Chapter 21 (1)

  This morning when I woke up, my eyelids were twitching violently. There's an old saying that if your left eye twitches, you'll make money, but if your right eye twitches, disaster will strike. But since both of my eyelids are twitching at the same time, it's hard to tell whether today will be a day of good fortune or bad luck.

  As I walked through the school, people would occasionally turn their heads. At first, I followed suit and turned my head too, only to realize they were staring at me. This is something that no matter how you think about it, just can't be understood. Generally speaking, for someone to have a high rate of turning heads and attracting attention, they either need to be exceptionally beautiful or exceptionally ugly, neither of which I possess. Alternatively, they could be a celebrity, but clearly my external conditions don't meet those requirements.

  Fortunately, the morning was peaceful and calm, without any unexpected windfalls or being hit by a flower pot falling from the sky. If I can return home smoothly in the afternoon, I will be able to break the feudal superstition with actual actions.

  After helping the instructor finish grading the last undergraduate's ancient Chinese exam, there was still a hazy sunlight coming in from the window, which could be inferred to be no later than 4 pm. Just as I walked out of the office, I ran into Han Meimei who came up from the stairwell. I was taken aback and remembered that she seemed to be from the law department.

  This building of liberal arts has gathered the teaching and research offices of several poorest colleges in T University. The students who graduated from these colleges basically cannot get rich. The most expected Foreign Language College, in its nearly forty years of history, did not have a single female alumna who successfully married a big tycoon, so that the donation amount was generally low during the school anniversary celebration. Until now, each college in the liberal arts building has been unable to raise funds to build their own independent teaching and research building like the School of Business Administration, which is deeply regrettable for everyone.

  I turned back to lock the door and was about to enter the law school's teaching and research office when I found Han Meimei standing in front of me. I was startled, but calmly took a step back. She pursed her lips, looking serious, and gazed at me with an inquiring look for a while before suddenly turning red around the eyes, grasping my hand: "Come with me."

  "I inexplicably said: 'Where are you going?' as I walked alongside him. Mainly because I had to go downstairs anyway, so it was just a natural thing to do."

  Han Meimei didn't turn her head: "See Lin Qiao."

  Several evergreen trees outside the window block a corner of the sky, causing the corridor light to be dim.

  I stopped in silence, pulled my arm out of her hand, this was the last flight of stairs, leading directly to the hall, where a large mirror stood, reflecting our two figures.

  She turned around to look at me, her eyes still red, and I couldn't understand her behavior at all. She walked past me from the side: "What's going on with you two? Did your brains get pinched by a door? Half a month ago, didn't you give me money to not appear in front of him? Now I don't need you to spend money and I won't appear in front of him either. You're actually taking the initiative to come find me. Just calm down, if you want to make trouble for yourself then go ahead, but I have nothing to do with you two anymore, completely nothing."

  Behind me, a moment of silence, I walked out by myself, walking to the gate, Han Meimei said with a sob: "You think I wanted to come find you, today if you don't follow me, you will definitely regret it, you will regret it for your whole life."

  My heart skipped a beat: "What's wrong with Lin Qiao?"

  All the way, I thought a lot, and various car accident scenes that I had seen in newspapers kept emerging in my mind, as well as the empty eyes of cancer patients dying in TV dramas. I thought Lin Qiao wouldn't be gone like this, but if it wasn't for life and death separation, how would Han Meimei come to find me, unless she really got her head caught in a door. I felt very clear-headed, yet also seemed very dazed. I opened my mouth several times, wanting to ask Lin Qiao what the situation was, but finally couldn't ask it out loud.

  Two people walked in silence for a while, and after ten minutes, they arrived at the back of the Engineering Library by the lake. The big Ming Lake was named after its donor, Zhang Daming. In order to thank philanthropist Mr. Zhang Daming for his donation, it was originally intended to name this lake "Daming Lake", but unfortunately, it clashed with a national 4A-level scenic spot. When national interests and personal interests conflict, national interests must be higher than personal interests. Moreover, Zhang Daming's nickname is Xiaoming, so after several discussions, it was finally named Xiaoming Lake. Xiaoming Lake became popular along with the popularity of the TV series "My Fair Princess", and when a couple started dating, the girl would always pull the boy over to sit down and experience the romance of Emperor Qianlong and Xiaoyanzi by the lake, even if it's just a fake one. And when it rained, you could see many couples strolling around the lake without umbrellas, such a strange sight can only be seen at T University or in a mental hospital. Lin Qiao was leaning on a stone chair by the lake, sunbathing and reading, which was almost the same as his memory from before. He looked up when he sensed our gaze, what a beautiful face.

  I leaned against a small stone pier by the lake, waiting for Han Meimei to give an explanation. The iron chain that blocked people was broken and lay on the ground with rust spots. Lin Qiao had no expression, looked at me calmly as if she hadn't seen me at all, then fixed her gaze on Han Meimei, frowned and said: "Although the temperature has risen today, it's still cold, you're wearing too little."

  It's often said that people can meet without recognizing each other, and when they do meet, they don't know each other. That's probably true. I turned my head to look at Han Meimei, who was wearing a coarse sweater with jeans, and indeed she was dressed very simply. Lin Qiao is really a considerate boyfriend; back then, he always took care of Su Qi meticulously, making many girls like me who had secret crushes on him feel jealous in the middle of the night.

  Han Meimei tightened her sweater, fell silent for ten seconds, and Lin Qiao closed his book to look at her gently. I rubbed my forehead, turned around to leave. Han Meimei's hand reached out again, firmly stopping me: "Don't go." Then she turned to Lin Qiao: "I brought her here, if there are any misunderstandings, you two should clear them up. I know it's all my fault, if not for me, you wouldn't have gotten sick, wouldn't have..." The unfinished sentence was interrupted by Lin Qiao in a low voice: "There's no misunderstanding between me and Yan Song, don't think too much." Han Meimei shook her head: "The love letter on BBS was written by me to you, not by Yan Song. I saw her get into our university, I just wanted to help you two out. I know everything that happened over the years, but I don't know why it ended up like this. Later I admitted I took advantage of the situation, but I just wanted to prove that no matter what, my feelings for you wouldn't change, from high school to university, I..."

  Looking out from the corner of my eye, I happened to see a small island in the center of the lake. I heard my own dry voice: "You're saying that at the beginning of our freshman year, you impersonated me and wrote a love letter to Lin Qiao on BBS?"

  Han Meimei didn't respond, I nodded and said: "Speaking of which, I once wrote a love letter to Lin Qiao, in the first year of high school, it was bilingual in Chinese and English."

  For a long time no one spoke, able to share this secret buried in the heart for many years with the person involved, suddenly felt much lighter.

  I leaned against the stone pier behind me and turned to look at Lin Qiao: "After hearing about the BBS thing, you still waited for me under my rental building for more than a week. At that time, I went back to my hometown to take care of my grandmother and had no idea what was going on. What I don't understand is, even if the love letter was written by me, why did you want to find me? Why did you wait for me? Didn't you say you never liked me?"

  This matter must be made clear, otherwise it's really a lifelong regret. Although we swore to each other just less than a week ago that we would never meet again, the fundamental value of an oath is for people to break it, and besides, when we first made the oath, there was no promise of penalty for breach of contract, so don't worry about retribution at all.

  A long silence, two water birds flew over the lake, making a splashing sound. Lin Qiao finally spoke up, calmly saying: "Didn't you say we should all forget about the past and live well? The past is already gone." Pausing for a moment, he continued: "Now that I'm with Mei Mei, I'll treat her well."

  Han Meimei raised her already red and swollen eyes, staring blankly at him.

  Lin Qiao smiled and said in a soft voice, "I know all about what you said. I'm not blaming you, it's none of your business. I've already completely ended things with Yan Song. In the future, don't make a big deal out of nothing."

  Han Meimei rubbed her eyes and continued staring blankly at him, saying: "You obviously..."

  Lin Qiao grasped her hand: "Aren't you having an exam tomorrow? You should probably go back and review your notes, I'll send you back."

  The harmonious scene in front of me suddenly reminded me of my second year in high school. I was left alone at the entrance of the cinema, facing a pile of popcorn with a robust junior brother, and we both had nothing to say. Time has since gone full circle. Some stings pierce deep into your heart and can never be pulled out. You think it no longer hurts, but in fact, it's because they've grown deeply into your flesh. Ordinary stimuli can't reach them, but once stimulated, it becomes a big deal that sets off a chain reaction. Before I could react, I blurted out: "Lin Qiao, do you think I'm particularly easy to bully? In high school too, looking at your reaction just now, I liked you in high school and you knew it early on, but you still pulled me along with you during romantic moments, while you were being affectionate with others, I was standing guard for you. In college too, after what happened, you ignored it, and everything was my responsibility alone. Now again, we agreed to have no more entanglements, yet you specifically invited me here to watch your loving couple's display. The heart is also made of flesh, do you really think my heart is made of diamond that can withstand your repeated torment? Can't you look down on me like this?" He swayed a little, his expression still icy and detached, probably because the sunlight was dazzling my eyes, maybe he didn't sway at all and stood very steadily.

  He slowly sighed: "What are you crying about?"

  I rubbed the corner of my eyes in surprise, stretched out my hand and stared blankly at the water stains on my fingertips, momentarily panicked and took a step back: "......"

  Nothing was said, and I fell into the lake.

  The author has something to say: Everyone, I'm finally back after a long absence. Recently, things haven't been going well, with illnesses and trivial matters keeping me busy, leaving little time for writing. So, I took a break on my blog and temporarily stopped updating "Two Lives of Flower" for a while. These past two days, I've finally wrapped up some loose ends, so I'm back to face everyone with a clear conscience. "Two Lives of Flower" will resume updates starting today. Seeing many of you care about my health has truly moved me. My illness is nothing serious now, and in the future, I'll make more reasonable arrangements for my schedule and pay closer attention to health issues.

  Sweat, I want to thank the moderators of the official website here. I'm basically a absentee landlord, when I came back and took a look, the forum was still in its infancy when I handed it over to them, but now it's much more mature. On the official website, I also saw many familiar IDs that often left comments under JJ articles, feeling very intimate. During this period, I was able to rest assured, thanks to the moderators' hard work, once again extending my most sincere gratitude. By the way, welcome everyone to come and chat.

  Yesterday at noon, I called a friend and just as we were about to hang up, she said: "Although I don't know if it's true or not, congratulations, Xiaqi, you're pregnant!" I was puzzled and asked her: "Who said I'm pregnant?" She said that someone left a comment under your post saying you're pregnant. I was speechless and deeply sighed, thinking that being sick and being pregnant have finally become indistinguishable things. I am indeed sick, but fortunately, it's not to the extent of being pregnant yet. It's an old symptom relapsing, and the doctor suggested resting more, exercising more, and guaranteeing sleep. Besides, getting pregnant isn't like getting nostalgic, as long as the atmosphere is right, you can get pregnant, haha. Let's not discuss whether I'm pregnant or not anymore, thanks for everyone's blessings, but I don't have that good fortune yet.

  I'll just say a couple more things, some friends asked me why there's been so much less Two Lives of Flower and Three Lives All the Way, well, it's because I unfortunately got red-carded , but don't worry about making up for it, I won't ditch Two Lives of Flower. Once my body recovers, I'll be racing against time to write Two Lives of Flower, even during my 10-20 minute afternoon naps, I'm thinking about the details as I fall asleep, so please bear with me a bit more, one day I'll fill this pit perfectly, clenching my fist, it's being responsible to readers who support me and also to myself. Today's update isn't much, just make do for now~~