A few of Sang Yu’s course mates walked over.
Sang Yu held Shen Peichuan’s hand tightly and whispered, “They can get a little too hospitable and might make you feel uncomfortable.”
Shen Peichuan responded by tightening his grip on her hand. I should be able to handle a group of undergraduates.
Being a tall man, Shen Peichuan stood out from the people there and caught everyone’s attention.
Sang Yu then introduced Shen Peichuan to her course mates, “He is…”
“Your husband, yea, we know,” one of the course mates interrupted her and started studying Shen Peichuan. She then let out a sigh. “No wonder she wanted to get married even before she graduates. What a rare specimen.”
“I was the one who was in a hurry to marry her. She is the rare gem,” Shen Peichuan said.
Wow!
A commotion suddenly broke out among the course mates.
Sang Yu pressed her lips and looked at Shen Peichuan.
That answer had somewhat warmed her heart and put a smile on her face.
“Stop it, you guys,” Sang Yu was so embarrassed. She then turned around, looked at Shen Peichuan, and pointed at the course mate who spoke earlier, “She’s my roommate, Chen Nan.”
“Hello,” Shen Peichuan greeted her.
Sang Yu then introduced all her course mates to him. Shen Peichuan looked at everyone and said, “Thank you for taking care of Sang Yu. Please continue to support her.”
They answered, “We’re not only course mates but friends. Of course, we’ll look out for each other. In fact, we didn’t really take care of her too.”
Li Ya, one of the male course mates said, “Let’s go over there for the barbecue. We brought some good stuff for tonight.”
Everyone then walked towards the barbecue site.
Sang Yu intentionally walked slower, so she could grab his hand and whisper in his ear, “Are you okay?”
She knew Shen Peichuan was a serious man who detested nonsense. Yet, all her course mates were a bunch of noisy and jovial people. She was afraid he might not fit in.
I shouldn’t have come. It was a mistake. We should have just stayed home and watched television programs. He would have been able to get more rest too.
If only I knew he’s coming back. Sigh.
Shen Peichuan leaned forward and spoke softly into her ear, “They seem nice. Don’t worry about me.”
Sang Yu responded with a grin.
“Hey, what are you two lovebirds talking about? Come faster! You can catch up with each other when you get home, or else we’ll punish you for the public display of affection!”
Sang Yu and Shen Peichuan then walked over. The other course mates turned on the lightbulbs that brightened the entire barbecue area.
They had done barbecuing all the skewers, and the food was displayed on the plates.
Since Shen Peichuan was the oldest among them all, everyone addressed him as Mr. Shen out of respect. Li Ya, who had a can of Sprite and Coke in his hands, asked, “Mr. Shen, which do you prefer?”
“Either one is fine,” Shen Peichuan answered.
Li Ya then gave him a can of Coke. “Here you go.”
Shen Peichuan took over the drink and thanked him.
As they were giggling, laughing, and talking about university life and ambition, Shen Peichuan could only sit quietly and listen to them. He was not annoyed by these youngsters. On the contrary, he enjoyed listening to their conversation.
It reminded him of the good old days when he was still a student too.
How time flies.
Sang Yu cared deeply about Shen Peichuan’s feelings. Once in a while, she would nudge him or touch his hand on purpose to see if he were all right.
“We’ve been talking about ourselves and forgot about Mr. Shen. Why don’t we play a game?”
“What game?”
“How about truth or dare?”
“Sure!”
Once everyone agreed, they found a ladle and placed it above a plate that had been flipped over. One of them would then spin the ladle twice, and once the ladle pointed at two people, they would have to play a game of rock, paper, scissors. The loser would have to answer the winner’s question and must come clean.
There were so many questions they wished to ask Sang Yu and Shen Peichuan, but luck seemed to be on their side all the time.
The first round was between Wang Tingxue and a male course mate, who lost to her in the game of rock, paper, scissors. Wang Tingxue then asked him, “How many girlfriends have you had?”
The boy answered frankly, “Four.”
“What? I’ve not even been in a relationship before, and you had four girlfriends?” another male course mate exclaimed in disbelief.
Wang Tingxue teased, “You must have started dating at the age of sixteen, huh, Casanova? Did you change your girlfriend every year since you’re now twenty years old?”
The male course mate responded with an awkward smile.
“All right! Let’s continue.”
Someone was eager to move on. Wang Tingxue then grumbled, “Should have asked him a more challenging question.”
If I win again, I’ll ask them when did he first have sex!
But the moment she turned around and saw Shen Peichuan and Sang Yu, she immediately gave up the idea. The purpose of this game was to ask people their most personal questions, but since Shen Peichuan was around, she was a little hesitant.
Shen Peichuan was a senior, and they were all his juniors. Wang Tingxue did not want him to think of her as a disrespectful person.
Next, the ladle pointed at Sang Yu and another male course mate.
Sang Yu lost in the game and had to answer his question.
The boy took a glance at Shen Peichuan and put on a cheeky smile, “Who stole your first kiss?”
That question had caught everyone’s attention, and they all looked at Sang Yu.
Shen Peichuan remained relatively calm.
Sang Yu expected they would ask this kind of question. She grinned and looked at Shen Peichuan. “My hubby.”
Everyone started expressing their disappointment. They initially thought they might get some juicy details from that question.
Some five rounds later, it was finally Shen Peichuan’s turn. So many of them wished they could ask the questions they had in their minds.
This time, it was Li Ya. He chuckled, “Are you ready, Mr. Shen?”
Shen Peichuan said, “I don’t know how to play this game. Can I just give up?”
“Sure. If you give up, you’ll have to answer one question.”
“Do I still need to answer your question even if I give up? Well then, I guess I should at least put up a fight.”
Li Ya and Shen Peichuan then battled it out in the game of rock, paper, scissors.
In the end, Li Ya still won the game. He looked at Shen Peichuan and smirked, “You have to tell the truth, Mr. Shen.”
Shen Peichuan nodded. “Shoot the question.”
All the other course mates started giving Li Ya idea on what to ask.
“Ask him about his first kiss.”
“No, no. no. Ask him who does he think of every night before he sleeps.”
“Ask him if he’ll drool when he sleeps.”
“Does he have the habit of scratching his feet?”
Li Ya shook his head. “Keep thinking. Give me a better question.”
Shen Peichuan knitted his brows. These kids.
“Me! I have a question.” Wang Tingxue suddenly raised her voice.
Everyone turned around and looked at her.
