His high school first year was uneventful, with Ye Yong being a simple and introverted nerd. He found solace in the pages of books, immersing himself in the unfulfilled wishes and adventures of the characters he encountered...
However, everything changed in his second year when he crossed paths with Zhang Ziqin, a girl one year younger than him. She had a habit of constantly complaining about her life, her parents, and her older sister. Ye Yong would often half-listen, occasionally responding with a nonchalant "hmm" or "hmm..."
Despite occasionally feeling annoyed by her constant complaints, he couldn't help but notice the void in her life. She had parents to complain about, siblings to argue with, and a family that, despite its flaws, loved and supported her. It was something he had never experienced firsthand...
But as fate would have it, tragedy struck. Zhang Ziqin lost both her parents in a devastating car accident while they were on a trip. Suddenly burdened with responsibilities far beyond her years, her older sister worked tirelessly to make ends meet...
In those moments of despair, Zhang Ziqin found solace in Ye Yong's presence. She cried on his shoulder, seeking comfort and understanding. He would gently pat her head and offer words of encouragement, becoming a pillar of support in her life. Their friendship grew deeper with each passing day, and Ye Yong's maturity and empathy only heightened her admiration for him...
Then came the day when Zhang Ziqin, overwhelmed with emotions, mustered up the courage to confess her feelings for Ye Yong... It was an entirely new experience for him. While he had read about love and relationships in books, actually being confessed to was an entirely different story...
Lying in his bed, heart pounding and cheeks flushed, Ye Yong contemplated the nature of love. He questioned whether it was merely a result of chemical reactions and hormonal fluctuations. His logical mind struggled to reconcile the concept of love with his belief in practicality and happiness. Yet, in the end, he decided to embrace the experience of falling in love rather than dissecting it from a distance.
They say that love is a fall, not a climb or ascent. After all, who willingly falls into a bottomless pit, giving their complete trust to another person? Love doesn't concern itself with gain or loss; it is driven by the desire to see and maintain a smile on the face of a loved one. And so, Ye Yong found himself falling into that bottomless pit, where fear of falling coexisted with an exhilarating sense of excitement. It was a special feeling, completely new to him, as he had never experienced the love of parents, siblings, or even close friendships. For him, it was an extraordinary and indescribable sensation...but
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For some reason as time went by, their moments together became increasingly scarce. The demands of college entrance exams loomed over them, and Ye Yong's focus shifted towards his preparations. Similarly, Zhang Ziqin's visits to school became less frequent. Although he didn't mind the diminishing time they spent together, as he understood the importance of their individual goals, he couldn't help but feel a pang of longing for the connection they once shared...
One night, Ye Yong's so-called friends and desk mate, whom he considered his one and only true friend, invited him to a bar to relieve some pre-exam stress. They claimed it would be a gathering of boys, a chance to relax and unwind before the daunting exams. Naively, he agreed to join them, oblivious to the unexpected turn the night would take...