one

Shen Yan was quite surprised to see me in such a plain manner: "Why are you alone? Where is your boyfriend?"

I stared in astonishment at Shen Yan, who was on the verge of losing control. Li Lang, standing beside me, quickly stepped in to ease the tension: "Sister Chuwei, it's a pleasure to meet you. If your stomach isn't too full, I would like to treat you to some ice cream."

I couldn't help but laugh for a while before telling her that the version she saw was actually quite good; if you were to see her without makeup in our dormitory, it would probably scare you to death

It is only after experiencing it myself that I understand, the most sorrowful things in the world are those that you cannot express or write about.

I stared at him in silence, perhaps my cold expression reminded him of something, and he suddenly realized, slapping his forehead: "Oh, it's you! I remember now, your boyfriend is quite wealthy, right? Then go ahead and break it, you can buy another one, and it will just help me increase my income."

Shen Yan's gentle reprimand left me in a daze for half a day. Seeing my disheartened expression, she could not bear it any longer: "Alright, alright, consider that I said nothing. Let's go."

We all understand that sometimes words of comfort can be quite hollow, yet I still said to her: "We willingly endure the pain of the present because we know that we will surely gain from it in the future"

Gu Ciyuan took half a day to reply to me: "I don't raise dairy cows, this model is barely acceptable."

I shook my head: "No, I am also with my boyfriend, and... Lin Musuo."

Her words are not a joke; everyone has their own peculiarities. Some people use their extracted wisdom teeth as decorative items, while others tattoo the names of their loved ones onto their skin with ink. There are also those who enjoy having numerous piercings on their bodies. As for Shen Yan, her peculiarity is that she must have dessert every night before going to bed

No, not at all... I sincerely say: "I am not disappointed at all. This world does not have so many natural disasters and man-made calamities, nor so many terminal illnesses and separations. We are all just ordinary people; how could we encounter those scenarios from movies every day?"

Despite Shen Yan and Li Lang's firm insistence on sending me back to school, I resolutely rejected them, as my attitude was even more determined. I felt quite dissatisfied with their doubts about my intelligence and sense of direction: "I am not an idiot; I can go back by myself!"

Junliang and Du Xun are also a perfect match

Perhaps we were enemies in a past life, otherwise why is it that every time I, Yuan Zuyu, meet with you, it always ends up being so unpleasant

Perhaps it is because I have never seen Su Junliang so despondent over all these years, that after she said this, I, who usually have a quick tongue, found myself at a loss for how to refute her for a long, long time

Upon mentioning this name, the expression on Shen Yan's face was truly amusing, making it hard to suppress a smile. I initially intended to explain to her why Jun Liang was not present, but in a flash, another thought seized me: "Boyfriend? Are you in a relationship!"

There was only one traffic light for crossing the road, yet that brief minute made Shen Yan feel as if she were sitting on pins and needles. When it finally turned green, she dashed across the crosswalk in her high heels like an arrow released from a bow. Breathless and shaken, she leaned over the ATM, repeatedly and meticulously confirming several times, only to ultimately resign herself to the harsh reality that "the card has been taken by someone."

We all took her statement as a joke, laughed it off, and moved on; no one seriously believed it

Of course, it is not unattractive; a girl with a full bust, a slim waist, and long legs can look good in anything. What surprised me was that it was Tang Yuanyuan who walked out from the neighboring fitting room

I just sent a poop emoji, and Lin Musuo pushed open the fitting room door and came out. Seeing my astonished expression, she looked puzzled and asked, "Is it not nice?"

I exerted great effort to suppress the sob in my voice, snatched the phone from his hand, and turned to walk towards the platform, not caring that he followed me onto the bus after calling out "Hey" several times from behind.

As I closed the car door for them, I smiled and reminded Gu Ciyuan to be careful not to let Lin Muse vomit on him, and in the rearview mirror, I wore a sincere smile.

Too direct words can make people uncomfortable, so I stubbornly refuse to admit it and insist on changing the subject: "Last time we had hot pot together, you were still single, so tell me how you two met?"

In that moment, I shifted from frustration to anger; this was the first genuine argument I had with Gu Ciyuan since we met. Previously, it had all been childish antics, but this time it was different. I looked at Gu Ciyuan, who appeared even angrier than I was, and coldly said: "Who he is has nothing to do with you. Lin Muse has not kept you overnight, has she?"

There are indeed too many snobbish people in the world, and you see, I am one of them

Later, in order to express my heartfelt gratitude, I invited him to a small café called Fei for a cup of mocha, which only cost 35 yuan, haha, isn't that a great deal

The waitress at the dessert shop was already familiar with Shen Yan, and the last serving of yogurt cake was specially reserved for her. After it was beautifully packaged in a box, Shen Yan opened her wallet only to realize that she did not have enough cash. She had no choice but to go to the ATM across the street to withdraw money

As if possessed by a supernatural force, I suddenly hurled my phone with great force, as if doing so could also cast away the vague and inexplicable fears that resided within me

I encountered Yuan Zuyu on the street in such a strange manner. After calming down, I watched him assemble the phone that I had smashed into pieces for quite a while, before finally mustering the courage to ask, "Can it still be used?"

Shen Yan's boyfriend, Li Lang, wears black-framed glasses on his nose. It is evident that he is no longer a youthful lad, but handsome men remain attractive at any age. Standing together with Shen Yan, he exudes the charm of a young talent, while she embodies grace and beauty. I can't help but exclaim inwardly, they truly are a perfect match

How could I not think he is a scoundrel? Just when things had eased up a little, he added, "If it really can't be fixed, just have your boyfriend buy you another one. There are plenty of girls like you, I've seen it all before."

After much contemplation, I finally decided to call Gu Ciyuan, but to my surprise, his phone was turned off

I also laughed, indeed, every flower has its own way of protecting itself, perhaps my way is to play the fool

Returning to the relatively simple and clean environment of campus from the stormy city of Z, Junliang's mood calmed down a little. In the evening, while I accompanied her for a walk around the school, she linked her arm with mine, slipped her hand into my jacket pocket, and said in a tone that suggested she had survived a disaster: "Now the classmates in our class look at me a bit strangely, but fortunately, I have been used to it since I was young."

She winked at us and said, "Because I couldn't afford it before, I worked hard to earn money later and bought it for myself to enjoy."

She shrugged indifferently: "Hmph, no matter how ugly she is, she can't be uglier than the Fuwa dolls. Those Fuwa dolls didn't scare me at all; how could she scare me?"

Shen Yan and Li Lang seemed to have discerned something from the corners of my eyes and brows, taking turns to tell jokes to cheer me up. No matter how oblivious I was, I still had to acknowledge their kindness, so I managed to force a smile that was more of a grimace than genuine amusement.

Gu Ciyuan's eyes were as wide as copper bells, but under my coercion, he reluctantly took out his wallet and paid the bill. While we were waiting for a taxi by the roadside in the dim light of the evening, I said to Gu Ciyuan: "After you send her back, call me. I will go find Sister Shen to hang out and see what her boyfriend looks like, okay?"

On this particular evening, my emotions were extremely difficult to control. Under normal circumstances, I would either argue with him or simply laugh it off, but that night, I found myself unable to do either. My threshold for tears had suddenly become very low, and it seemed that with just the slightest touch, my eyes would quickly fill with tears.

Although I spoke in a questioning tone, Gu Ciyuan understood very well that this was a statement. After giving me a glance, he could not be bothered to say anything.

Gu Ciyuan's usual humility and calmness suddenly vanished, perhaps because my words made him feel severely humiliated—humiliated in front of an outsider who appeared out of nowhere. He let out a cold laugh and said: "Song Chuwei, have you been bitten by a mad dog? Didn't you ask me to take her back? What are you going crazy for!"

Shen Yan shot me a glance, took out a box of Shou Bai Nian from his bag, lit a stick, and amidst the curling smoke, Shen Yan slowly spoke: "It was indeed after we finished eating hot pot last time that I met this person."

Sometimes one cannot help but marvel at the fact that some individuals are truly gifted. Shen Yan, with his ethereal and otherworldly demeanor, is hard to imagine as a glutton who is fervently passionate about desserts

We willingly endure the current suffering because we have no other choice

Shen Yan smiled: "Chuwi, when I first met you, I thought you were just a little girl, not as composed and understanding as Junliang. It seems I was mistaken; in fact, you understand everything in your heart."

She gazed at me, deliberating for a moment before speaking: "Shall we go take a look?"

Just like all forms of life, we begin as pure and unblemished. We are not born with an understanding of the harshness of society, the injustices of fate, or the ugliness of human nature. However, time inevitably layers upon the originally pristine canvas, adding one layer, then another, of grime.

While I was on my way to the restroom, someone suddenly tapped me on the shoulder. When I turned around, I couldn't help but exclaim loudly: "Sister Shen Yan, what a coincidence!"

The stainless steel spoon in Shen Yan's hand fell onto the glass table with a "bang"; perhaps, in some mysterious way, she had already perceived something.

As I was inwardly sighing for her utter lack of self-awareness, she turned to greet me: "Oh, Song Chuwei, it really is you. I didn't see clearly just now. Let me introduce you, this is my boyfriend."

I was rendered speechless by him, left in silence to question the heavens, what kind of unfortunate fate do I have, that even a chance acquaintance can adopt a stern demeanor to lecture me

She shrugged: "That's not right, I was talking about that boy, what kind of taste does he have?"

After hanging up the phone, I made an OK gesture to her. She looked at me and gently raised the corners of her mouth, smiling.

Junliang nodded in agreement: "Yes, we can kill and eat it by the time the New Year arrives"

The first snow of winter has fallen in a flurry, and Jun Liang bitterly smiled as she said, "No, Chuwei, we willingly endure the current suffering because we have no other choice"

We did not say a word along the way, and I kept my gaze fixed on the window. I wondered what was happening tonight, why even the strangers on the road seemed more unfamiliar than before.

That night, Junliang noticed that something was off with me, but I deliberately avoided her concerned gaze, using the excuse of being "too tired" to finish my evening routine early and climb into bed.

One sentence almost brought me to tears; perhaps it was my aggrieved expression that made him realize that provoking me further would yield no benefit, so he slightly tempered the harshness in his words: "Oh well, it's still under warranty, so why not take a look..."

Then, she leaned over and kissed his cheek

Thus, the situation turned into a scene where the two of them were drinking heartily, while I sat by, bored and eating vegetables

After a fleeting moment of awkwardness, Tang Yuanyuan quickly regained her composure and walked directly towards the chubby boy sitting on the same sofa as me, smiling brightly as she asked, "Isn't it beautiful? I spotted it the moment I walked in, and it really suits me."

When Lin Muses proposed, "Why not invite your boyfriend to join us for dinner? The more, the merrier," I, with my pig-like brain, surprisingly did not think much of it and immediately took out my phone to call Gu Ciyuan.

I raised my head in annoyance to look at the nagging boy in front of me. His eyes were like a deep pool, but they did not evoke thoughts of eternal love; instead, they only reminded me of "damn your whole family"

Perhaps it was Shen Yan's casual remark that unveiled the indescribable feelings that had been lingering in my heart. I spent the entire night in a state of unease, several times reaching into my bag to grasp my phone, yet I could not bring myself to call Gu Ciyuan first.

Yes, I asked you to take her back, I didn't ask you to... stay at her house as a guest! And you turned off your phone, afraid that I would disturb you both, right!

I cast a suspicious glance at Gu Ciyuan, who quickly made a "not my problem" expression to distance himself from the current situation. The chaos before me left me bewildered: "You pay the bill, and then take her home."

Gu Ci Yuan's face twisted in anger; since we met, I had never seen him like this: he said nothing, merely fixed me with a gaze that could almost kill. After a moment, he let out a scoff through his nose, shot me a fierce glare, and without a word, turned on his heel and ran away

Lin Musuo is also a very interesting person. Before I met her, I never thought that girls could be so vulgar, yet her vulgarity is not off-putting; instead, it makes her seem genuine and endearing.

Junliang's attention was entirely focused on those silver-gray shoes: "Ah... um!"

After I explained the whole situation to her, she looked at me in disbelief: "Chuwi, you really must have had your head caught in the door. How could you possibly feel at ease letting them be alone together!"

I asked her: "Are you referring to girls?"

I turned my head and saw Gu Ciyuan with a face full of anger

This statement surprised me even more than her pretending not to know me. I stared blankly at the chubby boy with a beaming smile on his face. I thought, if he is Tang Yuanyuan's boyfriend, then what does that make the class monitor Liang Zheng, who is always spouting phrases like "zhihu zhe ye"?

I can only comfort myself with that old cliché: what is yours cannot be taken away by others, and what is not yours, no matter how hard you try, is of no use.

Yuan Zuyue stopped, standing in place with a rather shameless expression, coldly watching us.

Power off? Gu Ciyuan... He powered off!

I cannot clearly articulate why, but I find myself lacking the courage to dial Lin Muse's number. Subconsciously, it seems I am evading something that may be quite difficult to confront. I crouch by the roadside, holding my phone, as a roaring sound approaches in my mind.

Yuan Zuyue looked at me for a moment and secretly cursed, "Damn it." Under the streetlight, he looked no different from a child.

I have always believed that Lin Musu had no malice at that moment

She wore a white sweater with a large neckline that revealed her beautiful collarbones. She had applied a light makeup on her face, and when she smiled, she looked exceptionally gentle: "I am having dinner here with my boyfriend, are you with Junliang?"

It was originally just a meal, who would have thought that while eating and drinking, we would actually start drinking alcohol. Watching Lin Muse raise her glass in one gulp, I couldn't help but exclaim, what a remarkable woman!

I swear, if I had a knife in my hand, I would stab it in one go

If there is anything in my life that I regret, perhaps due to my resentful nature, I could ramble on about a great many things, but I would absolutely not include the incident that occurred after we left the shopping mall.

I certainly understand what she is saying, but I pretend not to understand: "What to see?"

In fact, after they left, I did not return to school immediately, but instead wandered aimlessly on the brightly lit streets.

Tang Yuanyuan certainly did not answer my question; she quickly pulled the chubby boy up and went to pay for the tickets. Her actions were indeed so decisive that I had no opportunity to express my doubts. After they left, Lin Muse said: "It really is a case of hunger driving one to eat anything."

I sat on the sofa, waiting for her while chatting casually with Gu Ciyuan on QQ using my phone. I asked, "Do you like girls with big breasts?"

After we four finished our hot pot meal, we went our separate ways. Junliang and I returned to school, Lin Muse went to negotiate with her "ex-boyfriend" who had put her in a difficult position, while Shen Yan decided to first stop by a dessert shop he often frequented to buy a mango yogurt cake before heading home

I waved my hands repeatedly, unable to express my thoughts clearly. She, however, did not mind; she patted my head and casually said, "Come find me after you finish eating," before gracefully leaving. I stood at the bathroom door, watching her figure fade away, pondering to myself, what kind of person would be worthy of someone as wonderful as Shen Yan

In the face of his furious anger, I also appeared to be arguing my case. What I almost blurted out was, "I didn't ask you to send yourself to her bed, did I?" However, that remaining shred of rationality stopped me just in time from going over the edge.

She forgot to hang up the outgoing call, and in astonishment turned around to see a pair of eyes like deep pools.

I eagerly asked: "What happened next?"

It was at this moment that Li Lang entered Shen Yan's life with a calm demeanor, unambitious and unassuming.

After withdrawing the money, she let out a long sigh and happily crossed the street to rush into the store to make the payment. Holding the paper box, she was ready to leave... Suddenly, her expression changed as if she had seen something ghostly, startling the staff. Then, with a piercing scream, she dashed out of the store: "Ah! I forgot to take my card!"

Of course, no one knows that this has been my only way of venting since childhood: first covering my head with a blanket, then crying silently

At this moment, I was so angry that my whole body trembled, yet not a single tear could be shed.

Her tone of bravado makes me feel even more heartbroken than her weeping; I hold her hand, just as I did on that night when she was sixteen

The stretch of road from the platform back to the girls' dormitory is not far, yet my steps are heavier than ever. Yuan Zuyu called out from behind me, "Hey, you've arrived, right? Then I'm leaving."

He picked up the phone that had fallen out with the battery, took a look, and said: "Oh dear, it actually has our store's label on it. I didn't expect it to belong to one of our customers."

As for Gu Ciyuan and me, I always appear to be his maid

She smiled apologetically at the waiter and said, "You must save it for me; I won't be able to sleep at night without it"

I stared at my phone screen in disbelief, almost doubting whether I was hearing things!

He shot me a glance and said, "Did you not consider the consequences when you threw a tantrum, Miss Fa?"

I was not aware that I was actually trembling

Relying on the fact that he bullied me in high school, I have been acting domineering in front of him since we got together. I know he has some grievances, but he is powerless against me.

If it weren't for Yuan Zuyue clearing his throat, I wouldn't have known how long I was supposed to stand at the apartment door. It was only when he called out to me from a distance, saying, "Remember to bring the invoice for the warranty," that I was pulled back to reality

She is wearing a new seasonal dress, bright yellow, paired with a black belt. I believe that dress would look very fitting on Junliang, but on Tang Yuanyuan, it seems somewhat out of place. It is not that she cannot wear it; rather, the brilliance of the dress overshadows her.

Sitting on the bus back to school, I said to Junliang: "Sister Shen Yan really has a great temperament, how could she be single?"

I don't know if I look foolish, but Shen Yan couldn't help but laugh: "At my age, I still can't date? Do you really wish for me to become an unmarried woman?"

Junliang and I exchanged a smile, and I thought, indeed, there are still many interesting people and things in the world. It reminded me of the times when we were just as lively and carefree. I couldn't help but say with a hint of sadness, "Alas, we have truly grown up."

He waved his hand impatiently, seemingly annoyed by such a pretentious tone, and turned around decisively to leave. In that instant, we simultaneously heard Gu Ciyuan's cold voice echoing from a short distance away: "Who is he!"

After Shen Yan finished recounting her acquaintance with Li Lang, she gave a self-deprecating smile and said: "Isn't it a very old storyline? It's not thrilling at all, I must have disappointed you, right?"

It was only then that I realized, coming out of my daze, that he did not take the same bus as me by coincidence, but rather with the intention of escorting me home

Yet, Gu Ci Yuan is also a person who values his pride; a gentleman can be killed but cannot be humiliated. Isn't it just drinking? One must not lose to a girl, even in death

Sitting beside them, Liran always wore a calm smile on his face, a smile that contained a hint of indulgence and a touch of affection

Standing by the lake at school, I watched as classmates, about our age, excitedly rushed out of the dormitory to have a snowball fight. One boy even ran out wearing flip-flops, and many people surrounded him, taking photos with their cameras and phones

It is also because Shen Yan feels embarrassed that Li Lang makes an excuse to go to the restroom and stands up to leave. Shen Yan turns back to take a glance at his figure and then turns to me, saying: "Chu Wei, I am different from you all. I have already passed the age of passionate love. For me now, love is simply having someone who can pour me a glass of warm water when I am uncomfortable. And Li Lang happens to be that person."

Due to it being the weekend, there was a long line at the fitting room entrance. Lin Muse proudly issued orders to the sales assistant: "This one, this one, this one, bring me the smallest size for all of them"

After tinkering for a while, he announced to me: "With my skills, I am powerless to help; you should take it to a professional for assistance."

Based on this layer of fondness, when she called to say she was bored and asked me to accompany her to go shopping for clothes, I readily agreed.

I was so choked up that I couldn't speak, aliens, when will you come to take these well-built Earthlings away?

I am not someone who lacks discernment; even though his words may be sharp, it is evident that this young man has a good heart. Therefore, I quickly smiled at him and said, "Yes, I have arrived, thank you."

In that moment, the phone hit my foot, and then I heard a boy complaining to me: "Hey, are you out of your mind? You know you hit someone, right?"

It was not until I returned to the table that I noticed Lin Muse's face was flushed, swaying unsteadily, and he was still shouting, "Keep drinking..."

Those eyes truly evoke thoughts of eternity.

Shen Yan let out a long sigh of helplessness: "Chu Wei, your obsession with saving face will eventually lead to your downfall."

How could I, as foolish as a clumsy pig, have thought that after I turned around, the drunken Lin Muse would suddenly open his eyes and smile at Gu Ciyuan

I have always believed that her original intention in making this suggestion was also very pure

After calming her emotions, she took out her phone to prepare to report the loss. Suddenly, a gentle male voice sounded from behind her: "Miss, this card belongs to you, doesn't it?"