Chapter 35: Breakup

Jiang Jizhou wanted to give Yu Bai a birthday surprise.

In the afternoon, Jiang Jizhou made an excuse to go out. Yu Bai watched him leave thoughtfully, feeling empty inside. Her heart was particularly sensitive right now.

In the evening, while she was tending to the flowers and plants in the courtyard with Chen Ma, Mingjing came to find her. She was wearing smoky makeup and dressed somewhat maturely. When she saw Yu Bai, she swung her dazzling, diamond-encrusted handbag and said, "Bai Bai!"

Yu Bai was watering the flowers when he heard this. He got up and saw her expression, looking surprised. "What are you doing?"

"I'll take you somewhere." Mingjing suppressed her urge to blurt out, and instead of telling Yu Bai immediately, she looked mysterious.

Yu Bai frowned slightly, looking at the watering can in her hand. Chen Ma, who was standing next to her, said with a smile, "Bai Bai, go out and play with your friends. I can manage on my own."

"Okay." Yu Bai smiled and went inside to change his clothes, with Ming Jing following behind.

"Change into this one." Mingjing was referring to a long dress with lily of the valley design. The bodice was made of layers of tulle, and the waist was tied with a pearlescent ribbon in a bow. It was adorned with pearls, and the skirt was a gradient pink with lily of the valley embroidery. It was delicate, fresh, and elegant.

Yu Bai glanced at it and felt it was a bit too grand. She frowned slightly and asked, "What are we going to do? Are you going to celebrate my birthday?"

Seeing that Yu Bai was about to guess, Ming Jing immediately shook her head and denied it repeatedly, "No, no."

Yu Bai nodded, and at Ming Jing's insistence, she changed into the lily of the valley dress and put on light makeup.

As soon as she came downstairs, Chen Ma praised her, "Bai Bai is so pretty, like a flower."

Yu Baitao had rosy cheeks and a delicate face, as tender as the first peach blossom in early spring, standing tall and graceful.

A breeze blows, and the green leaves in the courtyard sway in the wind, just about to bloom. By the time the courtyard is full of flowers, she and Jiang Jizhou will be graduating soon.

When Yu Bai got into the car with Ming Jing, she realized that Ming Jing was taking her to Ye Yan KTV. It was highly likely that Ming Jing was going to celebrate her birthday and was giving her a surprise without telling her beforehand. Yu Bai understood, but pretended not to know.

Although Jiang Jizhou seemed to have forgotten her birthday, her good friend Mingjing still remembered, which made Yu Bai feel much better. The sadness she felt because of Jiang Jizhou was gone, and she smiled all the way.

Upon arriving at the KTV, Mingjing pulled Yu Bai upstairs.

This was Yu Bai's second time here. The last time was when she came here with Chen Ye to find Jiang Jizhou, but they stumbled upon him and another girl in a slightly ambiguous situation. Yu Bai felt a little dazed. Ming Jing had already led her to a private room.

"Hehe, Bai Bai, open the door, there's a surprise." Mingjing smiled and stepped aside.

Her words made Yu Bai nervous, and he slowly pushed open the door with trepidation.

Surprise!

With a deafening shout in unison, colorful fireworks burst forth. Yu Bai was still dazed, staring blankly as the fireworks fell. Then he saw Jiang Jizhou in the middle of the crowd. His black coat made him look even more handsome and dashing. His beautiful peach blossom eyes were shimmering with water, and his expression as he looked at Yu Bai seemed to last a lifetime.

Yu Bai's heart exploded like fireworks, scattering brilliant sparks.

It turned out that Jiang Jizhou was giving her a birthday surprise. She thought he had forgotten her birthday. Yu Bai was happy, guilty, and overjoyed... all sorts of emotions intertwined. Tears of excitement fell, and through her blurry vision, Jiang Jizhou slowly walked towards her, his voice incredibly gentle, "Happy birthday, Bai Bai."

He gently took Yu Bai's hand and placed a ring on Yu Bai's ring finger.

A chorus of cheers erupted from the surrounding crowd.

"Give me a kiss, give me a kiss..."

Jiang Jizhou looked down at Yu Bai. As if bewitched, Yu Bai tiptoed and kissed Jiang Jizhou's lips lightly. Then, blushing, she buried her face in Jiang Jizhou's chest. The sound of her heart pounding and the screams around them drowned her out.

Jiang Jizhou led her to sit on the sofa, and Yu Bai seemed to wake up from a dream. She was surrounded by classmates, some familiar and some unfamiliar, about a dozen or so. They had all come to support her because of Jiang Jizhou, and their envious, excited, or scrutinizing gazes fell on Yu Bai. She nervously nestled next to Jiang Jizhou.

Make a wish.

As soon as Jiang Jizhou finished speaking, the noisy private room fell silent.

Yu Bai looked at the large cake on the table. On the cake was a little girl who looked a lot like Yu Bai. The girl held a small bouquet of flowers in her hand, with candles inserted in the flowers. Yu Bai put his hands together, closed his eyes and made a wish. Then he opened his eyes and gently blew out the candles.

Cheers erupted from the crowd.

"Let's cut the cake."

Jiang Jizhou handed the cake knife to Yu Bai. Yu Bai held the knife and carefully cut off the first piece of cake, which contained a whole rose. She gave it to Jiang Jizhou, and the whispers of her classmates made her blush.

"Oh, it's so sweet."

"A real couple."

"Feed Brother Zhou!"

"Feed him."

...

The commotion grew louder, and Jiang Jizhou smiled and said softly, "Stop."

The cheering stopped immediately. Yu Bai's face was flushed as he continued cutting the cake. The cake was very large, and everyone in the private room took a slice, with some left over.

"Want to play Truth or Dare?"

Mingjing, who was good at livening up the atmosphere, would never let the atmosphere become dull. She immediately made a suggestion to everyone, and Chen Ye and the others all agreed.

"Can you do it?" Jiang Jizhou asked Yu Bai in a low voice for his opinion, and Yu Bai nodded.

Chen Ye asked the waiter to bring the dice, and everyone sat around the table on the sofa. To Yu Bai's left was Jiang Jizhou, and to his right was Ming Jing. Next to Ming Jing were Chen Ye, A Ze, and the other classmates.

Starting from Jiang Jizhou, roll the dice to the left. If the result is odd, pass. If it is even, choose either Truth or Dare. If you choose neither, you have to drink a cup of wine as a penalty.

Jiang Jizhou started to shake, a good start, a six.

Everyone cheered, while Jiang Jizhou leaned back on the sofa, speaking casually, "Truth or dare."

"When did you get together with Yu Bai?"

"Is it still the first time?"

...

Everyone was chattering away, as it was a rare opportunity to ask Jiang Jizhou gossip. Like a pot of boiling water, the crowd cheered and bubbled, while Yu Bai sat quietly to the side, listening intently.

"Stop, stop, stop." Jiang Jizhou chuckled. "Only one person is asking."

"I'll do it!" Taking advantage of the brief silence, Mingjing immediately asked, "Who did you give your first kiss to?"

This question reignited the excitement in the private room, with gossipy eyes fixed on Yu Bai and Jiang Jizhou. Jiang Jizhou had told her that he had only ever kissed her, but now, his ambiguous smile made her uneasy.

Jiang Jizhou's gaze fell on Yu Bai, and he said lazily, "Girlfriend."

The answer was obvious, and the cheers of the crowd swirled around Yu Bai's ears. She was shy but secretly very happy with the answer.

When it was Yu Bai's turn to roll the dice, he was very lucky and rolled a one.

Everyone sighed.

They took turns shaking the dice, and the jeers from the crowd made Yu Bai's ears hurt a little.

Amidst the bustling crowd, Jiang Jizhou whispered in her ear, "You look beautiful today."

Yu Bai's face flushed, and the hot breath she exhaled made her feel numb all over. As her eyes darted around, she saw Jiang Jizhou's smile, his eyes captivating and mesmerizing.

He gently licked Yu Bai's earlobe, and Yu Bai's body went limp, collapsing into his arms, her cheeks flushed with two adorable pink clouds.

In the second round, the tables turned. Jiang Jizhou rolled an odd number, while Yu Bai rolled an even number. She nervously said, "Truth or dare."

"Did you sleep with Brother Zhou?"

Someone asked this lewd question, and the room erupted in cheers. Yu Bai blushed and picked up her glass to punish herself by drinking a glass instead of telling the truth. Jiang Jizhou took the glass from her hand and said casually, "She can't hold her liquor. I'll drink it."

Yu Bai tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp. Looking up, one could see his strong, sharp jawline and Adam's apple bobbing, making him sexy and charming. Thinking about that question, Yu Bai's mind wandered for a few seconds.

The dice were rolled again, and on the third round, Jiang Jizhou rolled a six.

He chose the dare.

Everyone unanimously suggested that Yu Bai and Jiang Jizhou sing a duet together.

In the winter of 2014, "Fleet of Time" was released. This was the first movie that Jiang Jizhou and Yu Bai watched together. Although the movie received mixed reviews, Yu Bai liked it very much. Every time she watched it, she felt heartbroken, especially the scene where Fang Hui broke up with Chen Xun on a snowy night. Yu Bai cried her eyes out, and Jiang Jizhou gently wiped away her tears, saying, "It's just a movie. We won't be like that."

The theme song sung by Faye Wong was also a huge hit, and Yu Bai and Jiang Jizhou sang a duet of the theme song "The Fleeting Years".

This song added a touch of melancholy to the lively and cheerful atmosphere of the private room, a sorrow about the end of youth.

Their high school years are coming to an end, this naive, innocent, and lovely time that has passed in a flash.

I don't know how long we played in the private room. After Truth or Dare, we sang karaoke. When we got tired of singing and it was already late at night, everyone left.

Yu Bai held the large bouquet of flowers Jiang Jizhou had given her. Although she hadn't drunk much wine, her face was still flushed and her head was spinning.

The two walked side by side on the street at night.

"Do you want to go home?" His voice was deep, with a youthful clarity, gentle yet alluring. Yu Bai looked up at him and gently shook her head.

"Okay, let's walk a little longer then." Jiang Jizhou smiled helplessly.

"Jiang Jizhou, I'm an adult now." Yu Bai said, then smiled somewhat embarrassedly.

"It's okay, you'll always be a little child who needs protection in my heart." Jiang Jizhou shrugged.

Yu Bai gave a soft snort.

After walking in silence for an unknown amount of time, Yu Bai spoke softly.

"We can do that kind of thing now."

Jiang Jizhou raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "You've made something of yourself."

"Have you said things like that to other boys?"

He looked down and stared straight at Yu Bai, who shook her head and said solemnly, "Only you."

Jiang Jizhou's smile deepened as he ruffled Yu Bai's hair. "So good."

But when Jiang Jizhou actually took him to the hotel, Yu Bai finally realized what audacious thing he had said.

Inside the bathroom, the sound of Jiang Jizhou showering reached her ears clearly. The rushing water and the faintly visible figure left her stunned, her mind blank, and she forgot to think.

When Jiang Jizhou walked out of the bathroom, he was only wearing a towel around his lower body. His exposed abdominal muscles were full and powerful. Water droplets fell, as if hitting Yu Bai's heart. Her heart pounded and she quickly looked away.

Jiang Jizhou walked up to her and said, "Why are you shy? It's not like we haven't met before."

Yu Bai's face turned even redder. She was timid. Although she had mustered up the courage to say those words, it was really just a momentary impulse. Now that she had calmed down, she was very scared. She looked at Jiang Jizhou cautiously and said, "I don't want to take a bath."

"Should we come straight here?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Bai was tackled to the ground by Jiang Jizhou. Their eyes met and their palms clasped together.

A white light flashed before Yu Bai's eyes. She placed her hands on either side of her head, but Jiang Jizhou pressed them down, and she found that she couldn't exert any strength at all. This completely overwhelming difference in strength made Yu Bai feel panicked. Now, Yu Bai was just a little white rabbit at Jiang Jizhou's mercy.

She looked up and saw Jiang Jizhou staring intently at her with his eyes lowered, his dark pupils filled with desire.

"I...I...please don't do this," Yu Bai said, her voice trembling with tears.

Jiang Jizhou kissed her face gently and tenderly, his voice hoarse and restrained, "Good girl."

"No, Jiang Jizhou."

Her eyes pleaded and her voice was incoherent; she was truly terrified. Jiang Jizhou smiled casually, released her hand, and lay down to one side.

Freed from his restraints, Yu Bai breathed a sigh of relief, but also felt apologetic towards Jiang Jizhou.

Jiang Jizhou held Yu Bai's hand and comforted her, "Let's talk about it when you're really grown up. Anyway, we have a long future ahead of us."

Yu Bai blinked and nodded.

"What did you wish for on your birthday?" Jiang Jizhou asked softly, looking into Yu Bai's bright eyes.

"I hope we..." Yu Bai belatedly covered her mouth, "It's a secret, it won't work if I tell you."

Jiang Jizhou chuckled and got off the bed. Yu Bai asked him, "What are you going to do?"

"Take a shower."

Didn't I just take a shower? Yu Bai was a little confused. She got up and got out of bed, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, where she could overlook almost the entire night view of the southern city, which was breathtaking.

While she was engrossed in watching, Jiang Jizhou pulled her into his arms from behind.

"So beautiful."

"Then we'll buy you a high-rise apartment in the city center so you can enjoy the night view."

Jiang Jizhou laughed softly.

Yu Bai pursed her lips, her eyebrows curving upwards.

After watching the night view for a while, Yu Bai felt very tired and yawned repeatedly. Jiang Jizhou pulled her to go to sleep.

Lying together under the same blanket, Yu Bai was extremely nervous, and even her drowsiness dissipated a little.

Jiang Jizhou looked down at Yu Bai's chest, which was covered in snow and dotted with a red plum blossom, like soft, warm snow. He reached out to grab it, and it flowed into his palm. Yu Bai cried out, her voice like a nightingale's song, melodious and moving. She quickly covered her mouth, unable to believe that the sound came from her own mouth.

Yu Bai's eyes were red, and a strange feeling arose from his body.

"Alright, let's sleep." Jiang Jizhou softened. He desperately suppressed the beast raging within him and pulled Yu Bai into his arms, their skin touching.

This was their most intimate pose; they embraced each other tightly, and Yu Bai gradually drifted off to sleep in An Xin's heart.

But in the latter half of the night, half-asleep, Yu Bai saw Jiang Jizhou's tall figure standing in front of the French windows, his fingertips flickering.

"elder brother."

She murmured softly, as if talking in her sleep.

Jiang Jizhou walked to the bedside, looked down at Yu Bai who was sleeping. The cold air in the early morning made him unusually clear-headed. His eyes no longer held the tenderness of yesterday, but were covered with a layer of ice, cold to the bone.

Yu Bai slept until after ten o'clock. Since it was Sunday and she didn't have to go to class, she turned over and wanted to continue sleeping, but found that Jiang Jizhou was nowhere to be seen. She immediately woke up, sat up, and got dressed when Jiang Jizhou came in with breakfast.

Yu Bai had little appetite for the congee and stir-fried vegetables, but ate only a little.

Stealing a glance at Jiang Jizhou, tracing his handsome features, Yu Bai felt a wave of daze. Last night, they slept so intimately together; it felt like a dream. Yu Bai felt her heart soaring to the clouds, leaping with joy. And Jiang Jizhou respected her wishes—"there's plenty of time"—what a beautiful idiom! Yu Bai smiled happily. Jiang Jizhou smiled and asked, "What are you laughing at?"

Yu Bai shook his head. "It's nothing."

"Idiot." Jiang Jizhou lightly tapped her head.

Yu Bai's heart was filled with immense joy and satisfaction; it was truly wonderful to have met Jiang Jizhou.

"Why do you like me?" Yu Bai suddenly looked up at Jiang Jizhou and asked him softly.

“Because you are you.” Jiang Jizhou smiled.

"What do you mean?" Yu Bai pressed.

"I like you because it's you."

Even after getting home, Yu Bai was still thinking about Jiang Jizhou's words: "Because it's her, that's why I like her."

She was inexplicably happy because of this.

Chen Ma cooked dinner early that evening. Yu Bai had nothing to do, so he went to help, humming a little tune.

Aunt Chen asked her, "Why are you so happy, Bai Bai?"

Yu Bai chuckled and just laughed.

Aunt Chen smiled and said, "Are you dating someone?"

As expected of Aunt Chen, who had been eating for decades longer than her, Yu Bai stopped smiling and pretended to be serious, "No."

She wanted to tell Jiang Jizhou about her relationship with him after the college entrance exam.

"Haha." Chen's mother didn't expose her, "Alright, focus on preparing for the college entrance exam first."

"Yes, I know." Yu Bai nodded. The college entrance examination is one of the most important things, and she will definitely do her best.

Jiang Jizhou's extravagant birthday celebration for Yu Bai and the ring he gave her sparked much discussion after the weekend.

Many people have changed their initial opinion and feel that Jiang Jizhou has finally settled down.

When people saw the two of them together, they would tease them. Yu Bai was naturally shy and often blushed when teased. Jiang Jizhou, on the other hand, accepted it readily. Fortunately, with the college entrance examination approaching, everyone got used to the two's relationship after a while and focused on preparing for the exam.

Jiang Jizhou treated Yu Bai even better, so well that it made her feel a little uneasy.

"What's wrong with that? It just means he likes you!" Mingjing popped a piece of candy into her mouth, chewing it loudly, and thought Yu Bai was worrying unnecessarily.

"Yes... I want to give him a gift, but I don't know what to give."

Yu Bai couldn't fully accept Jiang Jizhou's kindness to her with a clear conscience. She wanted to repay him in some way, but Jiang Jizhou lacked nothing. She was troubled, so she consulted Mingjing.

“I know.” Mingjing beckoned to Yu Bai, who leaned closer to listen.

Mingjing whispered, "You."

Upon hearing this, Yu Bai blushed deeply. She jokingly slapped Ming Jing, "What is that?"

"Hmph, you've got the wrong idea. I was just saying you're his best gift," Mingjing retorted.

Yu Bai glared at her.

Seeing this, Mingjing became serious and said earnestly, "You could give him something you made yourself; that would be more thoughtful, and he's not short of money."

“It’s handmade…” Yu Bai thought for a moment, “I know.”

Yu Bai knows a little needlework, and she hand-knitted a cute little gray wolf pendant for Jiang Jizhou.

After completing the task, Yu Bai immediately went to find Jiang Jizhou.

He and Aze were in the billiard room, and Yu Bai went there to find Jiang Jizhou.

"Xiaoxiao still likes you. Are you serious about this relationship with Yu Bai?" It was Aze's voice.

Jiang Jizhou wasn't playing pool; he was leaning against the pool table, smoking, his face somewhat indifferent amidst the swirling smoke.

"The mistress's daughter, just for fun."

"What did you say?" It was Chen Ye's voice, somewhat angry.

"What? You still like her?" Jiang Jizhou scoffed. "Wait until I get tired of her."

Chen put down his cue and walked up to Jiang Jizhou. "You're not truly sincere towards Yu Bai?"

"She doesn't deserve it."

His voice was extremely cold, filled with disgust.

"Then why are you still with her?" Aze grinned mischievously. "Didn't you sleep with her?"

Jiang Jizhou glanced at him, "I want to make her taste what it's like to be cheated on by the person she loves."

"Hahaha, you're really ruthless." Aze laughed. "Then why don't you cheat on me with Xiaoxiao? She's head over heels in love with you."

Chen was also incredulous. "A-Zhou, is there some misunderstanding between you two?"

Jiang Jizhou looked up at him, feeling somewhat irritated, but then he saw Yu Bai standing not far away, her face pale and her body trembling uncontrollably.

In an instant, as if burned by cigarette smoke, Jiang Jizhou felt a stinging pain in his fingertips.

She ran away.

Jiang Jizhou flicked his cigarette ash, lowered his eyes, and his long, raven-feather-like eyelashes trembled slightly, the movement fleeting. He then smiled casually.

It was known in advance.

Yu Bai ran wildly along the street, without any direction.

The wind whistled in her ears. Jiang Jizhou's words, which she had just heard in the billiard room, were now clear and piercing. The suffocating feeling was like ants slowly and resolutely gnawing at every inch of her heart, making her heart ache and go numb.

As the sun sets, its afterglow spills onto the Nanjiang River. Yu Bai leans against the railing, gazing blankly at the rushing water.

Groups of people strolled past her, including couples who were inseparable, loving spouses, and harmonious families of three... Their cheerful voices were like the sharpest needles, piercing Yu Bai's heart and causing her pain to bleed.

What else is real? She suddenly felt that the world was so terrifying.

Those beautiful past scenes are now playing in my mind frame by frame, but they have all turned into sharp knives aimed at Yu Bai, like a slow, agonizing death.

Yu Bai found that even when she was so sad, she didn't shed a single tear. Numbly, she squatted down, curled up into a ball, and let the pain numb her.

I don't know how much time had passed, but the night was already deep.

She stood up and walked forward unsteadily. A light drizzle began to fall, wetting Yu Bai's parched face. She took out her phone and dialed the number she knew by heart.

The phone rang for a moment before being answered, followed by silence.

"Jiang Jizhou, I only have one question for you."

"you say."

Yu Bai looked up, the increasingly heavy raindrops hitting her face, blurring her vision. In her heart-wrenching pain, she vaguely thought of the movie "Fleet of Time" that she had watched with Jiang Jizhou. It turned out that she was also a character in the movie.

She laughed and cried at the same time, like a madwoman, overwhelmed by immense grief.

Did you ever love me?

Quiet, so quiet that only the sound of rain could be heard, the "pitter-patter" of rain, the blurry rain mist like the day they embraced in the cemetery.

Without waiting for Jiang Jizhou's reply, Yu Bai said, "Let's break up."

She hung up the phone, blocked all of Jiang Jizhou's contact information, and staggered into the rain.

She finally understood the feelings of the female protagonist in the movie.

I finally understand the line at the end of the movie—I have no regrets about where my dreams have led me, I only regret that they have passed too quickly.

-----------------------

The author's note: "Those Bygone Years" - No regrets for where dreams lead, only regret for how fleeting they were.

The next chapter concludes the campus section!