01

In fact, I hope that the person saying these words is Ji Chuan

The phone rang for a long time before Ji Chuan finally answered. Just as I was about to ask him where he was, he hurriedly said, "I am busy right now, let's talk later."

He did not write much on it, just advised me to drink more water and rest more

I smiled shyly and said: "Please sit down and wait for a moment, it will be ready soon. I will definitely prepare a cup of my best milk tea for you, and I believe that after you taste it, you will surely praise me."

To become a tutor for children? However, with my limited abilities, being only half-knowledgeable, I doubt any parents would be willing to hire me

When I woke up, I found myself at home, and it was already the next day, close to noon at 12

At this moment, what fills my heart are the kindnesses that Ji Chuan has shown me in the past, each and every one, so difficult to forget, as if they had just happened yesterday

Starting today, your living expenses will be halved

When eating, I feel particularly uneasy, always experiencing an indescribable sense of discomfort.

Although I saw the look of surprise on his face, I did not explain anything to him

Perhaps people will always grow, and it is possible that Jichuan has truly devoted himself wholeheartedly to the Taekwondo club, considering the matters of the club to be more important than me, his girlfriend

I went to the kitchen to find something to eat and haphazardly filled my stomach

As soon as class was over, I picked up my bag and left

Although the alcohol content of three bottles of beer is not high, it still makes me, who has a poor tolerance for alcohol, feel quite uncomfortable, with a slight headache.

Yao Yizhou grabbed my backpack and looked directly at me, softly asking: "Wen Ya, tell me, where have you been rushing off to these past few days? What exactly has happened that makes you so eager to leave right after class every day?"

Yao Yizhou smiled gently at me, and his smile made me feel as if he had already seen through everything

Upon hearing my retort, my father gritted his teeth and, with a face full of regret, said: "Had I known you would be so disrespectful, I should not have kept you in the first place"

When I tried to chat with Shen Xiaoyu, she was too busy to pay attention to me, saying that she needed to participate in the provincial mathematical modeling competition and had to devote herself fully to the preparation.

There are several unread messages on my phone. I opened them and found that the message was from the woman who claims to have given birth to me. She said she wanted to apologize and hoped that I could forgive her. She also mentioned that if I changed my mind, I could call her, as she wanted to fulfill her responsibilities as a mother once again

At this moment, I truly wish he were not so clever... If only he had not guessed it, how wonderful that would be, for then I could preserve my last shred of dignity in this almost certain losing battle of love

After arriving at school, I did not exhibit any signs of abnormality; instead, I pretended to be completely unconcerned.

From the moment I met him in the first year of high school, we talked about everything. Lacking familial affection, I found a kindred spirit in him, as he too was away from his parents who were not in the country. We shared so many similarities; he understood every decision I made, and he grasped the intentions behind everything I did

After working for a while, the boss's wife was very pleased with how quickly I adapted, nodding repeatedly.

A few guests have left, and I had just finished tidying up the table when I saw Yao Yizhou walk in with a backpack.

I hurriedly fled from school and busied myself in the milk tea shop, hoping to forget the turmoil in my heart. However, sometimes it is strange how a matter, the more you wish to set it aside, the more it lingers in your mind

I do not know what the mathematical modeling competition in that province is about, and I cannot help Xiaoyu with anything. I can only sit beside her and watch her discuss problems with other classmates, but after listening for a long time, I still do not understand.

I got up to prepare to get out of bed, but I noticed a glass of water on the table, with a piece of paper pressed underneath it. I moved the glass and picked up the paper

Perhaps

If Yao Yizhou were to sacrifice his time to accompany me, I would truly feel very guilty. Long ago, he always chose to forgo practicing the piano in order to be with me. As a friend, I hope he can be well. On this point, I believe Yao Yizhou and I think alike; he is also wholeheartedly wishing for my well-being. Although I feel that I should not be so selfish, today, at this moment, I really want to indulge myself and be selfish just this once

It is said that, but the actual situation is ... ...

After much contemplation, I could not think of anything suitable for me to do, so I decided to take the opportunity during lunchtime to go out and explore.

During the afternoon class, Yao Yizhou's gaze towards me was quite strange, but he did not say anything. When the class was over and I was about to get up to leave, he finally could not hold back any longer

In class, the teacher was commenting on the homework assigned to us, but I had little interest in listening; my mind was entirely preoccupied with thoughts of working at the milk tea shop

I did not know how to respond to Yao Yizhou, and my expression was somewhat unnatural. I sighed and said slowly, "I will tell him, so you need not worry unnecessarily."

Some say that friendship is the most precious thing in this world. This afternoon, I truly experienced such emotions. In fact, during this period, I have not even missed Ji Chuan.

I took out my phone from the bag and dialed Ji Chuan's number

When I left the milk tea shop in the evening, I couldn't help but call Ji Chuan again. As before, Ji Chuan simply said, "I'm quite busy, I'll talk later," and then hung up the phone

Perhaps Ji Chuan is truly so busy that he doesn't even have time to give me a call to check in

I have no desire to listen any longer, covering my head with the blanket, wishing to isolate myself from the sounds I do not wish to hear

This state makes me feel very relaxed and allows me to cherish the rare friendship between myself and Yao Yizhou even more

Seeing Yao Yizhou's determination, I no longer persuaded him to leave

I stared wide-eyed at my father, hardly able to believe that these words had come from his mouth

Returning to the room, I went straight to bed, covering myself tightly with the quilt, and soon fell into a deep sleep

Yao Yizhou did not ask any further questions, instead he changed the subject and asked me with concern: "Xiaoya, is working tiring? Have you been scolded by the boss?"

A few years ago in winter, the weather was particularly cold. I accidentally fell into the lake, and the icy water did not seem to affect me at all. However, today, upon hearing my father's words, I found myself trembling all over, with a sharp pain piercing through my heart.

I turned around and returned to my room, lying on the bed and crying.

Yao Yizhou smiled faintly, his eyes sparkling with brilliance: "I have known you for so long, how could I not know where you work?"

"I heard your mother say that a boy brought you back yesterday. Who is that boy?" The father's voice was as stern as ever, and his expression was as grim as usual

At this point, I have decided not to take the initiative to contact Ji Chuan anymore. ... Regarding his unusual behavior, I am waiting for an explanation, or ... . ... Awaiting the final verdict.

It must have been Yao Yizhou who brought me back, it seems he is still loyal, not leaving me alone in the restaurant, what a true brother!

It seems that I have no choice but to pursue the path of working while studying and being self-reliant. If all goes well, I might even be able to rent a place outside of school, and at that time, I will no longer have to live under the scrutiny of their family.

Seeing my procrastination, he was even more furious: "Just look at you, a young lady, getting completely drunk outside, is that appropriate? It's simply disgraceful! How could I have raised such a daughter? You've completely tarnished my reputation!"

I can only think this way, only comfort myself in my heart; otherwise, I fear I will be unable to control my tears and cry out loud

In the past, when I wanted to save money to buy a gift for Jichuan, I would take a part-time job at a supermarket near the school, doing tasks such as cashiering and organizing merchandise. However, almost every day, Jichuan would accompany me from start to finish, and only after I finished would we leave the supermarket together

In this day and age, there are many things that have lost their value, and the least valuable of all is tears. You may feel wronged, hiding in a corner and secretly wiping away your tears, but in the eyes of others, your troubles are merely trivial, not worth being sad about, and certainly not deserving of sympathy

There are numerous part-time job postings outside the school. I will read through each notice and then, with my persuasive skills, convince the owner of a milk tea shop, thereby securing a job.

I looked at Yao Yizhou and anxiously asked, "Quickly taste it, is it good to drink?"

Yao Yizhou found a place to sit down, placed the backpack on the chair beside him, and then looked at me with an expression of anticipation

The handwriting on the paper is very neat, and it is immediately recognizable as that of Yao Yizhou

Fortunately, he did not write anything overly sentimental; if he were to give me a few more such words, I would not know how to face him

Recalling those times of enduring hardships together, my heart feels as if it is about to explode from the torment

To be honest, when I needed warmth and care the most, Yao Yizhou appeared before me, and to say that I was not moved would be a lie

Yao Yizhou is aware of our family's situation

The more I think about it, the brighter the prospects of the work-study program seem to me, so I began to contemplate what kind of job would be better.

I originally intended to inform Ji Chuan, but just as I took my phone out of my pocket, I suddenly recalled the incident when Ji Chuan hurriedly ended the call earlier, so I put the phone back in my pocket.

Yao Yizhou's expression was淡淡的, and his voice was so soft it seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth

The proprietress, seeing such a handsome young man as Yao Yizhou wanting to stay in her shop, was naturally very pleased. She immediately smiled broadly and said, "Little handsome guy, you can stay here for as long as you like; you are always welcome here."

I looked at him, my face filled with surprise: "How did you come here? How did you find this place?"

I held back the tears that were about to overflow, and softly said: "It's nothing, just a few hours, nothing serious. Anyway, I don't want to go home; I'm just passing the time."

Just as I was putting on my shoes and preparing to go out, a loud voice came from outside the door, particularly clear even through the door panel

I suddenly felt a warmth in my eyes, for this was the only caring words I had heard in the past two days

I always feel that when faced with such a scenario, I would definitely feel particularly awkward

I do not even know what is happening now...! ... The way Ji Chuan treats me is simply like that of two completely different people compared to before!

Perhaps, people are always changing, always willing to abandon certain things and certain individuals, and always feeling that their previous efforts were truly not worth it

After the discussion, I hurried back to school

I directly threw my phone onto the bed, lacking even the mood to reply to messages. What does it mean to fulfill the responsibilities of a mother? Only now do I remember that I am still a mother, only now do I recall that I have a daughter? It is simply too ridiculous!

Yao Yizhou, who was sitting next to me, looked particularly strange as soon as class was over and he slipped out.

Indeed, during this period, I have often been alone, and I truly feel very lonely... Without Ji Chuan and Shen Xiaoyu, I am left with only Yao Yizhou as a friend... I really do not want to always endure alone when I am feeling down, but I also do not want to constantly waste Yao Yizhou's time, after all, he originally intended to dedicate the vast majority of his time to his violin, which is more important to him than life itself

This time, what Jichuan said to me on the phone was only three words, and I couldn't help but shake my head in self-mockery. At that moment, I found that I didn't even have the courage to take a glance at the taekwondo practice room. In fact, I was afraid that after I went to the taekwondo practice room, Jichuan's words to me would be less than three words.

After finishing my first day of work, I returned to my cold and desolate home, feeling exhausted

Yao Yizhou noticed that I seemed to be lost in thought, and waved his hand in front of my eyes to bring my thoughts back.

Seeing my skills praised by Yao Yizhou, I immediately felt a sense of joy

A guest has arrived, and I am once again busy attending to matters

In response to Yao Yizhou's inquiry, I could only shrug my shoulders and pretend to appear relaxed as I said: "It's nothing serious, just had a quarrel with my family, I'm a bit short on money, so I found a part-time job near the school"

Xiao Ya, come out here

Upon arriving at the milk tea shop, the proprietress carefully reminded me of the matters I needed to pay attention to. I did not dare to be negligent at all; I took out my notebook and pen from my bag and earnestly recorded every word she said.

The next day, I still called Ji Chuan, hoping to invite him to lunch together, but just like yesterday, he simply said, "Still busy," and hurriedly hung up the phone

After the training over the past two days, the boss lady has become increasingly satisfied with my business skills, sitting aside and enjoying her leisure.

I quickly prepared the milk tea and handed it to him

We understand each other so well that he does not take the matter of arguing with me and my family seriously; he simply asked me one question: "Does Ji Chuan know?"

I furrowed my brow and impatiently opened the door to step outside

What shall we go do

I frowned at Yao Yizhou and let out a long sigh

Yao Yizhou shook his head and said softly, "Anyway, I don't want to go to the library, nor do I want to stay in the classroom... Besides, I can read here and also keep you company. By the way, please get me a cup of your signature milk tea."

The previous working hours were particularly difficult to endure, but today, in the company of Yao Yizhou, time surprisingly passed quickly, and my originally depressed mood gradually improved

Initially, the supermarket manager thought that Ji Chuan was causing trouble and even planned to call the police; however, later on, he was also incorporated as a part-time worker.

The door was half open, and my father's voice came in from outside the door

Yao Yizhou took a sip of milk tea, and immediately smiled, giving me a thumbs up.

After Yao Yizhou finished speaking, he nodded in acknowledgment to the landlady

I just happen to need a quiet place to read for a while, so don't overthink it

At this moment, it feels as if something is lodged in my chest, causing my breath to catch, and even my heartbeat has become rapid

After a while, I finally said slowly: "Yizhou, you really don't need to do this, I am truly fine."

I originally thought I could take advantage of the quieter moments to chat with Yao Yizhou, but for some reason, customers kept coming in one after another, and it wasn't until the end of my shift that there were finally fewer customers.

Although I have mentally prepared myself, life must go on, and I still need to work at the milk tea shop to make ends meet with the already halved living expenses

The boss lady was quite satisfied with my earnest attitude. Upon seeing me complete the preparation of milk tea under her guidance, she felt assured and allowed me to busy myself in the shop.

After a long time, when I felt somewhat better, I left home

There is no one at home, it is estimated that the three of them are engaged in some activity, such as watching a movie or a play

Wen Ya, I just ordered your signature milk tea, please prepare a cup for me quickly

Jichuan seems to be really busy. Since yesterday, I have called him, and each time he hurriedly hangs up. But I truly do not know what he is busy with every day

Do you go to the restaurant to wash dishes? Just thinking about those greasy leftovers makes me feel nauseous.

Thus, I had no choice but to sit in a daze by myself, contemplating my own matters. When I recalled my father's words about reducing my living expenses by half, I immediately felt as if I had a splitting headache.

He took the milk tea I had prepared, placed it on the table, and turned to take out a few books from his backpack

My father's regret for not abandoning me felt like a sharp dagger, stabbing fiercely into my chest, causing my heart to bleed uncontrollably. It hurt so much, so painfully, that my whole body trembled uncontrollably, and the pain was so intense that I lacked the strength to lie flat, leaving me no choice but to curl up, huddled under the blanket

Yao Yizhou's words made me feel a bit embarrassed: "Can we not be so deliberate? I don't bring a bodyguard when I work."

This is the first time I called Jichuan, and he hung up on me without saying a word... I do not wish to think too much about it; perhaps he is really very busy

Upon hearing my father's words, I felt a surge of blood rush to my head and sarcastically retorted, "So you still care about me!"