Chapter 318: Chapter 318

Xiang Weilai watched as her scarf, which only wrapped around her neck twice, was transformed into three loops on Ye Ling’s neck. Her straight bangs covered part of her face, and with the scarf wrapped around, she looked even more petite. Her single-eyelid eyes were particularly bright and black.

"I’m not cold," Ye Ling said, trying to pull it down.

Xiang Weilai leaned closer, holding her hand, "It’s cold outside, just wear it. My mom knitted it for me. When we get back, I’ll just tell her I gave it to you. She won’t mind."

He added with a playful tone, "You know my mom likes you."

Those words seemed to carry a hidden meaning, making Ye Ling blush.

Looking at Xiang Weilai so close by, his breath brushing her face as he spoke, and with her hand held by him, Ye Ling took a step back, trying to pull her hand away, while Xiang Weilai let go, staring at Ye Ling’s reddening face with a half-smile.

"Zhao Guodong and the others are here, you should join them to look at the lanterns." Xiang Weilai glanced at the people approaching, then smiled at Ye Ling and walked away.

Ye Ling let out a sigh of relief. She had lived two lives, and Xiang Weilai seemed like a kid in her eyes, yet every time she faced him, she was at a loss, not knowing how to respond to Xiang Weilai’s surprising actions.

After the incident with Fu Lei, facing Xiang Weilai’s gentle gaze, Ye Ling didn’t dare to think too much, fearing that overthinking would bring more trouble, and she was too timid to test the waters.

"What did he say to you?" Zhao Guodong had spotted Xiang Weilai talking to Ye Ling from afar, noticing how close they were.

Ye Ling blinked, "Nothing much, he just knew we were going to see the lanterns and gave me the scarf."

Zhang Linong raised an eyebrow, and Wang Ping, standing beside Ye Ling, winked at her, "Ye Ling, Xiang Weilai really cares about you."

His words carried a hint of teasing, earning a cold glare from Zhao Guodong. Wang Ping then pulled Zhang Linong aside to chuckle, and Zhang Linong looked at Zhao Guodong with a smile, "Alright, let’s go."

Over the years, Zhang Linong had gotten used to this.

Zhang Linong had always seen things clearly. It was obvious to anyone what Xiang Weilai was thinking, but after the incident with Ye Ling and Fu Lei, the other guys stopped bringing it up in front of Ye Ling. They knew she was now cautious after being "bitten" once, and since she was still in school, they’d have to see who could win her heart once she started at a company.

Zhao Guodong remained silent, occasionally glancing at Ye Ling’s scarf with resentment along the way, as if he held a grudge against it. Not wanting Ye Ling to spoil the mood of lamp-watching, he asked while fiddling with the scarf, "Are you cold? Want to wear it?"

"I’m a grown man, why would I need that? Unlike him, who acts like a lady, being all delicate." Zhao Guodong turned his head with a smirk, yet he was secretly pleased.

Seeing Ye Ling wear the scarf given by Xiang Weilai, he thought she wasn’t too fond of Xiang Weilai.

Watching Zhao Guodong grin, Ye Ling retorted, "By the way, don’t you like Ye Qian? Since she’s not around, why didn’t you invite her to see the lanterns?"

Zhao Guodong’s smile froze, looking aggrievedly at Ye Ling, "If I brought her, you wouldn’t be happy. We’ve been buddies for so many years, I’m only considering your feelings."

He complained that Ye Ling didn’t understand his heart.

Ye Ling, seeing his childish actions, just wanted to tease him a bit. Seeing his aggrieved look, she softened, "I know our revolutionary friendship can’t be compared to others."

Zhao Guodong laughed.

Behind them, Wang Ping tugged at Zhang Linong, "Who does Dongzi really like, anyway? It looks like he doesn’t even know."

Now, acting like a fool, he got jealous whenever Ye Ling talked to a man, yet he constantly claimed to like Ye Qian. Who knows what he’s trying to do. The source of this content ɪs novel•fire.net

Zhang Linong laughed, "If he’s not worried about the trouble, why should you be?"

"True, I’ll just watch the show from here." While Wang Ping had matured over the years, his playful nature remained.

The four of them made their way to the main street in the city, where various shaped lanterns spanned both sides of the road. With so many people looking at the lanterns and kids brandishing homemade ones through the crowd, even though they were past that age, they couldn’t resist the festive atmosphere. They squeezed into the crowd to get a closer look where people gathered around the lanterns, enjoying the atmosphere more than the lanterns themselves.

Ye Qian, Song Mei, and Jiang Yan joined them, seeing Ye Ling among the group chatting with Zhao Guodong and the others. In Ye Qian’s impression, she had never seen Ye Ling smile so beautifully. Though only of average looks, she had become fairer in college, and her smile now made everyone around her pale in comparison, making it impossible not to spot her in the crowd.

Ye Ling held a candied haw, smiling as she listened to Zhao Guodong and Wang Ping point out the lanterns, while Zhang Linong stayed behind, supporting her when she got pushed by the crowd. The four of them didn’t see anything unusual about this, but in the eyes of Ye Qian and Song Mei, Ye Ling seemed truly happy, being cared for by three guys.

Gao Tian was also there, watching Ye Ling from afar. She recalled the time at the base when Shen Bin called Ye Ling out for a chat. Her gaze lingered on Ye Ling for a long while before looking away. Though she had entered college a year earlier than Song Mei and Jiang Yan, she didn’t achieve as well as Ye Ling, only getting into an ordinary university. It’s untrue to say that she wasn’t envious of Ye Ling. Among their high school batch, who didn’t envy Ye Ling upon graduation, though it was never spoken aloud?

Seeing Ye Ling again after nearly two years, even from a distance, Gao Tian saw how the eighteen-year-old Ye Ling had changed. Although her appearance was still delicate, there was now another kind of charm. Once introverted, she was now radiant with smiles, truly transformed.

"Let’s head over too, after all, we all come from the same compound, and it’ll be more fun together." Song Mei, seeing Zhao Guodong, decided.

"Let’s skip it." Jiang Yan wasn’t interested in seeing Ye Ling, nor joining the fun.

"Oh, it’s Brother Zhiyuan and them. Let’s go over." Ye Qian immediately spotted another group, who happened to run into Ye Ling’s group. Both groups were already chatting.

Ignoring other concerns, as long as she could be with Liu Zhiyuan, Ye Qian didn’t mind. Moreover, with Song Mei suggesting it, she didn’t appear overbearing. Jiang Yan’s unwilling expression was evident, but Gao Tian, being quiet by nature, had no objections. The four of them walked toward Ye Ling’s group.

From afar, Liu Rui was seen talking with Zhao Guodong. (To be continued. If you work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)