Back in the dorm, Jiang Yu turned the box over in her hands and smiled. “Xu Ye’s actually got a thoughtful side. Sent Qin Zhiwei over specifically to bring apples for us too.”

Zhang Ruowei sat with one leg crossed over the other, already tearing at the seal on her box. “You silly thing. Bringing us apples was the side quest. Qin Zhiwei came to see Shen Xinyi.”

Jiang Yu lowered her voice. “You mean—”

Before she could finish, Zhang Ruowei nodded with a grin. “Yep. Exactly what you’re thinking.”

“So that’s it.”

Chen Qingqing had also sat down at her desk when they got back. Like Zhang Ruowei, she opened the box, pulled out the big, deeply red apple, and was about to see what else was inside when Zhang Ruowei got up and came over.

“I knew the one Xu Ye gave you had to be nicer than ours. Look how much better this one — huh, there’s a note in yours.”

Before Chen Qingqing could stop her, Zhang Ruowei had already snatched the note out, quick-fingered. She unfolded it and immediately started laughing. “Tsk tsk tsk. Xu Ye really is something else.”

Jiang Yu, curious: “What does it say?”

“Give it back!” Chen Qingqing reached out to grab it, but Zhang Ruowei spun around, back to her, and read the line out loud: “The feeling of running into you — feels like walking a very long road, and finally getting home.”

“Signed: your most, most, most favorite Xu Ye.“

“Oh my god. I’ve got goosebumps.”

Once she was done, Chen Qingqing — face bright red — finally got the note back. She looked at Xu Ye’s handwriting once, quickly, then grabbed a book off the desk and pressed the slip carefully between the pages.

Jiang Yu sighed. “Why does nobody send me notes like that.”

Zhang Ruowei snapped back at once. “Jiang Yu. That is not fair. We agreed we’d stay single together. You don’t get to catch feelings on us.” [TL: 发春, literally “coming into heat” — used casually and pejoratively about anyone suddenly getting romantic ideas.]

“You’re the one catching feelings.”

The two of them were still at it when Shen Xinyi came back in.

There was a faint flush still on her cheeks. Seeing both Zhang Ruowei and Jiang Yu staring at her, she — uncharacteristically — raised her voice. “What are you two looking at me for?”

Zhang Ruowei’s grin was all mischief. “Open your box. There might be a surprise.”

Zhang Ruowei was certain there was a note in Shen Xinyi’s box too. Even if Qin Zhiwei hadn’t thought of it, Xu Ye definitely would have.

Half-believing, Shen Xinyi opened the box, put the apple on the desk — and sure enough, there was a slip underneath.

Her pulse, which had just steadied, spiked again.

She glanced guiltily at Zhang Ruowei and Jiang Yu; they weren’t looking at her. She palmed the note quickly, got up, and slipped into the bathroom.

Two deep breaths. She unfolded the note slowly.

A neat, careful line came into view.

By the time she’d read the last words — just that I hadn’t met the right person yet — her pale cheeks had gone completely red.

This was a full, undisguised confession.

Everything in her head scrambled all at once. She was caught entirely off guard.

For a girl who’d never dated anyone, a line like that was like a mouthful of 53-proof baijiu — enough to knock the world sideways in one swallow. [TL: 53度白酒 refers to the standard proof of premium Chinese white liquor such as Moutai — potent and immediate.]

She stayed in the bathroom a long time before she came out. The slip was tucked away in her pocket. She pretended nothing had happened at all, sat down at her desk, and stared distractedly at her phone.

Zhang Ruowei glanced over a few times, watching her drift, and finally cleared her throat. “Xinyi. Qin Zhiwei’s got a thing for you, doesn’t he?”

“N-no, I don’t think so.”

“Stop pretending. We’re not dumb. The way he was acting downstairs — an idiot could tell he likes you.”

Shen Xinyi’s chest was rising and falling faster now.

Zhang Ruowei took on the tone of someone with authority on such matters. “Listen to me. You cannot rush into this. You don’t just say yes the moment someone confesses. You’ve only met him twice, counting today. You need to figure out what kind of person he actually is.”

Qin Zhiwei had his strategist in Xu Ye.

Shen Xinyi had hers in Zhang Ruowei.

Shen Xinyi listened intently. In this area, she was sure Zhang Ruowei knew what she was talking about.

Jiang Yu, playing along: “What if he confesses?”

“Table it. Keep spending time together first.”

“Personally, I’d say I’m just a slow-to-warm-up type of person.”

“Absolutely do not say that.”

“Why?”

All three of them turned to Zhang Ruowei.

“Because in plain terms, ‘slow to warm up’ means your looks and your money aren’t quite at the level to interest me, but you don’t disgust me either, so I’ll let you keep courting me. Even if you don’t mean it that way, the guy will hear it that way.”

“You understand men.”

“So how do you reply?”

“If you think the guy’s someone you could actually date, say: I don’t know you very well yet, but we can keep spending time together. If not — turn him down flat.”

“Got it.”

Zhang Ruowei went on: “You know that thing you see going around online? About how there’s this pattern with men. Before you’re together, first they call you jiejie, then they call you meimei, and finally they call you baby. Once you’re actually together, it’s ‘I’m busy today, I’m tired tomorrow, get some sleep, we’ll talk later.’ So all that sweet-talking from a guy — take it with a grain of salt. Never take it seriously.” [TL: 姐 (jiejie, older sister) → 妹 (meimei, little sister) → 小宝贝 (baby) traces a common progression in Chinese flirtation: reverent → familiar → intimate. The joke is the collapse into indifference once the chase is over.]

Seeing that Shen Xinyi wasn’t reacting, Zhang Ruowei repeated herself pointedly. “Shen Xinyi. Are you listening?”

Shen Xinyi shot back. “Why are you telling me? You should be telling Qingqing.”

Chen Qingqing was about to speak when Zhang Ruowei waved a hand and laughed. “Qingqing is already beyond saving. Xu Ye’s got her completely wrapped around his finger. So I’m telling you.”

Shen Xinyi pouted. “I won’t be a lovesick idiot like Qingqing.”

Chen Qingqing fired back, indignant. “When was I a lovesick idiot? You two chat all you want, but leave me out of it!”

The words had barely left her mouth.

Her phone started chiming.

She picked it up, glanced at the screen, and immediately got up and left the dorm.

Zhang Ruowei shook her head, sighing. “See? Says she’s not a lovesick idiot — Xu Ye calls, and she lights up brighter than anyone.”

Xu Ye: “Hey.”

Chen Qingqing: “I’m here.”

Xu Ye: “Did you get the apple I sent you?”

Chen Qingqing: “Got it.”

Xu Ye: “So did you see the little note I wrote you?”

Chen Qingqing: “No, actually.”

Xu Ye: “No way. I put the apple and the note in together — I sealed the box myself. Look again. There’s definitely one in there.”

Chen Qingqing: “I said I didn’t see one.”

Xu Ye: “Oh, I know what’s going on. You already saw it and you’re just messing with me.”

Chen Qingqing: “Uh…”

Xu Ye: “You can probably hear how loud it is on my end. Today’s been a madhouse.”

Xu Ye: “But busy isn’t a bad thing. I might be making a small fortune today.”

Xu Ye: “Are you happy for me?”

Chen Qingqing: “Why would I be happy that you’re making money.”

Xu Ye: “My money is your money.”

Chen Qingqing: “Zhang Ruowei just said not to believe a man’s sweet talk when he’s dating you. So I’m not falling for your nonsense.”

Xu Ye: “Zhang Ruowei’s out of her mind. She can’t find a boyfriend of her own, so she runs her mouth.”

Xu Ye: “Baby. Don’t listen to her.”

(End of Chapter 166)