306 Gathering (Part Two)

"What?" Alcohol had completely taken over Jiang Yichun's brain. She was the first to slam her hand on the table and stare at Su Yanyue with wide eyes.

"Could it be a perverted director..."

Su Yanyue shook her head: "No, it's not that serious, well, I wouldn't say it's serious."

"I've been scammed."

She pursed her lips, lowered her eyes, and her beautiful eyes were filled with tears.

"Huh?" Three pairs of eyes swept over in an instant.

"Yeah. The role I wanted got snatched away. Even though I memorized the script and everything..."

"The director said there was a company owner's daughter who was also an actress. She wanted the role, and coincidentally, that owner invested in the film..."

"So, I don't have that role."

"I'm telling you guys, but don't tell anyone else, I don't want to lose even the chance to... appear in the same frame as my idol."

Su Yanyue shrugged, spread her hands, and forced a smile: "But it's alright, the director gave me a small role, I'm this heroine's little follower, and at the end of the movie, I suddenly die taking a knife for the heroine."

"My plane ticket wasn't a complete waste, right?"

Her smile widened as she raised her glass: "Come on, let's toast to the dreams I've buried!"

Jiang Yichun stared blankly at her smiling face: She truly deserves to be called an actress, able to speak of such heavy and realistic things with such a calm and breezy tone and expression.

She noticed the tears welling up in Su Yanyue's eyes.

"Okay, let's have a toast!" Yang Fei raised her glass. "It's alright, let's start with small roles. Yan Yue is so talented, she'll get better roles someday!"

Jiang Yichun also raised his glass, rambling incoherently: "Exactly! Those ugly capitalist kids should just fall flat on their faces, fall flat on their faces!"

"It's so annoying that a character like this has all these messy little schemes. He's clearly not suitable for the role, yet he's taking on all the responsibilities!"

“That’s right!” Su Yanyue raised her hand even higher.

Zhang Xingxing raised the juice in her glass and nodded: "Yes, Yanyue will definitely get better and better!"

Despite it being a scene of shattered dreams, the three of them trying to liven things up made it seem like a wrap party.

"Clang." The four wine glasses collided, making a crisp sound.

The liquid in the cup sloshed around, and was eventually drunk by the four of them one by one.

Yang Fei picked up the wine bottle and poured herself another glass.

"Yan Yue talked about her career, so I... will talk about my love life."

"In terms of my career, my dance club won first place in the competition, but in terms of my relationship... my boyfriend and I broke up."

"Yes, it's that scumbag Lin Yan!"

She became more and more emotional as she spoke, and tears welled up in her eyes: "Every day he said he liked me, kissed me, hugged me, and gave me all sorts of gifts... At that time, I really thought I had met a wonderful person."

"I thought that this kind of fast-food-like relationship could actually lead to true love!"

"But...who would have thought he was also a scumbag who said he loved you but whose actions didn't necessarily match his love!"

"He got drunk and had a one-night stand with a girl, haha, isn't that hilarious?"

“It’s not funny.” Su Yanyue shook her head and handed her a few napkins. “Cheating isn’t a funny thing.”

Jiang Yichun nodded: "It's good that you broke up with him. You shouldn't waste too much time on someone like him."

Yang Fei rubbed Jiang Yichun's head and laughed, "Don't worry, Xiaochun, that scumbag has come to see me several times and apologized to me."

"He was so emotional, I was almost moved by his words, but cheating is unacceptable!"

"I can start a relationship whenever I want, but I'm serious about every single one!"

Yang Fei raised her glass: "Come on, let's drink to the love story I ruined!"

Su Yanyue stood up, picked up her wine glass and clinked it against Yang Fei's: "It's okay, there are countless men out there, I can just find another one! If I want to break up, I'll break up, that's awesome!"

“Yes, getting rid of that scumbag is the best thing!” Jiang Yichun also stood up and clinked his glass with theirs.

"Get lost, all scumbags! People who deceive your feelings are the most despicable!"

Zhang Xingxing nodded: "Yeah. Having another relationship experience is like having another piece of experience."

"Learn from your mistakes and you'll meet better people in the future."

The four of them drank their beverages in one gulp again.

Zhang Xingxing poured orange juice into her glass and stood up: "Looks like today's a confession session. Well then, let me tell you about mine."

"Actually, my life has been quite uneventful, without any major ups and downs. The thing that's been bothering me lately is that organizing summer camps is just too tiring."

"Well... let me say something auspicious, wishing everyone all the best after today."

"A peaceful life is good. Actually, our lives don't have any major ups and downs. Maybe in a year, these unpleasant things won't seem like a big deal."

Su Yanyue took the orange juice that Zhang Xingxing had poured and smiled at her: "I won't drink the red wine, I'm already a bit tipsy."

Yang Fei raised her glass: "Well, thanks to Xiao Xing's good wishes, I... I want orange juice too."

She leisurely filled her own wine glass with orange juice.

Jiang Yichun stubbornly picked up the wine bottle and refilled it: "Okay, then another one, hehe."

She struggled to her feet and touched the wine glass that the three of them had already put together.

Jiang Yichun knew that the four of them each had their own thoughts.

They may not be able to truly become life-and-death friends like those depicted in movies and TV shows, and they may not be able to truly have a youth as vibrant as a flower.

The four of them were just small blades of grass that sprouted from the cracks of ordinary life, looking at their own patch of sky, growing inch by inch, step by step.

When wind, frost, rain, or snow occasionally strike, these little grasses support each other, take root in the earth, and get through those little episodes together.

Jiang Yichun is one of those small blades of grass.

She knew that every blade of grass would find its own patch of land, but wasn't the moment of intersection just as precious?

She stood up, raised her glass, and said, "Cheers! May our lives shine brightly!"

The three girls were also looking at her, their eyes shining.

"Okay, it's glowing and generating heat!"

A crisp clinking sound echoed through the restaurant.

Jiang Yichun stared at the red liquid swirling in the glass, a silly grin spreading across his face.

She tilted her head back and drank the glass of red wine in one gulp.

Exhaustion, grievances, and disappointments over various things swept over me.

In academics, she is a substitute; in relationships, she cannot see her own feelings clearly and can only be a substitute for someone else.

Tonight, under such dim and enchanting lights, with everyone tearing open their vulnerable or hidden sides, Jiang Yichun could no longer suppress the emotions overflowing in his heart.

She finally retrieved the bottle of red wine that had been hanging in the balance from the cellar of her heart.

"Now, it's my turn!"

Jiang Yichun stood up, swirling the red wine in his glass: "I'm on the waiting list for summer camp, haha, and I'm number one on the waiting list, just one place away from being an outstanding camper!"

"When I was in high school, I wanted to go to University A. But I got a fever during the college entrance exam and didn't get in."

"Now, I've finally made it into University A's summer camp, but I still ended up on the waiting list, haha, always just a little bit short..."

She lowered her head, buried it in her arms, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Zhang Xingxing walked over to her, put his arm around her shoulder and sat down: "It's okay, Xiaochun. I've heard a lot of rumors, and the chances of the first-place candidate succeeding are very high."

"If all else fails... just keep trying for the pre-admission recommendation, it'll be fine."

Jiang Yichun leaned directly on Zhang Xingxing's shoulder and wailed a few times.

"Okay! Then, then let's try again with the pre-admission exemption... Thank you, thank you Xingxing, you're the best."

Yang Fei sat down next to her and patted her head: "Does Xiaochun have anything else to say, anything about relationships?"

Jiang Yichun nodded, tears streaming down her face: "I like someone, but I also hate him."

"I don't know what to do anymore, I don't know how to see him."

Yang Fei was taken aback, and tentatively asked, "Is it... Director He?"

The name was like a bombshell; Jiang Yichun jumped to his feet: "Yes! It's him! He Yinxin!"

"That big liar! He pretended to be a woman to get close to me! He pretended to be a graduate student and tried to sell me pig's trotters!"

"What Sister Xi...it's clearly him! Disgusting, he even conspired with his roommate to lie to me!"

He said he'd treat me to cake, but in the end, all he offered was cake. He stood me up again!

"If he were Pinocchio, his nose would definitely poke someone to death."

She started babbling incoherently and struggled to stand up, but was held back by two girls next to her so she wouldn't knock over the wine on the table.

The red liquid in the bottle swayed gently, just like her chaotic thoughts.

Likes and dislikes formed a Möbius strip in her mind.

"He Yinxin is a liar and a big bad guy!"

"I'm going to teach him a lesson right now, settle accounts with him, and teach him a real lesson!"

Jiang Yichun gripped his phone, but couldn't hold it steady.

She looked up at Yang Fei, gesturing frantically in the air: "Feifei, send He Yinxin a message and tell him to come over right now!"

Yang Fei frowned and looked at the other two people around her. Zhang Xingxing and Su Yanyue both looked troubled.

Zhang Xingxing sighed: "Let's call Senior He over. If they really start fighting... Senior He probably won't fight back. Xiao Chun... with him, we should be able to hold them off."

Su Yanyue agreed: "Okay. Add me too, I just happened to have studied martial arts."

The one who tied the knot must untie it.

After Yang Fei finished her reflection, she sent a message to He Yinxin: [Director He, Xiaochun is drunk! Come quickly!]

She keeps calling your name!

Location: xx Road, xx Fusion Bistro Restaurant.

Director He: [Received.]

He Yinxin was still in his dormitory at the time, having just finished his thesis and work.

He stood up and looked at himself on the computer screen.

Because of the constant travel between home and school, and taking care of her grandfather at his bedside, He Yinxin's dark circles have become increasingly pronounced.

Although he didn't have a good relationship with his grandfather, his grandfather had, after all, raised him and accompanied him through his childhood.

When he arrived at his grandfather's bedside, only his cousin's family was there.

"My aunt and uncle are busy with their business and don't have time to visit my grandfather."

He Yinxin put down the fruit basket in her hand and forced a wry smile: "It's okay, I came in their place."

He looked up at the emaciated old man on the bed.

The last time I saw Grandpa, he looked very energetic, and his eyes were shining.

But now... all that's left is a face barely clinging to life.

He Yinxin scratched his head, snapping out of the illusion of that face. He picked up his phone, put it in his pocket, and walked out of the dormitory.

He stopped in front of the mirror at the bottom of the building.

In the mirror, he had dark circles under his eyes, his hair was much longer, and there was some stubble on the corner of his mouth.

Xiaochun looks so beautiful today, and I...

Like a homeless person.

He Yinxin turned around and ran back to her dormitory, shaved off her stubble, wiped her face, tidied her hair, changed into a white shirt, and went out again.

Since image management takes up some time, He Yinxin decided to use transportation.

He casually swept aside a shared bicycle parked at the dormitory entrance and started pedaling.

Facing the summer evening breeze, with the sounds of car horns and cicadas in his ears, he looked ahead and ran towards the girl he wanted to see.

The evening breeze tousled his hair and stirred his heartstrings.

He Yinxin raised the corners of her mouth, walked through the bustling traffic, and finally stopped at that small bar.

He took a deep breath and strode inside.

Under the warm lights of the restaurant, he finally saw that familiar figure.

Jiang Yichun's steps were unsteady as she gazed at him intently, bathed in the lamplight.

She had a faint smile on her face, but her eyes were unfocused.

The pent-up desires of the past two months surged forth, along with the lingering excitement of that passionate kiss.

Ignoring the stares of the other people in the restaurant, He Yinxin rushed towards her, saying, "Xiaochun, I'm here!"

Jiang Yichun's dazed eyes froze for a moment. She also stood up unsteadily, her legs trembling, and with a "clatter" of her sandals, she rushed towards the disheveled boy.

There were no slaps, no insults.

She suddenly threw herself into his arms, her tears soaking his collar:

"Liar, I miss you so much."

"You're really alive, that's wonderful."