C1 Su Muyan

"Cheers!"

Eight beer mugs clinked together, sending frothy white beer spilling over the rims and onto the scrumptious dishes scattered across the table.

The eight spirited young men each hoisted their mugs high and tilted their heads back, downing the beer in one enthusiastic gulp.

"Haha! Refreshing!"

Having emptied their mugs, the young men exchanged wordless glances, then erupted into another round of hearty laughter, oblivious to the disapproving looks from other patrons.

Settling back into their seats, a youth with flowing locks turned to his friends and asked, "So, brothers, we've got to submit our college preferences next Monday. Have you all decided where you want to apply?"

"Chengdu Institute! It's got to be Chengdu Institute!"

No sooner had the long-haired youth finished speaking than a round-faced youth with sparkling eyes burst into an animated endorsement, "That's the dream destination for anyone who admires beauty!"

"Agreed!"

"Agreed +1!"

The other youths chimed in enthusiastically, their eyes alight with a shared excitement, yet the stoic youth at the center merely pressed his lips together, remaining silent.

"What's the matter, Mo? You don't want to stick with your brothers anymore?"

Noticing his friend's mood, the long-haired youth glanced at him quizzically and casually tossed him a cigarette.

The stoic youth caught the cigarette but didn't light it, instead tucking it behind his ear. Before he could speak, the round-faced youth gave him an understanding pat on the shoulder and sighed, "Mo Fanchen, you've been after Su Muyan since we started school, and for three years she's turned you down. Three years! Even a stone would be warm by now, but Su Muyan is still cold to you. Can't you really let her go?"

"Ah! Who's to say? Three years, that's three years of my prime youth!" Mo Fanchen sighed deeply, his voice tinged with a mix of wistfulness and frustration, "In terms of looks, I, Mo Fanchen, am hailed as the Gu Tianle of Zouver! As for character and academics, the wall of honor at the Mo family's home, covered with 'Outstanding Student' awards, speaks volumes. With my exemplary record, I simply can't fathom any reason she'd have to reject me..."

"Enough! Enough!"

A teenager, his face marked with a few acne blemishes, cut off Mo Fanchen's self-praise with a sudden realization. "I finally figured out the key reason Su Muyan rejected you!"

Mo Fanchen gave the acne-ridden teen a puzzled look.

"Your skin is too thick! Hahahaha!"

The teenager's response set off a wave of laughter among the others.

"The misty mist is gone, yet fate descends into the mortal world after the rain!" A bespectacled teen ceased his laughter, shook his head as he recited the line of poetry, then slung an arm around Mo Fanchen's shoulder and said with a mischievous grin, "Mo, I've been telling you, Su Muyan is out of your league. The 'fate' in the poem is the one for you! Haha!"

"Descend into the mortal world? Haha! Don't get too excited!" The quick-witted ones among them chuckled knowingly.

"Go to hell!"

Mo Fanchen wasn't bothered by his friends' teasing; after all, three years as dorm mates meant no joke was off-limits.

After shooting a glare at his buddies, Mo Fanchen lifted his wine glass and made a bold declaration to everyone, "I, Mo Fanchen, hereby swear that no matter where Su Muyan goes, I will win her over!"

...

Freed from the burdens of academia and no longer high school students, Mo Fanchen and his friends let loose, drinking until the world spun.

As the evening wore on, the barrage of calls from worried parents grew more insistent, prompting the group to call it a night and stagger out of the restaurant.

"Ugh!"

Not far from parting with his friends, Mo Fanchen, unsteady on his feet, could no longer keep the churning in his stomach at bay. He leaned against a nearby utility pole and retched.

Once the nausea subsided, the cool night breeze helped clear Mo Fanchen's foggy head.

The street, now nearing midnight, had shed its daytime bustle, with only a few scattered pedestrians wandering without purpose.

Among these late-night wanderers, a familiar and graceful silhouette suddenly caught Mo Fanchen's eye from across the street!

The figure was clad in a tight, sequined mini dress that accentuated her striking curves, paired with black stockings encasing her long legs, an invitation to sin. Her chestnut waves were casually tossed back, and the click-clack of her fiery red high heels echoed distinctly on the chilly, deserted street.

Mo Fanchen, having confirmed the identity of the figure in his mind over and over, felt as if his brain had been struck by several bolts of lightning.

"This! This! Is that Su Muyan?!"

The alluring and sensual woman was none other than Su Muyan, the goddess whom Mo Fanchen had doggedly pursued for three years. She was the epitome of purity and grace, the school's beauty who seemed too ethereal for this world.

Now, Su Muyan's provocative attire completely shattered the pristine image Mo Fanchen held of her in his memory.

Words and images of degradation and indecency bombarded Mo Fanchen's thoughts!

Meanwhile, Su Muyan appeared oblivious to Mo Fanchen's presence.

She strutted down the street like a proud peacock, her face heavily made up, growing more distant in Mo Fanchen's view. The sound of her footsteps seemed to trample his adoration for her into pieces.

"Damn it!"

In a fit of frenzy, Mo Fanchen slapped himself hard, cursing with a mix of anger and confusion, "Mo Fanchen, oh Mo Fanchen! The girl you've chased for three years turns out to be this kind of person! How could you fall for someone like her? You must be truly blind!"

Mo Fanchen pulled the cigarette from behind his ear, hoping to soothe his tumultuous emotions with a smoke. But his hands, shaking like leaves in the wind, couldn't manage to light the cursed cigarette.

"To hell with this!"

Overwhelmed by his emotions, Mo Fanchen hurled the lighter and cigarette to the ground and viciously stomped on the remnants.

Yet, even this outburst couldn't suppress the unsavory images of Su Muyan's liaisons with various men from flooding his mind.

A mix of rage, humiliation, and resentment surged within him.

"I have to get to the bottom of this! I must find out why!" he gasped, his eyes bloodshot as he stared in the direction Su Muyan had gone, his teeth clenched in determination.

Unaware of Mo Fanchen's turmoil, Su Muyan continued on her way, her posture haughty as she accentuated her slender waist and clicked her high heels deliberately, seemingly craving the attention of passersby.

Soon, Su Muyan's calculated moves paid off handsomely. Five ruffian youths, like sharks catching a whiff of blood, eagerly surrounded her with raucous laughter.

"Hey, sweet thing, you're looking pretty sharp! How about a few drinks with us? I'm really good at taking care of people, you know!"

A young man sporting a nose ring leered at Su Muyan's long legs, his eyes alight with mischief as he stroked his chin.

"Hehe, why don't you come with me? My bed's big and soft – I guarantee you'll have the time of your life!"

Another youth flaunted his tattooed arm and reached for Su Muyan's arm with a half-threatening gesture.

With the grace of a startled swan, Su Muyan nimbly sidestepped the tattooed youth's grasping hand. After a thorough appraisal of the young men, she shook her head slightly, a tinge of regret in her gesture.

"Hey, girl! Are you not impressed with me? Maybe it's because we haven't properly communicated. Once we do, I'm sure you'll fall head over heels for me!" The persistent youth said, grinding his teeth.

"Alright then! Let's have a proper chat!" Su Muyan cooed, casting a flirtatious look at the five youths before seductively beckoning with her finger and retreating into a dimly lit alley.

The five thugs, enticed by such a stunning woman, had no intention of turning her down. They followed Su Muyan into the alley, laughing salaciously.

Mo Fanchen, who had been following her, rounded the corner where Su Muyan had vanished, only to find the street deserted.

She moved so quickly? Where could she have gone?

As Mo Fanchen puzzled over her disappearance, a series of agonized male screams captured his attention.

Without a moment's delay, Mo Fanchen dashed into the alley from which the screams emanated, only to be met with a jaw-dropping sight.

In the shadowy alley, four disreputable-looking men lay scattered on the ground, occasionally letting out faint moans. Amidst them stood an alluring figure, like a femme fatale, effortlessly gripping a man's head in one hand. The man appeared to be unconscious, limply dragged along the ground like a lifeless dog.

"Mo Fanchen? What brings you here?"

Su Muyan tossed the man aside and gazed at Mo Fanchen, who had just shown up at the entrance of the alley, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"I...uh..."

Mo Fanchen, who had prepared his questions during the journey, was taken aback by the sight of men strewn across the ground. His brain, momentarily frozen, struggled to find the words to explain his presence.

But the awkward moment was fleeting. Mo Fanchen felt a sudden rush of air behind him, and a palpable sense of pressure swiftly enveloped his back!

Su Muyan's eyes, fixed on something behind Mo Fanchen, grew colder, and her alluring face was suddenly etched with frost.

"Feng Qingliu, you've finally shown yourself!"