Redemption from the Abyss: The School Beauty Insists on Pulling Me Out of the Mire

Old Li gathered everyone back at the school gate.

He opened his mouth as if to say something formal, but in the end he just waved his hand.

"Alright, the exams are all over, so I won't get sentimental anymore."

"Before the results come out, eat well, sleep well, have fun, and don't overthink things."

Shen Hao raised his hand from behind.

"Teacher, can we drink in a proper way then?"

Old Li glared at him, but couldn't hide his smile.

"You're eighteen now, so go ahead and drink, just don't get into any trouble."

Everyone laughed.

After laughing, Old Li stood there and looked at them for a few seconds, then rubbed the bridge of his nose with the back of his hand.

"Go on, everyone disperse."

He turned around and walked into the campus, then turned back after a few steps and added another sentence.

Remember to come back and visit me during summer vacation.

The crowd dispersed at the school gate.

The parents led their children toward the parking lot, and Xie Zhengyang waved goodbye to Xie Wang and left first.

Su Chengyun and Lin Wanyi rolled up the banner, and Su Yu rode on Su Chengyun's neck, still muttering that he wanted to thank Xie Wang for teaching him how to play Glory.

Lin Wanyi walked to Su Qinghe's side and tidied the stray hairs that had been blown around her ears by the wind.

"You two have a good time today, no need to rush back. Your dad and I will be waiting for you at home."

Su Qinghe nodded.

"Mom, it might be a little late."

Lin Wanyi glanced at Xie Wang standing beside her, her tone very ordinary.

"It's okay later. Be careful and have Xie Wang take good care of you."

Xie Wang nodded.

"Don't worry, Auntie."

Su Chengyun gestured for them to leave, and the family of three got into the car and drove off first.

Su Yu stuck his head out of the car window and shouted at Xie Wang.

"Brother-in-law, will help me rank up tomorrow!"

Xie Wangchong gave him an OK sign.

Having just experienced the high-pressure college entrance examination, how could these seventeen- or eighteen-year-old boys and girls easily relax?

Shen Hao suggested in the group chat that we must get together tonight.

"Brothers, let's drink until we drop tonight!"

"Anyone who can stay home is a puppy!"

The group immediately erupted in agreement.

As the squad leader, Su Qinghe naturally took on the important task assigned by the organization.

She posted her location in the group chat.

"A KTV in the center of Jiangcheng."

"I've already booked the largest private room."

"Come on over if you want to."

When the message was sent to the class group, the whole group exploded instantly.

In less than forty minutes, almost all forty students from Class 1 of Senior Three had arrived.

As soon as the door to the private room opened, a large screen covering an entire wall came into view. The circular sofa was covered with thick plush cushions, and the coffee table was filled with fruit platters and snacks.

The lights were turned to a dark blue, and warm-up music was playing from the speakers.

Shen Hao was the first to rush forward and grab the microphone.

"I'll start with a song to warm up the whole class."

After about four or five songs, someone picked a song on the song request platform and shoved the microphone into Xie Wang's hand.

A line of text popped up on the screen.

Stefanie Sun, Encounter.

Xie Wang glanced at the screen while holding the microphone, then turned his head to look at Su Qinghe, who was sitting on the sofa holding a glass of juice.

The intro begins.

He didn't stand up, but leaned back on the sofa, one hand on the backrest and the other holding the microphone, in a very casual posture.

"I woke up in a certain month of a certain year when I heard winter leave."

"I think I can wait and look forward to it, but the future cannot be planned because of it."

"On a cloudy evening, outside the car window, someone is waiting for me in the future."

The private room fell silent, and even Lu Yi, who had been drunk, raised his head.

"Look left, look right, look forward; love takes several turns before it arrives."

"Who will I meet and what kind of conversation will we have? How far in the future is the person I'm waiting for?"

As the last lyric faded, the lingering melody of the music still echoed in the air.

The entire private room erupted in enthusiastic applause and cheers.

Shen Hao was the first to rush forward and shove an opened can of beer into Xie Wang's hand.

Wow! That sounds amazing!

"We must go! To celebrate our newfound freedom!"

Xie Wang took the beer without any hesitation and took a big gulp.

Lin Lu clapped his hands and shouted.

"One more song! One more song!"

Xie Wang tossed the microphone to Shen Hao.

"Alright, alright, let me have a drink of water."

After drinking the water, the atmosphere became much more relaxed. Someone opened a bottle of beer first, and then people started carrying cases of beer upstairs.

Shen Hao stood in front of the coffee table with his wine glass in hand, his voice so loud it seemed to make the walls peel off.

"The college entrance exam is over! It's legal now! Nobody's allowed to run away today! Let's all drink to that!"

Xie Wang looked at the table full of beer, and the corners of his mouth slowly curved up.

He took out his phone and glanced at it. There was a message from Lin Wanyi that she had sent five minutes ago.

You can relax and have fun, no need to rush back.

Xie Wang placed his phone face down on the table, picked up a bottle of wine, and unscrewed the cap.

good chance.

He stood up, holding his wine glass, and walked from one end of the sofa to the other, going to each of his classmates.

"Come on, let me toast everyone. Thank you for taking care of me throughout my senior year of high school."

The first cup.

The second cup.

The third cup, the fourth cup, the fifth cup.

He touched everyone.

When I walked up to Lu Yi, Lu Yi was holding a glass of beer in her hand, her face was already flushed, and she had clearly only taken a small sip of the beer in the glass.

"Master Lu, bottoms up."

Lu Yi took a deep breath, and as if going to his death, brought the cup to his lips and gulped down two mouthfuls.

Then he slumped onto the sofa, his voice trembling.

Shelley said, "Winter comes, spring comes..."

He closed his eyes before he could finish speaking, the cushion slipped from his arms, and he slumped against the sofa armrest, motionless.

Shen Hao was shocked.

"That's it? You'd be knocked out after just one bite?"

Xu You was taking small sips of her drink when Shen Hao immediately reached out and took her cup.

"Don't drink anymore, this liquor is strong, I'll help you."

Xu You didn't argue, but gave him the cup and smiled with her head down.

Xie Wang returned after making his way around and sat down next to Su Qinghe.

Her eyes were a little unfocused, her cheeks and neck were flushed with a light pink, and her voice was half a octave softer than usual.

"Xie Wang, how much did you drink?"

"Not many, how about you, Teacher Su?"

"I'm not drunk."

She stumbled slightly as she said that.

Xie Wang looked at her and couldn't help but laugh.

"Hmm, you're not drunk."

Lu Wen sat opposite him, clutching a can of cola, the most sober person in the room.

Xie Wangchao beckoned to him and whispered something in his ear.

"We've almost finished drinking, could you please take us home?"

Lu Wen raised an eyebrow, a knowing look on his face.

"Don't worry, I've got your back."

Another half hour passed, and the singing in the private room gradually subsided.

The lights were dimmed even further.

Shen Hao put his arm around Xu You and leaned against the sofa. Both of them had their eyes half-closed, and Xu You's head was resting on Shen Hao's shoulder.

The other students also dispersed in twos and threes; some were picked up by their parents, and others called a designated driver.

Xie Wang leaned back on the sofa, still holding an empty cup in his hand, his eyelids drooping.

Su Qinghe leaned against his shoulder, breathing evenly.

Lu Wen and Lin Lu exchanged a glance.

Lin Lu said softly.

"They both seem to have had too much to drink, what should we do?"

Lu Wen put down the Coke can, clapped his hands, and stood up.

"I'll arrange it."

He took out his phone and booked two rooms at a nearby hotel.

Lin Lu looked at his hotel booking page and hesitated for a moment.

"Why don't we open one? They're a couple anyway."

Lu Wen shook his head, a sly smile playing on his lips, as if he'd been there all along.

"No need, no need. We'll open two rooms. They're very reserved."

He lowered his voice.

"Once we leave, they will become a separate room on their own."

Two people, one on each arm, dragged and pulled Xie Wang and Su Qinghe into the car and took them to a hotel three streets away.

Lu Wen put the two room cards into the pockets of the two people, 301 and 302, which were opposite each other.

The moment he closed the door, Lu Wen patted non-existent dust off his hands.

"Mission accomplished. Let's go, Lin Lu. Give them some space."

The elevator doors closed.

In room 301.

Xie Wang opened his eyes, his gaze clear and unwavering.

"Drunk? How could that be?"

Across the hall, Su Qinghe also opened his eyes.

She sat on the edge of the bed, the blush on her face not yet completely gone, but her eyes were very bright.

"Hmph! Little Xie Wang, get ready to be manipulated by me."

Su Qinghe stood up, tugged at her skirt, and walked towards the door.

The instant the doorknob was pressed down.

At the same time, 301 on the opposite side also opened.

The two stood at their respective doorways, separated by a corridor less than two meters wide, looking at each other face to face.

The air went still for a moment.

That's a bit awkward.

Xie Wangxian laughed.

"Teacher Su wasn't drunk either."

Su Qinghe pursed her lips.

"You weren't drunk either."

"Then why did you open the door and come out?"

Su Qinghe did not answer the question, but simply turned his head away.

"Lu Wen actually booked two rooms for us."

Xie Wang took a step forward.

"You have no sense of propriety."

Su Qinghe was amused, but before he could say another word, he was already off the ground.

Xie Wang supported her knees with one hand and wrapped his other arm around her waist, steadily lifting her up in his arms.

Su Qinghe instinctively wrapped his arms around his neck, his ears burning hot.

"Xie Wang! Put me down."

"I won't let go."

He picked her up, turned around, and walked into room 302, kicking the door shut with his heel.

The door lock made a crisp click.

The only light in the room was a warm yellow lamp by the bedside, and the curtains were drawn, blocking out the last bit of light from the street outside.

Xie Wang helped Su Qinghe sit down on the edge of the bed, then half-squatted in front of her, looking up at her.

Su Qinghe looked down at him, her eyelashes casting a small shadow.

"Go take a shower first."

Her voice was soft, with a lingering sweetness from the alcohol. After she finished speaking, she turned her face away, her ears turning so red they were almost bleeding.

Xie Wang looked at her like this, and his Adam's apple bobbed.

He stood up, his fingertips slowly sliding from her earlobe to her jawline, gently lifting her face.

"Teacher Su, look at me."

Su Qinghe's eyelashes trembled, but she finally raised her eyes to meet his gaze.

The warm yellow light fell on the very close distance between the two people.

Xie Wang lowered his head, pressed his lips to her forehead, and lingered for two seconds.

Then he turned and went into the bathroom.

When the sound of water came, Su Qinghe sat on the edge of the bed and buried her face in her hands.

The sound of his heartbeat was so loud it almost drowned out everything else.

Less than fifteen minutes later, the bathroom door was pushed open.

A few strands of Xie Wang's wet hair clung to his forehead, and water droplets slid down his sharp jawline, disappearing into the half-open collar of his bathrobe.

Su Qinghe sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Xie Wang like this, her fingers gripping the sheets tightly.

Xie Wang slowly approached her.

The summer of turning eighteen seemed to reach its peak at this moment.

……

……

At the elevator lobby at the end of the corridor, Lin Lu looked up and asked Lu Wen:

"What do you think they're doing right now?"

Lu Wen: Don't ask Xiao Lu, the answer is that she's studying physics.