Both Jiang Yumo and Ning Zhiyu were feeling drowsy. In the afternoon, they went to the guest room to take a nap and catch up on some sleep.
On the other hand, Duan Ye and Zhou Ji were playing games in the living room. They sat on the carpet, furrowed their brows, and had serious expressions while engaging in a duel within the game. Zhou Ji always thought of himself as a skilled gamer, but today, once again, Duan Ye dominated him in the game. As the game ended, Zhou Ji threw his game controller to the side and exclaimed, “You beat me again?”
Though they hadn’t been friends for long, they seemed to have a similar aura and got along well.
At a glance, Zhou Ji could tell that Duan Ye was going easy against him again, just like Duan Ye did during their basketball matches.
However, Zhou Ji didn’t bother to ask what he had done to provoke Duan Ye. He had more important things to do, so he decided to share with his good friend Duan Ye in advance, “Um, I need some advice from you.”
Without lifting an eyelid, Duan Ye replied, “Call me ‘Master’ first.”
Ignoring that response, Zhou Ji continued, “I heard you confessed to that someone after the high school entrance exam. How did you do it?”
Duan Ye put down his game controller and was about to stand up.
Zhou Ji hurriedly held him back, “Okay, I won’t ask. I just wanted to say that I think now is the right time and conditions. I want to confess to Ning Zhiyu. I can’t wait any longer.”
Actually, Duan Ye understands Zhou Ji’s current psychological state because he used to be just like Zhou Ji.
Every minute and every second can’t be waited for.
He wants to tell her, ‘I like you.’
Duan Ye looked at Zhou Ji, staring at Zhou Ji so intently that his scalp tingled. Duan Ye spoke in a calm tone, “I suggest you not do this.”
Zhou Ji : “?”
Duan Ye : “Because you will be rejected.”
“Damn!” Zhou Ji reacted strongly, “Stop being so pessimistic! What do you mean I’ll be rejected? She won’t reject me, can’t you see? She’s been really nice to me lately, and I’m sure I’ll succeed.”
Duan Ye suddenly realized that Zhou Ji was truly confident.
When he was going to confess to Jiang Yumo after the high school entrance exam, he also didn’t want to wait and just wanted her to know. But he didn’t dare to think that he would definitely succeed in confessing.
Is there anything ‘definitely’ in this world?
Yes, for example, he is certain that he will like Jiang Yumo for a very long time. However, apart from this, he often feels uncertain whether she will ‘definitely’ like him, like him for a very long time.
In the evening, Jiang Yumo and Ning Zhiyu took a bath together.
The large bathtub in Zhou Ji’s house is never used, as Zhou Ji himself admitted it is merely a decoration, and he has never used it, nor has anyone else. Zhou Ji even explicitly said that the bathtub belongs exclusively to the two of them, and no one else is allowed to touch it.
At first, Ning Zhiyu was quite shy. She had never experienced bathing with someone, let alone taking a bath together.
But Jiang Yumo dragged her along, and she couldn’t refuse…
The main reason was something Jiang Yumo had said before, “It’s nothing, I have taken baths together with Yan Qing and Mengting, and it’s fun!”
While lying in the bathtub, after Jiang Yumo had enough fun, she turned to Ning Zhiyu and said, “My parents bought a new house in the provincial capital, and they said I can decorate my own bathroom. I’ve decided that I must have a bathtub like this there…”
Jiang Yumo looked around Zhou Ji’s bathroom and decisively added, “No, my bathroom at home is not even half this size; it can’t fit such a big bathtub.”
Ning Zhiyu kept her head down, gazing at the foamy water, lost in thought.
“Zhiyu, what’s wrong with you?” Jiang Yumo was a person who cared about others’ emotions a lot. Throughout the day, she noticed that Ning Zhiyu smiled only when she hugged her at the station; otherwise, Ning Zhiyu seemed unusually quiet.
“It’s nothing,” Ning Zhiyu gently shook her head, “I’m just a little tired.”
Jiang Yumo had a faint idea of the reason, but she couldn’t be sure, so she cautiously asked, “Is it because of Zhou Ji that you’re feeling upset?”
If it were in the past, Ning Zhiyu would definitely not reveal her true feelings.
But now, she and Yumo have become very good friends. If she can’t confide in her emotions even with such a close friend, wouldn’t she be shutting herself off too much?
“It’s not his fault,” Ning Zhiyu said softly. “Actually, it’s good that I came with him this time. It was a wise decision.”
“How so?”
“I… I’ve come to realize something. Ningcheng and Yanjing are so far apart, and I shouldn’t confuse them. He belongs to Yanjing, and I belong to Ningcheng.”
Jiang Yumo was a bit puzzled, “Are you saying you two are not suitable for each other?”
Ning Zhiyu nodded, “Don’t worry, I was a little, just a little distracted before, but now, after this trip, it’s gone.”
She stretched lazily, “Yanjing is truly a wonderful place, no wonder so many people want to come here. Yumo, to be honest, I was influenced by you before. I thought you and Duan Ye were perfect for each other, but I forgot that we are different people, and Zhou Ji and Duan Ye are also different.”
Jiang Yumo felt a bit sad listening to this.
She could see that Ning Zhiyu was really happy with Zhou Ji.
Though Zhiyu complained about him, it was because of him that Zhiyu became more and more like a seventeen-year-old girl.
“It’s okay.” Ning Zhiyu didn’t know whether she was comforting herself or comforting Jiang Yumo. She picked up a handful of foam and smiled at Jiang Yumo, “You see, human hands are small, and they can only hold limited things. So, of course, we should hold on to what we can grasp tightly.”
Jiang Yumo responded with an “Mm.”
She didn’t know how to console Ning Zhiyu either.
She couldn’t tell Ning Zhiyu that she knew about his and Zhou Ji’s future, and that they would eventually be together.
Such words couldn’t be said; it would be too irresponsible to say them out loud.
Perhaps after sharing her inner thoughts with Jiang Yumo, Ning Zhiyu went to bed early that night. However, Jiang Yumo couldn’t sleep, so she carefully reached under her pillow to find her phone. In the dark, she sent a message to Duan Ye : [I can’t sleep.]
Duan Ye quickly replied : [Then come out?]
Jiang Yumo : [No, I’m afraid I’ll wake up Zhiyu if I get up.]
Duan Ye : [Alright.]
Duan Ye : [What’s wrong? Nervous about sleeping in a new bed?]
Jiang Yumo pursed her lips and typed slowly : [Zhiyu doesn’t seem very happy. I’m thinking, maybe I did something wrong. When you guys asked me if you should come over, maybe I should have said no. It seems like I made a mistake.]
Duan Ye : [You didn’t.]
Duan Ye : [They’ll handle it themselves, and tempering Zhou Ji is not a bad thing.]
Jiang Yumo : [?]
Duan Ye : [He’s too confident and needs someone to pour a bucket of cold water on him.]
Jiang Yumo almost couldn’t hold back her laughter. But when she thought of Zhiyu sleeping on the bed, she quickly bit her lip to stop herself from laughing and asked : [Is it from your own experience?]
Duan Ye : [Maybe.]
Jiang Yumo : [Zhiyu told me that a person’s hand is small and can only hold on to what they can firmly grasp.]
Duan Ye : [Then she should be able to hold onto a dog leash.]
Jiang Yumo : [Hahaha, why would you say that? Are you saying Zhou Ji is a dog?]
Duan Ye : [Does it make you feel happier?]
Jiang Yumo : [Yes, it does~]
They didn’t know how long they had been chatting.
After sending the last message, Duan Ye waited for ten minutes, then twenty, making sure she had fallen asleep before finally heaving a sigh of relief.
why couldn’t they have just gone to see each other… this development is so slow