"You still came!" Ye Xun said to Tong Tong with a smile.
Tong Tong was taken aback and asked Ye Xun, "You guys also arranged to eat here?"
Before Ye Xun could answer, Yang Ke and Dai Qiang had already entered the restaurant, chatting and laughing. She forgot everything, and her eyes were only on Dai Qiang.
Dai Qiang also saw Ye Xun. He didn't say anything, turned around and left the restaurant. Ye Xun called out and chased after him.
Yang Ke was stunned; this sudden turn of events left him speechless for a moment.
"Dai Qiang, is that someone you brought?" Tong Tong asked, staring at Yang Ke.
“Yes! What are they doing…” Yang Ke was completely baffled.
“Dai Qiang is Ye Xun’s boyfriend, and they just broke up!” Tong Tong sighed.
"How...how did you know?" Yang Ke asked in surprise.
“That’s easy!” Tong Tong said. “I’m Ye Xun’s roommate!”
Yang Ke stamped his foot, turned around, and chased after him.
This world is too small; people are constantly bumping around, trying to escape its confines, but they all get caught in the vortex. Yang Ke inadvertently brought together a heartbroken couple. He also brought together a group of friends who already knew each other using unfamiliar communication methods. He didn't know if what he was doing was right or wrong.
Regardless of the outcome, this scene was enough to make Yang Ke feel embarrassed and ashamed.
"Dai Qiang!" Ye Xun caught up with Dai Qiang and blocked his way. "Is there really no way for us to salvage this relationship?"
"What's the point of taking this back?" Dai Qiang questioned. "Haven't we already made everything clear?"
"What have we made clear?" Ye Xun retorted. "We haven't even had a chance to meet in over a month. What have we talked about?"
"Then there's absolutely nothing we can talk about!"
Dai Qiang left, ignoring the weeping Ye Xun. Yang Ke, who had been standing at a distance, finally walked over; he had been hesitating there for a long time.
"Ye Xun, I'm so sorry!" Yang Ke stammered, his voice filled with panic. "The world is too small. I really didn't know you and Dai Qiang..."
Ye Xun waved her hand, trying her best to suppress her tears, but she couldn't say a word.
"Come sit at my place!" Yang Ke said. He just wanted to do something for Ye Xun, and now he only felt apologetic towards her. "Dai Qiang might come back tonight!"
Accompanied by Yang Ke and Tong Tong, Ye Xun entered Yang Ke's house again. She should have been familiar with it, but a different atmosphere made her feel strange, and there was something indescribable that made her feel constrained. Night fell quickly, but Dai Qiang still hadn't returned. Ye Xun had already guessed that Dai Qiang wouldn't be coming back tonight; she knew him too well. For some reason, this outcome made her abandon her tension and inexplicably relax, seemingly without any disappointment or frustration.
The room was very quiet. Yang Ke remained silent the whole time. Only Tong Tong, who was filled with excitement, couldn't contain herself and started dancing every now and then. The friend that Yang Ke mentioned, whom he said he had "just met recently," was a complete misunderstanding. It was like a bubble in the sunlight, which burst the moment it took shape.
"Dai Qiang might not be back tonight!" Yang Ke said softly. "You guys stay here tonight, I'll go back to school alone!"
Yang Ke was about to leave when Ye Xun called him back.
"You'd better not leave tonight. How can we take your spot?"
Yang Ke thought for a moment and said, "Okay then, you guys sleep inside, I'll sleep in the living room!"
Night flowed into the living room through the window, plunging it into darkness. A dim lamp cast a milky white hue, making the room resemble a gray-toned oil painting—quiet, peaceful, and serene. Yang Ke and Ye Xun sat motionless on the same sofa, watching every piece of furniture reflect the soft light. They had become one with the scene, like two beautiful sculptures.
"Take it easy!" Yang Ke said softly. "Maybe everything will become clear after dawn!"
"Really?" Ye Xun questioned. "I feel like I'm walking step by step into the darkness, but I can never see the light!"
“Of course it will!” Yang Ke said. “Don’t night and day alternate? There can’t be an eternal night!”
Ye Xun turned her head to look at Yang Ke, seemingly not understanding what he was saying.
"The road of love is never a smooth one. Isn't that how it's portrayed in movies and scripts? The more setbacks there are between two people, the more fulfilling the outcome often will be!"
Ye Xun was somewhat skeptical of the comfort Yang Ke offered. Would she and Dai Qiang really be like that?
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Chapter 009 Stealing the Marriage Bracelet
Updated: 2008-04-16 23:15:36 Words: 0
“Sure…” Yang Ke said hesitantly, “Could you tell me your story? If you don’t mind, maybe I can help in some way!”
Tong Tong was jumping around in her bedroom, sometimes tossing and turning on the bed. Yang Ke and Ye Xun's conversation would occasionally drift in from outside the door, disturbing her mood. Tong Tong didn't want Yang Ke to have a private and intimate conversation with any girl, but she couldn't be sure if that included her best friend Ye Xun. So the contradiction kept bothering her, tempting her to open the door from time to time and sneak a few glances into the living room.
"Everything is still within my expectations and control!" Tong Tong comforted herself.
Suddenly, Tong Tong remembered the bracelet. She opened the drawer and took it out. The bracelet had been repaired, and the repair was flawless. Tong Tong was secretly delighted. She put the bracelet on her wrist and lay on the bed admiring it.
"...And so, we've relied on and cared for each other since we were little. I really don't know what kind of future I would have if I lost him one day!"
Yang Ke froze, staring at Ye Xun. Tears welled in her eyes, each tear reflecting a silvery light in the gray living room, like a pearl. Yet, Ye Xun herself didn't know how to cherish such pearls. Yang Ke vaguely sensed that there was no love between Ye Xun and Dai Qiang; perhaps it was more of a familial bond, or even just friendship. It was more of an unspoken responsibility, seemingly without any attachment or lingering affection. Perhaps even if they weathered this storm, they would face another test. But how could Yang Ke confirm this suspicion? Or how could he tell Ye Xun?
"Yang Ke, what's wrong?" Ye Xun asked.
"It's nothing!" Yang Ke said, "I was just too engrossed in listening!"
Yang Ke felt he should remain silent. He knew too little about love, and he couldn't use his limited understanding to criticize Ye Xun. That would be the behavior of a quack doctor, and it would ruin someone else's happiness.
"It's too late, go to sleep!" Yang Ke said. "Everything will be alright tomorrow!"
Ye Xun returned to the bedroom. Tong Tong was already asleep. She turned off the light, got into bed in the dark, and lay down, not wanting to get up again. Exhaustion and sadness overwhelmed her, banishing any sleepiness. Ye Xun stared at the ceiling, the day's events flashing through her mind like an endless dream. After what seemed like an eternity, Tong Tong woke up and softly called Ye Xun's name twice, but Ye Xun, with her back to Tong Tong, didn't answer. In the darkness, she sensed Tong Tong get out of bed and leave the bedroom.
The dim light in the living room was still on, seemingly much brighter in the late night. Yang Ke was fast asleep on the sofa, his peaceful face radiant in the lamplight. Tong Tong went to the sofa, picked up the blanket that had fallen to the floor, covered Yang Ke up again, and then squatted down beside him, smiling sweetly at his peaceful face.
Ye Xun watched everything unfolding in the living room without moving. Tong Tong's smiles filled Ye Xun with both jealousy and envy, and tears streamed down her face again...
The morning breeze, cool and damp like a sea breeze, billowed the curtains, then drifted into the living room, gently brushing against Yang Ke's face. Yang Ke opened his eyes and stretched lazily on the sofa. Dai Qiang's bedroom door was ajar, and he could faintly hear noises inside. Yang Ke got off the sofa and quietly entered Dai Qiang's bedroom. Ye Xun was standing by the window, looking out.
"Good morning!" Ye Xun heard footsteps, turned around and greeted Yang Ke.
"Did you sleep well last night?" Yang Ke asked.
Ye Xun nodded and said, "Thank you!"
Yang Ke suddenly noticed a bracelet on Ye Xun's hand, and he immediately realized something.
"Wait a minute, I've got something for you!"
Yang Ke pushed the bedroom door open a crack and, seeing that Tong Tong was still fast asleep, quietly went in. He opened the drawer but was surprised to find that the bracelet inside was gone, and his heart immediately tightened.
"I clearly put it here, how could it be gone?" Yang Ke muttered to himself.
The noise startled Tong Tong, who was lying in bed. She turned over in her sleep, and Yang Ke nervously closed his eyes. He had essentially trespassed into a girl's bedroom and would be misunderstood as having ulterior motives. After a while, Tong Tong's panting returned. Yang Ke slowly turned his head and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Tong Tong was still fast asleep. Suddenly, Yang Ke noticed that Tong Tong was wearing the bracelet on her wrist, so he tiptoed to the bedside. With his eyes half-closed and his arms clenched like a rabbit's, Yang Ke carefully brought Tong Tong's arm to the bedside. He struggled quite a bit to get the bracelet. Yang Ke quietly left the bedroom, calming his pounding heart.
"I think this should be yours!" Yang Ke handed the bracelet to Ye Xun.
Ye Xun was startled. She took the bracelet and examined it closely. It was indeed hers, so she asked curiously, "How did it end up with you?"
"Have you forgotten that night at Tianyi Pavilion? You bumped into me when you rushed down from Tianyi Pavilion that night, and later I found this bracelet on the ground. Yesterday, when I was repairing this bracelet, Dai Qiang also saw it. From his focused expression, I guessed that this bracelet must be yours, and it makes a pair with the bracelet you're holding!"
"Was it you who put tissues on my desk that night?" Ye Xun asked.
Yang Ke nodded.
"Thank you!" Ye Xun was a little disappointed. She had thought that she had seen Dai Qiang that night, but it turned out not to be him.
Tong Tong yawned and sat up in bed. She opened her eyes and rubbed them, then suddenly realized that her bracelet was gone and screamed.
"What's wrong?" Ye Xun rushed into the room and asked.
"Hand..." Tong Tong stopped speaking and lied, "A mouse, I saw a mouse!"
Ye Xun screamed and jumped onto the bed, hugging Tong Tong tightly, trembling as she asked, "Where is it? Where is the mouse?"
As soon as the door opened, Yang Ke rushed in and asked, "What's wrong? What happened?"
"Tong Tong said she saw a mouse!" Ye Xun said timidly.
Yang Ke breathed a long sigh of relief and asked, "Where is it? I'll catch it!"
"I don't know!" Tong Tong said guiltily, "Maybe it ran to the living room!"
Only after hearing Tong Tong's words did Ye Xun dare to get out of bed. She picked up a shoe and hid behind Yang Ke, then went into the living room with him. Tong Tong turned the pillows and blankets upside down, searching both under and on the bed, but couldn't find the bracelet. She anxiously scratched her head, her long hair becoming a tangled mess.
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Chapter 010 The Rooftop Appointment
Updated: 2008-04-17 23:50:55 Words: 0
"What should I do? What should I do?" Tong Tong paced anxiously. "If he finds out, he'll kill me. That was a gift from his girlfriend!"
"Girlfriend?" Tong Tong seemed to suddenly realize something. She grabbed a pillow and slammed it hard on the bed. "You damn Yang Ke, you stinky Yang Ke, the bracelet is gone! Let's see what you're going to do now, let's see how you explain this!"
Ye Xun and Yang Ke searched the living room for a long time but couldn't find a trace of the mouse. Only then did Ye Xun relax. As soon as the bedroom door opened, Tong Tong came out.
"Ye Xun, let's go!" Tong Tong planned to make a quick getaway before the truth came out.
"Didn't you plan to stay here for a long time?" Ye Xun said.
"I didn't!" Tong Tong retorted. "I think you just don't want to leave! Besides, we have class today!"
"Alright then!" Yang Ke said, "You can come often in the future!"
"Definitely! Definitely!" Tong Tong said with a smile.
After Tong Tong stepped out of the building, she let out a long sigh of relief and said, "Finally escaped! Yang Ke is in big trouble now. As soon as they break up, I'll be..."
"What's wrong with you today? You're acting all strange!" Ye Xun said.
"Where did I do that?" Tong Tong retorted, unconvinced. "I'm perfectly normal!"
Sunlight streamed through the fresh air, bringing a sense of immense comfort and ease. Ye Xun stretched out her arms and took a deep breath, revealing a delicate bracelet that shimmered in the sunlight.
Tong Tong screamed, grabbed Ye Xun's wrist, stared at the bracelet, and asked, "How did this bracelet end up with you?"
"Yang Ke gave it to me!" Ye Xun twirled her arm in the sunlight, the bracelet shimmering brilliantly before her eyes.
A surge of jealousy welled up in Tong Tong's heart. She pouted and said, "I don't believe it! This bracelet was on my wrist yesterday, but it's gone this morning. You must have used it to trick me!"
"Ah! I understand!" Ye Xun suddenly realized. "No wonder you were in such a hurry to leave. You thought you had caused trouble and that's why you rushed to run away! So the story about the rats earlier was just a lie!"
"No way!" Tong Tong retorted. "What's so special about a bracelet? Would it kill someone if it were lost?"
"Do you want to know why he gave me this bracelet?" Ye Xun asked.
Tong Tong wanted to know, but said, "Say what you want, it's just a bracelet! I don't care!"