Zhao Nuancheng performed exceptionally well in the college entrance exam and was admitted to X University. In her first November at X University, vast patches of tricolor amaranth bloomed, painting the campus a fiery red.
Zhao Nuancheng, lively and pretty in her white down jacket, walked alongside her roommate Zhang Lan.
On their way to the library, under the shade of trees, they spotted two people kissing.
The young couple was locked in a passionate embrace.
Zhang Lan covered her mouth, her face betraying excitement. “Nuancheng, it’s Senior Lu Yue.”
Lu Yue was from the English Department, where Zhao Nuancheng was also studying. Lu Yue was their direct senior and quite famous.
Lu Yue was beautiful, with delicate and gentle features, and an exceptionally elegant demeanor. Her slight smile made her the unattainable dream of many male students.
She had been admitted to X University through a special recommendation, which further enhanced her reputation on campus.
Feeling it inappropriate to watch others kissing, Zhao Nuancheng hurriedly pulled Zhang Lan away.
Zhang Lan pouted, expressing her disappointment.
“Senior Lu Yue is so beautiful. Who do you think her boyfriend is? Weren’t you in the same high school? Do you know her boyfriend?”
These questions made Zhao Nuancheng pause.
In high school, if one spoke of beauty, she had seen the most beautiful girl.
Standing next to that girl, Lu Yue’s light was completely overshadowed. At seventeen, Meng Ting was the embodiment of what every girl wanted to become and every boy’s ideal first love.
However, Lu Yue, who had been unremarkable in high school, now shone brightly without Meng Ting as a comparison. Yet, even in those early high school days, Lu Yue had always been one boy’s unattainable dream.
In November, Zhao Nuancheng unexpectedly thought of He Junming.
She suddenly realized that waiting for a bus in the remote countryside with He Junming smoking beside her seemed like it had happened just yesterday.
He Junming wasn’t particularly handsome; in fact, he was rather ordinary.
His family was wealthy; he was a child who grew up with a silver spoon. He spoke recklessly, naturally sharp-tongued even with girls. He Junming had dyed his hair a deep brownish-black, which gave him a youthful appearance.
But this guy was foolish.
In the year when everyone was captivated by Meng Ting, he only had eyes for Lu Yue.
And the boy Lu Yue had just been kissing was much more handsome than him.
On the last day of November, Lu Yue at X University received a car.
It was a white Audi worth 200,000 yuan in the early 2000s.
X City’s university town wasn’t home to just one university; there were many schools around, less prestigious than X University. Among them was a vocational college, commonly referred to as a junior college.
As Lu Yue sped by in her car, mud splattered all over Zhao Nuancheng’s jeans on the freshly rained-upon road.
Hugging her English textbook, Zhao Nuancheng looked up to see He Junming with a cigarette between his lips.
The 1.8-meter-tall He Junming, with his unremarkable face, was dressed head to toe in designer brands.
He smiled as he tidied Lu Yue’s hair, and Lu Yue stood on tiptoes to kiss him.
He held the back of Lu Yue’s head, and behind the cover of the Audi, the kiss deepened. Zhao Nuancheng watched silently for a moment before turning and walking away.
Only the wealthy deserved to have their unattainable dream.
From that day on, everyone at X University knew that Lu Yue was dating a rich man.
The young man treated Lu Yue very well, gifting her a car, and then designer bags and perfumes. Everything was luxurious, and the already beautiful Lu Yue became even more exquisite with her refined attire.
At the end of November, it rained.
Zhao Nuancheng was returning from the supermarket with an umbrella when she encountered He Junming.
He was holding a large bouquet, cursing at the sudden downpour. Zhao Nuancheng frowned, opened her umbrella wider, and stood on tiptoes to shelter him.
He Junming turned his head and was startled to see the girl’s face.
Zhao Nuancheng hadn’t been particularly pretty in high school; she weighed over 130 pounds and had a chubby face with a double chin.
The college version of Zhao Nuancheng hadn’t changed much, maybe just dressing more maturely.
He stared at the girl, feeling she looked familiar, and after a while remembered her name: “Zhao Nuancheng?”
“Yes, it’s me.”
He Junming was delighted: “You’re also studying in X City?”
He was happy for a moment, then quickly lowered his head to check if the flowers were ruined by the rain. He was also carrying food for Lu Yue and worried it might get cold, muttering a curse under his breath.
Zhao Nuancheng said, “Not wearing designer clothes anymore?”
The brown-haired young man laughed heartily: “Gotta take care of my girlfriend!”
His father only gave him so much money each month, and he wanted to buy Lu Yue bags and good food. It didn’t matter if he didn’t dress well himself, as long as Lu Yue looked beautiful.
He looked at his watch; he was almost out of time for the deadline Lu Yue had given him.
Without a second thought, He Junming rushed into the rain.
She held onto the umbrella handle, watching his retreating figure.
Suddenly, she remembered that year in Xiaogang City, when he had reluctantly agreed to take her home. Seeing her fear, he had pointed out the window and said, “Isn’t it beautiful?”
In the distance, the neon lights of Xiaogang City fell like shooting stars.
Zhao Nuancheng, leaning against the window, had nodded.
He Junming had smiled and ruffled her hair: “Don’t be afraid, I’m not a bad guy.”
He had stopped the car to let Zhao Nuancheng look for quite a while, almost getting his car towed by traffic police for illegal parking.
Now, watching the young man running quickly through the rain, Zhao Nuancheng lowered her gaze.
In December, when snow fell in X City, Lu Yue’s two-timing was exposed.
The incident caused a huge uproar, and He Junming suddenly became the pitiable cuckold.
When he went to beat up the other guy in a rage, Lu Yue stopped him, coldly saying, “Haven’t you embarrassed yourself enough?”
“Tell me, who do you like?”
Lu Yue helped up Xiao Lu, the finance major with a bruised face, letting him lean on her, and without sparing He Junming’s feelings, said, “Him.”
The surrounding crowd burst into laughter.
It was ridiculous. He Junming, who had gone from being a rich second-generation to nearly starving himself for Lu Yue, was coldly told by her that he was nothing more than a backup plan.
This incident became a joke that spread throughout X City. Zhao Nuancheng was drinking milk tea when Zhang Lan said, “How embarrassing, how stupid.”
Zhao Nuancheng stood up: “He is stupid, but Lu Yue and Xiao Lu are no better!”
After Zhao Nuancheng ran out into the snow, Zhang Lan muttered, “I was just saying… why is she so angry?”
He Junming was dead drunk, lying in the snow.
Zhao Nuancheng wiped the snow from his face and struggled to carry him on her back.
It was difficult to get a taxi on this street, and even though she was a bit chubby, carrying a 1.8-meter-tall man was still too much for her.
“He Junming, where do you live?”
He was unconscious.
Zhao Nuancheng took off her down jacket, draped it over him, and supported him as they walked towards a small hotel.
She carefully washed his face, took off his shoes, and tucked him into bed.
He woke up in the middle of the night and hugged her, crying loudly.
He cried and called out for Lu Yue.
Zhao Nuancheng twisted his ear. He inhaled sharply in pain and finally let go.
She watched over him all night, and when she woke up, she saw He Junming’s complex expression. The brown-haired young man smiled and said, “Zhao Nuancheng, do you like me?”
Her heart skipped a beat, but her face remained calm as she looked at him: “What do you think?”
He Junming was taken aback, reached for his wallet, and handed it to her: “I was just joking. Thanks for saving my life.”
She held onto the wallet without saying a word.
Later, after the New Year passed spring came again. During the New Year, Zhao Nuancheng learned that Meng Ting and Jiang Ren were still together, which made her sigh. When Meng Ting asked about He Junming’s situation, Zhao Nuancheng suddenly felt a bit sad.
She never thought of herself as anyone’s foil, but the way Lu Yue treated He Junming, and he still thought of her, made her wonder.
Are there distinctions between people’s worth? Was she not worthy of being liked because she wasn’t pretty?
In spring, He Junming went to intern at Jiang Ren’s “Listening Project” and tanned considerably.
Lu Yue and Xiao Lu eventually broke up due to their vast difference in family backgrounds.
When Zhao Nuancheng saw He Junming, he was holding a distraught Lu Yue, comforting her in a low voice. He Junming looked up and saw Zhao Nuancheng, suddenly feeling awkward.
Zhao Nuancheng pursed her lips, said nothing, and walked away.
Lu Yue was preparing to go abroad.
Zhao Nuancheng always felt that life was like a book, as if going abroad was truly becoming that unattainable dream. Lu Yue had become the embodiment of that dream. Zhao Nuancheng didn’t know what she should become and suddenly felt that it would be nice if Meng Ting were still around.
When Meng Ting was there, the world was always pure and joyful.
The night they celebrated Lu Yue’s departure, He Junming paid for a meal for their entire major.
All in all, about a hundred people came.
Zhao Nuancheng originally didn’t want to go but was dragged there by Zhang Lan.
He Junming waved with a smile: “Live well abroad, be happy.”
Lu Yue smiled gracefully: “I will.”
After she left, He Junming cried alone in the hall like a 1.8-meter-tall fool.
Zhao Nuancheng had no right to intervene, but as she was walking out, He Junming grabbed her wrist: “Want to date?”
She knew she shouldn’t agree, but couldn’t resist the night sky of her youth, and nodded, saying okay.
In the first summer of dating He Junming, Zhao Nuancheng would leave at 6 AM to run laps around the track. For breakfast, she only ate half a piece of bread; for lunch, she forced herself to eat a small bowl of rice and one vegetable dish; for dinner, she gnawed on an apple. She persisted for a very long time.
Later, even He Junming couldn’t bear to watch: “That’s enough, you’re cute just like this.” Only then did she stop.
Their first kiss was initiated by her.
The young man was distracted and finally pushed her away, saying sorry.
She didn’t get discouraged and knitted him a scarf in winter. The black scarf had beautiful stitching; she had failed several times before finally producing this one.
Even Zhang Lan couldn’t help but say: “Your boyfriend is so lucky.”
When He Junming injured himself playing basketball, Zhao Nuancheng skipped class to rush out. He was in the hospital with his foot suspended, reading a book like an old man.
In the gaps between her exams, she would rush to the hospital to take care of him, peeling apples and tucking him in. Then she’d plant a gentle kiss on his cheek.
That Christmas, He Junming held her hand for the first time on his initiative and kissed her lips softly.
Zhao Nuancheng’s heart was brimming with happiness. She thought, “There’s no heart in this world that can’t be warmed.” She had finally managed to warm He Junming’s heart.
However, in their senior year of college, He Junming’s first love returned.
Lu Yue stood at the school gate, wearing sunglasses, her smile dazzling.
He Junming let go of Zhao Nuancheng’s hand.
“You’re my boyfriend, don’t go. She’ll hurt you,” Zhao Nuancheng said.
He Junming couldn’t look at her. “Let’s break up. It’s my fault. Here’s my card. I haven’t bought you much these years, keep it.”
She laughed through her tears and threw the card at his face.
From the second semester of her senior year, she resumed her diet. By graduation day, her roommate exclaimed in surprise, “Nuancheng, I’ve noticed you’ve lost a lot of weight. You look beautiful, not inferior to Senior Lu Yue now.” Afraid of bringing up painful memories, she quickly closed her mouth.
Zhao Nuancheng looked at herself in the mirror. Her features were delicate and spirited. The makings of a beauty were faintly visible.
She smiled, “I think I look my best now too.”
She packed her things and walked out of the university campus where she had spent four years. Zhao Nuancheng looked up, imitating Meng Ting’s carefree attitude from the past, and smiled gently, indifferent to everything around her.
She met Xiao Lu in July after graduation.
Xiao Lu was wearing a suit, rushing to his first day of work.
She gave him her umbrella.
Xiao Lu turned back.
His eyes held a faint sparkle. He smiled, “You look familiar.”
She said, “If you don’t want the umbrella, give it back to me.”
Xiao Lu said, “Leave your number, I’ll return the umbrella to you.”
Zhao Nuancheng had never imagined that when she held an umbrella for He Junming, he wouldn’t fall for her. Yet when she casually helped out, Xiao Lu fell for her. It was so cliché that she found it amusing.
Lu Yue, who had returned from abroad, sought out Xiao Lu.
Xiao Lu raised an eyebrow: “I’m still poor, you should stay with that fool.”
He seriously pursued Zhao Nuancheng.
Although he didn’t have money, he had a good job. He would be successful sooner or later.
He Junming somehow ended up at the company where Zhao Nuancheng worked.
She was wearing high heels, and carrying a stack of files. She had permed her hair into big waves, her small face now refined.
He was stunned, the cute but ordinary girlfriend in his memory suddenly became unfamiliar.
Zhao Nuancheng twisted her ankle and limped towards the exit.
He Junming frowned, about to go over. Xiao Lu walked over and picked her up.
Zhao Nuancheng struggled a bit, Xiao Lu said, “Don’t move, doesn’t it hurt?”
She angrily tugged at Xiao Lu’s hair.
For a moment, He Junming’s mind went blank.
Without thinking, he rushed over to snatch her away.
In their freshman year, he had faced this same man. Back then, it was for Lu Yue, but even then, it hadn’t made him feel as anguished and angry as he did now!
Didn’t Zhao Nuancheng like him very, very much?
How could she, after such a short time, allow another man to hold her?
He felt an indescribable anger in his heart and a vague sense of grievance that he had overlooked.
Zhao Nuancheng had accompanied him for two years, the lively girl had become gentle and willing to do anything for him.
But when she left him, she became lively and cheerful again.
Zhao Nuancheng lived better without He Junming.
The incident ended with a slap.
Zhao Nuancheng slapped He Junming’s face: “He Junming! How old are you? Have you gone mad enough? You wanted Lu Yue so you got her, now you regret it and want me? Are we all just toys to you? How can you be so despicable, aren’t you with Lu Yue now? Get lost!”
Even when he was ridiculed by the entire X City back then, He Junming’s heart hadn’t hurt this much.
After He Junming left, Zhao Nuancheng crouched down weakly, hugging herself.
On the coldest day of this winter, Lu Yue insisted on eating at the farthest Liao Ji lamb hot pot restaurant.
She asked He Junming to drive and buy it.
He drove for many miles, then suddenly turned the car around and headed back to his own house. It was full of memories with Zhao Nuancheng. The scarf she had knitted by hand was covered in dust in the corner. He carefully patted it and wrapped it around his neck.
The car drove onto the bridge, and he looked at the neon lights of the high-rise buildings, like a sky full of shooting stars.
He finally remembered the little girl who used to look at him with bright, sparkling eyes.
When he was still immature and disliked by everyone, she had always liked him.
But it was he who had lost her.
Lu Yue didn’t get to eat that hot pot.
After four years, He Junming looked at her, his eyes devoid of any emotion: “Let’s break up.”
March spring was Jiang Yife and Jiang Yixi’s birthday.
Their uncle, He Junming went to B City to see them.
Jiang Yixi was the first to see him. Her white, chubby little finger pointed at him, and she said in a sweet voice, “Daddy, Uncle He.”
Jiang Ren lowered his eyes and picked up his daughter: “Stay away from him, stupidity is contagious.”
He Junming: “…”
Not yet two years old, Jiang Yixi looked just like Meng Ting. The baby was fair-skinned and adorable.
She said softly, “Find brother.”
Jiang Ren wiped her drool and smiled, “Let’s go see what your brother is doing.”
One-and-a-half-year-old Jiang Yife was building with blocks.
He was wearing a little suit, his serious little face very cute.
Jiang Ren laughed, “Yife, look after your sister.”
Jiang Yife nodded like a little adult, his short arms scooping his jade-like cute sister into his arms, looking protective.
Jiang Ren sneered, “No matter how I look at it, Yixi is cuter.”
Jiang Yife’s serious little face almost cried from anger, while Yixi giggled.
Yife and Yixi were fraternal twins. Yife was the older brother, born three minutes earlier.
Jiang Ren always said Yife wasn’t good-looking, like him. Yixi was beautiful, like Meng Ting.
The hall was very lively, after all, it was the birthday of Mr. Jiang’s precious children, and the guests were all wealthy and influential.
He Junming was bored, so he squatted down to build blocks with the two chubby babies.
When Meng Ting came out arm in arm with Zhao Nuancheng, she saw that Yixi was crying—Uncle He had clumsily knocked down her and her brother’s castle. Yifei was quite calm, starting over again.
He Junming was dumbfounded and at a loss.
Meng Ting found it amusing, Jiang Ren stroked her hair, resigned to pick up his daughter to comfort her.
He Junming: “I’m sorry, baby Yixi, I…”
He looked up and saw the 22-year-old Zhao Nuancheng.
This year’s Zhao Nuancheng was fair-skinned and beautiful.
She lowered her eyes to look at him, her eyes filled with light mockery.
He Junming’s face suddenly turned red, wishing he could find a hole to crawl into.
He knew Zhao Nuancheng no longer cared for him, but throughout the entire party, he couldn’t help but secretly look at her. Look at the girl who had been so happy and good to him for years. Zhao Nuancheng didn’t look back once.
Meng Ting asked her, “You don’t want him anymore?”
Zhao Nuancheng smiled carefreely, “I’ve done all I could. People have to grow up, you know. There’s only so much self-respect, and when you’ve squandered most of it, you wake up. If there’s no love, then there’s no love. That’s all.”
Zhao Nuancheng was about to leave when Jiang Yixi, wearing a pretty little dress, said in her sweet voice, “Goodbye, Aunt Zhao.”
Jiang Yife also said, “Goodbye, Aunt Zhao.”
Zhao Nuancheng kissed both adorable babies on the cheek.
“Goodbye, Yixi and Yife.”
Meng Ting walked her to the door. Suddenly, Zhao Nuancheng turned and hugged her. The villa was lit up by the night, and Meng Ting patted her friend’s back, comforting her gently just like in the past.
Zhao Nuancheng choked up in her ear, “Meng Ting, I envy you.”
“It turns out that completing a lifetime with one youthful love is so difficult.”
Yes, it’s so difficult.
So how hard must it have been for Jiang Ren to walk step by step to her side?
She watched Zhao Nuancheng’s straight back as she walked out of sight, and He Junming hurriedly chased after her.
Meng Ting turned back, and Jiang Ren was looking at her.
Amidst the countless twinkling lights, the man was holding the small hands of their pair of children, looking only at her.
This man had walked into her life when she was seventeen.
He had colored her entire youth.
“The wind is strong outside, let’s go home.”
“Okay.”