Early the next morning, as soon as the faint ray of sunlight peeked through the gap in the curtain into the room, Zhao Yuexuan left quietly. Zhao Yuxuan had tossed and turned all night. Already in a state of confusion, after being harassed by Wu Junhui, he was even more sleepless. He irritably climbed into Wu Junhui's bed. Wu Junhui, however, was excited, with an uncontrollable look of pride in his eyes, and couldn't wait to say, "Brother, do you know? I was amazing last night. I did it three times in one night. When you and Chen Shihan first got together, how many times at most did you do it?"
At this moment, Zhao Yuxuan's heart was like a tangled mess. In fact, the person with whom he first had sexual experience was not Chen Shihan, and that was a long time ago. On that passionate and impulsive night, he had had five unforgettable youthful impulses. However, when he saw Wu Junhui's expectant and proud eyes, a complex emotion suddenly welled up in his heart. He couldn't bear to easily shatter the self - confidence his friend had just built up. After all, it was a somewhat fragile pride at this time. So, he just slightly curled his lips, showing a faint smile, and said softly, "Not as many as you. You're more amazing."
Hearing this, Wu Junhui was like a man who had received the greatest honor. His smile became even brighter, full of satisfaction and pride. After a while, he seemed to suddenly come back to his senses from that excited state, as if he had just remembered something important. He frowned and said, "Brother, how on earth did you and Chen Shihan break up? Alas, how could you give the house to her? Isn't that a bit too silly?"
Zhao Yuxuan gently shook his head, with a hint of fatigue and helplessness in his eyes, and said slowly, "Wu Junhui, I don't want to talk about this anymore. I'll tell you one thing now. I don't plan to continue my studies. I want to go to a place."
Hearing this, Wu Junhui couldn't help but be stunned. His eyes widened slightly, and he asked full of doubts, "Brother, where do you want to go?"
Zhao Yuxuan slightly raised his head, looking at the somewhat gray sky outside the window, and thought for a while. He thought it was better not to tell Wu Junhui about going to Xiling to investigate the clues. After all, this was his own business, and at present, he had an indescribable sense of alienation from those around him. So, he just said blandly, "I want to go out and relax."
Wu Junhui nodded thoughtfully after hearing this and said, "Your family has had such a big incident, and you and Chen Shihan have become like this. Indeed, you should go out and get some fresh air. But what about school? Are you planning to take a leave of absence?"
Zhao Yuxuan shook his head again. There was a firmness in his eyes, and this firmness was mixed with a resolute farewell to his past life. He said, "No, I don't want to study anymore. Please go and tell the school on my behalf. But now I have one thing. Maybe I need to ask you and Zhao Qiyang for help."
Wu Junhui, who usually looked chubby and gave people the impression of being a bit slow - witted, surprisingly, didn't act muddled at this crucial moment. Immediately, a look of embarrassment appeared on his face. He sighed gently and said somewhat ruefully, "Brother, I know you have no money now. Alas, why didn't you tell me earlier? Actually, I had a little money originally. But you know, I've been busy chasing girls these days, and the money has been spent like running water. Moreover, my father is now facing the dilemma of unemployment. Life is really tight. You, why didn't you tell me earlier?"
When he said this, he secretly glanced at Zhao Yuxuan, with a hint of guilt in his eyes, and then continued, "Brother, I know in my heart that I've borrowed a lot of money from you over the years. Don't worry. When I get a job in the future, I will definitely pay you back all the money. Alas, originally, the motorcycle you lent me money to buy some time ago could have been sold to raise money. But I told my father that I won it in a lottery. My father likes riding that motorcycle very much. If he finds out that the motorcycle is gone, he will surely beat me up severely. Brother, how about this? Zhao Qiyang told me two days ago that his father's company business is getting bigger and bigger, and he should have some money in hand. I'll go and talk to him for you. I think he should give me this face."
In fact, Zhao Yuxuan had known all along that Wu Junhui had no money. Originally, he did plan to let Wu Junhui sell the motorcycle first to raise money, but after hearing what he said, he didn't want to force him anymore. Deep in Zhao Yuxuan's heart, he had quietly removed the word "friend" from between him and Wu Junhui. However, he didn't feel angry, just deeply disappointed. After all, even Chen Shihan could betray him. In this world, who else was truly trustworthy? The saying "Only when a family is poor can one know whether his wife is virtuous; only when a country is in ruins can one know whether his ministers are loyal" kept echoing in his mind, as if telling a cruel reality. He thought to himself, what could Zhao Qiyang do? He didn't have much hope for Zhao Qiyang either. Since his parents passed away, his life had suddenly fallen from a sunny day into a dark abyss, and everything around him had changed dramatically. Although Zhao Qiyang and Wu Junhui had also said some comforting words, those words were like bubbles floating on the water, seemingly beautiful but without any substantial support. None of them had really accompanied him through those most difficult times. In Zhao Yuxuan's mind, those scenes full of laughter and back - slapping in the past seemed to be things from a previous life, so distant and blurry.
The class bell was about to ring. As expected, Wu Junhui enthusiastically called Zhao Qiyang to the dormitory. The air in the dormitory seemed to become a bit heavy. Wu Junhui told Zhao Qiyang everything about Zhao Yuxuan. After hearing this, Zhao Qiyang slightly frowned, with a flash of hesitation in his eyes, and then asked slowly, "Yuxuan, how much money do you want?"
When Zhao Yuxuan heard the word "want", his heart couldn't help but throb violently. Yes, in his current situation, he really didn't seem to have the ability to repay the debt. Moreover, once he left, he would be like a leaf floating in the wind. No one knew where he would float to, whether he would come back, and whether they would meet again in the future. In this case, it seemed that "wanting" money was indeed more appropriate than "borrowing" money.
Zhao Yuxuan secretly clenched his teeth as if he had made a great determination, and said slowly, "Five thousand yuan."
After hearing this number, Zhao Qiyang was silent for a long time, as if time had stood still at this moment. After a long while, he finally said slowly, "Yuxuan, you don't know. My father's small company has been operating very poorly these days, like a small boat teetering on the verge of capsizing in a storm, and it may sink at any time. Moreover, my father is usually very strict with me and rarely gives me pocket money. I'm also very short of money myself. Well, I still have two thousand yuan of lucky money left from last Spring Festival. I can give you all this money. What do you think?"
Zhao Yuxuan's heart seemed to sink into a cold ice cellar at this moment. That deep disappointment was like cold water submerging him. He was almost about to thank Zhao Qiyang for this so - called "generosity", but in the end, he still didn't break through that layer of window paper. He just said in an extremely flat tone, "Since you only have this much money and you need it for yourself, forget it. Keep it."
Hearing this, Zhao Qiyang showed a strange expression on his face and asked in confusion, "What? You don't want it?"
Zhao Yuxuan forced a smile and nodded, saying, "Yes, I don't want it. I'll find another way to get money."
Zhao Qiyang gently "hummed" and then reached out and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "All right, Yuxuan. If you need help in the future, just let me know."
Zhao Yuxuan nodded silently again and then said, "Okay, Zhao Qiyang, Wu Junhui, it's time for class. You go to the classroom. I want to be alone for a while."
Zhao Qiyang and Wu Junhui looked at each other, saw a complex emotion in each other's eyes, and then without saying more, they turned around and left silently.
Zhao Yuxuan stood there quietly, silently watching their gradually receding figures, only feeling that their hearts, like their persons, were getting farther and farther away from him step by step until they finally disappeared at the end of the corridor.
At this time, Zhao Yuxuan deeply realized in his heart that for a person, time and experience are like two ruthless carving knives, carving deep marks on one's heart. These marks will profoundly affect his judgment of the people and things around him. If his parents hadn't passed away, if everything was still the same as before without any changes, then he would surely still have a beautiful and charming girlfriend as in the past, and there would be two good friends who grew up with him, played together almost every day, and were as close as brothers. But now, although his heart was full of great disappointment, deep in his disappointment, he was also secretly glad. Glad that he had at least seen these people around him clearly and seen their true faces.
After being silent for a long time, Zhao Yuxuan slowly sat down at the desk in the dormitory and picked up a pen to write two letters. One letter was for his grandparents, and the other was for his maternal grandparents. He knew in his heart that if he called to tell them about his decision, he was afraid that when he heard their voices full of old - age vicissitudes and sadness, he would find it very difficult to firmly take the step of leaving. Therefore, only by writing letters could he fully convey his thoughts to them without being influenced by their emotions.
Before leaving, Zhao Yuxuan put his hand into his pocket and carefully counted the money inside. The little money he had, only eighty - seven yuan and fifty cents in total. This amount of money was like a few drops of water in the desert. Besides being able to support him to get to the railway station, it couldn't take him anywhere else. But he couldn't care less. There was a strong voice in his heart shouting that he must leave and bravely take this first step. Since the future was an unknown world full of confusion, like a forest filled with thick fog, staying here would only make him achieve nothing. It was better to move forward first, to see what would happen on the road ahead, and to try whether he could solve these problems that were bothering him.
A person, if he always thinks too much, is like being trapped in a quagmire. Often, he will become more and more irritable and aimless, and finally can only struggle in place and be unable to extricate himself.