Chapter Seventy-Three: He Held Her

“But I haven’t seen any particularly pretty freshmen girls,” Yu Bin said, scanning the room.

“Even if there were, none would look at you. Compared to Song Chengyi, if you two sat together, ten out of ten would ignore you.”

“That’s harsh. By the way, has our campus heartthrob Song Chengyi taken a fancy to any new girls?” Their friends began to tease.

“Let’s eat,” Song Chengyi replied without caring, not even glancing in that direction again.

Luo Yixia hurried through her meal, eager to leave, but her three infatuated roommates dragged her back, insisting they couldn’t go before watching their so-called male idol finish eating.

“Wow, look how elegantly he eats—he must be really well brought up,” Gan Yanyan said dreamily, cupping her face.

“Just look at you, acting all silly. How did I never know there was someone like him at the old campus? If I’d known, I’d have gone there every day, no matter how far it was, just to catch a glimpse of him.”

“To meet him even once is a blessing for three lifetimes.”

“Ugh.” Luo Yixia couldn’t help making a retching sound at the wrong moment.

“What’s wrong with you? Are you pregnant?” Lin Ya rolled her eyes.

For some reason, at those words, Luo Yixia’s face flushed, and she felt awkward.

She knew Lin Ya was joking, but she couldn’t help thinking of Song Chengyi.

“What’s with your red face? I was only teasing—don’t tell me it’s true?” Lin Ya perked up, sensing gossip.

“My face isn’t red, I’m just hot. The cafeteria’s so crowded. Let’s go back to the dorm now,” Luo Yixia retorted quickly.

“You’re not even going to look at the handsome guys anymore?” The others stared at her.

Luo Yixia stood up, glanced at the person not far away who was quietly eating, and felt a pang of sadness. “I’ll go pack my things,” she said, turning away.

“Hey, Yixia! Luo Yixia!” Lin Ya’s voice boomed across the cafeteria, drawing every eye in the room, especially since everyone had been quietly watching the handsome boys.

Luo Yixia felt even more embarrassed, ducking her head and practically running.

“Hey, that new girl is quite pretty. Out of all the freshmen I’ve seen this morning, she’s the best looking. I wonder which department she’s in,” Yu Bin nudged Song Chengyi.

“I’m done eating.” Song Chengyi set down his chopsticks and left with his tray.

“Wait for me!” Yu Bin swallowed his last mouthful and hurried after him.

Outside the cafeteria, Luo Yixia kept her head down as she walked toward the dorm. Lin Ya’s loud voice had been mortifying; everyone had stared at her.

At school, Luo Yixia was nothing like the girl who lingered around Song Chengyi. She was quiet, rarely spoke, and always kept to herself. Seeing how popular and outstanding Song Chengyi was, she felt unworthy of him and didn’t want him to say anything, nor did she dare let anyone else know about their relationship.

When Song Chengyi went after her, she was already gone. He’d never seen her run so fast—she’d vanished in the blink of an eye.

He took out his phone and sent a message: [Where are you? I’m at the track. Come here.]

Luo Yixia received the message just as she arrived at the dorm, and was a little stunned.

Normally, if Song Chengyi messaged her, she’d be over the moon and would run to him without hesitation. But remembering how she hadn’t even known about his speech earlier, and how he’d acted like a stranger in the cafeteria, she felt inexplicably sad, even though this was exactly what she’d wanted.

[I’m packing up, I don’t have time. What is it?] she replied.

Song Chengyi looked at the message, hardly daring to believe Luo Yixia had replied like that.

Was she really that busy?

He turned off his phone and went back to his dorm.

Luo Yixia waited ages for a reply that never came, her eyes growing dimmer with disappointment.

Her three roommates soon returned. “Done staring at the handsome guy?” Luo Yixia asked, a teasing note in her voice.

They all sighed. “Right after you left, the heartthrob finished eating and left too. We couldn’t exactly chase him into the boys’ dorm.”

No wonder, Luo Yixia thought—he must have messaged just as I got back to the dorm.

“I really hope we can see him tonight. Let’s go early to the auditorium and grab good seats,” Lin Ya suggested.

“Yes, let’s sit in the front row!” Xu Jiayu said excitedly.

Luo Yixia sighed, making it clear she didn’t want to join in.

All afternoon, she was out of sorts—either staring at her phone or lost in thought.

“Yixia, have you finished your homework? How come you aren’t copying homework today?” Xu Jiayu asked, noticing something off.

Normally, Luo Yixia was quiet but carefree; today, she seemed preoccupied.

“I’m done. Maybe I’m just tired, thinking about the military training tomorrow,” Luo Yixia answered, leaning on her bed with a smile.

Gan Yanyan, who was doing her homework, was incredulous. “No way—you finished all your homework?”

“Yeah.”

“Where is it? I want to check.” She put down her pen and went to look.

“It’s in my bag. Go ahead.” Luo Yixia pointed.

The three immediately crowded around.

Gan Yanyan flipped through her notebook, marveling, “If I didn’t recognize her handwriting, I’d think she’d hired someone to do it. She actually finished!”

The three exchanged astonished glances.

“Go finish your homework, and you two, go eat,” Luo Yixia said, packing her homework away and shoving them toward the desk.

“Have you been possessed? You actually did your homework?” Lin Ya waved her hand in front of Luo Yixia’s face.

“There’s a big brother next door at home. We went to the library together over the summer and did our homework there,” Luo Yixia lied—her friends knew her too well to believe she’d ever finish on her own.

“How old is he? Is he good-looking?” Gan Yanyan pressed.

“He’s two years older, and he’s all right,” Luo Yixia answered vaguely.

“Why didn’t I have a childhood friend next door?” Lin Ya and Gan Yanyan hugged each other, wailing.

“Go finish your homework,” Luo Yixia nudged them to their desks.

Finally, the room quieted. Luo Yixia let out a sigh, thinking, Sorry for lying to you all.

At dinner, the four of them snuck back to the cafeteria. Luo Yixia could see her friends were too distracted to eat.

“I thought you were hungry. Why come so early and just sit here?”

“Have you seen Song Chengyi? I’ve been looking and haven’t spotted him.”

“Me neither. Maybe he’s not coming.”

They waited until it was dark, but Song Chengyi never appeared. Luo Yixia felt disappointed too—she’d hoped to see him as well. Why hadn’t he come to dinner?

By seven, the auditorium was packed. Dragged by the others, Luo Yixia left her class group and went to sit in the front row.

“We’ll be so close to Song Chengyi—so exciting!”

All around her, Luo Yixia could hear excited squeals from the girls.

Was she this lovesick once too? No wonder Song Chengyi had always found her annoying. It was too much, too much—she shook her head.

She didn’t know how long she waited. The principal gave a speech, then the freshman representative spoke, who was so nervous that everyone nearly dozed off.

At last, Song Chengyi stepped onto the stage amid everyone’s anticipation.

Instantly, the auditorium’s girls all perked up.

“Hello, everyone. I’m Song Chengyi from the Medical Department, Class of 2016. On behalf of the students of Classes 2015, 2017, and 2018, I welcome you all…”

The hall was so silent you could hear a pin drop. Song Chengyi’s charisma was overwhelming.

His three-minute speech ended, but many looked unsatisfied, staring longingly as he bowed and thanked them.

Then the auditorium erupted in thunderous applause.

Luo Yixia clearly heard a girl nearby exclaim, “He’s so handsome!”

She listened quietly the whole time, watching Song Chengyi as he left the stage.

Every eye followed him as he walked to a corner at the back. Yet still, the girls kept craning their necks for another look.

There were more activities afterward, but Luo Yixia couldn’t focus. Her mind replayed Song Chengyi’s every gesture on the stage.

So outstanding, so dazzling—this was the real Song Chengyi. What was she compared to that?

She wasn’t exceptional, always troubled him, held him back. She was insecure, liked him, but didn’t dare let anyone know.

Afterwards, Lin Ya and the others wanted to go crowd around Song Chengyi, but Luo Yixia wandered out of the auditorium in a daze.

Suddenly, a strong hand grabbed her arm and pulled her along.

She looked at the back of the person pulling her, a silhouette that couldn’t have been more familiar.

He led her to the woods by the track, where almost all the students were still in the auditorium and no one could see them.

Luo Yixia was out of breath, panting, “Weren’t you… in the auditorium?”

Song Chengyi was also breathing lightly. “I left.”

“Oh.” Luo Yixia stared at the ground, twisting her hands in her clothes.

Seeing her quiet and downcast, hair falling over her face, Song Chengyi gently tucked her hair behind her ear.

“Were you busy all afternoon? Didn’t go out even once?” he asked softly.

At that, Luo Yixia finally looked up at him.

They held each other’s gaze.

Song Chengyi smiled slightly, took her arm, and with a gentle tug, pulled her into his embrace.

He wrapped his arms around her.

Luo Yixia’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“You didn’t eat much at lunch. Did you have dinner?” Song Chengyi asked quietly by her ear.

“Yes, I did.”

“That’s good.”

Luo Yixia stood still, letting him hold her.

After a while, he released her.

She was still dazed.

He smoothed her hair. “Tomorrow you’ll be training on campus. The day after, you’ll be off-site. Remember to bring everything you need. If there’s anything, message me or come find me, all right?”

“I... I don’t want anyone to know…” Luo Yixia faltered, feeling even more unable to face this gentle Song Chengyi.