After picking up Lu Jiaye, everyone set off for the resort.
Xia Zhijun was driving one car, with Gu Siyi and Zheng Peipei inside. Lu Jiaye's instinct led him towards the other side of the back seat, but he changed his mind as he reached the door and walked towards the car Zhou Xiao was driving.
Lu Jiaye sat in the passenger seat, with Xiang Li and Zhang Xinyi in the back.
Xiang Li sat diagonally behind Lu Jiaye, gazing intently at his profile, her eyes filled with complex emotions. After a while, she turned her head to look out the window, trying to control her feelings. Lu Jiaye chatted casually with Zhou Xiao.
Zhou Xiao asked him, "Why didn't you go sit in the other car and catch up with Zheng Peipei?"
Lu Jiaye scoffed, "That tigress? Nothing nice ever comes out of her mouth. I just got back and want to enjoy the warmth of my motherland. I don't want to subject myself to torture."
Zhou Xiao chuckled. Everyone knew about his previous feelings for Zheng Peipei. After a year away, if he had sat next to her casually, bickering as usual, it wouldn't have been a big deal. But deliberately avoiding her meant he hadn't gotten over her.
The cars arrived at the resort hotel in the mountains outside the city, and everyone checked in. Xia Zhijun shared a room with Gu Siyi, Zhou Xiao with Lu Jiaye, and the three girls shared a suite.
Normally, Zheng Peipei would have insisted on sharing a room with Gu Siyi, but this time, since it was their birthday celebration, she tactfully took a step back.
After dinner, everyone went to a large karaoke room to sing and have fun.
Lu Jiaye selected a song and invited Zheng Peipei to sing a duet with him, smiling, "I just love singing with you."
Zheng Peipei took the microphone, and Lu Jiaye continued, "Everyone else sings so well, but you… you're so off-key, even nine oxen couldn't drag you back on pitch. Singing with you perfectly camouflages my flaws."
Zheng Peipei kicked him, and Lu Jiaye dodged it perfectly, teasing, "After a year, your temper hasn't changed a bit!"
"I'm a sweet and gentle little fairy. It's you… I want to hit you every time I see you! It's strange, why are you so annoying?"
"Whether it's hitting or scolding, there's nothing I can do if you like me so much!" Lu Jiaye shrugged, spreading his hands.
"Get lost!"
The others were used to this kind of scene. Gu Siyi even found it amusing. It was like being back in high school when they were always fooling around together, and these two bickering lovers never stopped.
Xiang Li quietly got up and left the room, heading to the restroom.
When their banter died down, Gu Siyi pulled Zheng Peipei up to sing together.
The birthday girls sang a duet, while the boys gathered to drink.
Zheng Peipei felt her phone vibrate. She took it out of her jeans pocket and saw it was Su Han calling.
She quickly left the room to answer the call.
"Are you having fun with them?"
"Yeah…" she replied softly.
"Sorry I couldn't be there with you." His low, gentle voice came through the phone.
Zheng Peipei walked to the viewing platform outside. The empty evening breeze blew through the valley, and for some reason, her heart felt empty.
"Peipei?" Su Han called out.
Zheng Peipei said, "Yeah. It's okay, I know you're filming and couldn't get away. Besides, where you're filming is miles away from here."
"…" Su Han sighed softly, not knowing what to say.
"I saw your drama. You're acting with all those veteran actors. Must be a lot of pressure, right?"
"A little."
"And the director is really strict…" Zheng Peipei sniffled, feeling a little heartbroken. "I heard he scolded you on set for half an hour…"
"It's alright," Su Han chuckled softly. "I still have a lot to learn, and I need the guidance."
"You're amazing. You can still be so positive and optimistic under such pressure. Please keep it up!" Zheng Peipei encouraged him.
There was silence on the other end for a while before Su Han said, "Peipei, it's so good to have you."
Zheng Peipei's eyes reddened, but then she smiled.
After they hung up, she sat outside, enjoying the breeze.
Lu Jiaye came and sat next to her at some point. "What are you doing here all by yourself, wallowing in melancholy?"
Zheng Peipei glared at him, saying with disdain, "Stay away from me! Stupidity is contagious!"
Lu Jiaye grinned. "Doesn't that mean you've been mentally challenged for a while now?"
Zheng Peipei wanted to retort, but then she couldn't be bothered. Lu Jiaye, unable to stand the silence, leaned closer. "You were so energetic earlier, bouncing around. What happened? Can't jump anymore?"
"You…" Zheng Peipei stood up, almost bumping heads with him, and sat back down.
Looking up, she saw his eyes, shining like the stars in the sky. She suddenly realized that Lu Jiaye had beautiful eyes.
"I can't be bothered with you," Zheng Peipei huffed, turning her head away.
Lu Jiaye sat down beside her, casually crossing his legs, and said, "Seriously, how have you been this past year?"
"Good. University is much more free than high school. I can do whatever I want every day, no one cares."
"Tsk, you probably failed some classes."
"But I passed the make-up exams! I don't have to retake them!" Zheng Peipei said with a hint of pride.
"Hahaha, Zheng Peipei, is that all you aspire to? Others celebrate passing, but you're celebrating not failing! " Lu Jiaye laughed heartily.
"Oh, like you're so much better?" Zheng Peipei crossed her arms and turned to stare at him. "Tell me, what great achievements have you made in the capital? How much scholarship money have you raked in?"
"None," Lu Jiaye said with a smirk. "But I didn't fail any classes."
Zheng Peipei felt a sudden surge of contempt…
Now even this slacker could look down on her?
Zheng Peipei refused to be outdone. "Just you wait, next year I'll win a scholarship and show you!"
"Alright, when you do, send your brother a red envelope, and I'll treat it as travel expenses and come back to throw you a celebration party~"
"Deal!"
"Deal."
Lu Jiaye raised his hand, and Zheng Peipei high-fived him.
Lowering her hand, Zheng Peipei suddenly felt a pang of sadness.
She turned and walked towards the railing. In the dim light, tears rolled down her cheeks.
Lu Jiaye followed her. He accidentally saw her tears and felt his heart clench, not knowing what to do. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"
"Nothing… I… I just…" Zheng Peipei said through her tears, "I miss the old days… high school��� Don't mind me, just let me be sentimental for a while, okay?"
"Okay." Lu Jiaye stepped back and sat down.
"…" Zheng Peipei tried to compose herself.
In high school, she always wanted to go to university quickly, thinking she would be free…
But when she actually got to university, she found it was much lonelier than high school…
Even though she had a boyfriend, someone she cared about, missing him was more frequent than seeing him, and heartache outweighed happiness.
The carefree joy of high school was long gone.
Zheng Peipei composed herself and turned to look at Lu Jiaye, only to find him smoking.
Zheng Peipei walked over to him and glared. "The capital has corrupted you. When did you start smoking?"
Lu Jiaye took the cigarette out of his mouth, exhaled a smoke ring, and said slowly, "Smoking is kind of calming."
He turned to look at her, offering her the cigarette. "Want to try?"
"No way! Don't try to poison me! I don't want disgusting yellow teeth!"
Lu Jiaye smiled. "You go back inside. Secondhand smoke isn't good for you."
"Okay, take your time. I'm going in."
Zheng Peipei left. Lu Jiaye turned and watched her retreating figure, putting the cigarette back in his mouth and taking a long drag.
When Lu Jiaye returned to the karaoke room, his comedic nature livened up the atmosphere even more.
Near midnight, the hotel staff wheeled in the large cake they had ordered.
Gu Siyi and Xia Zhijun made a wish together and blew out the candles.
The harmonious and peaceful atmosphere didn't last long before a cake fight erupted. Everyone was having a blast.
Zhang Xinyi was pushed into Zhou Xiao's arms. He caught her, and she froze.
Lu Jiaye yelled, "Let's sing! 'Cheers'! Let's go!"
"Will there ever be a day when time truly rewinds,
Back to your and my, the bygone, carefree years?
Perhaps one day the world will truly end,
I'll still raise a glass of memories, sweet and true, and cheers with you again…"
While everyone was singing, Zheng Peipei recorded it on her phone.
After recording a short clip, she sent the audio to Su Han.
A moment later, Su Han replied with a few smiling emojis.
Late into the night, everyone returned to their rooms to rest.
Gu Siyi was exhausted after a day of fun and wanted to sleep as soon as she hit the bed.
However, someone didn't want to just sleep…
He held her and coaxed, "Such a special day, are we just going to sleep through it?"
"Isn't nighttime for sleeping…?" she pretended not to understand.
"We should do something to celebrate turning nineteen."
"Nineteen… so what…?"
"We're one year closer to the legal marriage age," he whispered in her ear.
"Mmm…"
She just wanted to be a lazy, sleepy salted fish, but his passion was overwhelming…
The ending was always the same… the night was filled with harmonious sounds…
After their birthdays, June arrived, and it was time to gear up for the final exams at the end of the month.
With the experience of successfully passing the last exams, Gu Siyi was calm this time, reviewing her studies step by step.
One day, a student union representative approached her, saying that a professor wanted to talk to her.
The professor was from the aerospace department. Gu Siyi went to his office as scheduled.
"Xia Zhijun is a brilliant student. He's already handling graduate-level research with ease. For a higher level of academic breakthrough, the best option is to study abroad. MIT has already extended an invitation; they represent the highest level of aerospace research in the world."
"But he doesn't agree…"
"Everyone says he has a very good friend. I suspect this is one of the reasons he refused."
"I don't think that's wise. You should be a force that encourages him to move forward, not a hindrance."
"I hope, as his friend, you can persuade him for the sake of his future. I've seen many people in our university succeed in long-distance relationships."
"If he stops here, as his teacher, I would be truly regretful and heartbroken."
"What he can do for this society and this country is far more than just finding an ordinary job…"
After leaving the professor's office, Gu Siyi kept replaying his words in her mind.
It was sudden because he had never mentioned studying abroad to her.
But it also seemed expected, because he was so outstanding, he needed to learn at the most advanced platform.
Gu Siyi found a shady spot under a tree and called Zheng Peipei.
She asked, "Peipei, what's it like being in a long-distance relationship?"
Zheng Peipei was taken aback. "It sucks, what else could it be?"
"Oh…"
"Are you seriously poking at my wounds?! Just to show off your love? That's too much!"