Chapter 10: Tears Part 2

At the mention of Ji Yan’s name, Xu Yinian’s breath hitched reflexively. Not wanting Jiang Ke to worry, she simply shook her head.

“I’m fine. Ji Yan doesn’t actually live in the dorm.” After a pause, she asked, “You mentioned you went to the same international high school as her. Do you know much about her?”

Jiang Ke had mentioned this during their chat yesterday, but Xu Yinian hadn’t asked for details then, believing she would never have anything to do with a high-and-mighty socialite like Ji Yan.

Jiang Ke’s father was Xu Yinian’s distant cousin and ran a construction materials business. Although the Jiang family was established in the Capital and had one foot in wealthy circles, they couldn’t compare to the Ji family.

As the only daughter of the Ji main line and the sole granddaughter of the family patriarch, Ji Yan had been raised as the apple of everyone’s eye.

“Her? I didn’t know her that well back then. I just knew she was beautiful and had a nasty temper,” Jiang Ke said. “But my rival, Zhuang Yulan, likes her. Last night, Zhuang Yulan was going crazy on her social feed. Apparently, Ji Yan dumped her?”

“Actually, calling it ‘dumped’ is a stretch. I don’t think Ji Yan was ever even with her.” Jiang Ke showed no mercy when speaking about someone she disliked.

Xu Yinian’s chopsticks stopped mid-air. “Huh? Why do you say that? Didn’t she say herself yesterday that she was the girlfriend?”

“Don’t listen to her nonsense. Her fiancé is actually Ji Yan’s cousin. Besides, Ji Yan is famously hard to get. Who knows how many people she’s ruthlessly rejected?”

“But I… I heard Ji Yan changes girlfriends constantly?” Xu Yinian asked, confused by the descriptions of the “heartbreaker” in the original novel.

Jiang Ke shrugged. “I knew her before she went off to that art training intensive a year ago. Maybe she changed after that. Who knows?”

Fearing Jiang Ke might get suspicious, Xu Yinian didn’t dare ask more.

However, Jiang Ke looked at her in surprise. “I honestly thought you wouldn’t be so accepting of girls being together. Your mom was always so strict with you, and you’ve always been so old-fashioned.”

Xu Yinian didn’t know how to respond. If she hadn’t ended up inside this yuri novel, she might really have struggled to adapt so quickly.

“By the way… is your mom still giving you the silent treatment?” Since they were on the topic of the Xu family, Jiang Ke asked cautiously.

Xu Yinian shook her head and buried her face further into her food.

With the constant torment from the original plot over the last two days, she had almost forgotten her most pressing problems.

When she was filling out her university applications after the college entrance exams, Xu Yinian had gone behind her mother’s back. She had changed her major from the intended Mathematics to her dream of Chinese Literature. By the time the admission letter arrived, it was a done deal.

Her mother refused to accept it. She had tried to force her daughter to change majors, threatening to withhold all tuition and living expenses if she didn’t comply. They had been in a cold war ever since; her mother hadn’t even come to the Capital to see her off for the start of the semester.

Having no source of income, Xu Yinian had worked multiple part-time jobs over the summer just to scrape together enough for the first year’s tuition. Her living expenses for the first few months were a looming crisis, forcing her to borrow a sum from Jiang Ke’s parents.

She planned to pay them back as soon as the money from her new part-time jobs came in.

“Sis, you really don’t have to be so insistent on paying back that money,” Jiang Ke sighed. “I told you it’s fine…”

Xu Yinian offered a small, reassuring smile and shook her head. “You guys have already helped me so much. I’ll be fine once I find a part-time job. Don’t worry.”

I need to start looking for work soon, she thought with a sigh, knowing her university life was going to be anything but easy.

Before returning to the dorm, Xu Yinian insisted that Jiang Ke only walk her to the stairs, using the excuse that Jiang Ke had to get back for roll-call.

In reality, she was terrified that Shen Ruoshuang would be in the room.

The thought of facing her made her steps feel even heavier as she leaned against the wall for support.

Xu Yinian couldn’t understand it. Ji Yan had known Shen Ruoshuang was outside, yet she had deliberately put on that act. Does Ji Yan actually have feelings for Shen Ruoshuang or not?

Before she could reach a conclusion, she arrived at the door to Room 503.

The sun had set, but no light shone through the small ventilation window next to the door.

Maybe no one is in…

Even so, Xu Yinian held her breath nervously as she swiped her campus card.

With a beep, the door opened.

The room was indeed pitch black and silent.

Xu Yinian exhaled in relief. Seeing the light switch was a bit of a distance away, she closed the door first, planning to change into her slippers in the entryway before fumbling for the light in the dark.

Just as she navigated by memory and reached out to touch the switch, her hand was suddenly pressed down by something cold and damp.

A scream nearly tore from her throat. Her legs went weak with terror, and she almost collapsed.

But then, she was caught and pulled into a firm embrace. The scent of winter plum blossoms instantly filled her senses.

A familiar voice rang out, cold and sharp. “Don’t turn on the light.”

Beneath the biting frost of the voice, there was a faint, uncharacteristic nasality, giving the usually distant tone a touch of human vulnerability.

“Shen… Shen Ruoshuang?”

At that moment, Xu Yinian felt something more than just the cold hand on her own. Something wet and icy had brushed against her neck.

Xu Yinian froze in place as a realization dawned on her.

Shen Ruoshuang… was she crying?