“Xiao Huanhuan, do you have someone you like?” Momo suddenly changed the topic and asked.
Shi Nianhuan was caught off guard by the question. She looked at Momo in surprise and opened and closed her mouth, unclear why she should say.
Her foolish appearance made Momo unable to contain her laughter.
“Is that matter true?” Shi Nianhuan looked at the incredibly beautiful girl in front of her in profile, unwilling no matter what to associate those pictures online with her.
Momo knew what she was asking about. She only gave a faint smile, rubbed her hair, and gently nodded.
Her indifferent attitude made Shi Nianhuan even more surprised. Why was she always so unconcerned? Such a major matter seemed to be nothing serious in her eyes.
“Why did you do that? Don’t you like Lin Xiangyang?” Shi Nianhuan slowly asked.
“I do.” Momo nodded and answered crisply.
Shi Nianhuan was even more surprised.
Momo gently rubbed her hair, her movements tender, resembling Lin Xiangyang in her memories.
“You’re still a child. You don’t understand adults’ matters, so don’t ask.”
Shi Nianhuan blinked her confused eyes. She had clearly just said that she was two years younger than her, so how had she suddenly become a child herself?
“Although Lin Xiangyang and I broke up, I like you very much. We can still be friends from now on.” Momo looked at Shi Nianhuan warmly and spoke each word clearly.
Shi Nianhuan smiled foolishly and nodded repeatedly.
She also liked Momo very much, so she was more than willing to be friends with her.
She liked that Momo was beautiful, liked her good personality, liked how she could smile anytime and anywhere, and liked her indifferent attitude.
Momo also told Shi Nianhuan that the man in the photos she had seen was her new boyfriend. She said that when she had time, she would definitely have her new boyfriend treat Shi Nianhuan to a meal.
Shi Nianhuan smiled and politely declined. She felt it would certainly be awkward, the kind of awkwardness that made her feel awkward just thinking about it.
After parting from Momo, Shi Nianhuan went to find Lin Xiangyang. She knew where he was.
Every Wednesday afternoon, Lin Xiangyang should be in the laboratory working on a project. Back then, to satisfy her girlish heart, she and Lin Xiangyang had chosen the same supervisor.
Shi Nianhuan returned to the dormitory, picked up her major-course textbook, put on her backpack, and headed for the laboratory.
The school was too large. From the dormitory building to the laboratory took more than half an hour at best, but she liked walking this way and did not feel tired.
When she reached the laboratory and opened the door, Shi Nianhuan saw Lin Xiangyang earnestly working on a project inside at a glance.
There was only him in the laboratory. He had his back to her, his figure straight and tall.
The faint sound of the door closing caught Lin Xiangyang’s attention. He turned his head, saw that it was her, and gave a faint smile.
“Why are you here?” he asked indifferently.
Shi Nianhuan gave an awkward smile, stuck out her tongue, and said playfully, “Is the teacher not here? I came to find him. I have some questions to ask.”
“The teacher went to a meeting,” Lin Xiangyang said indifferently.
Shi Nianhuan had known that long ago, so she was not surprised.
She slowly walked over to Lin Xiangyang and watched seriously as he recorded something on the paper.
“Brother Xiangyang,” she called softly.
“Hmm?”
“Are you feeling better? You drank so much last night. Does your head hurt?”
“I’m fine.” Li Xiangyang nodded indifferently.
Shi Nianhuan could tell that he did not really want to mention yesterday’s matter. It was probably because he did not want to mention any topic concerning Momo, right?
But Shi Nianhuan remembered that she had just agreed to Momo’s request.
She pressed her lips together awkwardly and suddenly did not know how best to speak.
“What’s wrong?” Lin Xiangyang seemed to notice her difficulty and asked.
Shi Nianhuan had to grind teeth before tentatively asking, “Brother Xiangyang, did you and Momo break up?”
Shi Nianhuan clearly saw Lin Xiangyang’s hand pause for a moment, a trace of distraction appearing on his face.
“Hmm.” He nodded indifferently.
Shi Nianhuan shrugged, gave a faint smile, and said to Lin Xiangyang, “I ran into Momo on the road just now and spoke with her for a few words.”
“Oh.” Lin Xiangyang did not even raise his head. He seemed not interested in this topic at all.
“She has two things she wants me to tell you.” Shi Nianhuan continued speaking despite her reluctance.
“Go ahead.” Those two simple words, spoken in his clear voice, made Shi Nianhuan lose focus for a moment. The boy she liked was standing beside her, yet they were discussing another girl’s matter—the girl he liked.
The boy she liked loved another girl, and a trace of bitterness welled up in Shi Nianhuan’s heart.
“She asked me to apologize to you.”
“I understand.”
Lin Xiangyang’s knuckles were sharply defined, and his fingertips trembled slightly.
Shi Nianhuan felt such heartache for him at that moment. She really wanted to hug his waist tightly, bury her head against his chest, and softly breathe in his scent. In this quiet afternoon, it would be a hug belonging only to the two of them.
But that was only a thought. From beginning to end, Shi Nianhuan had always been an extremely timid person, so timid that when facing someone she liked, she did not even know how to voice the longing and joy in her heart.
“Were you the one who took me away from the bar last night?” Lin Xiangyang suddenly asked.
Last night… Shi Nianhuan’s thoughts flew back to last night, and a trace of guilt flashed through her eyes.
“My Gege took you away. I was there too.”
“Thank you, Nianhuan.”
“It’s nothing. Aren’t I your younger sister?” Shi Nianhuan acted especially calm and unconcerned, and Lin Xiangyang smiled at her as well.
Shi Nianhuan thought that perhaps no one in this lifetime would ever notice the bitterness in her heart.
Lin Xiangyang raised his arm and glanced at his watch, then turned his head toward Shi Nianhuan and said, “How about I take you out to eat later?”
Shi Nianhuan stared at him blankly, unclear why.
Lin Xiangyang reached out and pinched her nose, speaking with a faint smile. “I don’t want to stay here. Let’s skip this afternoon’s class.”
“What if the teacher comes looking for you later?” Shi Nianhuan asked with some concern.
Lin Xiangyang laughed like a big child.
“What’s there to fear? At worst, we’ll say you’re sick and I’m taking you to the hospital.”
“Wouldn’t that be inappropriate?”
“It’s fine.” As Lin Xiangyang spoke, he reached out and rubbed her hair, his movements incredibly gentle.
Shi Nianhuan really wished time could stop at this moment.
Lin Xiangyang indeed led Shi Nianhuan out of the laboratory building. The two of them bathed in sunlight as a gentle breeze drifted past, and time was tranquil and beautiful.
When Shi Nianhuan turned her head, she could see the corners of his mouth raised, his smile carrying a faint sorrow.
This slender boy stood beside her, holding her wrist. This was the scene she had dreamed of countless times, and now it had actually come true. A little warmth welled up in Shi Nianhuan’s heart. She really wanted to summon the courage to hold his hand.
“Your roommates are all there, right? How about asking them to come out and eat with us?” Lin Xiangyang suddenly suggested.