You Must Be Good 85

Chapter 85

Although the atmosphere was awkward, it was, after all, a gathering of acquaintances, and there were many topics to talk about.

Most of them revolved around sports. Although Qiao Xiaoxiao had retired these past few years, she had always been concerned about this circle. She was already different from her peers, clearly more mature. “Tiantian, when you go abroad, train hard. Don’t always think of running back.”

A few days ago, she had seen Mr. Wang. The moment he saw her, he had complained to her. She didn’t know what was tying Tiantian to the country, but she always wanted to run back. Although her results were good, the coach had already complained to him several times.

Sports is a young person’s game. There are only a few golden years in total. She had to cherish them and get more results.

This way, after she retired, she wouldn’t have any regrets.

With Tiantian’s personality, in the future, whether she continued her studies or became a coach, she would be well-off for the rest of her life.

Hearing this, Wang Tiantian didn’t say a word and just took a big gulp of her wine.

Although she had an optimistic personality and had loved to play and make a fuss since she was a child, everyone said that she was a bit of an airhead, with not enough emotional intelligence. She would often do good deeds with bad results. She was clearly trying to help others, but in the end, she would be misunderstood. Since she was a child, she had only had one real friend, Qiao Xiaoxiao.

Of course she knew how painful the price would be if she was willful now.

But how many young people can control their own hearts?

Chu Ge looked at Wang Tiantian, then at Qiao Xiaoxiao, and asked casually, “Xiaoxiao, you’re not a child anymore. Are you in a relationship?”

Then, she looked at Teacher Chu again.

The moment she said this, Chu Xinrou’s hand, which was holding her chopsticks, paused. She looked at Qiao Xiaoxiao.

“Why are you talking about me?” Qiao Xiaoxiao’s face visibly turned red. She secretly glanced at Chu Xinrou, a little embarrassed and a little sweet. “I have someone I like. I’ve liked them for a long time.”

The people present were all her closest people.

She had no need to hide it.

Chu Ge nodded, picked up a glass of wine, and said thoughtfully, “You’ve liked them for a long time… a secret crush is quite painful. It’s even rarer for someone to be able to persist. Come, I hope you and your special someone will have a good result.”

“Cheers!”

The sound of glasses clinking was endless. Lu Chen stared at the swaying liquid in her glass, her eyes red. Ever since she had heard that Chu Ge had a girlfriend, she had felt that a piece of her heart was empty. At this moment, she was even more on pins and needles.

After three rounds of drinks, the atmosphere became even more lively. Qiao Xiaoxiao finally let down her guard, and the emotions that had been suppressed these past few days were completely released under the influence of alcohol. She and Wang Tiantian had their arms around each other’s shoulders, howling “Friends” at the top of their lungs, so out of tune that Yang Feitang was laughing so hard she was slapping her thigh.

“Friends walk together for a lifetime, those days are no more…”

Wang Tiantian was crying so hard that snot bubbles were coming out. She hastily wiped them on Qiao Xiaoxiao’s body and murmured in her ear, “Xiaoxiao, you have to be happy.”

Qiao Xiaoxiao was already so drunk she was swaying, but she still knew to stand up unsteadily. She stumbled and fell into Chu Xinrou’s side, her whole being falling into her embrace, her fluffy head rubbing against the other’s neck. “I’m so happy…”

If she was going to be drunk, she could only be drunk in her sister’s arms.

Chu Xinrou naturally wrapped an arm around her and let her rest her head on her lap. Her fingertips gently massaged her temples, her voice soft. “Do you have a headache?”

The answer was an even breathing. Qiao Xiaoxiao was curled up in her sister’s embrace, already sleeping like a little pig.

Wang Tiantian stared at this scene in a daze, tears silently sliding down her cheeks. Before she came, she still had some indescribable unwillingness in her heart. But at this moment, looking at Chu Xinrou gently stroking Xiaoxiao’s hair, those obsessions suddenly dissipated.

Whether it was in terms of appearance or temperament, Chu Xinrou was a dragon among men. Most importantly, Qiao Xiaoxiao was different in front of her than in front of others.

In front of others, Qiao Xiaoxiao always had a kind of leadership quality that made people believe and rely on her. Back then, she hadn’t been on the track and field team for long, but everyone was used to asking her and listening to her wherever they went. Later, after Chu Ge graduated, if it weren’t for her foot injury, she would have definitely been the captain.

She was also always so calm and composed. No matter how big the matter was, it was always a faint smile.

In the past, Wang Tiantian didn’t understand how such a small person could have such a mature performance. But now that she looked at it, her faint smile was exactly the same as Chu Xinrou’s. And in front of Chu Xinrou, Qiao Xiaoxiao would shed all her pretense and turn back into that little girl who would act cute and be willful.

“Sister Chu.”

Wang Tiantian suddenly raised her wine glass, her fingertips trembling slightly. The alcohol had made her eyes red, but it couldn’t hide the seriousness in them.

Chu Xinrou looked at her, her gaze calm, yet with a trace of gentleness.

That gaze made Wang Tiantian’s heart tremble. A girl’s keen intuition told her that this gentle and jade-like sister before her had long since seen through the feelings hidden in her heart. But there was not a trace of hostility in the other’s eyes, but instead, an endless tolerance.

“Will you always be by Xiaoxiao’s side?”

Wang Tiantian stared at the swaying amber liquid in her glass, feeling as if every drop had turned into a sourness, seeping into the softest corner of her heart.

Chu Xinrou nodded without any hesitation. “I will.”

This was something she had decided a long time ago.

Wang Tiantian choked out again, “Will you always be good to her?”

Xiaoxiao… she’s really had it hard.

Memories flooded in like a tide, carrying the scorching heat of summer. The plastic track of the training field was so hot it was steaming, the heat distorting the distant scenery. Her teammates were lying in the shade, gulping down iced soda, the condensation on the bottles dripping onto the concrete floor and evaporating in an instant.

And Qiao Xiaoxiao was always the last to leave. Her small, thin figure was bent into an arc under the harsh sun, the sack dragging on the ground with a rustling sound. One, two… she carefully picked up every discarded plastic bottle, the sweat dripping from her ponytail, leaving fleeting dark spots on the scorching ground.

Those whispers would always slip out from the corners.

“She’s so poor she can’t even afford to buy water, and she’s still learning to practice sports?”

“I heard she’s very close to the janitor auntie…”

“Haha, that’s natural. They’re both from the poor countryside. When fellow villagers meet, their eyes are full of tears.”

…

Every word was like a dull knife cutting flesh. Wang Tiantian was so angry she was trembling all over. A few times, she really couldn’t hold it in and was about to rush up to argue, but she was gently pulled back by Qiao Xiaoxiao’s shirt.

“Tiantian, don’t go,” Qiao Xiaoxiao’s eyelashes cast a fine shadow in the sunlight. Wang Tiantian was very angry. “Why?!”

Is she a coward? She’s already been called that, and she still won’t let her vent her anger?

Qiao Xiaoxiao’s voice was unusually calm. “What they said is the truth.”

She was from a small mountain village.

Everything she had today was something she had never even dared to dream of before.

And her sister had said that if she was good, after she went to university, she could have the life she wanted.

To endure what others cannot, to be able to do what others cannot.

Wang Tiantian suddenly found it hard to breathe, as if someone had fiercely squeezed her heart. At that time, she had wanted to protect Qiao Xiaoxiao, but she hated that she had no strength.

Back then, because she didn’t want to go abroad and was reluctant to leave, Wang Tiantian had fought with her family a lot, arguing, going on hunger strikes, and even thinking of running away from home. In the end, it was her father who had said earnestly, “Daddy is not forcing you to be strong. It’s just that in this world, some things can’t be solved with just a hot-blooded passion. If you can’t even protect yourself, how can you protect the people you care about?”

How could he not see through his daughter’s thoughts?

In the world of sports, such things were not uncommon.

He and Tiantian’s mother were both open-minded parents. They also knew that the training since she was a child had made their daughter suffer a lot. In other aspects, as long as Tiantian was willing, they would fully support her.

When Tiantian was leaving, Qiao Xiaoxiao had gone to the airport to see her off. She had even stroked her hair and had said like a little adult, “When you get there, don’t fight with others. Keep a low profile, okay?”

Wang Tiantian suddenly didn’t want to come back.

Qiao Xiaoxiao saw the reluctance in her eyes and smiled. “You’ve already bought such an expensive plane ticket. You can’t go back.”

“Didn’t you say you wanted to become an Olympic champion and then look after me?”

“I’m waiting for you.”

…

Now, Wang Tiantian had done it, but Xiaoxiao still didn’t belong to her.

Chu Xinrou nodded gently. She picked up her wine glass and said to Tiantian, “Thank you too, for being with Xiaoxiao in her most difficult years.”

These words were sincere.

She still remembered the excited look in Qiao Xiaoxiao’s eyes when she had told her she had made a friend.

Life is like this. Some people are destined to only accompany you for a part of the journey, but the time you spend together will always shine brightly in your memory.

After a glass of bitter wine, Wang Tiantian was picked up by her assistant. Before she left, she looked back at Qiao Xiaoxiao deeply.

She was going abroad tomorrow.

She didn’t know when she would be back next time.

Qiao Xiaoxiao was still sleeping soundly in Chu Xinrou’s lap, her two hands still hugging her waist. Although her eyes were closed, her face was full of happiness.

Wang Tiantian wiped her tears with her hand and said silently in her heart.

—Xiaoxiao, you have to be happy forever.

Seeing Wang Tiantian leave, Chu Ge, whose cheeks were slightly red from drinking, suddenly looked at Lu Chen, who had been looking down in a corner, and asked, “If… if I had been like Tiantian back then, would we not have come to this point?”

Lu Chen looked at her with red eyes. After a long while, she shook her head gently. “I don’t know, but…”

There were some things that had been buried in her heart for a long time. She knew that if she didn’t say them now, she would never have the chance to say them.

“I know I hurt you, I let you down… everything now is what I deserve to bear.”

“But Chuchu… I actually, I—”

“Alright,” Chu Ge interrupted her and at the same time, withdrew her gaze. She stared at the hazy lights in the courtyard, which were enveloped in the moonlight, and said lightly, “What’s the use of saying these things now?”

She had finally managed to walk out of it.

No one knew what she had been through after hearing Lu Chen say in person that she was getting engaged.

She had gotten drunk day and night, her body was a wreck. In the middle of the night, she had run to Lu Chen’s building more than once, staring at her light for a whole night.

She had finally managed to walk out of it, and she would absolutely not go back.

Some people, once you miss them, you miss them.

For three years of wholehearted devotion, she had a clear conscience about this relationship.

Chu Ge knew that from now on, no matter who was by her side, her heart would never beat so hotly again.

—If time could turn back to the beginning

I would still choose to be crazy for you

Because the wind and moonlight of that year

Were worth all my love

…

The last note trembled in the air and dissipated.

Chu Ge’s fingers were still on the microphone, her knuckles white from the force. She looked at the tear-streaked Lu Chen below the stage and suddenly smiled. That smile was like a broken moonlight, with the salty taste of tears.

“This song… is for the you I once loved.”

Her movement of putting down the microphone was very light, but it was like a dull knife, cutting something off. She left without looking back.

Lu Chen’s tears fell on the table in strings, scaring Yang Feitang so much that she secretly ran away, leaving Chu Xinrou alone to clean up the mess.

Amidst the crisp sound of glass colliding, she heard Lu Chen’s suppressed sobs. “It’s my fault, it’s all my fault…”

Chu Xinrou stopped her cleaning. The moonlight filtered through the floor-to-ceiling window, stretching her figure into a long, slender silhouette. She was about the same age as Lu Chen. Although they were not close, she understood this pain of unrequited love. The difference was that at this moment, she still had a lover sleeping peacefully in her arms, while Lu Chen’s arms were already empty.

“I… I can’t forget her at all,” Lu Chen’s tears were like a broken string of pearls.

Chu Xinrou stared at her for a long time and suddenly said softly, “If you really can’t forget her, then put down your pride and win her back.” Her gaze turned to the door. “Don’t just stay in regret.”

She could see that there was still love in Chu Ge’s eyes.

When Qiao Xiaoxiao woke up the next day, her head was spinning. She didn’t remember what had happened at all. The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Chu Xinrou opposite her, looking at her with a heavy gaze, her face serious.

Qiao Xiaoxiao: ???

What’s wrong? What happened?

Yesterday, whether it was Wang Tiantian or Lu Chen and Chu Ge, they had flashed before her eyes like a revolving lantern. Chu Xinrou had stared at Qiao Xiaoxiao all night, had thought all night, and had not closed her eyes.

“Jiejie… what’s wrong? I drank too much yesterday… did I act crazy?”

Qiao Xiaoxiao asked cautiously. Chu Xinrou shook her head.

This made her even more anxious.

Just as Qiao Xiaoxiao was holding her breath, Chu Xinrou asked her two questions.

“Did you and Wang Tiantian have a puppy love back then?”

Qiao Xiaoxiao was stunned for a moment. The alcohol that had not yet dissipated in her head was stirred up. She immediately shook her head. “Of course not!” Afraid that her sister would misunderstand, the tips of her ears turned red with anxiety. “We were just teammates who trained and ate together!”

Chu Xinrou asked again, “Back then, when you and Bai Qi ran out, why did you suddenly figure things out?”

Qiao Xiaoxiao had almost never seen her sister ask so seriously. She didn’t dare to hesitate and answered softly, “Back then… back then, I felt that I had let down your efforts for me, and I couldn’t control my feelings. I was being pulled in all directions and was about to be torn apart… later, Bai Qi asked me—is love possession?”

The more Qiao Xiaoxiao spoke, the hotter her face became. She lowered her head. “I just figured it out… as long as I can be by your side, I’m satisfied.”

As long as she could be with her sister like this for the rest of her life, she would be satisfied.

After Xiaoxiao finished speaking, Chu Xinrou did not answer for a long time.

This silence made Qiao Xiaoxiao’s heart even more uneasy. She lowered her head and didn’t dare to look up, her heart racing.

Silence spread in the room. Just as she was in despair, thinking that something must have happened last night, and was about to be drowned by her anxiety.

“Love is not possession…”

Chu Xinrou repeated what Qiao Xiaoxiao had said.

“But, Xiaoxiao…” Chu Xinrou’s voice suddenly came closer, her cool fingertips lifting her chin, her eyes surging with a dark tide that Qiao Xiaoxiao had never seen before. “I’ve found that I just want to possess you. What should I do?”