Any Closer and I'll Lose Control - Chapter 9

When Meng Tang saw Wei Chuan, her eyes curved into a smile.

They had agreed to meet today for a meal, and he was probably on his way back to his dorm to change clothes when he happened to pass by.

She noticed he ignored the petty Wang Jue and walked straight up to her.

“How’s your hand?” Wei Chuan asked.

Meng Tang smiled. “Much better. The stitches come out tomorrow.”

Their familiarity was obvious, and Wang Jue scoffed, pointing at Meng Tang. “So, when you came looking for me last Friday, it was for her?”

Wei Chuan turned and looked down at Wang Jue. “If her hand wasn’t injured, you wouldn’t even have the chance to criticize her. After all, I was the one who taught her.”

Wang Jue let out a mocking laugh. “And this is the kind of person you taught?”

“My job was to get her through the exam, and I’m a hundred percent sure she passed,” Wei Chuan retorted with a cold smile. “But you, a grown man, picking on a girl? If word got out, you’d be the one embarrassing the entire Sports Institute, don’t you think?”

“Wei Chuan,” Wang Jue growled, his anger flaring. “Why are you here instead of training?”

“The coach hasn’t even questioned me. Who are you to?” Wei Chuan lifted Meng Tang’s wrist. “I was the one who took her to the hospital when she hurt her hand. A 4.5-centimeter diagonal cut, flesh turned inside out, blood everywhere. And here you are, acting tough?”

Wang Jue frowned at Wei Chuan. “Stay out of this.”

“Oh, I’m definitely getting involved,” Wei Chuan shot back, amused rather than angry. “Throwing your weight around just because you’re a year older? Who the hell do you think you are? Back home, I’ve got a whole family doting on me like I’m some precious treasure.”

One of the guys behind Wei Chuan teased, “Senior, don’t you know our Chuan here has another name at home, Yaozu?”

Wei Chuan: “…Shut the hell up.”

It was just because he had three older sisters that they joked about him being the “pride of the family.”

Growing up, he’d been both bullied and spoiled rotten by those three sisters.

Meng Tang couldn’t help but smirk at Wei Chuan’s expression. She was well aware of the “Yaozu” joke.

Shi Lan, thinking she didn’t know, whispered in her ear, “Wei Chuan has three sisters.”

Meng Tang was still surprised for a moment, three sisters?

Wang Jue knew he couldn’t win against Wei Chuan in a direct confrontation, so he swallowed his temper and said,

“She claimed her hand was injured and couldn’t touch the ball, so I told her to run instead. What’s wrong with that?”

“You told Meng Tang to run five laps,” Shi Lan sneered. “And she was here to ask for leave.”

“What’s wrong with five laps?” Wang Jue deliberately ignored the second half of Shi Lan’s sentence. “I didn’t set a time limit. She could go at her own pace.”

Shi Lan: “You were just trying to make things difficult for her. Meng Tang’s hand is injured, and it’s scorching hot outside. What if she got heatstroke or fell-”

“Is her hand really that precious?” Wang Jue cut her off again. “It’s just a minor injury, and she’s making a big deal out of it, acting like some princess. This is school. If she’s here for class, she follows the rules.”

“You’re damn right her hand is precious,” Shi Lan snapped, her temper flaring. “Ten of you aren’t worth one of her fingers. Do you even know who she is?”

Wei Chuan raised an eyebrow. Oh-ho! A hidden identity?

Most of the girls from the Art Institute watched Wang Jue with schadenfreude, their expressions unsurprised, clearly, they already knew about Meng Tang’s “status.”

“What? Is she the dean’s daughter or something?” Wang Jue mocked.

“Not the dean’s daughter,” Shi Lan said coldly. “But even our institute director calls her ‘little junior sister.’”

“Have you even checked the living legend on our academy’s official website?”

“Meng Tang’s grandfather is Meng Yuchun, a master of boxwood carving and a national intangible cultural heritage inheritor with unparalleled skills. Do you understand how important her hands are as his successor?”

“She’s only a sophomore, yet art galleries are already waiting to offer her internships.”

“Every piece she carves in class starts at five figures.”

“Go look at the authoritative list in ‘Contemporary Chinese Arts and Crafts Collection’, see who the youngest name is.”

“At eighteen, her debut work ‘Mischievous Children Playing with Geese’ won gold at the Traditional Wood Carving Techniques Competition and was selected for the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition. It’s now housed in the provincial museum.”

“The insurance on her hands is set at Master Meng’s standard. The annual premium would cost more than your worth.”

“Meng Tang kept her injury quiet. If our dean found out, a scolding would be the least of your worries.”

“Meng Tang is low-key and avoids arguments, but that doesn’t mean she’s a pushover.”

Wang Jue was left speechless, his face alternating between green and white. He had no idea Meng Tang was this remarkable.

Shi Lan finally vented her frustration, her chest feeling lighter as she looked at Wang Jue like he was an idiot.

The field fell silent. The girls from the elective class wore expressions of shared indignation, mixed with a hint of pride.

Wang Jue’s face flushed red, sweat beading on his forehead, but the words of apology stuck in his throat.

Meng Tang wasn’t particularly interested in his apology. She turned to Shi Lan and said, “I invited Wei Chuan to dinner tonight. Want to join?”

Shi Lan’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

Meng Tang glanced at Wei Chuan, who nodded. “Sure, I don’t mind if you bring your whole dorm.”

Meng Tang pondered, was Wei Chuan hinting at something? Did he mean for her to bring Xie Lingyin?

But things had been inconvenient lately, and her roommates had helped her a lot.

“Then let’s all go,” Meng Tang said. “How many are on your side?”

Since he was the one treating, Wei Chuan didn’t want to invite his entire dorm either. He looked at Meng Tang and said, “Just Xu Heqing.”

Meng Tang understood Wei Chuan was creating an opportunity for her and averted her eyes, embarrassed.

Before leaving the field, Meng Tang called her teacher in front of Wang Jue and got permission to skip the rest of class. Shi Lan naturally tagged along.

Wang Jue, now a laughingstock, barked orders for the remaining students to keep practicing, but few listened.

Meng Tang walked off flanked by Wei Chuan and Shi Lan. After chatting for a bit, they split up to return to their dorms.

Xie Lingyin and Yang Ke returned from their elective class and, upon hearing about the dinner invitation, politely hesitated.

Shi Lan teased, “Oh well, too bad. Only Meng Tang and I will get to feast our eyes on Wei Chuan and Xu Heqing, then.”

“Wei Chuan and Xu Heqing are going too?” Yang Ke shrieked.

Xie Lingyin turned slightly, listening intently.

Meng Tang smiled. “Wei Chuan took me to the hospital when I cut my hand. I owe him a meal, but he was busy until today.”

“I’m in!” Yang Ke yanked down her bun. “I need a shower. Anyone joining me?”

Xie Lingyin raised her phone. “I’ll make a call outside.”

Shi Lan nodded and leaned toward Meng Tang. “Don’t you think Lingyin’s been in a bad mood lately? She’s been so cold.”

Meng Tang shook her head. “Not really.”

“Clueless,” Shi Lan muttered.

Meng Tang lowered her eyes with a faint smile and took a shirt jacket from the wardrobe.

The phone on the table rang. Seeing it was Wei Chuan calling, Meng Tang answered.

“Xu Heqing has some business at the External Liaison Department and might be late. He’ll take a taxi there himself.”

That meant he had agreed.

Meng Tang shyly pursed her lips and said, “Then, could you go with me first to order the dishes?”

Wei Chuan immediately understood her meaning. As Xu Heqing’s roommate, he naturally knew what he liked to eat.

“Sure, I’ll drive the car to Building 19 and wait for you downstairs.”