CH 45

After confirming that Wen Chuan fell asleep, Jian Chi left the dormitory silently, closed the door, and stood for a few minutes before calming down from the gloomy atmosphere just now.

He knew the fate of Wen Chuan and several other people for a long time, but knowing it was completely different from hearing it with his own ears. Wen Chuan’s words pierced straight into his chest and remained in his heart for a long time.

The book did not describe the true ending of each person, and in the end there was only an emotional entanglement with Bai Xiyu. Except for the car accident that happened to Ji Huaisi, everyone seemed to have a happy ending, but at this moment, Jian Chi couldn’t be sure of the true meaning of the word ‘happy’.

Wen Chuan failed to get rid of the Fu family, and even more and more people knew about his identity and background; Shao Hang was still domineering, disobedient to discipline and caring about the feelings of others; while Shen Shuting, Jian Chi’s understanding of him was only superficial. They seem to have gone through a lot with Bai Xiyu, and in the end, they seemed to have stayed in place.

At this moment, Jian Chi was very grateful to Qin Chuxu for what he told him. The outcome of the story is not doomed and will lead to different endings with different choices. Ji Huaisi may be able to avoid the car accident, and Wen Chuan may be able to bring his grandmother and Jingjing to live the life they want. These ‘maybes’ are all extraordinarily idealized, but Jian Chi couldn’t help but think that they deserved such an ending, instead of the happy on the surface, but mess of a reality as written in the story.

A story that never happened is only a process, not a source. He still didn’t know the reason for the car accident for Ji Huaisi, and what Wen Chuan had to do to realize his wish for freedom, but Jian Chi knew that he would no longer be as indifferent as before. Since he had derailed, why not do it more completely? Let them have real happy endings, not fake ones.

This idea started very early, and it took shape from seeing Ji Huaisi standing on the radiant stage. At that time Jian Chi didn’t want to involve himself in it, but he didn’t know that he couldn’t be not involved at all. From beginning to end, he was a member of the story. At the beginning, the dream gave him too much responsibility, making him mistakenly think that if he pulled his emotions out, he would be able to coldly watch the people around him go to their predetermined ending.

But during this period of time, what happened and the people he met brought too many unexpected surprises to Jian Chi. He was shaken several times. When Ji Huaisi stood in the moonlight and played the violin, saying ‘Happy Birthday to him’, Jian Chi touched his jade pendant late at night and asked himself, did he really want to see Ji Huaisi give up the violin because of his injury, and go away to another country?

He didn’t want that.

So everything suddenly became clear. What he knew was only a one-sided story, and what he could do was to remind Ji Huaisi to the maximum extent and prevent the unfortunate from happening. It sounded difficult, but Jian Chi was not as uneasy as he imagined. He had always been a firm individual in the past. Since he came to Saintston and made these friends, he had encountered absurdity that he may never have encountered in his life. It seemed that the defense at the bottom of his heart was slowly loosening. Was it a good thing? It didn’t feel bad.

Of course, if the annoying factor of Shao Hang can be removed, he may feel better.

Zhang Yang’s words a few days ago made Jian Chi realize that the year was running out. When he first came to Saintston, he would still look at the calendar and count the time left in the period. In a blink of an eye, the first semester in Saintston will come to an end.

After the New Year’s ball, it was the New Year’s holiday. When Jian Chi thought that he could go home immediately, he no longer felt depressed or complained, even in the face of mountains of exams and assessments. 

Probably because of the end of the year, the student union was very busy during this time. Zhang Yang had a friend who was in the student union. Once, he ran into him outside the cafeteria and the other part complained about the preparation of the New Years Eve Ball. Every day, he would be on edge and have an unknown amount of meetings, yet Shen Shuting was still so strict and scary, the members below were miserable. It was fortunate that Ji Huaisi would persuade him from time to time, so that Shen Shuting can relax occasionally.

Jian Chi hadn’t seen Ji Huaisi for a while, but the messages never stopped. Ji Huaisi often talked to him about what happened in the student union, and sometimes took pictures and sent them over. Although Jian Chi was not one of them, he gradually got a thorough understanding of the internal affairs of the student union, including the progress of the upcoming dance party.

Ji Huaisi: There will be another meeting later.

A photo was followed, apparently taken just now. The student union members hadn’t arrived yet, there was only a glimpse of Shen Shuting, who appeared half-faced. He must be accustomed to wearing a pair of rimless glasses when working, it laid on the bridge of his nose that was higher than ordinary people, and his eyes that looked down at the data were as cold and serious as ever.

Jian Chi remembered the complaints of Zhang Yang’s friend and asked: Haven’t the ball been set yet?

Ji Huaisi: Generally speaking, there is no objection, but Shuting is very cautious. Major matters need to be checked at least three times before they can be finalized. Today is the last meeting. The rest will be done by other departments, so I can relax a little. ^_^

Seeing the last expression, Ji Huaisi’s smile appeared in Jian Chi’s mind inexplicably. The two had a strange sense of connection, and he took the picture out of his mind: You have been busy for so long, you also need a good rest.

Ji Huaisi: Are you coming to the Student Union later?

Jian Chi, who was about to ask what was going on, saw the next message: I found the English original of the novel you mentioned last time. Would you like to come and have a look?

Jian Chi deleted the query and issued a ‘ok’.

Compared with the anxiety at the beginning, Jian Chi can now walk into Ji Huaisi’s office with familiarity, see several members on the way, and some even greeted him.

Maybe it was Ji Huaisi who would mention him, but the members of the student council didn’t comment on anything, but were very friendly, at least on the surface.

When he came to Ji Huaisi’s office and smelled the elegant fragrance of flowers, Jian Chi always felt unspeakably relaxed, some of the simplest conversations could be chatted for a long time. Seeing that Jian Chi had finished drinking the tea in his cup, Ji Huaisi naturally added some more and asked, “Jian Chi, do you have time this weekend?”

The change of topic made Jian Chi pause for a while. His review progress should be about done, and the assessment that should be handed in can be completed before the weekend, so he replied, “I have time, what’s the matter?”

“It’s going to be the ball soon, I want to choose an outfit,” Ji Huaisi curled the corners of his lips, “Would you like to come with me?”

It seems strange to say ‘yes’, and ‘unwilling’ is also a little hasty. Jian Chi hesitated for a while, “my vision may not be as good as yours, it may be a disservice to you.”

“One more person can give me one more reference. You haven’t seen it, so how do you know my vision is good?”

Ji Huaisi always likes to ask rhetorical questions in a gentle tone, and throw the question back to Jian Chi without a trace.

This was not a rude request. Facing the second invitation from the same person, Jian Chi just thought for a while, then nodded and asked, “Saturday or Sunday?”

“Both are okay, we can go any day that is convenient for you.”

“Then Sunday,” Jian Chi said, “Is that okay?”

The smile in Ji Huaisi’s eyes was deep, and his voice was unhurried: “Of course, just like last time, I will come to pick you up.”

Leaving the office with the book in his arms, Jian Chi closed the door to prepare to go downstairs. When he turned around, he noticed Shen Shuting who was not far away. He didn’t know whether he was walking in this direction or was waiting there alone, his figure was as motionless as a shadow. 

Jian Chi wanted to go in a different direction, but the elevator to downstairs was next to Shen Shuting.

Helpless, he could only bite the bullet.

Jian Chi lowered his head to avoid looking at Shen Shuting. He pressed down for the elevator, saw the numbers jumping, and was a little relieved. In his ear: “Since you have got what you want, there is no need to change what is already set.”

His mind went blank for a few seconds. Jian Chi scanned the empty surroundings, making sure that Shen Shuting’s disgusting comment of ‘no need to change what is already set’ was speaking to himself, he hesitated for a few seconds, “I’m sorry, I don’t seem to have heard it clearly?”

If there was substance in his eyes, he must have been full of knives from Shen Shuting.

Shen Shuting kept his distance as always, and stared at Jian Chi coldly with emerald eyes, as if he would be sick just giving one more glance, “I saw you coming out of Shao Hang and Wen Chuan’s dormitory, no matter who your original goal is, Ji Huaisi has done so much for you, don’t be too greedy and be careful or else you will end up with nothing.”

A question mark slowly appeared in Jian Chi’s mind.

It was not until Shen Shuting left with calm and steady steps, and the elevator went down to the first floor, that he finally understood what the words just meant.

Suddenly he was speechless and choked. He felt inexplicably helpless and angry, it was funny but he didn’t know where to start.

I see.

Shen Shuting… actually looked at him like this.