Chapter 19 Other girls will also like birthday gifts...
Yu Kui slung her backpack over her shoulder and headed to the library to study. As she walked downstairs, Qin's mother happened to be out buying groceries. Seeing that she was already all packed, she smiled and said, "Going to the library again? Wait a minute, I'll have Qin You go with you."
She turned around to wake her son, Qin You, who was still in his pajamas, walked to the door and said, "Mom, I have something to do today, so I'm not going to the library."
“A-Kui is going,” Qin’s mother said. “Why don’t you go with her and catch up on your studies?”
Qin You then noticed Yu Kui standing outside the door. She was wearing a blue down jacket, her hair cascading over her shoulders, and she was quietly gazing at him.
Qin You was stunned for a moment, thinking she had returned to a time several months ago. Yu Kui, however, said to Qin's mother, "Auntie, I was in a hurry to get a seat today, maybe next time."
After saying that, she waved politely and walked downstairs without looking back.
When Qin's mother came to her senses, she could no longer see her.
"This child..." Qin's mother glared at her son, "Yu Kui is already up early, and you're still lying in bed, aren't you ashamed?"
Qin You looked at the empty stairwell and said, "Mom, you forgot today is a holiday."
“Having a holiday is no excuse for you to get up later than Yu Kui.”
Qin You: "......"
He smiled helplessly, "I'll get up now."
After saying that, he went back to his room to reply to Tao Jiang's message. Today is Tao Jiang's birthday, and he has already prepared a birthday gift. How could he possibly stand up a girl he likes just to go to the library to study?
As Yu Kui walked downstairs, she felt a lump in her throat as she thought about the moment she made eye contact with Qin You.
They're clearly best friends, so why don't I even have the courage to say a word to him?
I'm so sad.
Why couldn't they stay by each other's side forever? Why did things turn out this way?
She didn't understand, and couldn't comprehend.
What exactly does Qin You want?
Even if he doesn't have romantic feelings for me, he should at least have friendship with me. Does everything from the past really not matter to him?
But she still hasn't let go.
It's also impossible to let go easily.
That was more than a decade of her life, the endless years from childhood to adolescence.
If given the chance, she would love to ask him the real reason. Whatever it was, she would accept it as long as he explained it clearly.
Their relationship couldn't end in ambiguity. She was stubborn and unwilling to move forward in a muddled way.
Yu Kui took the bus to the library and spent the whole day studying.
She knew very well that only good grades could support her to go further, so that she could choose what she wanted to do instead of being chosen.
She no longer wanted to be abandoned by anyone or anything.
After breakfast, Qin You told her mother and went out with the gift bag.
He has been working part-time these days to buy gifts for Tao Jiang.
When Qin You arrived at the Western restaurant where he had arranged to meet Tao Jiang, he placed the roses he had bought behind his back. After Tao Jiang pushed open the door, he gave her the flowers and the gift together.
After waiting for about half an hour, Tao Jiang appeared in sight wearing a red dress. Her hair was exquisitely braided and clipped with pretty hair clips on both sides, making her look like a wealthy young lady who had just stepped out of a villa, radiating light.
Qin You stood up, walked quickly towards her, and presented her with roses and a gift, saying, "Happy birthday."
"Thank you." Tao Jiang took the gift and winked at him. "Have you been waiting long?"
"No." Qin Youqi didn't really like people who weren't punctual, but if it was Tao Jiang, he had no objection.
Tao Jiang sat down in the chair, looking at the exquisitely packaged gift box. "Can we open it now?"
"Sure." Qin You's lips curled into a slight smile. "It depends on whether you like it or not."
"OK."
When Tao Jiang opened the gift box and saw the crystal bracelet, the smile on her face faded considerably, but she still said, "Wow! It's the bracelet I wanted before! You're so thoughtful!"
"I'm glad you like it." Qin You didn't notice anything unusual about her and asked, "Do you want me to help you put it on?"
“No need,” Tao Jiang said, closing the lid. “I’ll wear this precious gift when I get home.”
"I bought it for you to wear," Qin You said. "If you like it, I'll send you other styles later."
"Really?" Tao Jiang stared intently at him.
"Hmm," Qin You felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze, and coughed lightly, saying, "Let's order."
"good."
The moment the boy lowered his head, Tao Jiang touched the bracelet under her cuff; it was exactly the same as the one Qin You had given her.
Unfortunately, Qin You sent it a little late, and she was no longer surprised.
After returning home, she plans to sell the bracelet, as she imagines many girls would want it.
After dinner, Qin You took Tao Jiang to see a movie, a sci-fi film that Tao Jiang had already seen with Zhou Xiao. She seemed uninterested all afternoon and even regretted wasting her time on Qin You.
As dusk fell, Qin You asked her if she was happy.
Tao Jiang couldn't even manage a smile, and said somewhat perfunctorily, "It's fine. I hope you can still be by my side next year."
"Of course." Qin You looked at her intently. "Not just next year, but for many years to come, I will stay by your side."
Tao Jiang's smile remained unchanged. "Alright, as long as you don't change, I won't change either."
Upon hearing this, Qin You felt reassured and gripped her hand tightly, saying, "Okay."
"It's getting late, I'm going home now. See you Monday." Tao Jiang broke free from his grasp and waved to him. "You should go home too."
Qin You nodded, and after seeing her into a taxi, he breathed a sigh of relief and walked briskly towards home.
After finishing all the papers, Yu Kui stayed in the library to read until the library was about to close, at which point she packed her bag and left.
On the way back, all sorts of English grammar points floated through her mind. In the past, she always had a vague understanding of grammar and could never remember it, but now, no matter which grammar point she was asked, she could easily figure out how to use it.
Her English grades have gradually improved from the passing grade, and she is confident that her English grades will be even better next semester.
After getting off the bus, Yu Kui walked forward at a leisurely pace. Passing by the fruit shop in the neighborhood, she went in and bought two pounds of oranges, planning to go home and show off the oranges to her mother.
As I came out, I happened to run into Qin You, who was wearing a black down jacket and had a slight smile in his eyes, looking very happy.
The two locked eyes, and Qin You's smile vanished instantly. He frowned as he looked at Yu Kui, his mood seemingly soured by her presence.
Yu Kui saw this change clearly.
She lowered her head and quickly walked past Qin You.
Qin You opened his mouth, but could only stand there and watch her walk further and further away.
As Yu Kui stepped into the building, tears streamed down her face. She thought she would never cry for him again, but she still couldn't suppress the grievances in her heart.
Before entering her home, she wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, and opened the door as if to appear relaxed.
Seeing the familiar room lights come on, Qin You knew that Yu Kui had returned home.
For some reason, even though he was the one who gave up first, he felt a strange pain that made him unable to look Yu Kui in the eye. He could only stand there and watch her leave.
After New Year's Day, the school entered the final exam period, and test papers were handed out every day. The busy study made everyone nervous.
In the newly handed-out Chinese exam, Yu Kui once again ranked first in the class. The Chinese teacher directly used her essay as a model and read it aloud in class. "In the future, everyone should take more time to look at how Yu Kui's essays are written, and then compare them with your own to see how terrible they are. You all know how many points you lose in the exam if you don't write a good essay."
The Chinese teacher spoke bluntly, and everyone felt envious of Yu Kui. They wondered how she studied so well, not only excelling in Chinese but also ranking at the top in other subjects, leaving them far behind.
Tao Jiang looked at her essay score of less than thirty points on the test paper, and her lips slowly pursed up. This feeling of being crushed in terms of grades was an embarrassment she had never experienced before.
Tao Jiang never thought that grades meant anything before, but when the person weighing on her became Yu Kui, she felt offended.
Anyone can get better grades than her, but it can never be Yu Kui.
Yu Kui is her defeated opponent, so he should be completely defeated by her, rather than surpassing her in other aspects.
What makes her able to stand up again?
Tao Jiang looked at the girl's fair profile. Qin You had been taken away by her, and she had even been seriously ill because of it. How could she act so indifferent so quickly?
This made her feel very unfulfilled.
It was as if Qin You wasn't that important in her life, and even if he were taken away, it wouldn't affect her at all.
This outcome was unacceptable to Tao Jiang.
After class, she walked up to Yu Kui and said with a smile, "Can I see your essay?"
Yu Kui looked up at her, her expression unchanged. "It's fine." She handed the test paper to Tao Jiang.
Tao Jiang took a deep breath, absentmindedly read through her essay, and then said with feigned admiration, "You wrote much better than me, no wonder you got such a high score."
In the past, Yu Kui would have offered to teach her how to write essays, but now Yu Kui remained silent and simply took the paper back.
"Do you have time after school?" Tao Jiang offered, "I'll treat you to hot pot."
Yu Kui lowered her eyes. "I have other things to do after school, so I can't go."
“I thought we still had a chance to sit down and talk,” Tao Jiang stared at her stubbornly. “I felt we could sit down and clarify things instead of easily giving up our past friendship.”
These words gently knocked on the door of Yu Kui's heart.
Tao Jiang's questions to her were also her questions to Qin You.
She knew perfectly well where the problem lay between her and Tao Jiang, and there was no need to continue entangled with her.
"We've already said what we needed to say." Yu Kui looked at her face and said slowly, "I've never given up on any friendship easily, but some friendships aren't worth my continued effort."
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