"You really didn't know this?" Ma Jian clicked his tongue again, looking smug.
"Then tell me quickly, what is it? Maybe I know too," Zhang Tianliang said.
“Then I’ll say it.” Ma Jian coughed slightly, and the students around him fell silent, holding their breath. Seeing that the quiet atmosphere was exactly what he wanted, Ma Jian smiled and said, “There’s a girl in our class who likes Mu Jingyan.”
Tian Jing was secretly pleased, wondering if the girl Ma Jian mentioned was Ruolin. Since they had both secretly loved each other, what was there to hide now? Perhaps breaking the ice would make everything clear, and they might even become a perfect match, just as Zhang Tianliang had said. Sure enough, even if she didn't say anything, someone else would. Tian Jing turned to look at Ruolin and found her looking completely bewildered.
"There are plenty of girls who like Mu Jingyan, it's not surprising," Zhang Tianliang said dismissively.
"But there aren't many girls who would take the initiative to write love letters to Mu Jingyan, are there?" Ma Jian said.
"A love letter? Who wrote it?" Everyone immediately became interested and asked with shining eyes.
"Actually, I don't know who wrote it, because the love letter wasn't signed at the end. I wonder if it was one of the girls here." Ma Jian looked at the group of girls present.
Ruolin lowered her head guiltily upon hearing this. But she comforted herself, telling herself that he was talking about a love letter, and her note was so subtle and brief, at most a few words of confession, it couldn't really be called a love letter, could it?
Tian Jing was taken aback; she didn't even know who Ma Jian was. She wondered, but she wasn't in a hurry to speak.
"You didn't just make this up, did you? How could you write a love letter without signing it?" Zhang Tianliang asked, puzzled.
"Do I really need to make this up? Once, you all went out to play basketball, and I was the only boy left in the classroom doing a deep self-criticism. Didn't I get into a fight with Zhang Zhen from the next class? The homeroom teacher punished me by making me write a 3,000-word self-criticism. Writing is never my strong suit, and it was so tiring for me! After finishing the self-criticism, when I was about to go out to play, I passed by Mu Jingyan's seat and saw a note on the ground. It not only contained a heartfelt confession to Mu Jingyan, but also the time and place for a date. But..." Ma Jian scratched his head, a little embarrassed to continue.
"But what?" everyone pressed.
"However, since I had just finished writing a self-criticism and was in a bad mood, and I was also jealous of how popular Mu Jingyan was with girls, I tore up that note and threw it in the trash can," Ma Jian said embarrassedly.
"Ma Jian, you're really despicable!" a classmate said, standing up for Mu Jingyan.
After hearing this, Ruolin finally understood the real reason why Mu Jingyan hadn't come that day. At that time, she had made many guesses, such as that he didn't like her and that's why he didn't come, or that he didn't want to delay her studies and that's why he didn't come. However, among all the guesses, she never thought of this one.
The feelings of unrequited love remained only in her memories. Although Ruolin recalled them as clearly as yesterday, they were now just a past that could never be returned to. Her heart churned, filled with a myriad of emotions.
If she had been with him sooner, her love life wouldn't have been so bumpy and complicated, right? She wouldn't have gone through that blind date, wouldn't have met Han Haoxuan, and wouldn't have had that brief experience of falling in love with Han Haoxuan and then breaking up. However, there are never "ifs" in this world, only "buts."
However, she never regretted meeting Han Haoxuan and falling in love with him, even though the ending was so irreversible.
She had also wondered what the problem was between her and Han Haoxuan, why she couldn't convince herself to accept him. Was it fear that being with him would place too much unbearable burden on her life? He was like a golden fruit hanging high on a tree, and she was like a child below, wanting to eat the fruit but feeling it was too far away, and that climbing to pick it would lead to a fall. Too many things separated them—family, ex-girlfriend, distrust, lies.
These are all barriers that cannot be skipped on the road from love to marriage.
She lacked confidence in herself; she felt she couldn't overcome the obstacles, as her family and ex-girlfriend alone had already left her breathless.
"Ma Jian really knows how to make up stories." Zhang Tianliang smiled, not quite believing Ma Jian's words.
Everyone laughed along, when suddenly a voice rang out, saying, "It's true that there was a girl who always liked Mu Jingyan and even wrote him love letters."
The laughter stopped abruptly as everyone looked at Tian Jing. Ruolin was also immediately jolted back to reality from her memories of the conflict between herself and Han Haoxuan. She was startled and nudged Tian Jing with her elbow, signaling her not to reveal anything.
However, Tian Jing ignored Ruolin. She was focused on facilitating a good match. She pointed to Ruolin beside her and said with a smile, "The girl who likes Mu Jingyan writing love letters to her is Shen Ruolin. I can testify to that."
Ruolin had nowhere to hide anymore, and the smile on her face became somewhat stiff.
She glanced up at Mu Jingyan and found him looking at her too. His eyes softened, and a faint smile played on his lips—a smile of rare contentment. Ruolin quickly lowered her head, staring at the bowl and chopsticks in front of her, her mind a jumble of emotions. Wasn't today someone else's wedding? Why was everyone's attention focused on her and Mu Jingyan? She was quite troubled.
“Let’s hear what Ruolin has to say. Look at her, she still looks embarrassed,” Wang Mengmeng said with a smile.
"I..." Ruolin didn't know what to say for a moment. She forced a smile and said after a while, "These are all old stories, so let's not bring them up again."
"Oh dear, look how embarrassed we've made her blush." Zhang Tianliang started to egg her on, and then everyone joined in the commotion. Some even got up to switch seats with Mu Jingyan, making sure he sat next to Ruolin.
The commotion finally stopped when Li Guangyuan spoke up. Seeing the situation, he couldn't help but say, "Is today my wedding banquet or your heckling party? Why don't you stop talking? Look at the wine in front of you. You've been talking so much that you're not even drinking. Let's see who talked the most. Now we'll punish them."
"Ah?" Zhang Tianliang let out a soft cry of distress, and involuntarily lowered his head, fearing that others would drag him into the nomination list. In fact, he was not only nominated but also directly shortlisted.
The banquet then became lively, with toasts and laughter filling the air.
When it was time for the bride and groom to drink the nuptial wine, the scene was even more lively. Amidst the boisterous chatter of the crowd, Wang Mengmeng became a little shy, gazing tenderly at Li Guangyuan with the bashful expression of a young girl experiencing the first stirrings of love. Then, without prior arrangement, the two of them crossed their arms and placed their wine glasses in front of each other.
Seeing how loving and sweet the two of them looked, some clever person suggested that Mu Jingyan and Shen Ruolin also have a drink. Ruolin was stunned when she heard this. How could that classmate have come up with such a thing? A toast is a ceremony for married couples. What were she and Mu Jingyan?
The group of old classmates didn't let them off the hook. Almost everyone gave a reason for them to do it. Under the persistent pleading of their classmates, Ruolin had no choice but to give in.
At first, Ruolin kept making excuses and refusing, but to no avail. Mu Jingyan, standing to the side, remained silent. She kept trying to signal to Mu Jingyan with her eyes, but Mu Jingyan couldn't speak, and even if he could, he couldn't out-talk so many people. Finally, she thought, "It's just drinking a nuptial cup! It won't kill anyone, so let's drink it."
The two picked up their wine glasses and crossed their arms. Ruolin's eyes were somewhat dazed as she stared at their intertwined arms. She felt it looked a little awkward, like entwined vines.
Ruolin hesitated, holding her wine glass, while Mu Jingyan had already raised his elbow and started drinking from his glass. Ruolin had no choice but to lower her head and drink as well. Mu Jingyan was quite tall, and as he bent down slightly, his face was so close to Ruolin's that he could even feel the warmth of her cheek and her soft breathing.
Ruolin wasn't a big drinker. After taking a small sip, she looked up at Mu Jingyan. Under the light, the contours of his face were exceptionally clear, as if they had been carefully sculpted. Ruolin stared at his eyes without wavering, as if she had returned to her high school days. She was still the same person she used to be, looking at the boy she liked, her heart fluttering slightly.
When Mu Jingyan raised his eyes, his gaze met Ruolin's. He removed his cup, a smile appearing on his lips, as if he didn't mind them drinking from the same cup at all, his eyes seemingly sparkling with countless points of light.
Ruolin suddenly snapped out of her daze, gave an awkward smile, and moved the cup away.
The atmosphere suddenly became very lively, and someone even joked with them, saying, "When are you going to invite us to your wedding?"
Ruolin blushed at what was said and was almost speechless. She looked at Mu Jingyan, but he seemed indifferent. No matter what others said, he just smiled and ignored them without arguing with them.
It wasn't until the bride and groom went to the next table to toast the guests and the dishes were served one after another that everyone began to shift their attention from Mu Jingyan and Ruolin to the food.
Publication Announcement of "Waiting for the Eternity of a Moment"
Publication Announcement of "Waiting for the Eternity of a Moment"
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"Waiting for the Eternity of a Moment" has been published by International Culture Publishing Company and is available in major Xinhua bookstores, private bookstores, Dangdang, Amazon China, and 99read. (See below for a detailed list of bookstores.)
List of published books under the "Butterfly Season" women's romance brand of International Culture Publishing Company:
Youthful romance, urban romance series
Paper Marriage, by Ye Xuan, Price: 28.00 yuan
"Waiting for the Eternity of a Moment" by Warm Breeze / Price: 28.00 yuan
"Self-Inflicted Trauma" by Piao A Xi / Price: 28.00 yuan
"The Forgotten Time" by Qing Shan Luo Tuo / Price: 25.00 yuan
"Unspoken Meaning" by Qingkong Lanxi / Price: 25.00 yuan
"Daydreaming" by Hua Qingchen / Price: 28.00 yuan
"Words of Wisdom" by Mu Fusheng, Price: 25.00 yuan
"Through All the Days of Getting Lost in Youth" by Mu Fei, Price: 25.00 yuan
"Just Ordinary Things" by Xinwen, Price: 25.00 yuan
Farewell Song by Ye Xuan. Price: 39.80 yuan (two volumes).
Let Us Exile Our Sorrow (by Fei Yan, priced at 39.80 yuan, two volumes)
"Wandering Fire" by Shiba Zimo, Price: 26.80 yuan
"Rosemary" by Shiba Zimo / Price: 25.00 yuan
"I Can't Hear the Sound of Falling Flowers" by Shiba Zimo, Price: 25.00 yuan
"Good Times Are Hard to Come By" by Qingkong Lanxi / Price: 24.80 yuan
"Meeting at the End of the Road" by Qingkong Lanxi / Price: 25.00 yuan
So Far, Yet So Near Author: Qingkong Lanxi / Price: 25.00 yuan
"Waiting for the Flowers to Bloom" Warm Breeze / Price: 25.00 yuan
Waiting for the Flowers to Bloom [Final Chapter] Warm Breeze / Price: 25.00 yuan
"Looking Up at Happiness" (Warm Breeze / Price: 25.00 yuan)
Why Hold Hands and Ask About the Passing Years? By Mingyue Biezhi / Price: 25.00 yuan
"Passing By, Hurriedly" by Piao Axi / Price: 28.00 yuan
Youth Turns to Ashes by Liu Ruyan / Price: 25.00 yuan
"Spring Comes After the Snow Melts" by Mu Fei, Price: 25.00 yuan
"I Love Anxin" by Jinghong, priced at 25.00 yuan.
"Antique Style" Series
"Beauty by My Side, Flowers in Full Bloom" by Hua Qingchen, Price: 49.80 yuan (Two volumes)
"A Tragic Love Affair in the Qing Palace: Drunken Breeze" by Ye Zi, priced at 24.80 yuan.
"The Drunken Breeze: The Final Chapter of a Tragic Romance in the Qing Dynasty" by Ye Zi, priced at 24.80 yuan.
Palace Intrigue: The Green Rose Sky by Liu Ruyan. Price: 48.00 yuan (two volumes).
"The Qing Palace: The Final Chapter of Love and Despair" by Xiaoyue Tingfeng, priced at 26.80 yuan.
The Lover, by Wen Zijun, Price: 26.80 yuan
Upcoming publications:
"Centripetal Revolution" by Hua Qingchen / Price: 25.00 yuan
"Love to the Point of Forgetting Myself is Happiness" (originally titled "Simple Love") by Wei Xiaotao. Price: 28.00 yuan.
"When Love Comes Again" by Qing Shan Luo Tuo / Price: 25.00 yuan
My Upright and Just Magistrate, by Wei Xiaotao, Price: 39.80 yuan (Two volumes)
"Firework Perm" by Shibazi Mo / Price: 28.00 yuan
"Twilight and Dawn" by Qingkong Lanxi / Price: 25.00 yuan
How Can I Bear This? (An upgraded version of "Blind Man, I Really Love You") by Mu Fusheng. Price: 25.00 yuan
"Meeting Another One" by LOLO / Price: 25.00 yuan
"Wisteria" by Qianxun Qianxun / Price: 28.00 yuan
Available at Xinhua bookstores nationwide, as well as Dangdang and Amazon China.
Beijing
Beijing Jiayu Book Co., Ltd. 010-65915955 13801350535 No. 105, Jia, Tianshuiyuan Book Market, Chaoyang District, Beijing