The two of them just embraced quietly.
The inner anxiety of Tang Mingchuan gradually dissipated due to the presence of the young girl by his side.
"Can you stay away from him in the future? It really upsets me," Tang Mingchuan spoke up after holding her for a long time.
It was the first time Lin Ye saw Tang Mingchuan like this. He had always been caring towards her, but now he was showing such emotions.
"But... we still have to rehearse together. We have to wait until after the play to stop practicing," Lin Ye, being straightforward as usual, replied.
Though Lin Ye's response was honest, Tang Mingchuan's recently settled heart began to feel uneasy again.
Tang Mingchuan released Lin Ye, his expression even worse than before.
"If there's nothing else, I'll leave first." With that, Tang Mingchuan left without looking back, leaving Lin Ye alone.
Lin Ye was puzzled. She didn't understand why Tang Mingchuan reacted so strongly. She had never been in a relationship before. Watching Tang Mingchuan walk away, she felt a sense of oppression in her heart.
...
Lin Ye returned to the dormitory, where Bai Wei noticed that Lin Ye didn't look too good, presumably due to a conflict with Tang Mingchuan.
"Why are you having a disagreement with your professor?" Bai Wei asked, offering Lin Ye an apple slice.
Feeling bad, Lin Ye declined the apple. "Wei Wei, it seems like Tang Mingchuan is angry with me today," she said, sitting next to Bai Wei.
Bai Wei was surprised. "Are you two together now?"
Lin Ye shook her head. Since Tang Mingchuan's confession had scared her, he hadn't brought up the topic again. But he still appeared in her life every day, making her accustomed to having him around.
"I thought you two were already together. But it makes sense, you're always a step behind in matters of the heart. Professor Tang is also pitiful."
Although they weren't together, seeing the girl she liked being intimate with another man in a play made anyone uncomfortable.
"He asked me to stay away from Ye Liang. I said we still have rehearsal, but after the performance, I won't talk to him anymore." Lin Ye kept her head down.
Bai Wei was shocked. "Lin Ye, how could you say that to him? Even if you have rehearsals every day, you can't say that to him. He's already jealous, and you're only adding fuel to the fire. Professor Tang has been very patient with you."
Lin Ye didn't understand much about relationships. She had never been exposed to such matters from childhood to adulthood, so she didn't know how to handle them.
Lin Ye lay on her bed, unable to sleep. Her phone lay quietly on the bedside table.
Before, Tang Mingchuan would always message her when she returned to her dormitory. But today, her phone remained silent. If Tang Mingchuan was angry and not messaging her, Lin Ye felt uneasy, a sour feeling lingering in her chest.
Suddenly, her phone beeped. Lin Ye picked it up and found a message from Ye Liang, complimenting her performance in the play.
Lin Ye lazily glanced at it, thinking it was a message from Tang Mingchuan. Disappointed, she put down her phone, feeling somewhat despondent.
Unable to sleep, Lin Ye picked up her phone again and sent a message to Tang Mingchuan.
She deleted and rewrote the text several times until only two words remained: "Good night."
Tang Mingchuan wasn't in a good mood either. Despite his heartfelt care for the girl, she still made him angry. Feeling aggrieved, he refrained from replying to her message.
The screen lit up again. Tang Mingchuan picked up his phone and saw a message from Lin Ye: "Good night."
Feeling a sense of loss, he had expected an explanation from her, but it seemed he had hoped for too much.
With a touch of temper, he didn't reply to her message.
Sitting in his dark room, Tang Mingchuan didn't turn on the light. Moonlight seeped in, casting a pallor on his face. Tang Mingchuan closed his eyes, feeling an indescribable sensation in his heart.
The feeling of being abandoned in his youth surged up, leaving him feeling weak and dizzy. Tang Mingchuan took out a small bottle of pills from the drawer, poured out one, and swallowed it.
Since meeting Lin Ye, he had rarely taken medication to control his emotions. But today, unable to suppress the discomfort in his heart, Tang Mingchuan felt he had no choice.
The cold war between them began from the moment they parted ways at the rehearsal venue.
Except during class, Lin Ye would see Tang Mingchuan, but he wouldn't look her way. After class, he would quickly pack up and leave.
Lin Ye thought to herself that maybe he was really angry and didn't like her anymore. Feeling aggrieved, she spent her days going to class and rehearsing the play.
She even quit her part-time job at the convenience store. After this play, she didn't want to have any more contact with Ye Liang. The rehearsal for the play went smoothly. Tang Mingchuan hadn't spoken to Lin Ye during this time.
On the day of the performance, many teachers from the department attended. Lin Ye looked around and saw Tang Mingchuan, though he wasn't in a conspicuous seat.
Seeing Tang Mingchuan, Lin Ye's heart suddenly raced.
Lin Ye was wearing a gorgeous white dress today, with a beautiful crown. For the sake of the performance, her smooth hair was curled into dreamy waves, and Bai Wei had even applied false eyelashes for her, making her look more charming from a distance.
The performance went smoothly until the final scene, where the prince and princess embraced each other, marking the end of the play.
The audience erupted into thunderous applause, indicating the success of the performance.
Tang Mingchuan watched Lin Ye on stage, smiling beautifully. He had to admit, Lin Ye was very talented.
Their eyes met, but Lin Ye couldn't understand Tang Mingchuan's expression. It seemed like he was happy, yet also unhappy.
As the performance ended, the audience gradually dispersed, and Lin Ye returned to the backstage.
"Lin Ye, you did really well," Bai Wei said, feeling proud of the successful play.
"I was so nervous. Luckily, nothing went wrong," Lin Ye replied, feeling much better after seeing Tang Mingchuan.
Ye Liang approached. Their performance had been excellent, and the last scene, where they embraced, had drawn him into the role. He genuinely liked Lin Ye.
"Lin Ye, do you have time later?" Ye Liang knew Lin Ye had quit her job at the convenience store. After this play, they might not even meet anymore.
Lin Ye shook her head. "I have something to do later." She made it clear she didn't want to go, but felt awkward rejecting him.
Ye Liang's expression stiffened. It was clear she had completely immersed herself in the play. What she had said about being friends in the future was just an excuse to placate herself.
From beginning to end, it was him who had become too involved.
The promise of being friends in the future was just her way of
comforting herself.