Chapter 58 Those Wang Kan's came looking for her...
On weekends when Wang Kan came to visit her, Fang Minzhou would return to her dorm room in the evenings and her roommates would always ask her about the progress of their dates.
The professional courses were harmonious but peaceful, with a group of top students gathered together, coming to class and leaving after class, just like the feeling of the words "finance" and "economics". However, dormitory 406 was a different scene altogether.
Reason draws upon knowledge, while emotion yearns for love and desire.
Jin Ying is quite knowledgeable about astrology and birth charts. In her spare time, she helps people check their recent fortunes. She even asked Fang Minzhou about her boyfriend's birthday and said she would help them with their synastry chart.
Fang Minzhou didn't really believe in these metaphysical tales and gossip; she just listened to them for fun. She asked what a synastry chart meant, and Jin Ying explained that it was comparing two people's birth charts to see how deep their connection was and how good their relationship was.
Fang Minzhou didn't quite remember what Jin Ying said at the time, but it was something like if they communicated well and cherished each other, there would be a good outcome. Fang Minzhou's family had her fortune told, and they had said something similar, saying that as long as she studied hard, she could do well in her studies.
Fang Minzhou felt that she and Wang Kan were communicating; in a sense, even their occasional arguments were a form of communication, as she had always been aware that they had different personalities.
But people tend to think superficially. It's like not knowing how to solve a problem; even if you understand it, only a few can apply the knowledge to other situations or make generalizations. Different personalities—it sounds like just "different personalities," but we unconsciously overlook the underlying reasons.
In the silence, Wang Kan's lips twitched, his smile softening. He straightened up and walked into the house. "Sure, actually that's not what I meant." He gestured for Fang Minzhou to come over. "By the way, I bought your favorite snacks. Would you like some now?"
Fang Minzhou stood at the door, without moving.
She didn't want Wang Kan's muddy-waters attitude; she wanted to talk things out with him clearly, right and wrong, reasonable and unreasonable.
“I told you before, I believe you, and you should believe me too.” Fang Minzhou calmed down. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with me going to celebrate someone’s birthday. I mentioned on the phone that there were many people there, and everyone had made plans in advance.”
“I didn’t say you had a problem,” Wang Kan said with a smile.
“But you’re clearly angry.” Fang Minzhou frowned, the pain from his outburst still lingering on her lips.
Thinking about her panic and fear just now, as well as the power difference between the two of them, Fang Minzhou really became a little annoyed.
Wang Kan looked at her seemingly seriously, but when he spoke again, his tone was still lazy. However, his smile had changed slightly, carrying a self-deprecating tone, "I just wanted to see you as soon as I got off the plane, but you said you were going to celebrate another guy's birthday. Can't I be a little angry?"
Fang Minzhou once again received his signal of weakness and coquetry, telling her not to hold it against him, but this was not a question of whether she would hold it against him or not. "So you still think I did something wrong?"
"It's not that serious, it's not a matter of right or wrong..."
Fang Minzhou retorted, "Yes."
Wang Kan finally stopped laughing. He glanced at the distance between them and asked, "So you think I'm wrong?"
He saw the answer on Fang Minzhou's face: Isn't that right?
The first time Wang Kan discovered that liking Fang Minzhou could bring him heartache. Their most serious argument was probably when they were filling out college applications, but even then, he was only feeling wronged and angry.
"Can't I even be a little jealous?"
After saying it out loud, he felt extremely spineless.
He had already guessed Fang Minzhou's answer without her needing to reply.
But why is it that when other couples have a little jealousy and playful bickering, they make such a big deal out of it?
Wang Kan's injured expression was almost unbearable for Fang Minzhou.
She looked away, staring at the blank wall, and sighed.
Similar situations have occurred before.
If Wang Kan's jealousy of Lin Sinian at that time gave her a vague sense of satisfaction from being liked, now she only felt exhausted.
She had clearly talked to Wang Kan, but he just wouldn't listen. It was like she told him not to come anymore, but he still insisted on coming.
Does he genuinely care about her, or is he just pretending to care in his own way?
If he truly cares about what she says, why doesn't he listen to her or consider her feelings?
Thinking about how he later fought with Lin Sinian... Fang Minzhou thought she knew Wang Kan well enough. No one is without flaws, but now she felt lost. Only the unease brought to her by Wang Kan's impulsive nature felt so real.
"Do you remember I said before... that what you're doing is very disrespectful to me?" Fang Minzhou spoke up. She didn't really want to be so serious, but if they didn't talk things out properly, she felt the problem would only get worse. "You still haven't answered me why I can't celebrate other guys' birthdays?"
Wang Kan leaned back on the sofa, tilted her head back slightly, closed her eyes and sighed deeply. When she opened them again, she ruffled her hair, concealed her impatience, and asked her instead, "Are you planning to just stand there?"
"Go ahead and say it," Fang Minzhou said, unmoved.
"Fine." Wang Kan sneered. Since Fang Minzhou wanted to make things so clear, he would cooperate. "What if I went to celebrate other girls' birthdays?"
"sure."
"If you specifically flew to Jiangcheng, and I went to celebrate another girl's birthday, would you still be okay with that?"
Fang Minzhou instinctively reached out to respond, but she didn't actually make a sound. Wang Kan's as-is-it-as-is expression stung her. "...But you didn't tell me you were coming. I might have had other plans."
“If you come to me, none of my plans matter.”
If possible, Wang Kan didn't want Fang Minzhou to celebrate any boy's birthday. Familiar men were out of the question—it was dangerous—and unfamiliar men, since they weren't familiar, what was the point? But he knew this wasn't right. His intention wasn't to restrict Fang Minzhou's freedom to make friends; he wasn't that crazy. He just wanted to…
He just wanted Fang Minzhou to like him a little more.
She longed for him to come see her, to ask if he was tired, to praise him. If he didn't come one day, she would feel disappointed and angry, rather than instinctively saying on the phone, "Why is he here again? I have something to do tonight, it's a senior's birthday party, I have to go. Wait for me at the hotel, I'll be back early..."
This perfectly aligns with Fang Minzhou's logic of speaking and acting. What Wang Kan doesn't understand is why someone as intelligent as her doesn't realize how cruel her words are to him.
After Fang Minzhou realized what Wang Kan meant, she was a little confused. "...Are you bothered that I didn't come to see you?"
Wang Kan couldn't help but frown again: "No."
How could she have thought of this?
"But this is just a birthday celebration. What if you have something more important to do?"
“No need to make that assumption, that’s a different situation.” After saying that, Wang Kan shrugged because of the heavy atmosphere. “But I can’t think of anything more important than you.”
Fang Minzhou didn't smile at all.
So he stopped forcing a smile again.
“First of all,” Wang Kan heard Fang Minzhou say, a word that made him want to laugh again. Even in such a tense moment, she could remain so composed. She truly lived up to her name, Fang Minzhou. “I won’t stand anyone up.”
Wang Kan nodded, indicating that he was listening.
"Secondly, I won't run over to you without telling you, Wang Kan. I won't create such a surprise."
"Okay, I understand." Wang Kan realized that her way of speaking had also become like Fang Minzhou's, very formal and methodical. "So you just don't want me to come looking for you, is that right?"
Yeah?
Of course not.
Fang Minzhou was utterly dejected.
She's currently preparing her debate script for next month's Freshman Cup. She enjoys debating more than she expected because, no matter how sharp or intense the arguments, both sides adhere to the principle of reason and evidence. But what are she and Wang Kan doing now? "I told you not to come anymore, you've already..."
"Okay, I understand," Wang Kan interrupted her with the same sentence.
Fang Minzhou continued, "...You came to see me three times. I already told you this when you came last time..."
“I said,” Wang Kan said, “Okay, I understand.”
Fang Minzhou scratched at the wall beside her with her dangling fingers. Before she could finish speaking, Wang Kan stopped her, "Don't say anything more. I'll listen to you. I won't come again."
silence.
Fang Minzhou's slightly open mouth remained open for a long time. When she closed it again, her mouth and throat moved dryly, as if she had swallowed a suffocating wad of air.
She had been standing in the corner, but now she leaned back against the hard wall, watching Wang Kan begin to tidy up the things on the coffee table. The beautifully packaged pastries were ruthlessly thrown into the trash can by him.
The deep pink gift box was rather long, extending beyond the edge of the trash can, revealing a pointed corner.
Fang Minzhou's gaze shifted from the sharp corner back to Wang Kan's face. She was somewhat dazed. She remembered him as someone who wore his emotions on his sleeve, but now his face was calm and indifferent, revealing no emotion.
She had another point to criticize him for: wasting food, but Fang Minzhou felt that she was like that discarded gift box, which he could just throw away if he wanted to.
He is rich.
He doesn't care.
With tears welling up in his eyes, Fang Minzhou turned around and opened the door with a smooth and decisive movement, just like when he threw away the trash.
The door closed behind her, and she touched her face; it was dry. She stepped into the elevator, and in the mirror, she saw her own expressionless face. She walked out of the hotel, through the bustling streets, and back to her dorm. Her roommates hadn't returned yet. It was Friday night, a night meant for relaxation and fun, and it was only 8:40—not even a few tens of minutes long enough for a flight between Jiangcheng and Zhangcheng.
Fang Minzhou turned on the light, tears welling up like faint dark clouds. She began to prepare to wash up, hoping that the barren clouds would not accumulate any rain.
After finishing their buffet meal, the roommates returned to their dorm and wondered why Fang Minzhou had come back so early. Fang Minzhou smiled and said that she had just returned as well.
Her smile was flawless. Jin Ying handed the extra pudding she had brought to Fang Minzhou. Fang Minzhou had already brushed her teeth, but she still thanked her and accepted it. After eating it, she brushed her teeth again.
Luo Jia has recently been getting to know a boy from the next class. The two made plans to go hiking on the weekend. They spent the night gossiping about it, and as they talked, everyone went to sleep, and the small dormitory became quiet.
Sleeping in the bed by the balcony, a thin beam of light shone through the gap in the curtains onto the ceiling, and Fang Minzhou, wide awake, stared at it for a long time.
She didn't want to cry; if she cried, it would seem like something had been accomplished.
As dawn broke, Fang Minzhou slept for a while before being awakened by the chirping of birds in the early morning.
She wasn't grumpy when she woke up and stayed in bed until after 7 a.m. After Meng Yujun got up, Fang Minzhou also quietly got out of bed, while the other two roommates were still sleeping.
"So early?" Meng Yujun mouthed to her.
Fang Minzhou nodded.
The dorm leader is someone who gets up early on Saturdays to study at the library, and only rests on Sundays.
After washing up, Fang Minzhou went to the cafeteria and slowly ate her breakfast.
It was a sunny day, but the morning in the northern part of the city in November was already chilly. The campus was quiet on a weekend morning, and the area outside the school was not as bustling as it was at night. Fang Minzhou walked to the hotel, took the elevator again, and knocked on Wang Kan's door. In broad daylight, no pair of hands suddenly pulled her inside.
She knocked twice, but no one answered the door.
Fang Minzhou stood outside the door, unsure whether Wang Kan was still asleep or unwilling to open it. She didn't know if she should make a phone call or send a text message, nor whether she should continue knocking or simply leave.
Yesterday, they were helping Luo Jia with her date plans. When Luo Jia asked which lipstick to choose, they suggested a dusty rose one, saying it had a more autumnal feel. Just now, in the elevator going up, she applied a little tinted lip balm in front of the mirror because her face looked pale from lack of sleep.
The heavy brown security door in front of her couldn't reflect her appearance, but what kind of scene would the person inside see if they looked at her through the peephole?
Fang Minzhou was about to leave when she heard someone call out to her, "Miss?"
The cleaning lady pushed her tools to the side and stood there. Fang Minzhou thought she was blocking the way, so she apologized and turned to leave. Immediately afterward, she heard the sound of the door lock being opened behind her.
She turned around, and the door opened.
The aunt pushed the stroller inside.
Fang Minzhou returned to the door of 8012. Yesterday she stood one step inside the door, now she stood one step outside. She saw that the bed inside was messy, there was a half-empty mineral water bottle on the coffee table, and the housekeeper picked up a long gift box from the trash can.
There are signs that someone once lived there, but no one is there.
Wang Kan has already checked out and left.
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