Chapter 3

Gu Shaoheng started dating again.

Beautiful, charismatic, and proud-he still changed girlfriends at a rapid pace. He was still my deskmate, but finally, he no longer bothered me, and gradually, no one associated us together anymore.

Honestly, I doubted whether Gu Shaoheng even understood what it meant to like someone. His feelings were like clouds in the sky, changing far too quickly.

Sometimes, I would see him skipping class to buy milk tea for a girl he was trying to please one day, and then coldly breaking up with her the next.

Occasionally, I would run into a girl crying her heart out, trying to win him back. He would speak gently, a smile on his face, but beneath that smile was a distant coldness and a faint impatience. He would say, “Didn’t you already know what kind of person I am before we got together? Let’s part on good terms-don’t cling.”

While working through practice problems, I watched his ruthless, unfeeling demeanor and said sincerely, “Gu Shaoheng, you really are a jerk.”

He leaned back in his chair, spreading his hands. “I’m an open and honest jerk, a carefree flirt. That’s a lot better than those two-faced guys who lie for money and sex.”

He smiled at me. “Besides, as long as you don’t date me, I’m a good person.”

That was the truth.

I lowered my head and went back to my problems, ignoring him.

The first time we drank alcohol was after the college entrance exam. Our class organized a farewell banquet. Everyone was feeling a mix of emotions, and caught up in the atmosphere, I took a few sips of beer.

Later, he walked me home. The moonlight was like water, and he silently followed behind me. That night, he was unusually quiet. When I looked back, I saw him with his head down, stepping on my shadow with every step.

I couldn’t help but laugh and asked, “What are you doing?”

He looked up at me, as if it was only natural, and asked, “Deskmate, which university do you want to go to?”

I turned my head away, and he added, “You know, even if you don’t tell me, I can find out. I just want to hear it from you.”

I sighed and said, “University A.”

He nodded, standing there with a smile. Suddenly, I understood why, even though he was openly and unapologetically a jerk, so many girls were still willing to have a brief moment with him. Whatever else could be said, his looks were truly stunning.

Especially now, standing under the moonlight with a gentle smile-so elegant and striking, upright as an orchid or a jade tree, his smile as bright as the moon shining into one’s heart.

He smiled sincerely, different from the perfunctory, lazy, and careless smiles I usually saw on his face.

Maybe the moonlight was too gentle, making even his expression and tone soft beyond measure. He looked at me tenderly, his voice low: “Then, deskmate, see you at University A.”

I didn’t say anything, just quietly looked at him.

Finally, I replied, “Goodbye.”

I thought we probably wouldn’t see each other again.

He called me before the exam results were released. I wasn’t at all surprised that he found out my admission result in advance.

He was probably furious, so angry he laughed. On the phone, he said coldly three times, “Fang Suiran, well played.”

I held the phone in silence, until the urgent beeping came from the other end.

Later, when the results came out, the school celebrated with a red banner, congratulating me on being admitted to University C as the top student. On the banner below, I saw Gu Shaoheng’s name-he went to University A.

University A and University C were actually in the same university town, only two streets apart.

But I thought, given Gu Shaoheng’s pride and self-respect, he probably would never contact me again.

We were people from two different worlds to begin with. Even if we were in the same university town, I thought that unless by some twist of fate, he and I would probably never cross paths again in this lifetime.
That was indeed the case.

I went to a new school, and there, I became a new legend all over again.

From the balcony of my dorm room, I could even see the camphor trees of A University, but up until my junior year, I never met Gu Shaoheng.

I only heard his name from time to time, always tangled up in various rumors and stories.

But I imagine he must have heard of me, too.

We met again in the second semester of junior year.

That year, by coincidence, I went to C City as a volunteer teacher. I never expected an earthquake. It struck in the middle of the night, just after I had finished lesson prep and was reading a research report. When the dorm building collapsed, I quickly hid in the triangular space formed by the walls, where the supports left a tiny pocket. My body wasn’t trapped under the rebar, bricks, or tiles.

It took about two or three days before they dug me out. I was very weak by then, but I remained calm. The rescue team held up their fingers in front of me, asking how many I could see; someone brought water, someone cheered.

And then, at the very back, I saw Gu Shaoheng.

Silent, red-eyed, focused on me-tools in hand; his clothes in tatters, his face streaked with dust and blood-Gu Shaoheng.

I didn’t know how he found out I was teaching in C City, but the truth was set before me, unmistakably, in the instant I was rescued.

He knew I was in C City, so he came.

No matter how things might end between us, whenever I think of that moment, I always believe that at the very least, he truly loved me once.

We hadn’t seen each other in three years. That night, as I was on an IV drip, he sat by my bedside.

His features had grown much more mature than three years ago, and he seemed even more silent and reserved. The line of his jaw was smooth and resolute as he watched the saline drip drop by drop into the IV line.

He wore a self-mocking look, his tone tinged with puzzlement. He said, “Fang Suiran, you looked quite surprised when you saw me.” He smiled. “Honestly, I was surprised too. When I heard about the earthquake in C City, I didn’t think about anything-I just came.”

“For these three years, I’ve been keeping up with your news and updates. It’s strange-even I can’t figure out what I feel for you.”

“Is it an obsession born from never having you, or is it that I really do like you?”

“I have nothing to compare it to, but in my world, you seem to be the exception.”

I interrupted him and said, “Since we don’t know the answer, let’s find out.”

I looked at him calmly. He seemed a little dazed by my words, as if he didn’t quite understand or maybe thought he was imagining things.

I smiled at him and said, “Then let’s find out, Gu Shaoheng. Do you want to date?”

He stared at me, dumbfounded, almost like a fool. After a moment, he turned his head and said, “Are you pitying me?” He forced a laugh as if it meant nothing. “I’ve dated so many girlfriends, don’t think I…”

I quietly interrupted him: “I’m not cold-hearted, Gu Shaoheng. I haven’t dated many people, so my heart isn’t that hardened yet. No one could remain unmoved in a situation like this.” I paused, smiled, “But if you keep talking, I might really change my mind.”

He was silent for a moment, swallowed the rest of his words, and then said fiercely, “Then you’d better think this through. If we’re going to find out, I’m the only right answer-you can’t take it back once you turn in your paper.”

I looked at him, smiled, and said calmly, “But Gu Shaoheng, before we start, we need to set three ground rules.”