Chapter 40: A Confession and a Graduation Trip
During the summer vacation at home, Xiang Yang spends her time reading, playing the piano, and often goes to Jiang Manxin's music shop to hang out.
One time, because the teacher who teaches piano lessons to young children is still stuck in traffic, Jiang Manxin sees that she has nothing to do and asks her to help with a piano lesson.
Xiang Yang is shocked. “Mom, how could I teach someone?”
Jiang Manxin is confident in her. “You've been learning the piano for so many years. Even if you're not better than your mom, your basics and everything are fine. Besides, I don't think you're that much worse than your mom.”
Xiang Yang wants to refuse. What if she doesn't do well? Won't that ruin her mom's reputation?
Jiang Manxin sees that she's hesitant, so she urges, “Alright, don't think too much. Who's experienced and excellent the first time? It takes time. The more you do it, the more familiar you become. Just perform at your normal level.”
Xiang Yang is persuaded by Jiang Manxin, so she reluctantly agrees.
Fortunately, it's a little girl of eight or nine years old. She's very cute, has great musical talent, and, most importantly, she's very obedient. She listens to everything Xiang Yang says. The whole hour, Xiang Yang doesn't feel any difficulty. At the end, the girl takes Xiang Yang's hand and asks with childlike innocence, “Pretty sister, can you teach me next time?”
Xiang Yang feels a little embarrassed. She reaches out and strokes the girl's head. “Sister's not sure. Let's see next time, okay?”
“Okay!”
Later, Jiang Manxin laughs and says to her, “See? It was successful, wasn't it? So don't doubt yourself. Just do it and believe in yourself.”
Xiang Yang nods. She discovers that besides studying, there are other things that she can do well. So, she frequently goes to help during the summer vacation.
Soon, the college entrance exam results are released. Xiang Yang becomes the top student in the arts stream for the province. Xing Zhaoyan also does well, only four points behind her.
Xiang Yang looks at her results. They are about the same as she expected, and she's also very happy. Of course, her score is still slightly lower than the previous year's top student in the science stream, Fu Guanxian. But Xiang Yang doesn't mind.
She and Fan Xiaoyu are eating dessert at a milk tea shop when Xing Zhaoyan calls her. He says he wants to celebrate and invites her out to eat.
Xiang Yang is direct. “I'm with Xiaoyu.”
“Okay? Let's go together then. Where are you? I'll come find you.”
Xiang Yang tells him the address. After hanging up the phone, Fan Xiaoyu asks with a smile, “Class Monitor?”
“Yeah.” Xiang Yang nods. “He said to go eat together.”
Fan Xiaoyu smiles even more broadly, winking. “Should I leave first?”
“Why would you leave?”
“The class monitor called you. His main purpose is definitely to ask you out. If I follow, he'll probably feel like I'm a big, bright light bulb.”
“If you say that again, I really won't talk to you anymore. Didn't I clarify it during our graduation trip? There's really nothing between us!”
“You're fine, the key is that the class monitor doesn't think so! Just watch. We've always believed that the class monitor definitely likes you.”
Xiang Yang says in a low voice, expressing her true feelings, “I haven't thought about that. Even if I were to have a boyfriend, it would be after I graduate from college.”
Fan Xiaoyu is surprised. “You don't plan to date for four years of college?”
Xiang Yang shakes her head.
Fan Xiaoyu still finds it a little hard to believe. Then she changes the subject and asks cautiously, “Is it because of Fu Guanxian?”
It's been a long time since anyone mentioned that name. Xiang Yang is stunned for a moment, then quickly denies it. “What does he have to do with it?”
Xing Zhaoyan pushes open the door and sees them sitting in the window seat. He walks towards them with a smile. But when he's two or three steps away from their table, he hears Fan Xiaoyu say, “You two are childhood sweethearts. You don't plan to date for four years in college. Are you waiting for him to come back? I heard from my senior sisters that this time, Fu Guanxian is going abroad, and he might not come back for a few years...”
Xing Zhaoyan stops in his tracks, then locks his gaze on Xiang Yang's expressionless face. He's a little annoyed. Did I spend so long next to her, and still can't compare to Fu Guanxian, who is so mean to her?
Fan Xiaoyu stops mid-sentence. She unintentionally sees Xing Zhaoyan standing behind Xiang Yang. She quickly stops and smiles, “Class Monitor, you're here.”
Xing Zhaoyan hides all his thoughts and puts on a smile. “Yeah, what were you talking about?”
Xiang Yang, as if possessed, replies, “Nothing. We're talking about what we'll major in at university.”
“Yeah, right!” Fan Xiaoyu picks up on it and changes the subject, asking, “Class Monitor, which university are you going to?”
Xing Zhaoyan sits down and replies briefly, “An University.”
Fan Xiaoyu says, “Such a coincidence! I plan to apply to that school too!”
“Oh.” Xing Zhaoyan is talking to Fan Xiaoyu, but his eyes are on Xiang Yang.
After eating, Xiang Yang bids farewell to them. Xing Zhaoyan insists on sending her back. Xiang Yang feels uncomfortable and repeatedly refuses. Xing Zhaoyan is forced to give up.
On the way back, Xiang Yang is full of worries.
Xing Zhaoyan, on the other hand, is thinking: Since she still feels this way, should I hold off on my plan to confess to her before school starts? Yes, I can't be impatient. You can't rush things.
September arrives as expected. After the bustling few days of welcoming new students, there's the miserable military training under the scorching sun.
Except for the military training when I entered high school, Xiang Yang hasn't worked so hard in a long time. Moreover, the military training back then was postponed until the end of the first semester.
Compared to the heat and sweat now, Xiang Yang definitely thinks that the cold wind back then was better.
But luckily, after so many years of physical training, Xiang Yang has endured a week of military training. Compared to the classmates who got dizzy on the second and third day, Xiang Yang thinks she's passed.
Xiang Yang is a little proud of herself. When she's chatting with Hou Xingrou, she mentions this. Hou Xingrou thinks it's unexpected. “Wow, my Xiang Yang is amazing!”
Xiang Yang replies, “Of course.”
After she learned vocal music, she knows that to sing well, lung capacity is crucial. So, she has to keep up with her physical fitness. And she has been practicing dancing for so long. She still practices yoga every other night. Although the effect wasn't obvious at first, it shows now that she's done it for so long.
Another thing that makes people envious is that while everyone else is sunbathing under the intense sun, Xiang Yang doesn't tan at all. At most, her skin is a little red after the training. Most people's skin turns black after it's red, but she's still fair and tender the next day. The girls in the class keep asking her what brand of skincare she uses.
After the military training ends and classes officially start, it seems like Xing Zhaoyan visits Xiang Yang's school more often.
He went to find her with Fan Xiaoyu the night after Xiang Yang settled in. The three of them went out to eat. Xing Zhaoyan introduced her and Fan Xiaoyu to the basic situation around the area: which restaurants are said to be good, where the supermarkets are, and how to get to the bustling street where girls like to go shopping.
Xiang Yang and Fan Xiaoyu listen carefully. Fan Xiaoyu is surprised and asks, “Class Monitor, didn't you say that this is your first time here? How come you know so much about the area?”
Xing Zhaoyan tells the truth. “I checked the map carefully before coming, and I also asked some senior classmates in the group.”
“I see.” Fan Xiaoyu says, smiling at Xiang Yang. Then she adds, “You really thought ahead.”
Xiang Yang is confused, but then Fan Xiaoyu suddenly excuses herself, saying she made an appointment with her new roommates, so she goes back early. Xing Zhaoyan is left to send Xiang Yang back to school.
Xiang Yang wants to refuse because it's not that far from school.
But Xing Zhaoyan insists on sending her to the dorm building. He also reminds her to drink plenty of water during military training, and to call him if she feels unwell.
Xiang Yang doesn't contact him first, but he calls her every three days. They don't talk much, just asking how she's doing.
Xiang Yang can't figure out what he wants.
Xiang Yang's dorm is a quad. The four of them are from different regions. But luckily, compared to the classmates in her class who are arrogant, love to show off their wealth, and look down on others, her roommates are all easy to get along with. So, after the military training is over, they're basically all familiar with each other.
Later, one morning, Xing Zhaoyan specifically goes to the downstairs of their dorm building to give Xiang Yang breakfast. The four of them had agreed to go to the cafeteria to eat breakfast and then go to class together. But when they see Xing Zhaoyan, who is handsome and talented, giving Xiang Yang breakfast and kindly reminding her to eat it all, they tease her later. “Xiang Yang, it turns out you have a boyfriend?”
It seems like only one person in the dorm has a boyfriend. She talks on the phone until midnight every night, so everyone knows about it. They didn't know that Xiang Yang had a boyfriend.
Xiang Yang is also surprised by this move from Xing Zhaoyan, but still explains. “No, no. We're not like that.”
They don't believe her. “Even if you're not a boyfriend, he definitely wants to chase you!”
Xiang Yang has no answer.
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