Cheng Mingze was truly too busy. The day after Xue Jiao finished her college entrance exams, he shouldered his bag and returned to school.
Xue Jiao watched his retreating figure and thought to herself: University is really not the paradise people imagine it to be.
All those things the teachers had said—sleeping in naturally, playing games every day—were clearly just lies to fool children.
"Jiao Jiao, come take your medicine now!" Li Sitong called out, and Xue Jiao quickly turned around.
Her cold hadn’t fully recovered yet, and Li Sitong was keeping a close eye on her.
Xue Jiao obediently went over, took the medicine, and then sat back down in a daze.
To be honest, now that the exams were over, she really didn’t know what she should be doing.
"Jiao Jiao, Mom’s going out shopping with Auntie Qin. I might not be back for lunch, so Auntie will make you something delicious later, okay? Eat well!" Li Sitong reminded her while changing her shoes.
Xue Jiao slumped onto the sofa, nodding weakly. "Okay."
Li Sitong went out shopping. Their family would soon be moving to Beijing, and with Xue Jiao’s exams finished, there was nothing left at home requiring her attention.
So lately, Li Sitong had been going out often, meeting up with her close friends.
Even after moving to Beijing, they could still gather together, but it wouldn’t be as convenient as when they were all in the same city.
Cheng Shuo hadn’t brought up the move these past few days. Xue Jiao knew they were worried she hadn’t done well on her exams.
In fact, she suspected that if she really hadn’t done well and decided to retake the exams, Cheng Shuo and the others might even stay behind for her.
But…
As for whether she had done well or not…
Xue Jiao didn’t want to say anything right now. She felt she had given it her all—whether she had done well or not would depend entirely on her own ability.
On the day the exams ended, Yin Fang had posted the answer key in the class group chat and asked Xue Jiao to estimate her score.
Xue Jiao hadn’t checked it, nor had she tried to estimate her score.
The college entrance exams were probably the only tests in all three years of high school where she didn’t need to know which questions she got wrong, copy them down, and correct them.
Because… it wouldn’t matter anymore.
Xue Jiao’s thoughts drifted as she continued to lounge.
What was she supposed to do today?
She didn’t have to work on her Five-Year Simulation books anymore, didn’t have to review her study guides, didn’t have to read her textbooks, didn’t have to take notes…
A moment later, the doorbell rang.
"Who is it?" Auntie came out of the kitchen and opened the door.
"A package for Gu Xue Jiao," the deliveryman said with a smile, setting down a heavy-looking box.
Xue Jiao was startled, then stepped forward. "For me?"
"Yes, it says ‘Gu Xue Jiao’ on it. Please sign here." The young man scratched his head sheepishly.
Xue Jiao nodded and took the box.
Wow! It was really heavy!
Auntie had already brought over a small knife. Xue Jiao smiled. "Thank you, Auntie."
"Don’t mention it." Auntie smiled warmly—it was clear she was fond of the young girl.
As Xue Jiao opened the box, she wondered who could have sent it.
No one had mentioned anything to her.
When she finally opened it, she froze.
It was an entire box of books.
The Little Prince, Hamlet, Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights…
In the middle was a card that read—
For when you’re bored. —Lin
Xue Jiao blinked, then her eyes lit up. Without bothering with the books on the floor, she rushed to the sofa and grabbed her phone.["Are you a god?!?! How do you even know when I'm bored???"]
The other side was clearly busy and didn't reply until a few minutes later—
["I'm not a god, I'm a house-elf."]
Xue Jiao buried her face in the sofa and bumped her head against it repeatedly.
What should she do? She felt Lin Zhihua had already repaid her kindness far beyond what was owed!
Seeing she hadn't replied, a moment later another message came through—
["It's not because of any debt of gratitude. It's because you're my... friend."]
Xue Jiao read the message twice, then bumped her forehead against the sofa again.
["You're my friend too!! Though I can't do much for you now!! But I'll repay your kindness in the future!"]
Lin Zhihua replied—
["Alright alright, I'll wait for you to repay me."]
The message was full of helpless amusement. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Xue Jiao hurriedly sent—
["Gotta go!! I'm going to study now!!"]
Then she carried the heavy box of books back to her room.
Xue Jiao hadn't read many of these books before. In her past life, she'd either been working or studying, and in this life she studied even harder. Neither life had left her time for leisure reading.
Sitting at her desk, she picked up the top book—The Little Prince.
The period while waiting for her exam results at home was also a time of various transitions.
Neither Cheng Shuo nor Li Sitong asked about her scores. Since she'd taken the exams while sick, they were clearly worried she might not have done well.
Sometimes when they saw her still studying at home, Li Sitong and Cheng Shuo would drag her out shopping for clothes and pretty accessories.
Whenever Xue Jiao tried to refuse, Cheng Shuo would say—
"Before you were preparing for college entrance exams, so we kept everything simple—your mother just bought things for you. But now it's different. Jiao Jiao is a grown girl who can choose things she likes herself."
Li Sitong would nod in agreement, then take her to shops that suited her style.
During these moments, Xue Jiao would look at Cheng Shuo and Li Sitong with moved gratitude. She was truly fortunate!
Liu Jiaxue also visited several times, always bringing various snacks and treats.
Yi Tianyu messaged her daily too, trying to invite her to movies.
Xue Jiao never accepted.
Knowing how Cheng Shuo and Li Sitong felt about him, he didn't dare visit in person.
Time passed leisurely until the evening of June 23rd.
The day college entrance exam results were released.
"Jiao Jiao, what time do they come out again?" Li Sitong asked nervously.
Xue Jiao sighed. "Mom, I already said we can check at midnight."
Cheng Shuo, sitting beside Li Sitong, soothingly patted her back. "It's fine, no need to worry."
Even as he said this, his other hand kept rubbing nervously against his knee—lifting it, putting it down, lifting it again.
When Cheng Mingze took his exams last year, they hadn't paid any attention to the results at all!
This time was completely different—everyone was more nervous than the next.
Cheng Mingze had been guaranteed admission, so there'd been no pressure. But Xue Jiao needed these scores for university applications.
Naturally, Li Sitong and Cheng Shuo were more anxious.
Added to that was their concern that taking the exams while sick might have affected her performance, which could devastate her emotionally.
They knew exactly how much Xue Jiao cared about her studies.
By 11:55 pm, all three were watching the clock intently.
Though Xue Jiao knew the results were already set in stone—good or bad, nothing could change them now—she still felt nervous.In her previous life, she had arrived in this world before the results were even out.
So even though she had attended high school twice and taken the college entrance exam twice, this was actually her first time waiting for the results.
Every second passed agonizingly slowly, each day feeling like a year.
As soon as the clock struck 12, Xue Jiao immediately logged in.
However, there were probably too many people checking their scores at the same time, and the website kept crashing.
"My God, our internet is just terrible!" Li Sitong glared at the computer, furious.
Cheng Shuo gritted his teeth and said, "Once we move to Beijing, we're definitely changing our internet provider!"
"Agreed—"
Perhaps because it heard the threat of being replaced, the computer finally refreshed.
The scores were displayed clearly on the screen, and for a moment, the three of them fell silent.
Li Sitong clutched Xue Jiao and Cheng Shuo's hands, her face filled with shock and disbelief. After a pause, she asked in a trembling voice, "A-Shuo… what's… what's the full score?"
Cheng Shuo's voice was also tight—
"Seven hundred fifty…"
Then, the two of them turned to look at Xue Jiao.
Holy shit!
731!!!
Seven hundred thirty-one!!!
Full marks in math!!
That same math exam everyone online had been complaining about, saying it was the hardest in years, with an average score likely around fifty!
Xue Jiao scored a perfect 150!
For a brief moment, Cheng Shuo and Li Sitong wondered if they had misread the numbers.
But…
Their daughter really had scored this high!!
Just then, the phone rang.
Cheng Shuo answered it with shaking hands. "Hello…"
"Dad, how did Jiao Jiao do?" It was Cheng Mingze.
How did she do?
How do you think she did?!
Last year, you scored over 710 and became the top scorer!
Now Xue Jiao scored 731—what do you think?!
Even Xue Jiao herself was stunned. Given the difficulty of this year's exam, scoring 731 was absolutely beyond expectations—a true overperformance!
She could hardly believe it herself.
Based on her own estimates after the exam… she had thought she'd get around 720.
This score…
"731…" Cheng Shuo said. There was silence on the other end of the line.
Then, laughter erupted. Cheng Mingze's joyful voice came through—
"Jiao Jiao! You're amazing! This score is going to break records!!"
Every year, the top scorer in their province was in the low 700s. Only in years with easier exams did someone occasionally score in the 720s.
With this year's difficulty, Xue Jiao's score was nothing short of astonishing!
It seemed that cold really hadn't affected her after all!
After exchanging a few more words, Cheng Mingze hung up.
His roommate, Zhan Yichen, closed his book and asked with a smile, "What record were you talking about, Mingze? Your sister's exam results?"
From the moment Cheng Mingze had picked up the phone, he had been eavesdropping.
Over the past year, Cheng Mingze had gained quite a reputation at their university.
Zhan Yichen was both jealous and resentful, but he couldn't help paying close attention to him, hanging onto every little detail.
Just now, he had heard "Jiao Jiao… breaking records…"
He remembered Xue Jiao was taking the college entrance exam this year. Had she broken the total score record? Impossible—it must be a single subject.
Cheng Mingze gave him a deep look. He was well aware of this guy's petty thoughts, but right now, he didn't mind rubbing it in.
"Yes, Xue Jiao's college entrance exam score."
"How much did she get to shock you like that?"
Cheng Mingze smiled. "731."
Zhan Yichen's voice rose sharply. "Which exam was this?!"
"National exam."
Instantly, three jaws dropped in unison.
Especially Zhan Yichen—his book slipped from his hands without him even noticing.Xue Jiao's results weren't just a concern for herself. At this moment, the office of Seventh High School was packed with people, everyone holding a form with students' exam registration numbers.
Yin Fang was the first to check Gu Xue Jiao's scores, but clearly, she couldn't get through either.
Meanwhile, Li Ping across from her managed to access the system. After a moment, she shouted—
"Ahhh!!! Chu Sheng broke the record!!"
"How many points? How many?" The nearby teachers immediately pressed.
"726!"
"Holy—!" Only stunned expressions remained.
"The exam was so difficult this time, yet he scored 726—this is definitely the provincial top scorer!"
"Oh my god, Chu Sheng did amazingly well!"
"He's always been incredible—hardworking and naturally talented!"
"Many top students don't necessarily perform stably in the college entrance exam, yet Chu Sheng delivered his peak performance!"
"This is shocking—congratulations, Teacher Li!"
"Hahaha, congrats!"
"By the way, how did Gu Xue Jiao do?"
Their gazes turned to Yin Fang, who was staring fixedly at the screen, silent.
Upon closer inspection, one could see her trembling lips and the veins bulging on her forehead.
Her eyes were wide open, locked onto the computer as if she wanted to devour it.
Could it be... she didn't do well?
"Gu Xue Jiao seemed to be sick during the exam."
"Looks like Chu Sheng won this time. Even if Gu Xue Jiao performed at her best, she'd probably be about the same as Chu Sheng."
"Still, I hope the top three scorers are all from our school! Hahaha!"
"Speaking of which, Teacher Yin, what's Gu Xue Jiao's score?"
"Did she break 700?"
Yin Fang's voice was hoarse, as if scraped by a blade. Her lips quivered, and her right hand clutched the mouse so tightly it turned pale. Yet she forced her voice to its loudest—
"Gu Xue Jiao... 731..."
"Holy—"
Across from her, Li Ping's triumphant smile froze. Her pupils contracted as she stared at Yin Fang in disbelief.
At this moment, a saying suddenly came to mind—
Why must there be a Zhuge Liang when there is already a Zhou Yu?
After the results were released, Cheng Shuo received countless calls—from the homeroom teacher, school administrators, and well-wishers from all sides...
Her scores were practically announced the moment they were released.
Even online, a massive wave of discussion erupted.
This year's notoriously difficult exam set had its science composite record shattered by a girl with an astonishing score of 731.
Her subject scores were soon posted online, followed by the ID photo used for the college entrance exam.
"This is the first time I've seen... someone look this good in a standardized exam photo..."
"How come she looks like this while I ended up with a pancake face?"
"I go to the same school as her! She's seriously, seriously beautiful!! Top student and school belle!"
"Exaggerating much? Just because she's smart, you're forcing the 'school belle' title on her?"
"She's genuinely stunning! What's wrong with calling her the school belle?"
"And that score is terrifying... How does her brain even work?"
...
The photo incident caused only minor ripples. Before it could spread widely, the images were taken down, leaving only the scores and "Student Gu"—not even a full name.
Lin Corporation.
"Boss, all the photos have been removed. Only the scores and school remain," Tan Qi reported respectfully.
Lin Zhihua nodded.
Tan Qi then asked, "Should we remove the school information as well?"Lin Zhihua simply shook his head. "No need. Their school wants to promote it. Just have the photos taken down."
"Understood!" Tan Qi replied before stepping out.
Lin Zhihua turned his gaze to the window.
Jiao Jiao was indeed very beautiful. Once her photos were posted online alongside her scores, it was inevitable that she would become widely known.
But this wasn't necessarily a good thing.
Her looks alone would draw extra attention wherever she went. Fame didn't always bring benefits.
The world favors the beautiful, but being too beautiful can bring trouble.
Xue Jiao was someone with both ability and dreams. He wanted to give her the freedom to soar in the skies.
Of course, there was also a bit of selfishness in this—he didn't want too many people to see Xue Jiao. He couldn't bear the thought...
His eyes remained fixed outside when his phone rang.
Lin Zhihua picked it up, pausing briefly before smiling.
"Jiao Jiao."
A cheerful voice came through the phone. "Lin Zhihua, my results are out—731! Our family is moving to Beijing in a few days. I’ll treat you to a meal then!!"
Lin Zhihua's lips curved upward. "Why treat me to a meal?"
Xue Jiao looked up at the sky, speaking earnestly. "Thank you for helping and encouraging me these past two years. You’re my best friend, and also..."
Lin Zhihua's chest tightened, his breath catching.
Xue Jiao laughed lightly. "And my most important teacher. Thank you."
She saw him as a mentor, the best teacher on her life's journey.
On the other end, Lin Zhihua's grip on the phone turned white-knuckled, his heart sinking. But after only a second of silence, he replied calmly, "It’s nothing. I was happy to help."
"But I still want to thank you!" Xue Jiao insisted.
Lin Zhihua's mind was in turmoil, barely holding onto rationality. "Alright, I accept. Then treat me to a meal when you come to Beijing."
"Deal!" Xue Jiao nodded firmly.
After hanging up, Lin Zhihua sat motionless, staring blankly out the window.
His gaze drifted far away, his expression lost in thought.
A long while later, he pressed the intercom. Tan Qi entered promptly.
"Arrange for me to visit No. 7 High School tomorrow morning."
The day after receiving her results, Xue Jiao had a hectic day, fielding countless calls.
Some universities called her directly, while others reached out to Cheng Shuo—all determined to get in touch with her.
The competition for top students had never ceased over the years.
Xue Jiao's record-breaking score was bound to attract attention from every prestigious university.
After all... she had scored full marks in math... and was a gold medalist in the previous Mathematical Olympiad!
Among the universities, Fudan's admissions office was the first to call Xue Jiao.
She politely declined—her goals were set, leaving no room for hesitation.
They naturally offered scholarships and other incentives, but Xue Jiao refused them all.
Realizing she had her sights set elsewhere, they regretfully ended the call to pursue other outstanding candidates.
Several more universities called, all meeting the same courteous rejection.
"Hello, who may I ask for?" Another unfamiliar number.
"Is this Gu Xue Jiao?"
"Yes, this is she. May I ask who's calling?""This is the admissions office of Peking University..."
The voice on the other end of the line was polite, and Xue Jiao responded with equal courtesy.
In truth, Peking University had taken note of this student. After all, she had won first prize in last year's mathematics competition. During the earlier recommendation process, they had wanted to recruit this talented girl—women often have unique advantages in mathematics.
However, she had clearly rejected them then.
And now, she was rejecting them again.
At the end of the conversation, the caller paused and asked, "May I know which major you intend to apply for?"
Given her repeated rejections, they assumed she wasn't interested in mathematics.
The phone was on speaker, so both Xue Jiao and Cheng Shuo heard the question. They exchanged a glance.
Xue Jiao smiled and replied, "Mathematics."
Silence on the other end.
Are you kidding me? You want to study mathematics but won't choose Peking University???
"Our mathematics program is the strongest in the country," the voice finally said after a long pause.
Xue Jiao merely smiled without responding.
The caller sighed inwardly.
Fine, go wherever you want. If you won't come to our top-tier math department, it's your loss!
Peking University hung up.
Of course, they had no idea that in the coming years, events would unfold in a way that made them wish they could turn back time.
They would have done anything to recruit Gu Xue Jiao!
Cheng Shuo asked her, "Will you regret this? Peking University's math department is the best. Tsinghua has been doing well these past few years, but it's still not the strongest."
Xue Jiao shook her head, her gaze fixed on the phone, resolute. "I won't regret it."
She could never regret it. That school was her obsession, the place she wanted to attend no matter what.
Cheng Shuo nodded and said nothing more.
Their family had never pressured Xue Jiao to achieve anything specific. As long as she went to the school she wanted and lived the life she chose, that was enough.
Xue Jiao had been waiting for a call—the call from the school she truly wanted to attend.
If she wanted to study under Professor Tan in the future, she had to go there. It was her top choice.
Tsinghua's call came just before 5 p.m., reaching Cheng Shuo first.
Due to the company's relocation plans, Cheng Shuo had been home packing instead of going to the office in the city.
"Hello, who's calling?"
"Hello, may I speak to Gu Xue Jiao's father? This is the Tsinghua University admissions office."
Cheng Shuo glanced at Xue Jiao, turned on the speakerphone, and mouthed silently: Tsinghua.
A moment later, he replied warmly, "Hello, yes, this is Gu Xue Jiao's father."
The caller got straight to the point: "We've reviewed Gu Xue Jiao's academic record and would like to ask if she's interested in joining our university. We warmly welcome outstanding students like her."
A smile spread across Xue Jiao's face—the joy of a dream coming true.
But Cheng Shuo raised an eyebrow slightly and said, "Oh, really? My daughter actually wanted to be recommended to Tsinghua earlier, but there were no spots available..."
Silence.
The line went quiet for a moment, the caller's breathing growing heavier.
He had no idea how such a promising student had slipped through the cracks!
Perhaps they'd assumed all math competition winners would choose Peking University?
But...
The admissions officer chuckled to himself.
Gu Xue Jiao had wanted a Tsinghua recommendation but couldn't get one, yet she hadn't accepted Peking University's offer either. What did that mean?
It meant her heart had always been set on Tsinghua!Next, the two engaged in a friendly and warm conversation. By the time they hung up, the person on the other end was already calling him "bro" affectionately.
"Jiao Jiao, stop smiling and go pack your things. Tomorrow we still need to pick up the school notification letter. After we get it, we'll leave the day after. You should also properly say goodbye to your teachers—who knows how often we'll be back in the future," Cheng Shuo reminded her.
Xue Jiao nodded and went upstairs to pack.
June 25th, Tuesday.
Xue Jiao was in high spirits. She wore a pair of denim shorts with a simple T-shirt, and Li Sitong had tied her hair into a cute bun, making her look very sweet.
As she stepped out, Xue Jiao glanced up at the overcast sky—it was stiflingly hot.
Was it... going to rain?
"Jiao Jiao, do you want us to pick you up later?"
"No, no need," Xue Jiao replied while changing her shoes.
Cheng Shuo nodded, figuring she might have a gathering with her classmates today, so he didn’t press further.
Just as Xue Jiao closed the door, Li Sitong called out, "Don’t stay out too late tonight!"
"Got it—"
Xue Jiao responded and took a car to school.
Truthfully, she didn’t have to go today—many students wouldn’t.
But Xue Jiao had a reason...
Her gaze drifted out the window, lost in thought, until the car soon arrived at the school gates.
As soon as she stepped out, she spotted two banners hanging in the distance.
The first read: Congratulations to our student Gu Xue Jiao for achieving 731 points—the highest score in the province!
The second read: Congratulations to our student Chu Sheng for achieving 726 points—the second-highest score in the province!
Even Xue Jiao, usually so composed, felt a little embarrassed seeing the banners at the entrance.
Her cheeks flushed slightly as she quickened her steps inside.
Before she even reached the front of the senior high school building, she heard an interview in progress—
"How was Gu Xue Jiao’s usual performance at school?"
Then came the principal’s excited voice: "This is Gu Xue Jiao’s homeroom teacher and English instructor! Teacher Yin can attest—our school has always excelled in nurturing students, especially..."
Xue Jiao paused in her tracks. Just then, someone approached her.
"Bookworm..."
"Shh—" Xue Jiao pressed a finger to her lips, leaning against the wall.
Yi Tianyu fell silent, lowering his head slightly, his heart racing as he looked at the girl before him.
—She was the girl in his heart, the motivation behind his hard work, and the dream of his future.
Xue Jiao listened a little longer until the reporter asked, "Will Gu Xue Jiao be coming today? She hasn’t given any interviews yet—the media is very curious, and the public is paying close attention."
Yin Fang frowned slightly, hesitating. "Today is the day to collect the notification letters, but we don’t know if she’ll come. What do you think...?"
She genuinely had no idea whether Xue Jiao would show up.
"Let’s keep talking, and I’ll wait here in case." The reporter frowned.
They had to find a way to interview Gu Xue Jiao! The public’s interest was huge right now.
Hearing this, Xue Jiao frowned.
Beside her, Yi Tianyu leaned in and whispered, "Are you going to do the interview?"
Xue Jiao decided to leave and whispered back, "I’m going to slip away."
"Got it!" He had only come to see her anyway—if she was leaving, why stay?
They hadn’t gone far when they ran into Liu Jiaxue.
"Jiaxue!"
"Jiao Jiao—" Liu Jiaxue’s voice was full of delight.
She rushed over and threw her arms around Xue Jiao, hugging her tightly.
"I missed you so much!!""We just saw each other a few days ago, didn't we?" Xue Jiao said helplessly.
"I still missed you!" Liu Jiaxue's voice still carried excitement.
After a moment, she added, "Jiao Jiao, I've decided to apply to Nanjing University. We won't be in the same city anymore!"
Xue Jiao reached out and patted her head: "It's not far. You can come visit on weekends."
"That's true! Hahaha!" Liu Jiaxue laughed.
She knew Xue Jiao would definitely be applying to Tsinghua University.
Her gaze shifted to Yi Tianyu beside them, raising an eyebrow slightly: "Which university are you applying to?"
Yi Tianyu glanced at Xue Jiao and smiled faintly, pursing his lips: "Beijing Institute of Technology or Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications."
Liu Jiaxue also looked at Xue Jiao, her eyes darting between the two of them: "Oh—that's good too. Beijing Institute of Technology is better, but Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications is closer to Tsinghua. It mainly depends on your major."
As she spoke, she noticed the two were now walking side by side toward the school gate and put on a meaningful expression: "Oh, I won't disturb you two anymore. I'm going to get my admission notice!"
With that, Liu Jiaxue quickly ran off, leaving only Xue Jiao and Yi Tianyu behind.
Xue Jiao shook her head, looking exasperated.
Yi Tianyu said softly, "Shall we walk?"
Xue Jiao nodded.
Neither spoke as they walked, maintaining a half-meter distance between them until they reached the artificial lake.
Before they could step onto the bridge, a raindrop fell from the sky, unnoticed by either of them.
Yi Tianyu moved a little closer to Xue Jiao, who didn't pull away. The distance between them shrank from half a meter to ten centimeters.
Yi Tianyu clenched his fists, nervous, his heartbeat quickening. He was ready to confess to Xue Jiao now!
"I..."
"You..."
They spoke at the same time and both stopped.
"You go first," Yi Tianyu said with a grin.
Xue Jiao's expression was serious, even solemn: "Tianyu, do you really want to go to Beijing Institute of Technology or Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications?"
Yi Tianyu nodded sheepishly.
Xue Jiao looked up at him: "Why?"
Because of you!
Yi Tianyu thought, but he couldn't bring himself to say it out loud, shuffling his feet awkwardly.
Finally, he only said, "I want to go."
Xue Jiao glared at him, her expression turning stern: "With your scores, you could get into Fudan University through the special admissions track."
Yi Tianyu froze, then said, "But Fudan is in Shanghai."
"So what?" Xue Jiao frowned deeply. "Fudan is the best choice for you. The program you want is strong there too."
Yi Tianyu was stunned, staring at her blankly.
Her gaze was earnest, carrying a seriousness that made his heart ache.
After a long pause, Yi Tianyu opened his mouth: "You don’t want me to go to Beijing?"
Xue Jiao dug her nails into her palms, looking at him as she enunciated each word: "Fudan is the most suitable for you."
"Suitable?" Yi Tianyu suddenly felt as if a fire had ignited in his chest. "Don’t you know why I’m choosing Beijing? Don’t you know why I picked those two universities?"
"No, I don’t," Xue Jiao said coldly, lifting her chin.
Yi Tianyu took a step forward, urgency in his voice: "Then let me tell you—"
"I don’t want to know!" Xue Jiao's expression turned so icy it frightened Yi Tianyu.
He instinctively stepped back, lips trembling slightly as he looked at her: "Shanghai and Beijing are over a thousand kilometers apart...""So what?" Xue Jiao looked at him. "Can you stop being so childish and stop gambling with your future?"
Her fingers clenched into fists. If it were Cheng Mingze or Lin Zhihua, they would have noticed she was furious.
Xue Jiao was angry.
But Yi Tianyu didn't see it.
The passion of youth is giving everything, making you the center of my world.
Everything I do is for you.
But Xue Jiao wasn't like that. Girls mature faster than boys, and Xue Jiao's mental age was actually two years older than his.
Between them existed an uncomfortable gap in understanding.
Yi Tianyu trembled slightly, his eyes reddening as he stared at Xue Jiao.
At that moment, the rain began falling harder.
"I'm childish? So where I am, how far I am from you—none of that matters to you?!" Yi Tianyu asked numbly, his eyes growing redder.
Xue Jiao gazed at him expressionlessly.
"That's right."
"Gu Xue Jiao, do you even have a heart?!"
The rain intensified, and Yi Tianyu felt something hot escape his eyes.
He shouted those words as if expending all his strength.
Xue Jiao remained silent, stubbornly meeting his gaze.
She truly didn't care about him at all...
He had studied hard, strived to keep up with her. He took the college entrance exams, searched map after map of universities, wanting to be closer to her...
Yet she didn't care in the slightest!
Yi Tianyu looked at her, the scalding heat in his eyes unstoppable as it streamed down.
He shook his head and ran away in despair.
His heart felt shattered. He couldn't bear to stay there another second—that place that hurt him so much.
So he ran. He left behind that heartless girl who had wounded him so deeply.
But the Yi Tianyu of that time couldn't realize: if that girl in his heart truly didn't care, would she have known Fudan was the best fit for his scores?
The girl he loved had once stayed up late flipping through college admission guides she didn't need, examining university after university.
If this girl felt nothing for him, would she have consistently helped him study? Would she have meticulously compiled notes on concepts she didn't need to review, just to hand them to him?
Yi Tianyu didn't know any of this. The immature love of youth made him childish and stubborn.
Understanding only comes with time. What he thought was love and youthful passion had never truly considered her perspective.
Yet she had always wanted what was best for him.
Feeling hollow inside, he ran away.
The Yi Tianyu of that time believed he was wounded, so he temporarily hid himself.
As he left, Xue Jiao froze momentarily before turning and taking a few steps in the direction he'd gone.
The rain grew heavier, blurring her vision until she stumbled and fell.
Xue Jiao lay motionless, her foot throbbing with pain as her vacant eyes stared at the lake.
She blinked, and something warm spilled out.
Yi Tianyu was childish. Yi Tianyu was foolish.
He always managed to create ridiculous situations through sheer coincidence, always making her laugh with his absurd antics.
He wanted to take her for noodles but ended up freezing her half to death.
Not wanting her to walk in the cold wind, he had carried her on his back...
Yet this very boy had occasionally drawn Xue Jiao's gaze without her realizing.
The tender sprouts that grow in one's heart during youth—everyone has them, but few ever fully blossom.When Xue Jiao left the house, she told herself that if Yi Tianyu said—I like you.
She would reply: I’ll think about it.
But it seemed… there was no need to think anymore.
The rain grew heavier, and tears hidden within it became invisible.
A moment later, the rain above her head was shielded.
Xue Jiao opened her eyes and saw a pair of exquisite leather shoes in front of her.
Lin Zhihua looked at her, his eyes filled with complex emotions, but in the end, he simply reached out, his voice hoarse: "Your foot is injured… let me carry you…"
His hand extended, grasping hers, pulling her up.
Then he dropped the umbrella, crouched slightly, and carried her on his back.
Xue Jiao was still dazed as Lin Zhihua left the umbrella behind.
"Do you want to stand in the rain and cry? If you’re sad, cry. It’ll hurt less afterward."
With that, Lin Zhihua carried her away in the opposite direction.
The rain grew heavier. Yi Tianyu had run far, but he could still feel the rain pelting his body…
Did Xue Jiao bring an umbrella?
Would she catch a cold?
Her cold had only just gotten better…
Yi Tianyu stopped in his tracks, turned around, and ran back.
"Jiao Jiao—"
But all that remained was an umbrella. Nothing else.
Yi Tianyu clutched his chest, as if something had been ripped away, leaving an empty void.
He knelt on the ground, his heart aching with unbearable sorrow, yet he still believed this was just a small misunderstanding—that they simply didn’t understand each other yet.
She wasn’t soft-hearted enough toward him, but he would warm her with even more effort in the future.
But Yi Tianyu didn’t know that in this summer, the summer marking the end of his high school years, along with his youth, the girl he had loved most in his adolescence had also slipped away.
All that remained for him was this downpour and decades of regret.
There were so many coincidences and twists of fate, but a miss is still a miss.
No amount of time or effort in a lifetime could bring it back.
When we’re young, we don’t understand why the boys and girls who once liked each other couldn’t end up together. Just like how, in our youth, we didn’t understand why Shen Jiayi wouldn’t choose Ke Jingteng. We cursed Nine Knives, we cursed Chai Zhiping, we even cursed Ke Jingteng…
But in the end, Shen Jiayi still chose someone else.
We don’t know if she ever regretted missing Ke Jingteng, but we do know—she missed the one who wasn’t right for her. And in the future, she would spend the rest of her life with the one who suited her best, the one she loved most.
The budding feelings we couldn’t control in our youth are just memories we occasionally revisit in the quiet of the night.
Later, when Yi Tianyu happened to watch a certain movie, he smashed the TV in anger and wept uncontrollably.
He was heartbroken and unwilling, but most of all, he was consumed by regret.
He spent a fortune to gather all the actors, tracking them down one by one, as if reclaiming his youth that hadn’t yet ended and the girl who was still by his side…
When everyone gathered, the director asked him, "What do we shoot next?"
Yi Tianyu froze.
What to shoot next?
He covered his face and cried, then had them reenact the exact same scene—except in the middle, on that rainy night.
Ke Jingteng, standing before Shen Jiayi, smiled and said—
"I’m sorry, I’ll listen to you."
"I like you."
"I know you like me too."
The story was enough here. The movie ended at this point, with no sequel or conclusion.
As if he had truly frozen everything right there.This film, altered by just three lines, never made it to the market. Yi Tianyu sat in the empty theater, clutching a black-and-white checkered notebook.
He watched it over and over again, weeping each time.
Every viewing brought fresh tears.
Then he closed his eyes, and in his dreams, he could return to his youth, embracing the girl who was still young and not yet someone else's.
He spoke those three lines—the words he'd rehearsed to himself for a lifetime.
"I'm sorry. I'll listen to you."
"I like you."
"And I know—you like me too."
Then, with a smile, he lived out the rest of his days exactly as he'd imagined countless times in his youth.
But only in his dreams.
OpenNovel