Love for One Night

Ch 2: Over-the-Shoulder Throw (4)

Arden stood outside the student union building for a minute, looking around but couldn't spot any female who looked like a model. Instead, there was an Asian girl sitting on a bench, probably waiting for someone.

She looked quite young and dressed in a way that left much to be desired—a faux-suede short jacket that was obviously synthetic and paired it with an outdated circular denim skirt whose hem was already curling. On her feet were a pair of gray-white generic sneakers, giving her a somewhat shabby appearance. Her fair and straight legs, which, though not long, looked delicate and smooth. Perhaps because of the cold, she had her legs pressed tightly together.

The most striking feature of her whole appearance was her clear, fair face adorned with a pair of brilliant eyes. Under the sunset's glow, those eyes resembled two pieces of transparent amber, gazing blankly into the distance. If eyes could write poetry, hers might have already authored several collections—enigmatic, profound verses that no one could truly understand.

Arden found himself walking toward her almost unconsciously.

"Ryo, you're here," the girl greeted him, standing up shyly and looking down at his shoes. She seemed nervous, curling into herself.

Arden raised an eyebrow—this girl clearly had the wrong person. However, she was waiting for Ryo. Could she be the "model" Ryo mentioned? No way. She had fair skin and an innocent vibe, but her height and figure were far from model standards. Was she a cosmetic model? Even then, she seemed a bit too chubby. Her body proportions might be normal for an average person, but ordinary figures wouldn't qualify for modeling. At least not under Ryo's standards.

Besides, Ryo and she should have been together for over a week. How could she mistake him for someone else? Arden considered himself vastly different in build and demeanor from Ryo.

This girl was intriguing. Claiming to be a model, managing to become Ryo's girlfriend, and yet, Ryo hadn't sorted things out with her after more than a week. She must be quite cunning. Arden's interest was piqued. Women were like beverages; he didn't mind testing the drink for his friend.

Arden deliberately said nothing, reaching out to put his arm around her. As expected, the girl awkwardly dodged and looked up at him. After taking a closer look, her face showed some confusion. She squinted and leaned closer, finally realizing: "You're not Ryo."

Arden flashed what he believed to be his most charming smile and gently explained in the softest tone, "No, I'm not. I just felt sorry seeing you sitting out here in the cold wearing so little."

He opened his coat slightly. "Would you like to use my coat to block the wind? It would be much warmer."

April was startled and quickly waved her hands. "No, no, my boyfriend will be here soon... Ah..."

As Arden grabbed her waist, he internally sneered. Using such outdated tricks—pretending to reject advances and stumbling into his arms. How predictable. Feigning deep concern, Arden gently cupped her face and finally said something coherent: "A man who lets his girlfriend sit out in the cold like this isn't worth keeping."

What happened next in the span of 0.5 seconds was entirely beyond Arden's expectations. All he remembered was a blur before an external force flung him backward, followed by excruciating pain in his back that almost made him pass out.

"Sandra?" April immediately recognized the figure from the graceful arc of the throw—it was none other than her roommate.

"Sandra!" Yao arrived a step too late.

"Ah... ouch..." The man on the ground groaned, frowning in pain.

Sandra grabbed April's hand and surveyed her up and down. "Are you alright?"

April shook her head. "I'm fine."

"Why are you standing out here dressed so lightly without your glasses?" Sandra turned and waved at Yao. "Give me your coat."

"I bought some contact lenses online, but they haven't arrived yet... But, Sandra, it's ok. I'm not cold."

"Whether you're cold or not isn't the point." Sandra cast a menacing glare at the man lying on the ground, unsure if he had broken any bones. "The point is to avoid unwelcome flies."

"Sandra, I'm not trash," April protested, disliking the analogy.

"Just be careful not to let these perverts take advantage of you." Sandra zipped up Yao's coat on April. It was oversized, reaching below her knees, keeping her both warm and safe.

"I wasn't..." April glanced nervously at the man still lying on the ground. Her roommate's move was a bit too aggressive—an over-the-shoulder throw with perfect precision. Knowing Sandra's strength, she worried the man might actually be injured. He didn't seem malicious, and haven't done anything to her.

Sandra turned to confront the man, but someone else stepped in to block her.

"Arden?" From a distance, Ryo had spotted the commotion, following the gaze of onlookers. As he drew closer, he was stunned to see his friend on the ground.

By instinct, Ryo grabbed the only male standing in the scene by the collar and demanded, "You..." But he quickly realized Yao was much larger than himself and hesitated between questioning or letting go.

Yao brushed his hand away and pointed to the girl in the middle, smoothly throwing her under the bus. "Not me. Her."

Seeing the shorter figure, Ryo felt he could handle this. He reached out to grab her by the shoulder. "Why did you—Ah..."

"Sandra, no!" April stopped her just in time. Sandra had only raised her hand but didn't follow through. Still, with a simple tug, Ryo nearly dislocated his wrist.

April grabbed Sandra and explained, "He's my boyfriend."

"Your boyfriend?" Sandra pointed at the man who was clearly a spoiled rich kid, who rushed in without clarification and started grabbing people.

April nodded vigorously.

Sandra scrutinized him with disdain. He looked strangely familiar.

"What's going on, April?" Ryo demanded. With an angry look, he helped Arden up from the ground.

April hastened to explain, "It's a misunderstanding, Ryo. A total misunderstanding. Sandra didn't know he was your friend. When she saw him talking to me, she thought he was... Then she..."

"Just talking to you, and she threw him to the ground?" Ryo interrupted. "You always act all soft and fragile like you can't be touched, but now I see you're friends with such a barbaric woman. Birds of a feather—clearly, you're no better."

Sandra was furious. She stepped forward, pointing a finger at Ryo's nose. "You..."

At the same time, someone else stepped forward, with excitement, pointing at Sandra's. "It's you..."