Chapter 67

"When did your brother get together with Sister Shengyi?"

Xu Zizhao's eyes nearly popped out when he saw the two people entering arm in arm. He looked at Mu Zhengxi, who remained expressionless, and said, "No, I saw my brother with a woman when I went to see him the day before yesterday." He didn't dare to say the rest.

Yan Yuheng also expressed his doubts. He didn't think Yang Shengyi, who was a model daughter, would be Mu Zhengting's type. However, liking someone is one thing, and marriage is another. Judging from the way the two parents talked, it was still debatable whether the two were really willing to be together.

"I'm going to the restroom."

"What's wrong with him??? He looks like the second male lead who's been heartbroken and dejected. Could he have fallen for Sheng Yi too???"

Yan Yuheng was speechless at Xu Zizhao's divergent thinking. "Are you crazy?"

"Just kidding." Xu Zizhao quickened his pace to catch up with the person. "Don't you think it looks alike? Hey, where are you going?"

"My dad is calling me."

Xu Zizhao quickly stopped and politely nodded to the man opposite him from a distance, "...Then I'll wait for you on the second-floor terrace."

If Mu Zhengxi still harbored a sliver of hope before today, that hope vanished the moment he saw Yang Shengyi.

Are the dreams that are being verified by reality a warning or a curse? Sometimes he can't help but wonder if he really exists in this space, or if he has fallen into some kind of time loop in the novel. Otherwise, he can't explain such bizarre events at all.

He stayed in the bathroom until he received a text message on his phone. Xu Zizhao asked him if he had run away. Only then did he open the stall door and bump into Mu Zhengting who came in.

Both were taken aback for a moment, then brushed past each other indifferently.

Mu Zhengting was somewhat surprised that he didn't get to see Mu Zhengxi roll his eyes this time, and he was even more surprised that the other party was still standing in the corridor when he came out.

Mu Zhengting glanced at him, then looked around to make sure no one else was there, before giving him a look of utter disbelief. "You weren't waiting for me, were you?"

The man standing upright, his lazy and helpless posture proving that his absurd idea was not wrong.

Walking side by side, what appears to outsiders as brotherly affection and respect is actually an eeriness that only those involved can sense.

Mu Zhengxi said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Don't mess around with women, Mu Zhengting. Sheng Yi is a good person. Since you're planning to get married, treat her well." He glanced at him sideways, "Infidelity can easily lead to trouble." After saying that, he strode in the opposite direction.

Mu Zhengting was momentarily stunned when his younger brother lectured him in a calm and serious tone, but he quickly put on an expression of disdain for a child's words.

"Then introduce me to them."

"Get out of here, you're just like that."

"Damn it!! What about me? Who paid for your meal at Baifuda last time?!"

"Mr. Xu, my dear Mr. Xu, I'm sorry, I misspoke~"

When Xu Zizhao and Mu Yashan get together, it's like a two-person comedy act of bickering.

The terrace door was pushed open.

“Hey, Mu Zhengxi.”

Mu Yashan's excited voice plummeted upon seeing his lack of interest.

Mu Zhengxi glanced at her and said indifferently, "What?"

Mu Yashan, unusually, didn't argue with him. She shook her head like an honest little sister. Ever since Jiang Wenqing passed away, Mu Zhengxi seemed to have changed. His father said that he had grown up and matured because of his experiences.

But once Mu Zhengxi grew up and stopped owing money, things became meaningless; nothing seemed interesting anymore.

The previously lively atmosphere was chilled by his arrival, making everyone quiet. Zeng Yuan called him to ask where he was, and Mu Zhengxi gestured to the two of them before pushing the door open and going in.

Mu Yashan and Xu Zizhao remained silent.

"When will my brother get better...?"

Xu Zizhao glanced at Mu Yashan, seemingly wanting to say something, but ultimately said nothing.

The banquet has ended.

Mu Zhengxi drove back by himself, and when he was two intersections away from the family compound, he had the car stop and chose to walk.

I went to the convenience store near the elementary school.

The shop owner, who had known him since elementary school, saw him dressed smartly in a suit and asked, "Oh, where have you been all this time?"

Mu Zhengxi said in a serious tone, "I work at a Western restaurant."

"Not bad, you've grown up and are supporting yourself now." The shopkeeper looked on with admiration, then peeked inside. "Where are the Three Musketeers? Why are you the only one?"

"They were too tired, so they went home."

The spicy snack brought tears to his eyes, and the shopkeeper handed him a tissue. "Want me a Coke?"

Mu Zhengxi nodded, sweating profusely.

I took off my coat and sat on a long wooden bench casually placed in front of the convenience store, the fresh green leaves rustling as they rubbed against each other.

He had the right to use the telephone, but he no longer had the courage to make a call.

The goldfish kissed my palm, its flowing tail like the hem of a girl's tulle skirt.

After playing with the fish tank for a while, Jiang Jiawei took her hands out of the tank, took out a tissue to wipe them, and Jiang Jiayi next to her complained, "Sister, your fish are really fat."

"It's not fat, it's cute."

"This is blind pampering."

"No, it's not okay. I asked Uncle Chen, and it's normal. He even praised me for raising it well."

Because of her frequent visits, she naturally became a close friend of the aquarium shop owner, despite their age difference. During her senior year of high school, when she was under a lot of pressure, Jiang Jiawei would go to the shop and spend an entire afternoon there, doing nothing but spacing out.

The boss was quite happy for her to go; she could help watch the shop while he went to the park to play a few games of chess.

The phone rang.

Jiang Jia, who was standing nearby, went over and answered the phone, "Hello, who are you looking for?"

"Oh no, you dialed the wrong number."

Jiang Jiawei's eyes darkened.

Who is it?

"I don't know, they said they were looking for some Brother Qi."

"Let's go get some watermelon shaved ice, Jia Yi."

"Go now?"

"Um."

"Okay, let's go."

In the final stretch leading up to the college entrance exam, there's a strange sense of anticipation, like being released from prison, and one can't wait to tear the calendar straight to June 7th.

Teachers have also shifted from a didactic teaching philosophy to one of loving encouragement, and the whole world is making way for the upcoming exams with gentle hope.

Even the sun that day was like that.

The sunlight was gentle, and the high temperature was 28 degrees Celsius, neither too hot nor too cold.

The curling incense sticks burning in the incense burner, with their dry and calming woody and spicy aroma, quietly suppressed the surrounding restlessness.

Fish food fell into the fish tank, and a bunch of heads crowded to the surface, floating and swimming in the golden light. It was a beautiful day that made one sigh at how wonderful it is to live in this world.

Looking at the group of chubby kids who had been pampered by Jiang Jiawei, Jiang Weichao said, "You guys should also cheer for your sister and wish her success in getting into the university she wants."

The college entrance examination is over.

Jiang Jiawei stood on the track under the shade of the trees on the playground. When she realized this fact, she looked around and felt a light, aimless sense of loss.

The runway ahead was no longer there, but a vast, unsettling wilderness.

"Jiang Jiawei".

Chen Jingyu, from another teaching building, ran towards her.

The weight of the embrace brought the world back to reality; the girl's hair scent was the clean, slightly astringent fragrance of lemongrass when its stems and leaves were snapped in the sunlight.

A clear yet gentle boundary was drawn amidst the smells of sweat, the scorching heat of the synthetic track, and the weariness unique to summer air.

Chen Jingyu said, "We've graduated, Jiajia."

Jiang Jiawei nodded, her chin resting on her shoulder.

Friends whose names are written on the heart of their school uniform jackets are friends for life.

The graduation dinner was held at a food stall in the banana grove.

The class monitor and Jiang Jiawei had already reserved seats before the college entrance examination. Zhang Chao's mother insisted on fully sponsoring the event, saying it was to thank the teachers and classmates for their help. Although the results had not yet been released, Zhang Chao's score in the top ten of the class in the last mock exam before the college entrance examination made her so excited that she tripped and fell on the steps upon hearing the news, spraining her wrist.

Zhang Chao was the only student besides the teacher to receive a bouquet of flowers. The class monitor said that the Best Transformation Award was well-deserved, and no one had any objections.

He opened the card; inside, in neat, running script, were the words, "I'm sorry" and "Thank you." It was signed XY.

He subconsciously looked at Jiang Jiawei, who nodded slightly at him.

What is regret? Regret is that you and I eventually became better versions of ourselves, but we found that we could no longer walk together.

After learning mathematics, you will find that parallel lines are not cruel, but intersecting lines are the cruelest. From then on, no matter which direction we take, every step we take is a step further away from each other.

As social animals, humans learn about love from birth. So what truly confuses and bewilders teenagers is not early romance, which adults often label as evil, but rather how to navigate this entirely new emotional challenge.

Unfortunately, many adults may never have passed this lesson.

So a child groping for a new map in the dark, recklessly using their body to collide with the boundaries of the rules, and using their heart to test the depth of their feelings, must pay the price of time and being hurt before they can barely find an exit of their own.

This cost is known as the harm of early romantic relationships.

The feast, named "Farewell," was made so that tears became the only main course that was truly tasted that night.

They haven't grown up yet, but they are already growing up.

After the meal, Jiang Jiawei, Chen Jingyu, Zhang Chao, and a few other close friends went to Lin Chao's barbecue stall.

It was almost 1 a.m. when I got home.

Jiang Weichao had just finished cleaning up all the pots and pans. "You're back. How was your time? Did you have fun?"

Jiang Jiawei came over and took his arm, telling him what had happened at the party. After closing the shop, the father and daughter went upstairs together.

The temperature is rising, but it's not hot enough to warrant turning on the air conditioner; a fan and a well-ventilated window are enough to help me fall asleep.

A new cold drink shop opened near the school gate, and Jiang Jiawei went to work there as a summer job on the third day after the college entrance examination.

Chen Jingyu did well in her art exams, and throughout her senior year of high school, her family treated her like a panda, providing her with a relatively comfortable life. After the college entrance exams, she spent almost a week visiting her aunt before returning home, where her mother had gotten her a job tutoring students.

She would come to the beverage shop to kill time during the day when she had nothing to do, and then go to tutoring classes in the evening.

Time, like ice cubes in a glass, sloshes and melts away, and before we know it, it's the end of June.

Jiang Jiawei checked her scores at school. She didn't realize it was the day the results were released until Fang Caijuan, who was buying drinks for her daughter at the store, reminded her to come to the office that evening.

Several top students from the elite foundation program, along with their parents and teachers, crowded the office. When the results came out, Jiang Jiawei was momentarily stunned, and Jiang Jiayi excitedly exclaimed and hugged her.

The high-decibel volume that assaulted my eardrums made me dizzy, and the roof of the teaching building almost seemed to be blown off by the cheers.

Seeing Fang Caijuan, who is usually reserved, wiping away tears behind her glasses with relief, Jiang Jiawei went over and hugged her, unable to hold back her tears.

The person patting her back, like a mother, kept saying, "You've worked so hard, you've worked so hard, you've worked so hard."

The teacher who stays in the office every night until all the lights in the school are turned off knows best the effort her students have put in.

Faced with everyone's congratulations, Jiang Weichao clasped his hands together and could only express his gratitude repeatedly.

"dad."

"Eh."

The person who turned and threw themselves into his arms rested their head on his shoulder, covered their face, and unexpectedly burst into tears.

The father hugged his daughter and comforted her with clumsy movements and words, "It's okay, it's okay." With tears in his eyes, he said, "Mom must be very happy for you."

The long college entrance examination has only just truly ended.

A month later, the admission letter from Xuanhe University was mailed to her home. When Jiang Jiawei held it in her hands, she still felt a little unreal.

She was one of only two students from their school to be admitted to Xuanhe University. The other student was from the science stream, but unexpectedly, it wasn't Liu Xinze. Liu Xinze's college entrance exam score was somewhat below his usual performance, but he still managed to get into a good university.

Liu Xinze went to the beverage shop to see her once after the results were released.

It was during the students' evening self-study period, so it wasn't too busy. Jiang Jiawei treated him to a kumquat lemonade as part of her employee benefits. Although she didn't know what he wanted to say, Jiang Jiawei still patiently waited for him outside the store for a while.

After a few perfunctory pleasantries and small talk.

Liu Xinze blurted out, "My mom said that it's okay to date after you go to college."

Jiang Jiawei was a little confused, but still offered her blessings, saying, "Then I hope you can find someone you like in college and have a wonderful romance!"

“I didn’t respond to what they said about us before. Actually, I was afraid of affecting you. After all, girls are more emotional and their emotions fluctuate more easily.” Liu Xinze finished speaking with a serious face, and then gave a look that was a mixture of probing and knowing.

Jiang Jiawei understood, and she smiled.

"Yeah, it's just a rumor. I've never taken it to heart."

The summer night breeze carried the lingering heat of the day, making it sultry and not cool. The fruity scent emanating from the girl soothed the restlessness, and her smiling face under the streetlights resembled a lotus flower slowly blooming from its bud in a pond.

Liu Xinze frowned. "Jiang Jiawei, you're not still angry, are you?"

Jiang Jiawei was completely confused. "What?"

Liu Xinze's tone became anxious, "It's about Zhang Chao."

What happened to Zhang Chao?

"Last time at the shaved ice shop."

It took Jiang Jiawei a while to recall this distant memory. Although she had some reservations about Liu Xinze's behavior at the time and discovered his stubborn prejudices in dealing with people, it was a long time ago. Zhang Chao had already proven himself with his abilities, so Jiang Jiawei didn't think it was something to hold a grudge about, nor did she understand why Liu Xinze would bring it up again at this moment.

Some things are inexplicable and baffling.

"I'm not angry, you may have misunderstood something."

Liu Xinze stared at her, "If you weren't angry, why did you ignore me afterwards!"

Jiang Jiawei was stunned. "Huh??"

Liu Xinze's persistent questioning seemed unreasonable to her, and then he said, "Have you fallen for that guy named Mu Zhengxi?"

Jiang Jiawei finally understood.

The smile on her lips vanished instantly, like a candle flame extinguished by the wind. Her calm, unwavering gaze met Liu Xinze's, and her voice, though soft, was like a newly sharpened blade, coldly cutting a distance between them. "I think you might have misunderstood something. I've always only seen you as a classmate and role model. As a classmate, I'm very grateful for everything you did, whether it was helping me with my problems during evening self-study or lending me your notebook. Thank you, Liu Xinze."

"If there's nothing else, I'll go take care of my business now."

Jiang Jiawei pushed open the door and entered the store.

Liu Xinze stood frozen in place. From elementary school all the way to high school, this was the worst report card he had ever received. He had been full of confidence, but now he had no idea where he had gone wrong.

In winter, a crack quietly appeared on the frozen lake surface, deep within which no one knew.

On the upper right corner of the desk sat a copy of "The Catcher in the Rye." A breeze turned the pages, revealing the words "So superficial" written abruptly on one page. It seemed to have been left unintentionally by the reader who had been lost in thought. The word "superficial" was later crossed out with a black pen, replaced by the smaller characters "cute," and then a big X followed by the words "idiot" that tore through the paper.

The noisy chirping of cicadas outside the window masked the girl's suppressed sobs.

As the wind blew, the goldenrain tree flowers fell in a flurry, leaving a layer of golden rain on the track.

The late start of the university semester allowed Jiang Jiawei to spend her eighteenth birthday at home. Her aunt and younger sister came all the way from Qingsong, along with her grandparents.

With the blessings of family and friends, embark on a new journey in life.

Chen Jingyu's college entrance examination score was about what she had predicted, and she was able to get into her ideal school, which was in a neighboring city of Jiang Jiawei. The two even discussed whose city they should meet in during the National Day holiday.

Life is so dramatic. Xu Yue's family moved away from Changqing and she went to repeat her senior year of high school. Zhang Chao was admitted to Nanshan University, which was her original dream. The most rebellious child turned out to be the one who lived closest to home.