Chapter 3
1728 Words
“It’s only six kilometers from home to the school. It’s not that far,” Lin Yuyan added.
“He’s living near the school. I called him today, and he said he was coming home anyway, so I asked him to pick you up. I’m not being unreasonable, you know,” Ye Qiutang replied, setting the table for dinner. “Besides, if I didn’t ask him, you’d just stay at the school and never come home. Come on, the house is right here! Why are you so eager to get back to school, even two weeks before classes start?”
Lin Yuyan picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork, explaining, “Mom, this is for my work. I need to prepare the materials for the school’s recruitment video for next year.”
“I told you to choose education, but you refused. Being a teacher would have been perfect, with all the benefits. Tell me, without a housing subsidy, how would you ever afford a house?”
“Mom, it’s not the same.”
Realizing the conversation was veering back toward her choice of major, Lin Yuyan quickly changed the subject. “Where’s Dad?”
“Your dad is taking care of the senior class this year. Tonight’s his shift.”
“That sounds exhausting too.”
Seeing that the conversation was heading toward an argument, Lin Yuyan hurriedly handed her mother some food, but a sudden thought struck her. “Mom, you have Cheng Yan’s number?”
After dinner, Lin Yuyan took a shower and stepped into the living room, feeling refreshed. She turned on the evening news and sat down to watch.
The cool breeze from the air conditioner brushed against her skin, causing her to shiver. She grabbed a pillow to hug and, as she held it close, Zhuo Yike’s face suddenly flashed in her mind.
Sunlight bathed his free-spirited form, his steps light and full of energy, radiating youthfulness. She recalled the way his eyes crinkled as he handed her water, and a small smile crept onto her lips.
Then, an image of a devil stepping on Zhuo Yike’s back appeared, with Cheng Yan smirking mischievously.
Ugh! Lin Yuyan pounded the pillow, feeling like her head was about to explode.
That brat Cheng Yan, in her memory, was still the kid wearing pants with holes in them, the one who had deliberately destroyed the sandcastle she’d built. She still hadn’t forgiven him for that!
Lin Yuyan rubbed her forehead, realizing she hadn’t finished her assignment for her media supervision class. She closed the news app and opened the school forum instead.
As the start of the new semester approached, many students were posting questions about dorms, with helpful seniors chiming in to answer.
Just as she was about to log off, her attention was drawn to a post marked “HOT,” which had been trending for days, even evolving into a conspiracy theory.
CatLovesFish: OP, why did you post a handsome photo of Zhuo Yike next to an ugly one of Cheng Yan? What’s your agenda?
IAmSmallVegetable: It’s obvious you like Zhuo Yike. But no matter how many times you post, he’s not going to notice you. I’ve heard he’s surrounded by girls, not just some pure-hearted guy on the surface!
CakeMakesYouFat: These things need evidence, otherwise, it’s just slander.
Lin Yuyan, who had never commented on forum posts before, left a reply. Realizing her mistake moments later, she hurried to delete it. But just then, her mom’s voice called out, asking her to grab her thin blanket from her room to avoid catching a cold.
Lin Yuyan nodded, replying absentmindedly as she walked away. At the last moment, she recalled Cheng Yan’s prank from earlier and, feeling indignant, cast her vote for Zhuo Yike in the "Who’s the School Hunk?" poll.
A crisp knock echoed through the house.
Ye Qiutang set down what she was doing and went to answer the door.
Dim light spilled out from the house, casting shadows over the figure standing outside. The moment he saw who answered the door, his posture straightened noticeably.
He explained his reason for coming: “I’m here to bring Lin Yuyan some cake.”
“Oh, it’s Cheng Yan! Come on in.”
Ye Qiutang opened the door wide, her face lighting up with a warm smile. Her gaze drifted toward the second floor, and she whispered softly, “Yinyin’s upstairs getting her blanket. You can sit and wait for her.”
She used Lin Yuyan’s childhood nickname.
Raising her voice, Ye Qiutang called out, “Yinyin, hurry up and bring your blanket down! Cheng Yan brought you some cake!”
Hearing her mother’s call, Lin Yuyan’s grip on the blanket tightened. In her mind, she imagined her mother frequently chatting with Cheng Yan on the phone.
These conversations, which she was never a part of, weaved a complicated web of emotions in her heart, tinged with unexpected jealousy. Standing just outside her room, she suddenly lost all desire to go downstairs.
Meanwhile, Cheng Yan was led into the living room, where he casually placed the cake on the coffee table and began chatting with Ye Qiutang.
“Cheng Yan, did your mom bake this cake? It looks beautiful.”
“No,” he replied, “I baked it.”
His dark eyes flickered toward Lin Yuyan’s room.
“Wow, you’ve got some skills, kid! I heard you even started a fund at school. Quite impressive for someone your age.”
Cheng Yan flashed a faint smile. “It’s just a hobby.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the phone on the coffee table lit up, drawing his attention. His gaze lingered on the screen, a hint of something unreadable flickering in his eyes.
His voice turned a little lower, tinged with seriousness. “I baked the cake because Lin Yuyan wanted some.”
Not long ago, Lin Yuyan had posted on her social media: Why does it suddenly feel like summer and desserts go so well together???
“So, you two are close?” Ye Qiutang lowered her voice conspiratorially. “Can I ask if there are any boys at school chasing after Yinyin? I know college relationships are allowed, but forgive me for being old-fashioned. Any romance that doesn’t lead to marriage is just messing around. I mean, how many relationships started in college actually go all the way?”
Cheng Yan set the phone back down, the screen dimming again. He swallowed, letting out a low hum in response. “I’ll talk to her about it.”
At that moment, Lin Yuyan appeared at the top of the stairs, wearing her pajamas. Her long legs were revealed under the blanket she held, which just barely brushed the floor.
“Mom, what were you talking to Cheng Yan about?” she asked, her tone carrying a hint of frustration.
Her heart skipped a beat when she noticed Cheng Yan sitting on the couch.
Her gaze drifted toward the darkened phone screen, and she breathed a little easier, knowing that whatever was on it, he hadn’t seen it.
Still, why did she feel guilty?
Lin Yuyan snuck a glance at Cheng Yan, their eyes meeting for a split second, sending a small shock through her system.
His long, narrow eyes seemed full of aggression. His straight nose led down to his slightly open shirt collar, revealing the mature outline of his Adam’s apple and faint traces of defined chest muscles.
Realizing she was staring, Cheng Yan shifted on the couch, his posture becoming more relaxed. His lips curled into a smile, and he chuckled lightly.
Lin Yuyan quickly looked away.
Why did it feel like... something had changed?
As if... he had grown up.
"Nothing much. I was just asking about school life," Ye Qiutang beckoned Lin Yuyan over. "Yinyin, come here and look—Cheng Yan baked you a cake."
Lin Yuyan glanced at it. It was carefully made, even decorated with a Hello Kitty figure that many girls loved. But still, she grumbled, "Who brings a cake over this late at night? Isn’t this just asking me to gain weight?"
Ye Qiutang quickly stepped in to smooth things over, “It’s okay, we can just put it in the fridge and eat it tomorrow.”
Lin Yuyan pursed her lips, clearly not thrilled.
Cheng Yan stood up, his tall frame casting a shadow over her as he leaned slightly closer, intentionally positioning himself within her space. "It’s late. I’m heading out now."
One hand casually slipped into his pocket, his voice dragging out lazily.
In her heart, Lin Yuyan muttered, He’s so fake.
He wasn’t like this at all in real life. When they met people at school, he wouldn’t even look them in the eye. Now, suddenly, he was acting all polite and well-behaved, winning her mom’s favor.
After Cheng Yan left, Lin Yuyan hurriedly grabbed her phone, unlocking it with a single swift motion. But instead of seeing the school forum, she found herself on the home screen.
Startled, she paused for a few seconds.
She turned back to look at her mom, asking tentatively, “Mom, did you look at my phone?”
“No, why would I look at your phone?” Ye Qiutang replied, puzzled.
Lin Yuyan didn’t dare ask any more questions and made up an excuse to head upstairs.
As soon as she closed the door behind her, an odd feeling crept over her.
But what had just happened with the poll definitely wasn’t her imagination.
Determined to confirm, she reopened the forum.
The vote she had just cast for Zhuo Yike had somehow switched to Cheng Yan, and even her comment had mysteriously changed to "Cheng Yan is so handsome."
People in the comments section had noticed her sudden flip-flop, too.
[CakeMakesYouFat]: Why did you change sides all of a sudden? Weren’t you just rooting for Zhuo Yike?
[IAmSmallVegetable]: I have a screenshot of your earlier comment. Such a double standard!
[CatLovesFish]: You can’t have it both ways!
Remembering Cheng Yan’s cryptic smirk earlier, Lin Yuyan gripped her phone tightly, seething. She angrily considered deleting the comments.
Just then, her notification bar popped up with a message from Cheng Yan.
[Cheng Yan]: Polling, huh? What did you vote for? Forgotten that you still owe me?
- Writer
