Chapter 59 Forgiveness and Reconciliation
The air seemed to freeze for a second, carrying the sticky, dry heat unique to an early autumn afternoon.
Ke Xingjian didn't get angry at all. He readily withdrew his hand, glanced between the two of them, and said with a smile, "Is this your childhood friend? So you also got into Huada University. I thought you were going to different schools when I saw you coming alone."
"Hmm..." Peng Chengyi pursed her lips awkwardly, feeling an inexplicable irritation in her heart, like a ball of yarn being torn apart by a kitten.
She glared at Chen Yubai quickly, her voice low and tinged with annoyance: "What are you doing following me? I told you I won't get lost!"
"Aunt Zhou repeatedly told me to keep a close eye on you before she left." Chen Yubai turned to her, the frost on his face seemed to melt a little, but his tone remained flat. "I don't want to go back and not be able to explain to her."
"You don't need to care what my mom says, I'm not going to tell on her." Peng Chengyi pouted and reached out to take the suitcase back from his hand.
Chen Yubai deftly evaded her movement with a flick of his wrist, dragging his suitcase directly to the registration table, leaving her with a clean and decisive back view.
Peng Chengyi felt a lump in her throat and had no choice but to bite the bullet and follow.
The formalities were completed quickly. Ke Xingjian, who was watching from the side, spoke up at the right moment: "Shall I take you to the Mingde Building dormitory? The route is a bit roundabout."
"No need." Chen Yubai's voice was indifferent, revealing no emotion.
"Do you know how to get to Mingde Building?" Ke Xingjian raised an eyebrow, his tone carrying a hint of provocation.
Chen Yubai was silent for two seconds, his jawline seemed to tighten a little: "Just point in a direction."
“Alright,” Ke Xingjian shrugged helplessly, pointed, “Go straight to the end of this road, turn right, go through a small flower bed, and you’ll see Mingde Building.”
"I'm leaving." Chen Yubai picked up his suitcase again, his tone brief.
Peng Chengyi quickly thanked Ke Xingjian: "Thank you, senior..."
"Let's add each other on WeChat," Ke Xingjian said, as if he had suddenly remembered something. He took out his phone from his pocket and smiled sincerely. "I'll add you to the freshman group of the department. You can ask me anytime if you have any questions about course selection, joining clubs, or anything else."
Peng Chengyi hesitated for a moment, then nodded and took out her phone from her pocket: "...Okay."
The last time they met at the livehouse, they were complete strangers. But things are different now; he's a senior in my department, so there's no reason for me to refuse him again.
Moreover, she's new here and might actually need some help.
Chen Yubai, who was standing to the side, suddenly frowned. His fingers, which were gripping the suitcase handle, tightened slightly, and his knuckles turned white. His eyes were dark and unfathomable as he watched the two of them exchange contact information.
"By the way, I haven't formally asked your name yet?" Ke Xingjian asked casually while looking down at his phone.
“Peng Chengyi. Cheng as in clear and bright, Yi as in artistic conception,” she answered softly.
"It's a nice name." Ke Xingjian's long fingers flew across the screen as he saved the note, then he looked up and smiled at her.
"...Thank you." Peng Chengyi smiled shyly and quickly saved his contact as "Senior Ke".
"See you later, junior." Ke Xingjian put away his phone, waved to her, and smiled as brightly as ever.
"Okay, see you later." Peng Chengyi also put away her phone and subconsciously glanced at Chen Yubai, who was waiting to the side.
She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but his profile looked taut, and his expression seemed a bit more somber than before.
If they weren't in the middle of a cold war, she probably would have asked him, "What's wrong with you now?"
But at this moment, she suppressed the inexplicable concern in her heart and simply followed behind him in silence.
After walking to the end of the path and turning right, the dormitory with the words "Mingde Building" on it finally came into view.
Peng Chengyi stopped and reached out to the tall, stubborn figure in front of her, her tone curt: "Give me the box. The dormitory building is right there; even a blind person wouldn't get lost. Your mission is complete; you can report back to my mother now."
"Your dorm is on the third floor." Chen Yubai didn't stop walking, his voice devoid of emotion. "This box is incredibly heavy. Can you carry it up by yourself?"
"Why not?" His words were like a needle, precisely piercing her sensitive nerve. She immediately took two quick steps, snatched the handle from his hand, and the wheels of the suitcase screeched against the ground. "Don't think I can't move an inch without you."
She said that and walked towards the dormitory building's gate without looking back.
Caught off guard, Chen Yubai was stunned when she snatched his suitcase away. He stood there, his gaze fixed on her resolute yet somewhat defiant back with a complex expression.
The setting sun cast his shadow long, yet it seemed unable to reach the person walking further and further away.
Chen Yubai's lips tightened for a moment, but he still took long strides and caught up with him in a few steps.
“The box,” he said, walking beside her, his voice lowered, with a hint of barely perceptible compromise, “give it to me.”
"No." Peng Chengyi stiffened her neck and refused to look at him, her voice cold. "Go do what you're supposed to do."
She paused, as if she needed to stab him to vent her anger, and added, "Besides, even if you really don't care, there are still senior students welcoming new students who can help me, right?"
"..." Chen Yubai's expression froze, as if he had been choked by those words.
A moment later, he suddenly reached out and firmly pressed down on her rolling suitcase.
The box suddenly jammed, causing Peng Chengyi to stumble. She finally turned her face away, annoyed, and demanded, "Chen Yubai! What exactly do you want?!"
He looked down at her, his wisps of hair casting small shadows on his forehead and eyes. His usually nonchalant eyes were now heavy, and his Adam's apple bobbed as if he were swallowing back some emotion with difficulty.
After a few seconds of silence, he moved his thin lips slightly, his voice so low it almost blended into the wind: "I'm sorry."
Peng Chengyi paused, then unconsciously loosened his grip on the lever and said, "...Apologize for what?"
“I shouldn’t have kept quiet,” he said, a hint of unease flickering in his dark eyes. He spoke slowly, each word carefully chosen, “and changed my college application without my permission.”
"..."
Looking at his lowered, somewhat dejected eyelashes, and his tightly pursed lips that seemed to betray a hint of unease—
That look on her face, one she had never seen before, filled with obvious guilt and dejection, instantly punctured the bloated pocket in her heart that had been swollen with resentment all summer.
With a "poof," everything that was blocking the way suddenly leaked out.
Although the fact that he and she were in the same university remained unchanged.
But inexplicably, she stopped being angry.
At that moment, she belatedly realized that what she really cared about and was angry about might not be the outcome of being in the same school as him again.
Instead, he made this decision without her knowledge.
The feeling of being excluded from his major decisions was what stung her.
Peng Chengyi pursed her lips with mixed feelings, her gaze drifting to the flower bed beside her. After several seconds of silence, she muttered somewhat awkwardly, "Fine... I forgive you."
She paused, as if afraid he would see the true thoughts she had just clarified, and then hurriedly added, trying to cover it up, "Anyway, we're in different departments, so we won't have as many chances to meet as we did in high school."
“…Indeed.” Chen Yubai raised his eyes, a lazy smile habitually curving his lips, as if accepting the statement.
But the smile didn't truly reach his eyes; instead, a faint, almost imperceptible bitterness was revealed in the subtle curve of his lips.
Peng Chengyi's inner turmoil finally dissipated, like a mouthful of ice-cold soda suddenly poured into a sweltering summer, bubbling and bubbling with light, refreshing bubbles.
She stopped insisting on carrying the suitcase herself and tacitly allowed him to drag it along as they walked into Mingde Building.
The dormitory door was ajar, and a girl with dyed red hair was already inside. Her bed was neatly made, and she was bending over to tidy up the clutter on her desk.
Hearing the noise, the girl looked up, her gaze lingering for a couple of seconds on Chen Yubai beside her before turning to Peng Chengyi and smiling warmly: "Hello."
"Hello." Peng Chengyi pursed her lips slightly nervously.
Although she had attracted a lot of attention because of Chen Yubai in high school, being looked at like this by her new roommate in this completely new environment still made her ears burn. She couldn't help but push Chen Yubai's arm with her hand: "Okay, okay, mission accomplished! Go report to your own college! I'll tell my mom about your hard work and I promise to give you a commendation!"
"You'd better not forget." Chen Yubai put his hands back in his pockets and was slowly pushed towards the door by her, a casual smile on his lips.
"I won't forget, I won't forget. I'll write you a little essay praising you, okay?"
"Your so-called 'little essay'," Chen Yubai glanced at her amusedly, "can it even be eighty words long?"
“…Yes, absolutely!” Peng Chengyi chuckled awkwardly.
“Okay,” Chen Yubai nodded, a mischievous glint in his eyes, “I’ll ask Aunt Zhou for a screenshot to check the word count later.”
"..." Peng Chengyi's lips twitched slightly.
Once this dog returns to normal, it's still just as difficult to handle as ever!
Having finally seen off this big shot, Peng Chengyi turned around and met the red-haired girl's eyes, which were filled with curiosity and inquiry.
"My name is Wu Xian," she said with a smile, glancing casually towards the doorway. "Was that... your boyfriend? He's so handsome."
"No, no!" Peng Chengyi shook her head vigorously, quickly clarifying, "He's my childhood friend, we grew up together."
"Wow! My childhood friend is so handsome! I'm so envious!" Wu Xian exclaimed sincerely, then followed up with, "So... does he have a girlfriend?"
“No.” Peng Chengyi paused, then couldn’t help but add, “But he did say he didn’t plan to date in college.”
"Huh? Why?" Wu Xian was even more curious.
“Because…” Peng Chengyi tried hard to recall his seemingly uninterested attitude towards everything, and shrugged, “He seems to lack enthusiasm for anything, maybe even for love.”
"Oh—" Wu Xian's eyes lit up instantly. His expression and tone immediately reminded Peng Chengyi of Zheng Xinyue. "It's good that he hasn't figured it out yet! A pure virgin is a treasure!"
The word "virgin" seemed to carry a burning heat as it suddenly hit Peng Chengyi's ears, making her cheeks flush.
She pursed her lips, about to change the subject, when the dormitory door was pushed open again, and another girl barged in, dragging a large suitcase.
"Hey! Future roommates!" Her voice was bright and full of youthful energy. She couldn't wait to share some gossip as soon as she put down her suitcase. "I have to tell you! I saw a super handsome guy on my way upstairs! I wonder which class he was welcoming new students, he was amazing!"
"Hi," Peng Chengyi replied with a smile, but her heart skipped a beat for some reason.
Oh no, it feels like there are two Zheng Xinyues in this dorm.
Wu Xian, who was standing next to her, immediately chimed in excitedly, pointing with his chin at Peng Chengyi: "Oh, the one you saw is probably her childhood friend."
"Childhood friend?!" The new girl's eyes widened instantly, her gaze snapping to Peng Chengyi. "Is she also a freshman? What department are you in? Do you have a girlfriend?"
She bombarded Peng Chengyi with questions, her enthusiasm almost overwhelming him. He felt like a small animal being targeted by a searchlight, unsure of what to do with his hands and feet.
Seeing Peng Chengyi's confusion and bewilderment, the girl belatedly slapped her forehead, laughed heartily, revealing a cute little tiger tooth: "Hehe, I was so busy asking about handsome guys! Let me introduce myself first, my name is Fang Hao, and I love following celebrities and looking at handsome guys! Please take care of me in the future!"
“Um… my name is Peng Chengyi,” Peng Chengyi breathed a sigh of relief and quickly introduced herself, trying to steer the conversation away from Chen Yubai. “My hobbies are anime and playing guitar.”
Just after I finished introducing myself, the dormitory door was pushed open again, and the last roommate arrived.
She looked much quieter, wearing thin-rimmed glasses, dragging two heavy-looking suitcases, and slightly out of breath.
"Hello everyone..." Her voice was soft, with a hint of shyness from being a newcomer.
"Hi! Come on over, we're chatting!" Fang Hao immediately greeted her warmly and stepped forward to help her carry her suitcase.
"Thank you, I can manage on my own." My new roommate smiled, politely declining the help, and deftly pushed the suitcase in herself. "My name is Meng Yuqing, I'm a local from Beicheng, so I don't have much luggage, it's not heavy."
"No wonder your suitcase is so small. My name is Fang Hao." Fang Hao withdrew her hand and pointed to Wu Xian and Peng Chengyi. "Her name is Wu Xian, and her name is Peng Chengyi."
She paused, clearly still caught up in the conversation about handsome guys, and then eagerly added, "Peng Chengyi has a super handsome childhood friend, we all saw him just now!"
"Oh." Meng Yuqing simply smiled gently, without asking any further questions, and began packing her things.
Her arrival seemed to slightly temper the overly enthusiastic atmosphere of the "handsome guy discussion" in the dormitory.
Peng Chengyi secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly turned around to start tidying up her bed and luggage.
Wu Xian and Fang Hao chatted enthusiastically, quickly expanding from the handsome guy they had just caught a glimpse of to their high school anecdotes, the celebrities they had followed, and the dramas they had watched. They discovered that they had surprisingly similar tastes and immediately felt like they had known each other for a long time.
Meng Yuqing quietly made the bed, occasionally smiling when she heard something interesting.
As Peng Chengyi hung clothes in the closet, she listened to their chatter. The trepidation and unfamiliarity she felt as a new college student gradually dissipated amidst the cheerful background noise of her roommates.
It seems like my university life has gotten off to a pretty good start?
Besides, she had a feeling that there would be no shortage of topics about her super handsome childhood friend over the next four years.
As she was thinking, the screen of her phone, which was on the table, suddenly lit up.
A new message popped up on WeChat.
Chen Yubai: [Image]
Chen Yubai: "Report complete, I'm at the dormitory now."
The picture shows the metal door number of his dormitory. The background is a bit blurry, but the number 502 is clear.
For almost the entire summer vacation, they hadn't had any such daily and trivial contact. Peng Chengyi looked at the message, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously curved upwards.
She picked up her phone, her fingers flying across the screen, a hint of long-lost teasing in her voice: "Received, the organization is aware of your situation."
After sending the message successfully, she stared at the screen for a few seconds, but the other party did not reply immediately.
Guessing he was probably busy tidying up, she turned off her phone and was about to put it back on the table when, with a "buzz," the screen lit up again.
Chen Yubai: "Is your dorm balcony facing south?"
Peng Chengyi was startled and subconsciously turned her head to look at the small balcony connected to the dormitory. The afterglow of the setting sun was streaming in through the glass door, casting long shadows on the floor.
Peng Chengyi: "Yes, what's wrong?"
Chen Yubai: "Go check out the balcony, there's a surprise."
What surprises await you on the balcony?
She thought to herself that he was being a bit mysterious, but her fingers moved faster than her mind: "...What surprise?"
Chen Yubai: "You'll know when you get here."
A strange, drawn-out curiosity welled up inside her. Peng Chengyi put down the clothes she was folding halfway through her hand, walked suspiciously to the balcony, and pushed open the somewhat heavy glass door.
The early September evening breeze immediately carried the hustle and bustle of the evening and a touch of coolness. Below were the bustling freshmen, and in the distance were the campus buildings bathed in golden light.
Holding her phone, she leaned against the railing, head down, typing: "I've arrived, and then?"
Chen Yubai: "Look up."
Peng Chengyi frowned, subconsciously raised his head, and looked over the crowd and trees downstairs, towards the dormitory building with a similar layout across the street.
A familiar figure pushed open the glass door and casually appeared on the fifth-floor balcony.
Peng Chengyi was stunned for a moment, her gaze unexpectedly meeting a pair of smiling eyes.
Chen Yubai lazily rested his elbows on the railing, wearing a simple white T-shirt, with a magnificent sunset behind him, as beautiful as an overturned palette of colors.
A gentle breeze ruffled the stray hairs on his forehead, but he seemed completely unconcerned. Even from dozens of meters away, he precisely caught her gaze, and then, the corners of his lips slowly and distinctly curved upwards.
He glanced down at his phone, then looked up at her.
Almost simultaneously, Peng Chengyi's phone vibrated again.
Chen Yubai: "Did you see that? Surprise!"
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Author's Note: [Dog head carrying a rose][Dog head carrying a rose][Dog head carrying a rose]
Thank you 67678877 for the rocket launcher! Thank you again for the nutrient solution provided by Rain, Wang Xiaoxiaoxie, Solieil, Sunshine, Gulu, uoow, and Ayaya!
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