Any Closer and I'll Lose Control - Chapter 42

Meng Tang had taken a day off yesterday to visit the museum, but she still managed to have a classmate turn in her homework for her.

This morning, there was an internal selection, and Meng Tang’s work was unanimously praised.

The teacher asked her to come up and explain her creative ideas.

Here we go again. Meng Tang pointed at her work and said, “Isn’t it all written right here?”

Her reluctant attitude drew a round of laughter from her classmates.

The teacher tapped her on the head. “Your work is grand and elegant, so why must you be the opposite? I’m doing this for your own good.”

Meng Tang had no choice but to brace herself and step up.

If she were carving, she’d be completely at ease even with a crowd around her. But speaking in front of people? That made her skin crawl.

Her grandfather had once said she’d mastered the silence of wood, ten out of ten.

After just two or three sentences, the teacher sighed. “Can’t you elaborate a bit more?”

Meng Tang blinked innocently. “…But I’ve said everything.”

The teacher waved her hand. “Is that wood carving of yours for the competition fixed yet?”

Thinking the teacher was rushing her, Meng Tang was surprised. “Isn’t the submission deadline in December?”

“Just reminding you.”

“It’ll be ready by December.”

“Alright.”

…

In the afternoon, Meng Tang brought the wooden bookmark to the restoration lab.

She placed it in the repair area and stared at it, chuckling to herself. Such a tiny thing had made its way into a non-legacy restoration lab, talk about an upgrade.

Since it wasn’t the same piece of wood, there were many restoration methods to choose from. She decided on color matching: selecting a suitable material to fill in, blending the colors, then shaping and polishing it.

After half a day and three more days of work, the bookmark was finally restored, complete with a carved pendant.

That night, she brought it back to her dorm to test it. The moment she picked up a book, a pistachio leaf fluttered onto the desk.

Meng Tang picked it up and absentmindedly twirled it between her fingers, the ambiguous scene from that day flashing through her mind.

She shook her head and tucked the leaf back into the book.

She’d taken someone else’s leaf as a bookmark, only to end up giving one away in return.

Meng Tang texted Wei Chuan, letting him know the bookmark was ready.

Wei Chuan had already resumed training and only saw the message on his way back to the dorm. He arranged to meet her the next day.

Handing it over bare didn’t feel right, so Meng Tang rummaged through her desk drawer and found a long box, leftover from a hairpin she’d bought.

Coincidentally, the box was wooden, making it a perfect match.

As for the hairpin inside? It had broken long ago.

The next day was Saturday. Meng Tang and Wei Chuan met outside the boys’ dorm. After handing over the bookmark, she planned to head to the supermarket, her toiletries were nearly out.

By the time Meng Tang arrived, Wei Chuan was already waiting.

Casually standing there, he looked like a painting, no wonder so many girls had a crush on him.

Wei Chuan glanced up from his phone for the eighth time and spotted Meng Tang. He strode over immediately. “Is it fixed?”

Meng Tang pulled the box from her bag and handed it to him.

When Wei Chuan opened it, his eyes widened. The restored bookmark had a richer sheen. He reached out to touch it, the texture was like fine silk, smooth and delicate.

“How on earth did you do this?” Wei Chuan looked up, his voice brimming with excitement. “This is incredible. It’s like it was never damaged, and the color is even more beautiful than before, subtle, like amber.”

Meng Tang shrugged. “Even if I explained, you wouldn’t get it. Do you like the pendant?”

Wei Chuan looked down again. The pendant was strung with a waxed cotton cord in a matching hue, with lotus petals and a seedpod dangling at the bottom, exquisite and eye-catching.

He nodded repeatedly. “It’s beautiful.”

“As long as you like it,” Meng Tang said. “Koi and lotus are a natural pair in traditional culture. This way, the design feels more harmonious.”

Not just liking it, Wei Chuan was utterly enamored. He closed the box and asked, “What made you think of carving koi fish back then?”

Meng Tang replied, “Compared to plants and flowers, kids are obviously more interested in animals, insects, and fish. Plus, they’re all students. Ancient scholars loved using koi bookmarks because of the symbolism of the carp leaping over the dragon gate, a sign of good fortune. So, I thought I’d carve something auspicious.”

“And now that good fortune has landed on me,” Wei Chuan grinned smugly, “But I’m a student too, so it’s not a waste for you to give it to me.”

Meng Tang: “…”

Talk about shameless, he practically snatched it from her.

“Alright, mission accomplished. I’ve got things to do, so I’ll head out now.”

Wei Chuan followed her and said, “I’m going to buy some books.”

Meng Tang didn’t say anything until they entered the convenience store across from the school. Realizing Wei Chuan was still trailing her, she suddenly turned around.

“Why are you still following me?”

“I-I’m just getting a bottle of water.”

Meng Tang gestured for him to go ahead.

Just as Wei Chuan was about to step forward, someone called his name from behind.

Meng Tang turned and saw Xu Heqing and Xie Lingyin.

Wei Chuan asked, “What are you two doing here?”

“Alumni gathering today. We came to buy some stuff.” Xu Heqing said.

So that was it. Meng Tang knew they’d had gatherings since freshman year.

Wei Chuan gestured vaguely at them. “Why do you two look so down? Isn’t this a gathering?”

Xie Lingyin forced a smile. “Actually, an upperclassman from the South Campus is sick. Since we’re all from the same hometown, they organized us to see if we could help out a little.”

Wei Chuan: “Donations?”

Xie Lingyin nodded. She and Xu Heqing were both in the student council and had organizing experience. She guessed the idea was for them to coordinate with the school to arrange student donations.

After saying their goodbyes, Meng Tang bought her things and prepared to head back to her dorm. Wei Chuan suddenly snatched her laundry detergent from her.

Meng Tang was stunned. “Weren’t you going to buy books?”

“What books?” Wei Chuan motioned for her to hand over the tissues she was holding in her other hand. “This is so heavy, you really think you can carry it all back?”

Meng Tang: “…I can. When I used to go shopping with Shi Lan and the others, I always carried the most.”

Wei Chuan just wanted to call her an idiot.

He walked her all the way to her dorm before finally leaving.

Around nine in the evening, Meng Tang stepped out of the restoration room and got a call from Xie Lingyin, who was drunk and asking her to come pick her up.

“You’ve been drinking?” Meng Tang immediately started heading toward the gate.

Xie Lingyin mumbled a vague “Yeah,” too out of it to give a clear address. The bartender had to take her phone and relay the location to Meng Tang.

Meng Tang asked, “Is my friend alone?”

The voice on the other end replied, “Yeah, just her.”

Meng Tang: “Please keep an eye on her. I’m on my way.”

Xie Lingyin wasn’t even at a nearby bar, which made Meng Tang uneasy.

She immediately called Wei Chuan, who picked up quickly.

“Is Xu Heqing back in the dorm?”

She was panting from running.

Wei Chuan took off his headphones and tossed them on the desk. “No, why? What’s wrong?”

Still running, Meng Tang said, “I’m about to pass by your dorm. Lingyin’s drunk, can you come with me to get her?”

Bringing a guy along would make the trip back safer. Plus, Wei Chuan liked Xie Lingyin, he’d probably be happy to help.

Wei Chuan said, “Wait for me. I’ll come down now. Go ahead and hail a cab, I didn’t bring my car.”

Meng Tang gave a quick “Mm.”

Wei Chuan rushed out of the dormitory, saying, “Xu Heqing’s phone isn’t going through. Why is Xie Lingyin drinking alone?”

“No idea. Hurry up.”

“Slow down.”

“Come on, I’m fine.”

Finally reaching the school gate, the two hastily jumped into a car.

Following the address given by the bartender, the driver took twenty minutes to get there.

But upon entering the dim, hazy bar, there was no sign of Xie Lingyin. Meng Tang instantly broke into a cold sweat.