Chapter 34: PAST-TWO
Hua Rong hurriedly ate the last piece of bread, chewing quickly as she slung her backpack over one shoulder. "Mama, I'm leaving!" she called out.
Before she could rush out the door, her mother grabbed the strap of her backpack, stopping her in place. "Wait." With a gentle smile, she slipped a tiffin box into her bag. "I packed extra for that friend of yours," she added knowingly.
Hua Rong blinked in surprise, then grinned. "Thanks, Mama!" she said before dashing out the door, her feet pounding against the dirt path as she raced down the hill toward the bus stop.
As she ran, something caught her eye—a bright poster pinned to a notice board at the side of the street. Her breath hitched in excitement as she stepped closer, eyes scanning the bold letters. A dance tournament! Anyone under eighteen could participate.
A wide smile spread across her face. Without wasting a second, she pulled out her phone, snapped a picture, and hurried onto the bus just as it arrived.
Fifteen minutes later, Hua Rong hopped off at her stop, her heart still bubbling with excitement. She sprinted across the institution's training grounds, weaving through students practicing archery until her eyes locked onto Xu Lingwei.
Without hesitation, she ran straight toward him.
"Xu Lingwei—!" she called out, her momentum too strong to stop in time.
Before he could react, she crashed into him, sending them both tumbling to the ground. She ended up on top of him, straddling his waist as she shoved her phone in his face.
"Look!" she said breathlessly, grinning as she showed him the picture of the poster. "A dance tournament! Anyone under eighteen can participate!"
Xu Lingwei, still lying beneath her, stared at the phone, then at her. His brows furrowed. "Why are you showing me this?"