Chapter Twenty: Youthful Arrogance, Memories of Old

  The second day's early rain came suddenly, the sound of raindrops hitting the canvas awakened Yao Qiyun who was sleeping lightly. He opened his eyes and was terrified to find that although dark clouds were covering the sky, it had already turned white. The last second before he fell asleep next to Situ Xue, he repeatedly warned himself that he must leave quietly before dawn to avoid being seen by others. Rationality and self-control had always been things he took pride in, but he didn't expect time to pass so quickly when he was with her.

  Lifting a corner of the tent, outside there were already people who had woken up in surprise, rushing around in the rain, not knowing what to do. Yao Qiyun patted Xie Yu awake, who was still immersed in a sweet dream, she rubbed her eyes and sat up with the quilt, seemingly still unclear about the situation. As soon as she realized it was raining, her first reaction was to rush out, fortunately being held back by Yao Qiyun beside her.

  "It's raining heavily outside, you hide inside first, I'll go out first."

  Cui Xuan nodded, unusually obedient. Due to just waking up, she had a dull and silly look, which made Yao Qiyun, who was thinking about how to escape from the tent, feel a brief pang of reluctance. He wished he could be with her, playing dumb together in their own little world, ignoring the storm outside. However, he suppressed this untimely thought and before leaving, shook his head and reminded her, "Cui Xuan, next time you go out, don't forget your jeans."

  At this time, most people were thinking of hiding in the tent for a while, and only a few people who were busy sorting out the rain did not notice that someone had taken the opportunity to leave. Yao Qiyun returned to his own tent without drawing any unnecessary attention, and suddenly felt relieved.

  Not far away, San Pi was pounding his chest and stamping his feet in the rain, discussing with several other leaders how to respond next. The rain had to continue, the tent was useless, and hiding in the woods was even more unsafe. It seemed that the only option was to summon a boat to leave early. But unexpectedly, the rain came quickly and went away quickly, and before the discussion results were released, the rain gradually stopped.

  At this time, everyone came out of their somewhat damaged tents to clean up the mess. Yao Qiyun tidied up his own tent and naturally went to help Sutu Xue, who was busy packing away scattered items into her backpack. Seeing someone offering a helping hand, she said without looking up, "Thank you, I can really do it myself." Unbeknownst to him, she had already refused many "kind-hearted people" in the previous few minutes. Only after realizing it was Yao Qiyun did she smile and entrust the remaining tasks to him. As they worked together to fold the tent fabric, their hands touched, causing Sutu Xue's face to flush inexplicably. She bit her lip, speechless, and stole a glance at Yao Qiyun, who also remained silent but had an indescribable look in his eyes. It was just one night, just one impulsive embrace and passionate kiss, yet the meaning of many things had changed for these two people.

  Wu Jiang, carrying a half-section of reeds, walked up with his hands behind his back, breaking the silent intimacy. He said regretfully, "It seems I won't be needed to help anymore."

  Situ Xue smiled and said, "You go ahead and be the horse in front and the saddle behind for Qu Xiaojuan, not valuing friendship over romance is foolish. I won't ask where you two went strolling last night."

  Wu Jiang also smiled mischievously, "You didn't ask, so it doesn't matter. I do have a question though. Early this morning, I found out it was raining and thought of coming to see how you were doing. Guess what I saw?"

  Situ Xuan's face turned red and white, forcing himself to calm down: "Who knows what you saw?"

  Wu Jiang pretended to go and take a look at the newly folded tent, sighing: "If I had known there were two-person ones, I should have gone to grab one too."

  Yao Qiyun's actions were also stuck in his words, and he should have thought of it earlier. After all, there is no wall that doesn't let wind through. He quickly explained: "At the time, I saw that she wasn't feeling well and it was about to rain, so I just came over to take a look at her."

  After he finished speaking, he himself felt that the more he explained, the more meaningless it became. In fact, Yao Qiyun didn't need to bother with Wu Jiang at all, but since it involved Si Tu Jue's reputation, he had no choice but to make an explanation. He also knew that Wu Jiang was very cunning and not easily fooled, and indeed, after listening to his words, the smile on Wu Jiang's face grew even wider.

  "Situ, you're really honest. " Wu Jiang put one hand on Situ Xue's shoulder and turned to face away from Yao Qiyun, intentionally saying: "If someone bullies you, you must tell me."

  Situ Xuan swung his hand open and laughed. "You really want to know?"

  Wu Jiang's head was like being pounded by garlic.

  "Last night, the two of us stayed in the tent for a whole night, and, you know... we were all over each other," Situ Xing said with great enthusiasm. "We even kissed, I kissed him, he kissed me, back and forth, until the sky grew dark and our faces were covered in saliva. It was completely beyond your imagination. Anyway, it's nothing much, unless you want to find a place to sit down and I'll tell you all about the details?"

  Wu Jiang listened more and more suspicious, finally sneered: "No way, you just make it up, believing you is foolish."

  Watching Wu Jiang leave in disappointment, Situ Xuan laughed so hard that he bent his waist. Yao Qiyun, after feeling relieved, asked Situ Xuan with a mixture of depression and puzzlement: "You say why doesn't he believe?"

  Before leaving the small island, the last and most important part of this summer camp unfolded. Since it was called "Love and Mutual Assistance" Summer Camp, there must be actual actions to help poor students. The poor students who were specially invited to participate, such as Tan Shaocheng and Xiao Gen, were the objects of everyone's donations. At that time, the policy of student loans had not been perfected, and social forces donating for education had not become mainstream. Through this gathering, the students deepened their understanding of each other, and those from well-off families appropriately donated some love funds. With many people contributing, they were indeed able to solve some urgent problems for poor students who were worried about tuition fees before school started.

  After briefly describing the family situation of each poor student, several senior students took turns carrying donation boxes marked with the names of the recipients to solicit donations. All donation amounts were announced on the spot and handed over directly to the recipients after counting.

  Before knowing about the difficult lives of those poor students, it was hard for a child like Situ Xuan to imagine that there were so many unfortunate families in the world, and some even had an annual income less than what she received in a single red envelope during the Spring Festival. Just taking Xiaogen as an example, he came from a nationally famous poverty-stricken mountainous area, where for half of the year they could only fill their stomachs with mixed grains like corn and sweet potatoes. He was the eldest at home, with four younger siblings below him. Tan Shaochen might not be likable, but his family background was quite pitiful - both parents had mild disabilities and were completely illiterate, living a very frugal life.

  Out of sympathy and the friendship born that day and night, most people stretched out a helping hand. Since everyone was a student, only a few were quite generous, basically twenty, fifty or one hundred yuan was already their best effort. Yao Qiyun prepared five hundred yuan, and Situ Xue asked him: "Who do you plan to donate it to?"

  "I think I'll still donate to Xiaogen." He actually knew the real intention behind her question, and frankly added, "The other part will be donated to Tan Shaochen. To be honest, with a family like hers and being a girl, it's not easy for her to get into such a good university, so let's help out if we can."

  Situ Xuan also took out 500 yuan, which was her own pocket money. She "hmmphed" and stuffed the money into Yao Qiyun's hand, "Anyway, I don't like that person. Why don't you donate on my behalf? Donate 400 to Xiaogen, as for the remaining... you decide who to give it to."

  Yao Qiyun reluctantly took it and said in a low voice: "You..."

  After a wave of enthusiasm, the donation was also nearing its end. Qu Xiaoyu hugged one of the donation boxes and walked in front of Wu Jiang.

  Wu Jiang looked at her, his eyebrows and eyes all filled with a smile. "I think you shouldn't be the one doing fundraising."

  "Oh, why?" Qu Xiaowen raised her slender eyebrows. "I'd like to hear more about it."

  Wu Jiang lowered his voice, "You don't look pitiful at all, holding that box, you're more like the merciful Guanyin Bodhisattva, making people cry and beg to offer incense money."

  Qu Xiao Wan's mouth corners rose with a faint, almost imperceptible smile. "Oh... then how much charity does Master Wu plan to bestow upon us this time?"

  "Then you have to let me go first, I still want to make a wish in front of the Bodhisattva."

  "Let's hear it." Qu Xiaowen slightly raised her chin.

  Wu Jiang hastily stuffed two pieces of paper into her hands. "It's all written on there."

  Qu Xiao Wan quietly unfolded it, but it was two musical tickets.

  "Bodhisattva, I am truly very devout."

  "As I am the great compassionate and merciful savior of suffering and hardship, you must believe that with a sincere heart, your wishes will come true!"

  Wu Jiang's face lit up with joy, "That's a must, and I should do more good deeds. Talk is cheap, so here's the deal, I'll cover this classmate's tuition for the first year!"

  After more than ten seconds, everyone heard Qu Xiaowen's clear voice loudly announcing: "Everyone listen up, Wu Jiang is willing to donate a year's tuition for Tan Shaochen!"

  The words had barely fallen when the pot exploded, and everywhere you could hear people discussing and inquiring about the protagonist of this explosive news. Who is Wu Jiang, and who is Tan Shaocheng?

  Wu Jiang was nonchalant, regardless of how many people's gazes were cast upon him, as if they had nothing to do with him. He neither showed off nor felt proud, but only smiled brightly after Qu Xiao Wan clenched the two tickets tightly.

  Tan Shaocheng, who was pushed to the forefront of public opinion, seemed to be in a dream-like state. Just a minute ago, she was still hiding in the corner with a gloomy expression. She hated such ceremonies and resented showing off her scars in front of everyone, but there was no way out. She even had to worry about the amount of donations she would receive, because she desperately needed the money. She thought that maybe not many people would donate to her, and even if they did, it would only be a drop in the bucket. But in an instant, she became a lucky person, and for this year, she wouldn't have to cry every day about the tuition fees that were astronomical to her. All of this wasn't given by someone else, but by Wu Jiang, a boy she didn't dare to think about. He had everything she could only hope for, and only someone like Si Tu Yue, a proud and arrogant girl, could be his friend...

  On the other end, Situ Xin was also shocked by this sudden news. She took Yao Qiyun's hand and put it on her cheek. "Quickly pinch me, did that kid Wu Jiang eat the wrong medicine or something?"

  Yao Qiyun smiled and said, "Maybe he just suddenly understood."

  "It's not just about understanding the way, but also making choices! There are too many pitiful people out there." Sutu Jin had originally intended to find Wu Jiang and ask him what was going on. However, when she saw Tan Shaocheng, who was crying tears of either joy or sadness, she swallowed her words. Although Sutu Jin would never like that person, Qi Yun was right - life is not easy, and neither is she. No one can choose their own birth, and if it weren't for fate's guidance, perhaps Qi Yun would also be struggling on the edge of reality, crying out loud over a few thousand dollars. This thought softened her fiery temper.

  It's disgusting, just avoid it and walk away, it has already fallen into the dust, there is no need to step on it again.

  The university life officially opened its colorful curtain after such a warm-up. Pharmacy is the key discipline of the medical university they are in, and after entering the school, Situ Xuan often sees some familiar faces in the teaching building of this college. Xiaogen and she are classmates, not to mention that Tan Shaocheng, who she doesn't want to see, is in another class of the same major. It's said that Tan Shaocheng's entrance examination results were very good, second only to Situ Xuan among girls, but Situ Xuan didn't dare to be proud of herself because she was very clear that Tan Shaocheng's learning conditions were not comparable to her own, and in such a difficult environment, the high school exam scores were only a few points lower than hers, which is really not to be underestimated.

  As for Wu Jiang's "Goddess of Mercy" in his heart, she is none other than the female disciple of Professor Zou Jin, a renowned figure in the pharmaceutical department. Professor Zou Jin can be considered a pillar of the strong faculty in the pharmaceutical college, with a Ph.D. from an American university, currently serving as the deputy dean of the pharmaceutical college and doctoral supervisor, and a leading expert in microbiology and biochemical pharmacy in China. His Pharmaceutical Experimental Development Center is at the forefront of international research. Xīu Yuè had only seen Professor Zou Jin at the opening ceremony of the pharmaceutical college, where he exuded an air of elegance and wisdom, with a charm that was characteristic of middle-aged men. It was rumored that his doctoral students were extremely difficult to get into, but once you were accepted, it meant a bright future lay ahead. He hadn't taken on any master's students in years, so the fact that Qū Xiǎo-Wēn had caught his eye was a testament to her exceptional abilities, and she was incredibly fortunate to have been chosen by him.

  Situ Xuan also had to admit that, although her good brother Wu Jiang seemed like he didn't care about anything at ordinary times, once he was moved by worldly desires, his gaze was indeed on a higher level.

  Wu Jiang's pursuit of Qu Xiao Wan was a long and arduous journey, like climbing a famous mountain with breathtaking scenery at the summit. He single-mindedly aimed for the top, but the peak was shrouded in thick clouds, making it impossible to see the path ahead. Others might have given up and turned back, but Wu Jiang didn't. Whenever he felt tired, he would stop to rest for a while, only to discover that the height he had already reached offered a unique view. He would then take his time to enjoy the scenery, bask in the cool breeze, and when he was ready, continue his ascent at a leisurely pace, leaving many panting competitors behind, getting closer and closer to his beloved Qu Xiao Wan.

  This is a wonderful thing, but the biggest problem is that mountain climbing also requires expenses, especially for such long-term backpackers. In summer camp, Wu Jiang made a stunning move, not only winning Qu Xiaowen's smile but also earning the reputation of being "extremely generous". It can be said that he has both internal and external advantages, who would have thought that in the end, it was Sutu Xuan who was forced to borrow money from him every now and then.

  To know that Wu Jiang's father has been doing well in his official career in recent years, as the only son of the family, he has never had to worry about food and clothing. However, the Wu family is very strict with their children and will not spoil them with money, so although he has more money than ordinary people, the amount he receives each month is limited, and every time he spends a little, he has less. He can't afford his occasional "thousand gold" spending spree. Unfortunately, Qu Xiaojuan is not frugal, she doesn't like things that smell of copper, but those elegant musical dramas, unique trinkets, which one isn't expensive? After several times, Wu Jiang's economy was in crisis, it was impossible to ask his parents for help, and so Cui Xue had to become his ultimate creditor.

  As soon as Situ Xin thought of Wu Jiang's generosity in paying for "a certain person's" tuition for a year, she felt a surge of anger. Of course, she knew that Wu Jiang had done it for Qu Xiaojuan, but the biggest beneficiary was actually Tan Shaocheng, and she had become an indirect victim. What's more interesting is that after that incident, Tan Shaocheng was grateful to Wu Jiang and would often bring him some small gifts whenever he returned to school from his hometown during holidays. Sometimes it was a few bags of wild mushroom dried goods, sometimes it was a pair of handmade insoles, and sometimes it was even a bottle of hot sauce. She was very poor and couldn't afford anything good, so the things she gave Wu Jiang were probably the best she had to offer. Wu Jiang always felt embarrassed when he received these gifts and repeatedly told her that she didn't have to do this, but Tan Shaocheng just smiled and continued to do so next time. It was a kind thought, after all, and Wu Jiang couldn't bear to hurt her self-esteem by refusing them outright, so he usually passed the things on to his debtor Situ Xin, who each time felt like smashing the gifts on Wu Jiang's head.

  She repeatedly scolded Wu Jiang for being "infatuated" but after the scolding, she couldn't help but support him. Not only did she lend him all the money she could use from her own savings, but even the small piggy bank filled with coins was smashed to pieces under Wu Jiang's persistent begging. Even her meal allowance wasn't spared, and from then on, she became a parasite living off of Yao Qiyun. Every time they ate in the school cafeteria, she had to wait for Yao Qiyun to swipe his card for her, and when she saw clothes she really liked, she would have to pitifully ask him for financial support.

  She also waved the banner of "borrowing" in front of Yao Qiyun, but actually never paid back. Sometimes when she felt guilty, Situ Xuan would say to Yao Qiyun that since she didn't eat much, it was fine if she just ate a few mouthfuls from his plate each meal. Yao Qiyun was also amused and annoyed by this triangular debt, but fortunately he had no complaints. In fact, regarding Situ Xuan's dependence on him, not only did he not resist, but he also felt a small sense of comfort and satisfaction.

  Both are girls with unique personalities, but Qu Xiao Wan's character is very different from Si Tu Xuan. Si Tu Xuan has a clear distinction between love and hate, she will tightly hold onto things she likes, and if she doesn't like something, she will definitely kick it far away without hesitation. As for Qu Xiao Wan, sometimes Wu Jiang can't even tell what she likes or dislikes, no matter what he presents to her, she would just smile casually and put it aside, not easily nodding or shaking her head. Moreover, she is extremely introverted and proud, with a sharp tongue that often offends others, neglecting social etiquette and human relationships, although she has many pursuers, but also offends more people, leaving an impression of being difficult to get along with.

  Many friends advised Wu Jiang to give up and not bother himself anymore, Wu Jiang also acknowledged that Qu Xiaojuan had a lot of small problems, but he just liked her this way, no matter how much time and energy he spent, it was his own willing deed. So the money from Situ Xuan was borrowed again and again, returned and then borrowed again. When Situ Xuan couldn't bear it anymore, she would say to him with sorrow and anger: "If you keep borrowing like this, even a wealthy family will run out of grain! Wu Jiang, ah Wu Jiang, 'lust' is a knife on your head!"

  Wu Jiang said with a smile: "The word 'endure' is still like stabbing a knife in the heart, either horizontally or vertically it's just one knife, I'd rather have 'lust' than 'endure'."

  What he said is not wrong, for young people who have fallen into the sentimental trend, who can maintain true restraint? Even Yao Qiyun, who has invincible self-control, cannot withstand repeated "endurance", repeatedly inserting that knife into his heart.

  Since returning from summer camp, the ambiguous relationship between Yao Qiyun and Situ Ke has been increasing without decreasing, but they both tacitly concealed it in front of Situ Ji'an and his wife. One evening, Situ Ji'an inadvertently asked, "By the way, what did you guys do at summer camp?"

  "We didn't do anything."

  They finished speaking, and both of them suddenly remembered the special significance that "doing nothing" held for the two of them. They lowered their heads to eat, using a lot of effort to prevent the adults from noticing their flushed faces and racing hearts. Sutu Xuan was even more outrageous, with an expressionless face, secretly playing footsie under the table, occasionally stretching out her toes to kick Yao Qiyun who was sitting across from her. When she kicked lightly, his face would turn red, when she kicked harder, his eyes would be full of warning, but he didn't dare make a sound.

  His restraint was like a drop of glue on Situ Xuan's hand, making her heart itch to tear it off. The most serious time was when Yao Qiyun quietly withdrew his foot, and Situ Xuan didn't know, but accidentally hooked Situ Ji'an who was eating beside him. Situ Ji'an asked her what she was doing at the time, not even letting her eat in peace. Situ Xuan had to pretend that her feet were sore, so she wanted to move around. The suspicious look on Situ Ji'an's face made Yao Qiyun's heart hang in mid-air, fortunately, he didn't ask further, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The luckiest thing was that Xue Shaoping had already finished eating and left the table at that time, otherwise, with her meticulousness, how could she have hidden it from her eyes?

  This incident scared both Yao Qiyun and Situ Ke into a cold sweat, they all knew that under the unclear attitude of their parents, having an affair in secret would have unimaginable consequences if discovered, especially Yao Qiyun's situation would become very delicate. So from then on, the two became much more restrained when facing adults.

  During high school, under Xue Shaoping's instructions, Yao Qiyun followed Si Tuyin everywhere, but now that they're in college, they've consciously kept their distance. Even when they return home late at night, they make a point to stagger their arrivals, with one going back first and the other following later. The amount of time Si Tuyin spends in Yao Qiyun's room has also decreased.

  Initially, they were worried that Xue Shaoping would suspect something from this change, but surprisingly, she didn't say anything. Instead, she seemed relieved by their natural drifting apart as they grew older. However, this realization made Yao Qiyun aware of one thing: as they grew older, even if he showed no improper intentions towards Si Tuyin, Xue Shaoping still wouldn't want them to be too close.

  Xue Shaoping's wariness towards him had always been there; she never intended for him to become a son-in-law of the Si family. This understanding was not new to Yao Qiyun, but the more he became aware of it, the more desperate he felt.

  For Yao Qiyun, he had grown accustomed to living cautiously, precisely because every step was difficult, so he must protect himself even more. In his world, things that were destined to be unattainable should be abandoned from the start, and shouldn't even have a beginning, nor should they have extravagant hopes. But how could he refuse Si Tu Xuan, she was his opium, a poison that had seeped into his bones, an ardent longing that lingered in his marrow.

  He can't retreat, retreating one step and then advancing two steps is unbearable for him.

  The more he restrained himself, the more he went crazy wanting it.

  He and Situ Xin had a few more nights of intimate kisses. One was when the two were mutually verifying the details of that night's camping trip, arguing and unable to come to a conclusion, so they decided to recreate the scene. Another time was when Situ Xin went downstairs to get water in the middle of the night, and the two hid in the dark kitchen, clinging tightly to each other. And another time in the corner of the school library, they were quarreling over a small matter, he used the simplest way to shut her merciless mouth...

  Situ Xin just didn't understand why he was more painful when he was happier, and why he felt that he was getting closer, reaching out his hand, but hesitated.

  She didn't know that for him, like all addicts, the most torturous thing wasn't the downfall, but the contradiction - feeling guilty when he got it, and willing to be guilty when he couldn't get it.