Lin Jing returned to her room, only then realizing what she had done.
She had calmly told people she was there to get water, why then did she turn and run?
Lin Jing closed her eyes, suddenly feeling an urge to immediately pack her bags and leave.
It was mainly too embarrassing.
She couldn't bear to stay any longer.
The more Lin Jing recalled, the more foolish she felt her reaction downstairs was. In her agony, she turned and gently knocked her head against the door.
Two crisp knocks came from outside the door, startling Lin Jing. She raised her hand to cover her forehead, and after confirming the sound wasn't from her own actions, she called out, "Who?"
No one answered.
"Who is it?" Lin Jing asked again.
It was still quiet outside the door.
Lin Jing suspected she had misheard, but felt the possibility was low. She quietly turned the doorknob and opened the door.
The hallway was empty, no one in sight.
"..."
Did she really mishear?
Lin Jing puffed out her cheeks and casually closed the door.
She stopped halfway, then lowered her gaze to the floor.
A bottle of water.
Lin Jing bent down to pick it up and twisted the cap.
A bottle of water with the cap already opened.
Lin Jing held the bottle, staring at the empty corridor for a moment, then closed the door.
She drank about half the bottle, her thirst significantly relieved. She screwed the cap back on and placed it on the table. After a pause, she couldn't resist grabbing her phone.
She opened WeChat, hesitated over Sheng Kuang's name, and tapped it.
Xiao Jing Jiang: Was it you who left the water?
Several minutes later, her phone vibrated.
…
In short, the opinions were varied, mostly bashing Sheng Kuang mercilessly.
Sheng Kuang had many female fans, and their combat power was considerable. Although most people were asleep late at night, some comments still managed to surface.
"How is Kuang Zai not strong anymore? How many championships did Kuang Zai win before? How many consecutive matches did he win? Looking at all the KPL teams now, whose achievements are more brilliant than his?"
This comment had many replies, and most of the top ones were not favorable.
"Don't always talk about the past."
"What about now? Show us Sheng Kuang's current achievements."
"Sheng Kuang and his fans can only live in the past."
Faced with such questions, there was no way to refute them.
Any competition is judged by results. Sheng Kuang's performance in the past year or so has been a blank slate. His past glory was destined to remain in the past; the past could never replace the present, nor could it represent the future.
Lin Jing slowly exhaled. Just as she was about to exit Weibo, her phone suddenly buzzed.
miracle: Mm.
Sheng Kuang had replied, with just one word.
Lin Jing didn't know how to respond. After much deliberation, she decided not to reply at all.
As she was about to exit their WeChat chat, her phone screen flickered, and a small line of text popped up: "miracle" patted me, and she gave me a hug.
From Sheng Kuang's perspective, this should have been: I patted "Xiao Jing Jiang," and she gave me a hug.
When the WeChat "pat" feature was released, Lin Jing had set this phrase. Usually, no one patted her. At most, people in the dorm group would pat her a couple of times. Since they were all girls, there was no issue with it. But now, seeing it directed at Sheng Kuang, for some reason, Lin Jing felt a bit sensitive and found it rather strange.
miracle: Goodnight.
Seeing Sheng Kuang's next message, Lin Jing replied with "Goodnight." Then Sheng Kuang patted her again.
Lin Jing: "..."
The awkwardness and indescribable strangeness intensified in her heart. Lin Jing stared at the screen for two seconds, then double-tapped Sheng Kuang's profile picture: I patted "miracle."
Sheng Kuang hadn't set a message for his "pat." To alleviate her own awkwardness, Lin Jing cleared her throat and typed.
Xiao Jing Jiang: You should change your phrase. Yours isn't fashionable at all.
miracle: ...
Lin Jing thought that after Sheng Kuang sent the ellipsis, he probably wouldn't text her again. But to her surprise, Sheng Kuang's message came through again.
miracle: Change it to what?
Xiao Jing Jiang: Huh?
miracle: Pat.
Xiao Jing Jiang: Ah, this, you can change it to whatever you like.
Xiao Jing Jiang: Think of something friendly, don't insult people. Otherwise, if a big fan of yours pats you, it'll be awkward.
Sheng Kuang disappeared again.
Lin Jing didn't pay much attention. It was getting late, and she planned to put her phone down and sleep. However, she visibly saw "miracle" jump to the top of her WeChat homepage: "miracle" patted me, and she gave me a hug.
Lin Jing: "..."
Is he possessed? Is he addicted to playing "pat"? Go find Chen Jing, go find Lan Bowen!
Lin Jing thought, then tapped into WeChat.
Perhaps because she hadn't replied, he patted her again.
Lin Jing was silent for three seconds, then perfunctorily patted Sheng Kuang.
"miracle" patted me, and she gave me a hug.
I patted "miracle," and he gave me a hug back.