CS - 57

By the time Lin Zhexia finished washing up, Lan Xiaoxue and the others had returned from their campus tour.

When her roommates pushed open the door, Lin Zhexia was already in her pajamas, sitting on her bed talking to Lin He on the phone.

She first reported to Lin He about the situation at her new school.

On the other end of the line, Lin He said: “Alright, take care of yourself when you’re out. You’re alone at Lian University, so your Uncle Wei and I worry easily.”

Lin Zhexia said: “Mom.”

Lin He: “Hmm?”

“I’m not alone at Lian University.”

She paused, then added: “Chi Yao is here too.”

Lin He was also surprised: “He’s attending Lian University as well?”

Lin Zhexia made a small sound of affirmation.

Lin He: “I really haven’t heard him mention that. After he moved away, we didn’t keep in touch much. It’s my fault; how could I forget to check on him before the exam? What major did he choose? Given his grades, he must have chosen the best program. Next time you see him, congratulate him for me.”

Lin Zhexia thought to herself: Not just you, she hadn’t dared to ask either: “It’s the most prestigious program at our school.”

At this point, she finally said: “My roommates are back, so I’ll hang up now.”

After hanging up, she noticed Lan Xiaoxue and the others neatly sitting in a row opposite her, as if they were ready to interrogate her.

Lin Zhexia felt a bit nervous: “... Did you finish touring? Was it fun around here?”

Lan Xiaoxue interrupted: “Don’t avoid the topic.”

Lin Zhexia: “...”

Lan Xiaoxue: “Tell us about your boyfriend’s story.”

No.

Why were they referring to Chi Yao in increasingly strange ways???

Just an hour ago, he was still being called “older brother.”

She already found the term “older brother” unacceptable, and now it had jumped to “boyfriend.”

Lin Zhexia busily denied it, her ears turning red: “No, he’s not my boyfriend. Earlier at the bar, he just said it casually. We’re just childhood friends who grew up together.”

Lan Xiaoxue didn’t believe her at all. She pulled up the contact she had just added, clicked on the cat-head profile picture, and shoved it in front of her: “Let’s not talk about him publicly claiming to be your older brother. Look at this profile picture—what do you think?”

Lin Zhexia: “... I think it’s just a WeChat profile picture.”

“...”

Lan Xiaoxue was speechless. She hinted: “Today, how many people in the whole school wanted to add him, but no one succeeded except us because we’re your roommates.”

Under Lin Zhexia’s vehement denial, Lan Xiaoxue and the others stopped questioning her further.

Besides, the dormitory was about to cut off power soon, so they were busy taking turns washing up.

At ten o’clock sharp, the dormitory lights went out and the power was cut.

Lying on her unfamiliar bunk in the dormitory, Lin Zhexia truly felt that her surroundings were entirely new.

She, Chi Yao, and He Yang had grown up and left Nanxiang Street where they had lived since childhood.

They would no longer rush out of their homes with backpacks, call a few childhood friends, and start walking to school from the street sign of Nanxiang Street.

Instead, they were entering a brand-new world.

A world that bid farewell to Nanxiang Street and gradually to their youthful years.

Before sleeping, Lin Zhexia hesitated whether to chat with Chi Yao.

Her finger had just tapped on the cat-head profile picture that Chi Yao had used for many years when Lan Xiaoxue’s words from earlier popped into her mind.

It definitely wasn’t like that.

Lin Zhexia didn’t dare to have any expectations.

...

Anyway, it definitely wasn’t what they thought.

Chi Yao wasn’t good at socializing. Moreover, she was in university now, so it was normal for him to symbolically add her roommates. In case something happened and he couldn’t find her, having her roommates as contacts would make it easier to reach her. So adding them as friends was quite reasonable.

After all, at Lian University, currently, only he and she could look out for each other.

While she was hesitating, a new message appeared in the chat box.

Chi Yao sent a message first.

There were only three simple words in the chat box.

• Can’t sleep

This was very unlike Chi Yao to say.

Because the words “can’t sleep” seemed to show some deliberate vulnerability.

Lin Zhexia replied: What time did you go to bed last night?

Chi Mou: Around three in the morning.

Lin Zhexia: ...

So late.

Cuddled in her blanket, Lin Zhexia carefully typed: Lie down on your bed for a while, close your eyes, and maybe you’ll fall asleep soon.

Chi Yao responded with a question mark.

Chi Mou: ?

After the question mark, he added: If I remember correctly, someone confiscated my cigarettes before leaving.

• That person

• Took them and doesn’t plan to care anymore.

“...”

Lin Zhexia’s face became slightly flushed under his accusatory tone.

She slowly typed: But if I call, my roommates are already asleep...

Two seconds later, she deleted that message.

Finally, she sent: Then let’s call, but my roommates are asleep, so I can only text.

Almost instantly after she sent it, a voice call came through from the other side.

Lin Zhexia quickly found her earphones, plugged them in, held her breath, and pressed to answer.

On Chi Yao’s side, it was quite noisy. The boys’ dormitory was lively even after lights out, with various entertainment activities going on. From the chaotic background noise, it sounded like they were playing games, and someone shouted, “Don’t use your ultimate yet.”

Lin Zhexia heard his voice coming from the other end of the phone: “Are you asleep?”

Lin Zhexia typed her response: Hmm.

“Then sleep,” he said. “Leave the call connected and put it aside.”

Lin Zhexia: I’m not very sleepy yet.

She continued texting him: How many people are in your dormitory?

“Four.”

Lin Zhexia: So few.

“Hmm.”

Lin Zhexia thought that since Chi Yao had added her roommates, she should reciprocate: “I... should also add them as friends. In case something happens and I can’t reach you, I can contact them.”

She assumed Chi Yao would definitely not refuse.

But unexpectedly, Chi Yao didn’t even think before saying: “They don’t have phones.”

Lin Zhexia: ………

“Underprivileged students,” Chi Yao explained. “Try to understand.”

Was she an idiot?

She could clearly hear someone shouting, “Why did you slow down your ultimate?” and another voice calling out, “Clear the mid-lane.”

Lin Zhexia was speechless. She furiously typed on her screen: I don’t want to stay on the call with you anymore.

• It’s draining my battery.

• Let’s just hang up.

On Chi Yao’s side, there was a rustling sound, followed by the sound of a sliding door opening. Then she heard a faint cicada chirp, realizing that Chi Yao must have gone to the dormitory balcony.

Then she heard him say: “Alright, give me back my cigarettes.”

“…”

Lin Zhexia had to endure humiliation.

She shamelessly retracted the few messages she had just typed.

[You withdrew a message] [You withdrew a message] [You withdrew a message]

After retracting the messages, she reorganized her thoughts: I think it’s pretty nice to stay on the call with you. No one is allowed to hang up tonight.

Chi Yao let out a familiar soft scoff on the other end of the line.

At this moment, Lan Xiaoxue softly called her: “Xia Xia.”

Lin Zhexia poked her head out from under the blanket: “Hmm?”

Lan Xiaoxue didn’t know she was on the phone and purely wanted to share some gossip: “I just saw you on the school confession wall. I’ll send it to you. It seems like a boy from your major and class met you during freshman registration and is asking who you are.”

“…”

Lin Zhexia was momentarily stunned, first feeling embarrassed: “You don’t need to send it to me.”

Lan Xiaoxue: “I’ve already sent it. It’s fine; just take a look when you have time.”

The dormitory fell silent again.

Only then did Lin Zhexia belatedly realize she was still on the call with Chi Yao.

She wasn’t sure if Chi Yao had heard.

It was a bit embarrassing for these nighttime girl talks to be overheard by a guy.

She quietly listened to the other end of the line, finding that Chi Yao wasn’t speaking. After waiting for a while, she guessed he probably hadn’t heard.

Otherwise, this person would definitely find a chance to mock her.

After a brief silence, Lin Zhexia felt sleepy, her consciousness growing increasingly hazy, and the messages she sent began to have typos. Chi Yao seemed to notice this, so he stopped chatting with her. Eventually, they simply listened to each other’s shallow breathing through the earpiece.

After a while, Lin Zhexia heard a “Good night.”

In that good night from Chi Yao, she drifted off into a deep sleep.

Before her consciousness completely faded, she vaguely thought that something between her and Chi Yao seemed different.

After starting university, Chi Yao’s attitude towards her seemed different from high school, with subtle differences she couldn’t quite explain.

But as the person involved, it was hard for her to see clearly what exactly this difference was.

On the other side, in the boys’ dormitory.

Chi Yao stood on the balcony for a while, confirming that Lin Zhexia had fallen asleep. Before pulling the balcony door open to enter the dormitory, he quietly ended the call.

Compared to his issue of “not being able to sleep,”

The real purpose of this call was actually his concern that Lin Zhexia might not adapt well to the new environment.

After all, it was her first time away from home, and she might not be used to sleeping at night.

He walked back into the dormitory, where it was very noisy. These guys were playing games while discussing: “—Do any of you know any girls we can add? There were too many restrictions in high school, but now that we’re in college, I think learning in college isn’t just about knowledge; learning interpersonal skills is also important.”

Another person said: “If you want to date, just say it. You don’t need to elevate it to the level of ‘interpersonal skills.’”

“…”

As they discussed this, seeing Chi Yao come out, someone steered the topic towards him: “Getting contacts is simple. Here’s one right here. As long as he’s willing, he could probably add every girl in the school. Then you can slowly pick from his contact list.”

Chi Yao didn’t speak, just glared at them. After less than half a day together, these roommates had already figured out his temperament, so they quickly changed their approach: “Or how about this: you put your WeChat ID out there, saying you’re Chi Yao’s roommate, and many people will flock to you.”

“People coming is an opportunity. Who cares who they initially came for? Enemies can become friends; nothing is impossible.”

The dormitory was pitch black.

Chi Yao didn’t participate in the discussion but directly bypassed them, sitting on the chair by the bed to reply to messages from others.

Chi Hanshan, Bai Qin, Xu Ting, and…

Chi Yao scrolled down the contact list and only then noticed He Yang buried under the flood of messages.

He Yang’s messages had been ignored for months.

He Yang: Bro He Yang: About filling out the application, I’m going to Lianyun Normal University. What do you plan to fill out? He Yang: Are you staying in Jing City or returning to Lianyun? He Yang: … He Yang: Are you still alive?

Chi Yao replied with two words: Lian University.

He Yang responded quickly with a long string of ellipses: ……………

Then he immediately called.

“You still remember me,” He Yang complained on the other end of the line. “I thought I had become a corpse in your contact list. Either you’re dead, or I am.”

Chi Yao said: “I’ve been too busy lately and haven’t seen it.”

He Yang insisted on stabbing himself: “You didn’t see my sister’s messages either?”

“…”

“My messages aren’t messages!” Having known each other for years, He Yang deduced the answer from Chi Yao’s brief silence, thinking that even if you like her, you shouldn’t treat us so differently. “Her messages get replies!”

Chi Yao changed the subject: “Let’s have dinner tomorrow.”

He Yang immediately climbed up: “I want to eat something expensive.”

Chi Yao’s temple twitched: “Alright.”

Night deepened.

Chi Yao’s craving for cigarettes surfaced, and he subconsciously wanted to go to the balcony for a smoke. When he returned to the balcony, he realized half a beat later that he had already voluntarily handed over his cigarettes.

So he cracked his knuckles, suppressing the craving, and suddenly said: “Let me ask you something.”

—I just saw you on the school confession wall.

The casual words from Lin Zhexia’s roommate during the call resurfaced.

A deeply hidden thought also surfaced along with it, harder to bear than the craving for cigarettes because it had been buried for so long and so deeply. The following words were not easy for him to say. He struggled to say: “...What kind of person do you think Lin Zhexia would like?”

He Yang was also on the dormitory balcony, feeling the breeze. He thought: Should I pretend I don’t know, or pretend I don’t know?

He really regretted it.

He regretted why he pushed open that door on the day Chi Yao left.

He Yang ran through various responses in his mind and finally chose one that sounded most like “I don’t know”: “I’m not sure. She hasn’t dated anyone. How would I know? But why are you suddenly asking this?”

Why.

Chi Yao leaned against the balcony railing and asked himself.

Listening to the various sounds coming from other dormitory windows, he thought there were many reasons.

Neither he nor Lin Zhexia were immature and restricted high school students anymore.

They had stepped out of the constraints and academic pressures, gaining the right to face more life challenges.

What they needed to learn in the future wasn’t just academics but many other things.

……

But more importantly than this reason.

The more crucial reason was the separation over the past year.

Before Chi Hanshan’s incident and his separation from Lin Zhexia, he thought that hiding his feelings would ensure their relationship remained error-free, without deviation, and wouldn’t change due to his “liking.”

And certainly not lose her because he crossed the line.

But the reality was that despite his efforts to maintain this relationship, they couldn’t continue walking together as they did in childhood.

Between him and Lin Zhexia, their lives could diverge at any moment.

Even the closest relationships.

Just one step forward by the gears of fate, and they would immediately undergo unpredictable and uncontrollable changes.

He didn’t want to experience such changes again.

When fate’s next arbitrary change occurred, he wanted to have the standing and qualification to remain by her side.

“So…” Chi Yao didn’t elaborate much with He Yang. After hanging up, he lowered his eyes and whispered to himself, “It’s not such a big deal if I pursue her, right?”