Chapter 37 Part 2

Zhu Lexing chewed on her apple, at a loss for words. “You…”

What if she slipped up?

The thought had barely formed in her mind when Zhu Lexing quashed it herself.

She couldn’t jinx it like that! Yan Mian would never make a mistake.

Still munching her apple, she ventured, “But wouldn’t this be a kind of… insurance?”

Yan Mian glanced up. “Don’t you trust me?”

Zhu Lexing shot back, “What about your illness?”

“I can get treated after the Gaokao,” Yan Mian replied after a brief pause. “Besides, my treatment will take time, and you’ll still have your exams. We can’t be stuck together every day just so I can tutor you.”

She seemed to think of something then and added, “Zhu Lexing, are you interested in the competition? If you are, I could tutor you. You’d have a real shot at…”

Zhu Lexing: “…………”

Damn. How had the conversation jumped straight to this?

Zhu Lexing couldn’t even meet Yan Mian’s eyes. She mumbled something incoherent and fled upstairs first.

Confidence was a good thing in Yan Mian.

But this much confidence bordered on sheer stubbornness, leaving Zhu Lexing at a complete loss for how to broach the subject.

Zhu Lexing suddenly realized something. In her previous life, Yan Mian had entered the competition and fought for a recommendation slot to escape the hellish Zhu Family and the nightmare of her daily existence back then. But now? She didn’t need to anymore.

Yan Mian’s life was happy these days. She was thinking from everyone else’s perspective instead of her own.

Zhu Lexing couldn’t put her tangled emotions into words. She could only reach out to Liu Su.

By the next morning, Yan Mian still seemed utterly at ease, while Liu Su looked like she’d been won over.

Zhu Lexing figured Yan Mian must have trotted out the illness argument.

After all, sticking to the regular routine for a year meant Zhu Lexing’s condition might not fully heal, but it would improve. Post-Gaokao, time would be wide open—no problem accompanying Yan Mian through surgery.

But if Yan Mian started treatment now, everything would throw their schedules into chaos.

Zhu Lexing found herself uncharacteristically stumped.

It wasn’t until most of the class had turned in their registration forms—even Song Yingying—that Yan Mian still showed no sign of budging. Finally, Zhu Xing couldn’t take it anymore.

He didn’t approach Yan Mian directly. Instead, he pulled Zhu Lexing aside.

“Is classmate Yan Mian not interested in the competition?”

Zhu Lexing: “…”

Staring at Zhu Xing’s anxious face, Zhu Lexing decided there were times when getting a second opinion was essential. She relayed Yan Mian’s reasoning, and Zhu Xing shook his head. “How could it be the same? Competitions like this are all about claiming honors for the province, the school, and yourself. And among the kids who want in… there aren’t many who can hold a candle to Yan Mian. Sure, those other students might scrape through the prelims, but if they don’t bring home any awards, it’ll crush their confidence. That could tank their performance on the real exams later.”

Zhu Lexing got it.

The greater the talent, the greater the responsibility.

Comp prep meant extra classes on top of everything else—progress would suffer, because you couldn’t have your cake and eat it too.

For kids with fragile nerves, going all-in on the Math Olympiad only to draw water with a sieve? That was a knockout punch.

Zhu Lexing pressed, “But if Yan Mian runs into problems herself, then what?”

Zhu Xing simply fixed his gaze on Zhu Lexing.

Zhu Lexing: “…”

It hit her then. Yan Mian was inextricably linked to the Zhu Family. For them, a flop at the competition—or even the Gaokao—wouldn’t be the end. Plenty of other paths and opportunities awaited.

Zhu Lexing said, “Just tell her all that yourself. She’ll listen to you.”

Zhu Xing sighed. “I’ll have a talk with her.”

When Yan Mian returned from her chat, her expression had shifted noticeably.

Zhu Lexing looked away with a long sigh, then turned to Song Yingying. “Why are you signing up for the competition? A recommendation slot?”

She expected an easy yes.

But the girl just stared at her paper and said offhandedly, “Nah. Just wanna see what’s outside the province.”

Zhu Lexing: “…”

Song Yingying added, “I’ve never left the province before.”

Zhu Lexing thought it was the most refreshingly unconventional reason imaginable.

She repeated Zhu Xing’s points to Song Yingying, who gave a small smile. “I know my limits. Heck, I might not even pass the school trials. Don’t worry about me.”

Zhu Lexing nodded at last.

Then something else occurred to her. “How come you haven’t differentiated yet?”

Most people wrapped that up around sophomore year. Senior year without it? Practically unheard of.

Song Yingying blinked blankly. “No idea. But it should be soon, right?”

Zhu Lexing could only urge her to see a doctor if needed.

She glanced out the window. Up in the classroom’s upper left corner hung a small blackboard tallying the days until the Gaokao, updated daily.

Today was Friday.

Back home, Zhu Lexing got a message from Liu Su: she’d be stuck at the film crew a bit longer, home late.

Over dinner, Yan Mian was clearly miles away, still mulling Zhu Xing’s words.

Once they finished, Zhu Lexing hesitated for a few seconds before blurting, “Wanna watch a movie?”

Yan Mian blinked, startled. After a long moment, she nodded.

Of course the Zhu Family had a private screening room.

Wall-to-wall carpeting, plush and warm underfoot. Plush dolls crammed every corner.

Yan Mian lounged on the tatami mat, scrolling the screen. “What kind do you wanna watch?”

She’d just showered, her hair still damp. Zhu Lexing had no clue why movie night warranted a bath, but hey—it was done.

Zhu Lexing said, “Anything’s fine. Something a bit quieter?”

Yan Mian asked, “An artsy film?”

Zhu Lexing replied, “…No.”

Yan Mian played a revenge comedy instead.

Zhu Lexing took one quick look at the plot and guessed what would happen next. After that, she spent the rest of the time lost in thought, stealing glances at Yan Mian.

The two of them sat stiffly with some distance between them. Yan Mian held the bowl of popcorn that the kitchen staff had made, which added to the cozy atmosphere. When she noticed the glances, she asked, “Want some?”

Zhu Lexing shook her head and refused.

“Um.” She hesitated for a few seconds before finally speaking up. “About the competition.”

Yan Mian said, “Teacher Zhu already told me.”

Yan Mian paused for a few more seconds before continuing, “Zhu Lexing. The truth is… I’ve never felt like I’m the same as you all.”

She wasn’t Zhu Lexing and didn’t have Zhu Lexing’s background, but to outsiders, she seemed just like her—with a powerful backer who would help her no matter what.

Zhu Lexing understood what she meant. “…It’s no big deal.”

Yan Mian said, “I… I’ll probably still enter the competition. But I don’t know if I’ll win any awards.”

A shift in attitude was a good sign.

Zhu Lexing pressed her advantage. “That’s fine. Just do your best.”

Yan Mian stared at her for several seconds before suddenly asking, “Do you believe in me?”

Zhu Lexing thought it over. “So many people believe in you. I’m just one of them.”

Yan Mian turned back to the screen. The projection reflected in her eyes as she said, “It’s different.”

Zhu Lexing fell silent. “…”

“How is it different?”

She knew there was some risk in asking that question.

But compared to the risk, Zhu Lexing wanted to know what Yan Mian was really thinking more.

Yan Mian explained, “Out of ten thousand fans, nine thousand nine hundred say they like me, but only about a hundred might actually want to meet me.”

“And out of those hundred people…”

“The first one I noticed was just one person.”

Zhu Lexing went quiet again. “…”

She couldn’t be talking about her, could she?

Wasn’t this a bit too forward?

But if it wasn’t about her, then why would Yan Mian say something like that? Wasn’t it a little too bold and inappropriate?

A flurry of thoughts raced through Zhu Lexing’s mind, and she felt like her brain was about to short-circuit and explode.

It wasn’t until Yan Mian spoke again that she snapped out of it. “Zhu Lexing, thank you.”

Zhu Lexing wondered how many times Yan Mian had thanked her now.

After that, neither of them said another word. In the movie, the Male Protagonist had linked up with Little Bros AB, and they were preparing to sneak into the Villain’s factory to steal guns and set themselves up as kings of the hill.

As the fight scene heated up, the screen suddenly froze on the Male Protagonist and the Villain locked in combat. In an instant, wind and sand whipped through the air, stones flew, the whole world faded to darkness, and nothing existed except the two of them.

The background music swelled into something epic and pulsating—

Zhu Lexing covered her eyes.

Why did this have to happen here too? An Indian song-and-dance number.

No matter when she saw one, it always left her utterly shocked. Mortified, she ducked her head and fiddled with her phone, only to stumble across something on Star Net: the Film Crew for the youth drama 《Bygone Youth》, in which Yan Mian had starred, had announced its premiere broadcast date.

The drama’s title screamed “youth,” and the production itself was brimming with it. The promo post had been up for nearly a full day, but the likes still hadn’t broken a hundred. A quick check of the homepage showed only a few dozen fans.

Zhu Lexing cleared her throat lightly. “Um, you—”

“Hm?” Yan Mian turned to look at her.

Zhu Lexing said, “Didn’t you star in a drama before?”

Yan Mian made an acknowledging sound, clearly listening.

Zhu Lexing trailed off. “…”

What was this? Yan Mian’s drama was about to air, and she had to be the one to tell her?

Hadn’t she gotten the roles reversed?

When Zhu Lexing didn’t continue, Yan Mian finally moved her lips. “You mean it’s airing? I got the message this morning.”

Zhu Lexing said, “…You knew and didn’t say anything?”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt something was off. Yan Mian had known since morning, and now it was evening—why hadn’t she mentioned it? But the thought had barely formed when Zhu Lexing questioned herself. Why should Yan Mian have told her in the first place?

“Who is she to me?” battled with “Aren’t we friends?” inside her head.

Just as Zhu Lexing felt like her brain was about to melt down, Yan Mian’s lips curved into a smile. “I was hoping we could go see it together when it premieres.”

Zhu Lexing stared. “…………”

One young soul was thus rescued from the brink.

Stammering, Zhu Lexing said, “W-what do you mean, ‘together’?”

You’ve got to be kidding!

Yan Mian, I advise you to think twice—

She issued all kinds of warnings in her mind but couldn’t bring herself to voice a single one.

Yan Mian said nothing and simply tilted the popcorn bowl toward Zhu Lexing.

Zhu Lexing could only scoot closer bit by bit.

The bowl ended up in Zhu Lexing’s lap. Yan Mian took a sip of water to moisten her throat, then turned to her. “You don’t want to? Then I’ll have to find someone else.”

Zhu Lexing asked, “…Who?”

Who else could possibly watch a movie with Yan Mian besides her—

Yan Mian said, “Hm. Qiao Qiao?”

Zhu Lexing replied flatly, “She’ll be with Xu He. Li Nian will be with Shi Ruofeng.”

Yan Mian suggested, “Song Yingying?”

Zhu Lexing said, “She’s got the competition! She has to study!”

Yan Mian let out a sigh.

“I only have these few friends.” Her tone suddenly turned a little forlorn. “If none of them will come with me, I guess I’ll have to go alone.”

Zhu Lexing saw right through the obvious ploy.

But she still found herself saying, “It’s just a movie.”

Yan Mian’s gaze immediately returned to her face.

Munching on the popcorn and mumbling, Zhu Lexing added, “I… I didn’t say no. You’re the one who brought it up.”

Yan Mian gave her another gentle smile. “Thank you, Lexing.”

Zhu Lexing decided the popcorn was way too sweet. Next time, she’d tell the kitchen staff to use less sugar.