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“Fear?”
He seemed somewhat perplexed, a common reaction men have when trying to understand women.
“Just...” She didn’t know how to explain it well and could only speak her thoughts as they came. “...You’ve known each other for a long time, much longer than we’ve known each other...”
“Childhood friends... and she likes you.”
“She’s... very beautiful...”
“Her family background is good too.”
“She’s in the same major as you, and now you even share the same advisor...”
“Her family and your family probably know each other well...”
“I...”
“...I don’t have any of that.”
...Why was she being so honest?
She had managed to hold back before, but now, under his questioning, she completely broke down and blurted out everything—how could this be? Her fragile heart was fully exposed, and he would surely see through her deep-rooted insecurity. He might find it amusing or feel burdened. He—
“But I like you.”
He interrupted her chaotic thoughts, every word clear and distinct.
“...She’s just a friend.”
Ah.
“Like.”
It was the first time he had said those two words to her—after she had cried and said them twice, after countless kisses in the dark of the movie theater. It felt a little late...
And yet... perhaps it was just in time.
“Really?” But she still doubted, wanting further confirmation. “...Are you sure you’re not mistaken?”
“Of course,” his brows furrowed, as if he couldn’t understand why she would ask such a question. “I wouldn’t be with someone I don’t like.”
“But you’ll see her often,” she fidgeted, revealing more and more of her insecurities. “Didn’t you meet during the summer...?”
“Summer?” He raised an eyebrow.
“In July,” she reminded him, almost down to the exact date. “And Secretary Hong... you had dinner together.”
This hint was so specific that it left no room for forgetfulness. He paused, then connected the dots—her sudden return to school in mid-August, the way she had cried in his arms that night. Finally, everything clicked into place.
“So back then...” He rubbed his temples, sighing deeply. “Meeting her was for specific reasons, not because of anything else.”
“She said she wanted Professor Jia as her advisor, but he had mentioned before that he didn’t plan to take on new students. So she and her mother asked me to help make the request—Professor Jia hasn’t decided whether to accept her yet. The final decision about advisors will be next semester. For now, she’s just attending a few small group classes...”
...So that was it.
Which meant Tang Fei might not necessarily always attend classes with him in the future?
The situation was much better than what she had imagined. She felt somewhat comforted, but instinctively resisted admitting it. In a small voice, she muttered, “But... but...”
“But what?”
It didn’t make sense.
She awkwardly lowered her head, but soon found herself pulled into her boyfriend’s embrace again. His warm hug felt like a tranquil lake, and she was a little fish just learning how to swim.
“It’s my fault. I should have explained earlier,” he gently stroked her hair, his touch soft. “I’ll know better next time.”
She pouted secretly, her arms unconsciously wrapping around his waist. Her voice was still muffled. “Know what?”
“To let my girlfriend know before meeting other girls,” his voice carried a hint of amusement. “Otherwise, she’ll feel hurt.”
Sigh.
Once again, her heart melted into a pool of water.
“I wasn’t hurt...”
She was stubborn, using phrases that only elementary school kids would use—”I didn’t cry,” “I didn’t want candy,” “I wasn’t mad at you playing with other kids.”
“Alright, you weren’t,” he humored her, placing another gentle kiss on her forehead. “Should I still tell you beforehand next time?”
“Of course!”
Hearing that, she immediately wriggled out of his embrace, her eyes wide as she looked at him.
“You can’t meet others casually! Especially not Senior Tang Fei or Secretary Hong!”
As soon as she finished speaking, she saw him smile. The gray-blue light of dusk reflected in his eyes, making them look even more like beautiful stars. Only then did she realize he was teasing her, enjoying the sight of her jealousy.
...How mischievous.
She didn’t want to talk to him anymore and turned to run away, but he laughed and pulled her back. As he embraced her again, he slowly leaned down and kissed her. His warm breath left her dizzy, and even her fingertips tingled.
“I won’t do anything to hurt you...”
Every word he spoke hooked her, his whispered promises like a spell.
“...Trust me.”
“Trust.”
For adults stepping into society, it was a word akin to fantasy. But for someone newly in love, it felt tangible and real. She didn’t have the strength to resist his words. Though unease still lingered in her heart, she chose to suppress it and believe him.
In the end, it proved he hadn’t lied. Sincerity and focus were among his many virtues, and he had done well from start to finish. However, some outcomes... couldn’t be maintained simply by “doing well.”
On Saturday, Xiao Zhi sent Yin Mengxi a message saying he had something to do and would be going home for a bit, returning to school in the evening to have dinner with her. At the time, she wanted to ask what exactly he was doing, but hesitated, fearing it might seem overstepping. So she simply replied with an “Okay” and didn’t ask further.
After putting down her phone, she turned to Min Rui, who was still lying in bed binge-watching dramas, and asked if she wanted to go shopping together. Miss Min snorted sarcastically, “Oh, you remember me now? Why don’t you go find your dear Xiao Zhi?”
“He’s going home today and will only be back in the evening...” Yin Mengxi’s face flushed slightly as she confessed honestly. “Let’s go out and play? Maybe buy some clothes?”
“You only hang out with me when he’s not around? Am I your backup plan?” Min Rui’s nose nearly flared with indignation. “No way! Do you know how high-maintenance I am?”
“Come on,” Yin Mengxi sat cutely by her bedside, tugging at Min Rui’s sleeve. “I’ll treat you to egg waffles.”
Min Rui: “Hmph!”
Min Rui: “...”
Min Rui: “Which mall?”
And so, the two shopped from ten in the morning until three in the afternoon, skipping lunch and each eating a bag of egg waffles along the way.
“Wow, Yin Mengxi, you’re really stepping up your game,” Min Rui teased, eyeing the three or four shopping bags in Yin Mengxi’s hands. “Did you hit the jackpot? Buying so much in one go?”
How could she have hit the jackpot? It was all from the four thousand yuan she’d earned over the summer. Less than a month back at school, and she’d already spent more than half of it. Her mindset hadn’t expanded; if anything, it had narrowed. Buying clothes wasn’t entirely about pleasing herself anymore—it was partly about competing with Tang Fei.
—Well, maybe “competing” wasn’t the right word. She just didn’t want to feel inferior. After all, the day she saw Tang Fei, the other girl had been stunning—her clothes, makeup, accessories... everything was impeccable. She needed to work hard to close the gap, just like how she used to improve her weaker subjects in high school by practicing relentlessly.
“Not really, just bought a few random things...”
She tried to hide her ulterior motives and decided to stop buying. But just then, she turned her head and spotted a familiar piece of clothing in a store window. It was displayed prominently on a mannequin in the bright center of the shop—the exact dress Tang Fei had worn on Thursday.
Drawn by the sight, she froze in place. Some strange impulse urged her to check out the dress, leaving Min Rui beside her stunned. “What? You’re actually going into that store...? Did you win the lottery or something?”
Yin Mengxi didn’t even respond. She drifted dreamily into the store and asked a salesperson about the price. The response was polite but blunt: “Hello, miss. This is one of our new seasonal items, launched simultaneously in Europe. The price is 6,980 yuan.”
She: “...”
After leaving the store, her mood inevitably sank.
6,980...
Over the summer, she had worked tirelessly tutoring four children for over a month, earning just 4,000 yuan. If she relied solely on her parents’ allowance, she’d need six or seven months of saving—not eating or drinking—to afford that dress. And Tang Fei...
For the first time, the raw disparity between people was laid bare before Yin Mengxi. Perhaps there comes a moment in life when a student suddenly realizes the unfairness of the world. She had to acknowledge it, recognize it, and accept it—even if its cruelty dealt a heavy blow to her and all her hard work. She had to smile through her wounds and calmly tell younger kids: “It’s normal. This is society.”
Min Rui, unaware of the full story, assumed her roommate was just upset because she couldn’t afford the dress she liked. So she consoled her, saying, “It’s okay, sis. If you can’t afford it, you can’t afford it. How many people can buy from that brand anyway? We can find a cheap knockoff online—I’ll find you one for 298 yuan in five minutes.”
Yin Mengxi forced a smile and said nothing. Seeing her still looking dejected, Min Rui changed tactics and teased, “If all else fails, drag your Xiao Zhi here next time. Isn’t his family rich? Buying clothes for his girlfriend should be the least he can do, right?”
Ah.
Yin Mengxi blinked, feeling another void open in her heart. She asked, “His family... is very wealthy?”
She only knew that his mother was a professor in the university’s history department—middle-class, she assumed. “Very wealthy”? Did that mean more than middle-class?
“Seems so. I heard his father is a businessman in the cultural industry,” Min Rui shrugged. “Dealing with collections, exhibitions, publishing, investments—that kind of thing. They must be quite rich.”
Frowning slightly, she added with a chuckle, “Why are you asking me? You’re his girlfriend. Haven’t you investigated his family background?”
...Investigate?
What right did she have?
A girl from a small town, without even a big-city hukou, unsure where she’d go after graduation—what kind of job could she find? How much money could she earn? When could she afford a house or a car? Everything was unknown.
Even if his family was merely middle-class, she already found it incredibly difficult to keep up. But if they were truly as wealthy as rumored...
...What could she possibly do to be worthy of him?
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