My life had been a joke, and the only person who ever truly cared about me was the one I’d pushed away.
“Suyin, want to go to the coffee shop after school? I want to introduce you to someone.”
My thoughts were interrupted as Zhao Wenqing appeared in front of me.
I frowned and glanced at my phone.
October 24th, 2015.
Today was the day I’d first met Chen Haoyu.
Seeing me hesitate, Wenqing tugged at my hand.
“Come on, Suyin~ There’s going to be a super handsome guy there this afternoon. You’ll regret it if you don’t come!”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, feigning innocence as I blinked at her.
“How handsome? Is he better looking than Lin Yichen? If not, I’m not interested.”
Wenqing was about to retort, but froze at the mention of Lin Yichen’s name. After a long pause, she finally asked, “Suyin, I thought you didn’t like Lin Yichen. Why bring him up?”
I flipped open my textbook and leaned back in my chair. “Who said I don’t like Lin Yichen?”
Wenqing seemed flustered and quickly started badmouthing Lin Yichen.
“Suyin, how could you like someone like him? He bullies you every day. I can’t stand it. Are you feeling okay? Maybe you have a fever...”
She reached out to touch my forehead, but I batted her hand away.
“I’m fine. You’re the one with a fever. Why wouldn’t Lin Yichen deserve my affection? Let me tell you, I, Liang Suyin, will only ever love Lin Yichen. I! Won’t! Marry! Anyone! Else!”
Just then, the sound of a glass shattering came from the doorway.
I looked up and saw Lin Yichen, who had just returned with a cup of water.
My face immediately turned beet red.
Overwhelmed with embarrassment, I dove under my desk, silently praying,
“He didn’t hear, he didn’t hear, he didn’t hear...”
Under the desk, I saw a pair of sneakers stride toward me, and then Lin Yichen’s amused voice above my head:
“Suyin, what are you doing down there?”
I smacked my cheeks and tried to act nonchalant.
“Nothing... I just dropped my pen, that’s all. Haha.”
A moment later, Lin Yichen ducked under the desk as well, his face inches from mine. My blush returned with a vengeance.
He smiled gently. “Did you find your pen?”
Mortified, I scrambled out from under the desk and fled.
For the rest of the afternoon, I avoided Lin Yichen as much as possible. When school ended, I grabbed my bag and scurried out like a mouse.
That night, lying in bed, I couldn’t stop thinking about Lin Yichen. My heart raced in a way it never had with Chen Haoyu.
I pressed a hand to my chest and whispered, “This must... be what it feels like to really like someone.”
The next morning, as I walked toward the classroom with a cup of soy milk, I was debating whether to avoid Lin Yichen again. Suddenly, I collided with someone, spilling soy milk all over both of us.
I started apologizing, but the boy seemed prepared, pulling tissues from his pocket.
“No, it’s my fault. Here, you should wipe yourself off first.”
The familiar voice made me look up—it was Chen Haoyu.
So I still ran into him after all. Just then, Zhao Wenqing popped up out of nowhere, and I instantly understood what was happening.
So this was all a setup.
“Hey, Haoyu, what are you doing here? Wait, Suyin, what happened to you?”
I frowned, not wanting to watch Wenqing’s fake concern. I turned to leave, but someone blocked my way.
“Why are you so careless?”
I looked up and met Lin Yichen’s gaze.
Wenqing’s eyes lit up when she saw him. She quickly smiled, “It’s fine, Haoyu can take Suyin to get cleaned up. Let’s head back to class.”
I rolled my eyes. She was really working hard, still trying to create alone time for me and Chen Haoyu. But I wasn’t falling for it this time.
“No need—”
“No need,” Lin Yichen cut me off, grabbing my hand and leading me away.
He walked so fast I had to jog to keep up. When I glanced back, I saw Wenqing glaring daggers at me before quickly pasting on a smile.
Disgusting.
Lin Yichen led me downstairs. I yanked my hand free and crouched, panting.
“Why aren’t you hanging out with your best friend?”
He stood with his arms crossed, watching me.
I waved him off and stood up. “Best friend? Who says she’s my best friend?”
He smirked. “Weren’t you the one who said just a few days ago that Zhao Wenqing is your best friend for life, and no one could separate you two?”
He even mimicked my tone.
So petty—he remembered even that. But, thinking back, I really had said those things.
“I also said I’d never like you,” I muttered.
He leaned in. “What was that?”
I stomped on his foot. “Nothing!”
Then I turned and walked away.
Chapter 02
*