It's destined that I'll have to book a room with you.
Our graduation trip was canceled.
Lin Shiren left Zhou Lin's house, her mind completely blank. Han Yilan spoke to her at the door, but she couldn't hear anything, and tears streamed down her face.
Zhou Lin changed his college application back before the deadline, much to everyone's delight, except for himself.
Lin Shiren reached out to take his hand, but he pulled away and returned to his room with an attitude of refusing to communicate or interact, without ever looking at her again.
The car's air conditioning blew out even, cool air, and a bone-chilling coldness permeated her entire body, causing her to shiver uncontrollably.
Looking at that pale face in the rearview mirror, Tang Shi couldn't help but speak up for her: "Renren, you did nothing wrong. Zhou Lin was too willful in this matter."
Lin Shiren slowly looked into her eyes: "But he went to S University for my sake, and I forced him by breaking up with me... No one is on his side..." Another tear fell.
Tang Shi frowned slightly, her hands still gripping the steering wheel tightly.
"You know Schrödinger, right? For a while, it and I were really good friends. Then I went to my grandma's house for summer vacation, and when I came back, the cat wouldn't talk to me anymore. I was so confused. Guess what happened?"
Lin Shiren sniffed and shook her head. She didn't even understand why the topic had veered towards Schrödinger.
“I found a whole bunch of books about cats on Zhou Lin’s bookshelf, like ‘The First Lesson in Raising a Cat’ and ‘Training a Cat: One Book Is Enough’… Can you imagine? He spent several months doing this so that Schrödinger would only be affectionate with him.”
Just thinking about it made Tang Shi angry. She couldn't help but roll her eyes and sneer, "Now Zhou Lin is using that possessiveness on you again..."
In conclusion, she said, "He is indeed outstanding, but he is also indeed a pervert. You should teach him a lesson."
"..."
But "managing people" was not Lin Shiren's forte, and when she returned home, she was still at a loss.
Sitting at his desk, he picked up a mock exam paper at random. When he saw one of the multiple-choice questions, which was covered with formulas, tears that had been welling up for a long time started to fall again.
Why force her to choose between his relationship and his future? They could have both.
She had so much to say to him, but Zhou Lin wouldn't listen.
Xin Xiaomei was surprised when she found out: "Giving up your guaranteed admission to Q University to go to S University with you?"
Lin Shiren responded in a low, muffled voice.
Having experienced a failed marriage, Xin Xiaomei had long since become disdainful of relationships. However, this time she spoke earnestly: "Since the other person is sincere towards you, you should respond well. Say what you like and what you dislike. Don't make the other person guess, and don't waste your feelings on meaningless things."
"But how can I respond? He's ignoring me."
Xin Xiaomei never imagined that she, a failure in marriage, could one day become a love strategist. She pointed a finger at Xin Xiaomei's forehead and said, "Weren't you the queen of the cold war? Now you know what it feels like to be ignored?"
Lin Shiren didn't dodge, but looked at her with a resentful gaze: "Mom, I'm so worried, please stop making fun of me."
The turtle that had been hiding in its shell has finally decided to come out—that's a good thing.
Xin Xiaomei crossed her arms and looked at her: "Lin Shiren, do you even know how to date? It's easy for a woman to pursue a man, especially since he likes you so much."
She swallowed bitterly. "He used to like me, but it's hard to say now."
"Do you think relationships are like sending and receiving messages? You can't just take them back whenever you want!"
"If he ignores you, just send him messages every day."
"Can you fake crying or act cute?"
She listened to every word, one after another, like a machine gun.
In the following days, Lin Shiren went offline, and his passionate girlfriend came online.
"Boyfriend, are you awake yet?"
"Breakfast is a sandwich from 7-Eleven, would you like some?"
"Dong Rui did a tarot reading for me today, do you want to know?"
"Don't be angry with me anymore..."
Goodnight, boyfriend.
...
No matter how many messages she sent, Zhou Lin remained silent. Lin Shiren had never been so shameless in her life, and she felt extremely frustrated.
Song Ci comforted her, "Don't worry, he can't bear to break up with you. He hasn't blocked you on WeChat or phone. You'll have to wait for that stubborn guy to come to his senses."
"..."
This wait turned into countless graduation banquets. In order to see Zhou Lin, Lin Shiren took the initiative to attend many gatherings organized by the class, but he never showed up.
The private room was noisy, so she went out onto the balcony to get some fresh air. The neon lights on the commercial street were very bright, casting indistinct shadows on the pedestrians.
She pressed the lock screen button on her phone, and a photo of the two of them on New Year's Eve appeared on the screen. The boy looked at her with gentle eyes... On a whim, she sent Zhou Lin a message: "I miss you so much."
Then I stared at that chat box for a long time, until my eyes ached, but I still didn't receive a reply.
Zhou Lin, are you really planning to never see me again?
After enjoying the night breeze for seven or eight minutes, a male voice came from behind: "Hiding here?"
She turned around, her long hair fluttering in the wind.
By the moonlight, the face of the newcomer gradually became clear. Shen Xuqing was wearing a black T-shirt, almost blending into the night. A gust of wind blew, and he smelled of alcohol.
With his hands on the railing, he said, "Don't go out, Li Pengfei is forcing people to drink."
Lin Shih-ren turned his gaze into the distance: "I'm getting ready to go home."
The two stood quietly for a while, then Shen Xuqing turned to look at her: "When are you going to S University? Do you want to come along?"
The city was in a frenzy of celebration, but Zhou Lin was enduring her sorrow alone. Oh, and her boyfriend was quite jealous.
Lin Shiren couldn't let him be sad any longer, so she shook her head. Afraid that she hadn't explained clearly, she added, "Zhou Lin will take me there."
"Alright, then see you at S University." The smile on Shen Xuqing's face gradually faded.
...
The day the admission notice arrived happened to be Lin Shiren's birthday. Lin Zhiyuan ordered a cake to be delivered, but unexpectedly bumped into Xin Xiaomei, who had left work early.
Although they lived in the same city, he hadn't seen Xin Xiaomei for several years. Occasionally, they would only contact each other by phone, and she was still as energetic and lively as ever.
Lin Zhiyuan handed the cake to Lin Shiren: "Dad wishes you a happy birthday. I won't go in."
Xin Xiaomei gave him an interrogative look: "Qiaoqiao is going to S University to register, are you going to see her off?"
Lin Zhiyuan knew his ex-wife didn't like him, so he passed the question to his daughter: "Do you need me to go? If you do, I'll take leave; if not, I'll give you the money for the plane ticket."
Xin Xiaomei changed her shoes at the door. "Never mind, I'm afraid you'll get lost at S University."
"Okay, I'm leaving then."
As soon as the door closed, Lin Shiren wiped away his tears. In all these years, this was the most peaceful conversation the three of them had ever had.
Xin Xiaomei came out in her pajamas and saw that she was still staring blankly at the cake. She couldn't help but raise her voice and ask, "Haven't you made up with your little boyfriend yet?"
Lin Shiren gave a soft "hmm".
Xin Xiaomei once again wore that hopeless expression: "Didn't I tell you to watch palace dramas lately? Have you watched them? Can't you even fake being sick, act pitiful, or use a self-inflicted injury trick?"
"..."
At seven o'clock in the evening, the light and shadows were weak, and the heat was dissipated by the night breeze.
Lin Shiren took Xin Xiaomei's words to heart, so she sat on the flower bed downstairs at Zhou Lin's house. But she wouldn't pretend to be sick or pitiful; she could only make herself truly drunk.
The beer can's pull tab hissed, bubbles rose, and Lin Shiren held the can, taking small sips into her mouth. She sent a voice message to WeChat: "You know, I'm always timid, always cowardly, always unable to speak my mind, but today is my birthday, and I want to see you, I really, really want to."
Of course she could ring the doorbell; Han Yilan wouldn't stop her from coming in. But she wanted Zhou Lin to come to her willingly.
"Don't you like me anymore? Don't you care about me anymore? No matter what I do, you don't care about me anymore?"
The aluminum can rattled slightly under pressure, and her eyes gradually reddened: "I'm really different from before. Now, whoever I like, I'll make them pay. You believe me, okay?"
The orange streetlights draped over her shoulders, and Zhou Lin's room was right above her head. Her phone screen lit up in her palm as Lin Shiren looked down at their chat window.
I've been sitting here for an hour.
Three beer cans lay at her feet. She felt dizzy and sad. Just then, she heard rustling footsteps, and a shadow fell over her.
After a half-second of dazed contemplation, Lin Shiren smelled the familiar scent of bath products, and tears welled up as she threw herself into his arms: "Zhou Lin, you've finally come to find me."
These words were like a gentle knife stabbing into Zhou Lin's heart. He had already decided to keep her cold, but the tears in her eyes still managed to disturb his peace of mind.
Zhou Lin cupped her face in his hands, his tone still unpleasant: "What do you want from me?"
A few strands of hair hung loosely from Lin Shiren's fair collarbone, her cheeks flushed with intoxication. She clung to his waist, refusing to let go: "I want to book a room with you."
Numbness in the skull.
This little drunkard knows how to drive him crazy.
Zhou Lin suddenly grabbed her neck and kissed her fiercely, his breath and heartbeat pounding wildly, all his senses overwhelmed. In the dim light, his eyes held a consuming desire and a deep, oppressive light, both their bodies ignited, growing hotter and hotter. Lin Shiren's reaction was even more torturous, clinging to him with a naive, submissive look, and his reason completely surrendered.
Only when the door unlocked and someone came out did Zhou Lin finally let her go. Lin Shiren leaned against him, panting heavily.
Zhou Lin wasn't in much better shape than her; his eyes were very red as he stared at her, his voice deep and gloomy.
"Didn't you want to go to a hotel with me? You can't even handle this?"
Lin Shiren listened to the vibrations in his chest, his head still spinning, and continued to ramble on incoherently: "I don't care, I'm going to sleep with you tonight."
"..."
The sound of their breaths colliding echoed between them. Suddenly, Zhou Lin buried his face in her neck and bit her hard. She cried out in pain, and his husky voice came from beside her ear: "Only you can bully me."
...
Lin Shih-jen slept very restlessly.
When I woke up, I felt groggy, my stomach was upset, my tongue had a bitter coating, and my head felt like it had been hit with a stick.
She stared at the ceiling, the image of herself crying while holding Zhou Lin flashing through her mind. She couldn't tell if it was reality or a dream. In the end, she thought about it until her head ached, but she still couldn't remember it at all.
Lin Shiren slipped on her slippers and went to the bathroom to wash up. The person in the bathroom mirror had fair skin, and the stray hairs on her forehead and temples were wet. When she was applying toner in front of the mirror, she suddenly saw a conspicuous red mark on her neck.
Ring-shaped, tooth-shaped.
She hissed as she touched it with her fingertip.
Last night was not a dream!
Zhou Lin really came to find her and even bit her. Lin Shiren was so happy she almost jumped for joy.
She reached under her pillow, pulled out her phone, and immediately sent a sad emoji.
A message popped up at the top saying "Typing...", and my heart pounded. Zhou Lin's message popped up: "Awake?"
After a month and a half, the Cold War finally came to an end.
Lin Shih-jen felt a little wronged and on the verge of tears, but he managed to control his emotions: "Can we meet today?"
Zhou Lin: "I've gone to Beijing."
It would be a lie to say she wasn't disappointed; she unconsciously pouted, "When are you coming back?"
Zhou Lin: "I'm really looking forward to your suggestion last night. I'll make it happen when we meet next time."
What suggestion?
Lin Shiren slowly typed out a string of question marks in her mind. She wanted to ask him what his suggestion was, but considering that the two of them had just reconciled and were in a precarious relationship, she deleted the question she had typed out word by word and finally replied with a cute emoji.
My mood changed immediately.
It turns out the book was right, love really is a difficult problem. It makes you live, it makes you die, it makes you toss and turn at night, and it makes you unable to give up.
But Zhou Lin, that big liar, broke his promise. He still hadn't returned by the day Lin Shiren was supposed to report to S University.
Airport announcements kept broadcasting flight schedules. Lin Shih-jen, pushing his suitcase, stood at the end of the security line, surrounded by a group of people seeing him off.
Tang Shi hugged her shoulder and said, "I'm going to Haishi on a business trip next month. I'll come visit you at S University then."
"good."
"Don't worry, I'll be watching over Xiao Zhouzhou in Beijing." Song Ci scratched his head, afraid that he might say something wrong.
"Thanks."
Xin Xiaomei accompanied her to Haishi. She waved to her from the front of the line. Lin Zhiyuan pushed his suitcase and said, "Qiaoqiao, let's go."
Lin Shiren glanced towards the entrance one last time, a fleeting look of disappointment in her eyes. She curled her lips into a smile and said, "Go back, everyone."
The flight distance from Huaicheng to Haicheng is 1,051 kilometers, and the plane left a trail at an altitude of 30,000 feet.
Two hours passed quickly.
After getting off the plane, Lin Shiren turned off airplane mode on his phone. Almost simultaneously, a message from Zhou Lin popped up on the screen.
You haven't replied to my messages for three hours.
nerve.
She thinks she's right for not giving him a gift?
But she still typed patiently: "I was on a plane and my phone had no signal."
But Zhou Lin showed no sympathy whatsoever, replying, "Is that a reason?"
For some reason, an image of a spoiled child throwing a tantrum suddenly popped into my mind.
Lin Shiren stared at the words, his anger still rising, when two more words popped up on the screen: "Look up."
On the bustling covered bridge, she recognized Zhou Lin in the crowd from just a blurry silhouette.
The sunlight shone brightly on him, his head-to-shoulder ratio was perfect, and the boy's bangs were particularly neat. He wore a white T-shirt and gave her a lazy smile. Her heart softened instantly. The feeling of "it's him" flooded her mind, and she instantly understood the meaning of "destined."
Zhou Lin bought a ticket for the same flight and landed in Haicheng earlier than her.
Lin Shih-jen pushed his luggage toward him.
I used to think that "wishing you a bright future" meant saying goodbye, but it turns out it's just the second most romantic thing in the world.
Because the first romantic thing was standing right in front of her. ①
—End of text—
-----------------------
Author's Note: My darlings, the main story is finished! This is the first time I've written such a pure love story, and I'm quite moved myself. I know what you girls want to see, so I'll save the less pure parts for the college chapters.
Babies, remember to click on my pre-order!
100 red envelopes!!!
① The inspiration came from something Li Xueqin said on a variety show.
Throw the nutrient solution at me too!
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