13 Boyfriend (2)

Many images flashed through Li Yaya's mind, and the face of Shao Lan in her memory overlapped with the forest scene in front of her.

Even though her fingers were trembling slightly, her face forced itself to suppress all expression. The experience of the past few years had taught her to lock away her emotions beneath a blank expression.

She didn't feel bad, only a sense of relief. Fortunately, fortunately they were really the same kind of people, otherwise, she really couldn't have the heart to say something to hurt someone.

Jiang Yi didn't know whose call he answered and didn't come back for a long time.

Lin Jing looked at Li Yaya, who had been silent the whole time. Her calm face was like a blank mask, showing no emotion. Lin Jing couldn't guess what Li Yaya was thinking.

He thought his offer was generous. He had seen Li Yaya's work environment and even tried to inquire about her work situation indirectly, and learned that she worked two jobs. She was thin before, and now she was even thinner. From the first time Lin Jing saw Li Yaya, he knew that she had not had a good life in the past few years.

The Li Yaya who used to chat and laugh with friends in the classroom corridor, cheering at any time with sparkling eyes, is gone.

He didn't believe that she could live such a hard life and still be happy with it.

He didn't believe that she would reject him.

Li Yaya silently calmed her inner turmoil. Looking at Lin Jing, her expression was calm without a ripple, but her eyes were filled with a piercing coldness.

The moment Lin Jing saw Li Yaya's eyes, he was a little panicked.

"Lin Jing, you know what? When you said four years ago, 'Let's go to college in the same city,' it really made me happy and excited for a long time. It was like my teenage dreams had been answered, even though we didn't end up in the same city. But you were by my side during my first high-speed train ride, my first long trip, my first time seeing the ocean, and so many other firsts. I was also full of expectations and longing for the future, and I knew I must have liked you back then."

"But that's how life is. There are always more regrets than perfections. That time must be the most beautiful memory of my life, but people can't always live in the past—" Li Yaya paused, "Lin Jing, thank you for your 'kindness', but I'm fine now. I'm already moving on, so don't dwell on the past."

Li Yaya spoke calmly. Only when she mentioned "good intentions" did the corners of her mouth tremble slightly, only for a moment, and then she immediately regained her composure.

Lin Jing was completely panicked. He was completely at a loss. Why did Li Yaya say this? Was she trying to completely sever ties with him?

He doesn't allow it!

Why should she be able to make things clear just because she wants to?

Why can she move forward just because she says so?

Why does she say it is the past? It can only be the past.

Why!

But in Lin Jing's 23 years of life, everything had gone smoothly. He had never failed to achieve what he wanted. But why did he keep stumbling over and over again with Li Yaya?

He searched for her year after year, waited for her year after year. Finally he met her, and he helped her plan her life, helped her have a better life. He wanted to take her away, to a big city like Beijing, to have a brand new life that was completely different from the present.

But she rejected him.

She rejected him without hesitation. He couldn't figure it out, was it because of that man named Jiang Yi?

For a man like this? For a bar singer who couldn't help her with her debts or guarantee her future? For an ordinary person like this?

He had so many things to ask her, but the words were stuck in his throat and he couldn't utter a single word.

He wanted to have a hysterical argument with her to vent his anger over the past few days, but he didn't. He just looked at Li Yaya quietly.

She didn't avoid his gaze, but met it instead. Her eyes were too frank, with a hint of stubbornness.

In the end, Lin Jing was defeated.

"Li Yaya, you're right. People shouldn't dwell on the past, they should move forward."

Hearing this, Li Yaya thought Lin Jing understood what she meant, but the next words poured cold water on her.

"But how do you know that you won't be with me on my journey forward?"

"I know, because you are no longer on my path."

As soon as Jiang Yi finished the call and walked in, he felt the atmosphere in the room drop to freezing point. He didn't know what the two of them had said during his absence, but looking at Li Yaya's expression, he knew that they hadn't said anything nice.

Jiang Yi wanted to say something, but then he remembered that Li Yaya had specifically told him to keep his mouth shut before she came in. The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back.

"You took so long to answer the phone, is there something urgent?"

"It's not urgent, it's just—"

Li Yaya's eyes came again, but Jiang Yi still couldn't understand. He couldn't understand whether he was in urgent need of something or not. "Just-just,"

"It's just that we should go now, right?"

"yes."

Li Yaya stood up and said, "Sorry, my boyfriend is busy, so we have to leave first. I wish you a safe journey tomorrow."

Without even turning back, he took Jiang Yi's hand and left.

Only after they left the store did Li Yaya let go of Jiang Yi's hand and began to breathe heavily. Just now, she felt really uncomfortable.

Jiang Yiyi seemed to be hesitant to speak. He really wanted to know what the two of them had just said in the room. He also wanted to know how Li Yaya got involved with someone like Lin Jing, what kind of past Li Yaya had, and whether Li Yaya actually liked Lin Jing.

But now is not the time to ask these questions.

Li Yaya, panting, looked like a deflated ball, as if all her strength had been used up. She appeared listless. She walked towards the shade of a nearby tree, where her electric bike was parked.

Jiang Yi followed behind Li Yaya and remained silent.

Li Yaya forced a smile and said, "Thank you for today. It's still early, I'll treat you to dinner."

Unable to hold back, Jiang Yi suddenly held Li Yaya's face with both hands. This action was too intimate, and Li Yaya was stunned for a moment, and didn't even try to break free. "Douya, your smile is uglier than crying. If you're in a bad mood, you should vent it. Don't hold it in alone. You can tell me, okay?"

Li Yaya nodded woodenly.

"Come on, I'll take you to eat something delicious."

Sitting on the back of the electric bike, Li Yaya finally realized what had just happened. She looked at Jiang Yi's back as he rode. It was a stunning sight in the wind. He was slightly hunched, lean and fierce. His shirt filled with wind, billowing like a sail, then suddenly deflated, clinging to his body, outlining the shape of his shoulder blades.

The old electric car would make a trivial noise from time to time, mixed with the sound of tires rolling over gravel.

Her hair had been messed up by the wind, with a few strands sticking up, giving off a furry golden edge in the sunlight.

In the distance, the setting sun was fading, stretching the shadows of the two people very long. The shadows changed in real time, but always rushed forward, more nimble than real people.

After Li Yaya left, Lin Jing still sat there, motionless for a long time.

The waiter took a quick look at the door but didn't dare to come in and disturb them.

Lin Jing just sat there, his mind a mess. He didn't know what he was thinking, or rather, he couldn't think calmly at all. He always prided himself on being a rational person, but now, he was on the verge of an emotional breakdown.

But Lin Jing is also good at self-regulation. If he didn't have such good self-regulation ability, he would have gone crazy long ago after being controlled by Shao Lan for so many years.

I calmed down for the moment and walked out of the store.

The sun has already set, and the forest scenery in the distance looks like the embers of a burning charcoal fire, gently wrapped by the horizon.

Lin Jing suddenly felt like the setting sun, repeatedly burned by the charcoal fire, leaving only a handful of ashes that could be blown away by the wind at any moment. He needed to be wrapped, cared for, and treasured.

It seemed that Lin Jing had never made any choice for himself, such as what school to go to, what friends to make, and even what to eat and what clothes to wear. Everything had always been arranged for him. He wanted to have some people and things that he could choose for himself - such as Li Yaya.

That sunset burned in his heart.

Lin Jing returned to the hotel and found his classmates. He told them that he had something to do and would not go with them tomorrow, so he asked them to go back first.

The other students didn't say anything, but just said a few symbolic words of concern, such as be careful, and be sure to contact them if you need any help, etc.

To be evasive.

Lin Jing also understood that, in fact, there were not many of these so-called classmates and friends who really liked him. It was just that the adult world required such social etiquette.

Only Zhao Ziyi, after hearing that Lin Jing was not going back, went directly to find him with evil intentions.

Out of politeness, Lin Jing let Zhao Ziyi into his room but did not close the door.

"Lin Jing, I heard from them that you won't be going back with us tomorrow. Is there something wrong? Or are you going somewhere else?" Zhao Ziyi tested carefully, although she had already guessed the reason in her heart.

"Nothing, I just want to stay here for two more days."

"The teacher asked us to go to school early. Are you planning to stay a few more days? Don't be late for school."

"It won't delay."

"Well, do you need someone to accompany you? I mean, having more people will help. After all, we're unfamiliar with the place, so two people is more convenient than one."

"No, that's not necessary."

"Is it because of that bartender?"

When Zhao Ziyi mentioned Li Yaya, Lin Jing's calm face finally showed a trace of emotion, and he finally looked Zhao Ziyi in the eye. "Whether it is or not, there is no possibility between the two of us."

Lin Jing's cold tone, word by word, punctured Zhao Ziyi's long-held self-righteous fantasy.

He left Lin Jing's room in a daze.

In the story of unrequited love, who is better off than who?