The final exams were finally over, and the college students could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Whether they did well or poorly, they waved it off and forgot about it. Worrying would only add unnecessary trouble. They weren't about to do something that foolish. They were jumping around like monkeys, already planning where to go for winter break.
The last night before the holiday was also the liveliest. The girls' dorm wasn't as rowdy as the boys', but it wasn't much better. After packing up what they needed to take home, they usually hugged their roommates, reluctant to part, and talked through the night.
Ye Qingli had just washed her face when they dragged her into a game of poker. When she was little, her grandma would go out to play cards, and she would always tag along, sitting quietly on the side watching without crying or fussing. Over time, she picked up how to play. But just as she rolled up her sleeves ready to take them on, Xu Yan finished explaining the rules, and she immediately deflated.
The other three came from different parts of the country, but the rules they played were basically the same. Yet when it came to Ye Qingli, the rules were completely different.
With a hand of cards, she tried to recall the rules Xu Yan had explained. Every round she played, she would scratch her head. It wasn't like her grandma lived in some remote mountain village—how could the rules be so different?
After losing countless rounds in a row, Ye Qingli couldn't take it anymore. She surrendered: "Can you three just play? I'm not having any fun at all. Playing on my phone would be more interesting."
"Yeah, you could chat with Xiao Yu—how fun!" Zhang Yan, sitting beside her, raised an eyebrow.
Ye Qingli paused, then her face quickly flushed red: "No, I mean scrolling through videos or watching movies..."
"Keep pretending." Jiang Mo gathered the cards and gossiped, "But I do admire you. That big player—you got him just like that. Before, Xiao Yu's girlfriends were all the flashy type like Zhou Nannan. Who would've thought he actually likes someone with your cool vibe?"
"I guess I got lucky," Ye Qingli said with a smile, reaching for her water cup and taking a sip. When she confessed, she hadn't been confident at all, but Huang Xu's words had triggered her, and she blurted it out on impulse.
She was really glad Xiao Yu said yes. If he had rejected her, the three-room apartment she could have dug out with her toes would probably be ready for move-in by now.
"What do you mean lucky? Didn't he chase you for a long time?" Xu Yan had been throwing cards too hard and now her back and arms ached. She grabbed a pillow and stuffed it behind her head. With her long legs, she took up half the bed just by crossing them.
It was a long story, and Ye Qingli didn't plan to go into details with them. Girls were more sensitive, and if they found out Xiao Yu had approached her with ulterior motives, they would definitely be upset for her. Plus, it involved Huang Xu. With three gossipy faces, if she started, they'd be talking until dawn.
So she vaguely summed it up: "At first, he wasn't serious."
"Oh, I see..."
That made sense to them. Xiao Yu wasn't reliable; he changed girlfriends every few days and wasn't devoted to relationships. Who would believe he suddenly wanted to pursue someone?
But the fact that he kept a gap for so long just to pursue Ye Qingli showed sincerity.
Zhang Yan nodded, then grinned mischievously: "Since you two are together now, have you thought about where to take Xiao Yu for winter break?"
"Huh?" Ye Qingli was stumped.
"Seeing your reaction, you haven't planned anything." Zhang Yan clicked her tongue, crossed her arms, and put on the airs of a love guru. "Winter break is over a month long. Newly in love, separated for that long, your feelings might be tested. Don't you want to do something to keep him hooked on you?"
"Truly a master!" Xu Yan clasped her hands in admiration.
Ye Qingli was dumbfounded. Her legs had gone numb from sitting cross-legged, so she curled them up and hugged her knees to feel better. She probed: "What about you and your boyfriend? Are you two going out during break?"
"Of course! We plan to meet before school starts, go on a nice trip, and then go to a hot spring together!"
"Wow!!!"
The three except Zhang Yan all widened their eyes, hopping in excitement until they remembered the thin bed frame couldn't take it. But their hearts still raced. What did a couple in love going to a hot spring mean? It meant seeing each other naked!
Jiang Mo, who had watched plenty of idol dramas, squeezed her eyes and clenched her fists: "Wait, why do I feel more excited than you?"
"That's the effect!"
Zhang Yan curled her index finger under her eye, completely forgetting her glasses were still on the sink, not on her face. She tilted her chin up slightly, then suddenly reached out and pressed Ye Qingli's shoulder, startling her.
"You get it now?"
"Wh-what..."
Zhang Yan rolled her eyes dramatically, feeling her speech had been wasted. But for her bestie's happiness, she explained again: "The hot spring I mentioned! See how excited you all got when I said it? Just imagine if you told Xiao Yu you wanted to go to a hot spring with him, how would he react?"
"A strategist! That suggestion is brilliant!" Xu Yan got excited again, nodding frantically at Ye Qingli: "We all think it's a great idea!"
"..." Ye Qingli swallowed. A hot spring? She couldn't. She was embarrassed even with girls; with a guy, she couldn't even bring it up.
Maybe she was too old-fashioned.
Zhang Yan, knowing her personality, figured she couldn't do it. Sighing, she looked at her like a disappointing child.
She patted her shoulder and said earnestly: "Sis, you have to understand, novelty and freshness fade quickly. You need to make him feel passion during the time you love each other—that's the preservative for your love."
Passion, preservative.
Ye Qingli actually agreed with her.
But...
When she looked at Xiao Yu, who was walking ahead carrying her suitcase, Ye Qingli bit her lip. Her heart pounded like a drum, and in this freezing season, her palms were sweaty.
He noticed she wasn't keeping up. Xiao Yu reached back but didn't find her hand. Turning around, he saw her walking slowly, eyes downcast, shoes crunching in the snow, lost in thought.
"Come here," he said, slowing down a little.
Snapped out of her thoughts, Ye Qingli looked up to see his slender, bony hand. It moved. She met his gaze, then quickened her pace to take his hand.
"What were you thinking about so seriously?" Xiao Yu rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand.
"Nothing." Ye Qingli sniffled. The wind was biting cold, turning her nose red. After a moment, she looked up and asked, "Xiao Yu, are you really not going back to Gu Cheng?"
Xiao Yu had two high-speed rail tickets in his pocket. He bought them to send her off. Why would he go back to Gu Cheng anyway? He had no home there. Once she returned to her parents, he would leave.
Xiao Yu hesitated: "Mm."
Ye Qingli lowered her head, silent. Her hand in his moved, and she laced their fingers together.
She felt him grip a little tighter.
Taking a taxi to the station, passing security, boarding the train—Ye Qingli felt time flying for the first time. By the time she realized it, the high-speed train was already speeding along, leaving only a blur outside the window.