Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 1193: Chapter 34: That Person

The location of the University of Political Science and Law actually has more than just this university.

Nearby, there are quite a few other institutions, such as a comprehensive university, a music academy, a medical academy, and so on.

This is part of the major planning of the local city district over the past decade… Let’s call it a university town.

However, to save space, they built an oversized library among the many institutions. Students from nearby institutions can come here with their student ID to borrow books.

Of course, it’s almost always packed here. If you want a good spot, you’d better arrive early, or you’ll have to pick the lawn or the man-made lake outside the library.

Chen Mingming came over today to return books.

The person responsible for registering with Chen Mingming is a female student working part-time, but she is not a student of the University of Political Science and Law, she is from the nearby comprehensive university.

The temporary administrator’s name is Tara, and she comes from the northern grasslands.

In Mongolian, Tara means wilderness.

The girl’s skin is not as rough as one might expect from growing up in a sandy weather environment; instead, she has the delicacy of a Jiangnan girl, bright eyes, and white teeth, perhaps because she has been living in the south for some time.

Generous and enthusiastic.

“You’re here again.” Watching Chen Mingming take out a few books to return before their due date, Tara smiled, “So soon this time!”

“Hmm.” Chen Mingming nodded, without saying much more.

He often comes to borrow books from the library, gradually deepening his impression of Tara, perhaps because of the aura from the grasslands she carries.

“Not borrowing books this time?” Tara processed the returned books… It seemed relatively quiet at the moment, so she intended to chat.

“No.” Chen Mingming shook his head, “I think there won’t be many opportunities to come in the future.”

Tara paused her actions, showing a puzzled expression, with her lips slightly parted, as if she wanted to say something.

“Is it registered?” Chen Mingming asked softly.

“Oh… yes, it’s done.” Tara nodded.

Chen Mingming also nodded politely, indicating a gesture, and turned to leave.

For some reason, Tara suddenly felt an impulse. So, after Chen Mingming walked a few meters, she hurriedly came out from behind the counter, quickly catching up.

“Something wrong?” Chen Mingming looked at Tara, surprised.

“Can I invite you for a meal?” Tara smiled slightly, not hiding the anticipation and enthusiasm in her eyes.

Chen Mingming thought for a moment, then nodded.

…

Class ended early, and the second class of the afternoon was cancelled. Zhao Le looked at the time: if he could catch the bus, he could reach the rehabilitation center before the evening rush hour.

So, after tidying up his books and tools, Zhao Le lowered his head and quickly left.

In fact, besides going to the rehabilitation center to pick up Zhao Xiaoqin, Zhao Le also planned to visit the nearby mall. He had his eye on a dress, intending to give it to his sister as a birthday gift.

At the school gate, just as Zhao Le was pulling out his bus card, he suddenly felt someone’s hand on his shoulder… Not just one person, two people were simultaneously touching his shoulders.

Zhao Le’s expression changed slightly.

It was Young Master Feng… Dong Shaofeng and his two friends.

“What… what do you want to do…” Zhao Le’s expression tightened.

“Zhao Le, do you have time?” Dong Shaofeng walked around in front of Zhao Le with both hands in his pockets, smiling slightly, “We want to talk to you.”

“I don’t have time.” Zhao Le shook his head, “If there’s something, say it here.”

Dong Shaofeng stepped forward, reached out to pat the hands of the two teammates on Zhao Le’s shoulders, “Be polite, Zhao Le is our classmate.”

The teammates shrugged, then really let go of Zhao Le… Zhao Le was a bit unsure of Dong Shaofeng’s intentions, but here at the school gate, with many students coming and going, they probably wouldn’t dare to act recklessly.

“I’d like to invite you for a meal.” Dong Shaofeng said seriously, “Please, Zhao Le, you must accept my invitation. Because I want to apologize to you for what we did before.”

“Apologize?” Zhao Le was slightly dazed, then frowned, shaking his head, “No need, as long as you… don’t bother me, we’ll stay out of each other’s way. Last time in the equipment room was an accident… I didn’t mean it, sorry.”

He only wanted to avoid trouble and live his life peacefully.

He would continue his studies, achieve good grades, then graduate, find a job, and make his slightly improved life better, keeping his sister’s smile on her face for longer.

“Zhao Le, I’m sincerely trying to make amends to you.” Dong Shaofeng lightly pressed Zhao Le’s shoulders, “If you accept my invitation, then I can only come to apologize personally.”

Zhao Le immediately frowned, unwilling to let anyone disrupt his life—especially his home, which had become peaceful. He really didn’t want someone like Dong Shaofeng to come.

Dong Shaofeng sighed, “Actually, the school already knows what we did to you before, and they’ve severely reprimanded us. Even our parents found out, and they scolded us. My dad told me I must apologize properly to you, otherwise I’d be in trouble. You see, I also want to enjoy campus life peacefully, and don’t want to stir up trouble. My old man insists I do so, he’s booked a table and insists I take you over personally to apologize. I have no choice… You can’t seriously make me come to apologize, right? As a favor, please help me.”

Speaking, Dong Shaofeng took out a wad of cash from his wallet, at least two to three thousand, and stuffed it into Zhao Le’s hand, “Help?”

“I don’t want this money.” Zhao Le shook his head, “Just a meal, right?”

“I knew it, Zhao Le is truly a good classmate.” Dong Shaofeng exhaled, smiling, “It’s just a meal, won’t take much time. Rest assured, after this, I guarantee we won’t bother you.”

“Hopefully.” Zhao Le nodded.

He didn’t want to keep entangling with Dong Shaofeng; if it could be resolved, that would be best.

…

…

Xihailou Restaurant is a place students frequently go to eat in the university district, mainly offering Chinese food, but also providing lodging—the taste of the dishes here has been unanimously praised.

Tara proactively chose a spot near the window, and her enthusiastic approach had her start ordering dishes as soon as they sat down.

“Uh… did I order too much?”

“It’s okay, you go ahead and order.” Chen Mingming smiled slightly, “Let me treat this meal.”

“No, no, I said I would treat you to the meal.” Tara shook her head, supporting her hands on the table, leaning forward, “Don’t underestimate me, I can afford to pay for a meal.”

Chen Mingming nodded, directly accepting the girl’s confidence.

“Why invite me to a meal?” He leaned towards being more clear on the meaning behind every event.

“Because I like you.” Tara looked at Chen Mingming, her lively eyes as bright as stars.

Chen Mingming was quite surprised. Although he had encountered this girl a few times, most interactions were about borrowing or returning books, and a few casual chats… They hadn’t even exchanged contact information.

“Why didn’t you continue asking why?” Chen Mingming remained silent for a moment before directly saying, “Next week, I’m immigrating.”

The girl’s lively eyes suddenly showed surprise… and then confusion. She opened her mouth, then laughed out loud. Her gaze began to flicker as she looked out the window instinctively, then looked back at Chen Mingming, and said with relief, “It’s okay, if you don’t like it, you don’t like it. I won’t be hurt. You… just say it directly.”

Chen Mingming didn’t speak, he just looked calmly at the girl, watching her gradually flustered expression.

“Are you… serious?” Tara finally realized that this boy who often came to the library to borrow books was not someone who liked to joke.

“Next Wednesday, the flight’s at 8 p.m.” Chen Mingming again gave an exact time.

Tara slowly let out a breath, moved back, leaning on the back of the chair, no longer saying anything.

Afterwards, when the waiter had brought all the ordered dishes, Tara didn’t move, while Chen Mingming started eating by himself.

“You’re like this, you won’t find a girlfriend!” Tara suddenly lashed out, betting on anger.

“Aren’t you eating? The food won’t taste good when it gets cold.”

“Not eating, no mood!” Tara glared, “Ruining a girl’s affection like this will bring divine punishment from Tengger! Tengger will surely punish you!”

Chen Mingming said, “This is Hua Country, it’s not under Eternal Heaven’s jurisdiction.”

Tara shook her head, muttering, “How did I fall for you?”

Chen Mingming curiously asked, “Why do you like me?”

Tara shrugged, the girl being straightforward too, “Actually, to really say I like you is not accurate, maybe just having more affection than for others, so I wanted to give it a try.”

“Try?”

Tara leaned in closer, mysteriously saying, “If I said I’m actually a monster wanting to feel what human love is like, would you believe it?”

Chen Mingming laughed, elegantly using the serving chopsticks to give Tara a piece of meat, placing it in her bowl, and then slowly said, “Monsters like those who don’t understand romance?”

Tara nonchalantly replied, “Monsters like to look at faces!”

Chen Mingming also laughed, this ‘monster’ really was honest… However, in ancient tales of anomalies, there indeed were beautiful demons and handsome lovers.

At this moment, Tara said, “Actually, from the first time you came into the library, I noticed you.”

Chen Mingming almost opened his mouth.

Tara leaned against the table, propping her chin, looking at Chen Mingming’s face, “The first time I saw you come in, you seemed to be looking for someone. But, it’s not strange to come to the library to find someone. Even most guys who come in are just trying to sneak a peek at the girls. I didn’t pay attention at first… But unexpectedly, you were sneaking peeks at guys, which made me curious.”

Chen Mingming frowned.

Tara went on by herself, “Of course, it’s mostly because of looking at the face, since your face is relatively advanced. And often seeing you, eventually made me take notice… Hey, I found that every time you were sneaking peeks at men, it was the same man. Later, you even borrowed books he had read – every time he returned a book, you borrowed it too.”

Chen Mingming didn’t speak, just looked out the window.

Outside the window, several boys walked by, three leading and one following… It was Zhao Le and Dong Shaofeng and a few others. He was slightly puzzled but didn’t pay much attention, instead looking at Tara, “Then what?”

Tara got closer again, curiously asking, “Why don’t you tell me honestly, do you like men? If that’s the case, I feel better knowing this than you going abroad, really!”

“Just feel like that person is very special.” Chen Mingming shook his head, “Feels like seeing him is like seeing yourself.”

“Seeing yourself?” Tara blinked.

Chen Mingming shook his head, “An indescribable feeling. The first time I saw him, it was at the riverside corridor, alone, quietly sitting on a bench, looking at the scenery, not moving… I always feel like he might take you into a completely still world. Solitude, Black and White… nothing else.”

“I actually feel the same way.” Tara whispered.

Chen Mingming looked at her curiously.

Tara said, “After all, you were sneaking peeks often, so out of curiosity, I peeked a few times too. At first, feeling like a bookworm, but somehow later, those feelings you mentioned came to be… Of course, it’s also an advanced face, otherwise I wouldn’t have bothered to look more. But this guy is too cold, I don’t like it, eyes with nothing inside, like an empty shell, watching this makes you uncomfortable, wanting to comfort him well. But for a long time, I haven’t seen the whole person, haven’t come for a long time.”

Indeed, it’s been a long time… It seems after last year’s National Day Golden Week, hasn’t been seen again.

At this moment, Tara suddenly stood up, looking at Chen Mingming, “Have you eaten enough?”

Chen Mingming looked curiously at this girl and nodded… He wasn’t very hungry.

Tara suddenly pulled Chen Mingming’s hand, “Then let’s go!”

“Go where?”

“To find this person!” Tara’s eyes gleamed, “Aren’t you pursuing this person? Then let’s go find him!”

“Then?”

“There’s no then.” Tara pulled Chen Mingming up, “Find him first, then you’ll know. Anyway, you have no other plans now, right? Just accompany me before going abroad!”

Like a horse, unbridled, freely roaming on the prairie.

Chen Mingming let Tara hold his hand and followed her footsteps, leaving Xihailou Restaurant.

…

The dishes are indeed quite sumptuous. At Xihailou Restaurant’s prices, the spread on the table would cost at least a thousand… For Zhao Le, it’s a hard-to-afford expense.

But he also didn’t pick up his chopsticks, just frowned: “Where’s your dad, you said he would come?”

Dong Shaofeng casually said, “Traffic jam on the road, probably takes a while, it’s okay, we can eat first just the same.”

Zhao Le checked the time, then shook his head: “Then let’s wait a bit more.”

Dong Shaofeng at this time had a waiter bring a cup of cola to Zhao Le, then he picked up a bottle of beer himself, “Zhao Le, I know you’re a good student, you don’t drink, right? This cup is my toast for you, to apologize, please give face?”

Zhao Le had to take the cola, sipping in front of the three.

Then, there wasn’t much said, Dong Shaofeng and the others started to idly play with their phones, while Zhao Le grew progressively impatient waiting, unsure if it was the air in the room not circulating well, but feeling a bit hot.

Even feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

“Zhao Le, are you very hot?” Dong Shaofeng suddenly asked.

Zhao Le instinctively nodded.

Dong Shaofeng squinted, smiling, “Then that’s right.”

Zhao Le was taken aback, suddenly feeling dizzy, Dong Shaofeng in front of him gradually became blurred…

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PS: (1/27)