Chapter 4, The Time That Came Early

Hui was both surprised and aggrieved, and could not help but shed tears as she said: "Is that the only thing that holds meaning in your eyes? After being together for so long, have you negated everything because of that?"

This is the issue; Di is quite the chatterbox. Even though their relationship is good, Chen Wenjin does not discuss private matters with him. If it were another close friend, the youthful and innocent him would certainly share secrets.

At that time, Chen Wenjin did not respond to the question, which provided Aniu with the opportunity to sow discord

Xiangli Park is about a ten-minute walk from Huijia, and they often go there for activities; however, this is the first time they have come so late

After the dancers left, the private room became much quieter. A Niu did not leave; instead, he approached when Hui went to the restroom and asked in a concerned whisper, "Have you made any progress in your relationship with Hui?"

"Go to Xiangli Park." Chen Wenjin spoke up first to state the destination, and Hui hurriedly replied, "I want to go home, it's so late, what is the point of going to the park?"

However, it was only later that Chen Wenjin came to understand that this was precisely the most critical distinction

A Niu's role is not that of a sworn brother; associating with tough characters like A Bao is merely a means of self-protection in school. He would never genuinely involve himself in dangerous or risky matters. Characters like A Bao represent a specific source of strength that A Niu needed during a particular period of his life. Upon entering university, A Niu seeks a social circle with similar or even superior family backgrounds.

He is my brother, not as you think! Hui was clearly unhappy with Chen Wenjin's misunderstanding of A Niu, so the latter did not argue about this issue and simply said: "Regarding A Niu's matter, we seek common ground while reserving differences; for now, let's talk about our own matters."

At that time, he did not truly understand the thoughts of a seemingly harmless boy like A Niu, who came from a well-off family. A Bao even looked down upon children like A Niu, who were wealthy yet unable to fight or lacked the courage to confront others. Ultimately, children like A Niu, who could navigate social relationships, were friends to many; those who could not were merely the kind of younger brothers who provided financial support to A Bao.

"Xiao Gao has gone, so I need not go." Back then, Chen Wenjin had left, and today he was not prepared to let A Niu have his wish. Thus, A Niu could only continue to feign concern and find something to say, still pretending to care about his relationship with Hui.

It is a pity that back then, Chen Wen did not understand peers like A Niu, mistakenly believing that they were all individuals of similar temperament

Such a question, whether posed in the past or now by Chen Wenjin, is understood to serve as a prelude to subsequent inquiries. Back then, he answered very seriously with 'no', whereas now, Chen Wenjin states: 'I know that A Niu likes you, but I am aware of your character; you would not engage in the act of straddling two boats, it is merely his one-sided infatuation with you.'

Hui did not see Chen Wenjin's reaction to Xiao Gao's expression, but after Xiao Gao left, she still did not receive any special concern from Chen Wenjin. Finally unable to endure any longer, she said, "It's too late, I'm going home first." In the end, she greeted some acquaintances and left the private room.

"It's nothing." Hui avoided Chen Wenjin's gaze, not wanting to look at him. She was unwilling to lose her temper in public, but until the knot of anger was untied, she truly could not maintain her usual demeanor

"Drive," Chen Wenjin urged the driver, and then turned to Hui, saying, "You look like you have something to say. The private room is not a place for conversation. If you don't clarify your thoughts, how can you sleep well at home?"

"What breakthroughs can there be? It's still the same as before," Chen recalled how he had said back then, when he heard A Niu take a puff of his cigarette and respond, "You don't need to be anxious. She is relatively conservative and probably under a lot of psychological pressure. Don't listen to what others say, like that it means she doesn't love you enough; that would negatively affect the feelings between the two of you. You wouldn't believe such things, would you?"

Chen Wen returned to the private room and saw Hui pretending to be unaffected, yet her eyes concealed a hint of unhappiness. It seemed to suddenly resonate with a blurred memory, adding a touch of familiarity. The emotions that had originally been indifferent towards her softened, so when he sat down, he asked, "You don't seem very happy?"

Are you suspecting that I have an affair with A Niu?" Hui asked, suppressing her anger

Between individuals, the emotional information can be easily conveyed through the attentive gazes they share. Young people like them rarely possess such a level of acting skill, which can serve as a basis for judgment. In the adult world, there are too many seasoned actors, making reliability significantly lower

Chen Wenjin waited for a moment before going out, and indeed saw A Niu and Hui speaking in low voices. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself: 'Your attempts at sowing discord back then simply did not succeed; this time, your meddling has turned into a gesture of warmth'

Thinking back to him from those years, he truly regarded love as sacred and unique. Every time we went out for drinks, he would always wait anxiously when Hui went to the restroom, fearing that something bad might happen

Chen Wenjin listens more and speaks less, and just wants to see A Niu continue the role-playing.

Ah... Hui is different, you should be more patient. I will talk to her later and persuade her a bit..." Aniu spoke sincerely, and these words were almost identical to what Xiao Gao had said. In the end, Aniu skillfully concluded the topic, expressing concern by saying: "Hui has been gone for a while, aren't you going to check on her?"

Clearly, this also reflects Chen Wenjin's lack of security at that time, as he habitually approached the world with a sense of vigilance and skepticism

Chen Wenjin had been waiting for her to say this, so he suddenly pushed her down onto the bench, feigning anger and controlling his voice as he retorted: "Isn't it?"

Chen Wenjin once thought that A Niu was also such a reliable person

Anniu had no choice but to continue finding something to say until someone returned. He finally found an opportunity to reasonably divert attention, went over to greet and asked a few questions, and then said he was going out to dance

The area with entertainment facilities during the day is now enveloped in a profound silence, surrounded by the darkness of lychee orchards, as if concealing dangers that could emerge at any moment, instilling a constant sense of anxiety and panic.

Chen Wenjin did not speak, but simply escorted her out

I have nothing to say! Hui denied it verbally, yet did not change the destination

Upon leaving the private room, Hui忍, suppressing her anger, said: "No need to see me off, you can go back and have fun."

While waiting for the car outside, Hui said: "I can just call a car to go back, you can go back and have fun."

If everything else is done, it is proof of eighty points of affection, while the remaining twenty points require key issues to prove. If you can prove it, then I am wrong. Chen Wenjin said this as he had already taken action, not giving Hui a chance to consider whether to resist, and had already pulled aside the cover, burying himself in warmth.

Hui Fenming harbored no fear of the darkness, for the anger within her had been pent up for a long time, and the flames of her wrath had consumed all unease and fear.

Chen Wenjin then chose to stop at the right moment, not continuing to provoke Hui's rebellious spirit, and thus she immediately quieted down, experiencing an unprecedented warmth

Hui attempted to push Chen Wenjin's head away, but after trying, she found it ineffective. In her panic, she realized that the situation had become an established fact, and she could not firmly refuse. Instead, she was just filled with panic and fear, and then she tightly embraced Chen Wenjin's head, unable to speak due to her tension, until she sensed that further audacity was encroaching upon forbidden territory, at which point she cried out in urgency: "No, no, not here"

However, this only made Hui feel even more sad and distressed, leading to uncontrollable and chaotic thoughts. The more she thought about it, the more serious the problem seemed, and she even found herself unable to resist getting up and leaving several times.

Today, Chen Wenjin faced this question for the second time and directly responded, "Unfortunately, I believe."

Chen Wenjin had not been in such a place at this time for a long time, and he felt quite uncomfortable. He thought of his younger self, who felt no discomfort in such an environment, and even found it more comfortable and at ease. He could only lament the passage of time, and at this moment, everything had changed and people were no longer the same.

At that moment, a keen-eyed driver approached, and Chen Wenjin got into the car. Hui wanted to refuse but was met with his silent gaze for a few seconds, after which she no longer insisted and allowed him to get into the car

Chen Wenjin stood up to see her off, and their friends, familiar with the situation, sensed that something was amiss, suspecting it was a quarrel. Others could not offer any assistance and simply continued with their own activities

In addition to A Niu, Hui has another male friend named Xiao Gao, who also has feelings for Hui

Is that so? Just a moment ago everything was fine. Chen Wenjin pretended not to know, but Xiao Gao actually knew that it was after A Niu had spoken with Hui that things turned out this way. However, he would not pass on matters between friends; he merely reminded, "Why not take the opportunity to ask Hui?"

A Niu was clearly paying attention to them, yet pretended not to care. Xiao Gao sensed something was amiss and moved closer to squeeze in beside Chen Wenjin, nudging his shoulder and glancing at Hui. This time, Chen Wenjin responded with a calm gaze, slightly shaking his head. Xiao Gao was quite worried but could only nod in agreement and got up to leave.

In fact, A Niu tries to present himself as a confidant of a specific person

Ah Niu likes Hui, and this point was already known to Chen Wenjin back in those years

Hui returned to the private room, feeling sulky, but after a while, no one appeared. Therefore, she asked A Niu and Xiao Gao for help in finding them. Shortly after, Xiao Gao found Chen Wenjin first and, while pulling him back, whispered, "I noticed that Hui's mood isn't quite right. What happened to you all?"

"Why do you tell A Niu that feeling unwilling to do such things is a sign of not loving?" Hui questioned angrily. Yes, this is the crux of her grievance and anger. Is it only such things that matter? Do all other matters become meaningless?

It is quite normal for Hui, as the school beauty, to be liked by her peers at school

Back then, mistaking you for Xiao Gao was a sign of my blindness; would I still give you the chance to sow discord today? Chen Wenjin secretly found it amusing, but then he thought it would be appropriate to give A Niu this opportunity. Considering A Niu's calculated pretense of friendship, when such an opportunity arises to reveal his true colors, ultimately, Hui and A Niu had no connection. Why not let A Niu experience the emptiness of such a futile endeavor?

Chen Wenjin recalled that he once self-deprecatingly said: "Why not?"

Xiao Gao has a quiet affection; she shares her innermost thoughts with her close friend, who has a very close and friendly relationship with Chen Wenjin. Neither does she engage in gossip or sow discord, nor does she harbor jealousy or resentment

Chen Wenjin no longer inquired; instead, he engaged in drinking, conversing, and playing dice with others. This unusual behavior made Hui feel even more wronged and saddened

Indeed, Chen Wenjin remembers that if it were the him of those years, he would certainly be very concerned and repeatedly inquire at this moment, and his attention would remain focused on Hui. However, he is no longer the young man he once was, and he has learned to avoid engaging in futile actions that only yield counterproductive results.