Chapter 10: Today is Home Recognition

Edited by Ducks

Two bicycles, one man one woman, a handsome schoolboy and a cute schoolgirl, both of them slowly walked while pus.h.i.+ng their bikes under the gazes of the crowd which had split to the to the sides to give way for them. Just like soldiers standing at attention, they left out a clear path for the pair to walk.

Anyone, whether be it a man, woman, young or the old, all have a hero complex in their mind. Though they appeared to be looking at the scene with amus.e.m.e.nt, it couldn’t be denied that they had the urge to be chivalrous as well.

“Clap!”

“Clap, clap!”

“Clap, clap, clap!”

It was unknown who began applauding, but just like as if a water drop had fallen into a heated fryer, evaporating immediately, everyone began to clap energetically; the mood was similar to how a hero’s birth was welcomed.

Among the crowd, w.a.n.g Xiaogang felt awkward yet extremely excited, as if he had discovered a huge secret. He applauded along with the unfamiliar students beside him, looking at Su Ke with zeal.

Before anyone could notice, the three hooligans slipped away from within the crowd. The crowd’s eyes were fixed on Su Ke, applauding for this thin and shy boy, whose face had blushed once again.

Su Ke lowered his head, and Wei Lan did the same; they both walked while slowly pus.h.i.+ng their bicycles.

Wei Lan’s height was around 160 cm, her face still had the vestiges of tears. Only, the panic on her face was now replaced with tranquility, which made this babyfaced schoolgirl look very cute.

Though she hadn’t been elected to be among the "Top 10 Beauties of Seventeen Senior High" ranking, her cute smile and her dimples alone had caused many wooers to be after her. Merely, she had refused all of them with the reason that she was the cla.s.s committee member and wanted to focus on her academic studies.

Su Ke had no experience in how a man was supposed to interact with a woman. The mood had become somewhat oppressive; he neither knew what to speak nor knew where Wei Lan’s home was and merely immersed himself in walking forwards.

“Thank you!” Wei Lan’s voice seemed like the gentle breeze, making a person feel comfortable through it.

“You’re welcome!” Su Ke replied with the same gentleness.

“They are all thugs, I’m afraid they’ll cause trouble for you!” Wei Lan had a reason to be anxious; these hooligans cared most about face, and they would surely make reprisals against Su Ke.

“It’s nothing, they believe tattooing two cutla.s.sfish on their bodies is enough!” Su Ke blurted out, feeling this sentence was quite familiar. He had used the crosstalk dialogue of Guo Degang which he had heard recently.

“Hehe, I never knew you could be a little humorous as well!” Su Ke was known to be bad with communication and reticent in cla.s.s, as if like an enigma. Hearing him say such words, Wei Lan couldn’t help but giggle, revealing her dimples.

“Aaah, I always believed I was extremely humorous, it turns out I’m only a little!” Su Ke seemed calm. Speaking properly with a girl, no longer did his cheeks blush.

“You pretty show off!” Wei Lan turned to look at Su Ke beside her. She could see his pretty cheeks, snowy skin, celestial nose, and bright eyes—a little like a pretty boy. Truthfully, he really was a little handsome, yet it wasn’t evident before.

Looking at him laugh without giving a reply, Wei Lan faintly spoke, “I was really scared and hoped someone would save me, but frankly, I never expected it to be you!”

“Oh? Did you believe the person who would come to save you will be a peerless hero, wearing divine clothes and golden armor, arriving by flying on a rainbow cloud under his feet?” Su Ke’s speech became smoother; he felt his verbal ability progress with these exchanges.

“Dislike!” Wei Lan knew Su Ke’s words were Fairy Zixia’s lines from the movie "A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella" which she said to Joker. Only, Su Ke had changed the ending words a little. Her cheeks blushed as she thought till here, seemingly glaring at Su Ke with anger.

Only, Wei Lan returned his words, “Although the person who saved me hadn’t come in divine clothes and golden armor, or by flying on a rainbow cloud, he’s still a peerless hero in my heart!”

Wei Lan’s face blushed once she finished speaking.

Being praised by a person, even more so as a peerless hero, the introverted and sensitive Su Ke didn’t know how to receive those words. He felt obliged to give a weak reply, “Your gaze in judging people is excellent!”

Both of them looked at each other as they simultaneously burst into laughter.

After a few minutes, the Sun slowly set down at the West, pulling up a long shadow behind the pair. Thinking about the work he had to do at his family’s small store, Su Ke summoned his courage to ask, “Wei Lan, how far is your home from here? It’s already late!”

“Ah? Your home isn’t in this direction?” Wei Lan’s eyes opened wide; she hadn’t expected such a question.

“Eh! No, I was going to deliver you home! Your home isn’t in this direction?” Seeing Wei Lan’s expression, Su Ke realized they might have gone the wrong way.

“I was following you. I thought this was your home’s direction!” Wei Lan looked at Su Ke innocently. Indeed, both of them were only following the path ahead after breaking free from the crowd.

Su Ke felt gloomy, Wei Lan felt dejected as well, both of them had walked in vain!

“Your home is in which district? I’ll deliver you back right now!” Su Ke asked, bracing himself. He didn’t mind returning back late as he had promised to take her back home.

“Fengze Residential Area! Over at Beichen Street!” Wei Lan pouted, knowing they had gone the wrong way; she too felt helpless.

“Fengze Residential Area? My home is at Sunny Unit!” Su Ke’s eyes gleamed. He never expected both of them lived so close. He could deliver Wei Lan back, as well as not be anxious about returning home late.

“Really? So your home is at Sunny Unit, we can actually be considered to be neighbors!” Wei Lan hadn’t expected this, but the joy she felt was expressed on her face.

“Alright, let’s cycle back home!” Su Ke made his bicycle make a U-turn and waved at Wei Lan while rus.h.i.+ng ahead. The both of them made for their homes under the sunset.

“Alright, we’re here!” Wei Lan stopped her bicycle and spoke to Su Ke with a smile.

“En, Fengze Residential Area, Apartment No. 6, 3rd Entrance, which floor?” Su Ke raised his head to look at the door of the apartment in front of him.

“302, my home is on the 3rd floor!” Wei Lan told him without hesitation. She had already considered Su Ke to be someone she could trust within her mind and even had a good opinion of him.

“En, I got it. Today can be considered as home recognition!” Su Ke waved his hand towards Wei Lan and left on the bicycle. Once Wei Lan saw him disappear, she took out the key while mumbling. “Fool, always speaking drivel, what does he mean by home recognition!"

Home recognition was a local custom. A man and woman have to pa.s.s three stages from love to marriage: Home recognition, Engagement, Marriage. Apparently, Su Ke didn’t know this, but Wei Lan knew of it, or else, why would this young girl blush once she heard his words?