four

Emotionally and logically, he has no reason to acknowledge me. Over the years, my relationship with Fang Chongyan has been very distant, and after reaching adulthood, I even rejected Fang Chongyan's financial compensation. I will not naively believe that he fears I will contest Fang Chongyan's assets.

I have an upset stomach, and I still need to buy congee for my roommate. I lifted the plastic bag in my hand; I had forgotten the pork rib soup I bought for Yang Liu at the convenience store because of Lin Jiaxuan's matter. She didn't have enough to eat in the evening, so I decided to buy her a portion of congee on my way back.

The phone rang in the pocket of the coat that I had not taken off. Hearing that specific ringtone, the joy I once felt has now turned into numbness. I have not yet adjusted my mindset to allow myself to pretend as if nothing is wrong

However, at that time, I had little memory of him; I attributed all my emotions to Fang Chongyan. In my childhood memories, there was mostly just Fang Chongyan's indifference towards me

I slept, I replied calmly, not allowing him to detect anything unusual

Aren't you going to say hello? He saw that I wanted to bypass him and leave directly, so he inexplicably spoke to me like he did last time

"Hmm, I am a bit tired today," I replied dismissively

He suddenly laughed, looking at my bewildered expression. He slightly bent down to get closer to me, leaned near my ear, and said in an extremely slow tone: "Perhaps if I say my name is Fang Xuyu, it will be easier for you to remember?"

In fact, I used to go to sleep before 10 o'clock, but ever since I learned that he often suffers from insomnia, I have been keeping him company on the phone, and he has come to believe that I have a habit of staying up late

I just don't know how to talk to you. Subconsciously, I don't want to get too close to him, let alone talk about what it means to be a 'brother' with different fathers and mothers; that is simply a joke

"Going to bed so early, this is unlike you!" He laughed, but I could only hear the bitterness in my heart.

He does not know that I have never saved his name, only noted down a letter, because this way he always appears at the top of my contact list. He once played games on my phone and even asked me if I had any secrets, as I had saved a strange person in my contacts. At that time, I nodded and replied to him: "Yes, something that cannot be revealed"

Are you very afraid of me?" He looked at me with a smile, successfully noticing my eyes widen upon hearing this question

I feel ashamed of my selfishness and am pained by Lin Jiaxuan's meticulous concealment

I do not know you. My stomach is uncomfortable, and my tone of voice is not very good.

I returned to the convenience store in a daze to pick up something, and the store owner looked at me with concern, asking if I was unwell, as my face was unusually pale.

I only remember that when I was young, Fang Chongyan called him "A Hai". Because of him, my childhood lost its own bedroom and my father's affection. I cannot understand why, despite having no blood relation to my father, he was able to take away everything that belonged to me

Yang Liu has not returned from class yet, the light from the street lamp outside is casting in, there are clothes on the balcony that have just been dried, the unwrung water droplets are making a thudding sound on the basin on the ground, and there should have been someone coming back and going out of the dormitory.

I dozed off for about an hour, only to be awakened by a sharp stomach cramp. My digestive system is not very good, possibly due to the unhygienic food I consumed at a restaurant, compounded by the fact that I drank a large amount of cold water because I was feeling down, which led to an outbreak of gastroenteritis

This boy who occupies my entire youth, what do I actually mean to him? He came to this city, probably not just to see the past of my life

Scalding tears streamed down my cheeks and into my neck as I answered the phone, pressing the device to my ear, and Lin Jiaxuan's muffled voice reached me.

I see—" Fang Xu Yu smiled lightly, almost inaudibly, then turned around decisively, her voice ringing out, "Let us gather again next time."

From the girl who confessed to him last time, I learned that his name is Lvqiu Hai, but should Lvqiu Hai be related to Fang Weiyang?

The campus is enveloped in warm yellow light, casting long shadows as groups of three to five people stroll by. They are either close friends or couples, with very few individuals walking alone. Occasionally, there are one or two solitary figures, but they too are smiling as they chat on the phone. A sense of loneliness suddenly engulfs me; even amidst the crowd, I still feel a bewildering uncertainty about where I am headed.

Apart from the bond with Fang Chongyan, he and I can be considered strangers

I smiled apologetically at her and said that I was feeling a bit cold. After retrieving my belongings, I gritted my teeth and hurried back to the dormitory, took off my shoes, and burrowed into the thick comforter.

The youth I can only look up to, has already devoted his sincere heart to a girl I have only met once. What is even more cruel is that the girl has thrown his heart to the ground and trampled it into pieces

In my usual tone, Lin Jiaxuan would definitely tease me; perhaps today he is truly in a bad mood, so much so that he did not even notice the detachment in my words

An unspoken secret of someone who likes Lin Jiaxuan

Who exactly are you? I frowned, as I truly had no memory of this face

He awkwardly said it was fine, and then chatted with me about some recent trivial matters. I responded half-heartedly until he also sensed that I did not wish to continue the conversation, at which point he hung up the phone

Only the quilt cannot provide me warmth, everything that just happened is not a dream. This cruel reality prevents me from deceiving myself

"Remembered it? How surprising!" Fang Xuyu stood up straight again and said with a hint of amusement.

It was indeed a good way to pass the time, my body relaxed as I watched him walk away step by step. However, for some reason, after returning to the dormitory, I was left with a lingering sense of unease in my heart

In the distance, I saw the bright red characters "Common People's Pharmacy" and quickened my pace. After purchasing the medicine and settling the bill, I came out only to see a person standing at the entrance. If I remember correctly, I had just met him not long ago.

So it is him, the boy adopted by Fang Xuyu and Fang Chongyan

"Fang Weiyang, I have taken something so important from you, yet you do not remember me. How disappointing." He smiled with a curve at the corner of his mouth, taking a few steps closer to me before stopping.

I felt my nerves tense due to his proximity, and after hearing his words, I opened my mouth wide and stared at him in disbelief

The ringtone paused for a few seconds after going unanswered, only to ring again stubbornly. Ultimately, unable to resist, I reached for my phone and saw the letter "A" flashing incessantly on the screen, causing an inexplicable tightness in my throat.

Perhaps, from now on, facing Lin Jiaxuan will be so estranged!

The tide of memories suddenly surged towards me, and I finally understood where that vine-like emotion that had spread last time came from

I struggled to get up and drank a cup of hot water, feeling a bit better, so I decided to go downstairs to the pharmacy to buy some medicine

There is no joy in the reunion after separation, nor is there a hysterical rejection. For a moment, or perhaps I should say, in the case of Lu Qiu Hai, I do not know what his purpose is in returning. I have heard that he has been studying abroad, abandoning favorable conditions to come here; what could be the reason for this? So, Fang Chongyan has also returned?

When no one cares, one must cherish oneself, mustn't one

He pretended to be casual and ordinary when he asked me: "Are you coming out? I will treat you to fish."

I even feel relieved that the child did not come into this world

"Old friends meeting, let's take a walk together!" he invited nonchalantly, unaware of the calculations in his mind

I looked at the tall, handsome, and elusive boy across from me, feeling somewhat complicated. After all these years, I have had no interaction with him, making it impossible to connect him with the beautiful little boy who used to wipe his tears in the bedroom.

Thinking back to the day I first met her in July, I witnessed the entire process of her losing her child... Although I have no right to inquire into her private matters, if, if that child truly belonged to them... I dare not think any further

It is just that I do not know, once the gears of fate begin to turn, everything is drawn into an unpredictable vortex, from which no one can stop, and no one can escape