Chapter 42

Chen Yuyang.

It had been five years since she’d last heard that name, so she hadn’t reacted right away.

Back then, Chen Yuyang’s name came up all the time—not just because he was the student council president at Qingyuan University, but because at some point, he’d become the subject of gossip about Senior Yu.

At first, it was just a few people asking, “Are he and Senior Yu really a couple? We keep seeing them together.”

Around that time, Yu Wan kept turning down her invitations to hang out, always saying she had to intern or hand in papers, too busy to breathe.

Yu Wan’s graduate studies graduation was less than half a year away, and Fang Nianchen totally got it. Afraid of slowing her down, she simply stopped messaging her altogether.

As expected, if she didn’t reach out, Yu Wan wouldn’t come looking for her either.

For a full half month, they didn’t chat once. The only contact was when Yu Wan asked her to drop something off for Xiao Ning’an.

Fang Nianchen was at a loss, forced to watch as their relationship—which had finally warmed up—cooled off because of schoolwork.

And right at that critical moment, the gossip reached Fang Nianchen’s ears.

In less than a month, the rumors went from “Chen Yuyang is chasing Yu Wan” to “Chen Yuyang and Yu Wan are together.”

It was like smashing a balloon into a cactus—the explosion was deafening.

Chen Yuyang was high-profile, but in a way that didn’t make people hate him. As for his looks… no matter how annoyed Fang Nianchen was with him, she couldn’t lie with her eyes wide open.

Chen Yuyang was, broadly speaking, a handsome guy. Dressed up, he bore some resemblance to the hottest male celeb at the time. His family background was top-tier too, and he was never short on admirers.

From the scattered stories from other students, she pieced together Chen Yuyang and Yu Wan’s relationship: apparently childhood friends who’d grown up together.

Childhood sweethearts… what a romantic, beautiful phrase.

From any angle, the reasons for him and Yu Wan being together were airtight, leaving Fang Nianchen with a deep sense of powerlessness.

She didn’t have the courage to ask Yu Wan if it was true, because she’d seen them walking together more than once—seen people around them teasing them, seen Chen Yuyang blushing as he was pushed forward to invite Yu Wan to dinner.

Everything kept throwing the same signal at her over and over: even if the feeling of like was the same, she could never express her love as openly and boldly as Chen Yuyang.

Back then, society’s acceptance of homosexuality was nowhere near what it is now. Standing in Yu Wan’s shoes, even if she liked her, who would pick a qualified female partner with no future over a man? Without a doubt, anyone would choose the latter.

Not to mention, back then, Yu Wan’s heart had never truly leaned toward her. At least, that’s how Fang Nianchen felt.

From start to finish, it had been her one-sided crush on Yu Wan. Did the law say crushes had to come true? No.

Once she thought it through a bit, Fang Nianchen could even generously console herself: good thing she hadn’t come out.

But out of nowhere, five years later today, Chen Yuyang had shown up in front of her again, and a sense of crisis instantly enveloped her.

The troubles plaguing her had never gone away—they’d just been deliberately buried.

She was unarmed, facing a fully armed soldier. Surrender or fight to the death—the outcome was still unknown.

No… she wasn’t without any advantages.

In the midst of brushing her teeth, Fang Nianchen suddenly realized what had happened these past few days.

She’d run into Yu Wan at the lesbian forum and heard her say outright that she liked girls. She didn’t like men—that was the perfect trump card against Chen Yuyang.

She didn’t like them now… but what about back then?

Fang Nianchen, mouth full of toothpaste, tilted her head in frustration, letting the mint burn her mouth until it went numb before spitting it out and rinsing with water.

There were inconsistencies everywhere. Lying in bed, the chaos in her head peaked.

Outside, the rain was still pattering down, much lighter than the storm an hour ago, the wind dying down.

Unable to sleep, tossing and turning, Fang Nianchen got up and went to the balcony.

Tonight, the moon had been kidnapped, hiding behind dark clouds without a sliver of light. But knowing it was there, that it would rise as usual tomorrow, was comforting enough.

Just like these years apart—though she couldn’t see Yu Wan, she’d vaguely hoped they’d meet again someday.

And so, like a dream come true, they had reunited. But just reuniting wasn’t enough; they still had to play the roles of senior and junior like nothing had happened. She wasn’t content with that.

A cold gust blew, and Fang Nianchen, in just a thin short-sleeved shirt, shivered. Suddenly, she thought of Yu Wan’s social media signature.

(The sun is always there, right?)

The sun… Chen Yuyang?

It wasn’t that she was deliberately linking them—the name pointed too obviously to him.

But if the sun really stood for Chen Yuyang, what did it mean that Yu Wan was missing him on social media?

Fang Nianchen felt like her head was about to explode.

Vaguely, she remembered the last time she’d stood on the balcony lamenting her spring sorrow and autumn grief—it was when she’d learned Yu Wan was going on blind dates. She’d secretly vowed never to care about Yu Wan’s life again.

But now, she’d been given hope once more.

One last try, just once. That was the compromise Fang Nianchen reached with herself.

Since it was her last chance, she had to do something.

If she didn’t want to do anything and just complained about why Yu Wan liked someone else—refusing to call it like, just throwing tantrums and acting spoiled because she had some goodwill—that would make her truly selfish.

With that in mind, Fang Nianchen messaged Xiao Ning’an: [Chen Yuyang came looking for your sister.]

True to her word, Xiao Ning’an replied the next second: [?]

Immediately after, a call came in.

Fang Nianchen picked up without a chance to speak before Xiao Ning’an launched into an agitated rant: “Holy shit! So it’s him after all this time? What a grown-ass man with no shame, clinging to my sister like that. Good thing she’s got a good temper and doesn’t stoop to his level. If it were me, I’d curse him out!”

In just a few sentences, her disgust for Chen Yuyang was overflowing.

Precisely because of her intense reaction, Fang Nianchen’s worries from moments ago vanished.

Her heart settled, and she asked, “Your sister doesn’t like him?”

“Of course not!” Xiao Ning’an yelled. “Chen Yuyang’s a two-faced snake.”

“Whatever, let me start from the beginning. The three of us knew each other since elementary school. He always told everyone he was like our ‘big brother.’ Who knew he had ulterior motives? He’s been chasing my sister since high school. Just thinking of his smug face makes me sick! God knows how many years he’s been scheming, like a pervert, tricking me and Yu Wan into calling him bro.”

Still fuming after cursing him out, Xiao Ning’an gritted her teeth: “Fucking pervert!”

It was the first time Fang Nianchen had heard Xiao Ning’an talk about their history. She’d never been interested before and never asked.

“I heard in college…” Fang Nianchen rolled the awkward words around in her stomach a few times before saying, “that he was your sister’s boyfriend.”

“Hah?” Xiao Ning’an’s mouth gaped. “What? He was my sister’s boyfriend? Who told you that?”

So that rumor was fake too.

Fang Nianchen pursed her lips. “Well… everyone was saying it back then.”

“They must be crazy…” Xiao Ning’an sounded incredulous. “Crazy. The students at Qingyuan must all be nuts! Which of their eyes saw Chen Yuyang as good enough for my sister?”

The rumors about Yu Wan and Chen Yuyang—true or not—had clogged her heart for five years. Now resolved in one go, her mood was unprecedentedly cheerful.

Fang Nianchen chuckled lightly. “I think they’re crazy too.”

Yu Wan not liking Chen Yuyang… that was just too great…

Fang Nianchen leaned on the railing, gazing up at the sky. It was still pitch black, but the distant city lights made it surprisingly bright.

“I’ll ask my sister about it tomorrow. If it’s bad, I’ll head back early.” Xiao Ning’an was pissed, her breathing quickening before she finally calmed down. “How’s my sister been lately? Every time I call and ask, she says she’s fine, but the whole family knows she’s a workaholic. Once she dives into work, she forgets everything else.”

“Work’s pretty tiring.” Fang Nianchen thought of Yu Wan going to meetings during her period, always sensing her exhaustion when they were alone. “If you can, try to convince her to rest more.”

“Sigh… She quit her foreign company job to be a director at Yunqi. Pay’s not as good as before, no benefits either.” Xiao Ning’an complained. “What does she get out of it? Now she’s got that clingy Chen Yuyang on her tail again.”

“She has her own reasons, I guess.” Fang Nianchen defended Yu Wan. “Senior’s so amazing—you should trust her.”

“Who knows…” Xiao Ning’an mumbled, “Oh right, I still don’t know what you do for work.”

She and Fang Nianchen called each other besties, but it wasn’t like they knew every little thing about one another—it was just that hanging out with Fang Nianchen felt so comfortable.

Maybe because their birthdays were close, and their personalities were similar too. Fang Nianchen never pried into things she shouldn’t or second-guessed her decisions, so Xiao Ning’an had never gotten mad at her. The two of them could go months without a single word, but pick right back up like no time had passed whenever they met.

But now, with Fang Nianchen helping her out so much and bringing such crucial intel today, Xiao Ning’an felt like she had to say something to solidify this friendship.

“I’m at Yunqi too—your sister is my boss,” Fang Nianchen paused, then smiled. “Not for much longer, though. Day after tomorrow, that changes.”

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the line before Xiao Ning’an said wistfully, “You’re at Yunqi too, huh…”

Xiao Ning’an narrowed her eyes, deep in thought. “So, did you ever mention to my sister that you work there?”

“Nope.”

“Oh, so it’s just a coincidence then?” Xiao Ning’an said half-believingly. “Mm… it’s getting late. It’s almost midnight back home, right? You should rest up.”

“Mm. Bye.”

After hanging up, Xiao Ning’an got up and headed to the study.

She pushed open the door. On the desk sat a photo frame with a picture from graduation day: her in her bachelor’s gown, posing with Yu Wan. No matter where she’d gone all these years, she’d always kept that photo with her.

She remembered the night before the ceremony, how excited she’d been to invite Yu Wan to stay over. The two of them lay in bed, chatting about plans after graduation.

Yu Wan had asked, “What are your friends planning to do?”

“Who knows? Why would I care? Probably half going for grad school, half jumping straight into jobs.” Xiao Ning’an laughed. “Of course, I don’t have to worry about work—Dad’s got a spot all lined up for me. Straight to managing the overseas branch after graduation.”

Yu Wan chuckled lightly. “True enough.”

“What about Fang Nianchen?”

“Her? No one can figure out what she’s thinking—I don’t bother asking.” Xiao Ning’an rolled over to face her. “Ask her yourself. You have her contact, don’t you?”

A brief silence followed.

It took Yu Wan a moment to reply. “We haven’t talked in ages.”

“But you two used to be so close?” Xiao Ning’an put on a pouty face. “You cared about her so much—no one’s ever gotten that from you. And you even asked if she had a boyfriend.”

“When it’s just friends… things fade like that. You don’t even know when.” Yu Wan’s tone held a hint of helplessness. “No one stays by your side forever.”

“Sure there is. Go find yourself a boyfriend.”

Under the faint moonlight, Yu Wan’s pretty eyes blinked, but she didn’t answer.

The next morning, Xiao Ning’an lingered in bed a bit, only dragged out by Yu Wan’s coaxing and cajoling. Still bleary-eyed, she did her makeup and headed to school.

After sitting through the principal’s long, pointless speech in the auditorium and grabbing her diploma, the baggy gown was getting on Xiao Ning’an’s nerves. She wanted to quickly snap a photo with Yu Wan as a memento, then ditch the thing for something lighter.

Top Student Fang was the professors’ darling, surrounded by people—even the principal wanted a pic with her.

Xiao Ning’an sighed admiringly, “Top Student Fang sure is popular,” while asking the driver to hold the camera. She pulled Yu Wan over to pose in front of the school’s iconic statue.

Xiao Ning’an struck her pose, looping her arm through Yu Wan’s and beaming—only to hear her ask, “What kind of person do you think Fang Nianchen likes?”

“Huh?” Miss Xiao’s expression control failed her completely; one eye went wide, the other not so much as she gawked at Yu Wan in shock.

The driver, seeing the shot, flinched and shook his hand. “Xiao Ning, that came out blurry. Let’s take another.”

“Oh!” Xiao Ning’an nodded, forced a smile, and gritted out through clenched teeth, “No idea.”

The driver called out again, “Xiao Wan, give us a smile too.”

“Alright.” Yu Wan nodded.

Suddenly, excited yells erupted from the nearby crowd—like a pack of howling ghosts, chaotic and loud. She could vaguely make out someone shouting Fang Nianchen’s name, then belting out even louder, “I like you! Be my girlfriend?”

The onlookers, fired up by the spectacle, whooped and hollered, all chanting “Say yes!”

The camera flashed. The driver checked the shot and frowned. “Xiao Wan, you gotta look at the lens…”

He looked up—and Yu Wan had already slipped free of Xiao Ning’an’s arm, hurrying toward the crowd. Xiao Ning’an had never seen her move so fast.

Xiao Ning’an didn’t have time to care; she ran over to check the photo and scowled in dissatisfaction. “What the heck…”

In the picture, Yu Wan faced forward, but her head was turned aside, eyes filled with worry as she gazed off somewhere, her smile so forced it was practically nonexistent.

The cheers from the crowd died down soon enough. As people drifted away in twos and threes, Fang Nianchen came back into view.

She stood there calmly, just like she always did. Her smile was bright and warm—the friendly face she used to deliver the coldest rejections. She’d just turned down that guy’s confession.

Xiao Ning’an wanted to retake the photo after, but Yu Wan got a call from Shi Yumei and had to leave. She didn’t come back for the rest of the ceremony.

So that distracted shot of Yu Wan ended up being the only decent one.

Xiao Ning’an lay back in her leather chair, holding the frame high overhead and spinning it left and right with her toes.

It was probably… just a coincidence, right?

—

Monday morning, Fang Nianchen headed out as usual. It wasn’t until she reached the first floor that she remembered she hadn’t grabbed the birthday gift for Yu Wan.

So she dashed back upstairs two steps at a time, panting as she retrieved the scented diffuser and carefully tucked it into her bag.

She double-checked everything, made sure nothing was forgotten, then finally left the apartment.

Down below, she spotted Yu Wan’s car from afar.

Fang Nianchen froze for a second. As if sensing her, the headlights flashed a few times—impossible to ignore.

She jogged over. The driver’s side window rolled down, and Yu Wan smiled at her. “Morning.”

“Morning…” Fang Nianchen was full of question marks. “What are you doing here?”

“Didn’t I say I couldn’t bear to let you go to the planning department? And I promised to personally escort you there. So from the moment you step out, we’re sticking together.” Yu Wan tilted her head. “Hop in.”

“President Yu.”

“Yeah?”

Fang Nianchen looked dead serious. “Do I need to pay for the ride?”

“I don’t need your money.” Yu Wan burst out laughing for no reason. “But you could think of other ways to bribe me.”