CH 10

Yisheng and Song Anchen’s story was concentrated in the second semester of Year Three of high school, the semester in which everyone was busy with their studies.

In February, the temperature was gradually becoming warmer in the South and school was opening one after another. Ever since Year Two of high school, Lin Ruohan had entered Song Anchen’s home. She had become Song Anchen’s little tail, following him everywhere. Yisheng did not walk with him again. When she had begun to distance herself from him, Song Anchen had followed her and kept asking her about it, but after Yisheng kept refusing to interact with him, Song Anchen did not insist on talking to her anymore.

In the second semester of the Year Three of high school, they had entered the tense revision stage, and everyone’s results were mostly fixed. Yisheng had improved a lot. There were forty students in the class, and she had entered the top twenty. Song Anchen still kept his first-place ranking in school and was very far ahead of the second place. Perhaps Lin Ruohan had potential because her results rose from her previous ranking of last in class to top fifteen. There were a lot of rumors saying that the reason for her improvement was because Song Anchen was good at teaching and was also due to the power of love.

The two of them had been inseparable all year round, and even Yisheng, who was living opposite them could feel the rare tacit understanding that existed between them. Yisheng’s father, Ye Tianming had once asked Yisheng, “This year, you didn’t look for your Little Brother Song at all. Is it that you do not want to be a third wheel?”

Yisheng rolled her eyes at her father.

Yisheng’s father did not take the hint and even teased, “This Lao Song is really good. He married a wife and managed to get a daughter-in-law as well.”

(T/N: Just a refresher since it’s been a while (I think), Lao means old, it’s a way of addressing Song Anchen’s father)

Yisheng could not stand listening to it anymore, she directly slammed the door and entered her room, falling onto her bed and covering herself with her blanket. She felt a sourness in her heart, wanting to cry but not having any tears. The feeling of having a secret one-sided crush on someone was very horrible, especially since the person she had a crush on was already dating someone else.

On February 14, Valentine’s Day, they had class as usual, and their self-study period in the evening did not end even half a minute earlier, ending class at nine-thirty as usual. Yisheng packed her bag and waited for her ‘bodyguard’ He Jin as usual. Ever since Yisheng got left alone, her kind-hearted seatmate was scared that Yisheng would be upset at the development and started to send Yisheng home every day. After a while, the two of them begun to get used to sticking to each other.

When they got to the bicycle parking lots, He Jin looked around stealthily, as if he was afraid of being seen. As soon as Yisheng pushed her bicycle out, He Jin handed Yisheng a box of finely wrapped Ferrero Rocher. Yisheng looked at the box of chocolate in front of her, stunned. She raised her head to look at He Jin’s slightly awkward and embarrassed face. She laughed awkwardly, “Is this for me?”

“Nope,” He Jin stretched out his other hand and shook the piece of individually packaged chocolate on his hand, “This is your reward. I want you to help me pass this box of chocolates to Lin Ruohan.”

He Jin was even more embarrassed, scratching his flat head uneasily. When Yisheng heard his answer, she wanted to punch him. She pushed the reward that he was giving her away and looked at him with disdain, “Don’t you know that Lin Ruohan has a boyfriend already?”

“I asked Song Anchen. I said that I wanted to pursue Lin Ruohan and he supported me.”

“You idiot, he’s trying to display his strength in front of you,” Yisheng did not know whether to laugh or to cry.

“Who cares, it’s my business who I pursue. Just tell me, are you helping me or not?” He Jin’s eyes were very stubborn, causing Yisheng to feel very stunned. She reluctantly accepted that box of chocolate and muttered, “It’s purely because you were my ‘bodyguard’ for a year.”

He Jin was very happy. He put one hand in front of his chest and bowed at a ninety-degree angle, “It’s a great honor to be able to serve the queen.”

Yisheng covered her mouth and smiled, “Hurry get on your bike. Let’s go home,” She straightened her bike, and when she got on her bicycle, she saw Song Anchen and the rest standing a short distance away from them. Song Anchen stared at Yisheng for a long time, his sharp eyes were like a raging flame that made Yisheng’s whole body feel hot and restless.

Lin Ruohan smiled slightly, “What a romantic couple.” She did not have a tone filled with envy, instead, it was more of a sneer. Yisheng suddenly felt very annoyed at her and turned her head, leaving quickly on her bicycle. He Jin, who was left behind, shouted, “Hey.”

When she returned home, she was feeling very upset. She did not want to go to the opposite house and pass the chocolates to Lin Ruohan in person. At that moment, her father came home from work. He put down his things and said that he wanted to go to the house opposite theirs to drink with Song Anchen’s father.

Yisheng had a sudden realization and ran back to her room to pick up that box of chocolate and chased after her father who was already at the door to the house opposite theirs.

Father Ye knocked on the door and Song Zheng opened the door and said, “You’re here!”

Father Ye chuckled and was about to enter when his hand was pulled on by someone. He was a little confused when he saw his daughter standing behind him, a box of chocolate in her hands and an embarrassed look on her face.

“Dad, this…”

Yisheng’s father snapped out of his faze and took the chocolate, saying with a smile, “Oh, a grown girl’s heart cannot be kept, it’s good to take the initiative. Dad will help you,” After he said that, he smiled as he walked into the Song Family’s home. Yisheng had not finished speaking at all and she was currently thinking about how she should ask her father to help, but her father had understood what she wanted to ask him? Song Zheng, who was standing by the side smiled, “Yisheng, do you want to come over and play?”

She stammered and hesitated, secretly taking a look inside, only to see her father pass that box of chocolate to Song Anchen? And Song Anchen was a little shocked and glanced towards the door, just happening to meet Yisheng’s gaze.

Yisheng immediately hid and hurriedly told Song Zheng, who was standing by the side, “Nope, I’ll go back home and do my homework.” She was speechless and decided running away was the best solution.

She continuously scolded herself, but even if she scolded herself, the problem was not solved. Thus, she could only take out her piggy bank and shook it! There was the sound of the coins in the jar knocking against each other. She had given the present to Song Anchen in her name, so naturally, she had to take her own money and pay for it. She instantly felt that she was very pitiful.

The next day, she still went out very early but happened to meet the person coming out from the house opposite hers. However, at this moment, Song Anchen was not the only one leaving the house. Yisheng could hear Lin Ruohan’s anxious voice coming from the house, “Brother, wait for three minutes, don’t leave.”

Today, Song Anchen looked very fresh, the main reason was that without his usual gloominess, his gaze was a lot clearer than before. The two of them had barely spoken this year, and they did not even greet each other when they occasionally met. This time, naturally, was no exception. Yisheng raised her feet and wanted to go downstairs directly, but unexpectedly, Song Anchen also walked down. She suddenly stopped walking, giving him a fierce look, but he ignored it and continued to walk down the stairs.

Yisheng looked at his back, a little stunned. After the mess yesterday, he was acting very normally. Perhaps she was overthinking things. Yisheng hit her head, a little frustrated, she had thought too much about the incident yesterday.

When she reached the bicycle parking lots, Yisheng saw that Song Anchen was peeling the golden wrapping paper off a piece of Ferrero Rocher. He looked very casual, and elegantly placed a piece of chocolate into his mouth. There were already a few pieces of golden papers on the floor.

He did not feel bad eating other people’s food at all! Yisheng scolded him in her heart, striding over. Her bicycle happened to be blocked by Song Anchen and she could not get out. Yisheng shook her bicycle, making a sound to hint to him to make way. Song Anchen passed her a golden ball of chocolate, “Do you want to eat it?”

Yisheng gave a fake smile, “I don’t want to eat it, thank you.”

“You’re really willing to spend money. A box of this kind of chocolate cost more than a hundred RMB, I can see how much you care,” Song Anchen, who had originally been leaning on one of the pillars straightened his body, gazing at her with a barely visible smile, “I don’t like to owe people favors. Tell me, what do you want in exchange?”

Yisheng stretched her hand out, “Money!” That way, she could return the money to He Jin.

Song Anchen frowned, “Besides that.”

“Return me a box of identical chocolates,” Returning the chocolates to He Jin in this manner would be good too.

Song Anchen took a deep breath, pinching his forehead helplessly, “I knew it, telling you such things is like preaching to deaf ears.”

“…” Yisheng puffed up her cheeks and glared at him.

“After the exam next week, how about I take you to watch a movie?”

What’s so good about a movie? Yisheng sniffed, “I’m not interested.”

“How about going to watch a musical?”

“I don’t have such a hobby.”

“Going to an art exhibition?”

“I like dynamic things, not things where I have to stay still!” Yisheng lost it. She was not an artistic girl, talking about literature and art to her a kind of torture for her.

Song Anchen narrowed his eyes slightly, his tone a little discouraged, as if he was waiting for Yisheng to reject him again, “How about on the Sunday after the exam, we play basketball!”

Yisheng liked to move, she loved sports, and the sports she loved the most were volleyball and basketball. Unfortunately, she was not tall enough and could not get on the school team. She took a look at Song Anchen and reluctantly agreed.:

“Brother…” A short distance away, Lin Ruohan called out. When Yisheng saw his actual girlfriend arrive, she pushed Song Anchen away and had him make way for her. After that, she instantly got on her bike and rode off. She was timid and did not want to cause trouble with that woman.

Yisheng paid He Jin for the chocolate but did not give an explanation, she just said that she had eaten it. He Jin wanted the exact reason and asked her why she wanted to eat the gift he had bought for others. Yisheng randomly answered, “I like to eat chocolate the most, and looking at the chocolate made my mouth water so I could not help eating it.”

Her answer seemed quite reasonable to Yisheng, but He Jin did not think so. He stared at Yisheng for a very long time and finally said, “Did you fall in love with me?”

“…” She was confused.

“You must not want Lin Ruohan to get together with me because of the chocolates and so you…” He Jin could not go on. Yisheng had already guessed what he wanted to say and suddenly felt like lightning had struck her.

She lay on the table and pretended to be dead!

After class, He Jin left his seat. When the bell rang, he came back, looking sad. His dejected appearance caused Yisheng to feel some pity for him and she asked, “Bro, are you lovelorn or did you drop the money I just gave you into the toilet?”

He Jin looked at Yisheng, his expression bitter, “Yisheng, how can you treat me so well?”

“…” What did she do this time? And why did he need to be so depressed about her treating him well?

“Why did you need to trick me? The chocolate was not eaten by you but Song Anchen!” He Jin’s expression was sad again and he had an expression that said ‘Bring the tofu to me, I want to hit my head against it’.

Yisheng trembled. She did not expect that this incident would be exposed, she muttered, “Actually… actually…”

“Ah!” He Jin patted Yisheng on her shoulder, “You gave the chocolate to Lin Ruohan, but Lin Ruohan gave it to Song Anchen, this… this makes me completely embarrassed.”

“Ah?” Yisheng opened her mouth.

“You care for me, and you were worried that I would be sad, so you lied and said that you ate it. Yisheng, I’m so touched, really!” He Jin suddenly pretended to cry with tears and a runny nose. He even wanted to place his head on her shoulder and Yisheng quickly shrugged her shoulders, moving his head away. However, he continued to act weak and even said, “You’re so concerned about me, and I got my heart broken today. Alright, let’s get together!”

The corner of Yisheng’s lips twitched, “You’re overthinking things!”  

“That’s true, we should try going on a date first. But we’ve been quite busy with our studies lately, let’s choose a date first. How about the first Sunday after the monthly exams?”

“I have something on that day.”

“With whom?” His expression was suddenly overcast.

Yisheng directly rolled her eyes at him, “I’m not telling you.”

He Jin rested his head on his hand and looked at her up and down for a long time. Yisheng felt goosebumps from him looking at her so intently. She glanced at him, “What are you looking at?”

“I was thinking, besides for me, who else would want you? Besides for your chest having a little bump, everywhere else is a horizontal line.”

Yisheng stretched out her five fingers and exaggeratedly curled them into a fist, glaring at him angrily, as if telling him that if he said one more word, she would not spare him. He Jin chuckled and leaned closer to her, “Look at how we have such a fated we are, your ex-boyfriend got together with my ex-girlfriend, how about we make do and get together as well.”

“I can’t be bothered with you,” Yisheng turned her head and sat properly, waiting for class to begin.

“I know that you’re acting like this because you’re shy, don’t worry, I’ll wait for you to open up.”

Yisheng ignored him and continued to lower her head and wait for class to start.

***

After the first monthly examination, Yisheng’s grades improved again. It was her first time entering the top fifteen in class. She tied with Lin Ruohan for fourteenth place. For this monthly exam, the teacher specially called out for the top fifteen students to talk to them separately. This was the treatment of top students, and Yisheng managed to enjoy this treatment due to her sudden breakthrough.

In their form teacher’s office, the students surrounded a table and listened to their teacher talk.

“As we are a top school, the top ten in the class can normally get into a very good school, and the tenth place to the fifteenth place can work hard and might be able to get into a very good school as well. I asked all of you to come here today so that I can find out what your goals are?”

She started with Song Anchen, who was in the first place. He thought for a moment and said the best school in B City in terms of their economics and trade major. He Jin was fifth place in class, and he wanted to go overseas to study for an MBA. When it was Lin Ruohan and Yisheng’s turns, Lin Ruohan rushed to answer, her answer was the same as Song Anchen, she wanted to study economics and trade. Yisheng’s goal was A Medical University, she had been unwavering in her goal this whole time.

When one had a goal, they would naturally have the motivation to strive to achieve their goal.

On Sunday, Song Anchen gave her a phone call, asking her to play indoor basketball at the gymnasium. It was sunny that day, and the scorching sun of early March was shining on their recently warmed-up city. She had thought that today would definitely be a happy day. There was the sun, there was exercise, there was warmth, and there was Song Anchen, that she had longed for.

But God blinked amongst the clouds and gave a slight frown. This was the beginning of the moment that Ye Yisheng’s life changed. Heaven and Hell connected at that moment…