CH 17

So, in the end, the source of the rumors was actually her?

“If you like him, go after him.”

The original sentence, what happened in the middle, can it be passed on like this?

Tang Xia suddenly wanted to laugh, it’s absurd and ironic.

She didn’t know what kind of mood she had when she finished the last exam. In short, she was in a daze, and she kept playing that sentence in her mind, as well as Gu Qing’s aggrieved cry that night, and Han Yu’s mocking smile that night.

Tang Xia was at a loss for everything, as if…someone swore to avenge her friend with a big knife, and finally found that her big knife was stained with the blood of her own friend.

She is that person.

“Tang Xia,” Yu Man said, standing outside her examination room, she had already packed her schoolbag, “Why are you still standing there, let’s go!” The girl had a bright smile on her face, it was obvious that winter vacation was coming, she was in a very good mood.

Tang Xia was in a trance, carried her bag, and when she came out, her expression was a little ugly.

“What’s the matter?” Yu Man and her have been friends for many years, and she even felt that Tang Xia’s mood was not right, “Did you failed the exam? Or are you sick?”

Tang Xia shook her head, “I’m okay.”

The two girls went back to the classroom arm in arm, and the head teacher explained a lot, such as safety issues during the holidays, the division of subjects in the next semester, and so on.

The students below were in a commotion, and they couldn’t hold back and cleaned up their books and stationery. Tang Xia propped her chin with one hand, her eyes were empty, and the tip of the pen was drawn on the notebook every now and then.

The teachers in each class handed out the homework, and the test papers were stacked one on top of the other. The boys shouted “Ah!”, and the smooth-tongued people began to fight with the teacher——

“We only let it go for a month, not a year, teacher!”

Tang Xia turned her head to look at the voice, and the first place in her line of sight was Gu Qing.

Since that incident, her temperament has become much calmer, and she is no longer as carefree, lively and outgoing as before.

Perhaps, people are really easily influenced and changed.

And Tang Xia could no longer see Gu Qing opening and closing.

The girl suffocated for breath, as if her throat was blocked by something, she throat was so dry that she couldn’t utter a word.

She pursed her lips, and turned her head back silently.

The classrooms are noisy, and the upcoming vacation also means that they will be separated from the teacher who has been with them for more than a year. The warm and intimate atmosphere created between teachers and students infected everyone, and the emotional girls even had slightly red eyes.

Except Tang Xia.

At this moment, her emotions seemed numb.

Winter vacation is here.

The university holidays were later than high school, and Tang Xia stayed at home alone for about a week before Tang Zhihai and Tang Xuan came back.

During Lunar New Year in previous years, Tang Zhihai would bring his pair of children back to his parents’ home. But that year he decided to invite Tang Xia’s grandparents to his home for the New Year.

And that year’s New Year’s Eve was very early, so all preparations were made much earlier.

Tang Xuan and Tang Xia went to buy new year’s goods, and the supermarket was full of red, festive items.

Tang Xia’s emotions recovered a lot, but she was just hesitating whether to call Gu Qing or not. She has a soft temperament, and she was afraid that if she said something, it would be embarrassing if it affected the relationship between the two of them.

“Do you want this?” Tang Xuan was always gentle with his sister, took a pack of snacks, and asked Tang Xia with his head down.

She shook her head, “Brother, what happened to Tan Xiao?” This was something Tang Xia had always kept in mind, but it was difficult to ask because of her father’s presence when he was at home.

Tang Xuan was slightly taken aback, “You really want to know that?” The younger sister in his memory seemed to have slowly grown up, as persistent as himself.

Tang Xia nodded vigorously.

He silently put down the snacks and pushed the shopping cart forward.

“It’s getting… bigger and bigger.”

Tang Xuan’s clean voice was mixed with a trace of helplessness and regret, but it happened to be overshadowed by the “Happy New Year” singing from the supermarket radio.

Tang Xia didn’t hear it, and trotted to catch up, grabbing the hem of her brother’s clothes and not letting go.

Tang Xuan pushed the cart to the fitness area of the supermarket, where there are few people and quiet, suitable for talking.

“Xiao Xia,” the tall boy turned around, his brows and eyes were light, revealing a little bit of seriousness and depth, “What kind of person do you think Tan Xiao is?”

He asked this strangely, and Tang Xia couldn’t react for a while.

“Hmm…” The girl bit her lower lip, hesitated after thinking for a moment, “I don’t know, but he should be… quite powerful, right?”

She answered very honestly. At that time, Tang Xia was a person who could only concentrate on studying. When she saw someone like Tan Xiao or Qin Yuan, she subconsciously felt that the fights were serious, so don’t provoke them.

This kind of thinking is very normal. Let alone students at that time, the parents of students also educate their children in this way.

Don’t go with the so-called “thugs” and make friends.

So Tang Xia is not optimistic about Yu Man’s liking for Qin Yuan. Even though she clearly knew that this kind of evaluation could not be used to judge anyone, but for no reason, she felt conflicted in her heart.

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that she witnessed Qin Yuan beating a thin boy in the laboratory building?

Tang Xuan suddenly smiled, but it wasn’t the smile Tang Xia was familiar with. Even though he was equally handsome and gentle, there was something she couldn’t understand.

“Then do you remember, when you were about to take the high school entrance examination, there was a time when our father got really angry with me?” Tang Xuan asked again.

Tang Xia nodded without thinking about it, the impression was too deep.

“I remember, you were my age back then.”

Tang Zhihai is a professor. Tang Xia has never seen him get angry since she was a child. It was an extremely rare time, so she remembered it very clearly.

But what was the reason, Tang Xia didn’t dare to ask at the time, and the matter passed naturally.

“Because Dad didn’t know until that day that I was hanging out with Tan Xiao and the others.”

Tang Xia opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

“Dad has always thought that I am a good student, and the friends around me should be the kind who are good at solving problems or playing basketball, but my friends are good at fighting,” Tang Xuan’s tone was very calm, without any blame, “So he was very angry.”

In fact, Tang Xuan blamed him back then, but now he feels that it’s not his father’s fault.

It seems like every parent thinks so.

“Brother,” Tang Xia said in a low voice, “What exactly are you trying to say?” She really didn’t understand.

Tang Xuan rubbed her head, messed up the soft hair on the girl’s forehead, and then helped her smooth it out.

“I want to tell you what kind of person Tan Xiao is,” Tang Xuan said softly, “and his current…situation.”

He pulled her to sit down on a step in the corner of the fitness area, and after a moment of silence he asked, “What do you want to know first?”

Tang Xia suddenly felt flustered.

Her brother’s expression was too serious, and she seemed to foresee some uneasiness.

“He…how is he now?” Tang Xia whispered.

“On the run.” Tang Xuan said three words, but these three words shocked Tang Xia.

“On the run?” The girl’s eyes widened, with an expression of disbelief, “Didn’t you say—” She thought Tan Xiao would be held legally responsible, but Tang Xuan interrupted her before she could finish her sentence.

“Well,” he replied, and said, “he escaped.”

Tang Xia was obviously taken aback.

“To be precise, he escaped from prison.”