Thursday at noon, the entire school was filled with jubilant atmosphere. Because of New Year’s Day, they had an early holiday starting at noon, and wouldn’t return until Monday evening for self-study.

According to past holiday customs, some people in the class would always organize a gathering for everyone to eat and sing together. Tonight was New Year’s Eve, and many people had been discussing in the class group chat since last night about where to party for the countdown.

Xu You sat at her desk, copying down the problems the teacher had left on the blackboard. Sitting beside her, Zheng Xiaolin was excitedly discussing with the people behind where to go for tonight’s New Year’s Eve celebration.

A burst of whispered discussion came through:

“Let’s go to the big clock tower on Ping’an Street for the countdown tonight!”

“Holy shit, last time we went there, we almost had a stampede incident, did you forget? How dare you still want to go.”

“Can we be a bit more creative? Ping’an Street will definitely be packed tonight.”

“Hahahaha, you motherfucker, forget that last year we went to Ping’an Street for the countdown. Turns out there were couples everywhere, all paired up, you know how psychologically traumatizing that was?…”

“I don’t want to, I want to stay home and watch Hunan TV’s New Year’s Eve gala…”

“You’re so boring…”

“………”

“Oh right!! You You, tonight you!”

Zheng Xiaolin suddenly remembered something and turned to ask, “Are you free tonight?”

“Huh?” Xu You’s hands were busy, she didn’t hear clearly, “What did you say?”

Zheng Xiaolin was about to repeat herself when suddenly a tall, thin figure appeared before her.

She stopped mid-sentence, her words stuck in her throat.

Xie Ci had his hands in his pockets, leaning against the podium, using his knee to nudge Xu You’s desk, “Going out this afternoon?”

“Move aside, you’re blocking me from copying the problems.” Xu You straightened up slightly, craning her head to the left.

He laughed once, lowering his eyelids to ask: “Going or not?”

Xu You shook her head, “Not going, I have something to do.”

It wasn’t a lie, she really had something to do. Recently she’d been having intermittent stomach pains, and today being a holiday, Chen Xiuyun happened to have time and said she’d take her to the hospital to see a doctor.

“What is it?” His voice dropped lower.

“Something very important.”

He persisted: “What though.”

Xu You finished copying the last word, her pen tip pausing on the paper, she answered softly: “Stop asking, I really do have something to do.”

“Is it that every time I look for you, you have something to do?” Xie Ci asked in a very flat tone.

Xu You was at a loss for words, gripping the pen cap in her palm tightly, continuing to shake her head.

The atmosphere became somewhat tense for a moment.

The people nearby quietly glanced at Xu You, then at Xie Ci, then back at Xu You.

No one made a sound.

After waiting two or three seconds, her head hung very low, not saying a word.

Xie Ci made an “oh” sound, then walked down from the podium and left the classroom.

Xu You stared blankly at his retreating back.

Thinking to herself.

He seems… to be angry…

A bit of a temper tantrum.

Zheng Xiaolin was dazed for a long moment, digesting the fact that ‘Xie Ci had actively come to invite Xu You out to play.’ After all, in her eyes, the two of them couldn’t be more unrelated.

One was a gentle academic achiever with an introverted personality, the other was an uneducated but very handsome slacker…

Her reaction arc was a bit long, only now suddenly awakening, shouting loudly: “You You, is Xie Ci pursuing you?!”

Sitting behind them, Zhu Xiaohao held his forehead, speechless.

This fucking… the whole class knew about this thing…

“……I felt like Xie Ci was really scary for a moment just now, even his eyes were cold.”

Zheng Xiaolin patted her chest, muttering to Xu You: “You’re new here so you don’t know, but Xie Ci actually has quite a temper. But he hasn’t lost his temper in quite a while, and rarely loses it now. The reason is that in the past when he got angry, he liked to get physical with people, and nobody dared to provoke him…….”

In the afternoon.

The city hospital was still packed with people even on such a holiday. The lobby was filled with coming and going people with haggard expressions. Fortunately, Chen Xiuyun had made an appointment in advance, so she could take Xu You directly to the surgery area.

However, there were still some people queuing ahead, so Chen Xiuyun and Xu You sat on the long bench waiting.

“Your grandmother said a few days ago she dreamed that you went to see her.”

Hearing this sentence, Xu You was startled, “Ah….”

“Grandmother said she misses you so much.”

“I miss Grandmother too.”

Xu You’s heart felt a bit sour.

“She’s getting old, and her health isn’t good anymore, sigh….” Chen Xiuyun held Xu You’s medical examination form and looked at it, “From now on with your studies, don’t study so late, you’re ruining your body.”

“Every night I get up at midnight, and your room light is still on……”

Xu You made an “mm” sound, “There’s so much homework, Mom.”

“Can you finish it at school usually?” Chen Xiuyun helped Xu You straighten her collar, “Look at you, every time you get your period, the pain is so bad you can’t even eat, it’s because you don’t sleep well normally….”

As she was speaking, the door to the surgery room opened, and a nurse poked her head out and called: “Number 89, is Xu You here?”

“Yes, yes, yes.” Chen Xiuyun got up holding Xu You’s hand.

The gastric examination was really quite troublesome.

First they had to do a gastroscopy.

Xu You took a small bottle of capsule-like medicine, then was put under general anesthesia and laid down on the operating table.

There were still two or three people ahead, and she unknowingly fell asleep while waiting.

When she woke up, it was already four o’clock in the afternoon.

After showing the results to the doctor, the doctor said there was nothing serious, just a bit of chronic gastritis, and told her to pay attention to her diet normally.

Father Xu had a business dinner tonight, and Chen Xiuyun also had to stay at the hospital to take care of Chen Lizhi who had just given birth.

So Xu You could only take the bus home alone.

She had just been under general anesthesia and her whole body was weak. After washing up, she fell onto the bed and slept again.

When she woke up again, it was because the phone on her bedside table was ringing.

“Hello…” Xu You turned over, fumbling in the dark for her phone and putting it to her ear.

As soon as it touched her ear, the noisy, clamorous background sound from the other end instantly pierced through the phone, reaching her eardrum directly.

Xu You frowned, pulling it away a bit, and glanced at the caller ID.

—

New Year’s Eve. A large group of people from Class Nine had booked a hotel next to the countdown clock tower.

Eating and drinking had started from after six o’clock, and by now, they were at the height of their fun.

“Brother Ci, are we going clubbing tonight? It’s a new place my friend opened.”

A male student at the table took a sip of alcohol, “I haven’t been, but I heard it’s really wild.”

“Where is it?” Song Yifan asked.

“Not far, just near Zhongbai Plaza.”

“Is Brother Cheng going?” That male student turned to ask.

Xu Xiaocheng had one arm around his girlfriend, laughing, “You clueless thing, go to your mom’s big watermelon, playing with my girlfriend is way more fun than playing with you guys, okay?”

“Hahahahahaha, holy shit.”

“What kind of fun though? Share some experience.”

“Hahahahahaha fuck.”

Amidst the laughter and joy, Song Yifan turned to ask Xie Ci, “What about you, A Ci?”

“Not going.”

He didn’t even lift his head, biting a cigarette in his mouth.

Song Yifan saw his completely uninterested appearance. Puzzled for a moment, then suddenly understanding: “Oh…..right…you’re also a family man now.”

Xie Ci said nothing.

The air pressure around him dropped a few more degrees.

“What?! Xie Ci has a girlfriend, when did this happen?!! I didn’t hear about it.” Someone was surprised.

Song Yifan’s mouth was cheap: “Tsk tsk tsk, about this matter, you might not believe it when I say it….”

“Are you done yet, looking for trouble?”

Xie Ci’s expression was unclear as he sat there quietly, head lowered, fingers playing with a lighter.

Song Yifan immediately fell silent.

Li Jieyi, sitting across from them, saw Xie Ci take another glass of alcohol from the table to drink, and suddenly remembered, scanning the surroundings in a circle, puzzled: “Wait, why didn’t Xu You come today?”

Originally Xie Ci had been quite dejected, not talking much the whole time.

Hearing this name, he had a bit of a reaction. He glanced sideways, “When did you become so close with her?”

Li Jieyi smiled playfully, innocently saying: “Can you get over it, not even letting others say her name?”

Just then, the lobby door opened, and a server led someone in.

She had black hair hanging loose, wearing a wide green knit scarf and a white down jacket.

The noisy crowd didn’t notice the small commotion at the door.

But the people sitting at Song Yifan’s table instantly quieted down.

Xie Ci was still lowering his head smoking when his arm was bumped.

He looked up.

—

Xu You was urged by Fu Xueli’s repeated phone calls until she had no choice.

She briefly discussed it with Chen Xiuyun on the phone. Chen Xiuyun asked a couple questions about the situation, and Xu You replied that she was going to celebrate New Year’s with her current classmates.

Chen Xiuyun also instructed her to be careful and safe outside, not to play too late, and agreed to everything else.

Xu You sat together with Fu Xueli, and the table was full of students from Class Nine.

“You You, have you eaten yet?”

Fu Xueli was happy to see her come, “Later I’ll take you to the riverside to watch the fireworks.”

Xu You took off her scarf, squinting her eyes in a smile, “Haha, sounds good.”

“The dishes on the table are almost gone, I’ll order another serving for you.” Fu Xueli raised her hand.

Xu You quickly held her back, saying: “No need to go to such trouble, I had a gastric exam this afternoon, I can only eat some light things.”

“Huh?” Fu Xueli looked down at her face, somewhat worried, “Are you okay? I didn’t know you were sick, and I still called you out.”

“It’s nothing serious.” She explained softly.

“So what can you eat?”

“Just drink a little porridge.”

After a while, white porridge was served.

Xu You picked up a spoon, scooping it up little by little, blowing on it to cool it, then bringing it to her mouth.

She listened to the people beside her chatting.

Li Xiaoqiang held a flatbread in his hand eating it, eating while looking down at his phone.

Beside him, Zhu Xiaohao leaned over to see what he was doing. He exclaimed exaggeratedly, “Holy shit, Li Xiaoqiang you’re so girly, still reading romance novels.”

“Look at this, what kind of names are these.” Zhu Xiaohao leaned his head in closer.

“Damn, don’t talk.” Li Xiaoqiang dodged, pressing the lock screen, but was still unfortunately seen by Zhu Xiaohao.

He read out the book titles one by one: “Fierce Husband, Gathering Joy, He and His Cat…..”

“Fuck you, stop talking.” Li Xiaoqiang was extremely embarrassed, his big face turning completely red.

Everyone around started laughing.

“I’m going to take Xu You to the riverside later, not going back with you.” Fu Xueli propped her chin with her hand, her eyes looking at Xu Xingchun beside her.

He merely nodded, saying nothing else.

“Tsk.”

Fu Xueli reached out and poked Xu Xingchun’s chin, “You’re not happy?”

Xu Xingchun caught her restless hand, placing it on his leg.

Today being a holiday, he wasn’t wearing his school uniform. Instead, he wore his own dark blue jacket with simple jeans below. With his long legs and tall stature, looking so clean and particularly handsome, the waitress had glanced at him several times earlier.

“What.” Fu Xueli tried to pull back her hand, discovering it was being held silently but very tightly.

“What time will you finish watching?” He asked.

Fu Xueli laughed inwardly, deliberately saying: “Can you not be so roundabout?”

—

Xu You was afraid of burning herself, so she could only drink the porridge in small sips.

She was very focused when eating, head buried low, eyes staring at the bowl.

After eating for a while, a voice suddenly came from above her head.

“Your hair.”

Xu You’s movement paused.

Xie Ci supported himself on the chair back with one hand, holding a small strand of her hair, saying to Li Xiaoqiang beside him: “Switch places.”

He sat down. She felt even more uncomfortable.

This afternoon… he had been angry after all.

Xu You tried her best to ignore him, scooping porridge spoonful by spoonful.

Xie Ci had drunk a bit of alcohol, and his whole person was lazy again. He placed one foot on the horizontal bar of the chair, leaning forward slightly, his fair face showing a slight blush.

“I called you this afternoon, deliberately didn’t answer?”

He really had no temper left. He’d been annoyed all afternoon, and whenever he was idle he thought of her, and after thinking of her he continued to be annoyed. But just now, the instant he saw Xu You, most of his anger flew away. Originally he’d been sitting in his seat wanting to maintain his composure for a few seconds, not actively seeking out Xu You. Who would have thought she’d completely act as if he was just some random person.

He endured for a long time, internally tormented, finally unable to bear it, and under the teasing gazes of Song Yifan and the others, he stood up.

Xu You thought of the time he mentioned, keeping her head down, slowing her pace of eating porridge, “No, I was at the hospital, probably didn’t hear it.”

“Hospital? Why did you go to the hospital?” His brows instantly knitted together.

Xu You answered: “It’s nothing serious, just went for a checkup.”

“So when you told me at noon that you had something to do, it was to go to the hospital?” He pressed.

Xu You nodded, pinching the stainless steel spoon.

“Xu You.” Xie Ci called her name.

Xu You looked up.

He leaned in close as if no one else was there, saying in a low voice: “Don’t make me angry next time, okay?”

“What?” Xu You was baffled.

Xie Ci’s eyes stared at her.

Xu You: “……..”

He said in a serious tone, word by word.

“I like you, that’s why I have no temper, you know?”