Chase Game

Take a walk after a meal, and you'll live to ninety-nine; lie down after a meal, and you'll live to eighteen thousand.

Ling Yi wasn't in a hurry to leave after he finished eating. He just sat down and closed his eyes to relax. Anyway, there weren't many people around, and Sister Zhou wouldn't chase him away.

He heard a rustling sound in front of him, and when he opened his eyes, he saw an unexpected scene: a girl in red was sitting at the same table as him, carrying eggs and soy milk.

The girl smiled and stared at him, then pulled a postcard-like object from her bag and gently pushed it in front of Ling Yi with her slender fingers.

Ling Yi: ? ? ?

I know I'm handsome, but why are you so blatantly handing out business cards?

Hey, Uncle Hat, where's this? I'm a law-abiding citizen, I need to call the police!

The girl said, "Ling Yi, please join us!"

Why does this feel like a Japanese school romance anime called "Senpai, please go out with me!"?

but--

"Hey beautiful, do we know each other?"

A barely perceptible hint of disappointment flashed in the girl's eyes, but she quickly regained her composure and said:

"My name is Shen Nianqing, a sophomore majoring in psychology at Beiguan University. I've read your articles published in the school magazine and have always admired you."

"So, Senior Ling Yi, now that we've met, this is a promotional card for the school's 'Literary Society.' We hope you'll join us."

Shen Nianqing pushed the card towards him again. Although the girl seemed poised and confident, Ling Yi keenly sensed that she seemed a little nervous.

He still vaguely remembered the article published in the school magazine. It seemed that Zhang Qiang had come to his house to play before, found something he had written in high school, said that he would get paid for publishing it in the school magazine, and then took it.

However, it seems that the article was published under Zhang Qiang's name. How did they end up contacting him? Or have they already tortured Zhang Qiang?

Ling Yi silently lit a candle for his brother in his heart.

He didn't agree hastily, but instead took the palm-sized card and looked at it first.

The texture of the parchment-like paper felt comfortable to him as he ran his fingertips over it, and holding it in his hand felt like opening an ancient scroll.

Moreover, perhaps to show sincerity, the borders, stars and other patterns on the card are all hand-drawn, and there is also a neat handwritten text in the center.

Most of the messages were things like, "If you feel this way or want this way, then join the literary society!" But one famous quote from Gabriel García Márquez resonated with Ling Yi:

The reality of our daily lives is full of miracles and absurdities.

He thought of the chase game, of Li Fang, and of the girl who had suddenly appeared and invited him to join the literary society.

Ling Yi couldn't help but feel that life was so wonderful when a series of strange things suddenly appeared in her otherwise ordinary life.

The chase game was an unavoidable event, but the literary society...

He wanted to refuse.

After that incident in high school, he never wrote anything again.

However, the young girl's eyes held a mixture of trepidation and anticipation, and the word "no" was stuck in her throat, unable to be uttered.

He had no choice but to back down for the time being, saying:

"Ahem... You know, this is a bit sudden, I need to think about it."

Shen Nianqing looked somewhat bewildered, like a prisoner awaiting a life-or-death verdict who suddenly heard "court adjournment."

She only snapped out of her daze when the tricolor dumpling rubbed against her calf, and said somewhat awkwardly, "Of course, no problem, senior, please consider it. Well... then I won't bother you any longer!"

Shen Nianqing ran off like a gust of wind, while the three-colored dumpling glanced back at Ling Yi, then at Shen Nianqing who had run away, and let out a sighing meow.

The girl ran across the street to an empty alley, leaned against a red brick wall, pressed her hands to her heaving chest, and her face was flushed.

The three-colored dumpling also came over, looking quite helpless, and even spoke in a girlish voice:

Why did you run away?

Shen Nianqing wasn't surprised at all that the cat could talk, and even replied:

"It was fine at first, but then he kept looking at me, and I... I got a little nervous."

"You...you..." The tricolor dumpling shook its head in exasperation.

"And he doesn't even remember me..." Shen Nianqing said, feeling a little wronged, then suddenly realized something and exclaimed in surprise:

"Oh no, I forgot to leave him my contact information!"

Actually, Ling Yi was quite confused. They hadn't even left any contact information, so how was he supposed to reply?

Never mind, this is fine too, it can delay things a bit.

He got up to greet Sister Zhou behind him, only to find that she was already looking at him with a maternal smile.

"What are you doing, Sister Zhou? You're making me feel creeped out."

"It's nothing, it's just a pity I only have a son, otherwise I would have introduced you to him."

Ling raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, silently replying in her mind: Sis, I'm not gay.

I hadn't even taken two steps out of the store when the phone rang again. I glanced at it and saw it was another familiar face.

"I don't have the money, I won't lend it to you."

"Hey, hey, don't hang up! Who wants to borrow money from you? I'm calling to tell you something important."

The caller was Zhang Qiang.

"What other good business do you have besides borrowing money from me?"

"Oh my god, this is so heartbreaking. Shouldn't brothers help each other out?"

"So, you're still asking for money? I'm hanging up now..."

"Damn, you almost led me astray. I told you it's not about borrowing money, it's something serious. A super beautiful woman wants to add you on social media, remember to accept!"

"Damn it, I didn't even remember until you mentioned it. The literary society just came to see me. Did you betray me about the school magazine?"

"Hey, what did you say? It's too noisy here, I can't hear you, I'm hanging up now!"

"Beep beep beep..."

Ling Yi knew it was this bastard who did this.

Opening the green bubble, I found a friend request with the name "Nian Qing".

[Hi senior, I'm Shen Nianqing. We can exchange contact information first. You can let me know if you've made up your mind.]

Ling Yi didn't agree immediately. Two minutes later, his "good brother" Zhang Qiang sent him a message.

[Bro, I've already checked her out for you, she's absolutely stunning, you have to add her!]

Five minutes later.

[Bro, why haven't you agreed yet? She's really a beauty, I swear on my little brother!]

Ten minutes later.

[Father, I'm begging you, please agree.]

Ling Yi returned the middle finger.

Although I don't know what's going on with Zhang Qiang, he must be having a hard time. As brothers, they would definitely scatter when disaster strikes.

But it's different for an old father. How can he bear to sit idly by and watch his eldest son suffer?

[You have added Nianqing. You can start chatting now.]

[Hi senior, sorry, I forgot to add your contact information earlier.]

There was also an emoji of a girl poking her hand in a wronged manner. Ling thought to herself that this girl was quite interesting.

He replied "It's okay," and then thought about finding an emoji to send, but looking at his own abstract emoji from beginning to end, he decided against it.

It's all Zhang Qiang's fault. He keeps bringing up a bunch of abstract things from who-knows-where.