Chapter 27 Part 2

Teacher Zhao was an elegant, immaculate old lady who lived in an old residential community just outside Ning University. Ji Xiunian knocked and entered to find a crowd gathered around her teacher, chatting. It took her a few seconds to collect herself before she greeted them with a smile. “Teacher Zhao.”

“Xiunian’s here! Come, come, sit over here with me.”

“Teacher Zhao, you really do play favorites. You loved Ji Xiunian best back then, and it’s still the same now.”

“Of course. I still remember when Ji Xiunian took first in my course.”

Teacher Zhao took Ji Xiunian’s hand and smiled at the man beside her. “This is… Xiao Zhen, isn’t it?”

The man was tall and handsome in a shirt and dress trousers. “Teacher Zhao, I can’t believe you still remember my name.”

“Naturally. Sit, sit. It’s been so many years since you’ve been back to Mingchuan.”

Someone nearby began to tease. “Aiya, Xiao Zhen! How come you arrived together with Ji Xiunian, hm? All these years later, and you still can’t get her out of your heart!”

“Oh, stop talking nonsense.” Xiao Zhen shot them a look, then said to Ji Xiunian, “They’re joking. Don’t take it seriously.”

Ji Xiunian nodded. “Don’t worry. I won’t.”

Xiao Zhen paused for a beat before smiling. “Then I’m relieved.”

He wanted to say more, but didn’t know how to begin.

All these years had passed. He had married and divorced, and still he thought of her—the untouchable girl of his youth.

He had meant to offer to drive her home after the gathering.

Now, seeing her again, he wanted so badly to ask… whether it might still be possible. Whether she might give him a chance.

The living room buzzed with noise. Zhou Lang came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of fruit, gave Xiao Zhen a meaningful look, and set the fruit platter on the table. “Teacher Zhao, everyone—have some fruit.”

Those present had vaguely heard the old rumors about Zhou Lang and Ji Xiunian… That Zhou Lang had loved Ji Xiunian one-sidedly, and, unable to win her, had even spread rumors that Ji Xiunian was involved improperly with someone else.

The affair had caused an uproar back then. Absurd at first hearing, perhaps—but on reflection, not so far-fetched:

—How clingy Zhou Lang had once been with Ji Xiunian was plain to everyone; and Zhou Lang’s proud, untamed temperament was equally well known. To say she’d done such things wasn’t entirely impossible.

Zhou Lang noticed the stares but paid them no mind at all. She handed a slice of melon first to Teacher Zhao, then held one out to Ji Xiunian. “Want some?”

Ji Xiunian had no wish to embarrass her in front of so many people, and took it. “Thank you.”

In an instant, everyone’s expressions turned fascinating. Word was that at Yan Yisheng’s dance party a while back, the two of them had shared a dance… Could it be they really had been together, once upon a time?

Teacher Zhao sipped her tea, her weathered eyes holding the wisdom of one who saw through everything. “All right, everyone—let’s eat.”

People rose in twos and threes, stepping forward to help the birthday celebrant along.

Zhou Lang lagged a step behind. Only when the others had mostly moved off did she draw near Ji Xiunian and say, in a flat voice, “Professor Ji. Your charm hasn’t faded, I see. All these years, and people still can’t stop thinking of you.”

Ji Xiunian glanced back at her.

She wondered, a little, why Zhou Lang had slipped into that snide tone again—but she didn’t ask.

Zhou Lang would say what Zhou Lang wanted to say; she couldn’t stop her anyway.

She only hoped the woman would hold her tongue today, just this once.

Talk at the dinner table inevitably turned to the past.

Remembering the bold, bright days of youth; sighing over how time had flown and slipped away.

Ji Xiunian kept her polite smile in place, eyes lowered.

As though listening intently—and as though she had long since stopped hearing.

It had been so very long since she’d seen her old teachers and classmates.

Because every time she saw them, she inevitably… thought of Zhou Lang.

She was lost in her thoughts when there came a sharp crack. She flinched back on instinct—just barely dodging a toppling wine glass. She’d moved in time; only a few drops of wine splashed her trousers.

Zhou Lang’s brow knitted, her bright, sharp gaze snapping to the culprit. “Chen Sisi. What do you think you’re doing?”

Chen Sisi wore a pale blue slip dress, thin and delicately pitiful under the lights. She bit her lip. “Ah… it was an accident. Xiao Zhen came over to talk, and I stood up to clink glasses with him, I…”

Zhou Lang said coldly, “You’re just that clumsy, are you?”

As if she hadn’t seen it perfectly clearly. Xiao Zhen had come over for Ji Xiunian. And Chen Sisi, who liked Xiao Zhen, had done it on purpose.

Her tone left much to be desired. Fortunately, Teacher Zhao had gone into the other room just then to take a phone call from her grandson offering birthday wishes. Ji Xiunian pressed a hand over hers and shook her head. “Zhou Lang. It’s a small thing. I’m fine.”

Zhou Lang had perhaps been about to say more, but the moment Ji Xiunian’s hand came to rest on hers, that invisible layer of frost about her seemed to thin, and the words died on her lips.

Several seconds passed before she seemed to come back to herself. “Oh. Then be more careful next time.”

Her tone was mild to the point of disbelief.

Ji Xiunian, too, realized she had acted on impulse—that the gesture had overstepped. She quickly withdrew her hand and, ill at ease, drank two cups of tea in a row.

Xiao Zhen stared blankly for a moment, then lowered his head and smiled.

The matter of Zhou Lang and Ji Xiunian… everyone believed it had been Zhou Lang’s one-sided love. But he didn’t think so.

Ji Xiunian seemed gentle with everyone, yet she never truly let anyone near. Only with Zhou Lang was it different. Once, on a camping trip, Ji Xiunian’s clothes had picked up a mass of tree burrs. She wouldn’t let anyone else touch them, and walked off to the side with Zhou Lang.

He still remembered the scene. Zhou Lang—so impatient with everything else—had sat facing the sunlight, picking the burrs out one by one, while Ji Xiunian glanced back at her from time to time, the corners of her mouth softening into a tender, shy smile.

Not to mention the open hostility Zhou Lang had always shown him.

Zhou Lang had never spoken kindly to him, yet he didn’t dislike her. She had saved his life. The night of that camping trip, he’d tumbled down a hillside. Everyone else said they should go down the mountain for help and come back in the morning. It was Zhou Lang who insisted on climbing down to find him. A vivid, willful young heiress—yet without a trace of arrogance in her, simple and open-hearted.

He had never once thought to compete with Zhou Lang.

He couldn’t win before. Now, it was probably the same.

Deflated, he stepped back into the circle of familiar classmates and took up his drink.

The dinner dragged on until very late.

Quite a few people were drunk. Zhou Lang hadn’t touched a drop today—apart from business functions where it couldn’t be avoided, she never drank at private gatherings. Now she stood with Ji Xiunian by the roadside, calling designated drivers for the drunken classmates.

Xiao Zhen was drunk too.

Chen Sisi hung on his arm, yet he insisted on coming over, eyes red as though he’d been crying, forcing a smile onto his face. “Ji—Ji Xiunian. There’s something I want to say to you.”

“Hm? What is it? You’re drunk. Whatever it is, tell me another day.”

“No—no need. Just a few words. It’ll be quick. Listen to me.”

Xiao Zhen pulled free of Chen Sisi’s arm. Drunk as he was, his eyes were clear. “Don’t worry. I’ll tell my cousin it was me who felt we weren’t suited, that I don’t want any further contact. I won’t cause you any trouble. You deserve someone better.”

Ji Xiunian blinked, then caught up—he was talking about today’s blind date. Suddenly she understood the look in his eyes, and her manner remained as courteous and distant as ever. “I see. Thank you. Get home safely.”

Chen Sisi shot her a resentful glare and led Xiao Zhen away.

Ji Xiunian glanced back at Zhou Lang.

Zhou Lang had overheard the entire exchange, and had said not a single word—perfectly quiet.

Ji Xiunian had never intended for her to hear about her private affairs, but since she had, there was nothing to do but try not to mind. It had only been a blind date she’d been forced into, after all—an unremarkable encounter that happened to include an old classmate.

And from the look of it now, Zhou Lang didn’t seem about to say anything either.

Ji Xiunian went back to hailing cars for her classmates.

By the time she’d seen the last one into a car and turned back, Zhou Lang was rubbing her temple, her expression unreadable. Ji Xiunian asked, “Zhou Lang, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

“No. I’m fine.”

“Mm. Well, it’s getting late. My car will be here any minute. You should go—drive carefully on the way back.”

Zhou Lang didn’t move from where she stood.

“Wait.” She stopped Ji Xiunian. “There’s something I want to ask you.”

Ji Xiunian paused. “Hm?”

The evening breeze was cool and gentle; the streetlight cast a dim yellow glow.

They looked at one another, each reflected in the other’s eyes.

Under the streetlight, Zhou Lang’s face was cold, the corners of her lips drawn tight, her eyes black and unfathomable—yet within them lurked something scorching and intense, flashing once like light on water before being pressed back down. She only stared at her, long and silent.

Ji Xiunian broke the silence first. “Zhou Lang? What is it?”

Zhou Lang looked away, blushing secretly in the night.

Her voice was a little hoarse. “Are you… looking for someone through matchmaking right now?”