Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Life after becoming single again wasn’t really any different.

My roommates did notice that something seemed off, though, and cautiously asked,

“Xingchun, how come you haven’t been going out on dates lately? You and your boyfriend…”

Before she could finish, I cut in with a bright smile. “I’m not dating anyone.”

“Huh?”

“I’d just started college back then and wasn’t really used to it yet, so I went to catch up with an old classmate. That’s all.”

Anyway, they had no idea who I’d actually been going out to meet before.

The three of them looked at each other, and in the end, our dorm leader was the one who spoke.

“You dressed up every time you went out, so I thought you were going on dates. Didn’t you say before that you were?”

“I was joking. I’d just started learning how to do makeup, so of course I needed chances to practice. I wear makeup when I go out with you guys too.”

With my grinning, carefree act, I managed to fool all my roommates.

Who knew that at that moment, the roommate in the bed next to mine suddenly cried out in surprise.

“Xingchun, someone asked me for your contact info before. I thought you were in a relationship, so I didn’t give it to him. If I’d known, I would’ve asked you first.”

“Seriously? Was he handsome? If he’s not, then forget it,” another roommate chimed in.

“How would I know? He’s a sophomore. I added him before because of something, but we never chat, and I’ve never met him in person. How would I know if he’s handsome or not?” My roommate was enthusiastic. “Want me to go investigate for you?”

I laughed. “No thanks. I’ve been especially in love with studying lately, so I’m heading to the library first.”

“All your outings lately have been to the library to study? Ugh, I’m going too!”

“No secret studying without me. I’m coming too!”

“Let’s go, let’s go!”

“…”

There wasn’t the slightest trace of heartbreak hanging over me.

Even though, for more than a year, my eyes had always drifted toward Zhou Tingshen, giving up on him still didn’t make it feel like my world was falling apart.

Someone who loves herself too much can’t tolerate contempt from another person in an intimate relationship.

Even when I was pursuing Zhou Tingshen before, I still believed that he and I were equals.

I stopped contacting Zhou Tingshen on my own initiative, but since we were on the same campus, I still ran into him often enough.

Whether on campus or in the cafeteria, that girl named Du Xuanning was always by his side. She really was bright and beautiful.

Like me, she loved to chatter away. The difference was that Zhou Tingshen, who had always been quiet and taciturn around me, would tilt his head to listen when she spoke, and he would chat and laugh with her.

Once again, I was grateful that I’d never announced my relationship with Zhou Tingshen to anyone before.

He hadn’t been satisfied with me either, so he’d always kept up a single-guy image. If other people found out I’d been in a relationship like that, I’d be too embarrassed to live it down.

Still, I was grateful to the younger me who’d first fallen in love. If I hadn’t worked hard enough back then, how could I possibly have gotten into this university now?

Men are unreal and fleeting. An education is real and lasting.

Zhou Tingshen and Du Xuanning were one of the rare handsome-man-and-beautiful-woman pairings in our year, so naturally they drew attention standing together. I could even hear gossip from other people about this old classmate of mine.

Yes, old classmate.

I refused to admit he was my first love, and naturally, he wouldn’t be my ex-boyfriend either.

Day after day passed, and I threw myself into studying.

Then one day, I saw on the campus forum that a senior in my major was recruiting new team members for a social sciences research topic. The topic was about intangible cultural heritage, and the place where that heritage originated wasn’t far from my hometown.

I could do field research there over winter break.

Without thinking too much about it, I added that senior’s contact information.