Dazzling

Qing Ye finally helped Meng Ruihang invite Xie Qianqian out, thus repaying the favor from when Meng Ruihang had kept her secret for her last time.

Of course, the reason wasn’t too deliberate. With New Year’s Eve just a few days away, she seized the opportunity to invite her dorm mates out for skewers that evening and casually asked Meng Ruihang to join them.

Apart from Sun Wanjing, who had to stay in the library that night, everyone else went.

The evening was actually quite harmonious overall. Although Xie Qianqian didn’t talk much, her astonishing appetite left the other three utterly stunned. While they chatted the whole night, she ate nonstop from start to finish, unable to pause. Qing Ye couldn’t quite figure out how such a petite figure could have such a voracious appetite.

But that wasn’t the main point of the evening. The real issue arose when everyone was happily gathered for the meal. At the next table, a burly man—perhaps drunk or something—reached out intentionally or unintentionally toward Qing Ye several times as she passed by to get food. Qing Ye, feeling annoyed, detoured around him each time.

The men at that table started jeering and leering, openly discussing the girls at Qing Ye’s table—after all, aside from Meng Ruihang, it was all women.

Just as Qing Ye and her friends were getting up to leave, the men at the other table, whether on a dare or something, egged the burly man on. Then, blatantly, the man reached out to grab Qing Ye’s butt.

At that moment, Qing Ye was talking to Qu Bing, her back turned to the neighboring table, completely unaware. Just as the man was about to succeed, his wrist was suddenly seized. Qing Ye felt nothing but heard a sharp cry of pain. When she turned around, she saw Xie Qianqian twisting the burly man’s wrist like a pretzel, then kicking away the stool he was sitting on. The man immediately fell to the ground, yet still couldn’t break free from Xie Qianqian’s grip. Seeing this, the burly man’s friends rushed to grab Xie Qianqian, but the girl swiftly kicked one of the tall, thin ones, sending him sprawling.

Qing Ye and the other two were completely stunned. Everything happened in the blink of an eye; they barely understood what was going on before they were all escorted to the police station.

Thus, instead of a joyful New Year’s Eve, the four of them spent it at the police station. When the officers learned that the four involved in the fight were from Q University, they were quite surprised.

The burly man played innocent and pitiful, so the main focus of the interrogation was, of course, Xie Qianqian, who had thrown the punches. But Xie Qianqian, whether tired or something, kept yawning and seemed utterly disinterested in explaining.

In the end, the eloquent Qu Bing recounted the whole story from beginning to end. One has to appreciate how a logically sharp science prodigy can make the dead seem alive when narrating events. Coupled with Qing Ye, the victim, standing by and pitifully batting her eyes at the officer in a performance of grievance, the police instantly felt the burly man and his friends had it coming.

Though they deserved it, fighting is still wrong, and responsibilities had to be borne. Even though the others hadn’t thrown a punch, Xie Qianqian had stepped in for Qing Ye, so they couldn’t just abandon her. Just as Meng Ruihang was about to contact Father Meng, two imposing men arrived to handle the matter, and soon after, they were free to go.

As they left the police station, they saw the middle-aged man who had bailed them out driving a Phantom with Beijing plates. Before leaving, he said to Xie Qianqian, "Remember to go home."Xie Qianqian appeared rather indifferent, and then the car sped away, leaving a group of people bewildered in the wind.

So on their way back to school, Qu Bing tentatively asked, "Was that man just now your dad?"

Xie Qianqian replied lightly, "The butler."

"..." What a bizarre answer. Whose butler drives a Rolls-Royce? Does the family have ten mines to manage?

Therefore, no one continued the conversation, nor dared to. Who knew if she was showing off or joking?

Qing Ye didn't plan to go home tonight either. By the time they reached the school gate, it was already past ten o'clock. Qu Bing and Meng Ruihang started arguing about some range problem, and the more they discussed, the more complicated the logic became. Later, they directly brought up calculus concepts. Xie Qianqian listened nearby, occasionally chiming in with a few words.

Qing Ye walked alone at the back. Although she didn't speak, she was listening to their discussion. Suddenly, a car honked from across the street. Honking was generally not allowed on this road, so Qing Ye instinctively looked up toward the opposite side. There, she saw a tall figure quickly retreating to the curb. Qing Ye froze abruptly. The car passed by, blocking her view. Her heart suddenly started racing wildly, but in the blink of an eye, the car drove away, and the opposite side of the street was empty.

The three in front stopped and turned back to call her, "Qing Ye, what are you looking at?"

Her gaze swept across the opposite side of the street once more before she sighed in relief. Turning around, she said somewhat dejectedly, "Nothing."

On the way back to the dorm, the other three somehow started talking about the conjugate definition of matrices again, but Qing Ye's mood suddenly plummeted to the extreme. She couldn't hear a single word they were saying anymore.

Perhaps it was because of the sudden illusion just now, or perhaps today's date made her think of him, or maybe they had been separated for too long, making everyone seem like him.

Qing Ye walked at the back, lowered her head, and rubbed her dry eyes, trying hard to suppress the turbulent emotions surging in her chest.

Finally, the three girls bid farewell to Meng Ruihang and returned to the dorm. But as soon as they entered, Sun Wanjing handed Qing Ye a small, wrapped box. Someone had delivered it when she returned in the evening, saying it was for Qing Ye.

Qing Ye asked who sent it, but Sun Wanjing didn't know. There was no note inside or outside the box. Qing Ye sat on her bed and opened the wrapped box. Inside was a small, deep black jewelry box. She almost trembled as she opened the jewelry box. Lying quietly inside was a dandelion-shaped necklace.

All three roommates saw that the moment Qing Ye's gaze fixed on the necklace, her entire expression changed. The next second, she closed the box, took the necklace, and rushed out.

The cold night wind whipped against her face. It had been a year. On this day last year, everyone had gathered at Xuandao. The two of them had sneaked into a house and hidden behind the door. He kissed her and said, "Happy New Year."

She buried her face in the crook of his neck and told him her New Year's wish was to spend the next New Year's Eve with him again.

He had promised that no matter where she was in the world, he would celebrate New Year's Eve with her.

How could she have forgotten?That person was him. The figure she had seen was Xing Wu. He had come. He had come to Beijing. He had seen her earlier and must have wanted to rush toward her—that was why the car had suddenly honked. But Qing Ye couldn't understand why he refused to see her.

She wandered aimlessly up and down that street like a headless fly, yet among the countless people, there was no trace of that vaguely familiar figure.

She stood hesitantly at the street corner. As she turned, she caught sight of the green brick and white pillar archway in the distance. The moment that iconic structure bearing the school's name abruptly entered Qing Ye's line of sight, she suddenly understood everything.

He had come to find her, traveling thousands of miles without a word. Perhaps the moment he saw her, he had wanted to run to her. But in that very instant, she had walked through that tall archway with a group of privileged elites, while he had stopped outside the arch. She could even imagine how Xing Wu must have felt at that moment—anxious, unsettled, and perhaps even somewhat resistant.

Xing Wu was someone with such strong self-esteem. Qing Ye sometimes wondered: if he hadn't tested into Beijing, or if he couldn't distinguish himself, would he really never come to see her in this lifetime? She had told him long ago that she didn't care, but he had told her that he did care. So she could only desperately endure the pain of separation.

However, all of this was shattered the moment Qing Ye saw that archway. Her heart ached for him. She knew all too well what she had gone through during her three years of high school to step through that archway. For Xing Wu to cross that threshold within a year, the price he would have to pay would be greater than anyone else's.

She could even picture him burning the midnight oil, his life as stagnant as a pool of dead water. How painful it must have been for someone like him to witness her walking through that archway with his own eyes.

This archway had separated them into two different worlds, which was why he had ultimately stopped before it and never appeared.

Qing Ye took out her phone and dialed his number over and over again. This familiar number had lain quietly in her contacts for half a year. Even though she had pulled it up countless times, even though she had often wanted to call, she had never been as impulsive as she was now.

The call went through, but Xing Wu didn't answer. The cold wind seeped into her pores, the chill from all directions eroding her. She didn't know how long she had been walking. Helplessly standing by the roadside, she picked up her phone and sent him a series of voice messages.

"Was that you?"

"Stop hiding from me. Come out."

"Where are you?"

The air was filled with a biting chill. The stars were hidden in the night sky, and infinite darkness enveloped Qing Ye. She crouched down, and tears instantly streamed down her face.

With a sob, she uttered two final words: "You jerk."

The clock struck twelve. Another new year had arrived. Qing Ye received his reply.

Just four words: "Happy New Year."

She abruptly stood up and sprinted desperately down that street. She was certain Xing Wu was nearby, watching her from somewhere. She began dialing his number again. This time, he answered. But the moment the call connected, they both suddenly fell silent.

Finally, Xing Wu was the first to speak. He said to her, "It's cold at night. Go back early."

Qing Ye could hear the sound of a radio coming from his phone. He had left...

She bit her lip hard to keep herself from crying aloud. Without saying another word, she hung up the phone.Anger, resentment, and grievance—all these emotions surged into her chest the moment she stepped through the school gate. She felt as if she couldn't catch her breath, leaning against a nearby tree as the world spun around her.

She didn't even know how she made it back to the dormitory. Qu Bing had helped her check in with the dorm supervisor and waited downstairs until she could swipe her card to let her in.

As soon as she entered the dorm, Qing Ye collapsed onto her bed, covering herself with the blanket and weeping silently. She had never missed him as intensely as she did in that moment—his eyes and brows, his gentle voice, even his warm embrace. The flood of vivid memories completely shattered her composure.

Over half a year of endurance crumbled under the weight of everything that had happened that night. It wasn't until her blanket was abruptly pulled away and Xie Qianqian yanked her up by the arm that she realized just how strong this girl really was.

Her disheveled, tear-streaked face was exposed to the other three roommates as the blanket was torn off.

Qu Bing and Sun Wanjing watched her in silence, while Xie Qianqian opened her wardrobe, pulled out several cans of beer, opened one, and forcefully shoved it into Qing Ye's hand. "Drink," she said. "It'll help you sleep."

Qing Ye mechanically took the beer, drinking between sobs. The dorm lights had long been turned off, and they hadn't even switched on the emergency lamp. By moonlight, six eyes from three people watched her.

Seeing Qing Ye cry so bitterly, Xie Qianqian felt a pang in her heart and silently opened a can for herself. Qu Bing followed suit and started drinking too.

As she drank, Qing Ye took out a necklace and held it up to the moonlight. The dandelion pendant spun slowly in the air, its shape strikingly familiar. She brought it closer for a careful look and noticed a tiny character "Qing" engraved in the lower right corner on the reverse side.

The other three watched as Qing Ye suddenly stood up, hurried to her desk, pulled open a drawer, and laid a painting flat on the surface.

Xie Qianqian, standing not far away, glanced sideways at the painting. It depicted a girl lying amidst a field of pure white dandelions, exuding a forbidden beauty that captivated the eye. Dandelion seeds danced in the breeze around her. The girl's eyes were closed, her lips curved into a faint, enchanting smile.

Slowly, Qing Ye placed the pendant near the painted girl's lips. The tiny dandelion resting on her lips matched the pendant's shape with astonishing precision.

At that moment, Qing Ye understood: he had designed this pendant himself. On her birthday last year, he had promised to give her a gift later—this platinum necklace.

Curious about Qing Ye's expression, Qu Bing and Sun Wanjing moved closer. Qu Bing stared at the painting in a daze and asked, "This is you, isn't it? It's beautifully drawn. Who painted it?"

Qing Ye choked back a sob. "My boyfriend."

The room fell into a heavy silence. After a long pause, Sun Wanjing finally spoke: "The language of dandelions is love that cannot stay. Like seeds, they scatter with a single breath, impossible to hold onto. Their fate depends on the wind's direction—wherever the wind carries them, they take root and grow resiliently. So, the white dandelion also symbolizes never-ending love."

After saying this, she turned away, opened a beer for herself, sat at her desk, turned on the emergency lamp, and opened a book. By then, Qing Ye was already weeping uncontrollably.This was the first time she learned about the language of dandelions. She never knew that behind this painting lay so much unease, fear, determination, and intense emotion—just as he had traveled thousands of miles just to catch a glimpse of her, yet never dared to get close.

That night, she didn’t know how long she had cried. She only knew that the three of them stayed with her, drinking until midnight. Sometimes, people truly need to vent. After half a year of pent-up emotions, a good cry felt like a rebirth.

The next morning, the anger, resentment, and bitterness from the previous night had gradually faded. After calming down, Qing Ye began to understand Xing Wu’s actions from the night before.

If he had shown up, they would never have been able to part again. She wouldn’t have let him go, and he wouldn’t have had the heart to leave. All their previous efforts would have been in vain.

From that day on, Qing Ye completely withdrew into herself. Her schedule reverted to what it had been before the college entrance exams—sleeping only five hours a day, pouring immense energy into her major courses, and preparing for various certification exams.

After New Year’s Eve, Meng Ruihang never again mentioned pursuing Xie Qianqian. Qing Ye figured he must have weighed the situation and concluded he was no match for Xie Qianqian, so he quietly backed off. Instead, he had been frequently in touch with Qu Bing lately, sometimes even meeting up to study together in the library or evening self-study sessions.

As for Xing Wu, those around him noticed that after New Year’s Day, his intensity had escalated to an almost obsessive level. He slept even less, constantly memorizing vast amounts of English vocabulary and classical Chinese texts. Following the framework outline Qing Ye had printed for him, he tackled each section bit by bit. If he couldn’t grasp something, he would focus on it relentlessly, refusing to sleep until he figured it out.

His relentless drive even made Li Lanfang uneasy. She tried several times to persuade him to ease up, but he seemed possessed, ignoring everyone’s advice.

Finally, just before the New Year, he pushed himself to the brink of collapse. He fell seriously ill and spent three days at home before Li Lanfang dragged him to Dr. Zhuang’s clinic. By then, his fever had reached 40 degrees Celsius. Throughout the entire New Year period, he sat in the hospital every day, receiving IV drips, watching the sun rise and set, counting down the final days of his all-out struggle.

After the Dark Hall was dismantled, Fang Lei’s cousin, Fang Jie, took over most of the supply chain of the target factory. Though Fang Jie came from a rough background, he was shrewd, had a sharp business mind, and excellent foresight, which allowed him to thrive in recent years.

After hearing about Xing Wu’s factory, he made a special trip to have tea with him. During the New Year period, while Xing Wu was ill, Fang Jie used the pretext of visiting him to discuss a business proposal.

After visiting Sunny Valley Food Factory, Fang Jie quickly grasped the operational model of these young people and sensed a business opportunity. He wanted to invest in Sunny Valley, transforming the factory into a snack franchise with independent research and development.

That day, he and Xing Wu talked for a long time, covering future business models and supply chain management, with the goal of building a local internet-based food e-commerce enterprise.This suggestion indeed gave Xing Wu much inspiration. He was well aware that for a small workshop to expand, changing its model and attracting investment were necessary steps. Having known Fang Jie for many years, Xing Wu understood that although Fang Jie was cunning, he prioritized profit above all. From a purely business partnership perspective, he was indeed a suitable candidate. Coupled with Fang Jie's connections with the target factory, Xing Wu felt this was a viable option worth exploring.

Thus, right after the Spring Festival, various tasks began to advance. However, the legal representative of Sunny Valley remained Qing Ye, which meant that everything from brand registration to equity changes and all subsequent documentation required her identification and approval—a rather troublesome matter.

After Du Qiyan contacted Qing Ye and explained the situation, Qing Ye decided to return to Zhazha Pavilion before the winter break ended to change the legal representative.