Chapter 89: PS-Chapter 88 So Beautiful
The long subway train roared down the tracks.
Lu Chen sat near the door, holding his guitar case close to him.
It was not the rush hour in the capital, so the subway was not crowded. There were plenty of empty seats, so there was no need to worry about losing a shoe or being crushed into oblivion.
As he absentmindedly lifted his head, he noticed a young woman sitting diagonally across from him, her phone pointed in his direction.
Lu Chen smiled at her knowingly - she was obviously taking a picture.
Caught in the act, the girl's face turned a deep shade of red. She hastily put down her phone and turned to chat with her companion, acting as if nothing had happened.
Her friend, however, giggled and whispered, urging her to ask for Lu Chen's contact information.
But the girl was too shy.
This little interaction lifted Lu Chen's spirits considerably.
Earlier that day, he had learned a hard life lesson. Despite his naturally optimistic nature, he couldn't help but feel a bit down.
At that moment, his phone vibrated in his pocket.
Lu Chen pulled it out to see a message from Ye Zi: "Are you there?"
A vivid, expressive face appeared in his mind, and his heart stirred. He replied immediately:
"I'm here!"
Ye Zi was none other than Ye Zitong.
After their last meeting, when she helped him buy a computer, they hadn't seen each other again. Their only interactions were a few casual chats on WeChat and Feixin.
Lu Chen could sense that Ye Zitong had a good impression of him, but over time, the connection between them had cooled a bit.
He knew that she was a good girl. That's why he hadn't made any deliberate moves to pursue her.
Having experienced the heartbreak and bittersweet struggles of love - and carrying the wisdom of a lifetime in his dreams - Lu Chen now approached relationships with a mindset of letting things flow naturally.
No chasing. No forcing. No greed.
However, at that moment, Ye Zitong's message unconsciously tugged at his heartstrings.
Her next message read: "Are you free tonight? There's a new ice skating rink near my school. I hear it's a lot of fun."
Lu Chen replied quickly: "Let's go together tonight. It's been ages since I last skated. How about I meet you at five, and we go out for dinner afterwards, my treat?"
Ye Zitong replied playfully: "Since you're so sincere, this lady will reluctantly agree."
She added a large smiling emoji.
"See you at 5."
Lu Chen couldn't help but smile, his earlier gloom completely disappearing.
When a girl, especially one who had shown interest in you, extended an invitation like this, it would be nothing short of foolish to act aloof.
He put down his phone just as the subway arrived at his stop.
Picking up his guitar, Lu Chen stepped off the train. The girl across from him hadn't had the courage to ask for his contact information after all.
Back at home, he carefully stored his guitar before heading to meet Ye Zitong at Capital Normal University, timing his departure perfectly.
At exactly 5 p.m., Lu Chen arrived at the main entrance of the university.
The summer days were long, and the evening sun was still shining brightly. Students streamed in and out of the gates. Like Lu Chen, several young men were waiting at the entrance, some even holding bouquets of roses.
Looking at his empty hands, Lu Chen felt a little embarrassed.
While he was debating whether or not to run to a nearby flower shop, Ye Zitong appeared and gracefully walked out of the campus.
The beautiful young woman was wearing her favorite white dress, revealing her slender neck, fair arms, and shapely legs. She had clearly dressed up for the occasion, and her light makeup accentuated her radiant features.
As she stopped in front of Lu Chen, he couldn't help but be momentarily stunned by her beauty.
Noticing his gaze, a faint blush spread across Ye Zitong's cheeks. She asked softly, "What's wrong?"
Lu Chen snapped out of it and quickly replied, "Let's go."
Ye Zitong nodded slightly.
The two of them walked side by side, a tall, handsome man and a gentle, beautiful woman. Together, they immediately dealt a critical blow to the lone men nearby.
A desperate male voice could be heard faintly in the wind: "F*ck, the campus beauty got taken!"
Lu Chen couldn't help but ask, "Isn't Zuo Xingtian coming?"
He had thought that tonight would be another outing with both Ye Zitong and her best friend, Zuo Xingtian.
To his surprise, that wasn't the case.
Ye Zitong tilted her head slightly and brushed aside a few stray strands of hair. "Do you want her to come?" she asked.
How could Lu Chen say the wrong thing now? He grinned and replied, "Of course not! I was just thinking I saved some money."
Ye Zitong lowered her head, a faint smile playing on her lips.
They ate at a nearby Western restaurant.
Since Lu Chen didn't know the area around the university, Ye Zitong chose a buffet restaurant herself. She booked a deal online for only 98 Yuan per person. Both the environment and the food were excellent.
After dinner, they walked along an artificial lake before heading to the ice rink at 7 p.m.
The ice rink had recently opened and was impressively designed, complete with a real ice surface.
Shortly after 7 p.m., the place was already crowded with customers. Lu Chen waited in line for more than ten minutes before receiving two pairs of skates and a brand-new down jacket.
The jacket was for Ye Zitong. It was freezing cold inside the rink, and she definitely wouldn't have been able to handle it in her dress.
Lu Chen even slipped the staff a small tip to make sure they got an unworn jacket for her.
"Try it on and see if it fits. If not, I'll exchange them," He said as he helped her put on the skates near the rink entrance.
"Have you ever skated before?" He asked.
Ye Zitong hesitated, then graciously accepted his help. "I have skated before," She said.
The skates fit perfectly - neither too big nor too small.
"Then there's no problem," Lu Chen said with a smile. "If you've roller-skated before, skating will be easy. Just concentrate on your balance and practice a little."
He held out his hand to her. "I'll take you out there. Let's get used to it first."
After a moment's hesitation, Ye Zitong took her soft, pale hand in his.
As he held her smooth hand, Lu Chen felt a fleeting numbness.
Back in Hangzhou, there was an ice rink - not as big as the one in the Capital CIty. During his freshman and sophomore years, he had often gone there, picking up a few amateur tricks along the way.
But back then, the hand he was holding was someone else's.
Now, the scene was similar, but the people were different.
"What's wrong?"
Ye Zitong, who was always perceptive, noticed something wrong in Lu Chen's expression.
He snapped out of his thoughts and smiled quickly. "Nothing. I was just thinking about how to make this fun for you."
He silently reminded himself - he had already drifted off too many times today!
Ye Zitong smiled shyly. "Don't make it too complicated. Let's just play slowly. I'm afraid of falling - it hurts a lot."
"Then hold my hand."
Lu Chen laughed as he led her to the rink, moving from the outer edge to the center.
To accommodate her, he skated slowly at first, giving her time to get used to the skates.
There was a big difference between ice skates and roller skates, but Ye Zitong had excellent balance. With Lu Chen's guidance, she was soon able to move on her own, albeit cautiously.
The indoor rink was huge, covering at least 700 to 800 square meters. Bright lights from the high ceiling illuminated every corner.
The ice was crowded with skaters, most of them young couples like Lu Chen and Ye Zitong. Dressed in colorful skating outfits, they chased and laughed to the rhythm of upbeat music.
The bleachers were also packed, with spectators cheering, jeering, and creating a lively atmosphere.
The cold air was filled with laughter, youth, and the energy of life.
Lu Chen led Ye Zitong along the rink's outer edge, gradually increasing their speed.
Ye Zitong clung tightly to his hand, her voice tinged with both nervousness and exhilaration.
"Not too fast!" She shouted, laughing uncontrollably.
Her laughter was as clear and crisp as silver bells, resonating in Lu Chen's heart.
In that moment, Lu Chen felt life's beauty and its endless surprises.
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'(End of chapter)'
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