Chapter 6: The Blue Sky and White Clouds Are Rather Dull

Lin Jie had not slept the entire night.

His mind kept replaying the recent scenes, moments involving Su Jiamu.

From the moment he first laid eyes on her, it was like an old film, running over and over in his thoughts.

Sometimes, he would drift in and out of sleep, caught between reality and dreams. He saw Su Jiamu apologizing to him with tears in her eyes, saw her stand by his side without hesitation, even when he lost his composure.

Of course, that boy hadn't dared to lay a hand on her head.

With a gentleman's smile, graceful and polite, Lin Jie confessed under the moonlight, finally holding the hand of the girl he had longed to hold countless times.

But every time he reached this moment, a sharp pain would stab his chest in the dream, and all the beauty would shatter like fragile bubbles. He would wake suddenly, sitting in the darkness, dazed.

At times, Lin Jie would remind himself that nothing had happened between him and Su Jiamu, that it was just a dream... just a ridiculous and sorrowful dream.

But this wasn't a dream.

Lin Jie thought to himself, how deeply hurt he must be to so willingly lose himself in such absurdities, even in his sleep.

Every morning, he would rise, shower, wash up, head downstairs to buy breakfast, lingering in the shop as if he had just finished eating, before walking beside Su Jiamu on the way to school.

Su Jiamu, who loved to sleep in, would always be bleary-eyed, tidying her hair absentmindedly as she nibbled on her bread. Whenever she passed by Lin Jie at the breakfast shop, she would smile sweetly and greet him.

In the morning sunlight, the slight tilt of her head and her gentle smile never failed to make Lin Jie's heart race.

"Xiao Lin, not waiting for Xiao Mu today?"

The breakfast shop owner called out to Lin Jie, who was about to leave with his breakfast, giving him a knowing smile.

Lin Jie paused for a moment before replying with a light smile, "Auntie, since when have I waited for her?"

The shop owner laughed heartily, then, in that tender tone reserved for the young, said, "Oh, you don't need to be shy, child."

"Haven't you always waited for her?"

Lin Jie stood in the sunlight, holding his breakfast, staring at his long shadow on the ground.

Suddenly, he couldn't smile anymore.

After a brief silence, he muttered, "Is that so?"

"Yes…"

"Heh, well, I guess I won't wait today." Lin Jie smiled again, turning towards the direction of the school.

I won't wait today. I won't wait ever again.

Lin Jie was a man of clarity… yes, he was quite clear.

For those who will never come… there's no point in waiting.

…

Returning to school, Lin Jie saw his old friend, whom he hadn't seen for some time, standing in the hallway.

It was Mo Jiale.

The fool who had brought him flowers yesterday.

Lin Jie stood at the end of the hallway, watching from afar as Mo Jiale listened impatiently to Zhao Yan's endless chatter.

The wind must've been strong, for Lin Jie's voice came out hoarse, his eyes stinging slightly.

"President Mo."

At the sound of Lin Jie's voice, both Mo Jiale and Zhao Yan immediately stopped and turned to look at him.

Lin Jie smiled warmly at them. "What brings you here? It's been a while…"

Before Lin Jie could finish his pretense, Mo Jiale rushed over, landing a punch on his shoulder with a scowl and snapped, "Lin Jie, you're such an idiot…"

Then, suddenly, Mo Jiale sighed and said softly, "It's okay, it's okay…"

Lin Jie blinked, pushing him away with an exaggerated look of disdain, mocking lightly, "What, you think I'm as pitiful as you?"

Lin Jie, Mo Jiale, and Zhao Yan were close friends—brothers in everything but blood. Their friendship had only faltered because of two girls.

One was Su Jiamu, the other, He Yan.

Mo Jiale thought Lin Jie was too humble before Su Jiamu, and he despised how she kept stringing Lin Jie along. Likewise, Lin Jie couldn't bring himself to like He Yan, the girl Mo Jiale adored.

Mo Jiale was handsome, came from money, and had pursued He Yan for years. Yet in the end, He Yan had chosen another boy.

Lin Jie still remembered the night Mo Jiale had fallen apart, drunk and despairing, lamenting how no girl should think a boy was bad just because he had money, or how no boy should win the girl of his dreams in mere weeks after years of someone else's effort.

"Love is unfair," Mo Jiale had said.

And Lin Jie had to agree. It was utterly unfair.

Perhaps, as the saying goes, the outsider sees more clearly. The two of them had been too lost in their own feelings, stubbornly clinging to what they cherished, only to turn themselves into fools.

Hearing Lin Jie's words, Mo Jiale grinned, "Of course you're not me. You were just rejected, while I got to watch her walk into someone else's arms."

His expression was calm, as though he didn't care at all.

But only those who have suffered the same pain can truly understand it.

Lin Jie shook his head. "Let's not talk about this. How's your preparation for the exams? Decided where you'll go for college?"

Zhao Yan, who had been quiet, jumped in eagerly, "Haha, Jiale's coming to the same city as us—Tian Nan! He's going to be a respected policeman, serving the people!"

Lin Jie looked over at Mo Jiale, surprised.

Mo Jiale nodded.

His grades weren't stellar, not enough to freely choose a university in Tian Nan like Lin Jie and Zhao Yan. So he had decided to apply to the police academy.

"Good for you," Lin Jie said with a smile.

Mo Jiale smiled back. "And we'll still hang out all the time. We'll travel together whenever we can."

"Don't forget to bring out that sports car of yours to show off a bit," Lin Jie teased.

"Of course, you're just waiting for me to let you drive it, aren't you?" Mo Jiale rolled his eyes.

Lin Jie smiled but said nothing.

He didn't ask much of Mo Jiale, just one thing: to let him drive that sports car when he finally got his license over the summer.

What would he do with it?

Naturally, he wanted to take the girl he loved on a drive, to indulge in a fleeting moment of boyish pride… even if it was borrowed, even if it was rented.

But now… Lin Jie looked up at the sky.

The blue sky and white clouds, just as they were yesterday.

How dull they are, aren't they?