Chapter 90: The Final Chapter

Chapter 90

During the competition, Chen Huaixiao would glance in Bai Yin's direction from time to time, seemingly very worried about leaving her alone.

Bai Yin shot him a "I won't run away" look to reassure him to focus on the game.

Liu SuYu chattered in her ear, telling her how worried Chen Huaixiao was about her earlier, so distracted that he almost forgot about the game he had prepared for so long.

"I've never seen Huaixiao so out of control before."

Bai Yin felt increasingly guilty, and was no longer upset about his harsh tone from earlier.

She borrowed Liu SuYu's phone to call her grandma and let her know she was safe. Her grandma scolded her a few times, telling her to listen to Huaixiao in the future, not leave his side for a second, and stop wandering off on her own.

If she did this again, she wouldn't be allowed to come to Nancheng anymore.

Bai Yin promised repeatedly.

In the second half of the game, not long after Chen Huaixiao took the court, he won back what was lost in the first half, and gradually pulled ahead to lead the game.

The stadium was filled with the fiery, deafening screams of girls.

Bai Yin watched the boy on the court. His dark eyes were gentle and pure. His smile gave people a feeling of spring mountains enveloped in mist - beautiful.

But in a flash, when he dribbled the ball on offense, his dark eyes hooked and taunted his opponent.

He breezed past the defender with the ball, jumped up and made a three-point shot outside the line that went in smoothly.

One shriek and gasp after another rose up, Chen Huaixiao's popularity exploded as if he were holding a personal concert -

"Chen Huaixiao! So awesome!"

"Oh my god, how can there be such a handsome boy!"

As Chen Huaixiao dribbled past Bai Yin, he performed a very elegant streetball trick.

Bai Yin felt her breath hitch.

"Is he looking at me?!"

The girls behind Bai Yin were going crazy: "He looked over again!"

Liu SuYu glanced back: "Don't be so full of yourself, is he looking at you guys?"

The girls complained: "Then who do you think he's looking at?"

Bai Yin quickly tugged at Liu SuYu's sleeve, telling him not to speak nonsense.

Liu SuYu laughed: "Don't be so full of yourself either, Huaixiao may not be looking at you."

Bai Yin humphed: "I know he's looking at me."

The next time Chen Huaixiao dribbled by, Liu SuYu called out to him: "Huaixiao, Xiao Bai said you're not focusing on the game and looking at her instead."

Bai Yin was scared witless, and hurriedly covered Liu SuYu's mouth, blushing as she said: "Don't talk nonsense! What nonsense, disturbing others, what if he loses the ball?!"

Liu SuYu really enjoyed teasing her, laughing so hard he almost fell over backwards.

Chen Huaixiao didn't hear what he was shouting, but saw Bai Yin tussling with him.

During the break, he strode over and sat between Bai Yin and Liu SuYu, separating the two.

Bai Yin felt the hot impatience radiating from the youth beside her, the surrounding air simmering.

"You two seem close?"

"No, not at all."

"Then why are you chatting with him so happily?"

"I was asking Brother SuYu questions."

Chen Huaixiao frowned even more: "Why do you call just anyone brother?"

Bai Yin had no reply.

After a while, the whistle sounded and Chen Huaixiao handed his jersey to her: "Hold this."

Bai Yin accepted his thin athletic jacket and neatly folded it for him, placing it on her lap.

Liu SuYu sidled over again and nudged her with his elbow: "Hey, not talking to me anymore?"

"Mm-hmm."

"So obedient to him now."

"He's my brother."

Liu SuYu said with a laugh: "I'm his buddy, so I count as your brother too."

"He told me not to call people brother randomly." Bai Yin mumbled: "So don't talk to me anymore."

"Fine, no more talking then."

"Didn't you say you weren't eating it anymore?"

"Aren't you grossed out?"

"What's gross about a little girl like you?"

The hot summer wind blustered against the girl's flushed cheeks. Her heart raced more and more out of control.

Chen Huaixiao drove Bai Yin back to the small town on his motorcycle. Beneath the cassia tree in front of the old house, he took out an old phone from his bag and gave it to her: "This is my old one, for you."

Bai Yin saw it was a very new model phone, the body pure white without a single scratch on the screen.

"This is an old phone? It looks brand new."

"I upgrade my phone quickly, this one was just lying around unused." Chen Huaixiao casually said: "If you run into any problems on your homework you can't figure out, ask me anytime."

Bai Yin hesitated and gave the phone back, "Brother, this is too valuable, I can't accept it."

"You grew up by my grandfather's side, so you're like family to me. There's nothing unacceptable about it," said Chen Huaixiao. "Having a phone to play music and practice dancing and singing will make things much more convenient for you."

Bai Yin knew she already owed the Chen family a lot over the years for Elder Chen's care of her.

She clutched the phone tightly and said through gritted teeth, "Brother, I will repay you in the future."

Seeing how earnest and serious she was, Chen Huaixiao laughed, "How will you repay me?"

Bai Yin thought for a moment before solemnly answering, "I'll support you in your old age until the end."

"..."

Thank you, but I'll have to decline.

In the weeks that followed, as long as Chen Huaixiao had no other engagements, he would visit the town rain or shine.

He often gave her electronic gadgets favored by young people, such as headphones, fitness trackers and the like. They were all pre-used items of his.

It wasn't that Chen Huaixiao was reluctant to give her new things. He just knew the girl felt burdened accepting expensive gifts, so by giving her his used and upgraded electronics, it avoided waste and she was happy to accept them.

Unknown to Chen Huaixiao, Bai Yin treasured every old item of his. She carefully stored them in her precious ceramic box, where she guarded them for many years.

With Chen Huaixiao's help, Bai Yin's grades improved remarkably, and her high school scores were very satisfactory.

When it came time to choose university preferences, Bai Yin struggled to decide.

Naturally, she ideally wanted to attend the same university as Chen Huaixiao, making Nancheng University her top pick, and her scores were high enough.

Yet for some reason, this choice made her feel uneasy.

While Nancheng University was very prestigious overall, its art programs were not the best nationwide. For Bai Yin's desired arts major, she had better options.

The night before submitting her preferences, she nervously texted Chen Huaixiao, "Brother, what do you think about me choosing Nancheng University?"

After the message sent, she leaned on the windowsill gazing at the crescent moon hanging outside, anxiously waiting over ten minutes.

When her phone dinged, Bai Yin's heart thumped nervously.

The text contained only one sentence from Chen Huaixiao:

"Life is long, you still have more beautiful scenery to explore."

Chen Huaixiao had said this to 18-year-old Bai Yin when she faced a life choice.

Years later, he said it again to 26-year-old Bai Yin when she had to make another decision.

The best life is never confined merely to what's in front of your eyes.

That night, Bai Yin stayed up thinking about Chen Huaixiao's words. As clever as she was, she naturally grasped their implications.

The next day when submitting her preferences, Bai Yin decisively chose the nation's top arts university with the strongest programs in her field.

Yes, her life's journey was far more than what was in front of her. Only by excelling could she stand proudly by his shining side without shame!

On the day she left, Chen Huaixiao carried Bai Yin's luggage and personally saw her off at the train station.

Bai Yin knew Chen Huaixiao only saw her as a little sister. Whether caring for or looking out for her, it was merely out of his kindness and benevolence.

But for Bai Yin, this splendid yet silent unrequited love had spanned her entire youth.

She took her suitcase from Chen Huaixiao and smiled bidding him farewell.

"Bai Yin," Chen Huaixiao called from the checkpoint, gazing at her slender retreating figure. "No matter what happens in the future, remember this - "

"What?"

"You will surely reach the pinnacle of the stars and gain much happiness."

"Brother, I'll always remember these words," Bai Yin replied.

The train's roar was near.

Bai Yin strode away, jauntily waving goodbye to the youth she admired as she embarked on her promising future...!