Chapter 68
Several days after the start of her sophomore year, Jiang Jiawei finally dragged her suitcase and pushed open the dormitory door.
Tang Shuyan, who had no classes in the morning and slept until now, is the only "left-behind child" in the dormitory.
"Oh, you're back so soon??? Didn't you say you wouldn't be back until next week? How is Uncle? Is he alright?"
Jiang Jiawei waved her hand, her forehead and nose covered in sweat, just like the leaves outside that had been wilted by the sun. "Is there any water? Give me a sip."
Tang Shuyan poured her a glass of water they had boiled that morning, which was just cooled down.
After finishing the whole glass, Jiang Jiawei burped and felt like she had come back to life. She carried her suitcase up five floors and collapsed into her seat, completely exhausted. Only then did she begin to answer Tang Shuyan's initial question, "It's nothing serious. It takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone. He hasn't been back to his hometown in a long time, so he's planning to go back and recuperate for a while."
As the start of the semester approached, Jiang Weichao slipped and fell in the store. Fortunately, he only suffered a minor fracture in his left arm. Although Jiang Jiayi, a freshman, had not yet started school and could take care of him, Jiang Jiawei still took leave from school to stay with him at the hospital for a few days out of concern.
Fortunately, it was just a fracture, and the terrible situation I had been worried about and prepared for did not happen.
Tang Shuyan breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this and went to the balcony to wash up.
Speaking of this, Jiang Jiawei began to think of the assistant the shop hired last year. It was he who discovered Jiang Weichao's injury in time and took him to the hospital. Her thoughts drifted away, and a face she hadn't seen in a long time appeared in her mind.
Tang Shuyan was brushing her teeth when she suddenly remembered something and walked in. "The other day, the president said he wanted you to take photos, but I said you were still at home and probably wouldn't be able to come over so soon."
What kind of photos are you taking?
Jiang Jiawei came to her senses.
She originally applied for Chinese Language and Literature, but after one semester of her freshman year, she decided to switch majors and transferred to Journalism and Communication.
Tang Shuyan was someone she met in the photography club, and they got along quite well. Unexpectedly, Jiang Jiawei transferred to their dormitory and ended up there. Fate is truly wonderful.
The dormitory is for six people. Since Jiang Jiawei moved in later, she is not very familiar with the others yet, but she has eaten with Tang Shuyan and two of them a few times before, and they are not difficult to get along with.
Tang Shuyan was making noises with foam in her mouth when Jiang Jiawei, who came out to wring out a rag, took the mouthwash cup and handed it to her. "Please spit it out before you speak, Miss Tang."
The other person laughed, spat out the foam, and rinsed their mouth.
"The president wants you to film the School of Life Sciences' welcome party next Saturday."
"Huh?? The School of Life Sciences' welcome party?? Why??" Jiang Jiawei asked curiously. Usually, the school wouldn't specifically ask their photography club to film these kinds of welcome parties; they have their own publicity department.
Tang Shuyan followed behind Jiang Jiawei with a towel in her hand. "I heard from a senior student in the School of Life Sciences that their school has a research collaboration project with a foreign university this semester. Exchange students from that school are coming over. Their school attaches great importance to it, and I guess the school leaders will also be there."
This means that the photos will not only be used for their college's publicity, but will definitely also be used for campus publicity.
Tang Shuyan said, "You told me you wouldn't be back until next Monday, and I even told the president that you couldn't film."
Jiang Jiawei was wiping the table, thinking that there was something she hadn't done yet. She listened absentmindedly, not really caring about it. Filming involving school leaders and their assignments could be quite tiring sometimes, and she just happened to have avoided it.
The phone in my pocket rang.
She glanced at the caller ID and realized she had forgotten to call and let them know she was safe.
It took them almost an hour to organize and put everything away before they leisurely went to the cafeteria for lunch.
At this time of day, the cafeteria isn't crowded; the group that finished class has already finished eating.
The two of them ordered a dry pot dish and a cup of milk tea before heading off to their afternoon classes.
Because she missed a few days of classes, Jiang Jiawei spent almost all her days going back and forth between the classroom and the library after returning to school. It took her several days to catch up.
It was rare for her to leave the library at dusk. Tang Shuyan frantically called her, urging her to hurry back to the dormitory. Startled, she thought something had happened. She borrowed a bicycle and rode back. She pushed open the dormitory door and was shocked to see five heads crammed in front of a Canon 500D, chattering and screaming. She took a step back, glanced at the still undisturbed room next door, and quickly went inside and closed the door.
Tang Shuyan caught a glimpse of her returning out of the corner of her eye, excitedly called out "Jiawei," and pulled her over, "The exchange students from the School of Life Sciences are really something else, they're incredibly cool! Come and see!!! This is a picture Lao Liu took of them visiting the school history museum today!!"
Jiang Jiawei was panting heavily and couldn't speak for a long time. She grabbed Tang Shuyan's shoulders with both hands and shook her angrily.
"You called me so many times, I thought you were going to call 120 (emergency services)!!!"
For us sisters, meeting a handsome guy is an absolutely crucial event that we'll share together!!!
Tang Shuyan affectedly adopted a shy, ladylike demeanor, and said in a high-pitched voice, "That's about right~ My heart has already been taken by that handsome, intelligent American guy~~"
Jiang Jiawei was speechless, but her curiosity was piqued. Aesthetics are subjective, especially when it comes to a person's appearance, but after hearing all five people scream, she was determined to see just how incredibly handsome he was.
Squeezing into the core circle.
"Let me see."
"Look, this picture is practically a carbon copy of Justin Blake!!!"
Those who were initially skeptical couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
"Wow, it really is."
My roommate pressed the scroll down button, "This one's not good, pass."
"This one also passes."
These photos seem to have been carefully examined by the girls many times.
"And this one, oh my god, I want to drown in his eyes!!! Isn't this the protagonist of a prison break movie?!"
"Aaaaaah!!!"
"I was wondering why all the second- and third-year students from the Life Sciences department were asking if there were any tickets left for a freshman welcome party!!"
Tang Shuyan put her arm around Jiang Jiawei's shoulder from behind, "Hey, and also, let Jiawei see our compatriot's one!!"
Jiang Jiawei reached out and took the camera from her roommate, zoomed in, her little finger twitched uncontrollably, the world was drawn into a vacuum, leaving only a heart that wanted to burst out of her chest.
Jiang Jiawei shoved the camera back into Tang Shuyan's hands.
"Where to???"
"Jiawei?!"
"What's wrong with her?"
"Could the book have been left in the library?"
"Possibly."
"Hey, does your photography club have any spots available? Is it possible to get in for the welcome party?"
"There are no spots left, damn it. If I had known he was this handsome, I would have said I wanted to go back then."
"Can't you even sneak in with your work ID?"
"No way! You have no idea they went to the school history museum that day with the freshmen. Now, it's going to be a disaster. I doubt any freshman will miss the freshman welcome party for bioengineering this year. Our club president even sternly warned us not to go crazy, there are plenty of leaders around."
"Ah! What about Jiawei? Isn't our photography club's chief photographer going in to take pictures?!"
Wearing a loose blue and white striped shirt with the sleeves casually rolled up, revealing a black camera strap wrapped around her fair forearm, her slender fingers gripping a Nikon D3. Her fitted blue jeans accentuated her long, straight legs, but what was most eye-catching was her shoulder-length orange-yellow hair, making her stand out even in the dimly lit auditorium.
Even just seeing her back is enough to make people imagine what her face looks like.
In the engineering college, where the male-to-female ratio is far higher and the atmosphere is rather dull, it's like water being poured into hot oil, creating a crackling and popping sound.
"That girl with orange hair is from our college??"
"I don't think so, it's the photography club."
"This hair color is so cool!"
"That's a senior student majoring in Chinese Language and Literature, named Jiang Jiawei. She's amazing at taking photos. My roommate had a set of photos taken by her before."
"She still does this???"
"Yes, even graduating seniors ask her to help them take graduation photos."
Does she have a boyfriend?
"It seems not."
"Does she have [her body]?"
"What? You want to pursue her?"
"What's wrong? Is it not working?"
"Haha, get in line, bro."
Before the welcome party even started, half of the visual anticipation had already been satisfied.
Jiang Jiawei and two other team members were comparing and adjusting the parameters when a gasp came from behind them, followed by whispers.
The discussion was put on hold.
"Damn, life sciences is truly a blessing."
Jiang Jiawei stiffened, her feet seemingly rooted to the spot, unable to turn around.
"Hey, but where's our compatriot?"
"Strange, he didn't come? I promised Natin I'd take a few more pictures of her fellow countrymen."
"Our fellow student has a name, Mu Zhengxi." The student council president of the Life Sciences department, having overheard the gossip, came over to join in the fun. He was surprised when he saw Jiang Jiawei's hair color and exaggeratedly exclaimed, "Wow, is everyone in our photography club looking this radiant today? Are you all getting ready to find your other half?!"
Another girl from the photography club chimed in, "Yeah, we're planning to hook up with one of your bioengineering guys as a boyfriend."
"Haha, I couldn't be happier."
Old Liu raised his hand and said, "I like women."
"Who asked you? Tch. But why isn't Jung-hee here?"
Old Liu: "So this is Zhengxi? Didn't you say yesterday that you wanted to make a foreign friend?"
"After thinking about it, I still think Chinese people are more reliable."
President: "Look, over there, didn't you see him talking to our dean at the door?"
"A suit!! He's actually wearing a formal suit!!! Wow, he looks so handsome."
"Take a few more pictures, we can resell them later."
"Haha, be careful, or I'll tell your club president to report you for neglecting your duties."
"No, just kidding~ But why is he dressed so formally? Isn't he hot? This is really giving your welcome party too much face."
"He's their student representative from another school this time, and he'll be giving a speech on stage later. Okay, I'm not talking to you anymore, just focus on getting the pictures done for us."
"So many handsome men and beautiful women, it's nothing!"
"Don't just focus on the young, handsome guys, remember to arrange for mature men and women too, they're quite popular as well," the president humorously gestured to the leaders in the front row.
As the lights dimmed, the rustling sounds gradually subsided, like the receding tide.
The countdown timer appeared on the screen.
In the dim white light, only a blurry outline could be seen, and my breath caught in my throat.
"Jiawei?"
"Jiawei?"
"Um?"
"I thought something was wrong with you and you didn't say anything."
"No, my throat... suddenly feels a little itchy."
"OK, let's get started."
"Um."
Jiang Jiawei took her camera bag.
Mu Zhengxi sat up abruptly the moment he caught sight of the figure flashing past to the back of the audience. His unfocused gaze was refocused, and his eyes stung with tears.
A wad of weathered tissue paper becomes softer and more fragile again after being exposed to water.
Mu Zhengxi felt disgusted by such fragility, but he was completely powerless to resist the physiological reaction that went against his will. The idea that he had rehearsed a thousand times before and that they could at least be friends if things didn't work out quickly collapsed without a trace.
Forced to stare at the stage, to see with their ears and hear with their eyes.
He clapped along with everyone else. When it was his turn to go on stage, he held the microphone for a while but couldn't say anything. Fortunately, the mixed applause, screams, and whistles from his classmates were enthusiastic and long-lasting, giving him enough time to react.
The stage lights were very bright, creating a stark contrast with the audience in black and white. Jiang Jiawei was standing in the middle to back row. At this distance, she wasn't sure if Mu Zhengxi would recognize her. She wondered to herself, "This hair...did it all go to waste?"
Jiang Jiawei clearly saw Mu Zhengxi's appearance through the lens of the Canon QL17 GIII.
The photographer's hand, which was about to press the shutter, was gripped by the direct gaze of the person in the lens. The person in the lens pursed their lips and slowly and somewhat unnaturally put on a smile.
Jiang Jiawei looked away from the camera, and her hand, which had been raised in mid-air, lost control and fell to her side.
The gaze that was linked became tangible, leaving behind a trail of burns.
It turns out that eye contact between people can also produce the Tyndall effect.
It has only been a year since we last met, but it feels like we have experienced the vicissitudes of life and traversed countless times, before we finally reunited in each other's tearful eyes.
In the end, I found that I would still shed tears for you, and I would still want to shed tears for you.
Jiang Jiawei recalled a conversation she had with Jiang Weichao a long time ago. "Dad, you're right. The feeling of liking someone is that even if it causes you a lot of pain, you still want to like them."
What makes Mu Zhengxi any different? Beneath the expensive, well-fitting handmade suit lies the same vibrant heart, capable of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, and even more sensitive and tender.
Since she was seated at the very end of the row with the leaders, it was inappropriate to use the excuse of going to the toilet right away. In addition, the occasion was not right, and it would be very impolite to get up abruptly while others were performing. Moreover, Jiang Jiawei was currently working, and the two of them had no time or space to communicate.
The reasons why it was impossible were enough to weave a net. Mu Zhengxi forced himself to stare straight ahead, using all his willpower to keep his body still. But the anxiety of not being able to frequently turn around to confirm whether Jiang Jiawei was still there grew stronger with time, like a volcanic eruption caused by repeated tectonic movements. The net of fibers was completely ineffective in containing her.
Having already risen halfway, Jiang Jiawei was forcibly pushed back down by someone passing by. She moved from behind the stage to the side and nodded slightly to him.
The volunteer leader behind him leaned forward and asked, "Do you need any help?"
Mu Zhengxi shook his head. "It's nothing." He shifted his position to sit up straight, trying to cover up his misunderstanding, and turned on the water bottle in front of him, drinking most of it.
When the party was one-third over, during the first round of the lucky draw, the dean invited Mu Zhengxi to come up on stage with him.
Jiang Jiawei stopped the volunteer leader, who was sitting behind Mu Zhengxi after finishing a phone call, at the door. The other party was a third-year student majoring in English.
The two met in the drama club. Jiang Jiawei, who was only there to take photos, was pulled in by her senior to play a role temporarily because of her good spoken English.
"Senior, can you do me a favor?"
"What's the matter?"
"Please take this to the person in front of you, Mu Zhengxi."
"What's this? A love letter?" The person, who had taken the ID-sized paper bag, pointed at Jiang Jiawei, giving her a suspicious look, and then said with a sly smile, "Lately, she's been getting a lot of requests for contact information. She's in high demand, you know~"
Jiang Jiawei raised an eyebrow and smiled brightly, putting her arm around the other woman's shoulder and playfully whispering in her ear, "Since we're friends, why don't you go cut in line for me?"
Mu Zhengxi clapped along on stage, taking in the movements on the side of the stage out of the corner of his eye.
After the prize draw, everyone took their seats again.
The person behind him leaned closer and jokingly asked, "Aaron, did you accept the love letter from that beautiful woman?"
Although they weren't exactly close during the past week or two, they communicated quite a lot and became somewhat familiar with each other because they were each other's representatives.
Mu Zhengxi turned halfway to the side and stretched out his hand.
The senior was surprised. To be honest, there were so many junior girls asking for his contact information lately. She had jokingly mentioned Mu Zhengxi twice, but he politely and distantly refused each time. If it weren't for the fact that the other person was Jiang Jiawei, she really wouldn't have done such a dereliction of duty and offense.
"Oh, right, she told you to open it after the party."
"Okay, I understand."
Jiang Jiawei was no longer on the side of the stage. The dry envelope paper had become damp in his palm. Mu Zhengxi put it into the inner pocket of his suit jacket, near his heart, and unbuttoned one of his shirt buttons.
This auditorium is unbearably stuffy.
The party has ended.
The leaders in the front row left first, followed closely by the students from other schools. Mu Zhengxi looked back and saw no sign of Jiang Jiawei among the dense crowd. He was forced to walk forward in the crowd.
A number of students had gathered outside the auditorium to watch the spectacle. Mu Zhengxi rubbed the collar of his coat, only thinking about leaving as soon as possible to a quieter place.
"Jung-hee." The dean turned around and waved to him, suddenly remembering that before the party started, he had told him to go to his office after the party.
The game-winning shot at the buzzer was ruled out of bounds.
Utterly desperate, Mu Zhengxi looked up and took a deep breath, then followed them to the office.
"Dean, what's wrong?"
"Don't mention Dean, just call me Uncle Cheng from now on." Cheng Limin smiled and waved his hand, then picked up the kettle and started boiling water. "You've been busy with business trips lately. How's school? Are you settling into your dorm and everything?"
It turned out to be a private matter.
"Uncle Cheng, I have something to attend to, I need to go first." After saying that, he got up and left without hesitation. Cheng Limin paused in his hand as he was breaking apart the tea leaves, and when he looked up, he had vanished in a flash.
A few seconds later, the person who had returned peeked out from behind the door frame, saying, "The school is great, thank you for your concern, Dean!"
Cheng Limin shook his head and chuckled. This kid.
Mu Zhengxi ran down to the first floor in one breath.
Under the brightly lit corridor, I took half a minute to calm my breathing, then took the white envelope out of the inside pocket of my suit jacket. The seal was just folded up, not taped, so it could be opened easily without worrying about damaging it.
A piece of white paper, folded twice, fell out of the envelope. The creases were deep, and the answer was obvious. He seemed to have guessed what it was.
Sure enough, next to the goldenrain tree drawn with a pen, there was a newly added line of handwriting that read NoraJ.
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