Chapter 87
User-san quickly changed her username and added her real name.
Seeing the once anonymous account now with a proper name and profile picture, Jiang Siyi felt a little strange.
“During those four years we were apart, why did you send me messages every day?” she suddenly asked, her voice low. “Weren’t you tired?”
“At first, it was because I missed you, then it became an obsession,” Shen Shiwu said, sighing wistfully, “I couldn’t help it.”
I couldn’t stop loving you.
I couldn’t help it.
Her fingers were intertwined with Jiang Siyi’s.
The woman who had left without a word, leaving her heartbroken and resentful, was now holding her hand.
She heard Shen Shiwu say, “I’ll never leave again.”
***
After going public with their relationship, Jiang Siyi avoided her phone for a while. One day, as she was enjoying a late morning sleep, she was rudely awakened by a ringing phone.
“Hello?”
“Jiang Siyi!”
That familiar voice…
She checked the caller ID—Fu Jing.
“Sister Bao?”
Fu Jing was grading papers in her office, her hand moving non-stop, the familiar sound of flipping pages bringing back memories, and Jiang Siyi’s heart tightened slightly.
“Yes, it’s me, your former homeroom teacher.”
Hearing the word “former,” Jiang Siyi relaxed and burrowed back under the covers.
She had graduated years ago.
“What’s up?”
“Well,” Fu Jing, sensing her sleepiness, quickly said, “the school’s anniversary celebration is the day after tomorrow, and we want you to give a speech.”
Jiang Siyi chuckled. “You don’t think I’m a rebellious teenager anymore?”
“None of us ever thought that,” Fu Jing said casually, “you were the one who thought that about yourself.”
Although it was a joke, Jiang Siyi was momentarily stunned.
Fu Jing, seeing her silence, asked, “Did you fall asleep again?”
“I’m awake,” Jiang Siyi rubbed her eyes, realizing she wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep, and sat up. “Okay, send me the details on WeChat.”
“Treating me like your assistant, huh, great author?”
“Ms. Fu,” Jiang Siyi said politely, enunciating each word, “please send me the schedule…”
“Okay, okay, stop with the formalities. I’ll send it to you after I’m done grading these papers.”
Jiang Siyi, now wide awake, ran her fingers through her hair, washed up, and went downstairs. Scooping up Eleven, she decided to take the rabbit to Shen Shiwu’s office.
***
Returning to her old high school felt like revisiting the past.
The weak winter sunlight barely provided any warmth, and Jiang Siyi shivered, wrapping her coat tighter.
Fu Jing walked beside her, surrounded by school leaders.
If this had been four years ago, she would have been intimidated.
Well, actually, she had been in similar situations before.
Like when she had been caught fighting.
“This is your senior, she’s very successful,” Fu Jing said, as they passed by a classroom, and several students poked their heads out.
“Hello, Senior!”
Jiang Siyi smiled and nodded. “Hello.”
“Good, you’ve matured a lot,” Fu Jing praised her, then leaned closer, as if about to gossip, “did you learn that from your girlfriend?”
Jiang Siyi’s steps faltered—although she had already graduated, being in this environment, she felt a strange sense of embarrassment, as if her “puppy love” had been exposed.
After a moment, she nodded. “Mm-hmm.”
Seeing her admit it, Fu Jing suddenly seemed to realize something and lowered her voice. “So… you’re dating your cousin?”
Remembering Shen Shiwu’s lie, Jiang Siyi hummed softly. “She’s not my cousin, we’re not even related, we barely knew each other when we were younger.”
While the school leaders were discussing the afternoon’s schedule, the two of them were happily chatting.
A few students passing by, seeing Fu Jing’s friendly demeanor, commented to each other, “This senior must have been a good student.”
“Yeah, probably a straight-A student, always getting awards.”
Jiang Siyi, hearing this, couldn’t help but think,
Not even close. Getting called to the office three times a month was more like it.
The anniversary celebration didn’t start until the afternoon.
So she was forced to have lunch with the school leaders.
Sitting in the cafeteria, looking at the food on her plate, Jiang Siyi picked up her chopsticks, took a few bites, and almost blurted out, “Just as bad as I remember.”
But seeing the expectant gazes of the school leaders, she forced the words down
And said with a smile, “The school’s food has improved, it’s much better than before.”
Hearing the successful graduate’s praise, everyone was relieved and started reminiscing about the past.
Only Fu Jing, seeing through her act, whispered, “You haven’t changed, still lying without even blinking.”
“…”
Time finally passed.
In the auditorium, the students were seated according to their classes, and Jiang Siyi was backstage, reviewing her speech. After a few seconds, she tossed the paper aside, thinking it was better to speak from the heart.
Fu Jing silently picked up the paper. “Just stick to the script, or I’m afraid you’ll scare the children.”
Jiang Siyi, who had been planning on pouring her heart out, was silent for a moment, then snatched the paper back.
While waiting, she sent Shen Shiwu a message.
“I’m about to go on stage, isn’t your girlfriend amazing?”
The reply came quickly.
Shen Shiwu always indulged her. “Mm-hmm, you’re the most amazing.”
Jiang Siyi’s spirits lifted, and she smiled smugly.
After a round of applause, hearing the host introduce her, she put away her phone, straightened her clothes, and walked onto the stage.
Hearing the clicking of her high heels against the stage, she suddenly felt a sense of nostalgia and a strange sense of unreality.
She had thought she would be nervous, but standing in the spotlight, facing the countless faces below, she was surprisingly calm.
“Hello, everyone, I’m Jiang Siyi, a graduate of No. 1 High School.”
Hearing her name, the students started whispering among themselves. The noise grew louder, only stopping when the head teacher scolded them.
“Today, I want to talk to you about the insecurities and anxieties of adolescence.”
This topic was like opening up her heart for Jiang Siyi. Because she had been like that once, insecure, uncertain, and self-loathing.
But before a wound could heal, it had to be cleaned.
So she chose to confront her past in this way.
Fu Jing, in the audience, watching her unexpected speech, smiled and shook her head.
Still the same as ever, doing whatever she wanted, no one could control her.
“I understand how you feel,” Jiang Siyi said, standing in the spotlight, a silver halo around her, her voice soft and gentle, “because my teenage years were also filled with anxiety.”
A brave student raised their hand and asked, “Senior, how did you overcome it?”
“Believe in yourself.”
Jiang Siyi, holding the microphone, took a few steps forward. “First, you need to have hope. Second, try talking to your parents or friends.”
“Don’t be like me, keeping everything bottled up inside,” she chuckled, “it only made my parents worry.”
A wave of laughter rippled through the audience.
The speech continued, the relaxed atmosphere encouraging the students to participate. The school leaders, sitting together, nodded in approval. “As expected of a great author, she’s a natural.”
In the back row, hidden in a secluded corner, a woman listened quietly. When Jiang Siyi mentioned “parents,” she smiled faintly.
“Okay, now it’s time for Q&A. Feel free to raise your hands and ask questions, there are small gifts for everyone after the session.”
Gifts?
Jiang Siyi was puzzled—she hadn’t prepared anything.
Just as she was wondering if it was the school’s doing, a student stood up and asked, “Senior, what are your thoughts on unrequited love?”
The question made the auditorium buzz with excitement. Understandable, after all, teenagers were always interested in this topic.
Jiang Siyi waved her hand, asking for silence. When the noise subsided, she said slowly, “Unrequited love is like a grape-flavored hard candy. Sweet and sour, and after a while, slightly bitter.”
“But the sweetness is still the dominant flavor.”
Seeing that the students were getting excited again, she added sternly, “Unrequited love is normal, but puppy love is not.”
Fu Jing, who had been about to rush onto the stage and cover Jiang Siyi’s mouth, sat back down. Then, as she moved, she noticed a figure in a secluded corner, a woman who stood out from the crowd.
Although the woman seemed aloof at first glance, upon closer inspection, she was smiling faintly.
As if she was proud.
Fu Jing clicked her tongue, wanting to tell Jiang Siyi: Your parent is here.
Another round of applause, even more enthusiastic this time. Jiang Siyi bowed and left the stage, heading backstage. Before disappearing completely, she glanced at the crowd, as if… looking back at her youth.
Finally, she had time to check her phone.
She sat down and immediately sent Shen Shiwu a message: “I’m done with my speech.”
The anniversary celebration had just begun, and after this segment, they were heading to the sports field. Seeing the students leaving the auditorium, Jiang Siyi followed.
Stepping outside, the cold air hit her.
She thought, If only Shen Shiwu were here.
Just then, someone shouted, “It’s snowing!”
Jiang Siyi, who had wanted to bury her face in her scarf, looked up. A snowflake landed on her eyelashes.
She realized that it had been snowing while she was giving her speech.
No wonder it was so cold.
Jiang Siyi stamped her feet, her white coat making her look like a grumpy little bunny.
Without Shen Shiwu, even the snow seemed less beautiful. She walked past the excited students, wanting to go back inside the building.
Just as she was about to escape into the warmth, someone gently tugged on her scarf.
Who was so inconsiderate?
Jiang Siyi turned around, annoyed, and came face to face with her girlfriend.
“Shen Shiwu, what are you doing here?”
Her eyes lit up, and seeing that no one was around, she rushed into Shen Shiwu’s arms. “It’s so cold…”
Shen Shiwu let her nuzzle against her chest. “As a parent, I came to see my student Jiang’s speech.”
The way she addressed her sent a thrill through Jiang Siyi.
She blushed and hid her face in Shen Shiwu’s embrace.
Suddenly, she felt something cold in her hand.
Looking down, she saw a familiar object.
“A snow rabbit?”
Jiang Siyi carefully held it in her hands, forgetting about the cold. She tilted her head. “You made this?”
Shen Shiwu looked away, her gaze fixed on the students in the distance. “I asked them for it.”
“Liar.”
Seeing her pout, Shen Shiwu, having teased her enough, finally admitted, “Mm-hmm, I made it.”
Jiang Siyi, satisfied, then asked worriedly, “Will it melt quickly this time?”
“No,” Shen Shiwu said, tightening her scarf around her neck, “I’ll keep it for you.”
“Just three rabbits, it’s not too many, I can handle it.”
Jiang Siyi understood what she meant. “Then we’ll be entangled forever.”
In the winter cold, Shen Shiwu’s voice was firm and gentle as she wiped away the snowflakes from Jiang Siyi’s face. “Okay, forever.”
The snow continued to fall.
Freezing, solidifying, endless.
Preserving their promise like a specimen.
Main Story —End—
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