Qin Na swore that if she hadn’t shouted, and Yu Xiaoying hadn’t just turned to look, everyone would have remained calm—even if Tolas himself came, even if she were beaten to death, she wouldn’t have shouted.
“Ah—he, he!” Qin Na screamed.
“Tolas is here?” Yu Xiaoying laughed and turned to look—
The world stopped.
Yu Xiaoying stood there in a daze, her slightly long bangs covering her forehead, her eyes cold even when smiling, a proud nose like a noble’s, an upturned mouth… Tears instantly soaked her pale face.
Is it a dream?
She gripped her hand tightly, her nails digging into her palm—it hurt!
Perhaps only a few seconds, yet it felt like several centuries.
“Is… it Ji Ran?” Yu Xiaoying said with difficulty.
Qin Na covered her mouth, surprised at Yu Xiaoying’s transformation.
A male student walked by, smiling at a petite girl beside him, heading towards a motorcycle.
“Ji Ran!” Yu Xiaoying rushed over.
Is it a miracle?
“Ji Ran!” Small hands tremblingly grabbed his clothes. Ruan Zheng turned back in surprise—
Song Chu came downstairs to an alarming scene, his face turning pale.
Geng Yuyang frowned at Yu Xiaoyang, who had suddenly gone crazy, and quickly approached her, grabbing Qin Na. “What’s happening?”
“Ji… Ji Ran!” Oh my god, he looks so similar.
Ji Ran?
Geng Yuyang’s expression darkened.
…
A beautiful woman with tear-streaked cheeks looked on, her eyes burning with intense light.
“Ji Ran, is it you?”
The petite girl looked displeased. “Hey! You…”
“Ji Ran?” A handsome guy smirked, showing no recognition. “Don’t know you.”
Yu Xiaoying stared in disbelief.
“Classmate, you’ve got the wrong person,” he said flatly, holding onto his motorcycle and turning away.
The motorcycle drove off smoothly, the girl behind hugging the boy tightly.
“I was wrong again!” Yu Xiaoying slowly squatted down, burying her head in her knees.
“Not Ji Ran!”
Song Chu stepped in front of her.
“Tell me I’m dreaming?” She refused to believe it; his eyes, nose, and mouth were absolutely Ji Ran’s…
Song Chu felt a chilling coldness. The warm autumn air felt as frigid as Antarctica. He trembled slightly.
“I told you he’s not!”
Yu Xiaoying avoided his gaze.
Seeing her reaction tore at Song Chu’s heart. Had he been a mere replacement all along?
Unfortunately, he didn’t have a similar face. Disappointment and frustration struck his heart as long-suppressed emotions burst out.
He forcefully grabbed Yu Xiaoying from the ground. Seeing her tears, he desperately shook her, trying to wake her up.
“I’m telling you, he’s not Ji Ran! Ji Ran died long ago! The guy just looks like him! Damn it, you’re still crying for him!” He bit his lips, feeling a familiar, faint bloody taste in his mouth.
He hugged her tightly. “I’m sorry…”
Yu Xiaoying fell into a warm embrace and slowly opened her eyes.
“I’m sorry,” Song Chu murmured. “It was my fault. Are you angry that I haven’t been by your side? I was scared of falling deeper, even thinking about running away to avoid the pain of losing you again… We were already beyond redemption, right?” He hugged her tighter, warm liquid dripping onto her head. “Sorry, I just wanted to protect you; I was too selfish…”
Yu Xiaoying trembled lightly. Was she hurting him again? He was always gentle and sunny, yet he seemed so weak.
Guilt weighed on her heart, pain attacking in waves.
“Chu…”
“…?”
“Are we… suitable?” She looked at him through tearful eyes.
“Why am I always so selfish, so cold, so cruel to hurt you? Why are you still so tolerant?” She shook her head and stepped back from his embrace.
Song Chu looked at his empty arms.
“I hate myself!” Yu Xiaoying cried. “I really, really hate myself. I don’t want to disappoint others, but everyone ends up disappointed because of me…”
“Xiaoying!” Song Chu exclaimed, sounding pained.
“Sorry, Chu, when I see you, I think of Ji Ran. I…”
Yu Xiaoying turned and ran away.
The wind dried her tears, but new ones welled up.
Run away! Never see them again.
Geng Yuyang hesitated to reach out for her.
Song Chu remained blankly staring at her back, while Xue Zhi Zi and Qin Na cried beside him.
…
The classroom was empty without Yu Xiaoying. Her usual daydreaming seat remained vacant.
At home, a crystal photo frame of Ji Ran sat on the desk, collecting dust.
Qin Na had gone to MIX bar in search of her but found nothing.
When Xue Chui Zhizi pushed open the door, Geng Yaoyang sat on the floor, blankly staring at his guitar. A shoe belonging to Yu Xiaoying sat nearby.
Xue Chui Zhizi sat across from him, her face unusually serious.
“Everyone is looking for Xiaoyo.”
Geng Yaoyang shifted his gaze from the guitar to Zhizi’s face. “Ji Ran, is her British lover really dead?” he asked hoarsely.
“Yes,” Zhizi’s eyes reddened.
Geng Yaoyang felt that a dead person is naturally perfect. Was he going to battle a soul too?
“Do you think Song Chu is pitiful?” He felt the question was ridiculous, knowing he might end up like that, witnessing a sunny youth’s eyes dimming.
“Not pitiful,” Zhizi said seriously.
“…?”
“Didn’t you see Yu Xiaoyo’s hurt expression when she saw Song Chu? Seeing Song Chu was like seeing Ji Ran; he witnessed all of Yu Xiaoyo’s past. Song Chu was just… unfortunate.” She looked down.
Geng Yaoyang raised his eyebrows in surprise at this girl, who was usually prone to tears.
Seeing his expression, Xue Chui Zhizi blushed. “I’m just repeating what Yi Chen said. Is that wrong?”
Geng Yaoyang sighed in relief. “You know Lin Yi Chen?”
She glared at him reproachfully.
Geng Yaoyang stood up. “What are you doing?”
“Going out!”
“Going out… to do what?”
Geng Yaoyang looked at her incredulously.
Xue Chui Zhizi nervously swallowed. He was handsome but always fierce. She didn’t want such a fiancé.
“What are you doing with the guitar?”
“Playing!”
“Boom!”
“The door was slammed shut.
Outside, Geng Yaoyang silently counted, ‘1, 2, 3, what is there to be afraid of?’ He laughed, ‘It’s just a little girl.’
Lin Yi Chen looked at Yu Xiaoyo, who had been sitting by the window for days, silent except for eating and sleeping.
Suddenly, a figure caught her attention. It was Ji Ran, or a boy who looked much like him. A petite girl stood beside him, and they seemed to be saying goodbye. The boy kissed the girl’s forehead, and she happily bounced upstairs.
He seemed to sense something and looked up…
Yu Xiaoyo suddenly stood up and ran towards the door.
‘Don’t go!’ Lin Yi Chen grabbed her wrist, frowning.
Yu Xiaoyo coldly said, ‘Let go!’
‘If you weren’t Yu Xiaoyo, if you weren’t the one Song Chu deeply loved, I wouldn’t care if you jumped out the window. Don’t hurt Song Chu anymore,’ she didn’t let go.
Yu Xiaoyo stared at her, her pupils darkening with hostility. ‘You’re insulting Song Chu!’
She straightened her back and walked past Lin Yi Chen.
As she reached the door.
‘Xiaoyo!’
“
Lin Yi Chen fell to her knees, tears spilling down her thin face. She grabbed Yu Xiaoyo’s clothes, pleading, “Please, don’t go find that guy who looks like Ji Ran. Don’t hurt him anymore!”
Yu Xiaoyo turned slowly, her face pale. “If I don’t find him, will Song Chu be happy?”
Lin Yi Chen nodded vigorously.
“Will Song Chu be happy with me?”
Lin Yi Chen looked confused.
“So, if Song Chu is left with just a shell immersed in Ji Ran’s shadow—a Yu Xiaoyo who doesn’t know what she wants… Will he be happy?”
“I hate you,” Lin Yi Chen said slowly.
“I hate myself too,” Yu Xiaoyo said bitterly. “I hate that if I can’t make Song Chu happy, why did I steal his heart? I hate using Ji Ran’s death to punish him, exploiting his gentleness for warmth, and forgetting he’s a normal boy who can feel jealousy and sadness… I hate that I can’t make him happy…”
