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Ye Zhou blanked for a moment. “What’s with your reaction!”
Shang Ming turned around and opened the document on the computer, perfunctorily saying, “What reaction do you want me to have?”
“Shang Jin, heăƒŒâ€
Shang Ming typed on the keyboard and forcibly pressed Enter. Looking at Ye Zhou, he said, “Isn’t it just Shang Jin confessing to you? I asked you this question on May 1st and gave you a month to prepare. It really happened, so don’t tell me you still can’t accept it?”
Ye Zhou said without confidence, “I thought you were joking
”
“So, how did you answer?”
“I said I didn’t like him
”
Shang Ming sneered and shifted his gaze back to the computer. Turning over a page in the reference book, he continued typing. “Then isn’t that alright? You’ve already replied to him, and Shang Jin doesn’t look like a stalker. In the future, the two of you would keep bridge and road separate: everything would be restored to its original state to everyone’s satisfaction. Anyways, both of you are in a hostile relationship, so what’s the use of having such a good relationship?”
Ye Zhou said irritably, “But I don’t want it to be like this.”
“You rejected people and still want people to be good friends with you? How can you be so sweet!”
“What are you talking about? So eccentric.”
“I just didn’t think you could be stupid to this degree!!” Shang Ming jerked up, fiercely jabbed at Ye Zhou’s head and said, “It’s almost the end of the term, and I haven’t finished half of my paper yet. The review material is piled up into a mountain. The time is so pressing, so why do I have to worry about your love problem!”
“I
”
“I, a fart!” Shang Ming hated iron for not becoming steel. He took a deep breath, leaned on the table and said, “Ask you a few questions. Don’t think about it and immediately answer me.”
The first time seeing Shang Ming lose his temper, Ye Zhou obediently nodded.
Shang Ming tapped his fingers on the table and said, “You said you like Tang Dongdong. Then I ask you: what’s his birthday?”
“Eh
” Ye Zhou was thinking it over but was quickly interrupted by Shang Ming.
“OK, don’t answer it.” Shang Ming asked again, “What date is Shang Jin’s birthday?”
Ye Zhou blurted out, “March 15.”
Shang Ming raised his eyebrows and continued, “What does Tang Dongdong like to eat?”
Ye Zhou frowned and tried to recall the information Su Yin had given him.
Shang Ming gave him a cold look and said, “What does Shang Jin like to eat?”
“Strawberry candy.” Speaking of strawberry candy, Ye Zhou remembered the fact that when he’d bought a cake for Shang Jin’s birthday, he’d also bought desserts for Tang Dongdong. He quickly added, “I remember, Tang Dongdong likes to eat sweets: macarons, doughnuts, and such.”
Shang Ming grunted and said, “How did you think of it?”
“Shang Jin’s birthday, that day
”
“Hmph, I don’t want to hear it.” Shang Ming clicked his tongue, “Continuing on: what is Tang Dongdong’s usual hobby?”
“Er
” Ye Zhou played with his fingers. This was his habit when thinking.
Shang Ming propped his chin and lazily said, “What is Shang Jin’s usual hobby?”
“Playing games, called Wandering Jianghu. He plays a female character called Xia Shang Zhou.”
“You’re not a person who plays games and yet you remember it so clearly.” Shang Ming supported his forehead and sighed, “This is what you call liking Tang Dongdong? You don’t know any information about him. If I freaking like someone, whether he’s in another school or in my school, I’d surely ask all around for all kinds of information on that person and firmly keep it in mind. You don’t even remember the most basic birthday, and aren’t even clear on the bare minimum of his hobbies. You say you like him, do you believe it? I ask you: how many times do you think about him in a week?”
Ye Zhou opened his mouth, but unexpectedly, was unable to respond.
“Completely not putting the person you like in your heart, but knowing your so-called enemy like the back of your hand and being meticulously concerned. Just rejecting your enemy, you’d go so far as to buy a ticket in the early morning and flee to me?”
“I
” Ye Zhou disregarded his face and said, “I’m friends with Shang Jin, just like with you. I also know you well and I was also cared for you in high school.”
“That’s true.” Shang Ming didn’t continue to press him, but typed out the paper on the computer.
Ye Zhou breathed a sigh of relief.
After five minutes, Shang Ming said, “Right, Ye Zhou, I’m in love.”
“Really??” Ye Zhou cast aside his troubles and curiously said, “Who? What kind of person? Do you have pictures? Older or younger than you?”
Shang Ming hooked up the corner of his mouth and said, “You’re so happy?”
“Of course, you’re my friend!”
“Then what if Shang Jin tells you this one day?” Shang Ming smiled without smiling and said, “Can you happily gossip with him?”
Ye Zhou’s smile stagnated on his face. “You tricked me!”
“You just say if you can or not. Don’t say it to me; say it to yourself.”
The scene of Shang Jin’s confession was still vivid in his mind. If one day, Shang Jin took the flowers he’d cared for and told another person that no matter what difficulties or obstacles he experienced, he would never let go of their hand and hold on tightly? It was just a hypothetical, but Ye Zhou was unable to stand it a little.
Ye Zhou took out his cell phone and pulled up a photo of Tang Dongdong from the album.
The smile of the boy in the photo was still there, but when he looked again, it didn’t have the throb of their first time meeting.
Ye Zhou opened Su Yin’s WeChat chat box.
Ye Zhou: June 20, I’ll go with you.
Two minutes later, WeChat prompted a new message.
Su Yin: Received~ I have to pull Tang Dongdong to the haunted house. Haha [smirks] he’s the most afraid of ghosts!
Shang Ming glanced at him with his peripheral vision. Seeing him staring at the mobile phone in a trance, he quietly leaned forward and peeked at the screen, just happening to see the chat between the two people. The fire that hadn’t easily disappeared ignited once again, “I have just said it clearly, and you still go on a date with Tang Dongdong??”
“I have a sense of propriety.”
“Propriety, a hammer!! Just looking at you is vexing! Go go go, don’t bother me writing my paper.” Shang Ming was originally just saying some angry words, but who knew, Ye Zhou really stood up with his schoolbag. “Hey hey hey, where are you going?”
“Go back.”
“You just came and now you’re going back. Are you visiting the train?” Shang Ming pulled him to sit down. “My tone was a bit heavy just now, but you’re the one who angered me! And my paper is due tomorrow afternoon, so it’s a bit urgent. You stay in the dorm first for a while. I’ll try to finish it today and I’ll take you around T City tomorrow.”
“No need, I’m not angry. Just do your own stuff.” Watching Shang Ming fidget, Ye Zhou put down his backpack and said, “I’ll lie in your bed for a while. I’m tired from sitting on the train.”
“Go ahead and lie down!”
Ye Zhou didn’t stay at Shang Ming’s for long. Early the next morning, he left on the eight o’clock train.
Unlike when he came, Ye Zhou had calmed down a lot, without uneasiness and helplessness. The whole person was peaceful, staring at the scenery out of the window.
Three hours later, the train slowly entered the familiar station.
After a day of rushing around, Ye Zhou returned to the dormitory. Ye Zhou’s own potted plant was still the only one on the flower stand by the door.
Ye Zhou placed the bag on the flower stand and opened the cage.
The white strawberry flowers were even more conspicuous amidst the green leaves. Pulling apart the largest leaves, a small green strawberry came into view. “It
fruited.”
Ye Zhou carefully fixed the cage and brought his bag into the dorm.
“Zhou, where did you and Shang Jin go yesterday?” Liu Yutian hooked Ye Zhou’s shoulders and smirked, “If you two want space, then tell us. We’re very understanding.”
“What nonsense. I went to T City to find my friend.”
“T City??” Liu Yutian was shocked. “Going yesterday and coming back today, what were you planning?”
Ye Zhou casually said, “Planning my happiness.”
Liu Yutian choked and asked instead, “What about Shang Jin?”
“Maybe he went home.” Ye Zhou said uncertainly. The flowerpot wasn’t there, so it must have been picked up by Shang Jin. Shang Jin wasn’t a person who’d take his anger out on something else. Even if Ye Zhou refused him, he also wouldn’t throw away the gift that others had given him.
On Sunday night, the entire finance class sat in the classroom and performed the regular night roll-call on Sunday nights.
Ye Zhou sat in his seat early and glanced toward the door when someone came in. At seven o’clock, Shang Jin stepped in on the bell.
Not seeing him for two days, Shang Jin didn’t look any different.
Someone greeted him and he responded politely, without any impatience towards others’ conversation. His line of sight met with Ye Zhou’s, neither dodging nor avoiding, and directly looked in his eyes. It was Ye Zhou who looked away first.
Shang Jin sat down in front of him and said, “Strawberry, bore fruit.”
Ye Zhou forced a laugh and said, “What a coincidence, mine too.”
The class monitor stood at the podium and started speaking. Shang Jin very naturally turned his head.
Ye Zhou stared at Shang Jin’s back and couldn’t say what it was like in his heart. If Shang Jin had avoided him, he would have been uncomfortable. However, Shang Jin was as usual to him and he was still uneasy.
After worrying during late roll-call about how to get along with Shang Jin after they went back to the dorm, he didn’t expect that Shang Jin would go directly to the parking lot and then drove off campus.
Looking at the dust from his car, Ye Zhou breathed a sigh of relief and was somewhat disappointed at the same time.
Ye Zhou thought that Shang Jin’s departure was temporary. Unexpectedly, after a few days, there was no sign of Shang Jin returning to the dorm.
At this time, the other two members of 405 finally realized that something was wrong.
This was the third day of Shang Jin “moving out” from the dorm. Liu Yutian hesitantly came to Ye Zhou’s side and, seeing Ye Zhou’s face as usual, said, “Zhou, why isn’t Shang Jin living in the dorm?”
Ye Zhou’s face darkened. “I don’t know too.”
Liu Yutian and Wen Renxu looked at one another and profoundly felt the seriousness of the matter. Wen Renxu investigated, “Are you and Shang Jin alright?”
Ye Zhou gazed at the book and forcibly feigned calmness, “What problem can we have?”
Liu Yutian said, “Shang Jin didn’t come back at night and also took the strawberry away. How come this seems like a couple splitting up?”
Ye Zhou paused in flipping through his book and awkwardly said, “He and I aren’t really one family, so what family is there to split?”
Liu  Yutian and Wen Renxu’s heart ba-dumped. Wasn’t this tacitly admitting that there was a rift between the two people?
Wen Renxu immediately remembered the cold war between the two people at the end of last year. At that time, it set off a lot of waves in school. Unfortunately, this time it hit the end of term again

Realizing the seriousness of the matter, Wen Renxu advised, “If there’s something, just talk about it and it’d be fine. The more cold the war, the more you can’t resolve things.”
Ye Zhou clearly knew that this time wasn’t a cold war: the two people still occasionally spoke a few words in the classroom. In the eyes of others, it didn’t seem different from peaceful times. Only Ye Zhou clearly felt that Shang Jin had a thread of politeness with him, which had never been there since they’ve gotten to know each other. These days, the two people didn’t say anything about that night, as if they could pretend that everything was going well like this. However, some things once changed, will remain changed.
“Just a few more days.” Shang Ming’s words were still in his ears, and Shang Jin had put the choice in his hands. Tang Dongdong was a barrier between them, so he had to go meet Tang Dongdong to fully understand the answer at the bottom of his heart.