"Please, please! I'm begging you!"
A large bouquet of roses was thrust into Wen Tingxue's hands by several girls who stared at her with pleading eyes.
"You absolutely must help us! We really, really like Chi Shen, just help us deliver it!"
"I..."
Wen Tingxue knew that Chi Zerui didn't like roses, so sending them would be pointless. She was about to refuse.
"These are flowers we saved up for a long, long time to buy. We thought they were perfect for him. If we can't give them to him..."
Their pitiable tone made it hard for Wen Tingxue to refuse.
"Then..."
The young girl looked down at the vibrant red roses. "I'll try?"
"Mmm-hmm."
After the interview, Chi Zerui returned to the lounge to change. His mind was a mess, as if something was clinging to his chest, making him feel uncomfortable. On impulse, he took out the star necklace from his pocket and remembered the girl's expression when she gave him the gift. Strangely, his mood improved.
"Tch~"
Chi Zerui irritably threw the necklace onto the table. After a shower, he was in a loose red t-shirt, his wet hair hanging by his eyes. He quickly towel-dried it, put on a pair of black sweatpants, and prepared to leave. But with only one step to the door, he turned back and put the necklace on.
He opened the door and froze for about three to five seconds.
"A Rui Gege!"
Hearing the movement, Wen Tingxue stood up. Her slightly sun-kissed face broke into a sweet smile, looking incredibly beautiful.
Years later, Chi Zerui had long forgotten the shifting emotions of those three to five seconds. He only remembered the young girl who had captured his thoughts, squatting obediently by the door, holding a bouquet of roses to shield herself from the sun. Her eyes, when she looked back, were a mixture of surprise and joy, as if she had been waiting for him for a long time. This scene, he would remember clearly for the rest of his life.
"...Mmm."
Chi Zerui subtly swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing, and asked, "What are you doing here?"
"Mmm..."
The young girl bit her lip, clutching the bright, fiery roses, and hesitantly explained her purpose. Fearing his rejection, her eyes were timid, filled with a slight apprehension that he might be angry. She probably had no idea how captivating she was in that moment. Her dark, bright eyes were full of spirit; no man could resist.
"If you don't want to accept them, you can just leave them in the lounge. It was their sincere effort..."
Wen Tingxue knew his temperamental nature and softened her tone, afraid he would simply throw the flowers away.
Chi Zerui looked down, his gaze fixed on the bouquet of roses with an unreadable expression. After a few seconds, he suddenly looked up and asked, "You weren't there when I was competing?"
"Ah?"
The topic shifted too quickly, and Wen Tingxue was stunned for a moment before replying, "I was! I was there the whole time. A Rui Gege was amazing!" She gave him a thumbs-up, looking incredibly cute.
"Then you...?"
"Roses symbolize love. For me, I only accept them from someone I love, and I don't give them to anyone I don't love."
The seemingly scummy playboy actually had such a principle. Wen Tingxue admired it, but as she was about to hand over the flowers, she realized, "Are you going to throw them away? Don't..."
"Who said I was going to throw them?" he interrupted.
The young girl blinked in confusion.
Chi Zerui looked down, playing with the delicate roses. He said in a soft tone, "The person who gives the flowers is also very important. Alright, I'll take them. Don't worry, I won't throw them away."
"Oh," the young girl breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good."
Chi Zerui's fingers paused slightly. "Where's Yu Ge?"
"He was dragged to a competition by A Chen Gege."
Mentioning Yu Wenli, the girl's eyes lit up. Chi Zerui's heart tightened for a moment, then he smiled, "A competition? What competition?"
When Wen Tingxue spoke of it, she became annoyed. "It's still Han Yan. He's already left, but his friends are still causing trouble. They insisted on two more matches. Qiao Xixi, Xu Kexin, Hao Luo'er, and a random girl they grabbed were all trapped at the venue. I managed to avoid it by going to the restroom, otherwise I wouldn't be here delivering flowers."
Chi Zerui raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. "Let's go, brother will take you to get some revenge."
***
Black Hole Bar.
As more people joined the remedial classes, Yu's study room became too small. So, they started holding classes in the bar's backstage, which was also convenient for dispersing afterward. It was summer vacation, and Qiao Xixi stomped in, closing her umbrella.
"I hate being out in the sun. My brother isn't giving me a ride today either, so annoying."
Hao Luo'er smiled and consoled her, "Oh, don't be angry. Have some tea."
"Mmm."
Qiao Xixi put down her bag and sat down, looking around. "Where is everyone?"
"I don't know," Wen Tingxue replied while flipping through a book. "He just said he'd be here later."
"Oh," not seeing Mu Chen, whom she was eagerly anticipating, Qiao Xixi drank some water with a hint of disappointment.
Xu Kexin, having finished a worksheet, chimed in with gossip, "Do you guys want to know what happened to Yu Jie?"
"Yu Jie?"
It had been a while since Wen Tingxue had heard that name and felt a little unfamiliar. "What happened to her?"
Hao Luo'er smiled without speaking, and Qiao Xixi looked expectant. Xu Kexin didn't drag it out, directly stating, "I heard from a guest from the capital that Yu Jie's sister broke up with the Fu family's young master. The reason was that both Yu Jie and her sister tried to seduce the second master of the Fu family. As it happened, the Fu family's young master caught them, and they broke up immediately. So, the Yu sisters are living miserably now."
Hao Luo'er added, "The Yu family is also starting to decline. I heard it's the intention of the people in the capital."
"Holy cow!"
Qiao Xixi exclaimed in shock, "As expected, you can't date wealthy young masters. You might even implicate your parents."
Hao Luo'er chuckled, "Then you still dare to pursue Mu Chen?"
"He's different," Qiao Xixi mumbled.
As they were talking, a group of people walked in. Yu Wenli and Xing Jiahe were both holding cups of milk tea, and even Chi Zerui was carrying one. It was from a popular milk tea shop with a new flavor that Wen Tingxue and the others hadn't had a chance to try yet.
"Wow! You're so thoughtful!"
Wen Tingxue had been craving it.
Yu Wenli ruffled her hair and said proudly, "Of course."
Xu Kexin and Hao Luo'er were also quite surprised. The couples were sweeter than the milk tea. Yu You and Song Jiamiao pouted. Qiao Xixi stared at Mu Chen, who was trailing far behind, and said wistfully, "Nothing for me?"
Mu Chen looked up. "If you want some, buy it yourself."
Qiao Xixi: "..."
***
Xing Jiahe suddenly became diligent, and Xu Kexin lent him all her notes, along with offering 24-hour tutoring. Their relationship progressed by leaps and bounds. Now, when Xu Kexin was angry, she could even kick him. He would just smile and not resist. Chi Zerui had poor grades but was smart, and Hao Luo'er tutored him diligently. He had improved quite a bit. However, the relationship between the two of them was strange, seeming like a couple, yet not quite. As for Mu Chen and Qiao Xixi...
"Here!"
Qiao Xixi, covered in sweat, returned with two bags. One of the cups was coffee, Mu Chen's favorite flavor.
"You didn't buy me any, so I bought it for you." The young girl placed the coffee next to Mu Chen with a sweet smile. "And thank you for tutoring me these past few days." Her voice was sweet and crisp.
Speaking of summer, there were always many words. But the most heartbreaking was the phrase, "We will eventually part."
***
Qiao Xixi wanted to get into Class 1, but she felt her grades were borderline. Unexpectedly, in the division of classes for the third year of high school, Qiao Xixi was indeed placed in Class 1! Perhaps fate favored her, as several of her close friends were also in Class 1. At the opening ceremony, two representatives from the third-year grade were chosen to speak. Six names were submitted, and the principal casually approved, directly selecting Wen Tingxue and Yu Wenli.
When she heard the news, Wen Tingxue was still a bit dazed. She remembered that when she first came to Yi Zhong, Xie Jinyi was the one speaking with Yu Wenli on the podium. She hadn't expected that after half a year, she would have the chance to stand beside him. Was this a form of affirmation?
***
The day before Wen Tingxue's birthday, Xie Jinyi went to pick up a custom gift in the rain. The moment she pushed the door open, Shang Ziqian looked up from behind the counter. Their eyes met, and Xie Jinyi instinctively wanted to run, but Shang Ziqian's words stopped her.
"Tell me, if Wen Tingxue knew that you were the one who had been scheming against her and targeting her all along, would she still accept this cup?"
Well... Xie Jinyi was truly a psycho.