TWSITAOCP Chapter 60

This year, the college entrance exam preparation was utterly chaotic.

First, road construction suddenly began in the area surrounding Fucun, then demolition started. Large cranes and workers started demolishing at fixed times every day, creating a huge commotion, which happened to reach the vicinity of No. 26 High School.

The students in this grade had no choice but to move to a conference building to study after the school and nearby schools sent representatives to negotiate.

Unfortunately, the conference building didn’t have enough seating to accommodate everyone.

The art exam classes with relatively lighter workloads were separated and allowed to practice elsewhere. Only Yu Sui and his group couldn’t continue their daily practice due to the noise, forcing themselves to cram their textbooks in the practice rooms.

Fortunately, after negotiations between the schools and the construction workers, although construction didn’t stop, the renovation schedule was at least changed.

They watched as the bricks and cement on the road were smashed and repaved, and by the end of the holiday, the red brick road had become white.

“It looked better before it was repaired.” Students who had been disturbed throughout the holiday made a point of taking this road every time to make up for their lost time.

Yang Feiwen returned with the notice for the new semester and shared the news that the road was repaired.

Liang Wen leaned back, his hands behind his arms, and said, “They repair the road every year, then pave it again, then repair it again. Is Yandu that rich?”

“Of course they have money,” Yi Tian said. “What would the workers eat if they didn’t repair the road?”

Regardless, they could finally return to their classes and continue studying.

As the new semester began, the classroom for Class 3 Arts dwindled day by day until it was completely empty. And neighboring classrooms were sealed off.

Some students, after dinner, would stroll in the corridors, passing these classrooms and saying, “Even this year, it’s empty.”

The tension of exam preparation was passed down from generation to generation, and finally it was their turn.

A long, long time ago, when chatting with friends a few years older, Yu Sui thought she would also feel this tension at this point, calculating how to use her time every day, meticulously reviewing lessons to see what she needed to do.

Yu Liao and Yu Si weren’t in China and hadn’t experienced this process. Yu Sui had only seen them busy with various works.

But Yu Zhen experienced this high-pressure atmosphere in China for a year before going abroad.

That year, the atmosphere at home was heavy for a month. The domestic helper focused on taking care of Yu Zhen, barely daring to breathe, and sharing Yu Zhen’s immense anxiety.

One night, Yu Sui went to bed too early and woke up early the next morning. Just as dawn was breaking, he looked down from the balcony and saw the driver had already pulled up outside and was taking a thermos of chicken soup from Aunt Sun.

Yu Zhen had skipped her gym membership that year, and despite taking various nutritious soups every day, she still lost a lot of weight.

Having witnessed this, Yu Sui was filled with awe for the college entrance examination.

But when it was actually his turn, he didn’t even have time to grasp the tension. He only felt busy.

He visited several school gates, met many interview teachers, and got to know many people.

In his free time, he had to rest and conserve energy, even preparing for the next trip. Even contacting Yan Xiu had to be squeezed in whenever possible.

At first, they could manage to exchange a few words when their schedules overlapped, but later, when their schedules clashed, they gave up. Messages were often left on WeChat. They sent whatever came to mind without waiting for replies. Whoever saw it would reply, and then he’d continue with his own things.

Yu Jingyuan and Yu Liao had both contacted him one after the other, giving him lists of several overseas colleges. They even managed to pull him out of the training and have a few meals with him.

There weren’t many people at the meals, but there were always one or two strangers—elders they said were friends.

During that time, Yu Sui couldn’t get used to the food in the new place and ate very little for several days, craving outside meals. When he was invited out to eat, he ate diligently, only realizing after the event that those unfamiliar elders were people they had found to have connections with the academy.

Yu Sui was both amused and exasperated. He later refused their help, saying he could handle it himself.

His attitude was firm. And seeing that he wouldn’t listen, and also because they were busy, the Yu family temporarily put the matter aside.

When they finished their work and wanted to find Yu Sui again, it was already the end of the year, and a new busy season had begun.

Yu Sui was nowhere to be found. He had been sent to the M-competition youth competition venue, and when he received Yu Liao’s call, he was sitting in the venue, listening to the host talk about the musician named Hubbard Foner from the M-competition’s early days.

The exact same introduction, the same opening sequence, just like four years ago. Then, as usual, the host recounted how Hubbard Foner had stunned the audience with his performance, what works he had produced afterwards, which university he eventually taught at, and the year he passed away.

Yu Sui excused himself to use the restroom and answered the phone, patiently explaining to Yu Liao again what he had already explained to Yuan Yu.

“But you didn’t say you wouldn’t be back on New Year’s Day,” Yu Liao said, sounding somewhat displeased.

The Yu family held traditional values. Not being able to be together during holidays was considered unlucky. This was also the first time Yu Sui had left home at this time of year. He hid in a sheltered spot, pulled his hat over his neck, and managed to suppress his shivering voice: “There aren’t many shows left, I’ll be back soon…” to collect red envelopes.

Before he could finish, he suddenly heard a lively commotion on Yu Liao’s end. Yan Xiu’s cool voice was particularly noticeable, seemingly trying to stop children running around.

Yu Sui abruptly changed the subject: “The Yan’s came to our house again?”

Yu Liao didn’t know why he suddenly changed the subject, but he knew that even if he urged Yu Sui, he wouldn’t come back, so he said, “They just arrived. They’re having dinner here tonight. Didn’t Xiao Xiu tell you?”

Yu Sui adjusted his earphones and tucked them into his pockets, then looked at the chat interface to send a WeChat message to the person pinned at the top.

Upon hearing the last sentence, Yu Sui paused: “… He’s nobody to me. Why should he tell me where he’s going?”

Perhaps the wind at the stadium was indeed too cold, making his brain stiff. Only after saying that did Yu Sui realize his mistake and a wave of regret washed over him. Even if they were just ordinary classmates, it was normal to inform each other beforehand if they were going to have dinner at each other’s houses, unless Yan Xiu already knew he wasn’t home.

Sure enough, Yu Liao said, bewildered, “What’s the big deal if he comes to our house for dinner? Did you hate him?”

“No, I’m very nice to him,” Yu Sui said, feigning urgency. “It’s almost my turn. I have to hang up now. Happy New Year, ge! Send the red envelope to my card. I’ve exceeded my WeChat limit.”

The phone call abruptly ended. Yu Sui stood in the wind, trying to calm his jumbled thoughts, then switched to the chat box and typed: [Don’t sleep in the guest room. Sleep in my room. The key is with Uncle Zhang.]

After sending this, he swiped lightly across the chat history.

Yan Xiu hadn’t seen it yet.

Yu Sui put away his phone and rushed back to the venue.

Because it was near the end of the year, the organizers had sent dumplings to each room of the domestic contestants.

This time, they had booked large rooms at the hotel. Several people were staying in one large suite, which was then divided into several smaller rooms, three people per room.

Yu Sui received an invitation from Gou Yuda. They were similar in style, so their practice sessions weren’t too noisy. And since they were from the same class before, they were quite familiar with each other. So he shared a room with Gou Yuda and Zhou Yijia.

After a quick shower, dumplings arrived. Yu Sui opened the door and brought them in. He then placed them on the table and told them about it.

He wrapped himself in his jacket and went back to bed, suddenly feeling a strong urge to do nothing.

It had only been half a year. He just realized, in his free time, that he hadn’t had a proper conversation with Yan Xiu in a long time, and a sense of resentment and helplessness welled up inside him.

Yu Sui originally didn’t want to participate in the M-Competition.

This was a shortcut, the earliest way to prove himself. Everyone around him told him that fame should come early, and others told him to stay calm and collected.

Yu Sui guessed he was just too calm, with a lazy, complacent attitude, that he’d reached this point.

No, that wasn’t it either.

Right now, he genuinely wanted a shortcut to prove himself quickly.

Unlike the time he ran away from home and casually bought appliances to try and cook—back then, that was a “might as well” mindset, a desire for peace and quiet.

Now, he wanted stability.

Ever since he’d put down the fortune-telling sticks and grabbed Yan Xiu’s hand, he’d been scheming about this.

Few people’s paths were smooth sailing. For them, the troubles ahead were numerous and overwhelming, but they’d seen similar cases like theirs play out a few times.

Yu Sui and Yan Xiu hadn’t mentioned this, but they both knew perfectly well that the other wanted to handle it alone.

At least they needed to sort out their own problems first.

Yu Sui was playing the long game, defeating them one by one.

“…”

The young master sank into the mattress, muttering to himself, “Love makes people ambitious.”

He unplugged his phone from the charger, swiped the screen, and noticed that Yan Xiu had sent more messages than usual.

Ren Mu: [Okay.]

Ren Mu: [How was today?]

Ren Mu: [Yan Tian was too noisy]

Ren Mu: [Aunt Sun went overboard today. The food is too salty]

Ren Mu: [There’s a plate of pig-head buns. They look a bit like you]

Ren Mu: [Your dad gave me a credit card]

Ren Mu: [Lao Yan is drunk]

Ren Mu: [Done eating]

Ren Mu: [Is that book on your table just for decoration? It’s dusty]

Ren Mu: [Done showering]

Ren Mu: [Not over yet?] 

Yu Sui felt a pang of sadness. He sat up and glanced at his roommates. Gou Yuda was chatting with the other contestants, and Zhou Yijia had just gone into the bathroom to shower.

He moved his finger to the call button and dialed.

Yan Xiu answered quickly.

“What thing looks like me?” Yu Sui immediately berated him. “How come it looks like me?”

Yan Xiu chuckled softly on the other end: “Both are very pale.”

Yu Sui: “…”

He thought for a moment: “In your eyes, I’m so pale, nothing else?”

Yan Xiu laughed again.

At this moment, Yan Xiu was using Yu Sui’s pillow, also under the covers.

People always huddle under the covers when it’s cold.

Yu Sui had originally thought that since they hadn’t spoken for a while, they might be a little awkward. But in fact, once they started talking, he poured his heart out like water from an open lid, talking non-stop.

These days, Yu Sui had actually spoken very little. He was often too lazy to interact with the people around him, and everyone was busy, so there wasn’t much to say.

He wanted to tell Yan Xiu, but many things lose their original flavor when sent via text message. Or perhaps, since he only got his phone that evening, the emotions had already passed, so he didn’t want to send it.

As they chatted, the slight anxiety Yu Sui felt when he saw the dumplings subtly dissipated, but his longing to return home remained largely unchanged.

Zhou Yijia came out after showering and saw Yu Sui still in bed. He casually asked, “Making a call?”

“Yeah.” Yu Sui slowly got up, phone in hand, intending to continue their conversation on the balcony.

Zhou Yijia: “Your family?”

Yu Sui hummed in agreement, but after taking two steps forward, he suddenly added, “My partner.”

Zhou Yijia nodded, then abruptly looked up two seconds later. First he was shocked that the once-powerful Emperor had been quietly snatched away, then sensing a strange smugness in Yu Sui’s tone, and said with goosebumps, “Who doesn’t have one?”

“It’s different,” Yu Sui chuckled, “My partner is especially domineering.”

Zhou Yijia: “…”

He was actually the least familiar with Yu Sui, and they’d even had some minor disagreements. If it weren’t for not wanting to share a room with Qian Ruichen, he wouldn’t have agreed to Gou Yuda bringing Yu Sui in.

Fortunately, Yu Sui didn’t hold his arrogance and immaturity against him. He wasn’t talkative, didn’t cause trouble, was handsome, and polite—the most suitable choice for a partner.

It was just that he really didn’t talk much. Zhou Yijia initially thought Yu Sui simply couldn’t be bothered to acknowledge him.

Today, Yu Sui finally talked to him, but unfortunately, he only said some nonsensical things.

So, at the end of the year, a piece of news spread among the students of Shenghuang High School.

Their former heartthrob had finally been poached.

 

At the beginning of the second semester, Yu Sui finally returned.

The lock on Class 3 Arts’ classroom was removed, and it finally had students in it again.

On the day he returned, Yan Xiu picked him up from the airport and accompanied him to the Yu family home for two days.

Yu Jingyuan had just flown away from Yandu, and for the time being, no one could take care of Yu Sui.

Based on her own experience when she was in school, Yuan Yu first went upstairs and asked Yu Sui in a low voice about his plans, but she didn’t get any information. She came and went in a daze.

When Yu Liao and the others returned, Yu Sui had already gone back to school.

The first two days after Class 3 Arts, they were all in a daze. Wearing the same school uniforms as the other classes, they felt out of place, still caught up in their nomadic lifestyle.

But soon enough, they picked up their textbooks and began a new round of review.

Lao Gu’s anxiety was stuck in a state of half-relief, neither fully in control nor fully relaxed, and he ended up starving himself thinner.

The test papers, however, were relentlessly pressed down. And within a week, they successfully brought their minds back to exam preparation mode.

Yu Sui and Yan Xiu hadn’t seen each other for over half a year and spent two days together after their return.

Yang Feiwen’s disdainful gaze was simply too much, so Yu Sui restrained himself and withdrew his hand. He put down the test paper, leaning against the window, then closed his eyes to calculate his scores, suddenly realizing that his score was far higher than the music academy he wanted to attend.

The young master calmly raised his head, pulled out Yan Xiu’s exam paper, and calculated it for him as well.

Actually, he knew even without calculating it that Yan Xiu’s academic scores had never dropped. He was good enough to get into any art academy.

He exchanged a glance with Yan Xiu, then listened to the noises filling the classroom and remained silent.

Yang Feiwen and Tian Tian broke up before even graduating.

That day, Yang Feiwen borrowed a guitar from next door and sat on the balcony playing love songs for an hour. No one knew who he was playing them for.

Yu Sui waited for him on the balcony, phone in hand, but by the time he finished playing, not a single drop of tears could be seen on Yang Feiwen’s face.

“You might as well have screamed it out,” Yu Sui said.

Yang Feiwen’s face was serious: “Tian Tian is right. Is this the time to talk about romance?”

Yu Sui, who is currently in a romance: “…”

Kidding aside, watching Yang Feiwen get led around in circles by the nose, with the time they’d been together not even matching the time Yang Feiwen had spent chasing Tian Tian, Yu Sui said thoughtfully, “A-Wen, how about I do a fortune telling for you?”

“I know that trick too.” Yang Feiwen knew Yu Sui’s skills, and also sensed a hint of warning in his words, “… But isn’t that how it is for everyone?”

Yang Feiwen lowered his voice again: “But I don’t think you two will be the same.”

“…” Yu Sui glanced at him.

Yang Feiwen didn’t explain, “After all, it’s my CP. Damn, you and the Minister are so high-profile and no one’s noticed? it seems like it’s only because everyone’s shipping you two?”

Yu Sui remained silent.

The next day, Yu Sui was catching up on sleep at his desk when he suddenly nudged Yan Xiu with his elbow.

“What?” Yan Xiu asked.

Yu Sui turned his screen over to show him.

It was a post Yu Sui had made on his WeChat Moments a long time ago, with his own profile picture as the caption.

Tang Ying had suddenly liked it a few days ago and commented: [Beautiful]

Tang Ying had taken design courses in college, and she was the one who introduced Yan Xiu to drawing. While others might not be able to tell, Tang Ying couldn’t possibly not recognize that this was drawn by her son, and that it looked remarkably similar to his profile picture.

“Knowing Aunt,” Yu Sui raised a finger and tapped it, “won’t she overthink it?”

“Overthink it?” Yan Xiu repeated the word.

Yu Sui paused, licking his lips. “Figure it out.”

Yan Xiu’s lips curled slightly, but he said, “I don’t know anything about her.”

Tang Ying was a mysterious woman. Lao Yan still hasn’t figured her out.

That’s what he said, but Yan Xiu didn’t seem completely clueless, which made Yu Sui anxious and restless, thinking about it every now and then.

Before the exams, the art school admission results were released. This time, everyone in Class 3 Arts had passed the exams. At least everyone received an offer.

Yu Sui had the most offers. He barely failed any.

Yan Xiu had the fewest. He only took the exam for one school.

Amidst the crowd’s sighs of admiration, the college entrance exam arrived.

Before ever facing it, one always has a myriad of thoughts about it. But once inside the exam hall, all those thoughts vanish.

The time continued until the exam was over, until they saw the massive crowds of people waiting to pick them up outside, only then did they emerge from that state of mind.

They were solemnly taken home and lay in bed for several days before finally recovering.

This batch of students had graduated.

Every year around this time, the No. 26 High School’s online forum would be flooded with confession posts, as everyone feared missing their chance to shout their love if they were late.

The students, who had been busy for a very long time, went back through their memories, unearthing the official CP thread that had been neglected for a long time.

Now, the top post was occupied by younger students. They might have met Yu Sui and Yan Xiu, or they might not, but had only come because of the numerous interesting clips.

Someone started a new thread.

[The couple I ship graduated!]