Chapter Seven: A Generous Display of Affection

He Yurou woke up early that morning, and by the time Mo Qinghan arose, her roommate had already vanished from the dormitory. Mo Qinghan glanced at the final exam review guide she had prepared for He Yurou, smiled softly, placed it on her desk, and took her bag to the library.

There are encounters between people that one doesn’t particularly like, but must nonetheless accept, even if reluctantly.

“Qinghan, over here!” He Yurou called out in a whisper, pointing to the empty seat beside her.

Mo Qinghan saw Zhao Qingwu sitting next to He Yurou, dressed in dark, Korean-style clothes. His eyes were so clear that one could almost peer into his heart.

“I’ll sit at the next table,” Mo Qinghan replied.

She was afraid that, sitting with the two of them, she wouldn’t be able to hide the secrets in her heart—the tangled relationships between them, and her longstanding feelings for Zhao Qingwu.

He Yurou assumed Mo Qinghan simply wanted to give her and Zhao Qingwu some time alone, so she said nothing more and buried herself in reviewing the study materials Zhao Qingwu had organized for her.

Mo Qinghan placed her books on the table, put on her headphones, turned up the volume, and began to sort out the jumble of thoughts in her mind, gradually slipping into the world of her books.

Later, He Yurou invited Mo Qinghan to join them for lunch, but Mo Qinghan declined, saying she wasn’t hungry and would eat later.

To avoid being caught in such an awkward situation, Mo Qinghan stopped going to the library or the classroom altogether, instead finding a quiet grove. In the past, this place was popular with couples, but with finals approaching, everyone had flocked to the library or classroom to study, leaving her alone in the woods. She brewed tea in a thermos on a cement table, played some gentle music, and paused as she realized how much He Zheyu’s way of life was quietly influencing her.

After the exams were over, Mo Qinghan was packing up in her dormitory when He Yurou suddenly hugged her from behind, sounding aggrieved as she said, “Qinghan, are you angry with me? I saw the review guide you made for me. I’m sorry, I…”

Mo Qinghan gently pulled away He Yurou’s arms from her waist, feigning anger. “Yes! I’m really mad. How did I end up with such a friend who values romance over friendship?”

“Alright, alright! I know I was wrong. If you’re going somewhere, let me take you.”

“The hospital. I want to visit Qingyu.”

“Let me drive you!”

“Okay.”

To Mo Qinghan’s surprise, He Yurou’s “I” quickly turned into “we.”

Zhao Qingwu was driving, He Yurou sat in the front passenger seat and pointed to Mo Qinghan in the back. “You two already know each other, so no need for introductions!”

“Senior Zhao, hello!”

“Junior Mo, hello!”

Hearing such formal greetings, He Yurou burst out laughing. Between fits of giggles, she said, “You two sound like you’re acting in a martial arts drama!”

Mo Qinghan couldn’t help but laugh as well.

“Junior Mo, has Yurou always been this mischievous and cute?”

Caught off guard by the sudden display of affection, Mo Qinghan felt awkward and replied, “She also has a serious side, like when she’s teaching me French.”

“Don’t tease me, you two! You’re making me blush.”

Mo Qinghan didn’t respond further, listening as He Yurou and Zhao Qingwu chatted about her past. All Mo Qinghan could do was play her role among them. Now and then, she would glance sidelong at Zhao Qingwu, who had long been the object of her affection.