Chapter 33

Fang Chi's victory celebration banquet was eventually held.

The venue was chosen by He Chen—a newly opened, stylishly decorated private room in a restaurant. There weren't many people there, just a few of their closest acquaintances: Fang Chi and his family, He Chen and his family, Tan Si and his mother, and their homeroom teacher, Lao Liu. The atmosphere was great, the dishes were exquisite, and the adults toasted each other, offering polite yet sincere congratulations. Lao Liu always had a smile on his face, occasionally patting Fang Chi on the shoulder and offering words of advice like, "Keep up the good work even in university."

Fang Chi sat beside his parents, dressed in a simple white shirt, responding to their praise and inquiries. He didn't talk much, but he was polite and considerate, with a polite, slight smile on his face. Only He Chen and Tan Si, sitting opposite him, could tell that the smile didn't really reach his eyes. He Chen winked at him, and Fang Chi shook his head slightly, indicating that he was fine.

After a few rounds of drinks, the adults were chatting animatedly, ranging from their children's education to their work experiences. He Chen leaned over to Fang Chi and lowered his voice, "So, how does it feel to be recommended to the top student? Are you still feeling uneasy?"

Fang Chi picked up his teacup and took a sip: "It's alright."

"Come on, I know you too well." He Chen pouted, but didn't press the matter further. Instead, he used serving chopsticks to put a piece of rib on Tan Si's plate. "Tan Si, eat more. Look how thin you are."

Tan Si glanced at the extra ribs in his bowl, then looked up at He Chen, said nothing, and silently ate. He Chen watched him eat with his head down, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously curled up.

The meal lasted until after 9 p.m. The adults, still wanting more, suggested moving to the tea room next door to continue drinking tea and chatting. The young people were naturally "released."

Stepping out of the restaurant, the cool summer night breeze dispelled the lingering buzz and stuffiness of the private room. The streets were bustling with traffic, neon lights flashing. The three teenagers walked side-by-side on the sidewalk, silent for a moment.

"What's next?" He Chen stretched, breaking the silence. "It's still early, shall we find a place to sit? We can't let the celebration end like this."

Fang Chi was indifferent. Tan Si nodded.

They went to their usual quiet bar, which wasn't crowded and had soft music playing softly. They found a booth by the window and He Chen ordered drinks and snacks as if he knew his place well.

"Come on, let's celebrate properly this time!" He Chen raised his glass, which was filled with orange juice. "Wishing our classmate Fang Chi a bright future and smooth sailing all the way! And wishing our... friendship lasts forever!"

The glasses clinked together. Fang Chi took a sip; it was sweet with a hint of sourness. Tan Si took a small sip.

After a few drinks, the atmosphere relaxed. He Chen, always eager to chat, started rambling on about everything under the sun, from summer plans to college fantasies, from gaming gossip to international news. Fang Chi occasionally chimed in, while Tan Si mostly listened, only offering brief responses when He Chen called on him.

As they talked, He Chen somehow steered the conversation toward relationships.

"...So, sometimes liking someone really doesn't make sense." He Chen swirled the ice in his glass, his eyes fixed on the passing car lights outside the window, his voice lower than usual. "Even knowing it might not work out, even knowing the other person might not reciprocate, you still can't help but want to get closer, want to be good to them, feel happy when they're happy, and want to smooth things over for them when they frown." He paused, turned his head, and looked directly at Tan Si sitting opposite him. "Tan Si, tell me, isn't this kind of person pretty foolish?"

Fang Chi's heart skipped a beat, and he looked up at He Chen. He Chen's usual playful smile was gone; his eyes were unusually serious, even carrying a sense of desperation. He then looked at Tan Si. Tan Si's fingers tightened slightly around the cup; his face was expressionless, but his eyelashes trembled slightly.

The bar was dimly lit, and the music had been changed to a more soothing old English song.

Tan Si remained silent for a long time, until the light in He Chen's eyes gradually dimmed, before he finally spoke, his voice as calm as if stating the answer to a math problem: "It is quite silly."

He Chen's shoulders slumped almost imperceptibly.

“Especially,” Tan Si raised his eyes to look at He Chen, his gaze clear and calm, carrying an almost cruel rationality, “when you know there are more important, more certain paths ahead. For example, the college entrance exam, university, the future.” He paused, each word as clear as an ice bead falling onto a plate, “He Chen, we are different. You come from a good family, you have a backup plan, you can have many choices, you can follow your interests, follow your impulses. I can’t. I only have one path, and I must walk it steadily, I can’t be distracted, I can’t make mistakes.”

He slightly averted his gaze, looking at the liquid swirling in his glass. "Feelings... especially uncertain feelings, are a luxury and a risk for me. I don't want to hold you back, and I don't want to hold myself back either."

The meaning couldn't be clearer. It's not that they don't like it, but rather that they can't like it, dare not like it, or rather, the amount of liking it isn't enough to outweigh their plans and control over the future.

The color drained from He Chen's face. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but his throat felt blocked. In the end, he could only manage a smile that was more like a grimace, his voice dry: "...I understand." He abruptly picked up the glass in front of him and downed the rest of the drink in one gulp. The icy liquid stung his throat.

The atmosphere instantly plummeted to freezing point. Fang Chi sat between the two, feeling as if he could hardly breathe. He wanted to say something to ease the tension, but felt that any words would seem pale and powerless at this moment.

He Chen put down his cup with a soft "clatter." He stood up, his movements somewhat stiff. "I...I'm going to the restroom." Without waiting for a reply, he turned and left, his steps a little unsteady.

Only Fang Chi and Tan Si remained in the booth. The music continued to play, and the hushed conversations around them seemed to be muffled by a thick layer of glass.

Fang Chi looked at Tan Si. Tan Si still kept his eyes down, staring at the table. His profile looked particularly hard in the dim light, but Fang Chi seemed to see that his jawline was very taut.

“Actually…” Fang Chi hesitated before speaking.

“No need to comfort me.” Tan Si interrupted him, his voice still steady, only his pace quickened a bit. “I’m stating the facts. It’s also my choice.” He raised his head, looking at Fang Chi, his eyes losing their usual calm. “This is better for everyone.”

Fang Chi was speechless. He knew Tan Si was right; at least for Tan Si himself, it was the most rational and safest choice. But looking in the direction He Chen had left, he still felt a tightness in his chest.

He Chen was gone for a long time. So long that Fang Chi started to worry and wanted to go find him when he finally returned. His eyes were a little red, but his face had already put on that carefree smile again, though the smile was superficial and empty.

"Sorry, I wasn't feeling well just now." He Chen sat down, his tone deliberately relaxed. "Well, it's getting late, how about... we head out?"

No one objected. They paid the bill and left the bar. The night air was a bit cooler.

The three walked silently to the fork in the road. He Chen's house was to the left, while Tan Si and Fang Chi's houses were not far to the right.

"Well... I'll be going now." He Chen waved his hand and turned to leave.

"He Chen." Tan Si suddenly called out to him.

He Chen's back stiffened for a moment, but he didn't turn around.

"Fill out your college application carefully, and go to a good university." Tan Si's voice sounded somewhat ethereal in the night breeze. "You... deserve better."

He Chen's shoulders trembled violently, but he didn't turn around. He just raised his hand, waved it haphazardly, and then strode to the left, quickly disappearing into the night and the glow of the streetlights. His back view revealed a disheveled and flustered state.

Fang Chi and Tan Si stood there, looking in his direction. After a long while, Tan Si finally let out a soft breath and said to Fang Chi, "Let's go."

The two walked side by side to the right. Neither of them spoke. When they were almost at the entrance of Tan Si's residential compound, Tan Si stopped.

“Fang Chi,” he said, “don’t think too much about the guaranteed admission. You have to make your own way.” He paused, then added, “As for He Chen… he’s fine. He’ll be alright in a while.”

Fang Chi nodded: "I know."

"Okay. I'm going in now. Goodnight."

"good evening."

Watching Tan Si's slender and upright figure disappear into the gate of the residential area, Fang Chi stood there for a while before slowly turning around and walking towards his home. His heart felt like a tangled mess, for He Chen, for Tan Si, and for his own incoherent thoughts.

He walked slowly along the street, not wanting to go back so soon. Passing a 24-hour convenience store, he went in and bought a bottle of water. When he came out, he unscrewed the cap, took a sip, and casually glanced across the street.

Then, he stopped moving.

Across the street, in front of a brightly lit chain coffee shop, stood two people. One of them was tall, wearing a simple black T-shirt and jeans, with his back to them, looking down at his phone. Even across the street and through the traffic, Fang Chi recognized the figure at a glance—it was He Chen.

Didn't he go home? Why is he still here? And the person standing in front of him...

Fang Chi's heart skipped a beat.

Standing opposite He Chen, the person speaking to him was wearing a light gray polo shirt, tall and slender, with a clear and familiar profile under the coffee shop's lighting. Although he seemed thinner and darker than he remembered, and his hair was shorter, Fang Chi was absolutely certain he wouldn't mistake him.

It's Xing Jiayan.

He's back? When did he get back? Why is he here? And with He Chen...

Fang Chi subconsciously took a step back into the shadows beside him, his fingers tightening around the water bottle, which made a slight squeaking sound. He looked at the two people across the bustling street.

He Chen seemed very excited, gesturing as he spoke rapidly. Xing Jiayan listened quietly, nodding occasionally, his face expressionless, still calm and collected, though a hint of weariness and travel-worn look lingered between his brows. He also held a cup of coffee in his hand, the paper cup emitting faint steam.

Then, Fang Chi saw He Chen suddenly grab his hair forcefully as he spoke, the movement somewhat agitated, as if he had made up his mind. He looked up, staring directly at Xing Jiayan, and said something. The distance was too great to hear, but judging from his lip movements, it seemed he was asking, "...Really?" or "Are you sure?"

Xing Jiayan nodded and said a few more words. He Chen listened, his expression slowly changing from excitement and struggle to a resolute, all-or-nothing determination.

Finally, He Chen nodded heavily and patted Xing Jiayan's arm. Xing Jiayan seemed to smile slightly, a faint smile that vanished in an instant. The two exchanged a few more brief words, then He Chen turned around, not heading home, but walking quickly in the other direction, soon disappearing around the street corner.

Xing Jiayan stood alone at the entrance of the coffee shop, watching He Chen leave, then lowered his head and looked at his phone again. The screen's light illuminated his face. He stood there, motionless, like a silent statue. The city lights and shadows of the night flowed around him, making it seem as if an entire insurmountable world separated them, even though they were not far apart.

Fang Chi hid in the shadows, watching that familiar yet unfamiliar figure. His heart pounded heavily in his chest, one beat after another. He wanted to go over, to ask clearly, to grab the person who had left without saying goodbye and then suddenly reappeared, and to hurl all his questions, confusion, and even resentment at them.

But his feet seemed nailed to the ground, unable to move an inch. His throat was dry, and his palms, gripping the water bottle, were sweating coldly.

Just then, Xing Jiayan looked up, his gaze seemingly unintentionally sweeping across the street. Fang Chi held his breath and shrank back further. He didn't know if Xing Jiayan had seen him; perhaps not, because it was dark across the street.

Xing Jiayan's gaze didn't linger. He put away his phone, turned around, pushed open the door of the coffee shop, and went inside. The glass door closed behind him, blocking out the lights inside and his silhouette.

Fang Chi remained standing in place for a long while before slowly and deeply exhaling. The summer night breeze brought a touch of coolness, but he felt his back was damp with sweat.

He didn't know how he got home. His mind was a jumbled mess, filled with the images he had just witnessed: He Chen's excited face, Xing Jiayan's calm profile, the way the two were talking, and He Chen's resolute departure.

When he got home, his parents were still at the teahouse. He took a shower and lay in bed, but couldn't fall asleep. He stared at the ceiling, his eyes wide open, as if he could still hear He Chen's trembling question in the bar, Tan Si's cold and rational rejection, and the silent, enigmatic meeting across the street.

After some time, my phone vibrated. It was a message from He Chen, a very long one.

[He Chen]: Fang Chi, are you asleep? There's something I've been thinking about for a long time, and I still have to tell you. I might... not go to university.

Fang Chi sat up abruptly, his heart pounding. He immediately dialed the number. After a few rings, He Chen answered, his voice a little hoarse but still relatively calm.

"He Chen, what do you mean? What do you mean by not going to university?" Fang Chi asked urgently.

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, then He Chen's slightly self-deprecating laughter came through: "It means exactly what it says. I'm not filling out the application, and if the acceptance letter comes, I don't want it."

"Are you crazy?! Because of Tan Si? He just said those things, and you..."

“Not entirely.” He Chen interrupted him, his voice lowering. “Fang Chi, I just ran into Xing Jiayan.”

Fang Chi's heart sank. "And then?"

“He came back to take care of some remaining paperwork at home and will leave tomorrow.” He Chen took a deep breath. “We talked. He’s in Singapore, where he’s partnered with someone to start a small company in the field of educational technology, like online courses and learning tools. It’s a good combination of his competitive skills and the resources there. It’s only been a short time, but the idea is quite interesting and it’s starting to take shape. He asked me if I was interested in coming over to work with him.”

Fang Chi was stunned. "You agreed?"

“Hmm.” He Chen’s voice held an unusual firmness. “I’ve been thinking about this all the way here. Tan Si is right, I’m different from you and Tan Si. I’m really not interested in sitting in a classroom and learning those things step by step. Before, I didn’t have a choice, everyone else was going to do it this way. Now, it seems like there’s another path in front of me. A path that might be more suitable for me. Although it’s very risky, and I might lose everything, I think, while I’m young, I want to give it a try.”

"He Chen, this is no small matter! Have you discussed it with your family? Will your uncle and aunt agree?"

“I haven’t said anything yet. But I’ll convince them. My family… you know, we’re not bad off. Even if I fail, we still have a way out. I want to give it a shot.” ​​He Chen paused, his voice lowering. “Besides, staying here and watching Tan Si makes me uncomfortable. Maybe it’ll be better for everyone if we stay away.”

Fang Chi was speechless for a moment. He could understand He Chen's pain after being rejected by Tan Si, and he could also feel the impulse in He Chen's words to break free from the established path and find his own value. But to give up a regular university education in China and go to a foreign country to start a business with someone whose future was also uncertain... it sounded too crazy, too irrational.

"Is Xing Jiayan reliable?" Fang Chi asked a question that had been lingering in his mind for a long time.

“I believe him,” He Chen said honestly. “I don’t think he’s the kind of person who acts recklessly. If he dared to do it, he must have some confidence. And,” He Chen smiled wryly, “Fang Chi, to be honest, I admire him a little. He just goes and does what he says. Although his methods are pretty scoundrel-like, I don’t have that kind of decisiveness.”

Fang Chi fell silent again. Yes, Xing Jiayan had always possessed an almost ruthless decisiveness, whether it was leaving or now.

"When are you leaving?" he finally asked.

"It depends. We need to be honest with our families first and go through the formalities. It might take at least a month or two," He Chen said. "Fang Chi, don't tell Tan Si about this yet. I'll tell him myself after I've made up my mind."

"……good."

"Thanks, brother." He Chen's voice was a little choked up. "No matter what, we'll always be brothers. You're going to Jiang University, study hard, and become a great scientist. If I fail in my business, I might have to come to you for help."

Fang Chi forced a smile, but couldn't manage it. "Be careful."

After hanging up the phone, Fang Chi sat in the darkness for a long time. In just one night, everything seemed to have changed. Tan Si closed a door, and He Chen seemed to be pushing open a completely unfamiliar window. As for himself, standing on what seemed to be the brightest and safest path, his heart was in turmoil.

He recalled Xing Jiayan's calm profile across the street. That person had returned so quietly, and was about to leave just as quietly, yet effortlessly, once again disrupted the trajectory of their lives.

The next day, Fang Chi was restless all day. He tried sending a few messages to He Chen, who replied briefly, saying he was "negotiating" with his parents and the situation was at a stalemate. There was no response from Tan Si, as if the conversation from the previous night had never happened.

As evening fell, Fang Chi found himself back near the coffee shop from the previous night, almost as if possessed. He didn't know what he wanted to do; perhaps he just wanted to confirm that it wasn't all a dream.

The coffee shop wasn't crowded. He stood across the street, looking at the glass door. He didn't see the person he wanted to see.

Just as he was about to leave, the coffee shop door opened. A figure wearing a light gray polo shirt walked out, carrying a small suitcase.

It was Xing Jiayan. He seemed to be heading straight to the airport.

Fang Chi's feet froze in place. He watched Xing Jiayan standing by the roadside, head down, looking at his phone, probably calling a taxi. The afternoon sun outlined his sharp jawline and slightly furrowed brows. He looked thinner than last year, but his shoulders seemed more defined, radiating an aura of cool focus that seemed out of place with the relaxed atmosphere around him.

The car he called arrived quickly. Xing Jiayan opened the car door and put his luggage inside. Just as he was about to bend down to get in, he suddenly seemed to sense something, raised his head, and his gaze fell precisely across the street.

Across the flowing river of cars and the clamor of the city, their eyes suddenly met in mid-air.

Time seemed to stand still for a second.

Fang Chi saw Xing Jiayan's pupils contract slightly, and a complex mix of emotions flashed across his face—surprise, astonishment, and perhaps something else he couldn't quite conceal. But quickly, those emotions were covered by his habitual calm. He didn't look away, just quietly watching Fang Chi, his eyes deep, like an ancient well with no bottom.

Fang Chi looked at him, neither moving nor speaking. All the surging emotions—anger, confusion, loss, and even the hidden concerns he himself didn't want to delve into—were stuck in his chest, yet he couldn't utter a single word.

A horn sounded, and the cars behind urged them on. Xing Jiayan seemed to take a very light breath, then he nodded slightly, almost imperceptibly, in Fang Chi's direction. It wasn't a greeting; it was more like a silent confirmation, or perhaps a farewell.

Then, he didn't linger, bent down, got into the car, and closed the door.

The black sedan quickly merged into the traffic and disappeared at the intersection ahead.

Fang Chi remained standing in the same spot, gazing in the direction the car had disappeared. The sunlight was blinding, and he squinted.

The empty space in my chest, which had been empty for so long, felt like it had been gently bumped by something. It didn't hurt, but it felt suffocating.

He knew this was truly goodbye. Perhaps, they would never see each other again.

Their worlds diverged on that New Year's Eve, and after this chaotic night and this peaceful afternoon, they are accelerating toward completely different, distant places that will never intersect again.

He Chen chose adventure and escape, Tan Si chose reason and solitude, and Xing Jiayan chose decisiveness and a long journey.

And he, Fang Chi, holding what seemed to be the safest pass, stood at this crossroads in his life, and for the first time, he felt so clearly that the price of growing up was watching those who had once walked alongside him go one by one down their chosen paths of no return.

The summer breeze swept through the streets, carrying waves of heat. The sunlight was so bright it was dazzling, illuminating all the partings and changes, leaving no place for them to hide.