Chapter 34: I’ll Think About It More

Jian Li worked part-time at a convenience store until the end of the semester. On her last day, the boss came over to settle her wages and said as he did:

“Xiao Jian, your work performance is fine, but your emotional intelligence could use some work. It’d be great if you were a bit more mindful of how you speak.” The boss was from another region, speaking Mandarin with a local dialect accent. “Having social skills is important, you can’t just ignore it.”

After receiving her wages, Jian Li packed up her things. As she reached the door, she stopped, turned around, and asked, “What do you mean by lacking emotional intelligence?”

The boss thought she was reflecting on his advice and explained in a teaching tone, “It’s about how you talk to people. Even if you’re upset, you still need to greet them with a smile. There’s an old saying: at home, you rely on your parents, but when you go out, you rely on friends. The more friends you have, the more paths you’ll have. You never know when you’ll need to deal with someone, and if you make things awkward, it can backfire on you later. When you really need help, you could get the door slammed in your face.”

Jian Li nodded and said, “Thank you.”

The Lantern Festival had just passed, and the once quiet campus was gradually coming back to life. The snow on the ground had been cleared, covering the marks of the past year.

Before the semester started, Jian Li and two other sophomores set up a stall near the North Gate, a place students had to pass on their way to the dorms. They spent the evening going door-to-door in the dorms, reviewing their work, and by the time they returned to their dorms, it was already 10 PM. The next morning, they were up again by 8 AM.

There were door-to-door activities throughout the first week of school. Jian Li, after attending classes, didn’t even return to the dorm before going to the business office. Although the spring season’s sales weren’t as good as the autumn, Jian Li had gone from being completely unskilled to handling all sorts of problems with ease. She understood well that providing good after-sales service was part of expanding the business. After each transaction, she had her classmates add her on WeChat and noted their names, dormitories, and phone numbers.

After completing the last dorm room, Jian Li came out of the girls’ dormitory. As she descended the stairs, her phone rang.

“Hello, Ying Ying.” She switched to holding the flyers with the other hand.

The noise on Tan Xueying’s end was loud, with someone in the background shouting, “Boss, add more pig kidneys.”

“Are you done? Come over for late-night snacks, it’s right across from the South Gate.” Tan Xueying lowered her voice. “Zhou Shubei’s here too. He’s been sitting here for five minutes, and they’ve already asked him for WeChat twice.”

Jian Li shuddered in the cold, and snowflakes fell from the branches in front of her, quickly melting.

She put on her mask and replied, “You guys eat, I’m a bit tired.”

Knowing that Jian Li had been busy going out early and coming back late recently, Tan Xueying didn’t try to persuade her further. “Alright then, I’ll keep you updated.”

Jian Li was about to decline but heard Song Lang on the other end asking Tan Xueying what she wanted to eat. She hung up after a quick exchange.

After several hours of climbing stairs, her dinner had long been used up. The only food counter open in the canteen was the noodle station, so Jian Li ordered a small bowl of noodles. Just as she sat down, her WeChat started buzzing.

It was Wu Zile, a freshman from the Computer Science Department, who had added her ten minutes ago. She had noted that he was interested in getting a card.

【Have you arrived at the dorm?】

【It’s cold, take care of yourself.】

【Does the campus card have area-specific traffic limits?】

Jian Li chewed on the greens and responded to the last question: 【No, it’s usable as long as you’re within the campus area.】

【Is it okay for gaming?】

【It works fine, but if there’s any lag, we have maintenance staff who can come to fix it.】

【I’ll come talk to you tomorrow noon. What time are you free then?】

His intentions were becoming clear. Jian Li furrowed her brow: 【If you have any questions, I can answer them on WeChat.】

【Typing is a hassle, should I send a voice message?】

Jian Li sent him the package details from her album, tired after the day’s work and feeling a bit annoyed. Her tone was more abrupt: 【I can’t voice chat, or you can give me your phone number, and I’ll have my team leader call you.】

There was no response from him. Finally, Jian Li had some peace, finished her noodles, and headed back to the dorm.

The second semester of her freshman year was more demanding, with new experimental tasks from her professors.

At lunch, Jian Li and Tan Xueying were eating in the canteen.

Tan Xueying looked at her and asked, “Did you have a fight with Zhou Shubei?”

“No.”

“Sure.” Tan Xueying chewed on her stew, “Tell me what happened. Did he bully you? I’ll go deal with him!”

Jian Li looked down at the potatoes in her bowl and was silent for two seconds. “He rejected me.”

“What?!” Tan Xueying was so shocked that she almost slammed the table. Not wanting to disturb others, she lowered her voice. “When did this happen? How did he reject you? Did you confess to him?”

She asked three questions in quick succession, and Jian Li didn’t know which to answer first.

“I didn’t confess. He knows.” Jian Li recalled what Zhou Shubei had said on New Year’s Eve and lightly tugged at her lips. “He told me not to like him.”

Even though she had already convinced herself to accept the situation, it still felt a little sad to say it aloud. But she quickly shrugged it off with a smile. “It’s fine. This way, I won’t feel awkward, and I can let go of him sooner.”

Tan Xueying sympathetically patted her shoulder and placed the largest piece of rib in her bowl. “It’s okay. He’s just Zhou Shubei. From now on, let’s focus on studying and making money. There are plenty of handsome guys in the world.”

Jian Li smiled. “Mm.”

While they were eating, a staff member from the milk tea shop brought over two cups of milk tea. Jian Li found out it was Wu Zile who had ordered them. When she glanced over, Wu Zile raised his glass and made a “cheers” gesture.

“Who’s this idiot?” Tan Xueying rolled her eyes. “Do you know him?”

“I met him during the door-to-door activity. He said he wanted to get a card,” Jian Li explained. “He hasn’t signed up yet.”

“Getting a card is impossible. What he really wants is to chase after you,” Tan Xueying said as she glanced at the milk tea. “He doesn’t even care to know your preferences. I bet he’s probably moved by his own gesture now, and be careful, he might expect you to pay for the milk tea.”

The school had a confession wall, where all sorts of strange love stories and breakups were shared. Since adding her on WeChat, Wu Zile had been messaging her at random times. Every time she didn’t respond, he would ask about campus network issues. When she replied, he’d start talking nonsense.

Jian Li was getting annoyed and considered whether to block him. She didn’t expect to run into him in the canteen.

She had barely glanced over when she saw several boys sitting with Wu Zile, teasing him as if they were already a couple.

She knew how rumors spread and how damaging they could be.

“I’ll return this to him.”

Jian Li put down her chopsticks and took the milk tea over, placing it in front of Wu Zile.

When he saw her coming, Wu Zile smiled and stood up. “It’s just a cup of milk tea, for you and your friend. Don’t feel distant.”

“Yo, yo, yo, don’t be distant.” One of the boys mocked, “Why didn’t you buy us a cup of milk tea? I want the rose puff snow top, the large size.”

“I want some too.”

Wu Zile turned around and made a gesture as if to scold them, but the smile couldn’t be hidden. “Don’t listen to them. This is a new product from the shop, everyone likes it. You should like it too.”

“I’m not feeling well recently. I don’t want milk tea, but thank you for the thought.” Jian Li responded politely, “Please don’t send it again.”

Wu Zile seemed to misunderstand. “I know you girls have been feeling sick lately, so I ordered it warm for you. You’ll definitely like it. Or if you want something else, I can go buy it for you.”

“No, I don’t like anything.” Jian Li’s tone turned cold, and she lowered her voice so only he could hear. “I don’t like you either. Please don’t do these things that disturb me. It’s very annoying.”

Just as she was about to turn and leave, Wu Zile suddenly reached out to grab her.

Jian Li quickly stepped back, only to bump into a warm chest. She instinctively tried to move away, but saw the hands that had stopped Wu Zile.

The fingers were long and clearly defined, and veins stood out on the backs of his hands.

“Are you so angry from being rejected?” The low voice came from above her, as Zhou Shubei stepped forward and shielded her. His tone was lazy but carried a hint of pressure. “You think you can win her over with just a cup of milk tea? Your cost is pretty low.”

His voice wasn’t loud, but it was enough for those around to hear.

People who didn’t know the situation immediately understood and looked at Wu Zile with contempt. Wu Zile’s face turned pale from the pain. Zhou Shubei finally released him, raised his chin slightly, and warned, “Stop eyeing the Robotics Engineering students.”

Zhou Shubei turned around, grabbed Jian Li’s wrist, and said, “Come with me.”

He led her out of the canteen and through a tree-lined path. The wind blew her hair against her face, and many curious eyes followed them as they walked.

Under a tree, Jian Li broke free from his grip.

“If there’s something to say, say it here,” she said coldly, her voice distant.

Zhou Shubei felt as though his heart was tangled in a net, each strand tightening bit by bit, suffocating him.

After a minute of silence, Zhou Shubei still hadn’t spoken. Jian Li lowered her hand. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave.”

“Let’s talk.”

Jian Li didn’t turn around, her voice carried by the wind. “I’ll pay you back the money I owe. Or you can give me your bank details, and I’ll write an IOU. I’ll pay you back after graduation.”

Each word was an attempt to draw a line. Zhou Shubei stared at her back, and the pain in his chest grew sharper.

“It’s not about that.”

Jian Li took two deep breaths to suppress the emotions that shouldn’t be there. She turned around. “Then what is it?”

The campus broadcast was playing Jay Chou’s “Waiting for You After Class,” and from a distance, there were cheers from the basketball court. Zhou Shubei’s lips moved slightly. “He’s not a good person. Don’t be fooled.”

“Alright, thanks for the reminder.” Jian Li nodded and smiled at him. “I’ll be careful.”

Zhou Shubei’s frustration grew, feeling like he wanted to wipe that smile off her face. “Stop smiling.”

Jian Li stopped smiling, turning into a robot carrying out instructions. Zhou Shubei’s chest felt a weight, but the punch could only be aimed at himself.

Clearly, what Jian Li was doing was right, and it was what he wanted. But it didn’t feel right. He knew that after today, Jian Li might never appear in front of him again, like they had never known each other. The next time they would meet—whether it was in five or ten years, or maybe never again.

This meeting was the last one.

And he couldn’t bear the outcome.

Zhou Shubei stepped forward and raised his hand, intending to brush the hair from her face, but Jian Li seemed to anticipate his move and took a step back, creating a distance between them.

“Zhou Shubei,” she called his full name, her eyes dry and sore from the cold wind. “Thanks for helping me today, but please don’t do this again.”

“I’ll think about it more.”