Jiang Fuyue was still comforting the sobbing Wan Xiutong when suddenly two shadows fell over them.
She instinctively looked up—only to see Yi Ci and Zhong Ziang, who were supposed to be at the “farewell dinner” next door, suddenly appear in front of her.
Both of them had drinks in hand, their faces flushed red. Clearly, they’d had more than a little.
And the way they were looking at her—something wasn’t right…
“Jiang Fuyue—” both spoke at the same time.
Yi Ci: “Me first!”
Zhong Ziang: “Get lost, today no one can steal this from me!”
“Why should I? I won’t!”
“Yi Ci, don’t go too far!”
“Zhong Ziang, stop acting so D*mn cocky—”
The two shoved shoulders, pushing and jostling, neither backing down.
The onlookers, of course, only fueled the chaos—
“Fight! Fight!”
“Throw hands!”
“Brother Ci’s not scared.”
“Go Young Master Zhong, chargeeee—”
Wan Xiutong swallowed hard and turned to Liu Sisi. “W-what do we do?”
The latter frowned, a faint hostility flashing in her eyes toward both Zhong Ziang and Yi Ci.
Jiang Fuyue, thoroughly uninterested in watching two rookies peck at each other, simply pointed at Yi Ci. “You. Go first.”
The quarrel cut off immediately. Even the crowd fell silent.
Yi Ci: “?”
Jiang Fuyue frowned. “Didn’t you have something to say?”
“…Ah? Y-yes.”
What was it again?
Oh! Confession!
“J-J-Jiang… Fuyue! I-I-I-I…”
“?”
He stammered and stuttered, but nothing coherent came out.
Seeing this, Zhong Ziang shoved him aside. “Coward, let me do it!”
Instantly, every gaze turned to him—including Jiang Fuyue’s.
He drew a deep breath. “Jiang Fuyue! I-I-I-I…”
“?”
He actually started stuttering too!
Yi Ci sneered coldly.
Zhong Ziang: “?” That wasn’t me! Definitely not my mouth!
The crowd—
“This is my Brother Ci? This is my Young Master Zhong?”
“They’re totally nervous!”
“Well, think about who they’re confessing to—just standing there, Sister Yue’s aura is off the charts, anyone would be scared witless.”
“No one’s worthy of Sister Yue anyway.”
“Exactly! She should just shine alone, untouchable!”
“Goddess Yue belongs to everyone! And I belong to the Goddess Yue, hehe…”
“Are they gonna confess or not? My arm’s sore from holding up my phone.”
Jiang Fuyue turned her questioning gaze to Zhong Ziang. “Done talking?”
“…Not yet!”
“?”
“Jiang Fuyue,” suddenly he gritted his teeth, face full of desperate resolve, “I li—”
“Zhong Ziang!”
No one knew when Ling Xuan slipped through the crowd, one hand clapping onto his shoulder.
“You—”
“Come with me!” Despite his refined demeanor, Ling Xuan’s grip was strong, and he dragged Zhong Ziang away.
“Hey?! What are you doing? Let go—”
Ling Xuan looked back, barking at the dazed Yi Ci, “You too!”
The latter pressed his lips tight and followed obediently.
Everyone: “?” My pants were halfway down, and you show me this?!
Jiang Fuyue watched the three leave, her expression thoughtful.
….
As the gathering neared its end, quite a few classmates were already drunk.
The well-behaved ones were slumped over the tables, fast asleep.
The rowdier ones were hugging tables and calling for the class monitor, or clinging to teachers like Xu Jing and Yu Wenzhou, insisting they explain exam questions right now. The most outrageous of all were the ones repeatedly standing up, sitting down, standing up, sitting down…
Wan Xiutong covered her face — she couldn’t bear to look.
Liu Sisi’s expression was pure disdain: a bunch of drunks.
Xu Jing was both angry and helpless — he had to go along with the antics of his own students, even if it meant kneeling to their chaos.
Despite having been toasted with drink after drink, Jiang Fuyue showed no signs of drunkenness — only a faint flush on her cheeks.
When she got home, she was as sharp and lively as ever.
“Yueyue, you’re back?”
Han Yunru sniffed the air. “You’ve been drinking? Do you feel dizzy? I’ll go make you some hangover soup—”
“No need. I’m not drunk.”
“Really?”
Jiang Fuyue nodded.
Her younger brother mumbled, “Usually, drunk people are the ones who say they’re not drunk.”
One glance from her, and he immediately corrected himself: “But my sister’s the exception.”
Indeed — capable of anything when it came to food, and number one when it came to flattery.
…
They say that on the night after the college entrance exam, eighty percent of students can’t sleep.
But Jiang Fuyue was not among them.
Not only did she sleep soundly — she even woke up naturally the next morning, feeling refreshed.
After a morning workout, she came back home and called her brother to get up.
High school seniors might be on break, but other students weren’t. So her brother still had to go to class.
That afternoon, Zhong Ziang texted her, inviting her to visit the botanical garden.
Jiang Fuyue thought for a moment and replied: 【Okay】
At that moment, Zhong Ziang could hardly believe it.
She agreed?
She agreed!
He put down his phone and immediately started rummaging through his wardrobe.
Hearing the commotion, Aunt Liu came in. “Young Master, what are you doing?”
Zhong Ziang turned to her, standing tall. “Aunt Liu, how do I look in this?”
He wore a hoodie, ripped jeans, a flashy silver skull chain, and a baseball cap — the epitome of street style.
Aunt Liu nodded. “Very nice!”
Zhong Ziang grinned.
But the next second—
“Of course, Young Master looks good in anything!”
“…Right. Should’ve known.”
He could’ve worn a burlap sack and she’d still call him handsome.
…
At one o’clock that afternoon, the sun blazed outside, but the air in the botanical garden was pleasantly cool.
Jiang Fuyue had been waiting about ten minutes before Zhong Ziang finally showed up.
He wore a white shirt, casual dress pants, and gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. His faint smile was just right — polite and elegant.
The usual flamboyance was gone, replaced by the refined air of a cultured young man.
“Ahem—”
Seeing Jiang Fuyue’s gaze linger on him, Zhong Ziang silently congratulated himself on today’s outfit choice.
“So? Not bad, right?”
“Uh… it’s just not your usual style.”
Pushing his glasses, he said seriously, “People change. I’m maturing, too.”
He even tried to speak in a calm, deep tone to show his sincerity.
Jiang Fuyue made no comment.
“Shall we walk inside?” he suggested.
“Sure.”
The botanical garden was vast, filled with every kind of plant imaginable.
Eventually, they stopped in the rose garden.
Roses of every color bloomed in waves — a dazzling sea of color.
A breeze carried their soft fragrance through the air.
Nervously, Zhong Ziang clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and said, “Jiang Fuyue, there’s something I need to tell you!”
“Is it what you didn’t finish saying at the party yesterday?”
He froze, then nodded. “Yeah.”
“Alright, go ahead.”
“I… I like you! Back then, we were students, and dating wasn’t allowed. But now that the college entrance exam is over — will you be my girlfriend?”
Before she could answer, he rushed on—
“I’ll treat you really, really well! I’ll listen to you about everything. If you tell me to go east, I’ll never go west. If you say forward, I’ll never step back!”
“I’ll respect you, care for you, love you, be thoughtful. Whatever a boyfriend should do, I’ll do — and even what a boyfriend can’t do, I’ll do too!”
When he finally finished, he swallowed nervously and looked straight at her. “Will you?”
For a moment, Jiang Fuyue could clearly see the sincerity in his eyes — pure and bright, like a flawless gem catching the light.
But in the end, she slowly shook her head.
“I’m sorry.”
Zhong Ziang had imagined being rejected countless times, thinking it would probably feel bitter and painful.
The truth was — it hurt even more than that.
It was as if all taste had left his mouth, and all color had drained from the world.
He opened his mouth, wanting to ask “why,” but found himself unable to speak.
Jiang Fuyue said quietly, “There are many kinds of relationships between people. Maybe we’re not suited to be lovers — maybe we’re better off as friends.”
“…But isn’t being lovers closer than being friends?”
“Even husbands and wives — people who marry — aren’t always close. How could dating guarantee that?”
“Then isn’t friendship even more distant?”
“There’s a saying: distance brings beauty.”
Sometimes, being apart isn’t a bad thing.
Zhong Ziang pouted. “But I still want to date you. What should I do?”
Jiang Fuyue smiled softly, her gaze gentle but her words piercingly direct. “But I don’t want to.”
Zhong Ziang almost cried.
She continued, “Liking someone is just liking them. Not liking them is just not liking them. It’s like your outfit today — it’s refined and expensive, but it just doesn’t suit you.”
“I think of us as friends, and there shouldn’t be deception between friends.”
“Of course, I could agree now, give you hope, and then take it back later. Is that what you’d prefer?”
He shook his head.
He would rather have her honesty than a comforting lie — even if it wasn’t the answer he wanted.
“Really no chance at all?” he asked, eyes red.
He truly liked Jiang Fuyue — wanted to hold her in the palm of his hand.
The girl smiled faintly.
And in that moment, Zhong Ziang knew — it was hopeless.
“…Alright.” He sniffed, probably because the pollen was strong — must’ve been an allergy.
Definitely not because he wanted to cry!
“I have two more questions,” he said.
“Go ahead.”
“What kind of person could be your boyfriend?”
“…I don’t know.”
His mouth tightened. “Okay. Second question — would you say yes if Yi Ci confessed to you?”
Jiang Fuyue didn’t hesitate. “No.”
“Why?”
“That’s the third question. But I’ll answer — because I don’t feel the kind of ‘like’ that makes someone a lover.”
As straightforward as ever.
Strangely, Zhong Ziang felt comforted.
It wasn’t him — but it wasn’t Yi Ci either. He hadn’t lost!
On their way back, just before parting, Zhong Ziang suddenly asked, “So… are we still friends?”
“Of course.”
He grinned.
Jiang Fuyue said goodbye.
Watching her walk away, Zhong Ziang felt as though he were watching his senior year — those bittersweet days of youthful crushes — disappear into the distance.
Maybe youth is meant to be something you look back on.
Ugh…
How cheesy!
He shivered as goosebumps broke out on his arms.
…
Back at the villa.
Aunt Liu looked up as Zhong Ziang burst through the door. “Young Master, you’re back?”
“Aunt Liu! Where’s my allergy medicine? I’m so itchy!”
“In the drawer! I’ll get it for you—”
Aunt Liu quickly rummaged out the tablets, poured a glass of warm water, and handed it to him. “Drink slowly…”
Zhong Ziang scratched at his face, leaving red marks wherever his fingers passed.
“What’s going on? There aren’t even any flowers in the house—how did you get an allergic reaction?” Aunt Liu asked, full of concern.
“Aunt Liu, I had such a rough day today, my whole body hurts, wuwu…”
“Oh, my little young master, how old are you now, still acting spoiled?”
“But it really hurts! So tonight, I want cola chicken wings, braised pork ribs, and tuna sushi!”
“Alright, alright, I’ll make all of it! Why are your eyes red, though?”
Zhong Ziang sniffled. “From scratching!”
“Fine, I’ll go get started then. You can eat soon.”
“Mm-hm!”
Aunt Liu chuckled as she went into the kitchen.
Zhong Ziang turned toward the reflective glass of the wine cabinet, looking left and right, then blinked at himself. “Are they red?”
They obviously weren’t red at all!
He sniffled again. What was there to feel sour about anyway?
So what if he got rejected? Big deal!
…
After Jiang Fuyue rejected Zhong Ziang, the very next day Yici sent her a WeChat message—
【Basketball? One-on-one.】
Jiang Fuyue raised an eyebrow, a flicker of light crossing her eyes. 【When?】
【This afternoon.】
【Where?】
【Too sunny at the outdoor court. Let’s go to the gym?】
【Okay.】
That afternoon, Jiang Fuyue went out in a basketball jersey and a pair of sport shorts, showing off her long, fair legs.
When she came downstairs, not only did her younger brother stare in awe, even Han Yunru’s eyes lit up with amazement.
“Yueyue, you look so cool!”
“Are you going to cheer for someone?”
“No,” Jiang Fuyue shook her head. “To play.”
Han Yunru was slightly surprised — since when did her daughter play basketball?
Her brother, however, was unfazed. “My sister can do anything!”
…
At the gym.
Yici was dribbling and went for a layup. As he landed, perhaps sensing Jiang Fuyue’s arrival, he turned his head.
The sunlight caught the young man’s face as he looked back, sweat sliding down his forehead and dripping from his chin to the floor.
At that moment, the ball went cleanly through the net, then bounced freely on the ground.
If there’d been a camera, that instant could have been frozen forever.
“You’re here—” he called, tossing the ball toward her.
“Mm.” Jiang Fuyue caught it easily.
“I heard you and Zhong Ziang got to know each other because of basketball?”
“You could say that.”
“Then play a round with me today too?”
Jiang Fuyue smiled, eyes bright. “Sure!”
In the wide, echoing court, the boy spread his arms, guarding carefully, while the girl dribbled and probed for an opening.
For a while, neither gained the upper hand.
“You’re pretty good,” Yici said.
“You’re not bad either,” Jiang Fuyue replied.
“If I can stop your next shot, will you agree to be my girlfriend?”
“That’s a confession?”
Yici nodded, though he didn’t let his guard down. “Of course.”
“Too bad—you won’t stop me.”
The moment she finished, she spun sharply to one side — a feint.
Taking advantage of his slight movement, she slipped past him and broke through the defense before he could react.
She didn’t even need to move far — just raised her arm, flicked her wrist, and sent the ball flying in a perfect three-pointer.
Yici watched it arc through the air and fall through the hoop, a wry smile spreading in his eyes.
He understood.
Jiang Fuyue said calmly, “I won.”
Yici nodded. “You’re amazing.”
During a break, they stood by the stands drinking water.
As Jiang Fuyue tilted her head back, her pale neck stretched, exposing the delicate line of her throat.
Beads of sweat shimmered on her skin — a beauty of strength and grace.
Yici’s gaze flickered. He couldn’t help the wave of unwillingness in his chest. “Even if I didn’t stop you, you could still be my girlfriend — if you wanted to.”
Jiang Fuyue paused mid-sip, then looked at the way he was nervously crumpling the plastic bottle, and couldn’t help but laugh.
She really did laugh. “You already know the answer — why ask again?”
“Uh… I was hoping maybe the answer was wrong…”
“There’s no ‘maybe.’”
So the answer wouldn’t be wrong.
Yici got it. He might have been prepared for it all along, because the expression on his face wasn’t too sad. There was even a small smile on his lips.
“As I thought…” he said softly.
Jiang Fuyue raised an eyebrow.
“You turned down Zhong Ziang — and you’d turn me down too.”
She didn’t answer.
Didn’t know how to.
In the end, Yici adjusted quickly and smiled at her. “Another round?”
“Sure.”
By the end, both were drenched in sweat, hands on their knees, breathing hard.
Not far away, the basketball bounced twice, rolled a bit, then came to rest.
Yici said, “I won this one.”
Jiang Fuyue replied, “Congratulations.”
“But you still wouldn’t say yes, would you?”
“No.” She didn’t soften or give a vague answer out of pity.
Yici laughed. “At least you didn’t say yes to Zhong Ziang either.”
There was a teasing glint in his eyes.
Jiang Fuyue said, “I heard you two made a bet involving me?”
Yici: “!”
How did she know?!
Jiang Fuyue’s lips curved. “So tell me — who won and who lost?”
Was that even the point?!
No wonder she refused both of them.
“Is that why?” Yici asked quietly.
“Partly.”
From the moment that bet was made, both he and Zhong Ziang had already lost their chance.
Yici let out a bitter laugh.
Jiang Fuyue said, “Next time you meet someone you like, don’t make that kind of childish mistake. Whether it’s a joke or not — don’t treat feelings like a game.”
…
After playing all afternoon, the first thing Jiang Fuyue did when she got home was take a shower.
When she came out, her brother had already cut up a watermelon for her — and even stuck a little silver fork in it.
So thoughtful!
“Here, sis—” he said, offering the plate, letting her pick the first piece.
Even Han Yunru and Jiang Da didn’t get that kind of treatment.
Jiang Fuyue picked a slice, popped it in her mouth, then ruffled his hair. “Thanks!”
Her younger brother had shot up lately, turning into a slender, handsome young teen — but he still blushed just as easily.
When his face turned red and he lowered his head, the sight was softer than a spring breeze in March.
Jiang Fuyue couldn’t help pinching his cheek. “Why are you shyer than a girl?”
“Sis!”
“Am I wrong?”
“You’re too mean!” he huffed, grabbing the watermelon plate and stomping upstairs.
Jiang Fuyue clicked her tongue. “Didn’t use to get mad when I pinched him…”
Looked like her little brother was growing up — developing a temper, no longer the soft, squishy bun she could knead however she liked.
That was a good thing.
Maybe because she’d exercised so much that afternoon, Jiang Fuyue slept especially soundly that night.
When she woke up the next morning, her brother had already gone to school — but he’d left her breakfast on the kitchen counter.
Mm, still just as sweet and thoughtful.
After finishing breakfast, Jiang Fuyue got a WeChat message from Ling Xuan—
【Got time?】
So this was… the third one, after Zhong Ziang and Yici?
Jiang Fuyue raised an eyebrow. 【What for?】
【Director Zhao asked us to come to school to compare answers and estimate scores. I’m in the office right now.】
Sounded like something legitimate, but—
【I’m not doing score estimates. No point.】
Ling Xuan didn’t reply.
But that afternoon, he sent another message—
【It’s not about checking answers. I wanted to ask you out.】
