Chapter 35
Now that everyone has reached adulthood, they are all at the age for marriage. Back in their first year of high school, Class 1 was filled with top students, including national top scholars.
Currently, apart from a few who are already married, including the national top scholar, the rest of the classmates are either single or dating, with singles being the majority.
Many of them are just starting their careers, and some are even staying on at school to pursue doctoral studies.
Class 1 was highly competitive academically, but the overall camaraderie was strong, making it a very united class. Perhaps this was due to the paternal-like care of Long Kong and the presence of two handsome guys like Fu Yan and Tan Yucheng.
So, at that time, not only were the class’s results outstanding, but the relationships among classmates were also very good. This is why their high school group chat continued to exist, as high school was a vibrant time for them.
For them, Shu Xiao joining the group added an even brighter hue to this vibrant time.
It was no surprise that the group went into a frenzy.
After a brief silence, everyone began to enthusiastically greet Shu Xiao, asking if she was still in the U.S., when she would return, and why she suddenly decided to come back to teach at Li University.
Shu Xiao answered each question: Yes, still in the U.S.
Shu Xiao: Should be soon, the paperwork is all done.
Shu Xiao: School is sending me.
A few classmates applying to foreign schools asked Shu Xiao about selecting a school. Shu Xiao was generous, perhaps because she had been asked similar questions before. She found a document with detailed information about school dormitories and renting apartments off-campus and shared it in the group chat for that classmate to download. Instantly, those classmates were extremely grateful.
The group chat was bustling and lively.
At this moment, Meng Jia entered the group and directly threw out a question: @Shu Xiao, now that you’re returning to China, what about your boyfriend? Didn’t you just publicly announce your relationship? Is your romance over so soon, or is your boyfriend coming back with you?
Meng Jia’s question was blunt and straight to the point.
It was only then that everyone realized there was a troublemaker like Meng Jia in the group. It seemed that Yu Xi had originally joined the group, and later Meng Jia joined as well, becoming the only two from other classes in this high school group.
When Meng Jia spoke up, the group fell silent for a few seconds.
Shu Xiao didn’t respond.
After waiting for a while without any response from Shu Xiao, who remained as if she wasn’t there, some male classmates couldn’t stand it and edited a reply: Meng Jia, you shouldn’t ask such a personal question here.
Meng Jia responded with a cold smirk, showing she didn’t care.
Usually, Long Kong would mediate in such situations, but he remained silent this time. The group chat turned cold for a moment until Zhong Yu stepped in.
Zhong Yu said, “Shu Xiao and that guy have broken up. She liked him a lot, but he was abusive. He hit her, and this return was arranged by her mother to help her escape from him.”
Zhong Yu added, “Meng Jia, Shu Xiao hasn’t done anything to you.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the class fell even quieter. Meng Jia’s previously arrogant expression was stilled by the silence and Zhong Yu’s statement. Even Meng Jia, no matter how foolish, would not speak up at this moment.
Besides, Meng Jia was merely arrogant, not malicious. Hearing about such a situation, she would also feel sympathy for Shu Xiao.
Yu Xi then commented, “I didn’t expect that such a seemingly decent person would turn out to be an abuser. It just shows you can’t judge a book by its cover.”
Feng Yingying also finally spoke up, “Yes, it’s really unexpected. It’s so scary.”
Another male classmate, Jiang Yan, asked, “Is Shu Xiao okay now? Is she feeling better?”
Zhong Yu replied, “She’s fine now.”
So everyone started comforting Shu Xiao, saying kind words, and slowly changing the subject. However, Shu Xiao didn’t appear again. Ji Ting glanced at her friend list out of instinct.
The black avatar at the top.
With all the commotion tonight and the revelations, he must have seen it too.
The girl he once liked will return with scars.
Ji Ting’s breath momentarily caught. She walked barefoot on the carpet, took a bottle of red wine from the cabinet, grabbed a wine glass, and sat down on the sofa. Leaning against the armrest, she watched a silent film while pouring herself some wine.
The bottle of wine she had was one he had given her.
It was quite sweet, similar to the one they drank in his apartment that day, with a strong fruity aroma.
Ji Ting drank wine while watching and scrolling through her phone. The group chat had quieted down a bit.
Long Kong sent her a private message: What are you doing?
Ji Ting replied: Watching a movie at home.
Long Kong: What movie?
Ji Ting: Still the same one.
Long Kong took a moment to remember: Oh… Xixili, hahaha.
Long Kong: You really like this movie? I can recommend others with similar stories. Oh, and there are novels too, which are quite good.
Ji Ting: I don’t have the time for that. It’s just for leisure.
Long Kong: Well, you could watch variety shows or dramas too. Don’t just stick to one movie.
Ji Ting: I prefer sticking to one movie.
Long Kong: Hey, I noticed you’re a bit, hmm, quite a personality tonight.
Ji Ting: …
Long Kong: Have you seen the group chat? Shu Xiao is back.
Ji Ting: I saw.
Long Kong: I was initially going to prevent her from joining, but I was too slow. Then I heard about her unfortunate situation and softened up.
Ji Ting: It really is unexpected.
Long Kong: Is Brother Cheng working overtime tonight?
Ji Ting: It seems so.
Long Kong: Hmm.
Ji Ting looked at this “Hmm” and didn’t reply, mainly because she didn’t know what to say. Long Kong and the others had already started thinking about another main character the moment Shu Xiao appeared.
And this main character is still single to this day. That year, the rain lasted a long time, but eventually, it stopped, and a rainbow arched across the opposite wall.
It was breathtakingly beautiful.
At that time, Ji Ting was sitting by the window looking at her admission letter and glanced up to see it. She was mesmerized.
After drinking quite a bit, she slept soundly. The next morning, Ji Ting lay on her pillow with her shoulder strap fallen. She raised her eyes, touched her phone, and saw a missed call.
Tan Yucheng.
The three characters indicated it was from two minutes ago.
Ji Ting instinctively redialed. However, after drinking and feeling tired, she heard a beep. She lay back on the pillow, and when the call connected, her voice was soft and weak, “Hello.”
On the other end, Tan Yucheng was walking towards the boarding gate. Hearing her voice, he raised an eyebrow, “Just woke up?”
Ji Ting buried her face in the pillow, smelling the floral scent, and softly murmured an “mm-hmm.”
Her voice was gentle and had a hint of coquettishness. Tan Yucheng smiled slightly, placed his suitcase into the security check, stood at the checkpoint, and holding the phone said, “I’m about to board.”
Ji Ting nodded, then realized he couldn’t see her and said, “Be safe.”
“Wait for me to come back.”
Ji Ting hesitated for a moment and replied, “Mm-hmm.”
After Tan Yucheng completed the security check and was pulling his suitcase, he asked, “What time did you go to bed last night?”
Ji Ting thought the call was about to end, but upon hearing the question, she answered, “Before 12:30.”
“Oh?”
He responded lightly.
Ji Ting lay with her face buried, feeling like she might fall asleep again, and softly asked, “What time did your meeting end last night?”
“Before 10.”
Ji Ting paused. Her phone vibrated with a morning greeting from the class group chat. She turned her head to glance at it and saw the name of her high school Class 1 group.
That meant Tan Yucheng’s phone probably vibrated too, and he saw the group message.
Suddenly, Ji Ting wanted to speak up.
Do you know Shu Xiao is back?
Have you seen the group message?
In those quiet few seconds, countless questions and probing thoughts flashed through her mind, but she squashed them all at once. It was a mix of fear and reluctance. She seemed calm now, and she hoped this calm would last a little longer. For now, she didn’t want to make any decisions.
She still yearned.
Yearned for his call, for the desire to seek him out, to kiss him, and to still have the right to do so.
She softly said, “I’m still a bit sleepy.”
Tan Yucheng had reached the boarding gate and was walking into the cabin as he said, “Sleep a bit more.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“I’ll message you after I get off the plane.”
“Okay.”
After that, Ji Ting put her arm down and ended the call. She placed her phone under her pillow and drifted back to sleep, still a bit drowsy, until the alarm rang. This time, it was 8:30, and she had to get up.
Ji Ting propped herself up, slipped on her slippers, and went to freshen up.
The sunshine was still pleasant, but the wind had picked up. The passersby downstairs had started wearing sweaters and medium-weight coats. Ji Ting no longer wore her light green work uniform; instead, she changed into a long skirt and a loose sweater. As she went downstairs, the wind made her realize that the long-awaited winter was finally arriving. In Li City, as soon as cold air moves south, it becomes bone-chillingly cold.
No matter how you bundle up, it never seems warm enough.
When Ji Ting entered the store, Xiao Zhou was wearing a scarf. This year, fashionable Mallard-colored scarves were trending, and Xiao Zhou had one. With a smiling face, she said, “Good morning, Sister Ting. Did you dress warmly?”
Ji Ting handed Xiao Zhou the breakfast she had bought. “Yes, and your scarf looks really nice.”
The store was warm. Xiao Zhou took off her scarf and said, “My mom knitted it. I chose the yarn, and she knitted it and sent it to me.”
Ji Ting touched it and said, “Your mom is really skilled. This scarf looks like it was bought from a store.”
“Hehe, my mom’s only good skill is knitting. She doesn’t make it too thick, so it’s perfect to wear.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Ji Ting nodded. She had breakfast with Xiao Zhou, and Zhang Yang came to the store as well. His apprentice had prepared a lot of desserts early in the morning, all packed into boxes. Ji Ting needed to visit the branch store and took the desserts with her.
The cultural district was quieter during the day, but due to the New Year’s Day promotions, there were still many people. With the wind, there were fewer customers sitting outside. Most were inside the store. Luckily, the seating arrangements inside are not lazy and every corner has been utilized according to the dimensions. During winter, unless the sun was exceptionally good, people had to sit inside due to the cold wind.
When Ji Ting arrived at the store entrance, she saw the large Lucky Cat statue. The pink rose on it had wilted somewhat after yesterday’s sun exposure but still looked quite vibrant.
The branch store manager, Yan Qu, was outside with the staff looking at the Lucky Cat. When he saw Ji Ting, the staff took the desserts from her hands. Yan Qu said, “Sister Ting, I think this Lucky Cat shouldn’t be exposed to the wind and sun like this. I’m planning to make a small shelter for it. What do you think?”
Ji Ting looked at the Lucky Cat and the flowers, then nodded, “That sounds good.”
Yan Qu pulled out his phone to show Ji Ting the design of the small shelter, it was completely transparent. He said, “This way, we can frequently change the fresh flowers. If they’re too expensive, we can use artificial flowers for decoration.”
Ji Ting thought Yan Qu had a good idea and said, “Alright, just go ahead with the arrangements.”
Yan Qu responded, “I’ll get it arranged then.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Ji Ting stayed at the branch store until the afternoon. She treated the branch staff and manager to lunch. In the afternoon, she received a call from Qiu Dan, inviting her to come home for dinner, so Ji Ting drove back home.
Ji Lindong was moving bottles of alcohol into the warehouse. Ji Ting entered to help and asked, “Why so many bottles? Is our supermarket warehouse full?”
Ji Lindong pointed at the bottles and said, “You take a look for yourself. What kind of alcohol is this?”
Ji Ting took a closer look and saw that it was all high-quality liquor, clearly meant for Tan Hui. She nodded and said, “Dad, Uncle Tan should thank you.”
Ji Lindong said, “No need to mention it. I helped him select these. When his company goes public, I’ll definitely celebrate with him.”
“Sounds good.”
Qiu Dan finished preparing the meal and brought it to the table. Ji Ting went to help get the bowls and chopsticks. Ji Lindong washed his hands and came out to sit down. The three of them enjoyed a warm family dinner.
Qiu Dan asked Ji Ting about her birthday plans.
Ji Ting bit her chopsticks and thought for a moment. “We have our own plans.”
Qiu Dan looked at her while serving the dishes. “Is Yucheng helping you with the celebration?”
Ji Ting paused and replied, “Mm-hmm.”
Qiu Dan nodded. “Then you should come back in the morning to have a bowl of longevity noodles.”
“Okay.”
After dinner, Ji Lindong went to the kitchen to wash the dishes, and Qiu Dan went to tidy up the warehouse. As soon as she entered, she scolded Ji Lindong, “Didn’t I tell you to put them under the cabinet? Why did you stuff them so messily?”
Ji Lindong stiffened and stayed hidden in the kitchen, not daring to come out. Ji Ting, smiling as she ate a melon, walked into the warehouse and saw Qiu Dan pulling out a large box, which had been squeezed in among Ji Lindong’s liquor.
Qiu Dan glanced at her and said irritably, “Still laughing? This box contains your things. Have you forgotten?”
Ji Ting was momentarily confused. “What things?”
“The box you left under the table at our old home when you graduated from high school. It was later moved here, and since you renovated your room, it was put in the warehouse. You must have forgotten to move it back after the renovation.”
“I don’t even know if the stuff inside is damaged.” As Qiu Dan spoke, she began to open the clear tape on the box. Ji Ting remembered and stepped forward, seeing Qiu Dan take out a photo frame and dust it off.
Inside the frame was a solo photo of Ji Ting, smiling brightly at the camera in her blue and white high school uniform, her hair in a ponytail, while standing in the sunlight.
Ji Ting leaned in and took the frame.
But she immediately saw, on the back of the photo frame, Tan Yucheng in his blue and white school uniform, leaning against the stairs. Facing him was a girl—Shu Xiao. He and Shu Xiao were talking.
She had been standing not far away, taking the photo, choosing a spot where he would be in the frame while deliberately excluding Shu Xiao, capturing that moment.
Her hidden feelings were all contained in that photo.
Now, looking at it again, Shu Xiao was not completely excluded; a part of her skirt was in the frame.
Shu Xiao had not disappeared from the photo; she existed in another way.
Ji Ting bit into the melon, the juice sliding down her fingers.
At that moment, her phone outside beeped.
Ji Ting wiped the melon juice off her fingers, took the photo frame, and went outside to check her phone.
A message had come from a black avatar.
Tan: Just landed.
Ji Ting picked up her phone and saw that the unread notifications mentioned that the weather in Beijing was poor, with smog lingering for several hours, causing flight delays and forced landings in other cities.
Ji Ting typed: It’s so late, have you eaten?
Tan: About to.
Ji Ting: Oh.
Tan: And you?
Ji Ting: At home.
Tan: Mm-hmm.
Tan: I’ll message you later.