Shi Ling picked up the laundry basket and went out the door.
The way back to the dormitory was uphill. At first, she carried it, but soon she couldn't hold it anymore and started to walk while holding the bottom of the basket.
Looking at Chi Cheng coming from behind, he had few clothes, and the laundry basket he was carrying with one hand was still swaying as he easily walked past her on the opposite side of the road.
Shi Ling kept glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. When she wasn't paying attention, the laundry basket got caught on a street lamp and fell to the ground.
The top few pieces of clothing had already fallen out and landed on the grass next to them.
It's been raining a lot lately, and the grass is all wet, which gives Shi Ling a headache.
Hearing the sound, Chi Cheng turned around and glanced back, then continued walking further away as if nothing had happened.
They offered absolutely no help.
Shi Ling gritted her teeth, picked up the clothes, and took them back to the laundry room to throw them back into the washing machine.
Later, we carried the clothes back in two separate trips, and thankfully, the same thing didn't happen again.
**
The atmosphere between Shi Ling and Chi Cheng is now even more unpleasant than when they were at each other's throats.
Both sides act as if the other doesn't exist, avoiding each other as much as possible.
Fang Ze wasn't afraid of making things worse. Their visas had been approved recently, and since they were in London, they didn't choose postal service and went to the visa application center to pick them up themselves.
Zhao Yongbin decided not to get involved with them this time, since he didn't need a visa anyway.
Fang Ze called Chi Cheng and Shi Ling to go and get it together, saying that they had all done it together at the time.
Although Chi Cheng was trying to avoid suspicion, he couldn't possibly be so afraid to go to this place that it would make him seem like he had really been cheated on.
As they walked, Fang Ze and Tina hugged and cuddled the whole way, while Chi Cheng and Shi Ling followed behind like strangers, keeping a distance of two or three meters from each other.
After getting their visas from the embassy, Fang Ze suggested going to Chinatown, but Chi Cheng and Shi Ling, in perfect unison, declined. After saying that, the two awkwardly turned their heads away.
Fang Ze raised his hands in surrender, "Damn, I'm really impressed by you guys. Let's go next time."
The group turned around and got off the subway.
London's Underground is over 150 years old, and while it is considered old and well-developed, its shortcomings become particularly apparent in winter and summer.
Without any cooling or ventilation equipment, everyone wearing woolen coats went downstairs and was sweating profusely from the stuffy heat.
A seat next to Chi Cheng became empty, so Tina sat down. Fang Ze walked over and stood in front of Tina to speak, while Chi Cheng moved to the side and stood near the closed subway door.
He had already taken off his jacket and was hanging it on his arm, revealing a loose, ripped hoodie underneath. Shi Ling couldn't understand why he insisted on showing off his ankles even in this season; she wondered who he was showing them to.
Chi Cheng fiddled with his hair as he looked at the reflection of people in the subway doors.
After a few stops, the subway slowly came to a stop halfway through the journey, saying it was a temporary stop.
Such incidents happen frequently on the London Underground, so the group didn't take it seriously. Fang Ze even bent down and kissed Tina.
The subway soon resumed operation, and an announcement in English came over the loudspeaker, saying that all passengers should get off at the next stop due to a train malfunction.
Fang Ze didn't pay attention, but Shi Ling's hearing was always poor. She listened twice and roughly understood what it meant, and subconsciously looked at Chi Cheng.
Chi Cheng looked down and patted Fang Ze, "No kissing, the car broke down."
When he was with Shi Ling before, he took good care of her and rarely spoke Cantonese in front of her. Now, he was speaking Cantonese to Fang Ze, but the crowd was noisy and Shi Ling couldn't understand what he was saying at all.
The crowd slowly began to feel uneasy, and many of those who were seated stood up and moved toward the car door.
She listened carefully and realized that everyone was indeed discussing the idea that they had to get off at the next stop.
Shi Ling followed her toward the car door.
When the subway stopped, everyone got off and took a look, and their expressions changed.
There was smoke coming out of one of the carriages ahead.
The people in the first few carriages clearly knew about it beforehand, and as soon as they got off the subway, they frantically squeezed towards the exits, making the exits overcrowded.
Shi Ling was momentarily stunned, but when she heard someone next to her say "ISIS," she realized that everyone was afraid that this was not just a simple train malfunction, but a malicious terrorist attack.
There may be accidents such as explosions.
With Christmas approaching, ISIS had already sent out warning posters to London announcing attacks. Although ISIS mainly uses airstrikes, people still can't help but speculate that it might be a malicious attack.
In addition, London has seen many such incidents in previous years, such as subway bombings and acid attacks on the streets, which cause widespread panic.
They came out late and were almost knocked off their feet by the crowd.
The London Underground has always been exposed, and it is highly likely that it will be pushed directly off the tracks.
Subway staff shouting for order was to no avail.
Even the most traditional and respectful nation will be filled with fear and panic in the face of an accident.
Fortunately, they weren't far apart. Fang Ze put his arm around Tina, and they squeezed to the top of the stairs to go up.
Fang Ze comforted Tina the whole way, "Don't panic, the London Underground is always having problems, this is just a minor accident."
Tina's voice was trembling with tears, "Those people must be afraid we'd find out, that's why they didn't tell us. Will we be able to get out? Will we be blown up?"
Chi Cheng's face darkened, and his tone was displeased, "Don't fucking talk nonsense."
Fang Ze retorted, "She's already so scared, don't frighten her."
After Fang Ze finished speaking, he remembered Shi Ling and looked back at her while squeezing his way up, "Where's Shi Ling?"
Shi Ling reached out her hand with difficulty from the two steps behind them, saying, "Here, don't worry about me."
She had barely finished speaking when she was jostled by the people behind her, almost losing her balance and falling.
She was pulled on the arm by someone, and only then could she barely keep her balance.
If he falls down like that, given the crowd's density, it could easily turn into a stampede.
Shi Ling breathed a sigh of relief and gripped the handrail next to her even tighter.
Shi Ling was still unsettled and subconsciously looked up at Chi Cheng in front of her again.
His figure stood out even among the throng of foreigners. A balding man next to him lost his balance and bumped into him. He tilted his head and frowned, his bangs covering his face, showing no sign of the panic and disarray others might have.
Chi Cheng walked away without a care in the world, forgetting everything behind him. Even though she had almost fallen, he didn't look at her once.
Shi Ling felt a sudden pang of sadness for no apparent reason.
I suddenly remembered the story Xu Yiting told last time: perhaps the London Underground doesn't teach people to believe in love, but rather to understand love.
Even at such a critical moment, he remained indifferent to her, showing absolutely no concern for her.
She was far more composed than the other girls, but now she felt a belated sense of fear. If the two of them were to encounter an accident or disaster, her earlier attempts to keep him in check and temper him would seem rather ridiculous.
A hand was extended in front of Shi Ling. Shi Ling looked up and saw that Tina had squeezed behind them. Tina reached out and pulled her, afraid that the group would get separated.
Chi Cheng never looked at her from beginning to end.
Author's Note: Merry Christmas!
50 small red envelopes!
There will be more later.
Chapter 35 "Under Mount Fuji"
If you insist on marrying me
We will all be cremated eventually.
Waiting for that day for a lifetime comes at a price.
----Under Mount Fuji
As they squeezed out of the subway station, it felt like they had been in the water for a long time and had finally reached the shore before suffocating. They couldn't help but take a deep breath of fresh air.
People kept coming up after them.
They took a few steps and stood under the streetlight.
Tina threw herself into Fang Ze's arms, clearly frightened.
Fang Ze placed his hand on her back and patted her gently, "It's over, it's over."
Chi Cheng stood to the side, unmoved, scrolling through his phone with his head down.
After a while, he frowned as he looked at the two who were still being affectionate, and poked Fang Ze with his phone.
"false alarm."
After Shi Ling came up, she was covered in sticky sweat. She was wrapped in thick clothes and was being blown by the wind, making her feel extremely uncomfortable with the heat inside and the cold outside.
She heard Fang Ze read it aloud.
It turned out to be a false alarm.
The BBC website quickly reported that the subway malfunction caused a surge of passengers leaving the station, resulting in massive delays for subsequent trains.
It was not a bombing or terrorist attack as most people imagine.
Tina was a little embarrassed, but she stopped crying and started laughing.
Fang Ze continued to coax her, "You scared our baby so much, we'll never come here again."
Indeed, the group of people are currently somewhat wary of the subway.
I took a taxi directly back to the AL dormitory.
Shi Ling took a shower as soon as she got back to her room. When she came out, she remembered that last time Chi Cheng came straight into her room, she deliberately loosened her bath towel to make him lose his composure.
However, his every move now suggests that he doesn't want to have anything to do with her whatsoever.
Shi Ling couldn't stay in her room any longer, so she dried her hair, changed her clothes, and went to the library to study.
As December arrives, instead of snow, deadlines are looming high.
British grading is generally low; 50 is considered passing, and getting a Distinction degree with all 70s requires considerable effort.
Their school's holidays start late, not until a week before Christmas, so the last two weeks have been spent rushing to meet deadlines.
Several group assignments were actually due after the holidays, but when the holidays came, not everyone could get together. And then we had to review for exams in January, so we finally decided to work on them in three or four weeks before everyone went on their Christmas trip.