"Chen Yuchen, I really didn't expect you to be this kind of person." Lin Siyen's face was pale with anger as her fingers slammed against the keyboard. "Did I say anything wrong? I told you, if you retake the exam for a year, I'll wait for you. Don't you even have that little bit of trust in me?"
Chen Yuchen stared at the words on the screen and couldn't help but sigh. He and Lin Siyen had grown up together, always sharing a close relationship. Lin Siyen was the classic "good girl" in the eyes of teachers and parents—top grades and stunning looks. She had been the object of countless boys' admiration in their younger years.
And back then, Chen Yuchen had also fantasized about her.
But as the years went by, especially after his rebirth, Chen Yuchen saw things with increasing clarity. Yes, Lin Siyen was beautiful, but her personality was not as kind or gentle as it appeared. She was used to being the little princess at home, always expecting others to revolve around her.
"Why was I so infatuated with her back then?" Chen Yuchen chuckled at himself, amused by his former obsession. He didn't bother replying to her messages and instead closed the chat window, redirecting his focus to his novel.
The royalty payments for July had come in—a total of sixty thousand yuan. Chen Yuchen was quite pleased. He set aside two thousand for driving lessons and invested the rest into his stock portfolio. He wasn't planning on making frequent trades, but rather bought some high-quality stocks, figuring they would yield returns eventually—at the very least, better than bank interest.
August arrived, and the weather remained stiflingly hot. As Chen Yuchen sat at home, listening to the low hum of the air conditioner, a chill suddenly ran through him—the old unit had broken down.
"Looks like this machine's reached the end of its life," he thought to himself. He decided to head to the electronics store and bought two new air conditioners: one for his own room and the other for his mother's.
When his mother saw the brand-new unit, she was taken aback. "Where did you get the money for this?"
"From writing novels, Mom," Chen Yuchen replied casually.
"Writing novels? Don't get scammed!" his mother immediately began to fret. "There are so many swindlers online these days. Be careful."
"Don't worry, Mom. I've got nothing to scam. They can't take anything from me," Chen Yuchen reassured her with a smile. He didn't tell her that he'd earned tens of thousands. Instead, he downplayed it: "Just a few thousand, enough to buy the air conditioner."
"A few thousand sounds more reasonable." His mother nodded, visibly more at ease, even feeling a small sense of pride. She couldn't help but boast to her friends on the phone: "My son's making money writing novels now. He's finally able to support himself!"
One day in early August, while Chen Yuchen was deep in writing, his high school friend Zhao Zhiming suddenly knocked on the door, full of excitement. "Chen Yuchen, a bunch of us are getting together tonight! Everyone who's going to study in Jinling is coming. You're coming, right?"
Without even thinking, Chen Yuchen replied calmly, "I'm not going."
Zhao Zhiming plopped down on his bed, scratching his head in confusion. "Come on, man, everyone's going. Why not join us? It's a chance to catch up!"
"They can do their thing. It has nothing to do with me," Chen Yuchen said, his fingers still flying across the keyboard. Since his rebirth, he had mastered the ability to multitask, typing without slowing down.
Seeing how indifferent Chen Yuchen was, Zhao Zhiming hesitated, then awkwardly added, "Actually… Lin Siyen asked me to come get you."
At this, Chen Yuchen stopped typing, glancing up at Zhao Zhiming. "I figured it was her." He smiled, already having guessed the reason behind this sudden invitation.
Zhao Zhiming sighed, trying to persuade him. "Come on, man, no need to be like this. Lin Siyen specifically asked me to invite you. Can't you just go, if not for the group, at least for her? It's just a gathering—you've got nothing to lose. Who knows? Maybe there's still a chance for you two."
Chen Yuchen looked at Zhao Zhiming, silent for a moment, before coolly responding, "Go back and tell her: either she becomes my girlfriend, or we're strangers. It's her choice." His voice was calm but firm.
Zhao Zhiming was stunned, speechless.
"Really, man, you're serious?" Zhao Zhiming tried to continue, but Chen Yuchen cut him off before he could finish.
"Don't bother trying to convince me. My mind's made up," Chen Yuchen said, turning back to his keyboard, dismissing the conversation.
Zhao Zhiming opened his mouth to speak, but after a moment of hesitation, he let out a sigh and left the room in silence.
Watching him leave, Chen Yuchen's lips curled into a faint smile. He knew that in this new life, he couldn't afford to waste time on past feelings. Either you move forward, or you say goodbye completely.
This time, he was choosing to move forward.