Nine Star Hegemon Body Art

Huang Yaming returned to the private room soon after, offering a toast before he said, “Sorry, I still have classmates over there. We were having a gathering too earlier. So, I’ve got to go back first.”

He patted Xu Tingsheng’s back as he left.

As Xu Tingsheng came out after him, he passed over a cigarette that he had already lit. After Xu Tingsheng received it, he lit a cigarette of his own and put it in his mouth. The two leaned against the corridor wall, smoking.

Huang Yaming said, “We’re graduating.”

Xu Tingsheng said, “Yeah!”

“These four years have really been inconceivable,” Huang Yaming suddenly said emotionally, “Four years ago, even if I thought about it a hundred times, I would never have imagined things the way they are now. Relax, I still pretty like the way I am now.”

“Thank you,” Huang Yaming said.

Xu Tingsheng smiled and kicked him, “Thank you your sister.”

“It’s been tough on you,” The two of them said this simultaneously.

They both laughed…

“Fu Cheng’s found an investment company in Shenghai. He’ll be working there after graduation,” Huang Yaming said.

“I know, “ Xu Tingsheng said.

“Is Song Ni in a relationship yet?” Huang Yaming asked.

“A middle echelon employee at Happy Shoppers is chasing her. She’s still hesitating, though,” Xu Tingsheng said.

“Oh. It’s high time she’s in a relationship.”

“Right. What about you?” Xu Tingsheng asked, “How’s it going with your blank piece of paper?”

“It’s a bit different from what I thought. Still, I guess that it’s only normal. She’s a human being, after all. However much of a blank piece of paper she is, she also has an innate personality. Fortunately…I’ve just doted on her too much such that she is a bit unreasonable,” Huang Yaming tugged at his collar, revealing teeth marks on his shoulder.

“That’s pretty interesting too.”

“Yes, it feels that way now, at least. How do I put it? It’s rather like dating,” Huang Yaming smiled, “What about that little girl of yours? I saw what happened to Apple. Is she still okay? How are things going between the two of you?”

Xu Tingsheng hesitated for a bit and said, “It’s alright.”

“Oh. That’s good then,” Huang Yaming said, “Well…I’ll return to that side first then?”

“Alright. We can meet up ourselves at any time, anyway,” Xu Tingsheng nodded.

After walking a few steps away, Huang Yaming turned and feigned nonchalance as he asked, “Right, it feels like you’ve changed a lot recently…is everything okay?”

Xu Tingsheng smiled and said, “Everything’s okay.”

“Really? I just feel like you’ve encountered something.”

“Everything’s really okay,” Xu Tingsheng smiled.

Huang Yaming paused for a while, “Then, if there’s anything, don’t forget that I’m here.”

“However major it may be,” He added.

“Got it.”

Xu Tingsheng waved. Huang Yaming turned and left.

As Xu Tingsheng saw it, whatever might happen to him in the near future, he at least believed that even if he was not there, Huang Yaming would still do his best to take care of all those he was concerned about.

……

He returned to the private room, where the current atmosphere was very good.

Zhang Ninglang had been recognised as an outstanding graduate on a provincial level and would not be restricted on basis of hometown when looking for a job. He had already signed with a local junior high in Yanzhou.

He was staying in Yanzhou naturally because of the girl with the long plait, Ning Xia, who was currently sitting beside him. There was still a year before she graduated.

This junior’s plait seemed to have grown a bit longer again.

Till now, Zhang Ninglang still punctually returned to the dormitory every night…everyone pretty much felt troubled for him. So, everyone was frantically pumping him and Ning Xia with wine at the table.

Old Wai secretly leaned into Zhang Ninglang’s ear, saying, “You’re not allowed to return to the dorm to sleep tonight.”

Zhang Ninglang coughed, looked down and pretended to be peeling a prawn as he gave no reply.

“What about the two of you? When will your engagement ceremony be?” Xu Tingsheng asked Old Wai and Li Linlin, “How about you just skip the engagement and get married straight away? That’ll save time.”

Hearing this, Old Wai secretly shot Xu Tingsheng a look to convey that he shared the same opinion, just that the one beside him didn’t.

Girls like to have specific romantic steps in mind. So, Old Wai could not escape the step of getting engaged after proposing.

“The time is still not set yet,” Seeing that Old Wai was not speaking, Li Linlin answered, “The main thing is that we would like to ask: When are you free, Bro Xu? You have to be there. You must also be the witness for us when we get married.”

Xu Tingsheng nodded, saying, “You guys can choose an auspicious date first. There should not be any problem on my side.”

“Right. Still, I think that there is. I’d like to wait for Xiang Ning’s school holidays. She’s also someone I definitely want to be present,” Li Linlin added while looking straight at him.

She was different from everyone else present in that she had an independent relationship with Xiang Ning. Xiang Ning called her Big Sis Teacher as the two were in frequent contact as well.

So, Li Linlin actually knew of the current situation between Xu Tingsheng and Xiang Ning.

Li Linlin had not expected how having begun an internship at Yanzhou’s first-tier senior high, Xu Tingsheng might actually return just like that, actually having failed to chase Xiang Ning back. She was pretty worried about it too.

If one also took into account the time when she had been kept in the dark, she was actually the one who had witnessed from start to end just how much Xu Tingsheng doted on Xiang Ning.

She similarly understood how important Xu Tingsheng was to Xiang Ning.

“How could they break up? Even if they did, they should have gotten back together after a short time…how could they really break up?” Li Linlin had constantly been troubled over this recently as she had tried to persuade Xiang Ning as well, hoping that she could change her mind. She hoped that she could see the two of them quickly reconcile.

Sadly, Xiang Ning would always avoid the topic.

“Right, today’s Sunday! You should have called Little Xiang Ning along. It’s been so long since I last saw her,” Ning Xia who had previously interacted with Xiang Ning on their trip to Chengdu said.

“She’s nearly in twelfth grade. She’s having a pretty hard time studying right now and doesn’t have so much free time,” Xu Tingsheng made an excuse and diverted the topic by asking Old Wai and Li Linlin, “Will the two of you officially go back to Hucheng to work after you graduate?”

The two nodded.

“Here’s my personal opinion,” Xu Tingsheng said, “For Old Wai, you still have your place as a supervisor. Still, for work, you should still go to Programming. That is what you like too.”

“Right,” Old Wai said.

“As for Linlin,” Xu Tingsheng looked at Li Linlin and hesitated for a bit, “I hope that you can go spend a year at Yanzhou’s training institute first. Choose a management position there…get some experience with your managerial capabilities and then adjust again after coming back.”

While others did not notice that his expression was actually unnatural when saying this, it did not elude Li Linlin who had been paying close attention.

Why did Xu Tingsheng want her to assume a management position at the training institute for a year first? The reason was actually very simple. He wanted her help to deploy all resources when Xiang Ning was in twelfth grade, helping Xiang Ning to get into a better university.

With Xu Tingsheng already having broken up with Xiang Ning now, she was definitely the best candidate to be placed in charge of this matter. Also, Xiang Ning would be less likely to feel averse to it this way.

“A year? It should be a year and a bit more,” Li Linlin deliberately looked at Xu Tingsheng and said in a knowing tone.

Having been seen through, Xu Tingsheng smiled wryly and did not say anything.

The gathering drew to a close. Those of Room 602 and their ‘family members’ walked back to school together beneath the cold wind.

“Bro Xu, you’ll be going on stage at the graduation party, right? I heard someone mention it,” Li Linlin suddenly asked.

“Yeah, the principal proposed it twice,” Xu Tingsheng said, “It’s the school that I spent four years studying at after all, and Vice-Principal Niu is also so valiant. I didn’t dare to refuse. I’ll probably have to go up there when the time comes.”

“You might as well sing a song then,” Li Linlin said.

“Huh?”

“Bro Xu, you’re from Rebirth, but all of us haven’t heard you performing live before. Also, you’ve hidden it from us for so long. Now that it’s graduation, shouldn’t you make it up to us?”

“Yeah, yeah, we want to hear you live.”

“That’s right…you hid it from us for so long.”

“Sing, sing!”

Before Xu Tingsheng could answer, the others were already beginning to cheer him on.

“Sing a song, Bro Xu, as our graduation present,” Li Linlin coaxed, everyone following suit.

Xu Tingsheng thought about it. Four years…

“Alright. I’ll tell them about it then.”

Xu Tingsheng agreed.

Returning to her dormitory, Li Linlin sent Xiang Ning a text: Xiang Ning, our graduation party is next weekend. Will you come?

She was inviting Xiang Ning without intending to tell Xu Tingsheng beforehand…waiting for the moment when Xiang Ning came, and Xu Tingsheng was up on stage.