one

All the minutiae were captured by Chen Zhiqing's keen eye. With a cold laugh, in the blink of an eye, she raised her hand and slapped Du Xun's face

In the quiet of the fully booked room, Yuan Zuyue gazed out the window, his thoughts drifting back to a long time ago, until his mother's next words broke the silence: "Mom... do you feel embarrassed?"

You are afraid that Song Chuwei will be harmed, but what about me

Perhaps it is because of the story he told me tonight that was so poignant; although I cannot fully empathize, if I were to consider it from his perspective, it truly was a cruel youth

Liang Zheng's expression appeared somewhat pained and confused. After a brief pause, he looked at me as if seeking help and said, "Song Chuwei, if it is convenient for you, please ask her for me. I do not want to bother her; let her come to me when she has thought it through."

When Yuan Zuyue spoke to me about these matters, he was already wearing a cheerful expression. That kind of nonchalance might deceive some naive girls, but I am not one of them

I actually snore? ... This is truly hard for me to believe ... ! ... However, that is not the main point; the main point is, where on earth has Junliang gone!

At this very moment, my best friend Su Junliang stands before me, looking generous as she tells me that not only has she not broken up with that two-timer, but she actually went to a hotel with him last night

That night, I could not sleep at all; time seemed to flow back to many years ago. I lay on the narrow wooden bed at my grandmother's house outside City H, tossing and turning, gazing at the eternal, vast night outside the window and the moonlight that flowed like water

Lin Muse closed her smile and said seriously to him: "You are very clear about my purpose for coming here, so let's not put on airs. I, Lin Muse, prefer to speak frankly. That's right, I like you, and I want to be with you."

Under the gaze of the homeroom teacher, he softly said: "Teacher, do you remember when we first entered high school, you asked each of us to share our favorite ancient saying? At that time, I stood on the podium and said with conviction, 'When in poverty, one should cultivate oneself; when prosperous, one should benefit the world.'"

In my current situation, I am in no position to discuss the welfare of the world. My only wish is not to add to my mother's burden, as she is alone and in poor health. There will always be opportunities to study in the future, but there is only one mother.

These words, reminiscent of a curse, made Junliang involuntarily shiver. She steadied herself, stepped forward, and with a face that showed her readiness to face death, said to Chen Zhiqing: "I know that whatever I say now is futile. Whatever you want to do to me, I accept it, but I must be with Du Xun!"

It seemed as if a century had passed, and finally, he said: "No."

Before his words could finish, Lin Muse rushed over and embraced him. As his mind went blank, her soft lips touched his...

Just like when I was dialing the phone number of Ci Yuan, I heard the voice prompt "The phone is turned off"

On the night of Christmas Eve, one would foolishly place a sock at the head of the bed, falling asleep with sweet anticipation, dreaming of Santa Claus riding a reindeer bringing the latest puzzles, models, or toy guns.

During her tumultuous adolescence, she had no idea how many boyfriends she had had or how many one-night stands she had experienced. The trivial matters between men and women had become tiresome for her, but Gu Ciyuan seemed to be different from those boys.

At that time, Junliang was still a noble daughter of a high-ranking official, and she presented herself as very cultured and reasonable in front of the camera: "I am very grateful for the efforts my father has devoted to me... Dad, I have been working hard, hoping to become a daughter that makes you proud"

After finishing her bath, Lin Muse did not even put on her underwear; she simply wrapped herself in a thick coat and sat down beside Gu Ciyuan. Her hand, painted with champagne-colored nail polish, gently covered his right hand that was holding the mouse

The gentle smile of a mother, that smile also evokes a sense of heartache: "Are you afraid that your mother will embarrass you?"

I comfort myself by saying that nothing will happen, it must be that I am too busy. I need to be a sensible girl now so that I can become a virtuous and good wife in the future

She remembered the night she pretended to be drunk, when that fool Song Chuwei actually let Gu Ciyuan take her home. Sitting in the taxi, the wind blowing in from the window was quite cool. In fact, before she leaned in to kiss his face, she had also gone through a mental struggle within herself.

At the dining table, neither the mother nor the son spoke. After Yuan Zuyu devoured two bowls of rice, he threw down his chopsticks and said, "Mom, I am going to read."

In childhood, happiness is a simple matter; it is only upon reaching a certain age that one understands that simplicity itself is a form of happiness

The ringtone of the phone rang abruptly in the solemn atmosphere. Junliang fumbled in her bag and pressed the call button, but before she could say a word, she was left in a daze

It feels as if a thick layer of dust has settled in my throat, rendering me unable to produce even a sound

Are there any other methods besides studying harder

At this point, Ci Yuan no longer bothered to feign innocence. He looked directly at Lin Mu Se and said, "Stop being irrational. Let me go. I will not let Chu Wei know about this matter."

Jun Liang was about to speak, but was pulled behind by Du Xun, who said, "It is I."

Ah! Although the exclamation is the same, the tone is completely different from before

"Are you going to be with him? What am I then!" When Chen Zhiqing shouted this sentence, she had completely broken down

It was only at this moment that he realized he had indeed overestimated himself. Indeed, everyone would say, "Do not look down on those who live poorly," "Without the working class, there would be no us today," or "Anyone who earns a living through their own hands deserves respect..."

The portrait of the father hung on the wall, gazing peacefully at the mother and child who depended on each other. The mother lowered her head and thought for a moment, then made a concession: "Then I will learn to set up a stall at the street corner, selling some breakfast or something. I won't have to run around everywhere. What do you think?"

On my way back to the dormitory, I felt completely lost. I really wanted to call and berate Gu Ciyuan's ancestors for eighteen generations, but the fact that his phone was "turned off" the night before had already drained me of my courage

When I first met Yuan Zuyu, I purely thought he was like many people who drift through society, disinterested in reading and weary of the monotonous campus life day after day. Thus, he left that environment early, using the most foolish means to resist the exam-oriented education they despised.

After listening to everything that Yuan Zuyi recounted, my feelings towards this person became difficult to articulate. However, no matter what, I will not tell him that I have developed a genuine compassion for him.

I am also a person, and I have my own sense of dignity. Have you considered my feelings?

His fiery personality, if he were to hear me use such words to describe him, it is likely that a cup of iced cola would be poured over my head

On a certain Father's Day, Junliang and I were shopping when we were suddenly stopped by a reporter from a television station. The host, who was large-breasted and heavily made up, first babbled a lot of nonsense into the camera, then turned the microphone towards us and said: "It is said that daughters are their fathers' lovers from a previous life. Ladies, on this Father's Day, do you have anything you would like to say to your fathers?"

Junliang covered her left face, not turning her head for a long time

Who can understand this feeling, as if watching a flawless white jade fall into a muddy pit

If possible, Junliang simply wanted to kneel before her; if kneeling could atone for her mistakes, she would be willing to kneel for a long time without getting up

At that moment, I suddenly wanted to ask Gu Ciyuan, do you really love me

In the sleepless depths of the night, one can only count sheep, and the number of sheep increases day by day. The light in the kitchen always waits until the night is very deep before it goes out. He does not dare to get up to take a glance at his mother, who is vigorously kneading the dough, not even for a moment.

Indeed, there exists a certain type of person who always interprets and expresses bloody facts in a humorous manner. They may not necessarily be very strong, but they are inherently inclined to show off their strength

Did I hear it wrong? There was still a glimmer of hope as I smiled and asked her, "What are you saying? How could that possibly be..."

However, a mistake is a mistake, and this mistake is forever etched on the fringes of time and the universe. It cannot be forgiven, nor can it be absolved. Junliang understands this better than anyone else.

This sentence is like a heavy bomb dropped into a calm lake, and Ci Yuan, disregarding everything, shouted at her in exasperation: "Are you out of your mind? Didn't I tell you the other day when I took you home that I only like Song Chuwei? I will not let anyone hurt her."

... ...

Ah? I am even more confused. Could it be that the feng shui of our dormitory is truly problematic? I thought it was only me and Junliang who were not having a smooth time. In this situation, we indeed have no time to pay attention to Tang Yuanyuan

The soul seems to be frozen, unable to speak, move, or think

To be honest, I have never been very optimistic about the relationship between Liang Zheng and Tang Yuanyuan, and I am even less fond of Liang Zheng as a person. Perhaps it was my initial impression that was not very good; it is not that he is unattractive, but rather that he always gives me a feeling of being overly fussy and calculating. However, after he said that sentence, I suddenly felt that being loved by such a person as him might actually be quite a happy thing for Tang Yuanyuan.

When the extreme is reached, the opposite comes. Yuan Zuyue looked at the gray sky after stepping out of the school gate

You must be with him!

Before I finished speaking, Junliang had already dragged me away. That night, we sat together in front of the television for a long time. In that interview, there were many girls who were not as beautiful as us appearing on screen, but we were not among them

At noon, when class was dismissed, the students rushed towards the cafeteria in a frenzy; the scene could truly be described as magnificent. However, I had no appetite at all

The sound of the faucet gushing water is like the tears rushing in his heart, Yuan Zuyu self-mockingly asks himself, when did you become so sentimental, like a woman

As he quickly approached the street corner near his home, the gray figure sitting beside the small cart, guarding the last steamer of dumplings amidst the wind and snow, left him momentarily stunned.

In the context of an increasingly strained economy, his mother's retirement pension from Weibo is no longer sufficient to meet living expenses. Out of necessity, she is discussing with Yuan Zuyu the possibility of finding some work, even if it is just as a part-time worker, which could somewhat alleviate the burden

He is not indecisive; in fact, a long time ago, he wanted to clarify things with Chen Zhiqing, or perhaps with Jun Liang. However, the right moment never presented itself, and it was postponed repeatedly, ultimately leading to the current irretrievable situation.

I saw you this afternoon

Jun Liang was so angry that she pinched my arm until it turned red: "It's all your fault for talking nonsense, I can't stand it!"

The movements were too vigorous, causing the coat to open. Beneath the white lace nightgown, a beautiful silhouette of the chest was faintly visible. In the next moment, two clouds of fiery red suddenly appeared on Ci Yuan's face.

Chen Zhiqing's gaze was vacant, yet her tone was piercing: "Du Xun, does it hurt? Let me tell you, no matter how much it hurts, it is not even one ten-thousandth of the pain in my heart"

There is neither Junliang nor Ciyuan

It was like a tacit exchange; I lifted my face and smiled at him: "Actually... I also grew up in a single-parent family!"

I walked over, gave her a push, and asked, "Junliang, what’s wrong?"

That winter arrived particularly early, and Yuan Zuyu, who had lost his father, seemed to transform overnight from an innocent child into a resolute young man, with a piercing intensity in his eyes and brows that made it difficult for others to look directly at him

Because life is always filled with unexpected changes and events, I hope to be more open-minded, more tolerant, and even a bit more carefree.

At the very moment he stood up, a single remark from his mother made him feel as if he were stripped bare and paraded through the streets, instantly overwhelmed by a profound sense of humiliation

Too lazy to think so much, let it be that alcohol has muddled her mind. A sly smile appeared on her slightly tipsy face as she leaned in and kissed him.

Her face, with only half of her eyebrows drawn, looked very comical, and she impatiently waved me away: "No! She hasn't come back with the *picture* book all night... Your snoring kept me awake all night, please go buy a mask today!"

It is as if ten thousand horses are galloping, with tsunamis and hurricanes, and sand and stones are flying

The lively heart of Chen Zhiqing, which was beating in her chest, became silent upon seeing Jun Liang walking out from behind Du Xun

A person's life is always filled with severances

I looked at her expressionlessly: "If a daughter is the lover of her father in a past life, then perhaps in my past life I castrated my lover, and that is why I am suffering retribution in this life..."

He originally wanted to say something more, but looking at his mother's expectant gaze, he ultimately swallowed all his words: "Mom, in any case... your health is the most important."

My feet felt as if they were rooted in the snow, unable to take another step forward

After hesitating for a moment, he finally asked me: "You share a dormitory with Yuan Yuan, have you noticed anything unusual about her recently?"

Although my relationship with Song Chuwei cannot be described as a life-and-death friendship where one would risk everything for the other, we can at least be considered friends... Even though I am not a staunch defender of principles, I have never taken the initiative to undermine a friend's position.

On that snowy afternoon, school was dismissed early, and a group of classmates headed home together, including Yuan Zuyu.

From that day on, every day before dawn, Mother Yuan would push the small cart outside. When Yuan Zuyu woke up, he would only see the breakfast laid out on the table, without the sight of his mother.

A teasing smile appeared on her face; at this moment, she was rather the more relaxed one.

In the sleepless depths of the night, one is most prone to chaotic thoughts, and these disordered musings are fundamentally beyond the control of reason

It has already reached an extreme, when will it come?

Ci Yuan stiffened for a moment, then withdrew his hand without leaving a trace: "You go to sleep, I will give you the bed, I will go later to get the bedding and sleep on the floor."

In the next moment, Junliang turned around and embraced me, murmuring in a daze, what should I do? ... what should I do ...

Du Xun caught up to her and grabbed her, but he did not expect her to bite down decisively on his wrist. The intense pain caused Du Xun to quickly release his grip, and upon looking at his wrist, he saw that the bitten area had rapidly swollen and turned red.

Embracing my pillow and drooling, I, of course, have no idea what kind of drama is unfolding in the lives of Junliang and Ciyuan at the same moment

The next morning, I was surprised to find that it seemed no one had slept in Junliang's bed all night. I didn't bother to brush my teeth or wash my face, and I grabbed Tang Yuanyuan, who was putting on makeup, and asked, "Have you seen Junliang? Did you see her?"

As if stung by a bee, Ci Yuan sprang up from his chair and awkwardly said, "How about I give you the room? I'll go sleep at a classmate's place..." While speaking, he walked towards the door, but unexpectedly, Lin Mu Se stepped in front of him in a swift motion.

I am like this, and Yuan Zuyu is also like this

In this world, everyone is an actor; while others love to pretend to be serious, I enjoy pretending to be unserious

The impetuous youth could hardly bear these words; he immediately slammed the table and exclaimed: "Mom, what are you saying? I know that everything you do now is for my sake, I am just worried that your health cannot withstand it!"

All the gods are silent, all things are quiet, under the sorrowful veil of night, the world is waiting for his answer

The so-called severance is not necessarily about distant mountains and long roads, nor is it about obstacles and challenges; rather, it is an indescribable sentiment, a feeling of sudden estrangement that is difficult to name.

The homeroom teacher, also a mother, could not help but tear up after hearing his words. After calming her emotions, she smiled and patted the shoulder of her once-proud student: "Good child, a temporary parting of ways does not necessarily mean a permanent divergence. It is through hardship that one becomes great. I have always believed that after extreme adversity comes good fortune. Keep it up!"

On a quiet night, this slap sounds so loud

Perhaps it is a feeling akin to when I once ran wildly in the rain, wanting to run endlessly, to run until the ends of the Earth, until the end of the world

Her pupils rapidly constricted and then dilated again, and she said, Chen Zhiqing has jumped off the building

He, who thought he had already become a man, finally cried like a child in front of his mother

After a moment of stalemate, his tone softened somewhat: "Enough, Lin Muse, last time Chuwei was already very sad, I don't want her to be hurt because of us again, can you let me go?"

Junliang ran over to check Du Xun's wrist, but was hit on the head by a bag thrown by Chen Zhiqing. The weight of the metal rivets was not light, and for a moment, Junliang grimaced in pain.

Yuan Zuyue was overwhelmed by a subtle sense of shame that had been concealed within his heart

However, Gu Ciyuan's profile is truly handsome, and the way he bites his lower lip appears somewhat dazed, yet also very cute

Recalling the bits and pieces between Ci Yuan and me over the past few years, remembering all the changes that have occurred to Jun Liang that I have witnessed for a long time, thinking of my mother who is alone in City Z—it's strange, as I think of my own mother, I unexpectedly remember Yuan Zu Yu

The ancient town at night is devoid of the hustle and bustle found in the city during the day, yet in such an atmosphere, the quieter it becomes, the more it is prone to give rise to something known as ambiguity

I have never considered that to be a form of bravery; in my view, the perseverance of Goujian, who endured hardships and bided his time, is more worthy of respect than the self-inflicted death of Xiang Yu.

A classmate next to him called his name: "Hey, Yuan Zuyu, what's wrong with you?"

In the light, the mother's gaze was filled with understanding

Life is forcing him, and he is also forcing himself

But Yuan Zuyue told me that night, it was not the case; he had withdrawn from school, and it was beyond his control

There is a blazing light in Junliang's eyes as she looks at me, yet it seems she is not merely saying to me: "Love, at times, simply means betrayal"

No one knows how many times, during those days of gulping down the millet porridge that his mother had cooked, his tears would always fall with a clanging sound amidst the rising steam

After the host exaggeratedly exclaimed "So touching," he then extended the microphone in front of me and asked, "And what about you, beautiful lady?"

I must admit that my mood has started to deteriorate from this very second

From the day my father passed away, all the grievances, pain, and sorrow that had been bottled up inside, along with feelings of guilt and remorse, all of these emotions completely overflowed at that moment

It has been a long time since I have seen such heavy snow, with white covering the sky and the ground everywhere. In my childhood, I also believed in the existence of Santa Claus.

After a long time, she softly said: "I went to the hotel last night"

My phone has always been powered on for twenty-four hours, but when I retrieved it from under my pillow, everything was normal, with no messages or missed calls.

The pen in my hand made a "pop" sound as it fell onto the clean manuscript paper. I turned back in disbelief to look at her; her expression was as if she had anticipated everything, calm, stern, and unflinching.

That night, he returned home very late. Pushing open the door, he saw a table filled with dishes and soup still steaming. He called out nervously, "Mom"

She, who had been restraining herself all along, suddenly began to laugh, and that laughter was simply chilling. As she laughed, she picked up her bag, pushed aside Du Xun, pushed away Jun Liang, and staggered out.

None of us are students of the drama department; acting is truly exhausting for us

Fate always nurtures each person's youth in different ways

In a state of confusion and haze, I finally fell asleep. For some reason, I seem to be less concerned about Ci Yuan's phone being turned off than I was last time.

After a long time, Chen Zhiqing trembled as she asked: "Who took the initiative between you?"

Her tears flowed like a winding stream on her smooth skin, and Ci Yuan, who had originally let his hands hang down, finally raised them and reached out towards her face

Is it because my trust in him has deepened? Or has the story of Yuan Zuyu diverted my attention? I don't have time to think so much

Song Chu Wei? Hehe... Lin Mu Se let out a cold laugh: "Do you think I would be afraid of her knowing?"

The night has grown deep, and there are few pedestrians on the road. Between the shadows of the trees, Chen Zhiqing's swaying figure resembles a specter

"Hahaha, this is truly amusing, it is really ridiculous..." Chen Zhiqing laughed and laughed until tears streamed down her face: "Du Xun, I can't believe I am still here waiting for you, I can't believe I was foolish enough to think there was still a chance for redemption. You two despicable people, may you not have a good death!"

Ci Yuan stared motionlessly at the girl in front of him. Her natural appearance was also very beautiful, but at this moment, this "beauty" seemed so perilous.

However, knowing is easy, but acting is difficult. When it truly happens to oneself and one's loved ones, it is not quite the same.

The voice of Liang Zheng came from behind me, and I turned around in confusion. He had a face full of hesitation, and having known him for so long, I had truly never seen him look like this before

I stared at her, and for so many years, never once did I feel that we were so estranged from each other.

Lin Musuo raised her eyebrows slightly, leaned close to his ear, and whispered softly, "Are you afraid of me?"

For an entire morning, my phone felt as if it had died; even the number 10086, which I saved as "shameless," did not come to remind me to pay my phone bill. This feeling of being abandoned by the entire world is truly unpleasant

Guilt crawled over Ziyuan's back like a bedsore, and he stood still for a long, long time. Finally, Lin Muse released him, her eyes shimmering with rippling light: "And what about me?"

Liang Zheng, seeing that I remained silent, became a bit anxious: "It seems she wants to break up with me."

If he can truly disregard all etiquette, law, and morality, and if he genuinely possesses not the slightest sense of conscience or capability, then he would not have to endure immense guilt and torment

Afterward, Gu Ciyuan's utterly flustered appearance nearly made her laugh to death

To love someone is to empathize with her, to refrain from disturbing her, to avoid pressuring her, and to ensure that she is not harmed

Without waiting for anyone's reaction, he swiftly turned around and ran frantically towards the school.

When Yuan Zuyue first heard about this matter, he was almost driven to madness. Looking at his mother's increasingly deepening wrinkles, he truly hated himself for not being born ten years earlier

Junliang returned in the afternoon. When she pushed the door open, I was doing my homework, writing while complaining about the lack of justice in this world, questioning why university students still have to do assignments! It was simply overwhelming!

We?" Lin Musuo couldn't help but laugh again: "Gu Ciyuan, you said 'we'... do you truly have no feelings for me at all, not even a little?"

"It is true, Chuwei, I did not break up with Du Xun"

Before leaving school, he had always liked how his homeroom teacher called him into the office, closed the door, and made him a cup of hot tea, as if he were already being treated like an adult

The next day, when he went to process his withdrawal from school, all the teachers who knew him rushed to stop him. The expressions of regret and pity on each of their faces were genuine, but it was precisely this sympathy that further strengthened Yuan Zuyu's determination to withdraw from school

There was not a trace of displeasure on my mother's face; it was as if she had suddenly emerged from a state of deep contemplation: "Ah... you are back. I have been reheating the dishes every ten minutes, and the rice is still in the pressure cooker. Hurry and put down your backpack, wash your hands, and come eat..."

Gu Ciyuan, I have taken a liking to you, and I dare to say this even in front of Song Chuwei!

Du Xun walked over and looked at the two girls who were trembling. One had once shared passionate moments with him, while the other made him want to walk hand in hand into the future. At this moment, because of him, they both had suffered significant trauma

This cry awakened him, and in a moment of inspiration, he pretended that something had happened. He slapped his forehead as if he had forgotten something at school and said, "Hey, you all go ahead, I will go back to get it!"

Because I was facing away from her, I did not see her expression. I just casually asked, "Where did you go last night? You didn't even make a phone call."

You wretched people, may you meet a terrible end

When he said "no," Gu Ciyuan did not dare to look directly into Lin Muse's eyes. Whether it was disgust, helplessness, or guilt, he could not clearly articulate it at that moment. This conflicting emotion, for the adept Lin Muse, was nothing more than a child's play.

I hadn't even lifted my head, nor had I the chance to speak, when she added, "and Du Xun."