Chapter 200
They couldn't help but burst into laughter at Long Aotian's words.
The shift in atmosphere filled the private room with a joyful vibe.
Seeing that Long Aotian had accepted her friend request, Han Xiaojing couldn't help but smile.
Shen Mengjie rested her chin on one hand, watching Long Aotian, who was lively and engaging, and soon found herself smiling as well.
In response to Huang Fei's various attempts to win her over, she neither rejected him nor took the initiative, leaving him plenty of room for imagination.
After a meal together, Huang Fei thought he had gained a lot, but in reality, nothing had fundamentally changed.
"I'll give you guys a ride home."
"Forget it, I’ll take my own sister Juan home," Xu Shuai replied.
"What are you talking about? What do you mean she’s your family?" Wang Lijuan pinched Xu Shuai's ear.
At this point, one could already envision Xu Shuai's life for the next four years—definitely a case of bronchitis waiting to happen.
Yet Xu Shuai seemed to enjoy it.
As they were leaving, Shen Mengjie shot a meaningful glance at Long Aotian, but he pretended not to notice.
"Though there are often regrets, at least you tried, right?"
"Thanks. I was fine until you said that; now it feels like I've been stabbed."
At this, Li Longlong looked at Han Xiaojing's retreating figure. "Honestly, I could see the ending from the start. Do you believe that?"
"But like you said, how can you be at peace without trying?"
Everyone liked pretty girls, and in their class, how many people were vying for Shen Mengjie and Han Xiaojing's attention?
"I just gave it a shot. If I win her over, great; if not, I won't lose anything."
"That's insightful, brother!" Long Aotian slapped Li Longlong on the shoulder.
Li Longlong chuckled bitterly. "I just temporarily lost my ability to love..."
As they spoke, a few figures walked by.
Li Longlong's gaze followed one of the senior girls in denim shorts. "I think I just found my ability to love again."
He took off running after her. "Hey, can I get your contact info...?"
Watching Li Longlong's sudden change in mood, Long Aotian found it amusing. Indeed, the best way to end a fruitless romance is to start a new one.
Not long after returning to the dorm, Huang Fei and Xu Shuai came back, still playfully bickering.
"Shh!" Long Aotian gestured for them to be quiet.
Huang Fei and Xu Shuai glanced at Li Longlong, who was sitting on the bed, and nodded, lowering their voices significantly.
"What's going on?"
Long Aotian looked at Li Longlong and waved the two over, whispering, "This guy is deep in conversation with a sophomore girl."
Upon hearing this, Huang Fei and Xu Shuai realized they had been played by Long Aotian and Li Longlong.
"Good job, you really know how to work it!"
Li Longlong didn't hide it. "I just met this senior today, and I found out she doesn't have a boyfriend!"
"Now that's the Li Longlong I know, the king of romance," Xu Shuai teased with a smile.
"Oh right, Aotian, what were you going to tell me earlier?" Seeing that Li Longlong was fine and even in better spirits than he expected, he turned to Long Aotian.
Long Aotian's expression turned serious. "About this matter, I just want to share what I've observed."
He immediately recounted seeing Shen Mengjie at the KTV and later at the food street.
After hearing Long Aotian's words, the dorm fell silent; you could hear a pin drop.
"Aotian, are you sure you didn't missee something?" Huang Fei asked, incredulous. But when he met Long Aotian's serious gaze, he lit a cigarette while sitting on the bed.
Xu Shuai said in surprise, "So you were deliberately hinting at Shen Mengjie with your comments about KTV and the clay pot soup?"
"Maybe it's because Shen Mengjie is beautiful, and those two are also suitors?" Huang Fei muttered to himself.
Long Aotian had no intention of continuing the conversation on this topic.
Some things needed to be shared with Huang Fei as a roommate and a brother, but the choice ultimately lay in Huang Fei's hands.
His phone buzzed in his pocket.
Long Aotian took it out and glanced at the screen.
Han Xiaojing: [Long Aotian, can we meet at the playground?]
After thinking for a moment, Long Aotian agreed.
Han Xiaojing's actions today made Long Aotian sense something was up.
Though they were classmates, they hadn't really spoken much in class.
Their two private meetings had lacked any direct interaction.
But regardless of whether his feelings were right or wrong, there were some things he wanted to clarify in advance.
This would be good for him, for his little follower, and for Han Xiaojing as well.
"I'm stepping out for a bit."
With that, he left the dorm and headed toward the playground.
On the last day of the holiday, there weren't many people at the playground.
"Long Aotian."
Hearing the voice, Long Aotian turned to see Shen Mengjie. "Shen Mengjie?"
---
Chapter 243: I Find You Quite Interesting
Shen Mengjie looked at Long Aotian, who appeared slightly surprised, and a smug smile crept onto her lips.
Seeing the smile on her face, Long Aotian quickly pieced it together. "So it was you who sent me the message using Han Xiaojing's phone?"
"Who else? If I approached you directly, would you have come out?" Shen Mengjie was self-aware enough to know the answer.
Though their time together had been short, influenced by Han Xiaojing, she occasionally paid attention to Long Aotian.
She could sense that he was considerate in his dealings with others, yet he also possessed a maturity beyond his years.
Such a quality is elusive; it transcends mere appearance and leaves a profound impression.
Since he could mention KTV and the clay pot soup, he must have noticed something but chose not to expose it in front of Huang Fei.
People like him tend to have a strong sense of morality, so he probably looked down on her actions, right?
"You told Huang Fei, didn't you?"
"Of course."
Seeing Long Aotian's serious demeanor, Shen Mengjie couldn't help but chuckle. "Don't be so serious; I haven't done anything that terrible."
"They like my looks and my body; I enjoy the thrill of their pursuit. That hardly seems like a crime, does it?"
As she said this, Shen Mengjie winked at Long Aotian.
In some ways, she was right; it wasn't that serious.
If you don't covet what they offer, you won't fall into the trap of a hunter.
"Do you find this amusing?" Long Aotian asked, though he still couldn't accept it. Shen Mengjie's behavior wasn't something everyone would condone.
Self-respect and promiscuity are two different extremes.
At least some people can't accept that someone who spends a whole afternoon having fun and drinking with one gender at KTV can casually switch to another gender for dinner later that day.
The key was that she was only eighteen or nineteen, yet she navigated through various men with such ease...
"Why wouldn't it be interesting?" Shen Mengjie shrugged. "I actually find it quite enjoyable."
"I know you'll scoff at that."
"First of all, I’m not deliberately seducing anyone. Secondly, if they approach me with ulterior motives, that's not my fault; sometimes I'm just as helpless."
"If they come to me with intentions, I might as well enjoy the thrill of their pursuit."
"Isn't your roommate Huang Fei just that kind of person?"
"When we started freshman year, he didn't even know everyone's names in the class. How could he know my preferences? Did he even bother to get to know me? He knows nothing and still wants to pursue me. Does he think we can have a pure love story?"
Long Aotian shook his head. "What you're saying doesn't mean anything to me. I can't understand your perspective, nor do I care about how you want to live your life."
Perhaps Shen Mengjie was right, but from Long Aotian's viewpoint, this was merely sophistry, a shift in concepts.
The pursuit of beautiful things is a human instinct, and that's undeniable.
Beauty and handsomeness can trigger dopamine release, and such joy is enough to showcase a person's allure.
Setting aside everything else, Shen Mengjie indeed exhibited her own charm.
It was this charm that attracted suitors.
Exceptional people will always be picky, and that's understandable because they are inherently outstanding.
But no matter how exceptional someone is, their ultimate destination is simply to choose a good partner, select a city, and enjoy the seasons together—spring, summer, autumn, winter...
Yet if one treats it as a game, merely enjoying the fun while flitting between various men...
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