Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared
Chapter 404: Not A Simple Date

Chapter 404: Chapter 404: Not A Simple Date

This weekend, it was not only Gu Fan who was busy; Yang Xinran also had a date. Her date was the man who had previously aided her late at night. If it hadn’t been for the man and his companion, who knows how long Yang Xinran would have been bothered by the unsavory gang.

The man’s name was Zhang Yang. He wasn’t necessarily from a wealthy background, but his family was comfortably off. Moreover, he was handsome and tall, making him the ideal man in Yang Xinran’s book. Since she had the opportunity, Yang Xinran thought she might as well get to know him a bit.

The two had dinner together and chatted for a long time. They hit it off instantly, sharing their stories, discussing their jobs, the companies they worked for, their majors, and their schools.

Zhang Yang’s purpose in approaching Yang Xinran was actually to help Ning Qi gather information about Lin Xi and Gu Fan. They had no other channels, so they could only resolve to this clumsy method of seeking inside information through Yang Xinran.

Later, Yang Xinran let slip that there was an event on Monday night, a welcome party to greet the new juniors. The dance club that Yang Xinran was part of would also be participating. Such a party wouldn’t be complete without a sizzling performance from their dance club.

Upon learning this, Zhang Yang expressed his interest in attending. He had graduated a long time ago and was keen to relive his college life.

Yang Xinran warmly welcomed him. Actually, she knew quite well that Zhang Yang’s talk of wanting to recapture his college life was entirely bogus; his real purpose was to get closer to her.

However, Yang Xinran had only guessed half correctly. While Zhang Yang’s excuse was indeed false, his true objective wasn’t solely to take this opportunity to approach Yang Xinran.

The pair chatted until late. When they glanced at the clock, they realized it was already ten in the evening. Deciding it was time, Zhang Yang offered to drive Yang Xinran back to school. He claimed he was worried about her returning alone so late at night, fearing she might encounter trouble like last time.

Yang Xinran agreed to be driven back by Zhang Yang. She felt that their first time hanging out together had gone quite well, and the anticipation of where their relationship might lead was intriguing.

Zhang Yang then drove Yang Xinran to the school gate. As the car idled, the atmosphere inside grew somewhat awkward, with both of them falling silent.

After waiting for a while, Yang Xinran finally said, "We’re here. Thanks for the ride."

"No problem," Zhang Yang replied simply. Yang Xinran appeared to be about to leave but didn’t move, just sitting in the car staring blankly at the school gate.

After another bout of silence, during which neither Zhang Yang nor Yang Xinran spoke, the awkwardness in the car became palpable. Finally, Yang Xinran opened the car door, ready to leave.

@ this moment, Zhang Yang mustered the courage to stop Yang Xinran, "Wait a moment?"

"What is it?" Yang Xinran was puzzled but also somewhat expectant.

Zhang Yang stared intently at Yang Xinran, took a deep breath, and then moved closer to her.

Instinctively, Yang Xinran leaned back slightly, but not too much, allowing Zhang Yang to plant a peck on her forehead.

Zhang Yang then broke into a smile, and Yang Xinran followed suit. At that moment, their relationship status became clear. Who would have thought that on their first date...

"Alright, I should go. See you tomorrow." With that, Yang Xinran stepped out of the car. Her heart was pounding like a little deer as she sped away. It felt exhilarating; she felt rejuvenated, brimming with energy.

Watching Yang Xinran’s beauty from behind, Zhang Yang suddenly thought she was really something and could turn out to be a good girlfriend.

However, an image of Ning Qi crossed Zhang Yang’s mind, leaving him in a dilemma. He had come close to Yang Xinran all for the sake of Ning Qi. He had always loved Ning Qi. Yet after interacting with Yang Xinran, he found his heart moved by her.

Zhang Yang felt he shouldn’t be such a fickle man, falling for whatever woman he happens to see. He told himself the only woman he really loved was Ning Qi, so he owed an apology to Yang Xinran.

Suddenly, his phone rang. It was Ning Qi. He quickly answered, "Hello, beautiful. At last you remembered to give me a call."

Ning Qi responded with a chuckle, "I knew you were on a date with Yang Xinran today. I didn’t want to disturb your progress. Now that it’s late, I thought I’d check on how things went on your end."

Zhang Yang then added, "Everything went smoothly. I think I’ve gained Yang Xinran’s trust. Tomorrow she invited me to attend some function at her school. I might make a discovery."

On hearing this, Ning Qi became intrigued, "Oh, it seems I was worrying for nothing. Your progress is quite smooth. Have you won over Yang Xinran already?"

Zhang Yang rushed to clarify, "Not yet. Yang Xinran and I are not even friends at this point. Don’t jump to conclusions."

"What do you mean? She’s inviting you to her school event even before you become friends? What’s next, inviting you to her home once you become friends?" Ning Qi voiced her disbelief, teasing, "I think Yang Xinran is great. Why don’t you consider her?"

"What are you talking about? I’m helping you and now have ended up getting myself involved." Zhang Yang was rather exasperated.

"Alright, alright. You figure it out." After chatting for a while, Ning Qi hung up. A shadow crossed her face. Whether they can find Gu Fan and Lin Xi soon now depended on whether Zhang Yang could leverage his connection with Yang Xinran.

Ning Qi knew how much Zhang Yang admired her, so she wasn’t worried about him betraying her if he spent more time with Yang Xinran. What troubled Ning Qi the most now was how to face that woman when she got back.

****

At this moment, Yang Xinran returned to her dorm. As soon as she walked in, she started humming a tune, her face a picture of joy, her steps following a rhythm.

Seeing Yang Xinran in such a mood, her roommates dropped what they were doing. Those reading put down their books, those playing games set aside their phones, even Lin Xi looked at her curiously and asked, "What’s up, Xinran? Did you find a wallet? Remember to share some of it with us. Shared joy is double joy."

"Although I didn’t find a wallet, I picked up a long-term meal ticket," Yang Xinran said, a triumphant expression on her face, radiating happiness and delight.

Upon hearing this, Lin Xi immediately got it, "What do you mean? Did you find a boyfriend, Xinran? What’s he like? Does he attend our school? How did you meet?"

Not just Lin Xi, her other roommates also started firing questions. Like, what’s his star sign, are your stars compatible, etc. Faced with a barrage of questions, Yang Xinran was taken aback. How could she answer all these at once?

"No wonder you came back so late. You must have been having a tryst with that guy. You’re cheating on us by not telling us!" The roommates gathered around, putting on a show of grilling her. Yang Xinran didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but she also felt secretly delighted. Ah, it was good to have a boyfriend.