Chapter 65: Chapter 65 - 65 The Pain of Being Neglected

In the following week, Ji Yuqiao occasionally ran into Xiao Yu at the library.

At first, when she went to ask questions, Xiao Yu would coldly write down the process of solving them, telling her to figure it out herself.

After a few days, upon learning that she had failed her Advanced Mathematics exam and that she was probably at the library purely to study, Xiao Yu started to explain the solutions to her when she came with questions.

“You’re really amazing, I understand everything as soon as you explain it, thank you so much!” Ji Yuqiao said with a smile.

Xiao Yu still had a cold expression, but he said “Good luck on your exam” as she returned to her seat.

Ji Yuqiao’s eyes lit up, and she excitedly went back to her desk, holding her book.

Raining Bridge: [He just told me good luck on my exam!]

Raining Bridge: [Excited.jpg]

Willow Wadding: [Calm down, make sure you pass the make-up exam first.]

Raining Bridge: [Okay! Working hard.jpg]

Ji Yuqiao put down her phone and continued to study diligently.

Afternoon.

Wen Li finished her last exam paper and finally felt liberated; she sent a message to Xiao Yu wanting to invite him out for dinner that evening.

But the sent message received no reply for a long time.

She knew Xiao Yu was studying in the library and wouldn’t be looking at his phone and didn’t mind it.

Considering the library was close to the teaching building, she decided to go ask him in person.

Wen Li entered the library with a beaming smile, heading straight for the area where he usually sat.

But the next moment, she froze on the spot.

She saw Xiao Yu and Ji Yuqiao sitting together, their heads very close. Xiao Yu occasionally wrote something on scratch paper and explained it to Ji Yuqiao.

Their interactions seemed very friendly, even… somewhat irritating to her eyes.

Didn’t Xiao Yu dislike Ji Yuqiao? Why was he sitting with her?

Was he coming to the library every day just to be with Ji Yuqiao?

Why hadn’t he told her?

Biting her lip, Wen Li quickly walked over there, her steps betraying a hint of panic.

“Xiao Yu.” Wen Li interrupted their conversation, sat down beside him, and even affectionately wrapped her arm around his, “I couldn’t wait to find you after I finished my exam. Did you miss me?”

“Mhm.” Xiao Yu’s lips curved into a smile, obviously happy, but remembering they were in a public place, he restrained himself from more intimate gestures.

Ji Yuqiao rolled her eyes inwardly at Wen Li’s coy demeanor and poked Xiao Yu with her pen, “Xiao Yu, you haven’t told me how to do the next part of this problem.”

“Oh, so Student Ji is here too, huh?” Wen Li pretended to have only just noticed her, a touch of annoyance in her voice, “Sorry for interrupting you two.”

“It’s okay, wait for me for a moment, I need to help her with a question first.” Xiao Yu pulled his arm away from Wen Li.

He took Ji Yuqiao’s textbook, and they leaned in again, resuming their discussion.

Although Wen Li knew they were only discussing the problem, being left out made her feel uncomfortable, like an outsider.

“By the way, Xiao Yu, it’ll be winter break in a few days, do you have any plans?” Wen Li asked casually.

The sudden question interrupted his explanation, and Xiao Yu paused for a moment before replying, “Not going back home; there’s a senior who’s already graduated and starting up a business; he invited me to join them. So, I’m going to work with him over the winter break, we’re starting a business together.”

Xiao Yu always had clear plans for himself, like starting up a business to make money. The offer from his senior, which was in line with his interests, was why he agreed.

Given his intelligence and talent, it was only a matter of time before the company grew and became strong.

“So, you’ll be the big boss then, President Xiao,” Wen Li smiled.

Xiao Yu gave a light smile, just about to say something more when his shoulder got poked again by Ji Yuqiao.

Ji Yuqiao’s voice was sullen, “You haven’t finished explaining.”

“Ah, right, let me take another look.” Xiao Yu brought his focus back to the problem at hand, “It should be like this, you first…”

Wen Li was neglected again, but this time when she tried to say something to Xiao Yu, he didn’t respond, instead concentrating on explaining the problem to Ji Yuqiao.

Xiao Yu had already felt embarrassed about being distracted once, so he planned to finish this problem and then continue talking with Wen Li.

However, Wen Li felt increasingly ignored, her complexion growing paler until she finally said softly, “I’ll go first,” and stood up to leave.

She even forgot about wanting to ask him to have dinner together.

When Ji Zeqiu received Wen Li’s call, he was at Shen Qingtang’s home.

Ji Zeqiu had just given Shen Qingtang another role in a drama, this time a significant one as the second female lead. In her excitement, she let out the frustrations she had bottled up for a long time.

“To thank you, may I cook a meal for you?” she offered.

“Ah,” Ji Zeqiu was a bit absent-minded, nodding noncommittally, “Sure.”

Shen Qingtang busied herself in the kitchen, occasionally glancing through the glass door to see Ji Zeqiu sitting on the couch like the warm sun of a spring day, making everything around him seem bright and sunny, unable to suppress the smile on his lips.

After being busy for a while, she looked at the dishes on the table, brimming with the aroma of delicious food, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

“Food’s ready, you can come and eat now,” she said to Ji Zeqiu.

“Okay.” Ji Zeqiu came over and tried a piece of the braised prawns with his chopsticks.

“How is it?” Shen Qingtang asked with faint expectation in her eyes.

“Not bad,” Ji Zeqiu wasn’t picky about the taste or texture of the food. As long as it wasn’t as difficult to swallow as Lin Xu’s cooking, he could eat it.

“Then eat more,” Shen Qingtang said with curving brows and eyes, using her chopsticks to give him another meatball.

It was then that the cell phone rang.

Ji Zeqiu had just picked up the call when he heard silent sobs on the other end that tugged at his heartstrings.

He suddenly became anxious, “Wen Li, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”

Wen Li seemed to be greatly wronged, sobbing softly. Her voice wasn’t loud but was piercing enough to twist Ji Zeqiu’s heart.

Overwhelmed with pity, he forgot about the time she had not come to see him when he was sick.

“Where are you now? I’m coming to find you!” Ji Zeqiu stood up, grabbed his coat from the sofa like a gust of wind, and hurriedly left.

As the door slammed shut with a “bang.”

The once bright apartment suddenly turned chilly and dim. Shen Qingtang’s fingertips holding the chopsticks turned white, and her heart felt as if it were being pricked by a thousand needles, the unrelenting pain unbearable.

She hadn’t heard Ji Zeqiu mention Wen Li in a long time, nor had she asked herself to dress as plainly as that girl anymore.

Shen Qingtang thought he had moved on from that girl. Yet she never imagined that just a call without a single word spoken could summon him away directly.

However savory the dishes on the table were, she no longer had the appetite. She dumped them all into the trash can.

Meanwhile, at another place.

Wen Li saw Ji Zeqiu rush over and threw herself into his arms with tearful eyes.