"The Mortal Chapter Of Qing Zhuan" - Chapter 16

A Sudden Parting

Faced with Wen Wen’s sudden confession, my mind went blank! As I looked into his passionate eyes, I knew this was a burden my life couldn’t bear. Every time I thought about the history between the Xi and Li families, I felt weary. Now that Wen Wen’s family had moved away, my life had finally returned to a long-lost tranquility. But hearing his words now caused a new ripple in my heart.

I turned my back to him, trying to think of how to respond to his feelings. The sky, as if sharing my sorrow, became overcast, and then snowflakes began to drift outside the window. I watched the scene outside, and for a long time, I didn’t say a word.

Wen Wen saw my motionless back and seemed to understand my answer. He gently patted the back of my head and joked, “Yuan Zi, you cut your hair so short. I bet a lot of girls must have mistaken you for a handsome boy, right?”

I nodded. “How did you know? Seriously, on the first day of school, a girl in my class really thought I was a boy.”

Wen Wen took a sip of tea and forced a smile. He wiped his mouth and looked at me. “Did she write you a love letter?”

Seeing his playful smirk, I glared at him. “Of course not!”

After some lighthearted teasing, the awkward atmosphere finally eased. I secretly observed the handsome young man in front of me. His transformation made me realize that the distance between us was not just about the family feud; it was also a huge gap in our perspectives and social status.

Throughout the meal, I saw that he didn’t eat much, and I knew that he was no longer the simple boy who once caught stars for me. He was a trendy, rebellious young man from a bustling metropolis. As our conversation dwindled, he became engrossed in his phone. I silently buried my head and stuffed food into my mouth, but tears unknowingly mixed with my rice. The bitter taste was truly hard to swallow.

Meanwhile, Wen Wen was texting Gao: “Ji Chang, maybe Yuan Zi doesn’t feel anything for me. And I just feel like we’re drifting further and further apart!”

Soon, a reply appeared on his screen: “Maybe you’re the one who changed! She’s always been like this, she’s never changed!”

Wen Wen sighed deeply at the screen, then silently watched me. He picked up a piece of snowy cotton bean paste with his chopsticks, offering it to me with a bitter smile. “Have some snowy cotton bean paste!”

I was chewing on a piece of pork ribs and looked at the snowy cotton bean paste in my bowl, but I didn’t pick up my chopsticks.

Then he looked at his phone again: “Wen Wen, you once told me that you loved her so much it felt powerless. But from my perspective, you didn’t love her hard enough! True love is never giving up, no matter what. But now you’re telling me about the powerlessness she’s making you feel. I can only say that you two aren’t on the same path! Sometimes falling in love with someone isn’t wrong, but the way you love them is!”

Wen Wen looked at the screen, his emotions in turmoil. He bit his lip as if to vent his frustration. Seeing Gao’s message made him unconsciously believe that Gao had a crush on me. After taking a sip of tea, he looked at me. “Yuan Zi, what do you think of Ji Chang?”

Thinking of Gao, my mind was full of his funny antics, as well as his thoughtfulness and protectiveness. I replied, “Gao? He’s a really interesting person! And he’s considerate and protective! He’s a great big brother!”

His eyes darkened, and the stars that were in them just moments ago disappeared. He lowered his gaze and sighed. “He’s definitely protective! A great big brother!”

The snow outside was getting heavier. I looked at the clock on the wall, not wanting to look at him. He saw me looking at the clock and anxiously asked, “Are you in a hurry? It’s only one o’clock! Don’t you have anything to say to me, Li Yuan?”

Faced with his sudden questioning, I saw his face flush. I tried to explain. “Wen Wen, what’s wrong? Calm down! Actually, I’m happy to see you…”

“Happy? Hehe, you say you’re happy to see me? But I can’t feel an ounce of happiness from you! You’ve changed, Li Yuan!”

Looking at his unreasonable face, a fire ignited in my heart. “Xi Shiwen! Say what you mean! I’ve changed? How have I changed? You’re the one who’s changed! I was going to explain the misunderstanding from back then! But looking at your attitude now, I don’t think it’s necessary! Since you think I’ve changed, then from now on, just pretend you don’t have a friend like me! No, just pretend you’ve never met me! Is that okay?”

With that, I got up to leave. Wen Wen quickly blocked my way. I tried to walk past him, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me into his embrace. Looking at his hot eyes, I panicked and dodged. “What are you doing! Didn’t you just…”

Before I could finish, his unexpected kiss landed on my hand. My eyes widened, and I quickly covered my mouth with my hand. I stared at his lips on the back of my hand, horrified. Tears immediately fell, and I backed away, signaling to him, “Don’t come near me! Xi Shiwen! How did you become like this? I treat you as a friend, but what do you treat me as? Do you have any respect for me?!”

Then I took fifty yuan out of my pocket and threw it on the table. “This is for the meal! Xi Shiwen! You’re so twisted! You’ve completely shattered the last bit of goodwill I had for you! I thought that after going to the big city, you would be someone I admired, but I never expected you would learn so many despicable tactics! From now on, there is nothing between us! Goodbye, Xi Shiwen!”

I couldn’t believe what had just happened, and I couldn’t accept this version of Wen Wen! Before this, he was always an image of a vibrant young man in my heart, but his actions now left me deeply hurt.

I ran home in a hurry. The cold wind howled, and the heavy snow covered my face. My tears fell like a broken string of pearls. Thinking about what had just happened, I felt even more wronged!

At that moment, a familiar voice came from behind me. “Yuan Zi, Yuan Zi, wait for me! I’m sorry…”

I was so scared I took off running. He chased me all the way, and I ran as fast as I could. When I passed the small river, I slipped and fell.

I sat in the snow, clutching my knee. Wen Wen rushed over. “Why are you running! I’m not going to eat you!”

I rolled my eyes and looked at him angrily. “You can’t eat me! But you can disgust me! Go away!”

He smirked condescendingly. “You really don’t know how lucky you are. There are so many girls who chase me, and I don’t want them! But you think I’m disgusting! Am I not good-looking?”

Hearing him say that, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry! It really proved what my dad said: “Even the best kid won’t turn out well in that kind of family! Because it’s in their genes!”

I looked at his face and sneered. “Whether you’re good-looking or not has nothing to do with me! Xi Shiwen! Did you not understand what I said just now? I said that we’re done! Why? I really don’t get it! Aren’t you tired?! Even if we were together, what would happen? The ending would be the same! We’re not meant to be, are we? Why do you have to make it so hard on yourself and me? Let’s just let each other go, okay?”

The wind howled, and the flying snow trapped us in this one little corner of the world. In the winter snow, we just stared at each other. He nodded and gave a helpless smile. “Okay, Li Yuan! If that’s what you want, then we’ll see!”

Then he reached out to help me up, but I quickly pushed him away. “Don’t come near me! I can get up myself! Go on, aren’t you going back to Jingping this afternoon? Hurry home, don’t make your family worry!”

Just then, Han Feng and his grandpa were coming down the mountain after looking for wild rabbits. When Han Feng saw me covered in snow, he rushed over. “What’s going on? Yuan, you…” He then looked at Wen Wen with a frown. “Did you do this?”

Wen Wen shook his head. Han Feng then looked at me. “You’re so clumsy! You fell like this! Are your clothes soaked?”

I shook my head and smiled at Han Feng. “No, my leg just hurts a little. Brother Feng, can you walk me home?”

Han Feng looked at Wen Wen in surprise. “What do you mean? I’m walking her home? What about you two? What’s going on?”

I quickly interrupted. “His family told him to hurry home. His plane is this afternoon, and he doesn’t want to be late! You should walk me home instead!”

Han Feng looked at Wen Wen, then back at me. “Alright, then! I’ll carry you back!” He then told his grandpa, “Grandpa, I’m going to take Yuan back home and then I’ll be back. You walk slowly!”

Wen Wen quickly helped his grandpa. “I’ll walk Grandpa back.”

Han Feng carried me home and gossiped with me. “What really happened between you two? Wen Wen seems different this time.”

I felt like I had found a kindred spirit and agreed with him. “The public’s eyes are sharp! Right? You feel the same way, don’t you!”

Han Feng laughed. “Sigh, you kids, once you hit adolescence, you all become so rebellious!”

When my dad saw Han Feng carrying me back, he rushed over. “What’s wrong? Why did your brother Feng have to carry you back?”

I scratched my head and smiled at my mom. “Um, I went to the convenience store to buy snacks, but they were sold out. The snow was too heavy, and I accidentally slipped on the way home. It’s a good thing I ran into Brother Feng, or I wouldn’t have been able to get home!”

My mom played along. “You child! All you care about is food! Now look what happened! Are you going to eat anymore?!”

Han Feng chuckled secretly, and my mom quickly pulled us inside.

Han Feng waved his hands and said, “No need, no need, Auntie. I still have to go back and help my grandpa clean up the rabbit. I’m leaving now.”

“Walk slowly on your way back! The roads are slippery with the snow! Come over when you’re free!”

“Alright,” Han Feng waved and walked home.

After seeing Han Feng off, I went inside to change. My knee had a deep gash. My mom tenderly applied the medicine, her brow furrowed. “Sigh! It’s not worth it! You hurt yourself just for that!”

I leaned gently against my mom’s shoulder. “Mom, it’s okay, it doesn’t hurt!”

My mom lightly tapped my head. “Silly girl, did you clear up the misunderstanding?”

I sighed and hugged my mom. “Mom, the snowy cotton bean paste dish at the small pavilion is so delicious. Can you make it?”

My mom shook her head helplessly. “Why do you only think about food, you child? I’m asking you something! What’s going on! My dear daughter! Tell me the truth! Did he bully you…”

Just then, we saw Gao riding his bicycle toward us. I was shocked. “How did he ride here in this snow?!”

My mom asked me, “Did you make Ji Chang come again?”

I shook my head and quickly explained, “I didn’t ask him to come in this snow! It’s so unsafe!”

Gao shook off the snow and came into my room. “What happened? Why did you fall?”

I looked at him in surprise. “How did you know? Did someone tell you?”

He nodded. “He said you were very angry and wanted to cut ties with him! But because he was worried about your injury, he had to ask me to come check on you!”

“Gao, I think Wen Wen is different this time. It seems like he wasn’t influenced in a good way in the big city. Instead… Ugh, I don’t want to talk about it. I’m just annoyed with him right now!”

Gao changed the subject. “Did you finish your homework?”

I nodded. “Yes, I’m already studying ahead!”

Gao looked at me in surprise and gave me a thumbs-up. “Nice, you’re teachable! School starts in two weeks! Starting tomorrow, we’ll make a study plan! To prepare for the high school entrance exam!”

My mom came in with a cup of hot milk and looked at us. “You just started middle school, and you’re already preparing for the high school entrance exam?”

Gao took the hot milk and looked at my mom. “Because if we finish our schoolwork ahead of time, we’ll have a lot of time to review and do targeted practice.”

My dad called Gao over to show him some tea someone had given him. My mom then whispered to me, “Did you clear up the misunderstanding with him today?”

I shook my head, took a sip of milk, and sighed. “No! I just feel like… the misunderstanding isn’t that important anymore! And I’m starting to understand Dad more and more now. Anyway, we won’t have any more to do with each other from now on! Don’t worry, Mom!”

My mom looked relieved after hearing that. “That’s good, that’s good!”

Gao was sitting on the heated bed in the other room, looking at his phone. I noticed his face kept changing expressions, so I went up to him to sneak a peek at his screen, but I couldn’t see anything.

The weather outside was still cold. Looking out, it was a vast expanse of white snow.

Gao and I went to visit the cat. I knelt in front of the small mound of dirt and used a small shovel to clear the weeds. Gao was also shoveling the snow next to me, muttering, “Mimi, we’ve come to see you! Look, your sister is clearing the weeds for you, and I’m going to fix your roof. If you miss us, remember to come find us in our dreams…”

I smiled and looked at Gao, whose face was red from the cold. I stood up, patted the snow off my clothes, and looked at him. “Gao, let’s go home! We’ll come back when the weather gets warmer.”

Gao nodded and swung the big shovel, pushing the snow in front of him. I walked slowly behind him. Looking around, it was a desolate expanse of white snow. Only the small, narrow path he had shoveled with the shovel continued to wind forward…

With Gao’s help, we quickly finished the advance work for the second semester of middle school. I was packing my bag, and Gao was leaning against the wall, dozing off. “Ah, time flies! School is about to start!”

I handed him a chicken leg bun. He took a bite and raised an eyebrow. “Mmm, this is the taste! It’s good! Pass me a bottle of milk, it’s a little dry!”

Looking at his stretched-out neck, I laughed so hard I was doubled over. “Hahahaha, why are you acting like a turtle! Who told you to eat so fast! Now you know, don’t you!”

Gao took a big gulp of milk, swallowed the bun, and let out a burp. He felt much better. “Ah, I almost didn’t get to see this beautiful world again! Woohoo! I feel much better! This stupid bun, it’s not good at all…”

“You’re such a hypocrite! Hahahaha, you ate too fast and choked, and now you’re blaming the bun, hahahaha…”

Gao saw my mouth wide open from laughing and gave a sly grin. He then shoved the unfinished bun into my mouth.

“Ugh… What are you doing, you rascal? Are you asking for a beating! Do you believe I’ll hit you…”

“Hahahaha, we should share both the good times and the bad! You try it too! Hehehe… Hahahaha… Come on, come on! Nyeh nyeh nyeh…”

I saw him hop to the ground and run into my mom’s room. I chased after him. “Gao! Stop! Don’t run, you jerk! Do you believe I’ll shove a whole bun in your mouth…”

My mom saw us laughing and chasing each other and quickly warned, “Slow down, don’t fall! Both of you!”

Gao, being chased by me, actually climbed up the big maple tree by the door and didn’t forget to sneak a laugh.

I stood under the tree, looking up at him angrily. “Get down! If you’ve got guts, don’t climb the tree!”

“Why should I come down! I won’t! I just won’t! Come up if you dare! Hahahaha, Da Yuan Zi, come up here…”

Seeing his smug face, I made a snowball and aimed at him. “Alright, alright, you asked for it, kid. Are you ready to get hit?”

Gao saw the snowball flying toward him and dodged, jumping from one branch to another. I increased the number of snowballs.

Gao couldn’t handle it anymore and yelled, “Oh no, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, okay? Stop hitting me, you’re going to kill me…”

With the last snowball, it accurately hit Gao’s face. He wasn’t paying attention and slid down the tree. “Ahhhh, ow, ow, ow…”

“Ouch, Gao! You’re so over the top! Get up! You almost squashed me!”

I struggled to get up. Luckily, there was a pile of straw underneath, or I would have gotten a new injury. I grimaced and pushed Gao away with great effort, then gave him a cursing punch. “You jerk, you didn’t even say a word when you fell!”

“I did yell! You didn’t hear me, you were too busy laughing, with your teeth bared! You got hit, and you’re blaming me!”

I rubbed my butt. “Ouch, my butt hurts. It’s over, I can’t walk anymore. Carry me inside! You rascal!”

“You?! It’s just a few steps! Walk yourself!” I threw a handful of snow at him. “Are you going to carry me or not?”

“I’m not! You hit me first! If you didn’t hit me, I wouldn’t have climbed the tree. If I didn’t climb the tree, I wouldn’t have fallen. If I didn’t fall, I wouldn’t have hit you. So, you can only blame yourself! Hahahaha…”

I looked at his annoying face and grabbed another handful of snow, making a snowball and throwing it at him. He quickly squatted down, covered his head, and made a face at me. “Nyeh nyeh nyeh, you missed, hehehe…”

My dad came out of the house, looking for us. “It’s time to eat, where are you?” Then he heard our laughter. Seeing us covered in snow, my dad smiled. “Don’t you two feel the cold? Hurry inside and eat…”

In the blink of an eye, two months had passed since school started. Gao was leaning against the wall, yawning. “Time flies! It’s already the season of Grain Rain?”

I nodded. “Of course! May Day is almost here!”

At that moment, the cuckoo outside was singing again. The peach blossoms on both sides of the river were shyly whispering their love stories to the spring breeze. Even the butterflies were gossiping, perching on the branches and refusing to leave. The campus was most beautiful at this time. The willows had already started to bud, and the flowers in the flowerbeds were competing with each other to bloom.

I always feel a mix of happiness and sadness when I think about school life. What’s unforgettable are the few people who leave a deep impression on you on every path of your life. Some are the protagonists, and others are the supporting characters needed to move the story forward.

Time flew by with the rhythm of class bells and dismissal bells, and with Gao and I immersed in a sea of practice questions every day. Inside the classroom, the teacher was meticulously explaining problems on the blackboard, and I had grown my hair long again.

“Ji Chang, I bought some things for Yuan Zi. I’ll mail them to you in the next couple of days, but I’m afraid she won’t sign for them if she knows they’re from me. So, I’ll have to trouble you, brother…”

“Let me know when they arrive…”

Gao looked at the text on the screen, put down his pen, and his thoughts drifted further and further away…

As May Day approached, I saw Gao riding his bike to my house on a Saturday morning. “Hey, Da Yuan Zi, I have nothing to do. Let’s go for a ride with me!”

“Where are we going! It’s so early, and I haven’t even had breakfast yet!”

“Alright, alright, let’s eat first, then we’ll go!”

After breakfast, we went to the express delivery station near the school. When I saw him dragging a package, I was shocked. It was a box as tall as his waist. “Gao, what did you buy! It’s so big!”

“Come help me…”

I ran over to help him tie the package to the bike seat. He wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Ah! I’m curious too! This is from Wen Wen to you!”

I asked in surprise, “From me? Why?”

“It’s for you because it’s for you. How would I know?! Oh, right, Wen Wen told me a couple of days ago that he’s coming back to hang out with us on May Day. If you want to know, just ask him in person!”

I quickly retorted, “I’m not going to! You take this box to your house! I don’t want it!”

He laughed loudly. “Yeah, you’re still mad at him. In that case, let’s just throw it away! He won’t know anyway, will he?”

Hearing this, I asked him, “What did he tell you?”

Gao scratched his head, thought for a moment, and looked at me. “He didn’t say much… just some things you wouldn’t like to hear.”

I didn’t ask anymore and turned to walk home. Gao yelled, “Hey, hey, Da Yuan Zi, don’t go! I can’t handle this big box by myself! Come back and help me!”

After we got home, Gao’s charging phone beeped. Wen Wen had sent a message: “So, does she like it?”

Gao looked at my expression and typed: “She’s a little tired. I’ll have her open it later.”

I was eating a fresh cabbage pancake my mom had just made. I walked over to him. “Want some pancake?”

This guy really has good luck. The last time he came, my family was making lamb soup, and he happened to be there. This time we were making cabbage pancakes, and he happened to be there again.

My mom called from the other room. “You two, come eat, hurry up.”

At the table, my dad kept putting food on Gao’s plate. My dad said, “Ji Chang, eat more. You haven’t been here for a few days. Your aunt and I missed you a little. Come over when you have nothing to do. Your aunt will make you good food.”

Gao nodded obediently and looked at my mom. “Auntie’s cooking is the best in the world. My mom wants to learn how to make cabbage pancakes from you.”

My mom laughed after hearing that. “Tell your mom to come over whenever she’s free. I’ll teach her. It’s simple, no big deal.”

After lunch, we unpacked the box in my room.

My dad came over, eating a watermelon. “What’s this? It’s so big!”

I looked at Gao, and Gao looked at my dad: “This is a specialty our classmate brought back from a trip!”

My dad became interested and brought a small stool to sit next to us and help us unpack. First, we took out a big box of snacks. Next, there was a small, delicate box. We opened it and saw a watch inside, then a phone, followed by a big jar of colorful stars, and then shoes, clothes, a hat, and more. The last thing we took out was a big yellow star-shaped pillow. My dad was stunned and looked at us in confusion. “A star this big?!”

We looked at each other and smiled, then handed my dad a box of rice flower village pastries. He was visibly happy and called my mom to share.

We worked on it for a long time and finally sorted everything out. Gao took out the phone, wanting to put the SIM card in, but found that Wen Wen had already put it in for me. After turning it on and connecting to the internet, he found that there was a chat ID already. Wen Wen had set everything up for me.

Gao handed me the phone. “Send him a message! You’ve received the things.”

“No, you can just tell him with your phone!”

Gao looked at my wronged face, leaned in, and whispered, “What’s wrong with you! Why do you have such a big bias against him!”

“No, I just feel like we’re not on the same path anymore, and there’s nothing to talk about! Tell him not to send me things anymore!”

I went into the yard for some fresh air. Looking up, I saw a fluffy cloud shaped like a five-pointed star. I whispered to myself, “Even you’re mad at me!”

Gao looked at my retreating back and seemed to have guessed something. He replied on his phone: “Wen Wen, she doesn’t seem very happy! She told me to tell you not to send her things anymore!”

“She must still be mad at me. I’ll go back in two days, and we can all hang out. You have to help me, brother!”

Gao stared at the text on his screen, his heart in turmoil…

The sun shone on the water, and the surface of the river, shimmering with light, was covered with floating peach blossom petals. They flowed with the water, either being sucked into a vortex or getting stranded on the shore. Gao and I leisurely picked up small stones from the ground and threw them into the middle of the river.

“Da Yuan Zi, did Wen Wen bully you?”

“Why are you asking that?” I didn’t know how to answer Gao’s question.

“You weren’t like this with him before. I think he must have done something you can’t accept, which is why you dislike him so much!”

I didn’t answer his question and changed the subject. “The weather is so nice today. How about we…”

Before I could finish, Gao interrupted. “Da Yuan Zi! What’s wrong with you?”

“Oh, just don’t ask. He didn’t do anything. It’s just his arrogant attitude that I can’t accept!”

Gao saw my wronged expression and patted my shoulder. “Look at you! You’re upset again! Let’s go see the cat.” I nodded.

The area around the cat’s mound was full of new green shoots, and small wild flowers dotted the ground around it. Gao picked a few beautiful wild flowers and placed them on the small mound. “Mimi, these are your favorite flowers. Since there are so many of them this year, I’ll pick a lot for you…”

I was using a small stick to move the weeds aside when Gao’s phone rang. After he answered, I heard, “Brother! I’m coming back tomorrow! You have to help me then!”

I heard the familiar voice and looked at Gao. Gao signaled for me to be quiet and then replied, “Okay! What time are you getting home tomorrow?”

“Around two in the afternoon. I’ll text you then.”

“Okay, I know. I’ll try to get Da Yuan Zi to come out!”

After Gao hung up, he looked at me awkwardly. I replied, “Don’t ask anymore, I’ll go! I can’t make it hard on you! I’ll go talk to him and make everything clear tomorrow! You can be a witness!”

The next day, the three of us met at the small pavilion. When Wen Wen saw us, he quickly ran over to greet us. “Long time no see, how have you two been?”

“Haha, pretty good, same as always. Are you so trendy now? That hairstyle is pretty cool!” Gao teased him.

Uncle Yin came over with some dishes and laughed. “You kids haven’t gotten together in a while! It’s good to be young! You boys have all grown so tall and handsome! Yuan has also become so much prettier!” He then asked Wen Wen, “Wen Wen, how many days are you staying this time?”

“Um, one or two days. Uncle Yin, business has been good lately, right?”

“So-so, just making a living. It’s all thanks to you regulars. You guys talk, and call me if you need anything.”

After Uncle Yin left, Wen Wen looked at me. “I heard you don’t really like the things I sent you?”

“Wen Wen, don’t spend money on me anymore! The shipping must have been expensive, right?”

“Yuan Zi, I apologize for my impulsiveness before. Can you forgive me?”

Gao saw the awkwardness between us and interrupted. “Hey, let’s eat first. We can talk after we eat. There’s plenty of time. The food will get cold and won’t taste good!” He then put a piece of snowy cotton bean paste on my plate.

Wen Wen looked at me sourly. “Why didn’t you eat the one I put on your plate before?”

I retorted, “Didn’t I eat the first one you put on my plate? I was almost full by the end, and you still kept putting more on my plate. How could I eat it all?”

Wen Wen nodded helplessly. “Alright, alright, let’s eat!”

Just then, Wen Wen’s grandpa walked in. “Are you eating, kids?”

When he saw me, he said mockingly, “Oh, Li Yuan is here too!”

I stood up and looked at him. “Grandpa Xi, you’re here. Come, sit down and eat! Gao and I just remembered we have to buy some soy sauce for my mom, so we’re going to head out. You guys have a good meal!”

I pulled Gao, but Wen Wen got anxious again. “Li Yuan! What do you mean! How long are you going to keep avoiding me!”

His grandpa was interested now. “What! What are you talking about, boy? She said she needs to buy soy sauce! Don’t you understand Chinese?!”

Wen Wen ignored his grandpa and walked straight toward me, his smile gone. He stared at me intently. “Answer me! Say it!”

I lost my patience and yelled at him, “Wasn’t I clear enough last time! Do you have a masochistic tendency?! I said I’m annoyed with you, I’m so annoyed with you! Do you understand?!”

His grandpa quickly pulled him away. “Are you crazy, boy! She said she’s annoyed with you, so what are you still doing here! Come home with me!” Wen Wen’s eyes turned red, and he looked at me in disbelief. He shook off his grandpa’s hand and yelled, “Don’t pull me! Li Yuan, do you dare to say that again?!”

My lips trembled. I never thought I’d get to this point with Wen Wen. The years of childhood affection all turned to dust today.

Gao tried to comfort Wen Wen. “You go home with your grandpa first, and we’ll talk later! Just listen!”

Wen Wen ignored Gao and grabbed my shoulders, shaking me and questioning me. “Why! Why won’t you accept me! What is it about me that you hate so much? Tell me, Li Yuan!”

Gao quickly pulled him away, and his grandpa stood in front of me. I signaled to his grandpa that I was okay and walked over to him. I said helplessly, “Wen Wen, I can’t give you what you want. And what I want, you’ve already lost. You’re no longer the Xi Shiwen from back then, and I’m still the same me. People change! You’ve changed so much that I don’t recognize you anymore! But I still sincerely wish you all the best and hope you have a bright future! Let’s just keep our childhood friendship sealed in our youth!”

He looked at me, choking up, tears streaming down his handsome face. And at that moment, my heart was also torn to pieces! After all, how can a friendship of more than ten years, a friendship that started when we were kids, be so easily let go? But we’re no longer on the same path! If we continue to be entangled like this, all that will be left is resentment.

I looked at Gao and said a few weak words. “I’m tired, let’s go home…”