the same time, she did not forget to turn and wave at him, so annoying-looking she was like someone who lacked being disciplined by a good beating!

He Zhi Zhou was peeved but gradually, it all faded into a smile.

Next to the sports field, there was an uneven stone stairway. He Zhi Zhou waited for Shen Xi at the top of the stairway. After Shen Xi finished running the remainder of the three and a half round, she was grasping for breath. Therefore, she hunched over when she climbed the stone steps. She did not immediately sit down but did some relaxing stretching exercises. He Zhi Zhou saw until his temples were throbbing.

“Sorry about the hair. I did not know that you’ve kept it for so long.” He Zhi Zhou apologized. Although the tone was indifferent, the voice still sounded apologetic.

Shen Xi was stunned, then waved her hand and said nonchalantly: “Actually, I’ve always wanted to try having a short hair style, but I couldn’t make myself cut it. You just fulfilled the thought I had for many years,”

Was she comforting him? He Zhi Zhou did not say anything, just glanced at Shen Xi, his calm mood was a little more gentle and soft.

“We’ll not go to Qingdao this week, but we’ll go next week.” He Zhi Zhou said, “If I need to go into the water, it is really not convenient.”

Shen Xi looked at He Zhi Zhou: “Have you found a way?”

He Zhi Zhou said faintly: “Have to try for a way. If really cannot find a way, there is still sex change operation.”

“Ha ha ha.” Shen Xi laughed, this was the first time she could chat so happily with He Zhi Zhou. The sports field has a succession of people passing by. Someone turned around to look at her and He Zhi Zhou. She sighed and said, “I think we can’t go on like this because sooner or later we’ll be found out. Then it’ll be even more troublesome.”

He Zhi Zhou groaned softly, she finally thought of these problems.

“But I have a way.” Shen Xi immediately turned her head to look at He Zhi Zhou.

He Zhi Zhou did not have high hopes, but willing to listen.

Shen Xi raised her eyebrows and spoke out without careful thinking: “We’ll pretend to be dating, so it’ll be all right for us to be close.”

He Zhi Zhou was noncommittal, smiled and did not say anything.

“What a pity, I have Tang Tang!” Shen Xi said regretfully.

He Zhi Zhou stood up: “Okay, you go back first.”

Shen Xi patted her bottom and stood up. She did not forget to get the chocolate from He Zhi Zhou: “Give me the chocolate la.”

Shen Xi carried the chocolate back to the dormitory. She pushed open the door and immediately said to the people inside: “I’ll treat you to some chocolate —— eh, where is Third, disappeared again?”

Brawny came over, opened a box of chocolate and put some into his mouth: “That Ling Chao Xi has come over. Third went to arrange her accommodation.”

Shen Xi still has half of the chocolate in her mouth, accidentally swallowed it and immediately got stuck in her heart.

“Oh, by the way, Leader, do you want to eat spicy duck? This was given as a present to our dormitory by that Ling Chao Xi ……” Monkey carried the bag over.

Shen Xi shook her head: “No need.”

9 o’clock at night – Shen Xi was leaning against the bed head and asking: “Why Third still has not come back?”

10 o’clock – Shen Xi said to Monkey: “Monkey, please call Lin Yu Tang as to why he still has not come back, hopefully nothing bad happened.”

11 o’clock – Shen Xi said to Brawny: “Is Lin Yu Tang going to come back?”

Brawny was about to climb into bed, his phone sounded as a text message came in. He said to the person lying on the bed, who was very concerned about whether Third will come back: “Leader, Third sent me a text message saying that he will not be coming back tonight.”

“Oh.” Shen Xi replied calmly. She can finally get a ‘peaceful night’s’ sleep.

Lin Yu Tang came back the next morning.

Shen Xi ignored him and went out straightaway. She called He Zhi Zhou in the grove: “Big Brother He, let’s pretend to be together.”

He Zhi Zhou: “……”

Shen Xi took a deep breath and continued to say: “But wait for an hour for me to go and break up with Lin Yu Tang first. Even though we are pretending to be together, it must also be open, above-board, right and proper. Must have ethics, bottom line and moral standing!”

16 of 65 Chapters segments

0 of 2 epilogues

These character stills were released to correspond with the unified national examinations that are taking place in China over the next couple days, hence the graduation cap on everyone.