Chapter 9: There's a natural barrier between the protagonist and the NPCs.
"Did you two work from last night until this morning? Or were you working overtime? Why do you look so tired?"
Fang Xinle slowly stepped on the brakes, and the car stopped in front of the zebra crossing.
Their undergraduate classes were small, and most of the students were female. They got along quite well. In addition, Beicheng was the most prosperous place for the news and entertainment industry in China, so many students stayed in Beicheng. Regular classmate gatherings were also conducive to exchanging information about related industries.
Although Xia Zhiyu and Fang Xinle are no longer in the media industry, they still work in a people-oriented field, and they never miss an opportunity to develop clients.
Xia Zhiyu didn't reply. She leaned lazily against the car window, the cut marks on her rosy lips clearly visible.
Two or three pedestrians hurried across the road under the scorching sun, with less than ten seconds left on the red light countdown.
The light reflected from the car window was extremely dazzling.
Xia Zhiyu's hand rested loosely on her face, her eyelashes trembling violently beneath her fingertips.
“We mentioned his mother last night.”
Her voice was soft, but her tone was like a taut string, as if it might break at any moment.
Fang Xinle's grip on the steering wheel suddenly tightened.
“Zhiyan said, ‘She’s my mother, what does she have to do with you?’”
"But after saying that, she acted like nothing happened and kissed and acted cute with me. Lele, do you think this is the way rich people do things?"
"Did he assume that there was no future between us, so that he could act as if everything was normal after saying such heartless things?"
"and……"
Fang Xinle clearly heard Xia Zhiyu's voice choke up.
“Last night I smelled Liu Miaoqi’s perfume on him, the same perfume that has been circulating about him getting married recently.”
“I used to believe him. I thought Zhiyan was the kind of person who would cheat, but now I’m suddenly not so sure.”
"I haven't had a proper conversation with him in over a year. Maybe he's changed while I was away, or maybe I no longer trust our relationship."
"I feel like I've never really understood him. The only person I love is the Jiang Zhiyan I thought I knew."
Fang Xinle couldn't deny that statement.
Her social class was similar to Jiang Zhiyan's, and she knew countless wealthy young men who were involved in frivolous pursuits.
Let's not even talk about those spoiled brats; at least on the surface, they have no intention of being good people, and their badness is openly obvious.
What's terrifying is a family elite like Jiang Zhiyan who doesn't tolerate any blemishes.
They are the most outstanding offspring cultivated by the family, and their marriages and lives will inevitably be controlled by the extended tentacles of the family.
It's not a big deal to have a relationship while studying, but how could the winners of this elite education possibly sacrifice marriage for love?
The most likely scenario is that after marriage, the person would keep their lover, who symbolizes love, within their protective sphere.
Their marriage served as a protective shield for mutual assistance and development within their families.
The company's stock price will stabilize due to the superior background of the partner company, the board of directors' trust will increase, and even venture capital firms will become bolder in their investments.
Fang Xinle rarely saw wealthy young men who didn't use marriage to gain benefits. Even if there were a couple of such men, they wouldn't be heirs like Jiang Zhiyan, who were expected to achieve great things.
Moreover, Jiang Zhiyan has sacrificed so much to inherit the family business; how could she possibly give up a career supported by her family for love?
Adding to what Xia Zhiyu said to her yesterday, Fang Xinle, who always prided herself on her accurate judgment of people, began to doubt whether her understanding of Jiang Zhiyan was flawed.
"Yu Yu," Fang Xinle said seriously, "I think no matter what, you should always be prepared for the worst and have a backup plan."
"Actually, the biggest problem now is not what will happen to Jiang Zhiyan, but that your own life is deeply intertwined with Jiang Zhiyan's. You have completely adapted to his needs in your career and life, and that is the most terrifying thing."
"And about your health issues, Yu Yu, don't forget what Dr. Liang advised you back then."
“Eighty percent of your stomach problems and breast nodules are caused by your work. Being a lawyer is simply not suitable for you. You will have better options, provided that you rediscover yourself with Jiang Zhiyan.”
The car window slowly rolled down, and a blast of hot air hit her face, making Xia Zhiyu's eyes burn. She looked at the cars speeding past and the tall buildings of varying heights outside the window, feeling as if she were in a game, using a mouse to switch perspectives.
Even though it was all right in front of her, she had an extremely strong sense of unreality.
"I earned a Master of Laws degree and finally survived a year-long internship before I started practicing law."
The wind whistled through the car window, scattering Xia Zhiyu's voice into fragments, which then drifted lightly into Fang Xinle's ears.
"I'm not reconciled."
"I've given so much, why can't I get what I want?"
Summers in the northern part of the city are very long, with unbearable heat from May to September or October. It is not a very livable city, but countless people flock to it every year.
Xia Zhiyu had just heard a colleague complain that she had finally paid enough social security contributions and started trying to get a license plate number from the time she was planning to have a baby, but now that her child can crawl, she still hasn't gotten a license plate number.
Several luxury cars with extremely low chassis sped past her, their exhaust fumes carrying the fragrance of RMB.
In a daze, Xia Zhiyu felt like one of the NPCs in this North City game.
Jiang Zhiyan, the undisputed protagonist, freely enjoys his life in the city, while the NPCs who are just there to make up the numbers will eventually disappear one by one.
She is not the protagonist of Beicheng, nor will she be the protagonist of Jiang Zhiyan's life.
Xia Zhiyu closed the car window, the steel jungle now isolated by the tinted glass.
She gripped the water bottle tightly in her hand, her voice breaking in the cold air from the air conditioner.
"Living in the North City is exhausting. It's like trying to hold onto a handful of sand. The harder you try to squeeze it, the less you can keep anything."
“The sand I’m holding in my hand isn’t even the sand I want.”
After struggling for so long, Xia Zhiyu finally had to admit her ordinariness.
The weight that had been hanging over me suddenly lifted.
Like a punctured ball, the rubber bladder deflated and wobbled as it fell to the ground.
Blue skies and white clouds are now a distant dream.
In a place like Beicheng, even if ordinary people try their best, they may not be able to guarantee that they can live with dignity.
Every breath I took when I was awake felt exceptionally difficult.
-
"Xinle, Zhiyu, over here!"
Song Ran, their class monitor from university, stood at the hotel entrance and raised her hand towards them.
"You two are the only ones left. Hurry up, it's almost time for our agreed-upon group photo."
They booked a lawn hotel this time, which was a buffet. One of their classmates had a good relationship with the hotel owner and got a reservation in a small hall at a relatively low price.
In front of the small manor with its red brick and white walls, a number of people stood scattered on the meticulously manicured lawn, each one dressed elegantly.
Waiters moved among the crowd, busily preparing food, and a faint aroma of wine filled the air.
Xia Zhiyu missed last year's class reunion because she was on a business trip.
Some people can be recognized at a glance, while others require careful observation to identify. After working for a few years, everyone has changed to some extent.
Putting everything else aside, at least the class monitor, Song Ran, has gained a lot of weight. He patted his belly and lamented that he had gained weight from overwork.
Several other familiar classmates also gathered around. The eternal topic when working people get together is complaining about work and bosses. After exchanging a few pleasantries, they became noticeably closer.
The oppressed proletariat will always be the most steadfast ally.
"Why are there so many people today? Are there other classes besides ours?"
Xia Zhiyu looked around the venue with some surprise.
"You muted the group messages again, didn't you?" Song Ran explained with a smile, "After announcing the time of the gathering, Qiong Wen suggested that everyone with family members should bring them along to get to know them."
"Yes, that's why I brought my younger brother."
A clear female voice rang out behind them, interrupting Fang Xinle before she could finish speaking.
Xia Zhiyu turned around upon hearing the sound.
A Chanel little black dress, golden brown wavy hair, stiletto heels clicking away, and a rich floral and fruity fragrance wafting through the air.
Gao Qiongwen, with an air of familiarity, took Fang Xinle's arm, smiling charmingly.
"I almost thought you two weren't coming today."
Behind her was a tall boy, wearing a white t-shirt and jeans, with a strong student vibe, short, fluffy, soft hair, and round, large eyes with drooping corners.
Cute puppy eyes, and they look kind of familiar.
Since graduating from university, she had rarely met such a refreshing young man, and Xia Zhiyu couldn't help but glance at him a few more times.
Gao Qiongwen introduced with a smile:
"This is my cousin Bian Lin. He's still in school and now works in social media. I remember that Zhiyu did quite well in social media when he was in college, so I brought him here today so he could learn from Zhiyu."
"Self-media!" A figure suddenly flashed through Xia Zhiyu's mind. She looked at Bian Lin with some surprise and blurted out a name, "You are 'Wenfeng is Little Pig'! I've watched so many of your videos."
"Yes," Bian Lin's ears turned completely red in the blink of an eye, looking somewhat embarrassed, but his eyes were sparkling as he looked at Xia Zhiyu.
Anyone would feel a little awkward if their online name was called out in public.
Especially since he's a tall boy, over 1.8 meters tall.
Xia Zhiyu belatedly realized this.
I feel like I just died again.jpg
Why does she speak without thinking?!
An awkward flush rose to her cheeks, and Xia Zhiyu smiled sheepishly.
Bian Lin still wouldn't let Xia Zhiyu off the hook, "Since you like watching my videos, why don't you follow me, Sister Xiaoyu?"
He lowered his head slightly, a mischievous glint in his smile.
"It makes me have to specifically check the list and click on Sister Xiaoyu's private messages to praise your videos every time."
“Every time I write a long message carefully, I only remember that Sister Xiaoyu said in her pinned post that she doesn’t read private messages.”
"But since I've already written it, I can't just leave it to rot in Word."
"I really want Sister Xiaoyu to know how I feel."
It's a double entendre, with a hidden agenda.
The boy's eyes were bright, his smile clean and innocent, and he couldn't hide his high spirits.
Xia Zhiyu's breath hitched for a moment.
It's a strange feeling, like seeing my past self.
That's how she confessed her feelings to Jiang Zhiyan back then.
So impulsive that she wanted to announce it to the world, her love was uncontrollable, and she could only let it pour out.
In May, the mountain winds of western Sichuan were bleak, and Jiang Zhiyan's windbreaker fluttered in the wind.
Xia Zhiyu quickened her pace, grabbed his sleeve, and felt the wind dry her throat, her voice like a taut string.
Jiang Zhiyan was pulled back, and Xia Zhiyu wondered if she had lost her mind, otherwise how could she see a hint of encouragement in Jiang Zhiyan's eyes?
She swallowed hard, her head spinning with nervousness. She had only meant to warn him that the wind was too strong and he shouldn't walk under the dead trees, as he might get hit by falling debris. But the words that came out were…
"Jiang Zhiyan".
"I like you."
This was the third time she had confessed her feelings to Jiang Zhiyan.
The mountain wind suddenly subsided, and the mountains nodded in agreement.
Xia Zhiyu heard her heart pounding harder and harder, but the oxygen pumped into her lungs was getting less and less, making it difficult to breathe.
"I fell in love with you the moment I saw you."
They lay bare their feelings and present them nakedly to the other person, not caring at all about the so-called 'the one who confesses first loses'; young people's thoughts are very simple.
I just wanted her to know.
I just wanted him to know.
I know I've fallen for him.
In her memory, her nervousness overlapped with Bian Lin's. The words of refusal rolled around on her lips, but she ultimately didn't say them.
Xia Zhiyu took out her phone, as if surrendering, "Master, please stop reading. I didn't follow you before because I always used my alternate account to watch your videos. Now I'll follow you with my main account and read all of your private messages tonight."
The message read "Mutual Follow" next to the pig emoji.
Xia Zhiyu's smile remained unchanged as she pretended not to notice that Bian Lin's following list only included her.
Kids are always only enthusiastic for a short time; they get excited about something quickly but lose interest just as fast.
That's what Jiang Zhiyan thought of her back then.
A note from the author:
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Speaking of which, are there any readers who started reading from the weekly new chapters? I can't seem to find my own chapter in the weekly new chapters.
I'll try to update daily without exceeding the word limit for the list!
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