Chapter 28 - 28

  Xue Min and Xiang Yu were both selected by the school to participate in an essay competition. When Xue Min received the news, he volunteered to the teacher that he could gather the participating students in the small auditorium for the teacher to introduce the details to them. He first notified the other students, asking them to head to the auditorium, and then he went to Xiang Yu's class to find her.

 Pretending not to know Xiang Yu, he called a student over to ask. "Xiang Yu, someone's looking for you," the girl called out to Xiang Yu. Xiang Yu was doing her homework and looked up when she heard her name. Xue Min walked over to her, "Hello, I'm Xue Min from the year 11 of high school." "Hello, Xue. What's the matter?" Xiang Yu acted like she didn't recognize him at all. "Oh, the list of students representing the school in the essay competition is out. Both of us are selected, and the teacher wants us to go to the auditorium together." "Oh, okay, Xue. You go first; I'll be there soon." "I'm not in a hurry; I can wait for you." Xiang Yu turned to Lu Heng next to her and said, "Work hard, don't slack off just because I'm not here. Wait for me to come back if there's something you don't understand." "Oh." Lu Heng pouted. Xue Min's gaze shifted between Lu Heng and Xiang Yu, and as if he couldn't bear to look directly, he turned his head away. "Alright, Xue, let's go," Xiang Yu said, walking out first, with Xue Min following behind. Silence, it was silent all the way. Xue Min cleared his throat, "Xiang Yu, your name is Xiang Yu?" "Yes." "Your essays are really good. Have you ever thought about submitting to the school radio station?" "No." Xiang Yu walked quickly the whole way. Xue Min followed behind her, not knowing what to say, so he asked, "Xiang Yu, do you know me?" Xiang Yu answered without thinking, "No." "No? One day behind the school building in the small grove, you were smoking, right?" Xiang Yu replied even more straightforwardly, "I don't smoke." "I saw you smoking." Xue Min grabbed Xiang Yu's arm and looked at her, "I saw you smoking." "Then go and report me to the teacher." Xiang Yu shook off his hand and walked on her own. Xue Min was the last to arrive at the auditorium. He sat in the seat behind Xiang Yu, staring at the back of her head, not listening to what the teacher was saying at all. His mind was buzzing. He wanted to tell Xiang Yu that he didn't mean it that way, he didn't want to report her, he just wanted her to know that he knew her secret. But Xue Min then realized that Xiang Yu was even colder than the rumors. He couldn't even reconcile the Xiang Yu who had just instructed Lu Heng to do his homework with the one talking to him.

 After the teacher finished speaking, everyone dispersed. Xue Min called out to Xiang Yu, "Xiang Yu, I won't report you. That's not what I meant." "Okay." Xiang Yu walked past him. He watched her back as she left, feeling a bit of fear in his heart. He was afraid that Xiang Yu wouldn't speak to him again, and even more afraid that Xiang Yu didn't remember him at all. Finally, he realized that whether Xiang Yu remembered him or not, she wouldn't take the initiative to talk to him, because she saw him as just like everyone else. This realization made Xue Min both depressed and somewhat upset.

 Xiang Yu didn't dwell on this minor disturbance at all. She was busy studying hard and supervising Lu Heng's studies. In her spare time, she would draw, read books, or sometimes hang out with Zhou Sipin and Xiao Zhanyuan, watching movies, eating snacks, and enjoying her life. Xiang Yu's parents had both remarried, and she saw them only once every month or two. However, in this life, the family's financial situation had improved significantly, and the money they gave her was more generous. Her grandmother was still in good health, often spending time with her old friends. Mainly, Xiang Yu took good care of herself, so her grandmother didn't have to worry about her at all.