Chapter 66#
“I like you.”#
The pen tip scribbled on the paper, covering the entire sheet.
The week-long final exams were nearing their end, and people on campus were gradually packing their bags, preparing to head home.
Jian Yunchen paused his pen. An hour had passed, and his exam paper was complete and well-structured.
It was a standard high-scoring paper.
He blinked his tired eyes and looked out the window.
Fluffy white snowflakes slowly accumulated on the branches, and passersby, smiling, reached out to catch them.
He smiled faintly. It was snowing.
The bell rang, and Jian Yunchen handed in his paper, preparing to pack up and leave.
However, a figure cast a shadow in front of his desk.
The class president, Wen Jing, stood before him.
He paused slightly, glanced at her, then calmly averted his gaze: “Something?”
Wen Jing smiled gently. The girl’s fair face held a soft smile, and her words were gentle and polite, always making it hard for people to cruelly refuse her.
“Jian Yunchen…”
“No time.”
Except for Jian Yunchen.
The girl bit her lower lip, embarrassed, her lips slightly pale. She was well-liked in class, and this time, being entrusted by someone and mixed with some of her own personal motives, she spoke again, her words rapid: “Student Jian, today is Peng Yu’s birthday. You two had a bit of a disagreement before, and he misunderstood you. This time, he specifically asked me to invite you to participate, wanting to reconcile with you.”
Wen Jing finished in one breath, as if afraid Jian Yunchen wouldn’t give her a chance.
She then added: “It won’t take up too much of your time. Everyone will just gather at ‘Katz’ to eat and sing…”
The girl’s voice faded, she tightened her fingertips, waiting for his reply with hopeful eyes.
Jian Yunchen…
Jian Yunchen stopped listening the moment she mentioned Peng Yu’s name.
Peng Yu, who had previously made some sarcastic remarks to Jian Yunchen on the basketball court during the rumors of Tang Qi’s bullying. Later, after Tang Qi’s scandal of buying exam questions and faking grades was exposed, he dropped out of school, and even the bullying rumors disappeared completely.
In fact, Jian Yunchen didn’t pay much attention to this matter; he was just being talked about, and he didn’t care. It was just that after he changed his identity, the world became much more tolerant of him. After he became the young master of the Jiang family, he no longer had to deliberately disguise himself as before, and privileges would always proactively open up for him.
Such privileges, he wouldn’t dare to imagine before, but now he didn’t even need to think about them.
His actions of packing his books paused. When Peng Yu was mentioned, the first thing he thought of was the tech smartwatch launched by the Peng family at the end of last year, which sold out as soon as it hit the market. In terms of technology, their family was unique in the entire industry.
Jian Yunchen’s heart stirred. He looked up at her, smiled, and nodded.
When Jian Yunchen arrived, the atmosphere in the private room was at its peak.
Inside, people were drinking, making noise, and singing. Peng Yu was popular and knew many people, so he specifically booked the largest private room, which still felt a bit crowded.
Jian Yunchen pushed the door open and entered. Several people looked over curiously. When they saw his face, they nudged the person next to them in surprise, their mouths moving. The restless music from a moment ago instantly paused, leaving only a faint accompaniment that hadn’t been stopped.
Jian Yunchen acted as if he didn’t see their curious gazes, walked straight to Peng Yu, and handed him a beautifully wrapped gift box.
Peng Yu was holding a glass of beer, not yet opened. He hadn’t expected Jian Yunchen to actually come. He looked at the gift box offered to him, his lips slightly parted, looking somewhat foolish.
Soon, he reacted, stood up abruptly, took the gift handed to him, and laughed heartily, “It’s good that you came, why bring a gift?”
Jian Yunchen blinked slightly and also smiled: “Happy birthday, Peng Yu.”
The previous friction was lightly swept aside by their unspoken mutual understanding.
He put an arm around Jian Yunchen’s shoulder and enthusiastically declared: “Thanks, brother, tonight, we won’t go home until we’re drunk!”
Friendships between men often form so quickly and strangely.
After singing a song and having a drink together, Peng Yu’s relationship with Jian Yunchen progressed by leaps and bounds.
If Jian Yunchen wanted to befriend someone, it was incredibly easy.
Especially someone like Peng Yu, who was straightforward, enthusiastic, with an excessive sense of justice and overflowing compassion.
After a few drinks, Peng Yu was already slurring his words, reminiscing about the past with Jian Yunchen, speaking from the heart, saying that he used to be a poor judge of character, and sincerely apologizing.
Jian Yunchen watched amusedly as he repeatedly said the same things in a muddled way, the corners of his mouth turned up, but there was no smile in his eyes.
Wen Jing hadn’t lied to him; the gathering indeed didn’t last very long. It was only just ten o’clock, and people were already starting to disperse.
Peng Yu had already gotten drunk earlier, and someone was helping him into a car. Before leaving, he was still mumbling those same few phrases repeatedly.
Jian Yunchen didn’t listen closely. He had also had some alcohol, but not much; his movements were just a bit slow, but his mind was still clear.
Before leaving, someone stood up and suggested that it was too late, and each boy should escort a girl who lived along their way home.
Wen Jing happened to be going his way.
He didn’t speak, which was taken as an agreement.
The two walked silently, without a word. Snow had fallen all day, accumulating quite a bit on the ground, making a soft ‘swooshing’ sound when stepped on.
He exhaled a puff of white mist, his hands in his pockets, and suddenly thought of the warm bowl of instant noodles Qin Mu had cooked.
Although it didn’t look appealing, it was warm and comforting after eating.
“Jian Yunchen…”
The girl behind him called out to him.
He paused his steps, turning his head to look at her.
The girl’s face was a bit red, he wasn’t sure if it was from drinking or some other reason.
She had on light makeup today, her lips looked like they were covered in honey. Wen Jing bit her lip and said to him with a trembling voice:
“I like you.”
Jian Yunchen’s reaction was a bit slow; it took him two seconds to realize what she had said. He repeated: “Like me?”
The girl nodded with her eyes slightly closed, as if afraid to hear his reply, and hastily pulled out a pink letter from her small bag.
She thrust it into Jian Yunchen’s hand, not daring to look into his eyes.
“I hope you can accept it. My home is just ahead, no need to escort me. Thank you.”
After speaking, she ran off ahead.
Jian Yunchen held the letter between his fingertips, feeling slightly puzzled.
He had no experience of being confessed to, nor of being liked. Such things wouldn’t happen to him, so he was blank at the moment, completely unsure how to react.
Jian Yunchen’s mind was in a jumble, and for a moment, he didn’t know what to do with the letter.
Just as he was wondering what to do, hesitating on the spot, a cold question suddenly echoed from behind him:
“How much longer are you going to stare at her back?”
It was an extremely terrifying thing for a sound to suddenly appear behind one in a deserted night. Jian Yunchen was so startled that his hand trembled, and the pink letter fell into the soft snow.
He suddenly turned his head and met Qin Mu’s eyes.