Chapter 4, Thoughts like rain

Once gone, it has been four years

Having changed her clothes and sitting in the living room, Jian Nuo felt much more awake. She suddenly felt like the protagonist of a tragic drama, both unattractive and awkward.

After entering the school, Jian Nuo spent most of her weekends here. At this moment, dressed in a light-colored sports outfit, she was quietly sitting in the library, her lips slightly pursed, and her clear, water-like gaze fixed on the pages of the book, reading the materials with focused attention

"One fool, two fools, utterly hopeless." Little did she expect that the person in the business vehicle was Gao Chi. Thinking of Jian Nuo's embarrassment and Luo Yi Heng's disappointment, Ye You Li unexpectedly lost her temper, poking her forehead vigorously as if trying to wake her up: "Gao Chi is just a cold-blooded creature that you can’t reach or warm up. Hasn't it been four years already? What exactly do you want? Are you really planning to remain single for him? Can you not have a little ambition?"

Suddenly, a figure rushed towards him, and before Gao Chi could react, the person lunged directly at him. Immediately after, he was knocked down onto the marble floor by Jian Nuo's unexpected weight.

The wounds deep within her heart were exceptionally clear against the backdrop of the silent night, and Jian Nuo felt an impulse to tear apart her pain and expose it. She helplessly slumped onto the cold floor, extending her arms to tightly embrace herself, allowing those fragmented memories that had supported her through to piece together and spread out.

The outcome was predictable; apart from the complaints that nearly lifted the roof off the girls' dormitory, Jian Nuo was once again beaten up by the three of them. There was no way around it, as she, being the early riser that she was, loved to disturb others' sweet dreams. Moreover, today was a weekend, and not punishing her was insufficient to quell the public outrage

After having breakfast, the four of them made a commotion in the dormitory for a while before chattering their way out of the dorm building. Xiao Mo and Tao Shu had agreed to go shopping, while Bu Wenrou was forcibly dragged to the library by Jian Nuo

Jin Nuo nestled into the sofa and said in a muffled voice, "When encountering someone you like, who still cares about ambition"

I have never seen Ye Youli lose her temper like this. She opened her mouth but could not find her voice, lowering her eyes, ultimately not responding.

With a slight furrow of her brow, she brushed away the unusual emotions rising from within her heart. Jian Nuo quickened her pace and began to run, her posture resembling that of a newborn fawn, graceful and light. The youthful innocence on her childlike face vividly displayed her spirited and lively nature. The girl, with a heart as clear as a mirror, stepped into the school cafeteria as she usually did

She does not wish for it to be this way either, but having already sacrificed her heart for him, how can she prevent it from slipping away towards him

Luo Yiheng left, and Ye Youli forcibly dragged Jian Nuo into the car to take her home

Jian Nuo flashed a bright smile, revealing her neat and white teeth. Then, she quietly got up, fearing to disturb the silence in the room. Just as she was about to leave the chair, she tripped over the bag that was half-dropped to the ground, and at the same time, Bu Wenrou, who had been sitting in an incorrect posture for a long time, felt her legs go numb and lost her balance, colliding heavily with Jian Nuo, who was also losing her balance.

The sudden heavy rain in this early autumn season seems to lament for someone, as if punishing another for their infatuation and betrayal, while thunder and lightning recklessly laugh maniacally at them.

The morning passed quickly, and Jian Nuo let out a long sigh. She lightly bit her lower lip and secretly glanced around, confirming that no one was paying attention to her. Playfully, she stretched lazily and nudged Bu Wenrou, who was a bit drowsy beside her, whispering softly for her to leave.

On a drizzly morning, just a month after entering C University, Jian Nuo routinely went for a morning run on the playground. A gentle breeze brushed against his cheeks, refreshing and comfortable. The distant scenery appeared hazy in the morning mist, while pedestrians on the streets outside the campus bustled about, coming and going like a dream

After a sudden noise, countless astonished gazes in the library turned towards the source, and everyone present widened their eyes, fixating intently on the two individuals who had fallen to the ground

When one falls in love with someone, she wishes to hold his hand, trip him up, and prevent him from leaving. In the face of love, Jian Nuo does not seek success; she only desires to walk every path with the person she likes, even if it means running all the way, she would not feel tired.

Situations similar to this often occur in the dormitory of female students majoring in international law, where the cheerful and outgoing girls get along harmoniously. Coming from different cities, they quickly adapt to the rhythm and pace of university life, and the simple and straightforward Jian Nuo particularly enjoys it.

"Gao Chi, have you changed?" It does not matter if the appearance has changed; she is afraid that even his heart has changed.

Gao Chi, am I so light in your heart that I hold no weight at all? Therefore, even when we meet, you are unwilling to say a single word to me, not even a reluctant glance? What exactly do we mean to each other?

Ye Youli, upon hearing this, became agitated. Suddenly, she raised her hand to lift the other person's chin, and her gaze gradually turned stern as she said word by word: "Jian Nuo, you have already been let down, completely and ruthlessly let down. Do you want to, like him, heartlessly let down another person who loves you unconditionally?" Thinking of Luo Yiheng, Ye Youli could no longer suppress her anger. Before Jian Nuo could respond, she shouted in reprimand: "Do you know who Gao Chi is now? He is no longer the boy from four years ago who spoiled and pampered you. Don't think that the reports in the magazines are baseless; he is so scheming that even Yiheng cannot see through him. What are you, foolish woman, still waiting for?"

The stillness of time has a chilling sensation, and Jian Nuo can hardly breathe. After a long while, the person pressing down on him does not move, and the indifferent starry eyes reveal a hint of impatience. Gao Chi speaks in a low voice: "Classmate, have you had enough of lying down?"

Thinking of Jian Nuo's simple smile, Luo Yiheng attempted to persuade him, "I ran into her at the library today, she seemed very listless, as if she were ill, why don't you..."

Jian Nuo was gently pinned down on the bed by Bu Wen, her hands held above her head by Xiao Mo and Tao Shu, resembling a rather bound-up position. Her tousled hair had also been ruthlessly disheveled. Pouting her small lips, she pitifully said: "This is not fair. I kindly helped you buy buns, so give me the money. No one gets to eat for free."

I heard you are leaving, and Bu Wenrou miraculously revived like a cockroach, his half-squinted eyes seeming to say: "hetushu.com, you are finally willing to leave, Miss Jian."

Not long ago, Ye Youli inadvertently saw a magazine in Luo Yiheng's office, which featured a two-page report accompanied by a photo that seemed to be from a cocktail party. Gao Chi stood by the window holding a wine glass, with a faint and profound smile at the corner of his lips. He was clearly the same person Ye Youli had met four years ago, yet the sharpness reflected in his smiling eyes suddenly evoked an inexplicable sense of unfamiliarity and distance. Upon reviewing the report, Ye Youli and Luo Yiheng discovered a fact: Gao Chi at this moment was no longer the same as before.

Without pausing, as she jogged past him, Jian Nuo noticed that the young man exuded a strong aura. His cheeks were sculpted with lines that were both rugged and gentle, and the slightly upturned corners of his eyes accentuated the heroic quality of his face. The depths of his eyes revealed an innate arrogance, while his slightly pursed thin lips added a touch of coolness to his overall demeanor

Taking a deep breath, Luo Yiheng cleared the fragmented memories from his mind, feeling that he had lost this round of the gamble

"I am more unwilling than anyone else." In the end, Gao Chi left behind this vague statement and boarded a flight to the other side of the ocean alone that night, thereby severing all contact with Jian Nuo

"I had envisioned our future, even thought about getting married after her graduation, yet I never anticipated that it would end in separation, and so soon at that." Gao Chi interrupted him, his low and hoarse voice containing an unspeakable sense of helplessness and pain. Luo Yiheng understood the gravity of the situation in an instant, realizing that he was, at this moment, bleeding while letting go of something.

Ye Youli stood up abruptly, clenching his fists in an effort to suppress the rising anger. When he spoke again, his tone was extremely harsh: "I beg you to recognize the facts; can't you just stop running down the same path into darkness? Huh?" He paused at the door, his tall and sturdy figure turned away from Jian Nuo, and said: "Based solely on the fact that he disappeared without a trace for four years, there is no man in this world more ruthless than Gao Chi." Then he left without looking back

Occasionally, someone brushed past her on the tree-lined path. Jian Nuo, along with her classmates who had a habit of jogging in the morning, bathed in the golden and bookish hues of the morning light. She looked up at the rising sun, squinting her eyes slightly, and unconsciously curved the corners of her lips upward

At this moment, there are still three hours until the acquaintance with Gao Chi.

At that time, he asked Gao Chi: "Should we tell her?"

Unconsciously, she began to run towards the distant silhouette of the car, exerting all her strength to catch up with his footsteps, repeatedly calling out his name: "Gao Chi... Gao Chi..." However, the only response she received was the wilder wind and the more urgent rain. Beyond that, there was nothing else.

Seeing him sitting there without moving, she said again: "Rest assured, Jian Nuo will not seek death or life."

With a loud "bang," as the two wooden chairs were knocked over by them, Jian Nuo lost her balance and stumbled forward. In a moment of surprise, the girl fell into the arms of a boy who happened to be passing by her.

Recalling the gaze that intertwined in the misty rain, Jian Nuo realized that he had indeed changed significantly, as Ye Youli had said. The rugged lines of his face had tightened, and his steady gaze had grown increasingly indifferent. In addition to the coldness, his handsome features bore a hint of weariness. Compared to four years ago, he had become more mature

Upon hearing that there were buns to eat, the three girls cheered and released their hold, jumping off the bed. While being gentle, one of them did not forget to throw a pillow at Jian Nuo's head, adding insult to injury by saying: "I may not have any money, but I do have a pillow."

Jin Nuo clumsily crawled out of bed, her bright eyes fixed on her roommates, who were only focused on the buns, feeling both amused and exasperated

A scene suddenly flashed through Luo Yiheng's mind

... ...

No. There was absolutely no consideration; the resolute decision left no room for any reversal.

Jin Nuo raised her head, the cold rainwater flowed down from her damp hair, mingling with her bitter tears, sliding down her cheeks, shattering at her feet, tormenting every nerve in her body, leaving her in a state of helpless pain

The sunlight outside the window cast a golden hue upon her, enveloping her in a layer of warmth. At this moment, her tranquil demeanor starkly contrasted with her usual vivacious personality, as if she had blended into the surrounding stillness, creating a static ink wash painting that invites contemplation

The door was slammed shut behind her with great force, and Jian Nuo tightly closed her eyes in pain, feeling so numb that it seemed she had no tears left.

As night fell, Jian Nuo stood barefoot in the living room, her slender figure alone in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, her desolate gaze blankly cast towards the city lights, wondering which one belonged to her.

Four years have passed, and two people separated by thousands of miles are finally close at hand, yet still so unreachable. Can her persistence truly not save them from their diverging fates? Gao Chi, why are you unwilling to give her a reason? If you truly do not care, why did you hesitate before leaving? If you cannot let go, how can you sever ties so completely, never giving her a shred of news? If one day you realize that what has been exhausted is not just her passion but her life, will you regret your initial decision? If you cannot let go, how can you sever ties so completely, never giving her a shred of news? If one day you realize that what has been exhausted is not just her passion but her life, will you regret your initial decision? Perhaps, you have already regretted it.

Watching the solitary figure in the pouring rain, the frail shoulders that have collapsed bear too much grievance and unwillingness, within Luo Yiheng's heart lies an indescribable pain

"I am fine now, you should hurry back to the office, and don't forget to go home and change your clothes first." After five years of acquaintance, Ye Youli was like an older brother to Jian Nuo, and she did not need to hide anything in front of him

A sudden chill filled the air, as if his heart had turned to ice, penetrating to the bone

When Jingnuo returned to the dormitory with a large bag of buns, the three lazy ones who loved to sleep in were still not up. She playfully stretched out her cold little hand and slipped into the warm blankets, and with the scream of a certain female classmate, she jumped onto the beds of the other two people who were sound asleep, kneading them like dough.

In that moment, he felt as if his bones were about to break.

Waiting, a clear goal supported her through one thousand five hundred and twenty-six days. Jian Nuo had envisioned countless times in her mind the scenario of their reunion, even though she had no idea whether he would truly return. Nevertheless, she was prepared to spend her entire life in waiting.

At that moment, in the hazy morning light, a tall figure entered Jian Nuo's line of sight. He was walking towards her, his pace neither hurried nor slow, exuding a sense of calm and ease. His upright posture compelled Jian Nuo to glance at him a couple more times.