Half-baked

11
However, Chi Jingting really didn't know Duan Huaian well enough.
Chi Jingting finished speaking in a startled voice, but Duan Huaian seemed not to have heard it at all.

But to Huai Nian, it was like a bolt of thunder from the blue, which made her unable to keep a straight face.
The secret that had been hidden for a long time was revealed to the public so easily by Chi Jingting.

From the corner of her eye, the raging fire of gossip in her roommates' eyes almost burned her.

Jing Yue was appointed as the representative of the dormitory to speak, and couldn't help asking: "Huai Nian, were you and Duan Huai'an deskmates in high school?"
Seeing that he couldn't hide it any further, Huai Nian responded, "Yeah."

On the side, Chi Jingting kindly added: "They sat at the same table from their second to third year of high school. There were only three years in high school, and they sat at the same table for two years." Soon after, he politely asked Huai Nian, "Am I remembering correctly?"
Huai Nian lowered his eyes and said calmly, "We have been desk mates for two years, but Duan Huai'an has been busy with competitions and rarely comes to school."

The second half of the sentence seemed to prove that even though they were deskmates, they were not really familiar with each other.

As we were talking, the stadium staff came over and said that the game was over and the stadium needed to be cleared and cleaned.
A group of six people were chatting animatedly and had to interrupt the conversation and walk out of the gymnasium.

Duan Huaian took the lead and walked out, his hands in his pockets. His back, dressed in black, exuded a sense of distance that kept strangers away.
Chi Jingting was only three centimeters shorter than him, and he still stood out in the crowd.
They walked in front, and Miss them followed behind.

The three people in the dormitory questioned her in a low voice, with artificial crying tones in their voices and expressions as if they were betrayed.

"I miss my classmates. If you confess, I will give you leniency. If you resist, I will give you severity. You'd better tell the truth."

"We are really not very familiar with each other. If you don't believe me, you can ask the monitor of Clinical Class 2. He was my classmate in high school." Huai Nian said seriously, "Not only am I not familiar with Duan Huai'an, but the students in our class are not very familiar with him either."

This is the absolute truth.

Before the college entrance examination, Huai Nian and Duan Huaian didn't say much to each other.
Even though we sat at the same table, there was little communication between us.
Duan Huai'an was very frugal with words, and would never reply with two words if he could reply with one word. In addition, Huai Nian and Duan Huai'an had an unspoken understanding of being strangers, so they always maintained a clear distance between them.

But one time, Duan Huaian crossed the border.
Just that one time.
I haven't told anyone about my memories.

For the coming-of-age ceremony before the college entrance exam, the school gave an unprecedented half-day holiday.
Huai Nian only went to the English teacher's office, and when she came back, the classroom was empty, with only one person left. That person was her deskmate Duan Huai'an.

When she returned to her seat, Huai Nian unexpectedly found a pink envelope on the table.
After I guessed what it was, my scalp tingled with nostalgia.

She originally thought that Duan Huai'an would ignore the love letter on her desk just like he ignored the love letters sent to him by others. Unexpectedly, Duan Huai'an suddenly spoke, his voice was inexplicably low and hoarse: "Why don't you open it and take a look? Maybe it's a love letter written to you by the boy you like."
"No," Huai Nian crumpled up the love letter and stuffed it into her schoolbag. The sunset glowed on her face, making her face blush. She spoke quickly, "And I don't have a favorite boy."

Because of this love letter, I was so busy packing up my things.
After packing, she put on her schoolbag.
When I walked to the back door of the classroom, I was suddenly stopped by Duan Huai'an.

She looked back.

Duan Huai'an stared at her with his dark eyes. He looked very calm and his tone was very indifferent: "What kind of boys do you like?"

I can't remember what my answer was at that time.
Just remember.
When she finished speaking.

Duan Huai'an pulled the corner of his lips and said in an ambiguous tone: "That's a lot of requests."

……
……

Nostalgia withdrew his thoughts and sighed faintly.
Her roommates always believed Huaian's words, not to mention that she had witnesses.

However, my roommates were still very curious.
Combined with Chi Jingting's ambiguous words just now, everyone imagined a big drama in their minds: "But what did your classmates say? Duan Huai'an was so nervous when he saw you that he couldn't speak... Do you think there is a possibility that Duan Huai'an had a crush on you in the past?"

Nostalgia frowned.

Before she could speak, everyone started to refute themselves.
Jing Yue: "Is Duan Huai'an playing a secret crush with such a face?"
Zhu Yutong: "Do you believe that the school hunk has a crush on me, or do you believe that I am the school belle?"
Xu Fu: "That makes sense. How can a handsome guy have a crush on someone? And there are two types of men, the reserved and the coquettish. Duan Huai'an is the kind of reserved man who looks pure and innocent but is actually a fierce fuck in bed."

As the person with the most experience in love in the dormitory, everyone looked educated as soon as Xu Fu spoke.

Miss not being part of the conversation.

Before I knew it, I arrived at the restaurant.
The restaurants near the school were mainly affordable, so Chi Jingting chose a high-end business restaurant that students would not come to. He booked a private room in advance. There was a round table in the private room. The round table was large, but there were only eight seats, so each seat was about half a meter apart.

Chi Jingting is very good at livening up the atmosphere. Even if it is the first time he meets the roommates he misses, he can still chat with them enthusiastically.

I miss drinking water with my head down.
She glanced at Duan Huai'an from the corner of her eye. He didn't look at her, but lowered his head to play with his mobile phone.
He still had that casual attitude of not caring about anything.

Soon, the waiter came over to confirm the menu.
Chi Jingting was in charge of ordering dishes, and the last few pages of the menu were for drinks. He glanced at Duan Huai'an and Huai Nian, and instantly an idea came to his mind, and he said with a hint of meaning: "No more drinking, my buddy got bit on the mouth, and alcohol is too irritating."

Jing Yue: "Bitten?"
Chi Jingting smiled wickedly: "Yes." He dragged out the last line of his voice and said maliciously, "My buddy bit his own mouth when he was not paying attention."

Duan Huaian didn't say anything, but kept flipping the phone in his hand.
It seems to be the default.

Chi Jingting's eyes turned and his gaze fell on Huai Nian's face.
He looked like he had discovered a new world, and asked in surprise: "Huai Nian, did you also bite your mouth when you were not paying attention when you were talking? Why are you as careless as my buddy?"

"..."
There was silence in the room for a moment.

Knowing that Chi Jingting was full of bad intentions, Huai Nian estimated that if she didn't say something, she would not be able to have a peaceful meal. She also didn't expect Duan Huai'an to come out to rescue her, after all, the two of them were still in the aftermath of the quarrel - the cold war.
"The weather is too dry, so my mouth is cracked and bleeding." She said in a light tone, "Why would I bite my mouth when I have nothing better to do?"

"I asked Duan Huai'an the same question. When I saw the marks on his mouth, do you know what went through my mind?" Chi Jingting laughed to himself. "I thought my buddy was in love. His girlfriend is not a good kisser. She started biting him after a few kisses."

Hearing this, Huai Nian felt a little uncomfortable. She reached out for the water glass and wanted to drink some to calm her fluctuating emotions.
Just then, the waiter came over to pour juice for Huai Nian. Huai Nian didn't notice and stretched out her hand, accidentally bumping into the waiter's wrist holding the juice cup. Instantly, the yellow orange juice poured down the mouth of the cup and wet Huai Nian's right hand.

The waiter quickly apologized: "I didn't mean to do that."

Fortunately, I was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and a knitted cardigan today, so only the cardigan got wet.
Although her clothes were wet, she felt relieved. She didn't have to stay in the box and listen to Chi Jingting's nonsense.
There is no need to face Duan Huaian.

She smiled good-naturedly, "It's okay, I'll go to the bathroom."

Huai Nian walked out of the box, and in less than three seconds, Duan Huaian also stood up.
Chi Jingting couldn't help rolling his eyes when he saw his buddy's behavior.

Installed.
Keep installing it.
Been pretending for so long.
Can’t pretend anymore?
Duan Huai'an also said, "I'm going to the bathroom."

It happened that the waiter came in with a food cart and stopped beside Huai Nian's empty seat. Duan Huai'an slightly turned sideways when he passed by, blocking everyone's view. He naturally picked up the phone that Huai Nian had forgotten on the table, put it in his pocket, and then walked out of the box.

The washbasin in the bathroom is shared by men and women. When I was washing my clothes with my head down, there was suddenly someone beside me.

She knew who it was, but ignored it.

The sound of the water dripping never stopped. "If you keep rubbing, the clothes will pill." Duan Huai'an couldn't help but say.

"..."
Miss pressing the tap.
She picked up her clothes and walked out, head lowered, without even glancing at Duan Huaian.

After walking a few steps, Duan Huai'an suddenly grabbed Huai Nian's arm with a force that was almost pulling.
I walked all the way, down the stairs, and out of the restaurant.
Huai Nian saw his car parked outside the restaurant and couldn't help but say, "Duan Huai'an——!"

Duan Huai'an stopped, his eyes dark: "Are you willing to talk to me?"

The yard in front of the restaurant was very quiet, and even the street lights were shining silently.
The nostalgia is silent again.
Just staring at each other.

one second.
two seconds.
……
It was quiet for who knows how long.

Duan Huaian's hand that was pulling her arm suddenly let go, as if in compromise.
"You really don't want to talk to me?"

Nostalgia stared at him with an unclear expression: "We are still arguing, aren't we?"

"Fighting." Duan Huai'an repeated, and a self-deprecating smile suddenly appeared on the corner of his mouth. "Do you know what people want to do after a fight?"
"..."
"I want to make peace, what about you?"

The late autumn night breeze was chilly, and Duan Huai'an's voice was cold, exposing his nostalgic mentality: "You wish we couldn't reconcile, and you wish I wouldn't come to see you, right?"

Miss breath.
Duan Huai'an smiled and said, "Still don't want to talk?"
He withdrew his hand, grabbed her arm again, and dragged her away. When they reached the car, he opened the door neatly and stuffed Huaian into the car.

Huai Nian wanted to shake him off and struggled continuously, but she couldn't escape no matter what.
She shouted to him, "My roommate is still waiting for me."

As soon as he finished speaking, Duan Huai'an took out a black object from his pocket and threw it towards her. Light splashed into the car, and the phone landed on her knees. The screen recognized her face and lit up.
Duan Huaian put one hand against the car door and looked down at her. His tone was light, but it carried a strong sense of intimidation.
"I've already sent a message to your roommate, telling him you're going to the tutoring class."

Nostalgia widened his eyes in disbelief.

Then, Duan Huaian took out another black mobile phone.
The phone screen flickered, the light changed, and finally the white light froze.

Huai Nian didn't notice his actions, she picked up her phone and struggled to leave. She really couldn't stay with Duan Huai'an any longer, this man who made decisions for her was barbaric, selfish, and unreasonable.

She pushed Duan Huaian with both hands, but Duan Huaian stood still in front of the car door.
He pointed his finger at the play button on the screen and pressed it easily.

The night wind seemed to have stopped.
The sound of electricity sizzled.

Then came the rustling sound of the quilt rubbing against each other.
After a moment of silence, a voice that sounded nostalgic, annoyed, yet pretending to be calm slowly emerged.
"…I'm sorry. I seemed to have drunk too much last night and acted crazy."

I subconsciously looked up at Duan Huai'an. As we looked at each other, the unit of measurement of time was not hours, minutes, and seconds, but long years.

Two years ago.
The year I graduated from the college entrance examination.

She woke up with splitting pain in her nostalgia, and what she saw was not her own familiar bedroom, but the familiar bedroom of Duan Huaian.

Before she could figure out the situation, a more familiar cold voice came to her ears.
Cold air came from all directions, and Duan Huaian's voice was like cold wind and rain, attacking her.

"Good morning." His tone was indifferent, which scared Huai Nian so much that she screamed. But after only a second, Duan Huaian covered her mouth.

The distance suddenly shortened.
There was an eerie silence in the air.

Duan Huai'an's breath hit her face: "Your mother is cleaning outside, Huai Nian, if you are not afraid of your mother finding out that you and I are lying in the same bed, then just keep shouting."

Perhaps it was fear, or perhaps the current situation made her feel confused and she stopped talking.

Duan Huaian also withdrew his hand.
Nostalgia opened her eyes wide, like an amnesiac bride. She had completely forgotten what happened last night, but everything around her reminded her... messy sheets, twisted clothes, two naked people in the quilt, sore and swollen bodies, and sticky wetness on the skin.

After a long time, Huai Nian spoke with difficulty: "...I'm sorry, I seem to have drunk too much last night and acted crazy."

"What you call being drunk and crazy is pulling me and kissing me." Duan Huaian stated calmly.

"..." Huai Nian closed her eyes. She didn't dare to look at Duan Huai'an's face at all, and she was even too ashamed to face herself. She pursed her lips and tried to make excuses for herself, "I drank too much, but you didn't seem to drink. Why didn't you reject me?"

"Do you think I didn't reject you?" Duan Huai'an's voice was hoarse as he just woke up, and he felt a little aggrieved for some reason. "You said I was stingy because I didn't let you kiss me."
"..."
"I didn't let you take off my clothes, and you said I was stingy."
"..."
"I--"

"——I'm sorry." Huai Nian was not without impression of what happened last night. She vaguely remembered that she did cry with red eyes and scolded Duan Huai'an for being stingy. As for why she scolded Duan Huai'an for being stingy, Huai Nian could not remember.
If it was really because of the reasons Duan Huai'an said...
Huai Nian choked up, "What do you want to do?"

Duan Huai'an said: "I have to ask you this, what are you going to do?"

The room fell into silence again.
A depressed and strange atmosphere fermented in the room.

Duan Huaian leaned against the head of the bed in a leisurely posture. On his side, he hugged the quilt tightly with both hands to protect his chest, but his sides and back were not taken care of, revealing his beautiful white waistline.
Duan Huaian's gaze finally stopped on her jagged and protruding butterfly bones, which were thin and trembling.
Inappropriately, he thought of his collection of butterfly specimens.

"Miss you." His Adam's apple rolled, and the words he wanted to say were taken a step forward by Miss you.

Huai Nian said: "I will be responsible for you, Duan Huai'an, from now on you - I will be there whenever you call."

Duan Huaian paused, his eyebrows twitching slightly.

Seeing that Duan Huai'an didn't say anything for a long time, Huai Nian's tone became more serious: "I'm serious, I didn't lie to you, I will be responsible for you."

As she spoke, she turned around in a panic and met Duan Huai'an's dark eyes.
He looked cool and serious, and suddenly raised his cell phone, pointing the screen towards her, motioning for her to look.
After seeing the recording interface clearly on the mobile phone screen, my head buzzed and my heart felt like it was about to explode.

Duan Huai'an said in a meticulous tone: "In case you regret it later, this is physical evidence."

"..." Huai Nian was stunned for a moment, but couldn't help but said, "I think I'm a very reliable person, and I'm trustworthy."
"Yeah." Duan Huai'an responded, but he continued to let his phone record. He raised his eyebrows slightly and said indifferently, "But I am a suspicious person by nature."

"..."

The recording ends here.

Duan Huai'an stood outside the car, missing the time when he was sitting inside.
He blocked most of the streetlights. He lowered his eyes, and it was hard to tell the emotions on his face. All she could hear was his usual cold voice, drilling deep into her ears, as if it was going to invade her brain and stir up her conscience.
"——Available at any time? Reliable? Trustworthy?"

(End of this chapter)