Confession
After ordering, the atmosphere was inexplicably silent. The music bar was brightly lit and the dim lights reflected on everyone's faces, making it seem as if everyone had their own thoughts.
Suddenly, the lights on the stage came on, breaking the silence.
A beautiful, youthful girl walked onto the stage with a guitar and sang the latest pop songs, attracting the attention of the guests in the restaurant and bar.
After the song was finished, Li Rongrong said excitedly, "Let's order a song too. 'Friendship lasts forever,' how about that?"
"Okay, I remember Zhizhi transferred here in the third grade of elementary school. Calculating the time, we have known each other for exactly ten years this year!" Lin Qingyu made a verbal calculation on a whim and was shocked.
"Oh my god, it's true, we've known each other for ten years!" Li Rongrong said in shock.
Lin Qingyu said, "If you don't count Zhizhi, you, me, Xu Qingbo, and Lu Xiye, the four of us have been in the same class since first grade. We've known each other for thirteen years."
"How many thirteen years are there in a lifetime? No way, today we must toast to these thirteen years!" Li Rongrong said as she stood up and poured everyone a glass of orange juice. "Zhizhi and I are not yet adults, so we can't drink alcohol. Let's toast with orange juice instead of wine!"
At Li Rongrong's call, everyone clinked their glasses and drank a glass of orange juice.
More than ten years of relationship made Jiang Zhizhi feel warm in her heart. In her previous life, she was always alone, but now she has so many friends around her.
"I'm going to order Auld Lang Syne. Let's meet again in the next ten years!"
As Li Rongrong spoke, she took out her mobile phone and placed an order online.
After placing the order, she laughed and said, "In the next ten years, we will all be 28 years old. Maybe we will all be married..."
When talking about marriage, several people's faces changed. Although Li Rongrong is usually carefree, she knows the situation between everyone after getting along with them for so many years.
Lin Qingyu, who usually stepped forward to smooth things over, remained silent. Li Rongrong gave an awkward smile and continued, "Even if we're married, you can't refuse if we want to have dinner together."
"No, we will always be good friends." Xu Qingbo replied gently.
"Well, no matter what happens, we will be friends forever." Li Rongrong looked around at the few people and said with a warning in her eyes.
Although she said this, everyone knew that after today's dinner, many things would change.
After they placed the order, the singer on the stage sang the song "Auld Lang Syne" for them shortly afterwards.
The soothing and long music made many guests sway and sing along, and the atmosphere became warm and soft. When the song ended, everyone turned their eyes back to each other and found that Jiang Zhizhi was already in tears.
"Zhizhi..."
Over the years, Li Rongrong has been Jiang Zhizhi's closest sister, and she knows that she is never as cold as she appears.
Jiang Zhizhi is the most sentimental person. She is soft and delicate, and always puts other people's feelings first. Beneath her seemingly aloof appearance lies an extremely tolerant heart.
Li Rongrong hugged Jiang Zhizhi, her voice choking with sobs. "Zhizhi, don't worry. No matter how much time passes, no matter what happens, you will always be number one in my heart. We will be good friends and sisters forever."
"Rongrong, you will always be my good sister." Jiang Zhizhi hugged her back and said with emotion.
Lu Xiye, who was standing by, held up his face and watched the two of them smacking their lips and taking a sip of orange juice. He said with disdain, "You two are so sour..."
Li Rongrong let go of Jiang Zhizhi and glared at Lu Xiye with red eyes, "What do you care? You, a stinky boy, can't possibly interfere in our relationship."
Lu Xiye was speechless, "When did I ever interfere with you?"
They stayed until eleven o'clock in the evening, when the cake they had ordered was delivered to their door.
This music restaurant and bar is open until two in the morning, and at this time, the restaurant is still bustling.
At exactly twelve o'clock, Li Rongrong placed the cake on the cleaned dining table, lit the candles, and accompanied by the guitar girl on the stage singing the happy birthday song they had ordered in advance, Jiang Zhizhi made a wish for the new year.
It’s nothing, I just hope that this friendship at this moment can last forever.
She blew out the candles and heard everyone saying "Happy Birthday" in unison. At this moment, even if time stopped forever, she felt it was worth it.
"Zhizhi, happy birthday." Li Rongrong rushed to be the first to take out the beautifully wrapped birthday present and give it to Jiang Zhizhi.
"Thanks."
Lin Qingyu, Xu Qingbo and Lu Xiye also took out gifts and gave them to her one after another.
Jiang Zhizhi accepted the gifts one by one, and at Li Rongrong's urging, she cut the cake among everyone.
After eating the cake, it was almost half past twelve.
"The dormitories are all closed at this time. Let's go sing. I've already booked a private room. It's not far away."
The original intention of this party was to have fun all night long, and Li Rongrong had made arrangements early on.
Everyone went to KTV. Lu Xiye waved his hand and ordered a luxury set meal. After entering the private room, he continued to eat and drink. He was more interested in snacks and fruits than the formal dinner.
Seeing that he didn't sing at all, Li Rongrong specially ordered a popular song for him, wanting him to join in. But after listening to him sing two lines, she confiscated his microphone.
It's really tone-deaf and so unpleasant.
Compared to Lu Xiye, Xu Qingbo's voice is clear and gentle, and his singing is particularly beautiful.
He has been a well-rounded academic since childhood, and it seems that there is nothing he can't do.
After singing for more than an hour, everyone was a little tired. Li Rongrong wanted to go to the bathroom, but she was a little scared to go alone, so she pulled Jiang Zhizhi to go with her.
When the two came back from the bathroom, they happened to meet Lin Qingyu and Xu Qingbo coming out of the box one after another, but they did not go to the bathroom, but went outside together.
Li Rongrong pulled Jiang Zhizhi to one side and stopped. They glanced at each other and suggested, "Should we follow and see?"
"No need for that." Jiang Zhizhi frowned.
But Li Rongrong forced her to follow him, "Come on, you want to know too, don't you?"
*
It's almost December and the nights are getting a bit cold.
The cold wind blew up Lin Qingyu's waist-length hair. She stood under the street light, and her fair and beautiful oval face looked even more charming.
Lin Qingyu's fingers, half hidden in her sleeves, were clenched into fists nervously, and her face flushed as she looked at the boy in front of her.
After a while, she finally calmed down, gritted her teeth, looked into his eyes, and mustered up the courage to say, "Xu Qingbo, can I...can I be your girlfriend..."
"I'm sorry, I already have someone I like." He refused decisively without hesitation.
Lin Qingyu's pretty face broke in an instant. She smiled bitterly and said, "I knew it. I knew you would reject me, but I still couldn't help but want to express my feelings. I know you have someone you like, but... I have also been secretly in love with you since elementary school... I have liked you for so many years..."
All the bitterness of the past few years suddenly flooded into her heart, and she couldn't help but burst into tears. She was so sad that she could hardly breathe.
"Thank you for liking me. You are an important friend to Zhizhi and me, so I must give you a clear result. Qingyu, put an end to this relationship. You will meet a more suitable person." Xu Qingbo comforted her calmly.
"It turns out that the one you like is Jiang Zhizhi..." Lin Qingyu choked up and said, "You rushed back from abroad at this time just for her, right?"
"Well, there needs to be a result between us."
"Do you think Jiang Zhizhi likes you?" Lin Qingyu asked with tears in her eyes.
Xu Qingbo was silent for a moment and said, "That's a matter between us."
"Maybe she likes Lu Xiye. You don't know how good she has been to Lu Xiye over the years! You haven't been in contact with her for so long, you two have become estranged!" Lin Qingyu gritted her teeth unwillingly.
"No, if we have the same feelings from the beginning, no matter how long time passes, the feelings will not deteriorate. She and I have the same goal, and we will move towards the same future. Maybe she has feelings for Lu Xiye, but I believe I am no worse than him."
His words left Lin Qingyu speechless.
"Qingyu, Zhizhi is a very sentimental person. She doesn't want to lose you as a friend."
"Really? But there's nothing I can do. I'm a narrow-minded person. In the first year of junior high school, I only told her about you skipping a grade. We were obviously good friends, but I waited until the end to find out. I couldn't bear the jealousy in my heart, so I deliberately distanced myself from her. I am just that kind of person. What you see is just my superficial appearance. Maybe..." Lin Qingyu smiled tearfully, "Maybe when I figure it out one day, I will contact you again... Goodbye..."
After she finished speaking, she turned around and left.
Xu Qingbo watched her back gradually disappear on the street, sighed helplessly, and turned back into the KTV.
Li Rongrong and Jiang Zhizhi, who watched the whole process, hid in the corridor next to the hall.
"It's over, I knew it..."
Li Rongrong looked at Jiang Zhizhi in front of her with a headache.
Anyone who is not a fool knows why Xu Qingbo returned to China at this time.
Li Rongrong had long noticed Lin Qingyu's feelings, and she felt something was wrong when they were at the restaurant bar.
I didn't expect that Lin Qingyu would actually choose today to confess to Xu Qingbo.
But this cannot be blamed on her. After all, who knows when they will meet next time, and by then she may not have the chance to confess her feelings.
"Zhizhi, what are you going to do?"
Jiang Zhizhi lowered her eyes and remained silent for a long time, then slowly said in a low voice: "I...I have to go back."
At this moment, she couldn't go back to the box to face Xu Qingbo.
"It's so late, the dormitories are closed."
"It's okay, I have somewhere to go."
"And your birthday present..."
"Hold it for me first, and I'll come back to you in a few years."
…
Jiang Zhizhi felt like she was running away in a panic. It was the first time she felt so embarrassed.
When she met Xu Qingbo yesterday, she did have a momentary heartbeat, but at this moment she was extremely sober.
There was no way she could accept Xu Qingbo's feelings.
How could she hurt Lin Qingyu?
She had long seen Lin Qingyu's feelings for Xu Qingbo, but she had actually forgotten it yesterday...
If she was with Xu Qingbo, she wouldn't be able to face Lin Qingyu, and she would feel guilty.
The cell phone rang at some point. It was Xu Qingbo calling.
She hung up without hesitation.
After a while, Xu Qingbo sent another text message, and she turned off her phone.
Staggering and groggy, she took a taxi back to school.
But the school was closed. She stayed at the door for a while, but was afraid that Xu Qingbo would come back, so she left in a hurry.
When she came to her senses, she was already standing in front of Xu Honghan's apartment.
Xu Honghan just returned to Nanshi a few days ago, so he shouldn't be here now...
Xu Honghan had given her the key to the apartment before...
Jiang Zhizhi fumbled in her pocket for a long time, and her body froze when she realized what was happening.
She didn't even have her keys with her.
never mind.
She leaned weakly against the door and sat down with her knees hugged, feeling a little funny at the moment.
But when she thought of Lin Qingyu, she felt extremely sad again.
I had just made a wish that their friendship would last forever, but in the blink of an eye it turned out like this.
If Xu Qingbo and Lin Qingyu could be together, they would be such a perfect match...
Maybe she shouldn't have approached them in the first place. She would have been happy just watching them from a distance.
…
"Zhizhi?"
When she woke up again, she was lying on a soft bed, with Xu Honghan beside her, taking care of her gently.
Gentle sunlight shone through the snow-white moon-shadow curtains onto his mature and handsome face. Jiang Zhizhi was dazed for a moment, "Senior Brother..."
Before she could ask what was going on, Xu Honghan placed his broad palm on her forehead. After checking her temperature for a moment, he breathed a sigh of relief. "It's okay, the fever is finally gone. I was shocked when I opened the door this morning and saw you lying at the door. I carried you into the house and saw that you had a fever. Zhizhi, isn't today your birthday? I was thinking of giving you a good birthday, how could it be like this? What happened? Did someone bully you at school?"
"No, no." Jiang Zhizhi lowered her eyes and sat up from the bed.
"There must be something wrong, Zhizhi. Don't treat me as an outsider. You are really making me worried." He reached out and gently stroked her cheek with a worried look.
Jiang Zhizhi couldn't hold it in for a moment, her throat choked with sobs, her eyes ached, and tears rolled down.
Her appearance made Xu Honghan feel so heartbroken that he almost broke.
Xu Honghan quickly held her in his arms and comforted her softly, "It's okay, it's okay. Senior Brother is here. If you don't want to say it, we won't say it. I won't force you."
"I...I have no choice..."
Comforted by Xu Honghan, Jiang Zhizhi completely lost control of herself and burst into tears in his arms.
Having lived two lives, she is a broken person and cannot accept anyone's feelings.
She is no longer the silly and ignorant Jiang Zhizhi from her previous life. She has read too many books and possesses wisdom that was unattainable in her previous life. The maturity of two lives has enabled her to see through the people around her at a glance.
She was too smart. She had long seen the emotions that everyone had hidden deep in their hearts and had never expressed. She had also long known that it would become like this today, but she still retained that bit of innocence, hoping that nothing would change.
"Brother..." She grabbed his collar, her eyes red and tearful as she looked at him, "Can I...can I be your girlfriend..."
Perhaps this is the only way to cut through the complicated emotions before me...
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