Chapter 7: Dodging

Because of this incident, Ji Fanling felt that perhaps this usually aloof, arrogant, and sharp-tongued academic genius might actually be a pretty decent person.

Fu Yingcheng used his own money to buy medicine for her. She felt guilty about it, but she didn’t have the money to pay him back, so she came up with a way to thank him.

However, it was possible that he couldn’t appreciate the way she expressed her gratitude.

After that, Fu Yingcheng became even more distant toward her.

…

Ji Fanling replied to Zhou Sui’s message:

【Anyway, I’m just staying at his place temporarily. Once I find a job, I’ll move out.】

【Can you help me find a way to contact Cheng Jiali?】

【I’m not in a hurry, but mainly it’s been ten years.】

【I’m afraid he misses me too much.】

Zhou Sui: 【Okay, I’ll find a way to contact him.】

When they were in high school, Cheng Jiali wasn’t in the same class as them. He was a student in the International Department and didn’t take the college entrance exam, instead going abroad directly through TOEFL and SAT.

However, like Fu Yingcheng, he was also a well-known figure within three grades at Beiwan No. 1 High School.

Fu Yingcheng was famous for his outstanding performance on the honor roll, while Cheng Jiali’s fame had nothing to do with academics.

In his first year, he made a name for himself in the school’s Top Ten Singers Competition.

The young man wore sunglasses, a fiery red cropped jacket, and black Doc Martens boots. A silver, rebellious ear stud gleamed on his ear cartilage, and he carried an electric guitar slung across his body. Under the rapidly flickering colorful spotlights, he exuded an air of extreme defiance.

If Fu Yingcheng was the lone wolf that everyone knew but could only admire from afar, difficult to approach, then Cheng Jiali was the social butterfly who could strike up a conversation with anyone and thrive in any situation.

It seemed like wherever there was a gathering at school, he was part of it.

A prominent figure like him should be easy to find, right?

After Ji Fanling finished chatting with Zhou Sui, she suddenly noticed that the input box continuously displayed “The other party is typing.”

Ji Fanling waited for a while.

Ji Fanling waited and waited.

Ji Fanling couldn’t stand it any longer.

Ji Fanling: 【If you’ve got something to say, spit it out!】

Zhou Sui instantly replied with a messy long string of text: 【Fanling, over the past ten years I didn’t get to say this yesterday, but I really missed you. Yesterday, I remembered everything from ten years ago so vividly. I didn’t sleep until late. Actually, I wanted to tell you…】

Then, she quickly retracted the message.

Ji Fanling: 【?】

Sui Sui Ping An: 【…My hand slipped and it sent out.】

Sui Sui Ping An: 【You didn’t see it, right?】

Sui Sui Ping An: 【I just wanted to say, I’m really happy.】

…

Sui Sui Ping An: 【Fanling, seeing you makes me really happy.】

During the time while waiting for news from Cheng Jiali, although Ji Fanling was living with Fu Yingcheng every day, they didn’t spend much time together.

Fu Yingcheng got up very early in the morning, and Ji Fanling never knew when he left.

During the day, he was at the company, and at noon, an auntie would come over to cook.

At first, Ji Fanling felt awkward eating the food the auntie made, but after hearing that the auntie was paid monthly and would get the same salary whether she cooked or not, she immediately and gladly accepted it.

After eating, Ji Fanling would usually go out in the afternoon to walk around and explore the nearby area.

Fu Yingcheng only video-called her on the first day; after that, he never called again. Ji Fanling simply followed his instructions, letting him know when she went out and when she came back.

In the past, Ji Fanling would come and go from home as she pleased.

Even if she stayed out all night or died outside, Ji Guoliang might not even notice.

Suddenly needing to report her whereabouts to someone felt a bit strange for her. Often, it would be half an hour after she’d already left home before she remembered to let Fu Yingcheng know:

【I went out.】

She had wandered through all the nearby shops and shopping areas within two or three days, but the job search remained fruitless.

Nowadays, even bubble tea shops on the street were only hiring people with bachelor’s degrees.

This left her, a high school dropout, struggling with every step.

Not graduating from high school was bad enough, but at least she still had her precious middle school diploma. Unfortunately, she hadn’t had it on her when she died.

She didn’t even need to guess—right after she died, Ji Guoliang must have stuffed her diploma between some textbooks and sold it along with all her belongings to a junk collector for a low price.

After all, her stuff took up space if kept, but if sold, it could at least be exchanged for two packs of cigarettes.

Luckily, the truly important things she had were always worn on her.

The weather was cold, and Ji Fanling kept her hands tucked inside her sleeves, lightly fiddling with the string of beads on her wrist.

…

The beads, worn close to her skin, were warm, as if they could give her a little bit of strength.

Considering that she needed an identity for work, travel, and housing, Ji Fanling found a fake ID seller through a flyer on a telephone pole and planned to get a fake ID card.

Initially, she also considered getting a fake Beiwan No. 1 High School diploma, but then she changed her mind. If it was going to be fake anyway, why not aim high? She decided to get a student ID from the best university in Beiwan—A University.

College students doing part-time jobs and work-study gigs are far more common than high school students.

The money for the fake ID, she borrowed from Zhou Sui.

Originally, she only asked to borrow 200, but Zhou Sui directly transferred 500 to her.

It would take two or three days to get the fake ID made. Even if she managed to get the ID and find a job as quickly as possible, she would still have to wait a month before receiving her first paycheck. Then, even if she found a rental as fast as possible…

At the very least, she would have to stay at Fu Yingcheng’s place for over a month.

Ji Fanling squatted by the roadside, counting the days on her fingers. The more she calculated, the more numb she felt, as if she were wildly dancing on the edge of Fu Yingcheng’s tolerance.

The best outcome would be for Zhou Sui to contact Cheng Jiali soon, and then everything would naturally fall into place.

To this day, she still remembers the day Cheng Jiali confessed to her.

During the day, he asked her to come to the International Department that evening, saying they had just finished exams and were planning to watch Transformers 4 in the classroom that night, suggesting she join him. Ji Fanling agreed and skipped evening self-study to go to the next building and find Cheng Jiali.

When she arrived, the classroom was pitch dark, with no lights on, just like how it would be if they were about to watch a movie.

Ji Fanling pulled her hood low and sneaked in through the back door.

Suddenly, the lights in the classroom flashed on.

—Under the bright lights, the room was filled with roses.

The fiery roses spread across the classroom like a sea, but even more intense than the roses was the boy standing in the middle of the floral ocean. Behind him, the projector screen didn’t show Transformers, but rather a large line of text:

“Ji Fanling, I like you.”

The onlookers hiding in the corners of the classroom, holding up their phones, finally couldn’t suppress their excitement and screamed, “Be together! Be together!!”

The school had no shortage of couples secretly dating, but this was the first time anyone had made such a bold and public confession!

“Alright, stop yelling, I can’t even hear her speak.”

Cheng Jiali couldn’t help but laugh and curse, silencing the loud cheers from the other students.

Ji Fanling was still in a daze when the boy bent down, leaned closer, his upturned fox-like eyes both wild and bright. The corners of his lips curved, and his lazy drawl lingered on his words:

“So, what do you say? I’ll wait patiently.”

“Waiting one day is fine, even ten years is okay.”

…

Who would have thought those words would become a prophecy? Ten years really had passed.

Ji Fanling had a feeling that the day she would see Cheng Jiali again wasn’t far off.

*

Just like the past couple of days, Fu Yingcheng got home at six in the evening.

The auntie would prepare dinner in advance before leaving, so by the time Fu Yingcheng arrived, it would be just in time for him and Ji Fanling to have dinner together. This was one of the few chances they had to see each other during the day.

Dinner was a sumptuous spread of four dishes and a soup, even the rice was cooked with stir-fried potatoes, peas, and ham, making it colorful, fragrant, and appetizing.

Ji Fanling washed her hands, sat down, and without saying a word, buried her head in her food.

The spoon was a bit too big for her mouth, and she hunched over the edge of the bowl like a hamster eating, shoveling spoonful after spoonful of rice into her mouth.

Fu Yingcheng glanced at her a few times during the meal. Finally, he put down his chopsticks and asked, “What did you have for lunch?”

Ji Fanling’s cheeks were puffed out, and she struggled to swallow the rice in her mouth before replying, “Stir-fried beef and celery with shrimp.”

“Was it not good?”

“It was good.”

“Did you not eat enough?”

“I ate enough.”

“Then why,” Fu Yingcheng frowned, “do you eat like a bulldozer every day?”

Ji Fanling: “…”

You’re the bulldozer, your whole family is bulldozers.

“I’ve always eaten quickly.”

Ji Fanling said with a blank expression, “What, does eating with me make you feel pressured?” She picked up her bowl, “In that case, I’ll go eat in the living room.”

“Eat right here.” Fu Yingcheng’s gaze briefly and subtly fell on her lips before he paused and added, “Eat a little slower. Are you afraid I’ll fight you for the food?”

The rice had just been scooped from the rice cooker, yet she seemed completely unfazed by the heat.

Her usually pale lips now had a rosy hue, a delicate shade of crimson.

It was as if even the breath she exhaled when she spoke was hot.

“Afraid? Do you really think you can out-eat me?”

Ji Fanling remained completely oblivious and sat back down, reluctantly saying, “Fine, I’ll let you have some.”

Ji Fanling did eat quickly, which made Fu Yingcheng’s normal pace seem especially slow and methodical. Despite sincerely letting him have a few extra bites, she still finished her meal while he was only halfway through.

She began playing on her phone while waiting for him.

The algorithm pushed some news her way, including a traffic accident on Hupo South Road, with two dead and one injured… Ji Fanling suddenly felt curious and decided to search for herself online.

She actually found something.

《High School Girl Mysteriously Disappears After Car Accident, No Signs of Life or Body After 30 Days.》

《’96 Girl Disappears After Act of Courage, Police Search for Two Months Without Success.》

《17-Year-Old Girl Vanishes After Traffic Accident, Drunk Driver Claims to Know Nothing.》

…