Soothing Rose Tea
Jiang Yichun and Yang Fei returned to their dormitory.
After finishing their hot pot, the four of them, encouraged by the owner, drank some of the rice wine she had brewed herself.
The rice wine is sweet and sour with a hint of lemon.
Jiang Yichun drank two glasses in one go. She was not a good drinker to begin with, and she was unsteady on her feet after drinking.
Yang Fei could only help her back to the dormitory.
Jiang Yichun plopped down in a chair and rubbed his burning cheeks.
After that phrase "special friend," Jiang Yichun felt dizzy and disoriented.
The damned "a special friend" rang in her ears again, and she covered her ears and closed her eyes tightly.
She didn't know if it was because she drank the rice wine brewed by the shopkeeper's aunt, or because Stata had ravaged her brain, or both.
Her mind was filled with outrageous thoughts, and her heart was pounding.
Why would He Yinxin say something like that?!
He keeps saying this is strange, that is strange, but isn't it him who's the strange one?
He wouldn't... impossible!
Jiang Yichun patted her face, trying to bring rationality back to her brain, which was flooded with pink bubbles.
Perhaps it's because he once told me something like, "Only when I eat with you will the calorie count disappear?"
So I'm the special one?
So that's how it is?
The idol drama was taken off the air, and the idea of starting a business together began to play out in her mind.
She pulled the contract out of the file folder, carefully flipped through it from beginning to end, finally clasped her hands together, and leaned back in her chair: "Hmm. Win-win cooperation, achieving Pareto optimality."
“We are the most special partners.”
That's all.
"Xiao Chun," Yang Fei said, putting her arm around Jiang Yichun's shoulder during a moment of prayer.
Jiang Yichun's fever, which had finally subsided, suddenly spiked again. She froze on the spot: "What's wrong, Feifei?"
Yang Fei turned her head to look at the document in Jiang Yichun's hand: "What are you looking at?"
"N-nothing, just some documents for graduate school applications." Jiang Yichun placed the contract face down on the table.
Yang Fei's smile deepened: "Oh? I'm not applying for graduate school, so why are you being so wary of me?"
"Xiaochun, you've changed."
Jiang Yichun's cheeks burned, and his tone wavered: "What do you mean by 'changed' or 'changed'? I went out for a meal and I've changed? I... I've only gained a little weight!"
"It's not just your weight that's changed. You... your heart has changed. Tell me the truth, do you have feelings for Director He?" Yang Fei remained clinging to Jiang Yichun. "Yan Yue and Xing Xing aren't here, so just tell me secretly. I promise I won't tell anyone, and I'll even help you..."
"What could it possibly mean? Does using or cooperating count as meaning?" Thinking of the previous "rotten banana" incident, Jiang Yichun felt a surge of anger. She broke free from Yang Fei's grasp. "Feifei, don't meddle. Have you forgotten that guy who confessed to you last time?"
"You all told me he was a great guy, and you all wanted me to be with him. What happened in the end?"
"He, he's so annoying! And He Yinxin too! He's always saying all sorts of weird and nonsensical things!"
Perhaps it was the alcohol that brought back those dark memories, and Jiang Yichun was momentarily overwhelmed by emotions.
She twisted the sweetness spreading in her heart, turning it into blades.
The blade cut into her heart again and again, her vision gradually becoming blurred with tears, yet she still bit her lower lip tightly.
Her tears fell onto the contract in a steady stream.
Jiang Yichun started sobbing: "Waaah, don't ask, I really don't know! Anyway, I hate him, I hate it when he says weird things! I hate that rotten banana confession guy even more!"
Now it was Yang Fei's turn to freeze in place, her fingertips trembling: "Xiao Chun, Xiao Chun, this..."
Jiang Yichun met Yang Fei's bewildered gaze, turned away, buried her head in her arms, and began to sob softly.
“Hey, Xiaochun, Xiaochun, I…” Yang Fei, who was usually quick-witted, froze on the spot.
Jiang Yichun looked up at her with teary eyes, his voice muffled: "Feifei, please don't joke about me and him anymore. We...we're just...just friends right now."
“You know I’ve always… always had a phobia of this kind of thing. I’ve also said that my relationship with him… changed too easily.”
"I really don't know, don't pressure me."
Her ears were ringing; all she could hear was the cacophony of an argument.
It was a fear deeply buried in her subconscious—a fear of an uncertain future, a fear of love and intimacy.
Whenever a ripple stirs in her heart, this cacophony drowns out the sound of her heartbeat, forcing out tears she has kept hidden for so long.
Yang Fei frowned and hugged her tightly: "I'm sorry, Xiaochun, I'm so sorry!"
"I... I'm really something, having a boyfriend myself and still trying to impose my dirty thoughts on you every time."
"It was my fault for confessing to you last time, and it was my fault again this time."
"I……"
Yang Fei looked at the tear stains on the white paper, words stuck in her throat.
Jiang Yichun was always a smiling little girl in front of them; they had almost never seen her shed a tear.
Thinking of the confession incident, Jiang Yichun hadn't eaten lunch and could only chew on the rice ball she had used to apologize, listening expressionlessly to the advanced mathematics teacher's boasting.
Jiang Yichun didn't cry at that time, but her eyes looked as if her soul had been taken away.
Perhaps I really didn't respect her enough.
Yang Fei's tears also fell: "Xiao Chun, I'm sorry, it was my fault. I'll respect your choices from now on."
"I will never blindly follow the crowd again."
Jiang Yichun didn't answer her, but just gasped for breath, patting his chest repeatedly to try to calm himself down.
"Hmm. I'm fine now, Feifei. Maybe... I drank too much." Jiang Yichun forced a smile and reached out to brush away the strands of hair stuck to Yang Fei's lips. "I was a little emotional, so I cried."
"You...you shouldn't blame yourself. I...we've always been friends."
"Thank you for ultimately choosing to respect my decision."
Seeing her teary-eyed yet forced smile, Yang Fei hugged her tightly: "Oh, Xiaochun, you forgive me?"
“I…I wasn’t angry with you at first, I…I was angry with…” Jiang Yichun’s tone faltered, “…angry with that rotten banana.”
Reason slowly returned to her mind. Jiang Yichun took out a few sheets of paper, wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and stuffed the contract back into the folder.
"Actually, Lao He... is a really good person. I was just saying I disliked him in anger, but... I don't have any feelings for him at all!"
"Feifei, I should apologize to you. I'm twenty years old, yet I still act like a primary school student and love to be unreasonable."
Yang Fei sighed and ruffled her hair: "Alright, alright, Xiaochun, why are you blaming yourself? Let's just let this go."
She returned to her seat and took a packet of rose tea from her box.
"Xiaochun, come on, give me the cup, I'll make you some tea." Yang Fei lowered her head and threw the tea bag into her small teapot, then poured in mineral water. "Consider it an apology."
"This rose tea is calming and nourishing."
Jiang Yichun, with tears in his eyes, covered the tip of his nose with a tissue and nodded.
The rose tea bag swirls in the hot water, turning the colorless water a pale red hue.
A faint, sweet rose scent filled the entire dormitory room.
Seeing that the water had boiled completely, Yang Fei put down her phone, poured the steaming tea into Jiang Yichun's small teacup, and handed it to her: "Here, drink it."
Jiang Yichun took the teacup and took a small sip.
The rich fragrance of roses mingled with the warm water she drank down, along with the tears that hadn't yet flowed.
Jiang Yichun leaned back in her chair, the scent of roses gradually enveloping the pain, entanglement, and even throbbing in her heart caused by alcohol and He Yinxin.
All she wanted to do at that moment was get a good night's sleep.
Jiang Yichun stood up, picked up his toiletries, and stumbled toward the bathhouse.
"Xiaochun, let's go together. You're in such a state... I'm afraid you'll faint in the bathhouse." A pair of hands took her arms.
Jiang Yichun looked up and saw Yang Fei's face in her blurry vision.
Her nose felt a little sore, and she nodded.
The two supported each other as they walked towards the bathroom.
After a series of splashing sounds, Jiang Yichun put on her pajamas and walked back to her dormitory with her hair still dry.
The hot water from the showerhead carried her fatigue and bitterness down the drain, and she felt refreshed.
Jiang Yichun plopped back into his chair, intending to scroll through his phone for a while before climbing into bed.
As soon as she turned on her phone, the screen was filled with a string of messages.
"Hmm?" Jiang Yichun unlocked his phone and opened WeChat.
[Xiaochun, I said something strange at dinner today, I'm sorry.]
My "special" statement doesn't mean anything by it; I just want to say that our relationship is one of cooperation and mutual benefit.
I'm sorry for causing you misunderstanding, for making you gossip, and for making you feel bad. I will be more careful with my words next time, and I will also explain the situation between us.
I have formally clarified our relationship with Lin Yan, and he has stated that he will not fabricate anything.
"So he really doesn't like me," Jiang Yichun said to herself as she looked down to reply to his message.
Everything's easy: [I'm fine. Thank you for noticing my feelings. You're very thoughtful.]
She let out a long breath, took her phone, climbed onto the bed, buried her head in the blankets, and unloaded the heavy burden caused by too much emotion.
He Yixin really wasn't interested in me, but...
Why does my nose still feel sore? Why am I still not feeling any better even though he has pushed me to safety?
Jiang Yichun tossed and turned, but all he could see was He Yinxin's face.
A delicate and fair face.
"Old He, I..." she muttered to herself, but hesitated, and could only turn over and take out her phone.
She saw that familiar cat icon again in her WeChat contact list.
Xi Xi?
Oh right, Xixi also has a boyfriend; she's been in relationships before.
Even though her boyfriend wasn't great, Xixi must have experienced that feeling of being in love, right?
perhaps……
She was staring blankly at the profile picture when she noticed a red dot appear next to the chat box.
Guan Shuoxi: [Xiaochun, want to buy some pig's trotters? The pig's trotter vendor is setting up his stall again tomorrow.]
She intended to reply, but the other party quickly withdrew their reply.
Jiang Yichun frowned and asked Xixi a question mark.
Guan Shuoxi: [Sorry, Xiaochun, I forgot I'm going to the amusement park with my boyfriend tomorrow. We'll have dinner there.]
Jiang Yichun stared at the words "boyfriend," the long-haired, greasy man from that night replacing He Yinxin's delicate face.
A slight smile played on her lips as she sent the message:
It's okay, I completely understand.
【By the way, Sister Xixi, you have a boyfriend, so I wanted to ask you a question.】
Guan Shuoxi: [Okay, go ahead and say it.]
Everything is easy: [What do you think about when you fall for your boyfriend?]
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