“A merciless apology?”
Still bewildered, Tang Meng stared at the composed Ling Yun, pondering deeply over what he had said.
Merciless lessons. Sincere apologies. But what is a merciless apology?
As Ling Yun picked up his chopsticks to finish up the dishes, Tang Meng joined in, having not touched anything yet.
Within ten minutes, the plates were empty. Ning Lingyu wiped her alluring lips before smiling at her brother; bloated. He need not derive information from Tang Meng anymore now that his sister knew about Li Lei too.
“Are you free later? I have something to talk to you about,” Tang Meng stopped the siblings and asked Ling Yun.
“Of course. I’m going to the classroom for lessons, where else would I head to?”
“Classroom….? Are you sure you know what you are saying?” Tang Meng found it dubious. It would be a joke if he even knew his way to the classroom.
“Will you be able to understand the words of the teacher?” Tang Meng asked in disbelief.
“Brother, are you really attending lessons?” Ning Lingyu was overjoyed at the news of her brother’s decision to start learning again. The older sibling rubbed his fingers on Ning Lingyu’s shapely cute nose and teased, “Yes, I’m going to catch up on whatever I have missed out”.
“Look for me after school in the classroom. I’ve got to go now,” Ling Yun uttered to Tang Meng. He sensed that it was something the sister should not know about.
The chummy siblings walked towards the exit, leaving Tang Meng the affectionate view of their backs before he could reply.
Ling Yun had infuriated the school belle and then left with Ning Lingyu. The faces of all the students in the canteen were filled with envy and jealousy.
After the sibling had vanished from sight, Tang Meng smacked his own forehead and shouted, “Hey! You better come back now and return me my thousand dollars fatty!”
Sadly, everyone, including poor Tang Meng, knew what would happen after money fell into the hands of Ling Yun. It would never be seen again.
Covered inside the cozy arms of her brother, Ning Lingyu loved the feeling of protection and security. She had not felt this warmth for a long time.
“Brother, you might think for Tang Meng’s size that he is dull and foolish, but in actual fact, he is shrewder than he looks. You forced him to resign to you just now but he will not allow himself to suffer in silence”.
“He won’t allow himself to be at a loss,” Ling Yun replied calmly.
“If that is so, then what did you take the thousand dollars for?” Ning Lingyu probed. Then, she made an educated guess, “Or….was it to inflame Cao Shanshan?”
“I’ll only take whatever I think should be taken,” Ling Yun spoke in a serious tone as he rubbed the head of his younger sibling.
Ning Lingyu proceeded to slant her lips and touch her dainty eyebrows. Then, she started making faces to Ling Yun gleefully.
When they finally reached the hostel residences gate, Ning Lingyu paused and look over at her brother. “Hurry, go retrieve your dirty laundry. I’ll be waiting for you here”.
“Is this really necessary? I know how to wash my clothes myself,” he replied. There was no reply from Ning Lingyu. However, judging from her expression, Ling Yun realized that it would be better to heed what she said.
Left with no choice, Ling Yun took the running attire he had used that day and placed it in a pail before passing it to his sister.
“If you are really serious about studying, I can give you tuition!” Ning Lingyu told her brother excitedly. She did not care about anything else as she felt that it was her duty to tutor Ling Yun if he wanted to learn.
“Sure, but promise me you won’t let it affect your studies,” Ling Yun replied with a heartwarming smile.
As Ning Lingyu headed off to her destination, Ling Yun cast his view on her sister’s elegant back view. Through his kinship with Ning Lingyu, he had finally found a sense of belonging in this world.
He turned around and made his way back to his room.
…
Inside the classroom of Grade 12 Class 6
“Urghhh…I’m so hungry,” Zhang Ling complained as she drooled over the plate of boiled fish she never got to try.
“Alright! Stop it! Can you keep your d*mn mouth shut?” The already fuming mad Cao Shanshan ranted in frustration.
“But…but…I’m starving! All thanks to that stupid ball of fats!” Zhang Ling cursed agitatedly.
“I have a piece of cake in my bag. You can take it if you want,” Cao Shanshan mentioned as she glared at Zhang Ling with reluctance.
“Really? Thank you so much!”
It did not take too long before the cake entered Zhang Ling’s mouth.
“Hey, Zhang Ling, just a while ago you were reprimanding Ling Yun ferociously. However, why does it seems like you don’t hate him at all?”
“Hate him? What for?” Zhang Ling exclaimed after almost choking on the cake.
“But…I’m your best friend! Don’t you feel aggrieved for me at all? After what that bastard Ling Yun did to me?” Cao Shanshan rebutted as she attempted to get her cake back.
“Hey..hey! The cake is innocent. Leave it alone. Actually, Shanshan, I think something is wrong with you today.”
“What did you just say?! Is something wrong with me? What could be wrong with me?” Shanshan was shocked to hear that from her best friend.
Looking around to make sure no one was paying attention to them, Zhang Ling whispered to Cao Shanshan to reflect upon it. The school belle was even more baffled.
Oh…sh*t! What’s wrong with me today? Why am I getting agitated so easily?
“At the start, Ling Yun was just eating peacefully over at his table. You were the one that walked over.”
“The thousand dollars you gave to Tang Meng belongs to him. Does it matter if Ling Yun took it away? It no longer has anything to do with you. Why did you flare up?” Zhang Ling added as she tried to reason with Shanshan.
“Lastly, Ling Yun did not criticise you or insult you at all. Instead, you were the one who went over to find trouble. He said absolutely nothing, my dear!”
Chao Shanshan was at a loss for words. She recalled that other than consuming his lunch, all Ling Yun had done was take the money away. He had not made any remarks about anyone.
“Still, he has no right to take the money right? The thousand dollars is for Tang Meng, not for him…”
“Fine, I admit that Ling Yun’s action was despicable but did you have to be so furious over that thousand dollars?” Zhang Ling uttered. “Even though his explanation was just as despicable, at least he did explain himself. Moreover, Tang Meng himself had no comments. What are you so agitated for?”
“I…I…” Cao Shanshan was made speechless by Zhang Ling’s questions.
I was there for so long but Ling Yun did not even look me in the eyes. Shanshan thought in her mind.
“You were a totally different Shanshan today! What’s wrong? Or…have you fell for that fatty?” Zhang Ling probed as she witnessed a change in her best friend’s expression.
Just as Zhang Ling ended her question, Cao Shanshan blushed and frantically covered her best friend’s mouth with her palm. “You should have choked on the cake and died for saying something so wrong! Fall for him? Never in my life! I would rather fall for a smelly old pig than that stupid a*s jerk!” Cao Shanshan rebutted very hesitantly.
“Okay fine, you didn’t fall for him. I was just chatting you up, there is no need to suffocate me to death!” Zhang Ling gasped while catching her breath.
“But he said…” Cao Shanshan paused as she realized she probably was the only one who had heard Ling Yun commenting on something being enormous and firm. That comment had enraged her.
“But he said he did not know you right?” Zhang Ling assumed, before elaborating, “It’s actually quite logical. Everyone knows about his crush on you and he is self-conscious about his appearance and timidness. Hence, he might as well act like he does not know you so that he can hide his sorrow and save his dignity. Does that make sense now?”
Cao Shanshan was stunned. This was the exact same deduction she always told Zhang Ling about.
“However, you also pointed out that he spread rumors about me to others so as to attract my attention…” Shanshan rebutted as she was not entirely appeased.
“My dear, that was my attempt to help you so that you do not throw your face in front of everyone,” Zhang Ling smirked.
Cao Shanshan was pacified; no longer provoked. “So you mean, the whole of today, I was just being unreasonable and finding trouble?”
“The weather today looks good with the lukewarm sunrays and occasional windy breeze,” Zhang Ling said while attempting to divert the topic.
“What exactly has gotten into me today? I’ve never become this agitated before,” Cao Shanshan sighed, feeling disappointed at herself.
“Oh, but there is something that you do not know yet. You are not alone. Tang Meng was also badly humiliated by Ling Yun today,” Zhang Ling whispered to her best friend.
Zhang Ling went on to speak about what had happened before Shanshan had made her way to the canteen earlier in the day. She told her about how Ling Yun deliberately made things difficult for the Little Gambling God.
“What? Ling Yun actually made Tang Meng submit to him?” Shanshan doubted.
“Yes, the insane run this afternoon was not the only thing weird about Ling Yun. His eyes, his expressions, and his tone were all out of the norm as well! He’s like a totally different person!” Zhang Jing answered substantially.
“Take a moment to think about it. The attitude Ning Lingyu has towards Ling Yun has taken such a drastic change too!”
“To be honest, if not for his plump and hideous look, I would have suspected that the Ling Yun of the past and the current Ling Yun are two different people!”
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