Birth of a Beauty

Quan Long's brows shot up in astonishment. A lots of questions popped up in his mind.

'Lin Xueqing? Why would she call me so late at night? Park near my house? Why would she want to meet me so abruptly? And how the hell she got my number?'

Suppressing his urge to ask her everything all at once, Quan Long first calmed himself down.

He only asked a question " Why all of sudden? I mean don't you think it's pretty late-"

He was cut off by her cold yet soft voice "Reply me with a 'Yes' or 'No'."

'What? Is she ordering me?'He frowned. After a while, He eventually spoke" *sigh* Yes-"

As soon as, She heard 'Yes' from him, She ended the call.

"..." Quan Long.

"Why would she call me, here? Though she can get information about anyone easily, It still doesn't feel right to just get someone's number and call them when you barely know eachother. Added to the fact it's so late, and I am a boy.

"

Quan Long was muttering to himself on the way to the park. Since the park was quite large, He had to look around for few minutes before noticing a girl in a swing.

Since he was facing her back, She didn't see him. The girl had blonde short hair, so It didn't take long to realize it was really Lin Xueqing.

'She really is here. But Seeing her like this, why I feel like her figure looks so forlorn..like a lost child.' Quan Long thought.

"Are you going to keep standing and stare at me from there? Is there something written in my back?" Lin Xueqing asked as she stood up from the swing. Quan Long was taken aback. He hastily replied "No, I was just-" Just then, Lin Xueqing turned around to face him.

"You were just?!" She raised her brows.

"I was-" Quan Long was about to respond nevertheless froze as his eyes widen in astonishment. "Yo-You..Is that cigarette in your hand? Are you smoking?" "Yeah. Got any problem?" Lin Xueqing look at the cigarette in her hand before glancing at the boy in front of her.

She raised her hand to take a puff but Quan Long was even qui than her. He slapped it off her hand.

"Do you have a death wish?" Lin Xueqing angrily shouted at Quan Long who was stomping on the cigarette.

"Smoking is really injurious to health. It harms your lungs. Better stop it while you are at it than regretting later." Quan Long suggested looking straight at her.

He added " If you called me here just because you were bored, then I am leaving."

Lin Xueqing pursed her lips as her delicate brows knitted.

For the first time, she was speechless, She couldn't refute his words since she herself didn't know why she called him to meet so late at night when she was supposed to have long night drive by herself. Seeing her just silently standing there with no intention of speaking, Quan Long turned around to leave. "I am leaving. Don't call me again at a time like this."

Just as he took a few steps..

*Growl*

Quan Long froze. His mouth twitched as His cheeks started to flush red. ' Sh*t. Why my stomach is growling so loud in front of a girl? But why I feel like it was not coming from mine?'

*Growl*

Quan Long confirmed it wasn't his stomach. ' The-Then..Is it-' He turned around to see Lin Xueqing.

Contrary to his expectations, Lin Xueqing wasn't flustered at all instead she was frustrated.

"Why are being so loud? Didn't I already promised I will fill you later on time?Tsk So annoying!" She was lowering her head, peering at her stomach, as her displeased voice was heard in the silent park. Quan Long burst into laughter. Then only, Lin Xueqing realized that she actually spoke her mind. She was sheepish about it but didn't show it in her emotionless face.

Quan Long clutched his stomach as he was laughing like crazy. "Ah..* Giggle* When was the last time I laughed like this?*Wipes tears* Hmm, Sorry for laughing..Haha..Okay I will stop now."

Lin Xueqing was about to tell something but Quan Long interjected " Remember, you agreed to have lunch with me once. Since you haven't eaten yet why don't you join me? I am also starving. But if you don't want-"

Lin Xueqing cut him off " Let's go."

She began to walk without sparing him any more glances. Quan Long chuckled as he muttered under his breath "So cute.." before following behind her.

[Convenience store]

*Slurp*

"Eat slowly. You should have let it cool down first." Quan Long looked at Lin Xueqing who was slurping the hot noodles like a vacuum attached in her mouth.

He continued as he opened the soda can at the side "You really didn't eat anything since morning? You must be starving. *Passing the soda* Have it."

Lin Xueqing glared at him as she took the soda.

"Why are looking at me like that?" Quan Long inquired.

"Aren't you going to eat?" She asked, gulping down the soda in one go.

"Oh, The thing is I am not hungry." He replied with an awkward smile.

"You said you were starving not too long ago." Lin Xueqing spoke, drinking the soup of the noodles this time.

Quan Long clicked his tongue, He awkwardly chuckled "I was..But not now. For some reason, My stomach feels full-"

*Growl*

"Why don't you just tell me you don't have enough money?" Lin Xueqing asked, putting the bowl down.

Quan Long felt his ears burning in embarrassment. He hastily answered " It's not that I dont have money. The thing is I don't have money right now. I brought little money since I was intending to eat alone. Don't worry, Since I told you I will buy you a meal, I mean it. I will just have something at home."

She was silent for a while but eventually nodded her head. "Okay. As your wish. Since I finished eating, Let's go."

Quan Long pursed his lips as he asked "Won't you tell me the reason, why you called me so late at night? Is everything okay?"

Lin Xueqing who was in the midst of getting up, froze. She remembered the slap and the disappointment she got from her father not too long ago.

Gathering her thoughts, she glanced at Quan Long as she spoke " Nothing major. Today, I just got to ahead of myself and thought-"

'Thought to share my sufferings with someone whom I barely know.' These latter words were untold.

"Thought?" Quan Long was confused.

She noticed she made him puzzled so she hastily made an excuse "I got to ahead of myself and dazed out during Mr.Ning class. Now I don't know about the assignments given by him. I thought You, as class president, would help me. So, I called you."

Quan Long furrowed his brows, he asked while standing up "What? You called me so late at night just to know about Mr.Ning assignments? Are you sure, You don't have any other thing to share with me?" Lin Xueqing shook her head " No. Also There is no reason for me to lie to you. Tell me quickly, so that I will do it as soon as I get home."

Quan Long took a deep breath before he replied, his voice contained disappointment" There is no any assignment given by him. You could've just asked me on the phone, Why bother calling me to meet you in that dark park? I thought it was an urgent matter. Whatever, Let's go."

'How can she lie with that fingermarks in her swollen cheek? Tsk, Whatever, I tried. I can't do anything if she doesn't want to open up first.' He thought as he left the store.

She peered at his disappearing back, feeling a little guilty lying and wasting his time. She sighed as she followed him outside, midway she halted.