The evening self-study finished, and the teaching building was bustling with people, noisy and chaotic.
Jiang Nian had already packed his things, with a backpack slung over one shoulder, ready to leave. Just as usual, he intended to find Qianqian to walk home together but was suddenly stopped.
Jiang Nian glanced at Zhou Yuting in front of him, "What's up?"
"Um." She was a head shorter than Jiang Nian and looked up at him, "I have something I want to talk to you about alone, could you wait for me for a moment?"
Zhou Yuting's eyes, when showing no confidence, looked as if she was greatly wronged, glistening with tears. A boy looking at that would feel his displeasure soften.
Playing the victim is one of her usual tactics.
"Is it about the class advancement thing? Let's talk about it on the phone." Jiang Nian didn't want to waste time on her, so he made to step past her, "If you haven't deleted me from QQ, that is."
Zhou Yuting immediately felt guilty, and in a flash, grabbed his white short sleeve.
"Wait."
"What?" Jiang Nian's expression was unpleasant, and his tone was unfriendly, "This is in the class, with classmates watching, as a class leader, just say what you have to, don't be pulling and tugging."
The tables have turned, you little b***h.
Didn't you like to smile a lot? How come you're not smiling now that the class advancement spot is gone?
"Just for a bit... it won't take up too much of your time." Zhou Yuting's tears were welling up, her QQ was already deleted, and besides, these words couldn't leave a trace.
Jiang Nian huffed, moved her hand away, and turned around to leave.
Without morality, there would be no coercion.
When he reached the classroom diagonally opposite, Qianqian was already waiting at the door. She was carrying a backpack, wearing a light blue coat, and dark sports pants below.
"Why did you take so long?" she frowned and asked.
"It's nothing, let's go."
The two had just walked out of the school gate not far when someone stopped them, and surprisingly Zhou Yuting had caught up.
"Jiang Nian, can we talk?"
This was a road with fewer people, outside the parking lot at the back of the mall. Under the streetlights, with three cameras covering, Jiang Nian quickly opened the recording in his pocket.
"Sure, let's just talk here, once you're done I have to get home."
"Here..." Zhou Yuting glanced at Xu Qianqian, her face hesitating, "Classmate, could you possibly step aside? Just for five minutes."
Just as Jiang Nian was about to speak, Xu Qianqian stepped back a few meters, crossing her arms and watching them.
"Go ahead and talk."
Jiang Nian: "...."
Zhou Yuting's face appeared innocent, her tall figure looked somewhat messy under the streetlamp. Her lips parted slightly without speaking, yet her eyes instantly turned red.
"The homeroom teacher talked to me about the class advancement situation, I happened to be online. But there's only room for one in the class, I know you've had misunderstandings about me before."
"But I really need this opportunity to advance in class, Jiang Nian, I'm begging you."
"Even if you don't advance, you can easily get into a prestigious university through the college entrance exams. I can't, I really want to get into Xiamen University, really, really, this is my only chance."
Jiang Nian looked at her expressionlessly, the streetlight stretched his shadow long, looking slightly down.
"You stopped me just to say this?"
"Yes, Jiang Nian, only you can help me." Zhou Yuting already started to cry, a tear streak ran down her fair face, looking pitiful.
"What does it have to do with me?"
"What?"
"I said, what does it have to do with me?" Jiang Nian looked up, expressionless, seeing her pitiful face reveal a gradually startled expression.
"Your dream is your dream; what does it have to do with my class advancement? If we were friends, there might be room for negotiation, unfortunately..."
"We are still friends, I'm only focusing on studying now, I don't want to be romantically involved yet." Zhou Yuting said urgently, "We can still be good friends first."
"Jiang Nian, you used to like me, right?"
"After the college entrance exams, I'll consider being your girlfriend, okay?"
"Please, help me, I'm begging you." Zhou Yuting started shedding tears again, crying uncontrollably under the streetlamp, "Jiang Nian, I really don't know..."
"Boo hoo hoo~, I really don't know what to do anymore!"
As she said that, Zhou Yuting tried to grab Jiang Nian's hand, but he deftly avoided it. She looked at her empty hand in a daze, standing still, her long hair tousled by the night wind.
"Jiang Nian... I'm begging you."
Not far away, Qianqian couldn't hear the voices, but could see Zhou Yuting crying and reaching out under the streetlamp. For some reason, a mix of emotions welled up inside her.
Under the streetlamp, Jiang Nian and Zhou Yuting kept their distance, his expression calm.
"Class leader, please have some self-respect."
The five minutes were almost up, and he didn't want to drag it out any longer.
What kind of bullshit was she saying, saying she'll be my girlfriend after the college entrance exams? Does she think I'm an idiot, to fawn over her for a year, then watch her shack up with someone else after the exams?
How much did she drink to dare say such outrageous things!?
Turn on the IP and check if she's from Dunhuang.
How shameless does one have to be to say something like pleading for a spot? Who asked about your dream university, whether it's Xiamen University or some not-so-great university, what the hell does it have to do with me?
You're even considering being my girlfriend, are you just listing your top choice here?
Is that even human speech?
"What I say is true, Jiang Nian, I really need this opportunity." Zhou Yuting was about to shed pearls again, "If you don't believe me, we can be in an underground relationship first."
"Look, we don't need to, class leader," Jiang Nian said earnestly, "A wise man learns from experience, I won't be friends with you again, I chose class advancement just to distance myself from you."
"You could ask the homeroom teacher to forcefully advance you; you don't need to ask me. As for your dream, all I can say is, why didn't you mention this during the birthday party then?"
"I have long since stopped liking you; it's been two months, and you should have noticed. I have no feelings for you at all and only intend to go to college to meet prettier senior girls."
"You're really... not attractive to me in the slightest, so stop talking about dating. Isn't your little group harmonious? Go and play your little games."
After speaking, Jiang Nian turned around and left, not looking back once.
Under the streetlamp, Zhou Yuting's face was still streaked with tears, the whole of her was like being struck by lightning. Jiang Nian's words echoed in her mind over and over, the more she thought about it, the more wronged she felt.
How could he do this, it was he who first bowed his head!
She even said she would consider being with him after the college entrance exams. She didn't even mind about a girl's virtue, not caring about his poverty, so why did he...
Why did he say he didn't like her!
Isn't love all about sacrifice for the other half? Isn't it all about going through trials?
If Jiang Nian, who was walking away with Qianqian, heard this, he would surely vomit blood.
"To hell with tests, spare me!"
....
On the way, Qianqian walked with her head down, gripping the strap of her backpack.
"What were you two... talking about just now?"
"Oh, nothing much." Jiang Nian glanced at the girl beside him, "She was crying, saying she wanted to be my girlfriend, talking about having an underground relationship with me."