Chapter 89 Muddled Accounts

  Zou Ze's face turned black as soon as Yu Yao mentioned the past, and he didn't want to bring it up again. At that time, after struggling for so many years, everyone had finally agreed, but now he went there voluntarily, which made him feel a bit self-abased.

  "I know what you mean, you're saying that even someone as annoying as me can adapt, so what's wrong with you that you can't?" Zou Ze said irritably.

  "No, I didn't mean that. I just meant to say that I won't get used to it." Yu Yao looked at him with a difficult expression and wanted to hold back her laughter, but the look was really too funny, so she burst out laughing again.

  "You're really different from me, I went for Ji Xin An at first, but now I don't dislike being a soldier that much. Since my dad got into an accident, he was severely injured, yet he didn't show any regret. I started to wonder what this place is like, the place where he spent half his life and lost a leg for, and what's so attractive about it that makes them not regret getting hurt or giving up things others dream of. What magic does this military uniform have that makes them go crazy? Thinking back, I've known Ji Xin An for so many years, but her ideals never changed, even when she saw Zhou Wei Guo like that, she didn't hesitate at all."

  "Zou Ze, you really have changed. Sometimes curiosity is the beginning of liking something, who knows, maybe you'll like that military uniform too." Yu Yao smiled as she looked at him, thinking to herself that he would definitely look handsome in a military uniform.

  "Yes, but what about you? From a young age, all you've done is study and play the piano. Your hands were born to play music, how can you hold a gun? And endure so much hardship, just because of your momentary impulse? It's not worth it." In fact, he could have just ignored her, but Zou Ze didn't want her to make such an important decision about her life path just for his sake.

  "Zou Ze, there are some things you may not know yet. I've been training with Ji Xin'an at Coach Guo's place for years, no matter the season, every morning. So don't underestimate me now that we're going to fight, it's not certain who will win. Moreover, although I look weak and frail now, my physical strength is actually quite good. Running 5 kilometers may not be easy for me, but I can still do it. So stop looking at people with old eyes." Yu Yao said with a smile, unexpectedly after so long, he still didn't know, maybe this was why Ji Xin'an accepted Yan Wenhuang and not him back then. Although he treated Ji Xin'an well, he knew what Ji Xin'an really wanted, but this time it's uncertain.

  "When was this? How did you go there?" Zou Ze was surprised for a moment, but thinking about it, Ji Xin'an had always wanted to be a soldier since he was young, so he must have found a place to train himself. It should have been around the time when he met Zou Weiguo and helped him find it, but it's strange that Yu Yao went there too.

  "At first, I'm a bit embarrassed to say it now, but I didn't want to go myself. In the past, no matter what, I thought everything was the best, but then Ji Xin'an came and I found that I couldn't compare to her in anything. Even the piano I had been learning for years, she surpassed me in just a few months. So I was very jealous of her and my mood was terrible. Until I met Guo Yi, she taught me that being jealous of someone isn't a bad thing, but if you want to defeat her, you have to use fair and honest means. After her advice, I finally understood. Later, I coincidentally found out that Ji Xin'an was training there too, so with the idea of defeating her, I went there." Yu Yao felt a bit embarrassed, afraid that he would dislike her for having such dark thoughts in her heart.

  "Then you've been learning until now?" Zou Ze felt a bit incredulous, just because of jealousy towards someone, he could do something he didn't like for so long.

  "It's been going on until now, and I even went this morning." Yu Yao smiled lightly, but still looked at him with some concern.

  "Is it still just out of jealousy, and that's what made you persist for so many years?" Zou Ze's words didn't have any other meaning, only because he was surprised. After all, although she admitted to being jealous of Ji Xin'an, she hadn't harmed him like Yao Wenhuang did, so there was no need for him to blame her.

  "What I said was just the initial reason for going there, but after so many years of setbacks, I gradually got used to following Ji Xin'an. Over the years, the feeling of jealousy has long gone. However, I have become accustomed to training every day, and if I don't go, I feel uncomfortable. Even when studying became very difficult, I didn't give up. You know that my life from childhood to adulthood has always been arranged by my mother. Now, I want to take control of my own life for once, I don't want to follow her arrangements anymore. And you, are just one of the reasons that prompted me to make up my mind. After all, I have a soldier's blood in me, and that kind of different life, although mysterious, is also something I yearn for." Yu Yao hurriedly explained, fearing he would misunderstand.

  He finally felt at ease when he saw that there was no unusual expression on his face, and then said, "Actually, you don't have to feel burdened either. Although I said it was for the sake of attending the same school as you that I enrolled in the military academy, it wasn't my intention to pressure you. Ever since what happened with my brother, I've always felt guilty towards Ji Xin'an and towards you. Although I still like you, I also know that we can never be together again, so I gave up. The reason I did this is because I realized that even though everyone knows I like you, I've never personally confessed to you or done anything for you. So let's just consider this my first confession to you, and also a memento of the first love in my life. From now on, I'll treat you as an ordinary friend, and I won't bring any trouble to you or hinder your relationship with Ji Xin'an."

  Zou Ze was shocked by her words, he didn't know what to say next, and could only sincerely say, "Thank you, Yu Yao, thank you for liking me like this, but I'm afraid I can't return your feelings."

  "I knew, so I gave up. Now I think you and Ji Xin'an are quite a good match. It's just that in the past, because of our different paths, I didn't accept you. But now this has been resolved, who knows, maybe one day I'll even help you pursue her? If she can find someone who truly loves her and treats her well, and she likes him too, then perhaps my guilt towards Ji Xin'an will lessen a bit." Yu Yao smiled wryly, knowing that from the day Yao Wen Hua got close to Ji Xin'an because of her, it was already impossible. But what she didn't know was how her life would go on if she couldn't see that familiar figure by her side anymore. So even without any chance, she made this choice resolutely. No matter what, as long as she could see him like this all the time, it was fine.

  "It seems that you have no choice but to join the military academy." Zou Ze shook his head, he had nothing more to say now, and sighed in his heart, thinking that it seemed that the music academy was going to lose another talented student.

  "Of course. Maybe I'll find the life I really want and the one I love there." Yu Yao couldn't help but laugh at his helpless look, her eyes shining brightly.

  Zou Ze failed to persuade Yu Yao, but was instead persuaded by her. He reluctantly took her with him to report to the school that Xi Xin'an had reported, and all that was left was to wait for notification before proceeding with the physical examination.

  "Are you satisfied now?" Zou Ze looked at Yu Yao who was smiling happily after filling out the form, and asked in a bad mood.

  "Uh-huh." Yu Yao nodded, this time she really couldn't turn back, could only work hard to move forward, didn't expect that the one and only decision she made would affect such a major life event.

  "See if your mom knows how to deal with you." Zou Ze knew some of the situations at her home, so he couldn't do anything about it himself, but someone else could.

  "Ji Xian'an knows how to deal with you." Yu Yao said fiercely, but as soon as she finished speaking, she couldn't help but burst out laughing.

  After laughing, Zou Ze suddenly put away his smile and became serious. "Yu Yao, there are some things that I know you might not be happy to hear, but they can't be left unsaid."

  "It's okay, you go ahead." Yu Yao saw his expression also retracted his smile.

  "When I truly like someone, everyone else is just a compromise. I don't want to compromise, so even if Anan doesn't accept me in the future, we won't have a chance anyway. So remember what you said, from now on we can only be friends. I know this might be cruel to you, but I don't want to give you hope and then bring you deep despair later. So whether or not you really think so now, I need to tell you first." He didn't believe that Yu Yao would give up so easily, he couldn't do it himself, how could he believe others? So no matter how hurtful this was, he had to say it.

  "I understand, from now on we're just friends, and I'll make it clear to Ji Xin'an so she won't misunderstand our relationship, so you can rest assured." Yu Yao smiled even more brightly, but the pain in her heart was known only to herself.

  "It's better this way, Yu Yao. Who knows, maybe we'll become good friends in the future." Zhou Ze felt relieved after hearing her words.

  "Don't you consider me a friend now? We've grown up together since childhood, and yet we're not even friends?" Yu Yao teased with a wink.

  Zou Ze helplessly shook his head and left.

  Yu Yao immediately followed, this was her first time to be so relaxed with Zou Ze, she couldn't help but feel that her decision was correct, even if it was just as friends, as long as she could be calm and get along with him like this, she would be satisfied.

  Neither of them had expected that after they left, Yao Wenhao also arrived at the registration site and passed by them without either side noticing each other.

  Yao Wenhao couldn't have known what had just happened here, nor did he pay attention to the people and things around him. He walked firmly to the registration location and filled in the school that Ji Xin'an had signed up for.

  Ji Xin'an didn't know, just because she was alone, the fate of these three people was about to change. This small butterfly stirred up the trajectory of everyone's life, and in the future days, those who had walked on different roads in their past lives would wait for what kind of new life.

  Zou Ze thought it through thoroughly and, together with Yu Yao, specially took a few days off to make Ji Xin'an think they were going for an interview. It wasn't that he wanted to take Yu Yao along, but rather because he was afraid that if Yu Yao didn't take time off, Ji Xin'an might notice something and possibly implicate himself, which would require another round of explanations.

  And these days off were not wasted, waiting at the physical examination place, he waited until Ji Xinan passed before going for a physical examination himself, and then returned to school for classes.

  "How was the exam? Did you pass?" Ji Xin'an thought he had just come back from finishing his exam, not suspecting that he had cheated.

  "It goes without saying, with my talent, wherever I go, people will be scrambling to get me." Zou Ze's face didn't change color and his heart didn't skip a beat as he bragged, although it was the first time he lied to Ji Xin'an, but he didn't feel any mental burden.

  Yu Yao listened in on the side and secretly smiled, Zou Ze glared at her with a fierce gaze, but it only made her laugh even harder.

  Ji Xin'an also noticed the little movements of the two people, and didn't think much of it, thinking that Zou Ze hadn't done well on the exam. "Be more serious, did you pass or not?"

  "Passed, of course passed." Zou Ze turned his head back, answering somewhat flusteredly.

  He saw that he had passed, and his heart was at ease. Since he had passed, it didn't matter what score he got. "That's good, Yu Yao, how about you?"

  "Ah... I'm fine, really." Yu Yao wasn't good at telling such lies, but facing Ji Xin'an, if she herself was exposed, then Zou Ze's lie would also be broken, and Zou Ze would definitely blame her, so although it was forced, she still told the lie.

  "That's good, you've missed several days of classes. These are the handouts from the past few days, I'll leave them with you, take a look when you have time." Ji Xin'an took out two neatly organized sets of handouts from her desk and stuffed them into their hands.

  "Thank you, An'an." Yu Yao took over the volume and saw that Ji Xinan didn't pursue this matter anymore, so she let out a sigh of relief.

  Ji Xin'an smiled slightly, "No need to thank me, actually whether you guys do it or not is the same, I gave them to you just so that you can take a look at more question types."

  Yao Wenhao listened to the conversation of several people with his ears perked up, he actually wanted to ask Yu Yao personally how her exam went this time, but he didn't dare. Yao Wenhao apologized to Ji Xin'an and got forgiveness, but he didn't have the courage to speak out to Yu Yao, who was once his closest younger sister. He cherished their relationship, but he feared that Yu Yao would look down on him, so every time he faced her, he couldn't bring himself to say what he wanted to say.

  But the college entrance examination is getting closer and closer, it seems that they have all passed the exam, and their own physical examination has also been passed, which means that they will be separated soon, and in the future, they may be separated by two places, feeling a little uncomfortable in their hearts, thinking that they should find an opportunity to apologize to Yu Yao, otherwise they might go to college with regret, and don't know how many years it will take to have another chance to speak out.