Chapter 6

Pan Zicong said that in high school, Lu Haoyang was a heartthrob, and there were girls lining up from the north gate to the south gate to pursue him.

Pan Zicong also said that the girl who asked Lu Haoyang to save her seat at the scholarship ceremony was Du Weiwei, their classmate in high school.

Pan Zicong further mentioned that Lu Haoyang has been in a bad mood lately, and nothing seems to go well for him.

…

Pan Zicong doesn’t talk much with me, but every time he speaks, he can’t help but mention Lu Haoyang’s name within three sentences. The extent of his concern for Lu Haoyang sometimes makes me wonder if there is some undisclosed relationship between them.

After he lamented for the 188th time about Lu Haoyang’s recent downturn in front of me, I finally spoke up and asked him, “What’s wrong with him?”

“Hey, don’t you know? He’s been really tragic lately. His performance in the annual competition dropped by a whopping nine places compared to last year. Nine places, do you know what that means?” He paused his vivid description and stared at me without blinking.

I shook my head, and he continued to speak fluently, “This time, he ranked outside the top ten. You should know that since the second half of his freshman year, he has never ranked below the top six in any competition. Sigh!”

The following parts of the text will be scrambled to prevent theft from aggregators and unauthorized epub making. Please support our translators by reading on secondlifetranslations (dot) com. If you are currently on the site and and you are seeing this, please clear your cache.

Gp bl pktble, R oyp pvkzz pbsnjle cu obyv bl fwpv pyke.

“Tl’p vbyv yxygkdt?” R nswzed’v clzklhl kv, vbkdjkdt sq bkp wpwyz nyalzlpp yrrlyaydnl.

Vyd Hknsdt zssjle yv xl okvb y ekpeykdqwz lmralppksd, yzxspv aszzkdt bkp lulp yv xl, “Zsw vbkdj ps!”

Tl pllxle vs pweeldzu alyzkgl psxlvbkdt yde zssjle yv xl okvb y pvaydtl tygl, “Pked’v bl yzoyup csypv ycswv bkp yckzkvklp? Tl eked’v xldvksd kv kd qasdv sq usw? Mpj vpj…”

“Ebyv es usw xlyd?” R pvyale yv bkx, dsv czkdjkdt.

R jdlo R oyp lmrlnvkdt yd ydpola, cwv Vyd Hknsdt, vbyv twu, fwpv oswzed’v vlzz xl—

“Rv eslpd’v xlyd yduvbkdt. Rq usw oydv vs jdso obyv bl xlydp, usw pbswze ypj bkx ekalnvzu. Ebyv’p vbl wpl sq ypjkdt xl?”

R kxxlekyvlzu zspv kdvlalpv, pdsavle, yde oyzjle yoyu.

I seemed to have gotten used to receiving news about Lu Haoyang from Pan Zicong, regardless of whether it was intentional or unintentional. The more I talked to Pan Zicong, the more I realized that I had never truly understood this boy named Lu Haoyang.

I always thought that Lu Haoyang didn’t understand me, but now it seems, where could I find understanding myself?

For example, just yesterday, Pan Zicong told me something—

“On the Friday afternoon two weeks ago, he went to the neighboring school for a league match, and Du Weiwei accompanied him. But unexpectedly, he fell ill halfway through. By the end of the match, he was covered in cold sweat. I wasn’t with Du Weiwei when she took him to the hospital, you know, in Beijing, you have to queue for everything. After seeing the doctor, it was almost 10 PM when Du Weiwei brought him back.”

I was shocked and stood there dumbfounded.

Seeing no reaction from me, Pan Zicong continued, “I told him not to push himself so hard, but he wouldn’t listen. You see, even though he fell ill, it would have been already quite good to finish the match and secure a top ten position, but he’s still not satisfied. He always feels that getting fifth place in that league match was a disgrace to our school. I really don’t know what to say to him.”

Though Pan Zicong’s words were harsh, it was not difficult to hear the concern he had for Lu Haoyang in between the lines. I found it difficult to imagine what Lu Haoyang had become to earn such wholehearted care from Pan Zicong.

So, that night, he didn’t intentionally ditch our appointment, nor was he wandering around with some other girl… But because of this ridiculous misunderstanding, I gave him the cold shoulder for the entire day. He endured it for so long, and he really deserved better treatment from me. In that moment, I felt utterly ashamed.

The waves of regret surged in my heart, and it was only now that I realized how important he was in my heart.

These days, I have been absent-minded, unable to focus on anything I do. Only when I talk about Lu Haoyang with Pan Zicong, do I feel a little relieved.

I think I have truly fallen for that boy named Lu Haoyang.

Unfortunately, by the time I realized this, we could no longer go back.

Lying in bed, I tossed and turned several times, but I couldn’t fall asleep. I sat up from the bed. I picked up my phone and started scrolling through our old text messages. As I looked, tears couldn’t help but roll down my cheeks.

His face seemed to appear before me, with the same playful smile as always, but I couldn’t see myself in his eyes.

I really wanted to send him a text asking how he had been for the past two weeks, but even though I had already found his phone number, I suddenly lost the courage—

I was being unreasonable and petty first. What right did I have to look for him again? Besides, he hasn’t contacted me in two weeks. Maybe this time, he really doesn’t want to deal with me anymore.

I couldn’t stop my chaotic thoughts, and the more I thought, the more I lost courage. In the end, I dejectedly put away my phone and stayed awake until dawn.

Saturday morning at eight o’clock was the departure time for the spring outing, as Pan Zicong had informed me. Since we would be staying overnight outside, I returned to the dormitory early on Friday evening to pack my things.

Jie Jie wasn’t in the dormitory. She had already texted me earlier, saying she was going to the supermarket to “stock up”—a euphemism for buying food.

I hadn’t been packing for long when the phone rang.

“Xiaoya! Come to the playground quickly!”

As soon as I answered the phone, I heard Jie Jie’s anxious voice on the other end.

I furrowed my brows and continued what I was doing. “What’s the rush? I’m in the middle of packing.”

“Oh, don’t bother asking! Come down to the East playground, hurry!” She didn’t care and sounded even more urgent than before.

What could have happened? I was curious, so I set down the clothes I was folding, half-finished.

“What’s going on? Weren’t you going to the supermarket? Why are you suddenly asking me to come to the playground? I still need to take a shower; I don’t have time to fool around with you.”

“It’s not fooling around, really! Xiaoya, come down quickly! Otherwise, you’ll definitely regret it! Hurry, hurry, hurry!”

“Hey, you—” I didn’t finish my sentence before the busy tone “beep beep” came from the phone.

I hung up the phone, feeling both curious and uneasy. I had never seen this girl act like this before. Could she have encountered some danger and couldn’t get away?

With that thought, I couldn’t stay in the dormitory any longer. I picked up my dorm key and rushed downstairs.

I’ve been tricked. There’s nothing major happening; the playground was pitch black, and I couldn’t see a single person.

“Chen Yujie?” I whispered, but no one answered.

“Chen Yujie! Are you here or not!” I raised my voice a bit and looked around.

Unfortunately, still no one answered, and the surroundings were too dark to see anything.

That little brat is playing a trick on me again! If I don’t give her a piece of my mind this time, my name isn’t Han!

Thinking indignantly, I turned around to go back. But just as I took a few steps, a voice from behind called me—

“Xiaoya!”

I froze in place. For a moment, I couldn’t tell if it was a dream or reality.

“Han Xiaoya, can you hear me?”

Someone behind me called me again, a familiar voice, a familiar tone. Everything was so familiar, but it made my tears well up uncontrollably. I bit my lip to hold back the tears, standing still in place until the person behind me appeared in front of me.

“Han Xiaoya, why are you still the same, ignoring people?”

I lifted my head and met those eyes, shining brightly in the darkness.

Is it really you, Lu Haoyang?

“Han Xiaoya!” He became impatient and shouted at me.

“Ah?” I stared at him blankly, unable to say anything except for that word.

I have imagined meeting him a thousand times, I have thought about apologizing to him for my previous lack of understanding and wild thoughts. But now, at this moment of actually seeing him, I have forgotten everything.

Lu Haoyang rubbed his forehead and spoke, sounding helpless, “I asked you to speak, and you only said one word. Han Xiaoya, you really are… You’re indeed Han Xiaoya.”

“What?” I swallowed my tears and forced myself to remain calm. “What are you talking about?” I murmured, not knowing if the person in front of me had heard it.

Lu Haoyang fell silent, and a deep silence enveloped the surroundings. My heart couldn’t help but feel tense, and my hands clenched into fists, pressed against my sides.

Suddenly, his laughter came from above, a low voice but bright. I looked up and saw him smiling at me, a gentle smile that even warmed the breeze on the playground.

“Han Xiaoya, there’s something I want to tell you.”

Something he wants to tell me… I couldn’t help but feel anxious.

Am I being unreasonable with him? Is he going to cut ties with me now?

“No!” I immediately retorted, not even giving myself a second to think.

Lu Haoyang froze, looking at me, unable to say a word.

I felt a bit awkward, but this was what I truly felt in my heart, and I didn’t want to take it back. I might as well make it clear!

With this thought, I gathered the courage and stared into his eyes, speaking one word at a time, “Lu Haoyang, I know I was wrong before. I shouldn’t have been unreasonable and thrown a tantrum at you. But that’s because I waited for you at the cinema entrance until ten o’clock, feeling cold and hungry, and that’s why…”

I couldn’t continue speaking and lowered my head in shame.

“It doesn’t matter anymore. That’s in the past,” Lu Haoyang’s voice was calm and light.

I became anxious, and tears welled up in my eyes again. “No, it’s not like that… you don’t understand, I’m sorry…” I stammered, becoming incoherent and choking up.

Clearly startled by my outburst, Lu Haoyang immediately tried to comfort me, a bit flustered. “Why are you crying? I’m not blaming you…”

With his words, all the grievances and fears that had built up inside me over these days surged to the forefront of my mind, and I ended up crying even louder. “I know I was wrong, but I didn’t mean it… I had no idea you were sick that day. If I had known, I wouldn’t have acted that way. I’m sorry, I truly know I was wrong… Please don’t abandon our friendship, okay?”

I was too caught up in crying, completely oblivious to the expression on Lu Haoyang’s face as he stood in front of me. So when he suddenly pulled me into a tight embrace, my body stiffened for a moment due to the surprise.

I lifted my head and met Lu Haoyang’s gaze, where starlight flickered and a tiny version of myself resided.

“You…” I tried to speak, but when I opened my mouth, I didn’t know what to say.

Lu Haoyang continued to silently gaze at me with a gentle smile, his smile almost melting me.

“Han Xiaoya, you silly girl.”

I heard his voice, which sounded even more beautiful than music.

“I really don’t want you as just a friend anymore, because—”

He looked at me with determination in his eyes.

“I want you to be my girlfriend. Unless you don’t want to, otherwise, you won’t be able to escape.”

I didn’t see myself at that moment, but Lu Haoyang later told me that was the most foolish Han Xiaoya he had ever seen in history.

Fool… Well, Lu Haoyang, it’s your fault for liking a fool.

I forgot how I agreed to him at that time. Everything happened too fast, too dreamlike. It wasn’t until the voices of Jie Jie and Pan Zi Cong teasing us suddenly echoed from the darkness that I realized that myself and Lu Haoyang were no longer just friends–

We were boyfriend and girlfriend!

Tomorrow is the class outing for Lu Haoyang’s class, and now I’m even more interested. Oh, there are so many things waiting for me to do.

Like asking Lu Haoyang why he wasn’t in good condition recently and kept losing in competitions.

Like accompanying him to the hospital to check on his stomach condition, reminding him to take his medication every day.

Like telling Lu Haoyang that Han Xiaoya is also a reasonable person and asking him to forget my unreasonable side…

Girlfriend, I like that title.

Lu Haoyang! You can’t escape from the palm of my hand! O (∩_∩) O~

(The End)