Phone Call: She Came Looking for Me

Jiang Xu was eager to see Liang Xiaoqing's face when she received the gift. It wasn't particularly expensive, but she'd bought it with her own money, and it came from the heart.

It was a hair clip she'd had her eye on for a while, sparkling in the display window of a specialty store. She hadn't set out specifically to buy something for Liang Xiaoqing; it just caught her eye, and she felt she had to get it for her.

It was only after she started college that Jiang Xu realized there was more beyond Shuiqing Town and the county seat—C City, a bustling metropolis with towering buildings and streets that glittered at night. As the city lights came on, her understanding of the world expanded once again.

She'd spotted the hair clip while shopping with her roommate. Jiang Xiaoxiao had always been Bai Tian's lackey; Bai Tian would order her to run errands like buying necklaces or accessories, tossing money at her without a second glance, saying the leftover was her running-around fee. In the sweltering heat, even a few steps left you drenched in sweat. Bai Tian had even applied for off-campus housing, lounging in a cozy house in the best part of downtown, blasting the AC and enjoying afternoon tea.

All because Bai Tian, on a whim, would call Jiang Xiaoxiao and tell her to buy some accessory.

Jiang Xiaoxiao no longer wanted to hang around Bai Tian. Bai Tian didn't respect her at all, bossing her around like a dog that could only wag its tail. Jiang Xiaoxiao was trying her best to cut ties with Bai Tian, and she'd found a new person to cozy up to: Jiang Xu.

Jiang Xu was hardworking and ambitious, always going out to work part-time, and she was a genuinely nice person. So Jiang Xiaoxiao clung to Jiang Xu day after day like a shadow. Bai Tian called her ungrateful, said she was a turncoat. When Jiang Xiaoxiao ignored her, Bai Tian flew into a rage and threatened in harsh words that if Jiang Xiaoxiao didn't listen, she'd make sure she never graduated.

Jiang Xiaoxiao cried miserably. The person she'd once desperately tried to please had now turned on her, all because of Bai Tian's irrationality and her wealthy family behind her.

Jiang Xiaoxiao was genuinely afraid Bai Tian would have her expelled. She tried to avoid Bai Tian as much as possible. Luckily, Bai Tian had gone home for the past few days, but she kept bombarding Jiang Xiaoxiao with calls. If Jiang Xiaoxiao dared to hang up, Bai Tian would say furiously, "Jiang Xiaoxiao, if you hang up on me again, you're dead!"

She'd asked Jiang Xu for help, because the other roommates couldn't stand her two-faced ways and told Jiang Xu to stay away from her.

Jiang Xu, ever understanding, gave her some advice: just endure it until graduation. After graduation, Bai Tian wouldn't bother her anymore. That's what Jiang Xu told her.

Jiang Xiaoxiao figured Jiang Xu had a point. Some people simply couldn't be defied; if you resisted, they'd find ways to torment you even more, which wasn't worth it. Besides, Bai Tian was usually generous, and even small favors were worth several months of Jiang Xiaoxiao's living expenses.

She took the job of buying the necklace for Bai Tian. That day she happened to be at the library with Jiang Xu, and Jiang Xiaoxiao dragged her to the high-end designer stores downtown. Thanks to Bai Tian, Jiang Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xu got a taste of the high life.

Jiang Xu had never been to a place like that in her life. As they wandered around, the salesclerks ignored them based on their clothes, except for one kind-looking female employee who attended to them. Jiang Xiaoxiao's heart nearly leaped into her throat when she saw the prices.

Finally, unable to choose, she told the salesclerk what she needed. The clerk recommended a diamond-studded necklace that sparkled brilliantly.

The necklace cost close to 10,000 yuan, which was the limit of what Jiang Xiaoxiao could accept. Without much confidence, she said she'd take that one and handed the clerk the shopping card Bai Tian usually used. Jiang Xiaoxiao was terrified the card wouldn't have enough money and they'd be held there.

While waiting anxiously, she noticed Jiang Xu staring at something, lost in thought. Jiang Xiaoxiao followed her gaze and saw a small, delicate barrette in the counter, studded with tiny diamonds, glittering with the glow of money. It was probably the cheapest accessory in the entire store.

Thinking Jiang Xu liked it, she tugged at her sleeve and whispered, "Let's go to another store. Things here are way too expensive. And it's just a hair clip—selling it for that much..."

Only then did Jiang Xu realize how obvious her interest had been.

After they paid, the friendly saleswoman respectfully handed Jiang Xiaoxiao the card and the shopping bag. Seeing this, the other clerks changed their expressions instantly and enthusiastically offered to introduce more items, even meticulously explaining the craftsmanship of the hair clip to Jiang Xu.

Seeing this, Jiang Xiaoxiao quickly pulled Jiang Xu out of there.

The moment Jiang Xu saw that hair clip, she felt it would suit Liang Xiaoqing perfectly—Liang Xiaoqing's hair was black, shiny, and silky, and the clip would complement her beautifully. Wearing it would make her even more striking.

She didn't know how many times she'd stood outside the window admiring it, nor how many days and nights she'd worked, fearing every day that someone else might buy it, so she came to check on it daily. When she finally saved up enough to call it hers, she was overjoyed, imagining the look on Liang Xiaoqing's face when she received it. She knew her well.

Liang Xiaoqing would be really happy.

Jiang Xu had been waiting for that moment, so much so that even the anger she'd felt because of the uninvited Zeng Peng had been pushed aside, waiting only for Liang Xiaoqing to open the gift herself and happily pin it in her hair.

That, she thought, would be a small repayment to Liang Xiaoqing.

But Liang Xiaoqing didn't seem as happy as Jiang Xu had imagined. She didn't seem to like the gift as much as Jiang Xu had expected; she hadn't even opened the outer box.

Yet Jiang Xu had spent the whole night anticipating, imagining how Liang Xiaoqing would feel, and had barely slept a wink.

Now, sobered up, Liang Xiaoqing bore little resemblance to the drunk, pliant version from last night.

Jiang Xu clearly realized Liang Xiaoqing was awake. She looked into those deep, calm eyes.

Those eyes stared back at her evenly, and Jiang Xu suddenly felt a twinge of guilt. Her lips still seemed to remember the soft touch against skin. She pressed her lips together and let her gaze fall on the box she'd left by Liang Xiaoqing's bed last night.

Liang Xiaoqing simply picked up the box, looked at it, and asked her flatly what it was.

Jiang Xu's heart plummeted. She didn't understand why Liang Xiaoqing was reacting this way.

There was no closeness, no lingering warmth as she'd hoped. Liang Xiaoqing didn't even open the box, just set it on the desk with a blank expression. Jiang Xu sensed something was off, but the moment she noticed, Liang Xiaoqing seemed unchanged.

She had to wonder if she was overthinking it, because Liang Xiaoqing's attitude toward her remained the same—gentle, considerate, forgiving, beyond reproach. She could only interpret Liang Xiaoqing's reception of the gift as embarrassment.

In their relationship, Liang Xiaoqing never let Jiang Xu bear any burden. She knew that well enough not to overthink it. If she started overthinking, there would be too many things to dwell on.

Despite her disappointment, she slowly let it go.

Life gradually settled back into a routine. Entering her senior year, time slipped by like water. Jiang Xu found an internship at a company, and work was going fairly smoothly.

Everyone in the dorm had decent prospects. The one with the easiest life was Bai Tian, who would go back to inherit the family business after graduation. Her only current worry was her thesis, which she forced Jiang Xiaoxiao to write for her. Jiang Xiaoxiao had matured a lot since freshman year and had started refusing some of Bai Tian's more unreasonable demands. This thesis business led to a huge fight between the two.

Bai Tian was the kind of girl who had everything handed to her—a spoiled princess who'd never been defied. Whatever she wanted, she got. No one ever refused her. A line of suitors stretched down the street, all eager to lick her boots. The very follower who used to trail behind her now dared to insult her on the eve of graduation, and Bai Tian was furious. She threatened Jiang Xiaoxiao with not graduating. Jiang Xiaoxiao cried and yelled, pouring out years of grievances, even accusing Bai Tian of bullying her.

Honestly, Bai Tian had looked down on Jiang Xiaoxiao at first, but it wasn't as bad as Jiang Xiaoxiao described now. After being lambasted so thoroughly, Bai Tian actually reflected on whether it might be her own fault—how strange. Watching Jiang Xiaoxiao sob, she felt a smug satisfaction from bullying her and a tiny, negligible pang of guilt. When Jiang Xiaoxiao finally finished her outburst, Bai Tian calmly proposed an even more unreasonable demand, watching Jiang Xiaoxiao's face crumble into despair and helplessness.

Jiang Xiaoxiao turned to Jiang Xu again, asking what to do. Jiang Xu's answer was still to endure, because Jiang Xiaoxiao couldn't afford to offend Bai Tian, and besides, the world would always have many "Jiang Xiaoxiaos," but "Bai Tians" were rare.

Jiang Xiaoxiao knew the logic was sound. She sneered and shook her head, but no matter how annoyed she was, she eventually put the matter aside and chatted with Jiang Xu about other things.

It was near graduation, and a faint melancholy hung in the air. Jiang Xiaoxiao realized that the Bai Tian matter was just a small episode in her life. Even if you step in dog poop on the road, you still curse and keep walking.

Jiang Xiaoxiao grew nostalgic about everyone in the dorm. The night breeze was cool and desolate as the two sat on the curb, whiling away the time and delaying their return to the dorm. Jiang Xiaoxiao talked about how everyone had been when they first arrived on campus, and Jiang Xu's mind drifted back to the past, reminiscing along with her.

Jiang Xiaoxiao said, "When I first came, I thought Bai Tian was the easiest to get along with. On the contrary, I thought you were the hardest. But it turned out you're the easiest." She shook her head and gave a bitter smile.

"If I'd known Bai Tian was like this, I never would have greeted her back then."

Jiang Xu said, "Actually, Bai Tian isn't all that bad. Don't overthink it. Once you graduate, it'll be fine."

Jiang Xiaoxiao took a sip of her drink, then, as if remembering something, changed the subject. "Oh, by the way, Jiang Xu. Did you know your sister came looking for you at school before? Your sister is really pretty..."

At the word "sister," Jiang Xu felt a jolt of confusion. "Oh... really?"

The wide road was a stream of cars; the country was racing forward like a speeding train. In the distance, high-rises loomed, modern infrastructure everywhere. The neon lights blurred into streaks before Jiang Xu's eyes, and after staring at one spot for too long, her vision went fuzzy.

It had been a long time since she'd been in contact with Liang Xiaoqing.

It was the first semester of sophomore year; Jiang Xu remembered it clearly. It was the busiest time of her studies. Jiang Xu was juggling work and school, suffocating under the pressure. Yet she still craved contact with Liang Xiaoqing. Phone calls had become an unspoken agreement between them, and when to call was an unspoken rule. Jiang Xu knew when to call and scrupulously followed it, never calling outside the scheduled times.

A call or two a month was the norm, and usually it was Liang Xiaoqing who called her. But Jiang Xu clearly remembered that everything changed that month. She wasn't sure which day Liang Xiaoqing would call, so she waited eagerly every day, no matter how busy or tired she was, always setting aside time for Liang Xiaoqing's call.

That month, not a single call came from Liang Xiaoqing. Jiang Xu's entire demeanor changed—her studies stalled, she made mistakes at work. Wang Yu asked why she kept messing up lately. Jiang Xu just said she was probably too tired.

She was listless, distracted, and often couldn't sleep, replaying their past moments together. She felt uneasy, desperate to know what Liang Xiaoqing was doing, afraid of being abandoned.

What she wanted most to ask was why Liang Xiaoqing hadn't called, and it nearly drove her to the brink. A thousand miles away, with no word at all, Jiang Xu's usual self-consolation was that Liang Xiaoqing was probably busy. Anything more she couldn't bear to think.

By the third month, Jiang Xu finally cracked. She used part of her wages to buy herself a new phone. The first contact in her address book was Liang Xiaoqing. She didn't even have to think about the number; just glancing at the keypad, her fingers could form it automatically.

It was a freezing night. Jiang Xu sat in a deserted pavilion on campus, dressed too lightly. The cotton-padded jacket she wore was one Liang Xiaoqing had bought for her. Her material desires were low; a piece of clothing could last her years, especially ones Liang Xiaoqing had bought. By now, the jacket fit perfectly. When they bought it, Liang Xiaoqing had deliberately chosen a size larger, saying it would last an extra couple of years.

The jacket was an inconspicuous gray. Jiang Xu sat there in the cold for a long time, her hands and feet as cold as snow. She zipped the jacket up to the top, pulled on the hood, and puffs of white breath escaped her frozen lips. Snow covered the ground around her. She kept staring at her phone screen, which showed Liang Xiaoqing's number, saved as "Xiaoqing Jie."

Her eyes went blurry from staring. She slid her finger across the screen and dialed. Her heart raced, and the other end picked up almost instantly.

"Hello?"

The voice came through—how long had it been since she'd heard it? For a moment, Jiang Xu was stunned, her breath catching. The voice over the line was hoarse, and Liang Xiaoqing asked again, patiently, "Hello? Is anyone there?"

The mood that had been at rock bottom shot up like a roller coaster.

"Xiaoqing Jie, it's me."

Her lips were numb from the cold, and her voice came out strained, as if she'd been holding back for too long. All her accusations and anger vanished in an instant. Just hearing that voice brought her a sense of peace, soothing her heart with simple words.

"Xiao Xu..." The voice paused, then continued, "How have you been lately? Graduating soon, right..."

Liang Xiaoqing's tone was warm and gentle, and she even seemed to know what Jiang Xu had been up to, as if they'd never lost touch. Jiang Xu answered mechanically, question by question. All the unease, doubt, and pain could be solved with a single phone call.

Talking to Liang Xiaoqing felt like time had never passed between them. She kept recalling the days they'd lived under the same roof, using that near-comforting feeling to soothe her anxious heart.

Liang Xiaoqing was right there, unchanged, forever. Awkwardly, Jiang Xu explained the reason for her call: she'd bought a new phone, so she needed to give Liang Xiaoqing her number.

Liang Xiaoqing repeated it, then said she'd written it down. That was the feeling that made Jiang Xu think nothing had changed. She wrongly assumed they could go on as before, ignoring all the uncertainties.

After that call, Jiang Xu slept soundly, at peace. Every subsequent call, she had to come up with an excuse. And each time, Liang Xiaoqing answered, patient and gentle.

Jiang Xu knew those were the happiest moments of her day.

Near winter break, she told Liang Xiaoqing in advance that she was coming home. Liang Xiaoqing's usually even voice lifted slightly as she said "Okay," and asked what she wanted to eat, saying she'd go buy groceries and cook for her.

But when she arrived, the house was empty. She called Liang Xiaoqing, over and over. When Liang Xiaoqing answered, her voice was full of exhaustion. She apologized, saying something had come up at home and she needed to deal with it.

Jiang Xu murmured her understanding, then asked with concern, "Xiaoqing Jie, where is your home? What happened? Do you need any help?" This was the first time Liang Xiaoqing had mentioned her family to her. About the family behind Liang Xiaoqing, Jiang Xu knew nothing. She wanted to know, and she was worried.

The line was silent for a long time. Jiang Xu's phone wasn't great; static crackled through the earpiece from time to time. She could hear the heavy breathing on the other end. Liang Xiaoqing's voice no longer held its usual calm and gentleness; instead, there was a faint edge of annoyance.

The voice on the line was still restrained: "Xiao Xu, I'm sorry. I'm just too tired."

Jiang Xu's heart clenched, aching. But she couldn't let her emotions run wild; she had to suppress the sadness.

"Oh? Then—" The response was the dial tone, a series of beeps.

Jiang Xu didn't know how she got through that. She was too sensitive in love, too desperate for Liang Xiaoqing's attention. Anything related to Liang Xiaoqing, she would mull over and over. She chased time relentlessly, while others marveled at themselves as fresh, blooming flowers, she desperately wished she could grow into a towering tree with lush branches.

She ignored the scenery along the way. Her world only contained Liang Xiaoqing and everything related to her.

Jiang Xu paid a heavy price for her feelings. For various reasons, she needed to cross the gap of societal norms.

Her first—and so far only—relationship was too heavy a burden for her. No one would see them as lovers. Even in the open campus environment, her roommates only thought Liang Xiaoqing was her "sister." Even she herself couldn't acknowledge this feeling.

Because that would make Liang Xiaoqing push her away.

She hated the term "sister," because deep down she'd repeatedly argued that Liang Xiaoqing wasn't her sister. But at the same time, she was grateful for that term, because at least it meant they had a relationship beyond ordinary—deeper than strangers, shallower than lovers.

So what did this current situation mean? "I'm tired," said so casually, with nothing else—being dismissed like that made her both angry and aggrieved. She called back again and again, but Liang Xiaoqing never picked up again.

That was another time Jiang Xu cried over Liang Xiaoqing.

Jiang Xu had once read a line: If a person truly loves you, they can't bear to hurt you. Looking back on the past, Liang Xiaoqing had indeed hurt her, but she'd also cared for her.

Wang Yu had once expressed a view: Don't casually magnify a person's kindness or malice. Even someone as hateful as Bai Tian could spare a little patience for her lackey.

If you think of someone's good deeds, then you must also remember their wrongs. If you resent their bad behavior, remind yourself occasionally of their kindness.

After her anger faded, Jiang Xu finally remembered all the times Liang Xiaoqing had been good to her, and realized those times were too numerous to count. That night, trembling, she frantically called Liang Xiaoqing. She didn't sleep a wink all night.

The next day, she began to wonder what had really happened to Liang Xiaoqing.

This feeling swelled like a water-filled ball, threatening to burst, but then, thanks to her overactive nerves, it subsided almost miraculously, and she started guessing what kind of situation Liang Xiaoqing was in when she said those words.

The only thing she knew was that Liang Xiaoqing must have hit a rough patch, but she'd never tell her. She sank into a mood more persistent than anger, a milder grief. She felt wronged, sad, disappointed. In her call history were calls she'd made countless times. She covered her mouth with her hand as she looked.

She began to imagine what kind of difficult predicament Liang Xiaoqing might be facing, one that made her unable to attend to Jiang Xu.

Gradually, her rationality returned. She started calling Liang Xiaoqing at a fixed time every day. She calmly thought: at least she should know what happened to Liang Xiaoqing. Even if she couldn't share the burden, she could at least make a call to check in.

She called every day, no matter how busy or tired.

But she never got through again. Puzzled, exhausted, she grew confused and weary. If a person decides they don't want to respond to you, no amount of effort will change that. Jiang Xu's heart went from disappointment to despair, and finally to calm acceptance.

Strangely, this emotional journey took less time than she'd imagined. Even the deepest feelings can be worn away until nothing remains. Jiang Xu didn't know when she stopped calling Liang Xiaoqing. In fact, she knew the outcome—even if she called, no one would answer. She'd just been deceiving herself, fantasizing that Liang Xiaoqing would call her one day.

She clung to that hope, until one day she realized she hadn't called in a long time.

Her roommate even joked, "Hey, Jiang Xu, why don't you call your sister anymore?"

Jiang Xu didn't say much, just brushed it off with a vague "I'm too tired."

Slowly, she stopped trying to call Liang Xiaoqing. She forgot the connection they had, or perhaps they had no connection left. During winter break, Jiang Xu continued working. Her roommates all went home, leaving only her in the dorm. Wang Yu was usually the last to leave, but this year she saw Jiang Xu still there and asked, "Jiang Xu, aren't you going home?"

Home. Jiang Xu hesitated. It was like a wrongfully accused prisoner finally cleared on the last day—Jiang Xu suddenly realized she had no home to go to. The realization brought her pain, a dull, stabbing ache in her chest.

"Not this year," she said, utterly indifferent.

She spent the liveliest holiday at school. The days before New Year were the most bustling time in the city. Jiang Xu took on odd jobs everywhere, watching others' joy. As the year's end approached, she earned several times her usual wages. The money in her account offered some faint, if meager, comfort.

One night, she dragged her exhausted body back to the dorm and collapsed onto the bed. Just as she was drifting off, a series of loud bangs shook her awake. She struggled to look out the window: brilliant fireworks bloomed in the night sky, vanishing as quickly as they appeared. Only then did Jiang Xu realize it was New Year's Eve.

The colorful glow of the fireworks filtered through the window, scattering across her body. She could almost hear distant laughter and cheers. She propped herself up, leaned against the window, and watched display after display, her eyes full of scattered light.

At that moment, her phone rang. She picked it up casually.

"Xiao Xu."

A long-missed voice, the one she'd heard countless times in her dreams and longed to hear in reality. Her emotions should have surged like ocean waves or boiling water, but they didn't.

She was too calm, too composed. The person who had called Liang Xiaoqing countless times didn't seem to be her. She listened calmly to Liang Xiaoqing's voice, even able to watch the fireworks outside while waiting for whatever Liang Xiaoqing had to say.

In that instant, Jiang Xu thought Liang Xiaoqing might apologize. But apologies don't work in every moment. Jiang Xu could still feel the despair of those unanswered calls. The difference was that now her heart wouldn't roil like before; she could look back on that memory as an outsider, watching that pitiful, ugly figure.

Too late.

Useless.

Jiang Xu wasn't angry, but she could feel the distance growing between them. Once, she'd desperately tried to catch up, but with a single gentle push, Liang Xiaoqing had shut her out.

She had suppressed her feelings for too long, persisted too long, and been afraid for too long. She always felt Liang Xiaoqing must know her feelings. At the first sign of a chance, she'd probe, then hesitate.

Because she had been rejected, clearly and bluntly. Jiang Xu didn't want to say it; she was waiting for a moment, for Liang Xiaoqing to trust her, to accept her feelings. She could see a hint of struggle in Liang Xiaoqing, and struggle meant uncertainty. Didn't that also mean she wasn't entirely hopeless?

This was her first relationship, lasting many years. She'd never cared for anyone so much. She cherished and treasured everything she had, savoring sweetness and happiness, yet also feeling sorrow and pain. But she truly didn't understand how someone she held so dear could hurt her so deeply by simply not answering her calls.

She couldn't fathom why her Xiaoqing Jie, who had cared for her so much, would make her ache like this—not even giving an explanation.

She didn't know how she managed to survive it.

Could she really forgive her just because of a simple phone call now?

But as Liang Xiaoqing's voice came through softly, she found herself softening again.

"Are you listening?"

Clearly, Jiang Xu's heart was still moved.

"Yes," she replied, somewhat coldly.

Jiang Xu relived her pain and her situation once more. She tried to detach herself, but no matter how rational she tried to be, she was dragged back into that shell. She'd underestimated the problem and overestimated herself.

Feelings aren't controlled by reason. The slightest crack can make everything fall apart.

Once again, Jiang Xu felt a fury she couldn't even recognize—Liang Xiaoqing simply didn't take her seriously. Or maybe Liang Xiaoqing still saw her as a child. And she was desperate to shed that identity.

There was an audible breath on the other end, along with some static.

Jiang Xu thought Liang Xiaoqing would ask why she hadn't gone back. Calling at this hour probably meant there was a reason. She half-hoped Liang Xiaoqing would say "I'm sorry," so she could forget everything.

Then she could continue, clumsily and stubbornly, as before.

"So..."

At the burst of fireworks, Jiang Xu covered the phone and her ear to hear the voice better.

"Happy New Year, Xiao Xu." She heard it, every word clearly. And felt utterly disappointed.

"You..." The line had already gone dead; the dial tone was drowned out by the fireworks.

Jiang Xu felt worse than ever before. Because she realized her persistence might be meaningless.

After all this time, this feeling of hers brought nothing but negative emotions. The warmth of the past was fading slowly from Jiang Xu's life.

After that, Jiang Xu didn't even dare hope Liang Xiaoqing would call again.

In the second semester of her junior year, smartphones became popular, with far more features than the old keypad phones. Jiang Xu used her part-time earnings to buy a new phone. Liang Xiaoqing never called again after that, which somehow brought Jiang Xu some peace. She didn't go back either. The next New Year, Liang Xiaoqing didn't even call—not even once. That was her second year spending the holiday alone.

That night, she used her roommate's computer to watch a TV drama.

It was the kind of soap opera Liang Xiaoqing liked. She stayed up all night, but there was still nothing on her phone. The love stories in those soaps were earth-shattering, grand and dramatic. All the characters revolved around the protagonist. But in real life, true feelings were bland and tasteless, barely seeing the light of day.

Jiang Xu couldn't relate to the overly theatrical emotions of the characters on screen. She just stayed up all night and woke up in a bad mood. Angrily, she changed her phone number.

But a few days later, she switched back to her original one.

"Hey! What's wrong with you? Are you drunk?"

Jiang Xiaoxiao's voice snapped Jiang Xu back to reality. Looking at Jiang Xiaoxiao, she was clearly the one who was drunk, yet she was asking Jiang Xu.

The heat rose off the asphalt in waves. Jiang Xu watched Jiang Xiaoxiao sway unsteadily, took the drink can from her hand, and set it aside. She grabbed Jiang Xiaoxiao's arm, hardly able to believe it: "When? When did Xiaoqing Jie come to see me?"

Jiang Xiaoxiao reached for the can, but Jiang Xu stopped her. "Jiang Xiaoxiao, you're drunk. Stop drinking. We still have to walk back to the dorm."

Jiang Xiaoxiao wasn't too drunk to understand. She nodded. "Fine, Jiang Xu. Let's go back. It's getting late anyway."

Jiang Xu pressed on: "Jiang Xiaoxiao, when did you..."

She still hadn't matured, hadn't learned her lesson. She was still stuck in place.

Her life had been normal for a while. She didn't want to make herself miserable, to be anything less than normal. But Liang Xiaoqing had that magical power to drag her into this unease.

Jiang Xu took a few deep breaths, forcing herself to calm down. Suddenly she said, "Jiang Xiaoxiao, are you sure you didn't mistake someone?"

She'd almost believed it. If Liang Xiaoqing had really come to see her, she would've known.

Jiang Xiaoxiao didn't notice anything off about Jiang Xu. She walked ahead, heading back toward campus.

"Who could mistake that? You... when you first got here, you were so clingy to your sister... It was you who were too busy working that you missed her. She even waited for you in the dorm..."

Jiang Xu caught up: "Why... why didn't you ever tell me she came?"

Jiang Xiaoxiao took a swig of her drink, gesturing broadly. "Your sister said not to tell you."

Jiang Xu's brow furrowed in discomfort.

Jiang Xiaoxiao patted her shoulder. "She probably didn't want you to worry."

Jiang Xu's heart ached, a dense, spreading pain.