"Cheng, you silly girl! Why are you laughing like that? It's disgusting!"
"What?! What did you say?! That's the perfect smile! You're the one with terrible taste, and you still have the nerve to criticize me!"
"You're clearly just stupid, but you'll never admit it! Who mixed up the ginseng and the sweet potato just now?"
"You also confused garlic and daffodils! What's so great about that..."
"My mistake was a misconception, yours was a mistake of common sense; we're on different levels!"
"What level are you at! You're wrong, you're wrong! Stop making excuses!"
"you……"
As the warm, golden autumn sunlight fell to the ground, it wasn't just the afterglow of the sun that filled the air, but also the sounds of their usual bickering. However, it seemed that they had both forgotten their clasped hands, which remained intertwined, tracing a perfect arc in the air, much like a red thread tied together...
fool
Horrible! Absolutely terrifying!
Su Ying, the secretary-general of Youluo Girls' High School, known as the "Female Zhuge Liang," is now facing the most terrifying situation she has encountered in her short seventeen years of life. Of course, this is real, not a dream!
Cheng Yongxin has gone mad!
To be precise, Cheng Yongxin's current behavior is definitely outside the realm of "abnormal" and is utterly incomprehensible!
If Cheng Yongxin's previous "hard work" was a prelude to madness, then Su Ying could definitely interpret her current behavior as "mentally unstable" in the present tense.
In the spacious student council office, Youluo and Nanzhan, the two student council presidents, sat at opposite corners of their rectangular desks, reviewing documents and occasionally exchanging quiet opinions. The afternoon autumn sunlight shone on them, casting a soft glow, just like the warm and peaceful atmosphere between them.
How is that possible!
Putting everything else aside, she knew Yongxin's temper all too well. Whenever she faced Jiang Haozhe, she would treat him like her father's killer, wishing she could chop him into eight pieces and leave his body to rot in the wilderness with salt to vent her anger! How could someone who hated Jiang Haozhe so much possibly sit peacefully with her mortal enemy, let alone sit and work together calmly!
What a tragedy—the first student council president in Yura's history has gone mad due to unbearable pressure!
Su Ying secretly wiped away her tears.
"Yong... Xin... Yong... Xin..." Su Ying regretted from the bottom of her heart that she shouldn't have pushed her so hard before. Now that Yong Xin was mentally unstable, how could she bear to let her continue working?
Cheng Yongxin stared blankly at Su Ying, who looked grief-stricken and devastated, not understanding why she looked so solemn. She raised her delicate eyebrows and pondered for a moment before smiling gently, "Xiao Ying, what's wrong? You look so pale. If you're not feeling well, you should ask for leave and go home. I'll approve it."
Waaaaah—Yongxin…how can you still be so good to her? She's a sinner…she has to go to confession! She absolutely must go to confession! May God forgive this sinner—
Wiping away her tears, Su Ying stumbled out of the office, leaving Cheng Yongxin and Jiang Haozhe staring at each other in bewilderment and confusion.
“You…you people from Youluo are really—special.” After coughing lightly, Jiang Haozhe hesitated for a while before finally choosing a word that wasn’t too hurtful.
"Maybe it's because I've been working too much lately and the pressure is too great," Cheng Yongxin shrugged, looking completely unconvinced.
With the school anniversary celebrations fast approaching, the workload at both schools has suddenly increased, placing an even heavier burden on the student council members. Currently, both schools are essentially using girls like boys and boys like animals. Su Ying's reaction is relatively mild; at most, she's considered mentally unstable, and at least she hasn't posed a threat to her own or others' safety. For example, a few days ago, Fang Yu finally couldn't take it anymore, yelling as he stormed out of the office and aggressively picked a fight with some street thugs. Both ended up injured and are still in the hospital. This is undoubtedly adding insult to injury for Youluo, which is already short-staffed. This is why Cheng Yongxin, instead of enjoying a beautiful Sunday, has to drag Jiang Haozhe to Youluo to work overtime.
Sigh—it's bad enough that I have to stay at school on a Sunday when I shouldn't be there, but to make matters worse, I have to be with this guy—looking up at the face in front of me that looks about 50% like the person I admire, Cheng Yongxin sighed inwardly.
Perhaps she was truly devastated by the news that Brother Jiang had a girlfriend, because now, facing this guy whom she once hated so much that she was almost ready to take action to get rid of him, her emotions were surprisingly calm, without the slightest ripple of emotion, only a stagnant calm.
"Hey, are you really going to give up on my brother?"
Cheng Yongxin looked up in surprise, somewhat at a loss for words at Jiang Haozhe's unexpected question. She stared at him blankly for a long time, opening and closing her lips several times before finally managing to squeeze out a few dry, withered words: "...why, why are you suddenly asking this?"
"I'm curious." Resting his chin on his hand, Jiang Haozhe lazily looked up at her, trying to create the impression that he was just "asking casually out of curiosity," even though he really wanted to ask and know the answer.
"Your boring curiosity is really strong..." Cheng Yongxin muttered to herself. Ever since she learned that Brother Jiang had a girlfriend at Yipinju, she had been in a passive-resistant attitude, not thinking about it, not considering it, and not even touching on it. She tried her best to do her duty as a student and her job as the student council president. She tried so hard to avoid it because she didn't want to face the fact that she had broken up with her boyfriend. She didn't expect him to bring it up so directly, and even ask it so bluntly.
"...Brother Jiang, I really like him." After thinking for a while, Cheng Yongxin slowly spoke, a faint smile on her face. It was not the "professional" smile she usually wore, but a genuine expression of her feelings. There was a hint of bitterness in the slight smile. Such a smile seemed particularly lonely in the desolate autumn air.
Jiang Haozhe was somewhat stunned. Of course, he knew that she liked his older brother, but he hadn't expected that her feelings for him would be so deep... Just as he himself hadn't expected that his feelings for her would be so intense...
That day at Yipinju, when she learned that her older brother had a girlfriend, her eyes were already red, but she had to put on a nonchalant smile and continue to chat and laugh with the people around her. He wanted to tell her, "Don't be like this..." but the words stuck in his throat again and again, and he couldn't say them.
He didn't know what he was thinking. She was heartbroken, which should have been a great opportunity for him, right? But why did he feel so guilty seeing her forced smile? Had he unintentionally hurt her?
Perhaps it was his subconscious selfishness at play; he knew all along that his older brother had a girlfriend, yet he had remained silent...
"Actually, even you think my feelings for Brother Jiang are just youthful infatuation, or perhaps an admiration for an older brother, right?" Cheng Yongxin smiled faintly and shook her head. "No, I know my own feelings better than anyone. If it were truly just a simple admiration, that would be wonderful. At least I wouldn't feel heartache or sadness now... Do you know what heartache feels like? It's like a thousand needles pricking the softest part of your heart. You want to cry but can't, you want to scream but can't. That's the most painful feeling... But—"
She smiled again, a self-deprecating laugh. "But now it really is time to give up, even though it's just unrequited love... even though my feelings will never be reciprocated. But I still hope that in the end, I can leave him with a good impression. A good girl knows when to advance and when to retreat. Since it's not meant to be mine, I might as well let go gracefully. At least, years later, if Brother Jiang remembers, he can say... she was a good girl, very sensible..."
It was such a strange feeling. She was clearly smiling, wasn't she? So why did her nose feel so uncomfortable, like she had caught a cold? The sorrow that she had been deliberately suppressing for so long suddenly surged up uncontrollably like a tidal wave, wave after wave, spreading and sweeping over her. Then, it seemed as if something fell from her eyes, blooming into a small water droplet on the spotless solid wood table, like a shard of broken glass...
A sudden, unfamiliar, warm touch came from her eyelashes. Cheng Yongxin looked up in a daze—it was Jiang Haozhe! His fingertips gently touched her eye sockets, as if to stop her tears. She stared at him blankly, her eyes blurred with tears, unable to see his expression clearly, only hearing his voice, low and soft, as if he had made an important decision—
"If you can't let go, don't force yourself to... No one knows the outcome until the very end, right?"
Cheng Yongxin stared wide-eyed in astonishment at Jiang Haozhe.
What did he mean? Could it be... that he was actually encouraging her not to give up so easily? Was he... was he comforting her?
How could this be! Jiang Haozhe, who only kicks someone when they're down, who only coldly smiles at her with sarcasm, who only looks at her with disdain and calls her "Cheng the Flower-Obsessed"... he's actually comforting her?
She stared blankly at him, and he gazed back at her in silence. The large office was quiet, with only the sound of their quiet breathing. Just as they were locked in this stalemate, the door was suddenly pushed open, and a gentle and pleasant male voice rang out.
"Xiao Zhe, Yong Xin, what are you doing?"
The two of them subconsciously looked up, and then froze in surprise.
"...Big brother?"
"Brother Jiang?"
Who else could it be but Jiang Chenjun? He wore a dark blue suit, the excellent tailoring highlighting his elegant temperament and extraordinary demeanor. His gentle, clear eyes, like the sea, held a hint of a smile, and in his arms lay a bouquet of vibrant, fiery red roses.
"Huh? You guys..." Jiang Chenjun was stunned as soon as he entered the room and saw his younger brother's hand resting on Cheng Yongxin's face, while Cheng Yongxin's eyes were red and she looked like she was about to cry. His expression suddenly darkened. "Xiao Zhe, what are you doing?"
On a Sunday at school, a boy and a girl were alone in a room, and Yongxin had that kind of expression. It wasn't that he didn't trust his younger brother and was deliberately trying to misunderstand, but what he saw was just too suspicious!
Cheng Yongxin was stunned for a moment before realizing that Jiang Haozhe's hand was still on her face. Her face immediately turned as red as a shrimp, and she hurriedly turned her face away. "Brother Jiang... you, you don't misunderstand. I... I suddenly got sand in my eye, so I asked Jiang Haozhe to help me wipe it..."
Really? Jiang Chenjun's eyes clearly showed doubt at Cheng Yongxin's explanation. He asked his younger brother with a suspicious look, but received a glare from Jiang Haozhe in response, "Yeah, she had sand in her eyes just now, so I blew it out for her. Do you think everyone is like you, with such wicked thoughts?"
This guy! He's getting less and less adorable as he gets older! Jiang Chenjun pouted unhappily. Since that's how it is, there's no point in pursuing it. With a slight smile, he revealed his purpose for today, "I happened to have something to do here. Xiao Zhe said you were at school today, so I came to see you."
"Is...is that so?" Faced with his gentle smile, Cheng Yongxin was nervously at a loss. Her resolve to give up wavered uncontrollably in the face of such a smile—her willpower was so weak! She couldn't resist such a little temptation! She cursed herself inwardly, then glanced at the bright red rose in Jiang Chenjun's hand and stammered:
"Um... Brother Jiang, these flowers are so beautiful... Are you... are you going to give these flowers to your girlfriend?"
Give up! She had already decided to give up! She told herself in her heart that no matter how charming Brother Jiang's smile was, or how much she had once been infatuated with him, he was already taken. Stealing someone else's girlfriend was the most shameless thing to do!
"Oh, you mean these flowers?" As if only then realizing the roses in his hand, Jiang Chenjun smiled slightly and generously handed them to Cheng Yongxin. "They're for you, Yongxin."
What?
Cheng Yongxin's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Jiang Chenjun, who stood before her with a gentle smile. Why would Brother Jiang suddenly—suddenly—give her flowers? And—and roses at that…
If it were just any ordinary rose, that would be fine, but... but these are roses! Flowers meant for lovers, how could Brother Jiang...
Not only was Cheng Yongxin too shocked to react, but even Jiang Haozhe abruptly stood up from his chair, staring at his brother in disbelief, "Big brother, you..."
What exactly is my brother up to? He's not stupid; he must know the meaning of roses. Why would he give Yongxin a flower with such a special meaning at this particular time?
"It's for Yongxin." Jiang Chenjun was a little confused by the sudden change in their expressions. "I asked a boy for directions at the school gate just now. After he heard that I was looking for Yongxin, he asked me to help pass this bouquet to her. What? Can't I accept these flowers?"
yeah?
Jiang Haozhe stood there stunned for a long time before finally reacting, staring blankly at Jiang Chenjun, "Big brother, you...you mean..."
Jiang Chenjun smiled slightly, "I was just a flower delivery boy, doing someone a favor, is there any surprise?"
I see--
As Jiang Haozhe breathed a sigh of relief, Cheng Yongxin's heart sank from elation. She knew it! How could Brother Jiang possibly send her flowers, let alone roses...
Fool! She cursed herself inwardly. Even at a time like this, she was still clinging to that hopeless hope!
"Big brother, the person who asked you to bring the flowers over, could it be..." Jiang Haozhe asked with a complicated expression.
"A tall boy, with hair about this long... very handsome. What? Is he an admirer of Yongxin?" Jiang Chenjun chuckled and gestured, teasingly looking at Cheng Yongxin who was standing there dumbfounded. "Yongxin seems to be quite popular, with admirers coming to her door!"
"It really is Mo Zijing!" Jiang Haozhe sighed helplessly. He didn't know what Mo Zijing was up to. Ever since their chance encounter on the street, he had been bombarding Cheng Yongxin with bouquets of roses almost every day. Even an idiot could see that he was pursuing Yongxin, but he couldn't understand Mo Zijing's intentions. The two of them hadn't had much contact, at most they had crossed paths because of the school anniversary. Mo Zijing's fervent behavior was really incomprehensible.
"It seems our Yongxin has really grown into a young lady." Jiang Chenjun suddenly felt a father's heart, a sense of relief mixed with a touch of sadness—after all, he had watched Yongxin grow up, caring for her like his own younger sister. Now, suddenly realizing that the girl who always followed him closely, calling him "Little Brother Chen," had grown up and had suitors, he felt a real sense of loneliness...
"...No...No way!" Cheng Yongxin suddenly raised her head, her bright eyes filled with seriousness. "Brother Jiang, that person was just teasing me for fun. I don't like him at all!"
"Yes, yes, yes, our Yongxin doesn't like her!" Jiang Chenjun took her strong denial as just a shy girl being embarrassed and chuckled it off. He didn't expect it to provoke Cheng Yongxin's strong dissatisfaction.
"I really, really, really don't like him! Brother Jiang! I have absolutely no feelings for him, please don't misunderstand!"
"Okay, okay, I don't misunderstand. Our Yongxin would never be interested in someone like that." Jiang Chenjun still smiled dismissively. "How about this, I'll treat Yongxin to lunch, as an apology from your brother Jiang?"
"Huh? Really?" The sudden surprise filled Cheng Yongxin with both shock and joy, but after the initial excitement came hesitation.
She had already made up her mind to completely give up on Brother Jiang and start a new life. She could no longer dwell on the past; she had to find her own future. She knew that continuing to struggle would be futile, but her heart, just because of his smile and his words, had begun to stir again. What should she do if things continued like this?
"What's wrong, Yongxin?" Jiang Chenjun looked at her with surprise, puzzled by her sudden serious expression, and ruffled her soft hair. "Are you feeling unwell?"
"Go if you want to, don't worry. I'll finish what you haven't done." Seeing her hesitation, Jiang Haozhe said indifferently, "Just go. Dragging your feet is not like the violent woman I know."
Jiang Haozhe? Cheng Yongxin looked up at him in surprise, but he had already sat down at his desk and started flipping through the mountain of documents, ignoring her.
"Huh? Isn't Xiao Zhe coming along?" Jiang Chenjun asked in surprise. Why not eat together?
"No need, I eat with you every day anyway, what's so special about it?" Jiang Haozhe raised an eyebrow, looking disgusted. "Besides, there's so much to do today, someone has to do it. You two go eat, don't worry about me."
"Alright... then." Jiang Chenjun didn't press the matter. He turned to Cheng Yongxin and smiled slightly, "Yongxin, let's go."
"Okay..." Cheng Yongxin nodded with a smile, took her coat off the hanger and put it on. As she was about to leave, she turned her head and looked at the figure sitting at the desk, writing furiously. She felt a little touched.
That guy—he stayed behind specifically to create an opportunity for her to be alone with Brother Jiang, so when he told her not to give up just now, he was really trying to comfort and encourage her…
A warm current seemed to flow through her heart. For the first time in her life, Cheng Yongxin felt that the guy she had always disliked was actually quite handsome.
"Jiang Haozhe, thank you."
Though the words were few, they came from the heart and were a sincere expression of gratitude.
Jiang Haozhe didn't even bother to lift his head, only waving his hand impatiently, as if telling her to get lost and stop bothering him while he was working. However, after the door closed, the head that had been buried in the pile of documents finally lifted up.
What else could he say? Seeing her like that, anyone would give up. She loved her older brother so much, wholeheartedly and devotedly. Since he could never express his feelings, he might as well stay by her side, protect her, and see her happy smile. Seeing her happiness would bring him satisfaction...
He was a fool, foolishly giving up his own chance and pushing the person he liked into someone else's arms. And wasn't she also a fool in love?