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Before he arrived today, his mother had a talk with him, asking about Qinglan. It seemed that the school was vaguely aware of certain matters concerning Qinglan. As for what those matters were—whether it was about her pregnancy or her faking a sick leave to skip her internship—Xu Wen couldn't determine how much the school actually knew about Qinglan. However, from his mother's tone, it appeared that some rumors about Qinglan had reached the school. His mother repeatedly questioned Xu Wen about whether he had any relationship with her.
Xu Wen said no.
His mother replied, "That's good; it's best if there’s nothing."
Then she also inquired about the sick leave he had arranged for Qinglan, asking what illness she had. Xu Wen stammered, struggling to find the right words to respond. After all, he was not someone who was good at lying. Although he could handle Assistant Li easily, in front of his mother, his inability to lie left him with nowhere to hide. This made his mother press him even harder with her questions. Eventually, he couldn't take it anymore and said, "The doctor said she needs to rest and recuperate. Helping her take a leave can't be wrong, right? We can't deny someone who needs rest."
In the end, his mother said, "No matter what you do, it's best if you don't have any relationship with her; otherwise, I won't be able to protect you."
Perhaps because his mother still trusted and understood him well, she knew he liked to help others and often assisted classmates in solving difficult problems. Sometimes he would leverage her connections, but he always maintained a sense of propriety; he mostly did it for good reasons. Many classmates were aware of his kind-hearted nature, so whenever there were minor issues that students couldn’t resolve themselves, they liked to ask him for help, and he was happy to assist.
So when he denied having any relationship with Qinglan, although his mother scrutinized him for a moment, she ultimately did not ask him anything further.
Once his mother fell silent, he seized the opportunity to say that he had made plans to go out with classmates and left.
After stepping outside and reflecting on his mother's words, Xu Wen felt somewhat uneasy.
However, he didn't think too deeply about it; he assumed it was just some unpleasant gossip that had reached his mother's ears. He had previously been seen as being close to Qinglan in others' eyes and now had a decent relationship with her. Therefore, it was natural for his mother to bring up some reminders upon hearing rumors about her.
Yet deep down, he still felt a slight unease.
That night, usually good at handling alcohol, Xu Wen found himself slightly tipsy after just a few glasses of red wine. He had arrived quite late and after drinking for a while and spending time with Qinglan over dinner, it was almost past midnight when he left. Outside, the sounds of firecrackers began to erupt as the Spring Festival celebration reached its peak; hosts took turns on stage amidst the bustling crowd.
Xu Wen stared at the television while Qinglan urged him to hurry back. He turned to Qinglan and said, "Don't you want to step into the new year with me?"
Xu Wen said this with a smile, intending to joke with her and make her happy during the transition from old to new. However, his words made Qinglan feel a lump in her throat, and she almost cried. The bittersweet feeling in her heart turned her smile into a frown, and she quickly lowered her head to avoid looking at him. She was afraid he would see her inner vulnerability, weakness, and loneliness, as well as her longing for warmth and love. Most importantly, she didn't want him to see her regret.
Yes, she once believed that love was the most important thing in life. She thought she would never regret whatever she gave up for the person she loved. But tonight, when she realized that her love would cost her the most precious and beautiful years of her youth, she felt not only a pang of resentment but also a resolute determination not to let herself take another wrong step, along with deep regret.
Yet, she did not want Xu Wen to see this regret.
Xu Wen stood up and asked, "What's wrong? Cheer up; every day will pass. No matter whether the past day was happy or sad, it will be over. It's not just that we are facing a hurdle now; even if everything seems smooth sailing now, there will always be another hurdle in life that we must face with strength. Your hurdle just came a little earlier than others. The life ahead is much longer than what has passed. Experiencing it earlier and awakening sooner can be a good thing. No one's life is always smooth sailing. Experiencing storms when young is better than facing them later in life; the advantage of youth is that everything can still be restarted."
Xu Wen was unaware of what storms awaited Qinglan in the future; his mother's words always made him uneasy. Thus, he considered this speech as a precautionary measure for Qinglan.
Qinglan nodded while still urging Xu Wen to hurry back. Xu Wen remained seated, looking at Qinglan in confusion. Why was it so urgent for him to leave during this time of saying goodbye to the old year and welcoming the new one? He still had plans ahead!
Seeing that Xu Wen insisted on staying, Qinglan had no choice but to sit down in defeat. It wasn't that she didn't want him to stay with her as they welcomed the new year together; rather, as everyone else was joyful with the approaching New Year, she wanted some quiet time alone to calmly greet the new year and settle into her future life.
Moreover, she genuinely felt that at such an important moment, Xu Wen should be with his parents, his family, and his friends—he shouldn't be by her side. He should happily welcome the new year while she could not bring him joy even if she pretended to be happy.
As the two held their ground, the luxurious stage on television was filled with people looking up in anticipation of the midnight chimes.
"Ding... Ding... Ding..."
The atmosphere on television became electrifying.
"Is the whole nation excited?"
Suddenly, the sound of fireworks outside erupted, rising and falling in waves. Xu Wen stood up, walked to the balcony, and pushed open the window. A sharp cold wind rushed in, causing Qinglan to shiver.
Thick smoke billowed outside the community, and the scent of sulfur quickly filled the room. The once chilly space now felt infused with a strong festive atmosphere.
Xu Wen walked to the corner between the kitchen and living room, picked up the plastic bag he had brought earlier from the cabinet, and returned to the balcony. Qinglan came over, stretching her neck to take a look.
Wow! The bag was filled with colorful fireworks!
Xu Wen smiled proudly at Qinglan, handed her the bag, and said, "You might want to stand a bit aside; I'll set off the fireworks."
He magically pulled out a lighter from his pocket, stood by the window, lit the first firework, and instantly, brilliant sparks exploded in the sky.
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