“Because if we did that, we would both be violating this principle, and I wouldn’t lose to you!” Yang Ke said with a smile.
"If that's the case, then I have no other choice!" Ye Xun said with a smile. "It's really helpless; this is the most vicious form of torture!"
"Alright then, so you won't feel miserable, is there anything I can do to make up for your losses?"
"Take care of Miaomiao for me!" Ye Xun said, "And make it your life's most important mission!"
After seeing Ye Xun off, Yang Ke returned upstairs and suddenly felt a sense of desolation in the room. He couldn't help but feel down. Yang Ke carefully examined every corner of the room. Suddenly, Yang Ke saw Miao Miao playing mischievously, and a smile appeared on his face.
Everything returned to normal. Ye Xun moved out of the apartment building, and Dai Qiang moved back in. The only difference was that the relationships between the group had undergone subtle changes, some indescribable, others barely perceptible. As Ye Xun passed through the school square, someone called her name. She turned around and saw that it was Meng Ya who had called her. Ye Xun's heart skipped a beat; an indescribable feeling surged through her body, then vanished.
"Is there anything I can help you with?" Ye Xun asked.
"Can we talk?" Meng Ya's expression was filled with sadness.
The two entered "Nico's Bar" and ordered a glass of water. From the moment they sat down, Meng Ya began to cry intermittently. Ye Xun sat quietly to the side, feeling a strange familiarity with Meng Ya, as if she had seen her somewhere before. Ye Xun pondered for a long time, and finally, she understood—Meng Ya was a reflection of her past self. Meng Ya began to narrate, haltingly, and Ye Xun quickly grasped the meaning: Meng Ya and Dai Qiang seemed to have reached the end of their relationship.
"I don't know what I did wrong to upset him!" Meng Ya cried. "He suddenly became very strange and ignored me for days!"
After listening for a long time, Ye Xun finally asked, "What is the purpose of your calling me here today...? Is there anything I can do to help you?"
"You're Dai Qiang's best friend, please, I beg you, can you help me persuade him?"
Ye Xun looked at Meng Ya, whose red eyes revealed anticipation and longing, making her reluctant to refuse. However, she was conflicted. No matter what, Dai Qiang had not disappeared from her heart. Dai Qiang still weighed on Ye Xun's heart like a heavy stone. Sometimes she even thought that maybe one day she would return to Dai Qiang's side and happily accompany him as before.
"Okay!" Ye Xun hesitated for a long time, but finally agreed.
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Chapter 23 Looking Back on the Path of Love
Updated: 2008-06-12 10:06:54 Words: 0
Dai Qiang leaned back on the living room sofa, lost in thought. He had decided to break up with Meng Ya, but he didn't know why he made this decision. Perhaps it was because Meng Ya wasn't as attentive as Ye Xun, or as clearly understood him in every detail. Thinking of this, Ye Xun's image involuntarily surfaced in Dai Qiang's mind. He even asked himself—why did he choose to break up with Ye Xun in the first place?
A knock sounded at the door. Dai Qiang opened the door, and standing outside was Ye Xun.
"Ye Xun, is something the matter?" Dai Qiang asked.
"It's nothing. I'm here to see Yang Ke. Is he here?" Ye Xun said softly. She was very calm, as if she already knew she would run into Dai Qiang today, so she was well prepared.
Dai Qiang was taken aback, but immediately replied, "He's here!"
Ye Xun walked towards Yang Ke's bedroom, then suddenly turned back and asked Dai Qiang, "Did you and Meng Ya have a fight?"
Dai Qiang didn't understand Ye Xun's purpose in asking this question, so he could only nod affirmatively.
“Meng Ya came to see me!” Ye Xun said. “She said she wanted to resolve the conflict between you two, and I think you should have a proper talk!”
Ye Xun went into Yang Ke's bedroom, leaving Dai Qiang standing alone in the living room, somewhat bewildered. He could barely hear what Ye Xun had just said, and in a daze, he seemed to realize that he had lost a great deal. Yang Ke and Ye Xun quickly came out of the bedroom, but they didn't disturb his continued contemplation of these tedious matters, as they soon went downstairs together, leaving Dai Qiang alone in the large living room.
"I just had a conversation with Dai Qiang in the living room!" Ye Xun said. She now trusted Yang Ke completely, perhaps because he often intervened between her and Dai Qiang to resolve their conflicts. "Although my tone was calm, my heart was heavy!"
“Emotional burdens are gradually unloaded!” Yang Ke said. “It’s much better to unload them than to carry them recklessly!”
The two strolled leisurely in the square in front of the school, chatting about topics outside of class, their demeanor reminiscent of a couple. Soon, a poster calling for entries for an advertising design competition caught their attention. They stood in front of the poster, reading it carefully and intently.
"So? Are you interested?" Ye Xun asked Yang Ke.
"Why are you asking me? I'm not good at this!" Yang Ke said. "You're the one studying advertising design!"
"Advertising is everywhere in our lives!" Ye Xun said. "Therefore, I believe that everyone has an independent set of advertising design ideas; the only difference is whether or not they are inspired!"
"So you're eager to try it out!"
Ye Xun nodded and asked, "Are you interested? I happen to be short of an assistant!"
"Let's risk our lives to accompany you!" Yang Ke exclaimed. "Maybe we can even win the grand prize!"
“Wrong!” Ye Xun said, “It’s not a ‘maybe,’ it’s a sure thing!”
“I don’t have that much motivation!” Yang Ke said. “Unless we can agree on the prize money distribution now, and preferably pay it out in advance!”
"Don't worry!" Ye Xun said, "I will take good care of them for you, so you don't need to worry about it!"
When Tong Tong returned to the dormitory, Ye Xun was packing her things, looking like she was going to camp out in the wild.
"Ye Xun, are you going out?" Tong Tong asked.
"Yes!" Ye Xun nodded.
"It's already dark, where can you go?"
"There's no other way! Yang Ke and I are participating in an advertising design competition together, and time is tight, so we have to work overtime!"
"You're going to Yang Ke's place!" Tong Tong's attention was immediately drawn to him. "How long are you going to stay there?"
"Who knows?" Ye Xun said while packing her things. "We only have this weekend left. If we don't finish by then, we won't be able to participate in the competition!"
Tong Tong stood there blankly, as if she was seriously thinking about something.
"Remember to turn off the balcony lights at night!" Ye Xun reminded her as she left.
"Wait!" Tong Tong called out to Ye Xun, snatched a bag from her hand, and said, "So many bags must be heavy, let me help you carry them!"
"You?" Ye Xun asked curiously, "You want to come with me?"
“That’s right!” Tong Tong nodded. “Maybe I can be of some help if I go!”
"The only thing you can do to help is make things worse!" Ye Xun said with a smile. "You're studying mechanical engineering, how can you possibly help?"
"Advertising is everywhere in our lives. It doesn't discriminate based on profession, region, or culture. Why can only you do it and I can't?" Tong Tong said indignantly. "Besides, I can also help you pour water, cook, and do things like that!"
"I think you want to go see Yang Ke!" Ye Xun said bluntly.
"So what if it is?" Seeing that she couldn't dodge the question, Tong Tong had no choice but to confess. "He's never there when I look for him, and he always says he's busy when I call him! I don't know if it's true or not!"
"After all that talk, only what I just said is true! You can go, but you can't cause trouble!"
"I promise!" Tong Tong urged, fearing things might change if they delayed, "Let's hurry up and go, or it'll be too late!"
Ye Xun shook her head helplessly and led Tong Tong downstairs.
"Ye Xun, you seem to be getting quite close to Yang Ke lately!" Tong Tong said warily, as if testing the waters.
"No!" Ye Xun understood the purpose of Tong Tong's question, so she said, "A gentleman does not take what others love. Don't worry, I won't fight you for it!"
"That's not what I meant at all!" Tong Tong said, her words contradicting her true feelings. "Someone like him wouldn't be picked up even if he were thrown on the street. Anyone who wants him can take him!"
"Really?" Ye Xun asked with a smile. "I might be the first to rush up and grab it!"
"Whatever!" Tong Tong said generously, feigning nonchalance. "Take it! It's not some rare treasure, and besides, I'm a gentleman who has never been greedy!"
Ye Xun and Tong Tong knocked on the door, and Yang Ke answered it.
"You brought so much stuff!" Yang Ke said, looking at Ye Xun's large bags. "You're not planning to stay here for an extended period, are you?"
“I brought even more!” Ye Xun said, and Tong Tong, who had been hiding to the side, jumped out.
"Why are you here?" Yang Ke asked.
"What's wrong? You're not welcome?" Tong Tong said angrily. "If you're not welcome, then leave! Do you think I came here willingly? I was forced to do hard labor!"
Tong Tong pushed her bag towards Yang Ke and turned to leave, but Yang Ke and Ye Xun just stood by laughing and no one came out to stop her.
"Yang Ke, the more you want me to leave, the less I'll leave! I'll make you furious!" Tong Tong said domineeringly, and went into the living room by herself. She sat down on the sofa and made a show of not wanting to leave.
Yang Ke and Ye Xun, standing at the door, looked at Tong Tong and smiled at each other.
"Where's Meow Meow?" Ye Xun asked. "I asked you to take care of it, you didn't lose it, did you?"
"He's sleeping in on my bed!" Yang Ke said. "Like master, like servant!"
"Yang Ke, I always thought your best skill was talking badly about others behind their backs, but I didn't expect you to be so audacious!"
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Chapter 24 A One-Night Stand
Updated: 2008-06-13 13:19:27 Words: 0
Ye Xun and Yang Ke played together in the living room, the kitten in her arms. Tong Tong watched them with a sour expression; she wanted to join in but couldn't, so she could only sulk alone. The door to the west bedroom opened, and Dai Qiang came out.
"Dai Qiang, you're here! Did I disturb you?" Ye Xun's smile vanished instantly. She could never be natural in front of Dai Qiang, perhaps because he still held a very important place in her heart.
"Let's all have dinner together tonight! I'm going downstairs to buy groceries!" Dai Qiang's manner of speaking was subtle, as if he were addressing both Yang Ke and Ye Xun.
"Great!" Yang Ke said with a smile, "This is the first time everyone has been able to get together like this!"
The four of them sat around the table for their first meal together. But almost none of them tasted anything. As they prepared dinner, they all sensed something was amiss. Compared to when they first got together, their relationship had undergone a subtle change, making the meal somewhat difficult for all of them.
"What are you all busy with?" Dai Qiang asked Yang Ke.
"Ye Xun and I want to participate in an advertising design competition!" Yang Ke said. "Time is tight, and we might have to disturb your rest tonight!"
"It's nothing! I don't remember anything after I lay down!" Dai Qiang said with a smile. "I hope you win the grand prize!"
Ye Xun used her chopsticks to put some food on Yang Ke's plate. Dai Qiang was taken aback, but Ye Xun's chopsticks quickly turned to his bowl.
"Eat more vegetables and try my cooking!" Ye Xun said calmly.
"And this too!" Tong Tong wasn't going to be left out, so she added some dishes for Yang Ke as well, and kept putting them on his plate several times.
Dai Qiang picked up his rice bowl and used his chopsticks to put the food in the bowl into his mouth and chewed it carefully. He couldn't taste any flavor at all. On the contrary, his throat felt choked and uncomfortable.
After dinner, Ye Xun and Yang Ke busied themselves in the living room, while Dai Qiang retreated to his bedroom. Only Tong Tong, restless and occasionally trying to stir things up, was quickly coaxed back to her bedroom by Yang Ke and Ye Xun. In the quiet night, despite the conversation in the living room, Dai Qiang could still occasionally hear Yang Ke and Ye Xun's laughter or arguments. Dai Qiang gently opened the door a crack and peered into the living room. Yang Ke and Ye Xun sat close together, gesturing on the same piece of paper. Their expressions of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness changed dramatically, but every expression was filled with focused concentration—a concentration that deeply pierced Dai Qiang's heart.
The phone rang, its colorful screen flashing in the darkness. It was a text message: Let's have a good talk, okay? At "Weixiangyuan," tomorrow at 3 PM! Meng Ya.
Dai Qiang threw his phone onto the bed and lay down listlessly. This was a crossroads in his life, and he wondered which way he should go.
In another bedroom, Tong Tong was also unable to calm down for a long time. She was watching the living room closely, just like Dai Qiang. Tong Tong went out a few times, but Yang Ke and Ye Xun chased her back each time. The last time she was chased back to the bedroom, Tong Tong herself was confused. She didn't even understand what her purpose was in coming here. Was it just to cause trouble?
Ye Xun had told Tong Tong that she wouldn't compete with her for Yang Ke, and although Ye Xun's tone was joking, Tong Tong believed her wholeheartedly because Ye Xun was her best friend. But when Yang Ke and Ye Xun got together, Tong Tong always felt they were a couple, especially tonight, this feeling inexplicably intensified in her heart. Tong Tong paced restlessly in the bedroom. The voices outside the door were low and indistinct, but they still attracted Tong Tong's attention. Every sound made her nerves tense to the point of near breakage.
Tong Tong finally broke down soon after; she collapsed onto the bed and couldn't get up again...
Dai Qiang woke up around noon. He stepped out of his bedroom; the living room was quiet. Yang Ke and Ye Xun had finally finished their entry after a busy night. Dai Qiang looked around the living room. Yang Ke was asleep on the sofa, and various tools—paper, pens…—were hastily tidied up around the sofa. Dai Qiang suddenly noticed the bowls and chopsticks on the table. He couldn't bear to imagine Yang Ke and Ye Xun eating breakfast together. There was no one else in the living room then; what would they be talking about?
As Dai Qiang busied himself washing up, the question continued to plague him. Sitting in the bar opposite "Wei Xiang Yuan," he sipped coffee, the dark liquid, bittersweet and seemingly capable of clearing his head and helping him contemplate these complex issues. Dai Qiang and Meng Ya had arranged to meet at 3 PM, but Meng Ya arrived at 2 PM, so they moved their meeting time forward by an hour and changed the location from "Wei Xiang Yuan" to the bar. However, this extra hour brought them nothing, as they remained silent throughout.