Pei You spent a long time playing with Xiao Xing, although it eventually became a one-sided affair, as the cat, overcome by sleepiness, curled up on the floor and dozed off.

It was still early. Pei You sat beside Xiao Xing, scrolling through her phone, then glanced towards the study.

She didn’t know what Huo Yichi was doing in there. Perhaps reading, or maybe something else—

Like contacting her crush.

She’d heard what Huo Yichi had said last night, that the person she liked was a friend.

Pei You had thought about it a lot; honestly, she was curious. It had even kept her awake, but she didn’t dare show it.

She and Huo Yichi hadn’t been in contact for two years, and they ran in different circles, so she couldn’t even begin to guess who it was.

And she didn’t know if it was a man or a woman.

Pei You knew her own preferences; having liked a girl before, she was aware of her own sexuality.

But what about Huo Yichi?

Huo Yichi had only said she “liked someone”; she hadn’t specified the person’s gender.

It could be anyone.

There was a high probability that Huo Yichi was straight.

This thought made it even more difficult for Pei You to guess.

Out of so many people, how could she possibly know?

She briefly considered herself as a possibility, but she didn’t fit Huo Yichi’s description, did she?

Unrequited love, for many years…

Pei You immediately dismissed the idea.

By 5 pm, Pei You was tired of scrolling through her phone. Huo Yichi still hadn’t emerged from the study. She stood up, walked over to the study door, and knocked softly. “Huo Yichi,” she paused, “I should get going.”

“Okay,” Huo Yichi’s voice came from inside.

Just as Pei You was about to say she could let herself out, the door opened, and Huo Yichi appeared.

Pei You’s eyes widened. “You’re so quiet.”

“Good soundproofing,” Huo Yichi smiled. “Let’s go, I’ll drive you home.”

Pei You shook her head. “No, thanks. I’ll get a taxi.”

Huo Yichi’s study was decorated in a sophisticated, artistic style. Rows of bookshelves lined the walls, but they were too far away for Pei You to read the titles, except for a few with larger fonts.

Huo Yichi enjoyed reading; this wasn’t a surprise.

They often went to bookstores together back when they were pretending to be a couple.

Pei You would browse the romance section, while Huo Yichi, in a quiet corner, would be engrossed in books Pei You couldn’t understand. She would sit so still, almost blending into the background.

“I’ll drive you,” Huo Yichi insisted, stepping closer.

Pei You took a step back. They had been standing too close, and she could smell Huo Yichi’s perfume again.

It smelled good, so good that she felt a strange reluctance to leave.

Reluctance?

The thought startled her.

Huo Yichi, seeing the change in her expression, asked with concern, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Pei You shook her head. “Really, you don’t have to drive me; I’ll get a taxi.”

This was the second time she’d said this.

Huo Yichi didn’t push it.

“Then I’ll at least walk you downstairs,” Huo Yichi said. “I haven’t thanked you properly for letting me stay over last night, and for coming over to play with Xiao Xing today.”

This was Huo Yichi’s new strategy, conceived in her study.

There had been no spark between her and Pei You before because their interactions had been too awkward, filled with awkward silences.

She couldn’t let that happen again. They needed more… substance in their interactions.

If Pei You hadn’t shared her New Year’s resolution last night, Huo Yichi might have hesitated, but she had, so…

She had to make a move!

Huo Yichi mentally prepared herself.

She wanted to talk more with Pei You, create more opportunities for interaction.

Preferably, a series of reciprocal favors, an ongoing exchange that would intertwine their lives a little more.

Pei You waved her hand dismissively, realizing what Huo Yichi was doing, a smile playing on her lips. “It’s fine, we’re friends, right?”

“But I still want to thank you,” Huo Yichi said, her brow slightly furrowed, as she started walking towards the door. “I got scolded when I went home today.”

Pei You walked beside her, her expression concerned. “Oh? Why?”

“Why else? Because I didn’t go to the family dinner last night. My dad asked if I thought I was too good for them now.”

Huo Yichi chuckled humorlessly. “Do they even realize how they’ve treated me all these years?”

Pei You lowered her gaze. “That’s awful.”

They reached the entrance and changed into their shoes.

“It was New Year’s Day,” Pei You’s lips curved downwards.

It seemed that now that they were “friends,” she was more concerned about Huo Yichi’s well-being.

Before, she would have just brushed it off.

Actually, before, Huo Yichi wouldn’t have even told her such things.

Pei You had always assumed Huo Yichi came from a happy, loving family, which was why she seemed so well-adjusted.

But it wasn’t true. Listening to Huo Yichi, Pei You realized her life might not be as happy as Pei You’s.

“What about New Year’s Day? I’ve been kicked out of the house on New Year’s Day, too.”

Pei You: “…”

“Let’s go,” Huo Yichi said, deciding not to dwell on it any longer. Overdoing the sob story might backfire.

Since Pei You didn’t want her to drive her all the way home, Huo Yichi just took her downstairs.

But once they were downstairs, Huo Yichi insisted on walking Pei You to the convenience store at the gate, saying she needed to buy some snacks.

Pei You looked at her suspiciously. “You still want to drive me home, don’t you?”

“No,” Huo Yichi said innocently, “I just ran out of snacks at home.”

“Fine,” Pei You said.

They reached the gate, and Pei You waved goodbye. “See you later; I’m going home now.”

“Okay, see you,” Huo Yichi said, tightening her scarf.

It was the scarf Pei You had given her.

She’d put it on specifically before leaving the house.

She watched as Pei You got into a taxi, her lips curving upwards into a smile only after the taxi was out of sight.

She’d failed again.

Pei You hadn’t even wanted her to walk her home.

Huo Yichi turned back, walking towards her apartment building. She didn’t need to buy any snacks; she didn’t even like snacks.

She’d thought that after knowing each other for so long, Pei You would know that, so it had been a test.

And Pei You hadn’t disappointed her. Just like she hadn’t recognized Xiao Xing from the profile picture, she hadn’t questioned Huo Yichi’s claim about buying snacks.

A hollow ache settled in Huo Yichi’s chest.

Because Pei You clearly hadn’t been paying attention to her.

Xiao Xing had woken up after Pei You left.

Seeing Huo Yichi return, it meowed softly.

Huo Yichi squatted down in front of it, opening the bag of freeze-dried treats Pei You had bought.

Xiao Xing’s eyes widened, all traces of sleepiness gone, its gaze fixed expectantly on the treats.

Huo Yichi chuckled. “Do you remember her? The girl who was here today?”

Xiao Xing sniffed at the treats in her hand.

Either it hadn’t heard her, or it didn’t understand.

Watching the cat happily munching on the treats, Huo Yichi sighed. “That girl…,” she said softly, “is the person I’ve liked for a very long time.”

So long that even now, recalling their first meeting still made her heart flutter.

She hadn’t forgotten; the memory was vivid and clear.

After introducing herself, Pei You had offered her a piece of chocolate.

Huo Yichi had eaten it; it had been bittersweet.

She didn’t like chocolate, but that had been the only time she had ever finished a piece.

It had been the best chocolate she’d ever tasted.

But because she’d been so unwell, she’d only taken the morning exams that day before going to the hospital.

She had wanted to go back, to at least exchange contact information with Pei You, but the exam was over, and she didn’t know which class Pei You was in, only her name.

She’d searched for Pei You on the No. 1 High School online forum and found a few mentions of her name, but what could she do with that?

Leave a message asking for Pei You’s contact information? She’d be labeled a stalker.

No. 1 and No. 2 High Schools weren’t far apart, only three bus stops away.

Hoping to see Pei You again, Huo Yichi had even taken a detour, passing by No. 1 High School on her way home.

After countless attempts, she’d finally seen Pei You again, walking with another girl.

They had been walking side by side, smiling, a picture of youthful camaraderie.

That was the first time Huo Yichi had felt a pang of jealousy over someone she’d barely spoken to.

Later, she’d realized that the constant thoughts, the longing, could only mean one thing: she was in love.

But that love, like a fleeting flower, had bloomed briefly during her high school years, then withered.

She hadn’t expected to see Pei You again.

But fate, as if playing a cruel joke, had brought them together again in college.

It had been a long time, but Huo Yichi had recognized her instantly.

Those amber eyes were etched in her memory.

She’d tried to forget, thought she had forgotten, but seeing Pei You again had rekindled the memory, so vivid and clear it almost made her gasp.

But Pei You had changed. She no longer seemed like the bright, cheerful girl Huo Yichi remembered.

There was a sadness in her eyes, a lack of sparkle.

They had been flag bearers together, enduring military training side by side.

Huo Yichi knew people were comparing them, but she didn’t care; all that mattered was Pei You.

But Pei You seemed withdrawn, detached from the world around her, rarely showing any emotion.

Huo Yichi wanted to ask what had happened, but they weren’t close.

It wasn’t until she saw Pei You being harassed by an unwanted suitor that she’d finally gathered the courage to make a move, suggesting they pretend to be a couple.

Huo Yichi had tried to appear confident, hiding her own insecurities around Pei You, even feigning indifference to their fake relationship.

Pei You had agreed.

They had become a fake couple.

Sometimes they attended classes together, sometimes they walked back to the dorms together.

They joined the same club and even went on assignments together.

But it was all superficial. Especially after learning about Pei You’s crush, Huo Yichi had become even more cautious.

Her family background had made her sensitive and insecure; she was afraid that one wrong move would ruin even their superficial relationship.