I’ll Hold Your Hand And Promise You A Lifetime - Chapter 34

Everyone sitting in the classroom, waiting for the teacher to assign the summer homework, was squirming with impatience, as if thorns had grown on their seats. They couldn’t sit still, and it felt like dozens of kittens were scratching at their hearts, leaving them itchy and restless. The breeze outside was so refreshing, the birds were singing so cheerfully, and everything beyond the window looked like a beautiful fairy tale. Their hearts had long since flown out the window, leaving behind only sleepy, lifeless bodies.

Even someone as composed as Yi Luo and Yue Xi began to lose their patience. Their hearts brimmed with complaints—why did the teacher have so much to say? Why was there so much homework? When would they finally be dismissed?

At last, with the teacher’s final word, the entire room erupted. Summer vacation was finally here—after so much anticipation! Everyone was ecstatic. The once-quiet campus was suddenly ablaze with youthful energy. Laughter and joy echoed through the grounds as cheerful faces lit up every corner, and soon the noise surged like a tide out of the school gates.

“Let’s go~” Yue Xi waved at Yi Luo from her desk, then signaled to Lu Man and Liu Le with a glance.

Lu Man excitedly grabbed Liu Le with one hand and Ji Yi with the other, pulling them out the door.

There were few people left on campus. It was as if everyone had been locked up for years and could no longer restrain themselves from dashing out, dragging friends along, their joy written all over their faces.

The five walked and joked as they chatted about how relieved and happy they were. But suddenly, they stopped in their tracks.

Standing in front of them was Zhou Yaxuan, wearing a hostile expression, being held back by Yuanzi.

“Why does she keep popping up like a bad penny…” Lu Man muttered. She loved gossip and had a wide social circle, so she knew a lot—like how the girl in front of them, Zhou Yaxuan, was likely the one responsible for Yue Xi’s hospitalization.

Yue Xi stepped protectively in front of Yi Luo. The smile that had been on her face vanished, replaced by a guarded stare aimed at Zhou Yaxuan.

“Yi Luo, how can you still be with her so shamelessly? Didn’t you see a psychiatrist? Don’t you know you’ve got mental issues?” Zhou Yaxuan said with a fake smile, her tone dripping with malice.

“Yaxuan…” Yuanzi tried to stop her childhood friend, but she didn’t know what had changed her. The old Yaxuan used to be lively and cheerful. Now, she didn’t recognize this person.

Yue Xi’s body suddenly radiated danger. She locked eyes on Zhou Yaxuan, as if her gaze could pierce through her.

“Don’t look at me like that, Yue Xi. Don’t think you’re the only one who knows people on the streets. One day, I’ll settle the score! I got you in the hospital once—I can do it again. Don’t forget the way you looked crawling on the floor that day.” Zhou Yaxuan turned to glare at Yuanzi. “And you—I can’t believe even you betrayed me.”

“I didn’t,” Yuanzi insisted. She didn’t recognize this version of Zhou Yaxuan—so aggressive and cruel. Even knowing what she’d done, Yuanzi had tried to understand her, but now she was like a mad dog, biting whoever came near.

“Zhou Yaxuan, take responsibility for your own actions. I told you—this is between you and me. Don’t drag others into it.” Yue Xi grew angry seeing how upset Yuanzi looked.

“Yue Xi…” Yi Luo sensed Yue Xi’s rising fury and gently held her hand. Yue Xi had never told her the real reason for her injury. Had she kept it hidden to stop Yi Luo from worrying? Didn’t she realize that hiding it made Yi Luo worry even more? This fool—when would she finally understand that Yi Luo was someone she could rely on?

“Stop pretending to be all innocent and harmless with your big dumb eyes. Just looking at you makes me sick,” Zhou Yaxuan snapped, her voice rising with inexplicable anger. Why did Yi Luo get to be so happy?

Lu Man frowned. She sensed something odd in Zhou Yaxuan’s persistence—there had to be more to this. There was definitely a story here.

Liu Le and Ji Yi stood awkwardly to the side, unsure of what to say. They were worried about Yue Xi and Yi Luo, but they couldn’t find an opening to speak up.

“You don’t get to criticize her,” Yue Xi smirked, her voice laced with sarcasm. “Weren’t you the one who approached Yi Luo first?”

“You—I only went to her to deal with you! Have you forgotten how long you stayed in the hospital?” Zhou Yaxuan faltered. Her secret couldn’t be exposed.

Yi Luo stood behind Yue Xi, watching Zhou Yaxuan with calm detachment. She never cared for Zhou Yaxuan’s insults—people could say whatever they wanted. All that mattered was the person standing in front of her, the one who always looked at her with such tenderness.

Suddenly, Lu Man clapped her hands. “I’ve figured it out!”

Liu Le and Ji Yi stared at her with blank expressions. What is this girl on? The atmosphere clearly wasn’t right, and here she was clapping?

“What did you figure out?” Yue Xi looked at Lu Man with a smile. This girl always had a knack for surprises. Yue Xi didn’t want to argue with Zhou Yaxuan any longer, so if someone was offering a distraction, she welcomed it.

Zhou Yaxuan stiffened at Lu Man’s probing gaze.

Lu Man leaned over and whispered a few words in Yue Xi’s ear. Then she let go.

Yue Xi’s face flushed with a blend of red and blue—an odd but beautiful look.

Yi Luo had a good guess what Lu Man had realized, but she wasn’t entirely sure. If it was true… it’d be a huge mess.

Liu Le and Ji Yi looked at each other, the awkward silence stretching.

“Zhou Yaxuan, why did you pretend to be kind and approach us, only to use our kindness against us?” Yi Luo couldn’t stay calm anymore after learning the truth about Yue Xi’s injury. “Since you stopped us today, let’s settle this now. It’s been a whole semester. Time to end it.”

“Fine. Saves me the trouble later,” Zhou Yaxuan said, pulling out her phone. But before she could make a call, Lu Man snatched it away.

“I know your secret.” Lu Man beamed with pride. She felt like a genius—she’d figured out something so complex. She was in awe of herself.

Yi Luo didn’t give Zhou Yaxuan a chance to breathe. “You were the one who approached me first. You were the one who lied to Yue Xi. You were the one who hurt her. You took secret photos of us and sent them to my house. After all this, don’t you think you owe us an explanation?”

“Secret photos?” Yue Xi turned to Yi Luo. “When did that happen?”

“That day you came to pick me up, and we went to the café,” Yi Luo said calmly. She had once planned to let her parents gradually accept their relationship, but this lunatic had ruined it. “Still, I should thank you. Because of you, my parents accepted our relationship much faster.”

Yue Xi was shocked at first, then everything clicked. She remembered Yu Xiaohua’s sudden visit and Zhou Yaxuan’s previous remarks. So that’s what had happened… and Yi Luo had borne it all quietly. Yue Xi felt both touched and guilty. For her, Yi Luo had…

“What?” Zhou Yaxuan looked like she had been struck by lightning. She had never expected Yi Luo, who seemed so quiet and reserved, to act so boldly. She had tried to use Yi Luo’s parents to break them up, only to end up strengthening their bond instead.

“I was right, wasn’t I, Master~?” Lu Man grinned, eyes sparkling with amusement.

“Uh…” Yue Xi was speechless. She couldn’t believe what Lu Man had just said.

“What, disappointed? Yue Xi and I aren’t breaking up,” Yi Luo said with a smile, her eyes full of certainty and joy. She felt Yue Xi’s grip on her hand tighten and turned to look at her.

Yue Xi smiled back, gazing at the one she loved with all her heart. Yi Luo had always been open about their relationship. Yue Xi used to worry she wouldn’t accept it, but happiness had been this close all along.

Are we watching a live PDA show now? Liu Le and Ji Yi were stunned. They never expected the gentle, elegant Yi Luo to be so bold. Girls in love were truly unpredictable.

Lu Man’s eyes were practically sparkling with cartoon hearts. Ever since she saw Yue Xi, she’d been dreaming of pairing her with Yi Luo—and now her fantasy had come true.

Zhou Yaxuan stared blankly at the two girls, realization dawning. Everything she’d done had been for nothing. Yue Xi belonged to Yi Luo. No one could take her away.

“Leave. We don’t want to see you again,” Yi Luo said softly, eyes on the pale Zhou Yaxuan.

“Let this be the end. From now on, we’re strangers. I’ll forgive everything that happened before.” Yue Xi was never one to hold grudges. She believed people could be good. No matter the reason, kindness would eventually be repaid.

“It’s up to you,” Yi Luo added. She didn’t want to cling to the past—those who couldn’t let go were always the ones who suffered most. She even felt a little sorry for Zhou Yaxuan.

Zhou Yaxuan clenched her teeth. Was this really it? She didn’t want to give up, but what could she do?

“Let’s go,” Yue Xi said when she saw Zhou Yaxuan frozen in place. She was sickened by someone who could do so many terrible things and not even realize it. She gave Yuanzi a small nod of farewell—at least she could tell right from wrong.

Yi Luo looked at her three friends and caught up to Yue Xi.

“Alright. I’ll agree to that,” Zhou Yaxuan said, eyes closed. “Everything before—was my fault.”

Yue Xi didn’t look back. She simply stopped and smiled at Yi Luo, her frustrations melting away under Yi Luo’s warm, radiant gaze. “Let’s go eat~”

The five walked off together, bathed in the golden sunset, lighter in spirit. The days ahead would only get better.

Liu Le tugged Lu Man to the back. “What did you whisper to Yue Xi earlier?”

“Yeah, I’m really curious too!!!” Ji Yi dropped her usual calm and serious tone.

“Come closer,” Lu Man said, glancing at the two figures holding hands ahead of them. “Ahem.”

“Hurry up and tell us!” Liu Le was more anxious now than during exams.

“Zhou Yaxuan likes Yue Xi.” Lu Man made a shushing gesture.

Liu Le and Ji Yi clamped their hands over their mouths, whispering, “That’s explosive!”

“Right?!” Yue Xi suddenly turned around, her gaze sharp. “You three just learned something you weren’t supposed to know.”

“Mercy!! Yi Luo, save us!!” the trio cried, hiding behind her.

“Haha, just kidding. So what do you guys want to do now?” Yue Xi walked over, pulled each one off Yi Luo’s shoulders, and then naturally slipped her arm around Yi Luo’s waist.

“Ahem…” Lu Man blushed. “I shouldn’t be watching this…”

“I wanna sing! Let’s go karaoke~” Ji Yi’s face was glowing red from the sunset and excitement. Seeing her friend happy was worth celebrating. She’d once worried Yue Xi would hurt Yi Luo, but now she knew she’d been overthinking it.

“I wanna play video games~” Liu Le shouted, raising his hand high.

“This isn’t class. Why are you raising your hand?” Lu Man laughed out loud.

“Get in, ladies~” Yue Xi flagged down a cab and opened the back door, making a grand “please enter” gesture.

Their first year of high school had come to a satisfying close. Yue Xi glanced at Yi Luo, squished into the backseat with the others, through the rearview mirror and smiled, finally at peace.

There was still a long road of happiness ahead.