Give Me Heartthrobs 3

Chapter 3: Misunderstanding

After lunch, Tang Xiao returned to his dorm alone, while Tang Tang accompanied Ye Qizhen back to her dorm to unpack and organize. There was still a pile of daily necessities to buy, enough to keep them busy for half the day.

Once they were done, Ye Qizhen treated Tang Tang to something at a dessert shop outside the school.

“Are your parents still angry with you about your major?”

“No,” Ye Qizhen smiled lightly.

Initially, Ye Qizhen’s parents hadn’t approved of her choosing journalism, feeling the family lacked connections and background in that field. Because of this, she had a significant conflict with her family. In the end, she insisted on filling in Journalism as her major. Outwardly, she had a soft personality and was easy to talk to, but deep down she was stubborn. When she wanted to do something, she would fight for it and never compromise easily.

Tang Tang felt that Ye Qizhen was well-suited for this major; she was rational yet empathetic. Tang Tang often joked that the media industry needed talents like her.

“Stubborn. If they weren’t angry, wouldn’t they have accompanied you today?” Tang Tang saw through her. “To have the heart to let you come alone.”

“The hospital is busy, you know that,” Ye Qizhen said with her head down. Although the corners of her mouth held a smile, a trace of gloom flashed in her eyes. She put a spoonful of tiramisu into her mouth; this shop’s taste wasn’t very good, it was too bitter.

Tang Tang was a straight shooter. “Oh, but when your sister went abroad, crossing mountains and seas, they somehow found the time to see her off.”

At the mention of “your sister,” Ye Qizhen looked as if a sore spot had been pricked. But when she looked up at Tang Tang again, the smile on her face remained. “They just happened to have time then.”

Tang Tang squeezed out an extremely helpless expression. She didn’t know if Ye Qizhen truly didn’t care or was just pretending. But having grown up together, she knew Ye Qizhen had been like this since childhood, taking everything in stride.

“Student Ye, I still have to congratulate you on getting into the Journalism Department as you wished. Come on, cheers.” Tang Tang changed to a happier topic, forcefully adopting a drinking posture with a cup of milk tea.

Ye Qizhen cooperated with Tang Tang and clinked cups with her.

Tang Tang took a fierce gulp of iced milk tea, then rested her chin on her hand and gazed at Ye Qizhen, saying leisurely, “Sigh, now that we’re in college, we can date.”

“Did you go to college just to date?” Ye Qizhen asked in return.

“You’re not going to be obsessed with studying like in high school, are you? Now that you’re in college, if you meet someone you have feelings for, don’t reject them,” Tang Tang wondered aloud. So many boys had chased Ye Qizhen in high school, yet surprisingly, not a single one had made her heart flutter.

Outside the window, the sky turned gloomy, and the cicadas continued their noise.

Ye Qizhen also rested her chin on her hand, stirring the ice cubes in her juice with a straw. On a whim, she asked Tang Tang, “Sweetie, what does ‘having feelings’ feel like?”

Tang Tang had the right to speak on this matter. She and her boyfriend had mutual affection in high school, and as soon as the college entrance exam ended, they established a relationship.

“You really haven’t had an awakening yet?” Tang Tang thought for a moment and said something that sounded reasonable but was essentially nonsense. “How should I put it? You’ll know when you meet them.”

Ye Qizhen smiled. She was a little curious—what was a heart flutter like? Tang Tang said the basketball court was the easiest place to find a heart flutter. She passed by the basketball court every few days, occasionally glancing at the boys playing, but didn’t feel any flutter. She only felt that the smell of sweat on them after playing was unpleasant.

“This little girl is so sweet and caring, I wonder who will get lucky in the future,” Tang Tang said, taking the opportunity to touch Ye Qizhen’s chin. “Hey, what do you think of Tang Xiao? Want to consider becoming my sister-in-law?”

Ye Qizhen dodged in disgust. “Be serious.”

While they were joking around, Tang Tang’s phone rang. She answered, “I’m busy, why are you rushing me?”

Hearing Tang Tang’s tone, Ye Qizhen knew it was her boyfriend calling. She gave Tang Tang a meaningful smile; it was hard to imagine the usually carefree Tang Tang having such a gentle and coquettish moment.

After hanging up with a few sentences, Tang Tang rarely showed a shy expression. She smiled and asked Ye Qizhen, “What are you laughing at?”

Ye Qizhen looked innocent: “Nothing.”

“Envious?” Tang Tang said brazenly. “There are a lot of handsome guys at Li Changlan’s school. What type do you like? I’ll keep an eye out for you.”

Li Changlan was Tang Tang’s boyfriend, studying at the University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, which was famous for having many high-quality handsome guys. Tang Tang knew that Ye Qizhen was beautiful and had good grades, so her standards definitely wouldn’t be low.

“Stop worrying about it,” Ye Qizhen dodged the topic.

“Ye Qizhen, something’s wrong with you! I realized you’ve never said what type of boy you like.” Tang Tang noticed a blind spot. She propped her elbows on the table and leaned toward Ye Qizhen. “Tell me what kind you like. Leniency to those who confess.”

What type did she like? Ye Qizhen couldn’t say herself, so she gave a universal answer: ” Whatever fate brings.”

“Secretly passionate.” Tang Tang narrowed her eyes and evaluated with two words. Although Ye Qizhen looked sunny and cheerful, when it came to feelings, she was definitely a bona fide “men sao” (outwardly cold/reserved, inwardly passionate).

Ye Qizhen let her say whatever she wanted and urged, “Didn’t you say you’d leave after drinking the milk tea? Stop dawdling.”

“I helped you so much today, is this how you chase people away?” Tang Tang said this, but she knew in her heart that Ye Qizhen was afraid of delaying her date tonight. After all, she would start fully closed-off military training tomorrow, so tonight was the only time she had.

“I’ll treat you to a big meal after military training,” Ye Qizhen said, pulling out a tissue and handing it to Tang Tang to wipe the cream stain from the corner of her mouth.

**

The dorms at Z University were four-person rooms.

Besides Luo Bei, Ye Qizhen’s roommates were Zheng Qianyu and Lu Zhi. The dorms were assigned by major, so everyone was in the Journalism Department and had plenty of common topics.

Luo Bei and Zheng Qianyu were extroverted, though Luo Bei was livelier, while Zheng Qianyu was like the girl next door. Lu Zhi was the youngest of the group, introverted and quiet, speaking very little but gentle and polite. They were all easy to get along with.

It was hard to describe Ye Qizhen as extroverted or introverted. When dealing with talkative people, she talked more; when dealing with reticent people, she talked less. She gave people a very comfortable feeling, neither overly enthusiastic nor reserved and awkward.

“Mom, Dad, I miss you so much~” Luo Bei was on a video call, whining softly at the screen.

By nightfall, everyone started calling home with inexplicable tacit understanding. The first night spent at university, one was bound to be homesick.

Only Ye Qizhen sat alone swiping through her phone, indifferent. She didn’t plan to call home. Tang Tang was right; she was still sulking at her parents.

“Can’t you be more like your sister?”

“I am me, why must I be like her?”

…

This was the last conversation Ye Qizhen had with her parents before leaving home. Having been sensible for over a decade, she lost her temper for the first time.

She had to say, it felt very satisfying.

Listening to the concern from other people’s parents at this moment, by contrast, Ye Qizhen felt a bit bitter. She stood up and said to Zheng Qianyu at the desk behind her, “Qianyu, I’m going out for a bit, I’ll be back soon.”

“Are you going alone?” Zheng Qianyu turned her head. “Do you want me to go with you?”

“I’m meeting a friend.” Ye Qizhen lied.

Leaving the dormitory building, Ye Qizhen walked toward the South Playground behind it. She didn’t intend to run, just wanted to find an inconspicuous corner to stay alone for a while.

There were people walking and night running on the playground.

The terraced stands on the side were empty. Ye Qizhen walked over and sat on the first step. There was no wind tonight; the air was stifling and hot. She looked up at the night sky, unable to see a single star, only thick cumulus clouds.

Her heart still felt blocked. She didn’t know if she had a touch of heatstroke, but her head felt heavy and dizzy. Ye Qizhen wrapped her arms around her knees, rested her chin on them, and curled into a ball, listlessly watching the night runners on the playground, lap after lap.

She actually hated being alone, but she just happened to be able to handle everything by herself, and everyone around her thought so too. Sometimes she thought, being sensible might not be a good thing, and being willful might not be a bad thing.

Her head was really dizzy. Ye Qizhen buried her face between her knees.

Before long, her eyes unknowingly became moist, and tears slid down the corners of her eyes one by one. She cried because the weather was too stifling, because she was lonely at this moment, because her body felt unwell…

It was all trivial stuff.

But when it all came together, she couldn’t hold it back; she just wanted to cry.

Ye Qizhen sniffled. Everyone knew she loved to smile; no one knew she loved to cry, not even Tang Tang. When she wanted to cry, she would secretly hide, like now.

Everyone had their own difficulties; she didn’t like spreading negative emotions to others.

And she was a bit stubborn about saving face.

Ye Qizhen was a shallow crier; once she started, she couldn’t stop for a long time. She didn’t try to hold it back either, sobbing lightly and letting the tears flow down. Emotions needed an outlet; she would feel much better after crying.

A couple came from the other end of the stands. They had just finished their walk, chatting and laughing, hugging each other from time to time, warm and sweet. Ye Qizhen stole a glance and felt envious.

She remembered what Tang Tang said: if she met someone, she would understand what a heart flutter was. She suddenly hoped that day would come a little faster.

Maybe I’ll meet them soon? Ye Qizhen stared in the direction of the playground with red eyes, comforting herself in her heart. She cried, but it didn’t hinder her naturally optimistic nature.

After a good while, Ye Qizhen realized she forgot to bring tissues. She wiped her cheeks messily with the back of her hand. Her eyes and nose were red from crying, and her eye sockets were still wet.

Continuing to hug her knees, Ye Qizhen looked at the plastic track not far away and saw a pair of slender, straight legs getting closer and closer. At first, she didn’t pay attention, until these long legs stopped in front of her. Only then did she react, sniffing and looking up.

At this time, Wen Yu had already run seven or eight laps. Her face was rosy, and she had sweated a lot; sweat trickled down her cheeks and over her fair neck. She was wearing a simple sports outfit, and her breathing outlined the beautiful contour of her collarbones.

Ye Qizhen now believed in the phrase “enemies on a narrow road.” She immediately turned her head away, not wanting Wen Yu to see her pathetic, crying state.

Too late.

She must have seen everything.

Wen Yu slowed her breathing, lowering her eyes to stare at Ye Qizhen’s averted profile—delicate, with a scholarly air.

Still looking. Ye Qizhen noticed the person beside her from her peripheral vision. Borrowing a surge of self-esteem, she turned her head and met Wen Yu’s gaze directly. “Haven’t you ever seen someone cry?”

Because she had been crying, her voice was softer and thinner than usual. This sentence had absolutely no imposing manner; her voice was trembling, aggrieved, like a bullied puppy.

Wen Yu was briefly stunned, then smiled unkindly. She felt it was strangely cute.

She really hadn’t seen Ye Qizhen cry. In her impression, Ye Qizhen was always smiling. She thought Student Ye couldn’t cry.

Wen Yu never paid attention to others, but she would notice Ye Qizhen. She couldn’t say why; perhaps it was because this girl’s smile was too sweet, or perhaps Ye Qizhen had something she envied but didn’t have.

Laughing at me again. Ye Qizhen blinked hard, forcibly holding back her tears. Just as she prepared herself mentally to hear Wen Yu’s sarcasm—

Wen Yu simply took out a pack of wet wipes, placed them by Ye Qizhen’s hand, and said extremely lightly, “Wipe yourself.”

Before Ye Qizhen could say anything, Wen Yu had already turned and left, returning to the plastic track to continue running laps. She knew Ye Qizhen hated her, so she didn’t stay too long.

Ye Qizhen stared blankly as she picked up the tissues by her hand, then looked at the figure on the track melting into the night.

Are love rivals supposed to be like this?

It seems I misunderstood her…