【F】If you don't dare, then I will.
[Song Lang] ? ? ? What the heck?
【F】Stand still and wait for me.
Song Lang stared at the line of text on his phone, his mind filled with questions. No matter how many follow-up messages he sent, F only replied with "Goodnight" and then fell silent.
Song Lang didn't sleep well all night. The next morning, he went to the kitchen and clumsily fried two eggs, intending to wake Shen Zhifei up and ask about his health. However, he found a note under the vase on the dining table, a message from Shen Zhifei.
—I'm going back to live at school, and I'll try my best not to appear in front of you anymore.
Song Lang wanted to call Shen Zhifei to ask him what he meant, but after thinking about it again, he refrained from calling.
Shen Zhifei is giving him a way out, a way to back down. He should take the opportunity to back down and try to let time straighten out their slightly distorted relationship.
So he chose to cooperate.
However, he did not expect that Shen Zhifei's words about trying not to appear were almost equivalent to disappearing.
For two months straight, they did not see each other.
Even when Shen Zhifei went home on weekends, he would always sneak back when Song Lang wasn't around, grab a change of clothes, and immediately return to school. Even when Song Lang's parents were home on rare days off, he never stayed overnight.
Song Lang was particularly depressed, sighing countless times every day, and only felt better after chatting with classmate F for an hour every night.
But recently, for some reason, F's brain suddenly went awry again. He stopped speaking human language and started spouting lewd and obscene remarks all day long.
Song Lang endured for five days before finally snapping.
[Song Lang] Is it because spring has arrived that you can't control your wild side?
[F] I want to be wild with you.
[Song Lang] Can't you even speak like a human being? I'm giving you one last chance.
【F】Are you going to bite me? Be gentle, baby.
[Song Lang] Damn!
[Song Lang] I've put up with you for so long! Can't you just be a decent human being?! I used to think you were a friend, but you're such a fucking bastard!
【F】Baby, don't be angry, it hurts me.
[Song Lang] Are you just a slut hiding behind a screen, acting like a jerk? You're so damn disgusting.
[Song Lang] Here's the deal, let's meet up this weekend. If you dare show your face, I promise I won't beat you up.
[F] Want to see me?
[Song Lang] You don't dare?
【F】I'm afraid I'll scare you.
[Song Lang] Just tell me if you dare or not, it's a simple matter of one sentence, stop dawdling.
[F] We'll meet soon. If you run away then, I'll punish you.
[Song Lang] Get lost, do you even deserve to be punished?
Both parties tacitly agreed to meet up in person over the weekend, but on Thursday night this week, while Song Lang was at home eating duck necks, Shen Zhifei returned.
"Splash!" The duck neck fell to the floor.
Song Lang quickly picked it up and threw it into the trash can, but his ears started to burn uncontrollably. He stole a glance at Shen Zhifei; it had been almost three months since he last saw him, and Shen Zhifei seemed to have grown taller.
"Aren't Mom and Dad here?" Shen Zhifei asked, his tone normal, as if nothing had changed.
"Ah, the beautiful lady is coming back tomorrow." Song Lang paused, then added, "She can stay home for the weekend, aren't you...aren't you going to spend time with her?"
"Sorry," Shen Zhifei smiled, changed her shoes and walked to her room, "I'm packing my things, I'm going on a spring outing this weekend."
"Oh, is it organized by the school?" Song Lang stood at the door of his bedroom, watching him pack his clothes.
It was almost June, and the black hooded sweatshirt that Shen Zhifei was wearing was one that he also owned.
Shen Zhifei didn't look up at him, busy with her hands, and said, "Not really. The school requires participation in social practice, but students can form their own teams."
"So? Where are you going?" Song Lang asked.
“Song Xianji said he could get practical proof,” Shen Zhifei looked up and smiled at him, then continued, “Tomorrow is Friday, and considering the weekend, we can finally have three days off. He wants to go to Qingping Mountain.”
"You two went on a date?" Song Lang frowned deeply, his fists clenching involuntarily.
“No, there are many people with us,” Shen Zhifei straightened up and looked over from the bedside with a burning gaze. “But there’s someone I really like who will also be going to that mountain. I’m going to snatch him away this time.”
Song Lang's heart stopped beating for a moment.
Shen Zhifei's expression was so serious and intense, but in just a moment, she immediately regained her composure.
"Song Xianji also invited Hao Wei and Meng Fanxing. They're skipping class to come hang out. Do you want to come along?"
"Me, me?" Song Lang hadn't recovered from that moment yet.
“Okay,” Shen Zhifei said, “Just think of it as encouraging me, okay? I feel more confident when you’re here.”
Chapter 41