Busy with revision, busy with exams.
After that meal with Song Yu’an, Xia Yu didn’t see him for another two weeks.
At the end of June, with the last exam approaching, Xia Yu and Lin Ying arranged to study together in the Library.
As the sky gradually darkened, Xia Yu took off her headphones, moved her wrist a little, and picked up her phone.
There were no unread messages on WeChat.
Xia Yu idly scrolled through her Moments for a while and saw a post from Xue Enjin from two hours ago.
After that meal, Xue Enjin had taken the initiative to add her on WeChat, and Xia Yu hadn’t refused.
On one hand, she didn’t want to hurt the other person’s feelings; on the other hand… she was curious what Xue Enjin was like in real life.
Xue Enjin posted on Moments very frequently, basically once a day—food, classmates, sports…
Her Moments were lively and colorful, completely different from Xia Yu’s calm, ordinary, and bland life.
Today, Xue Enjin posted some photos of professional surfing gear taken in a certain shop.
In one of the photos, a few guys appeared, and among them was Song Yu’an.
The caption read: Showing everyone the equipment.
Song Yu’an had given her a like below.
Xia Yu stared at it in a daze, thinking they must be seeing each other quite often.
“Hey, what’s up?”
Lin Ying beside her noticed she was distracted and leaned over to ask quietly.
Xia Yu put away her phone.
“A bit hungry.”
“Me too. How about we call it a day and get something to eat?”
“Okay.”
The two reached an agreement, packed up their laptops and books, and left the Library.
At this hour, the School Cafeteria was packed, so they decided to eat barbecue at the shop by the school gate.
The Barbecue Shop at the gate was very popular among students—good food, cheap prices, and the lady boss was especially friendly.
At this time, several people were already sitting around the outdoor tables, the charcoal fire crackling, the air filled with the aroma of cumin and grilled meat.
Afraid of the heat, Xia Yu and Lin Ying picked their skewers and went inside, sitting at the spot closest to the air conditioner.
“I’ll go get drinks. What do you want?”
Xia Yu thought for a moment and said, “Same as you.”
“Same as me? I’m drinking beer, you know.”
“Then get me a beer too.”
Since Lin Ying had known Xia Yu, she’d never seen her order alcohol.
Even when Lin Ying often recommended that barbecue and beer were the perfect combo, Xia Yu had never been tempted.
What’s up with her today?
“Wow, our Xia Yu is all grown up now? Going to drink?”
Xia Yu smiled. “Aren’t you the one who said beer relieves stress?”
At times like this, Lin Ying naturally assumed the stress she wanted to relieve was from her studies, so she hooked her arm around Xia Yu’s shoulders and said, “Right, right, it really does! I’ll get it for you!”
Nothing felt better after a whole day of revision than a barbecue feast.
When the skewers arrived, the two buried themselves in eating.
Halfway through, Lin Ying noticed Xia Yu was drinking even faster than her—the can she’d brought over was already empty.
She grew wary at once.
“Xia Yu, are you sure you can handle it?”
“Ying Ying, am I really that unlikable?”
Out of nowhere, Xia Yu suddenly blurted out such a question.
Lin Ying was stunned.
“How could you say that? Why would you think so?”
“I just feel like I’m not likable.”
Xia Yu propped her head on her hand, absently tapping her cup, muttering, “It seems like no one ever chooses me.”
She didn’t speak loudly, but Lin Ying still heard her clearly.
“Did something happen between you and Song Yu’an? Did he say he doesn’t like you? How could he not like you?! Wait, even if that’s the case, it just means he has no taste!”
“Really?”
“Of course!”
Lin Ying looked at Xia Yu, who was staring at her with wide, innocent, and skeptical eyes, and felt that this person really had a skewed perception of herself.
Actually, she’s just a bit introverted and low-key, always in T-shirts and long pants, not much for dressing up, but that doesn’t mean she’s not likable.
“Look at you—such nice skin, such pure features, absolutely adorable! And your figure—stop wearing those baggy, childish elementary school outfits. With a chest that big and a waist that slim, you should show them off!”
Lin Ying was exasperated.
“You’re the perfect mix of cute and sexy, and your personality is amazing, too. What does Song Yu’an know! Hey, don’t let his rejection make you think that way. You are definitely likable.”
Xia Yu felt dizzy, tilting her head slightly, a little lost.
What was Lin Ying saying…
Was she really likable?
No.
Song Yu’an didn’t like her, neither did her parents, and her sister and brother were even more distant.
“Is it only those who are lively, athletic, and seem full of energy that get liked by everyone?”
Xia Yu’s mind was a mess, and she suddenly became obsessed with this idea.
Because thinking back, her sister had always been energetic and good at acting cute, the apple of their parents’ eye.
Her brother was gifted in sports, often going out to play ball with their dad, and he was good at saying nice things, always making their parents happy.
Only her—she was neither lively nor proactive, always plain and withdrawn.
After she moved back from Grandfather and Grandmother’s House in middle school, it felt like she was always the extra one in the family.
“Did Song Yu’an say that? He likes the lively, sporty type?”
Lin Ying asked.
Xia Yu’s thoughts were pulled back from her parents.
She shook her beer can and said, “I guess so. He probably likes lively, sporty girls who are also good at surfing.”
“Huh? Surfing?”
“But is being good at surfing really that amazing?”
Xia Yu squinted, let out a hiccup.
“If I learned, I bet—I bet I could get good at it too!”
Lin Ying was a bit confused.
“What does that have to do with anything, how did this get tied to surfing?”
“Ying Ying, why don’t we go to Hai Cheng this summer? Go surfing!”
“Are you serious… If we go out of town, I have to discuss it with my mom.”
“My parents don’t really care about me. They wouldn’t mind wherever I go.”
Xia Yu suddenly perked up, “Then call her now and ask. If it’s okay, we can go together.”
“Xia Yu, are you drunk?”
“I’m not drunk! I’m serious!”
***
Three days later, the last exam was over.
All four in the Dormitory left the dorm at different times, heading home.
Xia Yu’s home was in the city.
She dragged a suitcase, standing at the bus stop by the school gate waiting for the bus.
Her family lived in an Apartment Complex in the south of the city.
The bus and subway combo took about an hour and a half, and by the time she got home, it was already dark.
“Xia Yu, why are you back?”
As she opened the door, the four family members were having dinner in the dining room.
Her mother, Tang Wanhua, looked at her in surprise.
Xia Yu pulled her suitcase inside.
“Finished my last exam today, so I came back.”
“Oh, it was today? Why didn’t you say so earlier, so your dad could pick you up from school?”
She had mentioned over the phone a few days ago that her last exam was today, but her mom hadn’t remembered.
But it didn’t matter, she hadn’t planned on bothering anyone to pick her up anyway.
“No need, the bus was pretty quick.”
Tang Wanhua said, “Alright, hurry and wash your hands, come eat.”
“Okay.”
Xia Yu let go of her suitcase for now, washed her hands in the bathroom, and sat down at the dining table.
Before she came back, they were probably discussing summer plans, and now they picked up the topic again.
After dinner, her brother Xia Zhiyuan dragged her dad off to play games.
Xia Zhiyuan had just started middle school this year.
He hadn’t touched a phone all semester, so now that summer break had started, he was obsessed with his phone.
Their parents indulged him, figuring they’d restricted him long enough.
On the other side, her sister Xia Xinzhi was chatting with their mom on the sofa.
Xia Xinzhi was two years older, just graduated this year, and was job hunting.
But she had planned long ago to go on a Graduation Trip with her classmates before starting work, so now she was pestering their mom for travel money.
Xia Yu just sat nearby listening, eating fruit for a while, and heard her mom finally agree to let her sister go out.
Her sister was overjoyed, hugging her mom and showering her with kisses.
A warm and intimate scene.
Xia Yu felt out of place.
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