Chapter 31 His Call He Was Her Entire Youth…

Chapter 31: His Call, Her Entire Youth...

Yu Kui was taken aback by her words, momentarily stunned.

"Sometimes you're truly infuriating," Tao Jiang continued, "Why do you get to live such a good life? What makes you so deserving?"

"Sometimes I'm genuinely jealous of you," Tao Jiang said, "You make me feel like a complete joke."

"You..." Yu Kui stood up, looking at Tao Jiang's eyes, red with indignation, unsure of what to say.

She had never realized Tao Jiang disliked her so intensely, nor could she recall ever doing anything to hurt her.

Tao Jiang averted her gaze and continued walking out.

Yu Kui instinctively followed, but Xie Xingzhi held her back. "She's not right in the head. Don't bother with her."

Yu Kui pulled free from his grasp. "I have something to say to her too. You go ahead and eat."

With that, she chased after Tao Jiang out of the library. "Wait."

Tao Jiang walked quickly, as if she hadn't heard her. Yu Kui jogged to catch up. "Can we talk?"

Tao Jiang stopped, her tone sharp. "Why are you following me?"

Yu Kui pulled an art school admission list from her down jacket pocket—it had been there for who knows how long—and handed it to her. "Here."

Tao Jiang looked at her expressionlessly. "What's this?"

"Your acting is really good," Yu Kui said softly, pursing her lips. "There are still art schools accepting applications. You can take the exams during the Spring Festival, and it won't affect your studies later."

Tao Jiang paused, not expecting Yu Kui to offer her this.

"Your acting is excellent," Yu Kui hesitated before continuing, "I wanted to tell you earlier but was afraid it might be too presumptuous. But I thought you deserved more options in life, even if you hate me now."

Tao Jiang stood still, silent. She stared at Yu Kui's fair, clear complexion and noticed her eyes were incredibly lucid, like calm lake water, inspiring immediate trust.

"Art school?" Tao Jiang sneered. "You think I'm suited to be an actor, so I should become one? Mind your own business."

She threw the admission list on the ground, lifted her chin defiantly, and said mockingly, "You think I can't get into a regular university, so you're suggesting art school? Are you trying to insult me?"

Yu Kui took a step back, bent down, and picked up the list, saying softly, "I'm not insulting you."

She brushed the snow off the list. "I also feel like I'm meddling. Sorry."

Tao Jiang stiffened, watching Yu Kui's somewhat dejected expression, a complex feeling she couldn't quite place. "I can't take the art school exams."

She said coldly, "If my family knew you suggested this, they'd definitely curse me out."

"I can't take the art exams, and I can't become an actor."

"I understand." Yu Kui felt a pang of sadness but didn't insist further. "Then I'll head back now. Goodbye."

Tao Jiang didn't respond, turning to board the bus that had just arrived.

Yu Kui watched her leave, feeling she had been too naive. She had sneakily printed out the school list without considering whether Tao Jiang would accept it.

Tao Jiang was right—she was meddling.

Yu Kui bought two fruit teas and returned to the library. Xie Xingzhi was flipping through a comic book.

Yu Kui handed him one of the fruit teas. "Finished your papers?"

"I've been doing papers all morning. It's time to relax," Xie Xingzhi passed her the book. "What did you say to her earlier?"

"Not telling you," Yu Kui shook her head. "Let's eat first."

"Okay."

On the way home, Yu Kui tossed the art school admission list into the trash. She looked up at the vast, deep sky, thinking that she and Tao Jiang really couldn't be friends. They'd just remain ordinary classmates until the college entrance exams were over, then go their separate ways.

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Qin You's mother brought him over for New Year's greetings, smiling as she mentioned that Qin You's grades had improved last semester and that they planned for him to apply to a key university in the city.

"He's my only child. I don't want him to go too far away," Qin You's mother said with a smile. "I think local universities are quite good. He just needs to work a bit harder."

Yu Kui's mother nodded. "Qin You's grades have always been good."

"What about your Yu Kui? Has she decided on a goal?"

Qin You, sitting nearby, turned to look at Yu Kui. She was sitting on a single sofa, staring intently at the TV.

"It's up to her," Yu Kui's mother said. "We'll decide after the college entrance exams. She can stay local or go elsewhere, as long as she's happy."

Qin You's mother sounded a bit envious. "I wish I could be as easygoing as you."

Qin You kept his head down without speaking.

After lunch, Qin You's mother took him home.

The two families seemed to get along well on the surface, but their relationship could never return to what it was before.

"Why don't you and Yu Kui talk anymore?" Qin You's mother said helplessly. "She used to like you so much."

"Nothing to say," Qin You said indifferently. "We're not friends anymore."

"You!" His mother was so angry her head hurt. "You're so stubborn."

Qin You ignored her, went into his room, and messaged Tao Jiang. He would take her out tomorrow.

When the second semester of senior year began, Yu Kui threw herself back into intense studying, not daring to slack off in the slightest.

Her grades remained the best in her year, making her the teachers' key focus.

Spring passed, and early summer arrived.

Yu Kui stepped out of the classroom. The gentle sunset light spilled into the hallway, calming her somewhat restless heart.

She overheard Tao Jiang on the phone, "Wait for me at the milk tea shop. My phone has issues right now—I can't hear you clearly."

She couldn't make out the response from the other end, but Tao Jiang chuckled. "What should you do? Of course you're buying it for me. How else will I use it? I won't even be able to message you otherwise."

Yu Kui glanced at the phone in Tao Jiang's hand. It was last year's model but still looked new.

"Alright, I'll meet you soon. Take me to buy a phone this weekend."

As she passed Yu Kui, she left behind a faint, pleasant fragrance that reminded Yu Kui of bright spring days.

Tao Jiang didn't apply to art school, and her grades didn't improve much. Her homeroom teacher was very worried and asked several classmates to help her, but it didn't help much.

The teacher had no choice but to keep pressuring her, hoping she could catch up quickly. But Tao Jiang didn't take these concerns to heart. Yu Kui once overheard her on the phone at the end of the hallway, saying the homeroom teacher was deliberately targeting her—even though she was trying hard, the teacher still didn't see it.

Yu Kui felt extremely upset at that moment and wanted to step forward to argue, but the words died on her lips, leaving only a cold resignation that their paths had diverged.

Yu Kui followed her toward the school gate, watching her run across the street and enter the bubble tea shop on the other side.

She turned around and got on the bus home, unaware of the intimacy behind her as Qin You took Tao Jiang's schoolbag.

"Look, my phone is really broken," Tao Jiang complained. "The screen is scratched, and the call sound is buzzing. I don’t care, you have to figure something out for me, or I won’t contact you tonight."

"Alright," Qin You took the phone and examined it, then said, "We can go get you a new one this weekend."

"Great," Tao Jiang’s eyes curved into a smile as she immediately wrapped her arms around his arm. "I knew you’d be good to me."

Qin You’s face turned a little red as he tightly held her hand.

"By the way, you should still tutor me," Tao Jiang thought for a moment and said. "There’s only a month left until the exams. I don’t want to be criticized by the teacher every day anymore—it’s so annoying."

"Okay," Qin You was practically at her beck and call. "Which school do you want to go to? I’ll go to the same one."

Tao Jiang was stunned. "You’re a better student than me. How could we go to the same university?"

"Even if we’re not at the same university, I want to be in the same city as you," Qin You said, leaving no room for argument. "I don’t want to be apart from you."

Tao Jiang said with a teasing smile. "Can’t bear to be without me, huh?"

"You’re my girlfriend—of course we have to be together," Qin You looked into her eyes and said with utmost seriousness. "Unless I die, you’re not getting rid of me."

"Don't talk nonsense!" Tao Jiang glared at him. "Who said I'm your girlfriend? Nothing's official yet, and you're already asking for a title?"

"Will you give it to me or not?" Qin You pressed on, not letting her evade. "Don’t you know how I feel about you?"

"Stay away from me," Tao Jiang took two steps back. "We’re still students. Why are we even talking about this?"

"We’re already adults," Qin You said. "We’re old enough to make our own decisions about some things."

Perhaps because he had spent so much time with Tao Jiang, the more he got to know her, the more Qin You understood what kind of person she was. She was beautiful and enjoyed playing with people’s hearts, always pleased with herself when she saw how crazy he was for her.

Qin You knew her flaws but never minded. As long as she was happy, he was willing to do anything for her, even if it meant she would let him down.

But now, he needed a clear answer: either become boyfriend and girlfriend or continue dragging things out.

"We’re in a bubble tea shop," Tao Jiang’s smile faltered. "Are you sure you want to change our relationship here? And you haven’t even formally confessed to me yet."

Tao Jiang said with a look of disdain. "You don’t think I’d just say yes that easily, do you? Don’t tell me you don’t know how you're supposed to ask someone to be your girlfriend. Do I need to teach you?"

In an instant, Tao Jiang took control of the rhythm, and Qin You was completely outmaneuvered, but he didn’t mind. "Alright, I’ll prepare it."

He stood perfectly still, gazing at Tao Jiang, the affection in his eyes seeming to overflow.

Tao Jiang smirked. "Look at you—so easy."

"As long as I can be with you, I’ll do anything."

Tao Jiang gave a light hum and headed off with him to get something to eat nearby, milk tea in hand.

That weekend, while studying in her room, Yu Kui suddenly received a call from an unknown number. She hung up without thinking until the number sent a text: "It's me, Qin You."

Yu Kui’s heart skipped a beat. How could it be Qin You?

Since she had blocked all of Qin You’s contact information, they had cut their last tie.

Qin You... why was he texting her? Did he have something to tell her?

A moment later, the number called again. Yu Kui stood frozen for a few seconds that felt like a lifetime.

Her fingertips trembled slightly as she took a deep breath and answered the call.

She stayed silent, listening to the noise on the other end, with no idea where Qin You was.

"Yu Kui?" Qin You’s familiar voice sounded in her ear. Yu Kui froze, shocked that it was really him.

"Can you hear me?" Qin You’s voice was anxious, as if he were in some great trouble. "Can you hear me?"

Yu Kui should have hung up, making it clear through her actions that they were through.

But she couldn’t. A part of her had always hoped he would reach out to her, even if just by phone.

He was someone she had liked for a long, long time, her childhood best friend, he was her entire youth.

"I can hear you," she heard herself say. "Qin You, I can hear you."