Chapter 36: In the End, the Weak Water Shall Replace the Vast Ocean

"Get out."

Two or three hundred meters away from the main gate of Dongda University, Jiang Chen was kicked out of the car.

The reason was simple.

Li Shurui simply didn't want people at the school to discover them "appearing as a pair."

However, this was clearly a case of burying one's head in the sand.

Although she spoke coldly, claiming she was only helping him out of respect for a fellow alumnus, Jiang Chen understood that if it had been a few weeks ago when they didn't know each other, Li Shurui would never have meddled in his business.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Glancing at his -80 favorability rating, Jiang Chen felt no frustration; on the contrary, he was brimming with motivation. Passing by the Cainiao courier station, he couldn't help but recall the narrow escape he had experienced not long ago.

Jiang Chen had never thought about calling the police.

Because he understood that calling the police would be utterly useless.

Setting aside whether they could actually convict the opponent, even if they truly locked that man surnamed Bai away, it wouldn't solve the actual problem.

The man surnamed Bai was merely a knife; the one wielding the knife was Liang Zhenlun. At worst, they would just replace one knife with another.

Therefore, if he wanted to escape the crisis once and for all, the root of the problem still lay with that Young Master Liang.

To have gone through a romance and nearly lost his life—surely no one's emotional history could be more harrowing than his own.

Jiang Chen mocked himself inwardly.

As he walked through the school gates, his phone rang.

Jiang Chen answered without even looking at the screen.

"Brother Chen, where are you?"

It was Bai Zheli.

"I'm at the school gate, heading back now. What's up?"

"You'd better not come back for a while."

Feeling puzzled, Jiang Chen asked, "Why?"

Bai Zheli seemed to have something difficult to say. After hesitating for a long time, he finally explained, "Ai Qian... she's waiting for you downstairs at the dormitory building."

Jiang Chen fell silent for a moment, then asked softly, "How long has she been waiting?"

"Half an hour. I tried to advise her, saying you weren't here, but she wouldn't listen. She insists on waiting for you to return. Brother Chen, you should probably avoid her."

"I can dodge it for a while, but I can't hide forever."

Jiang Chen smiled. "How about this: tell her to go to the old place, and I'll wait for her there."

"The old place?"

"Just tell her that. She knows."

Jiang Chen hung up the phone, his expression calm, and continued walking forward.

————

The Old Library.

The rooftop.

Ai Qian was panting heavily, as if she had run all the way up.

"Jiang Chen."

Seeing the familiar silhouette standing at the edge of the rooftop, she slowed her pace, her eyes filled with joy.

The view from the library rooftop was beautiful, offering an expansive vista that overlooked a good portion of the campus. The environment here was also pleasant; thanks to some ingenious renovations, it featured rockeries, flowing water, and flower swings, making it a popular rendezvous spot for many young couples.

In the past, Jiang Chen used to study in the library frequently, so he and Ai Qian often came here.

Of course, the main reason was that dating here didn't cost any money.

At this moment, there were four or five young couples on the rooftop, along with several students who had come up to enjoy the view. Everyone tacitly maintained a certain distance, not disturbing one another.

Ai Qian bit her lip and walked slowly forward along the pebble path.

"I used to think the library was just a place for books. I had no idea there was a garden like this upstairs. You were the one who brought me here the first time."

Jiang Chen leaned against the wall, gazing outward.

"You used to be a total bookworm." Ai Qian came to his side.

"But you stopped liking coming here later on."

Jiang Chen gave a light laugh.

Ai Qian fell silent.

In the beginning, she had indeed found the fairytale beauty of this garden novel. But gradually, as she visited more often, she began to find it tedious and dull. Like many girls her age, she was no longer satisfied with spiritual enjoyment and craved material abundance.

Perhaps, this was what they called growing up.

"I'm sorry."

"Why apologize? People strive for higher ground; it's just the natural law of life."

Jiang Chen turned his head. There was no resentment, nor was there the obsession of the past; his gaze was remarkably clear and peaceful.

"I heard you were sick? Are you feeling any better?"

"A bit better."

Ai Qian tilted her face up, biting her lip tightly.

"Jiang Chen, please don't talk to me like that. I know I was wrong. You can hit me or scold me, just don't be so cold to me..."

Her eyes were sorrowful, looking as if she were about to burst into tears.

If this had been half a month ago, he would have been very satisfied, but now...

Jiang Chen withdrew his gaze from Ai Qian's face and looked back out at the rooftop view.

"Is there something you need from me?"

Ai Qian took a deep breath, staring intently at the young man she had once cast aside like trash.

"I want to get back together with you."

Before Jiang Chen could speak, she continued, "You and Li Shurui are truly unsuitable. Why must you degrade yourself like this?"

"So that's why you went to find Li Shurui?"

Ai Qian froze.

"She told you?"

Then, she smiled. "I didn't expect the prestigious flower of the Arts Academy to be a snitch."

"My pursuit of her is my personal business. You shouldn't have disturbed her."

Jiang Chen's tone was calm and lacked any emotional heat, but hearing him defend Li Shurui caused a surge of intense jealousy to rise in Ai Qian's heart.

"I only did it for you!"

Unable to help herself, Ai Qian reached out and grabbed Jiang Chen's arm.

"Jiang Chen, she and you are from two different worlds. Stop overthinking things. Let's start over and live our lives properly, okay?"

Jiang Chen remained silent for a long while. Looking at the greenery and the crowds on campus, he spoke: "I know what I want. But do you know what you want?"

"I do!"

Ai Qian said excitedly, "I don't want anything else. I only want you!"

"What you want isn't me. You just want the vanity of being loved and having someone to adore you."

Jiang Chen never looked at her. All that appeared in Ai Qian's vision was the profile of his face, wearing a plain, indifferent smile.

"Ai Qian, I've always wanted to ask you one question: Did you ever truly love me?"

Ai Qian's eyes trembled violently. For some reason, she did not answer the question, but instead demanded loudly, "What about you! Did you ever love me?! Jiang Chen, don't act so noble. Didn't you pursue me just because I'm pretty and it would make you look good?"

"Perhaps you're right."

Jiang Chen's face was as still as water.

"Ha, you finally admit it?"

Ai Qian sneered.

Unmoved, Jiang Chen suddenly said softly, "Do you remember that time I came back from working outside, and the boss gave me two movie tickets? I took you to see a movie, but you ended up falling asleep in the theater?"

Ai Qian's sneer slowly froze.

Dusty memories drifted back into her mind.

That day, Jiang Chen had excitedly taken her to a movie with the two tickets provided by his part-time job. She had found the movie incredibly boring, but more importantly, because they were free tickets, she felt it was beneath her. She had gone quite reluctantly, which resulted in her falling asleep shortly after entering the theater.

"That day in the cinema, I stared at your face for a long time. Actually, I understood then that we might not be suitable, and that we would part ways sooner or later. But when the movie ended and I woke you up, you gave me a smile."

The corners of Jiang Chen's mouth curled up slightly as he gazed at the bright, clear sky.

"At that moment, I hoped so much that I could have a future with you."

(End of Chapter)