Chapter 4: Something to Tell You

Yan Yan got to know Lei Pili because during her first semester as a freshman, she would be at the English department all day long auditing courses.

Yan Yan's level of course auditing was extraordinary, in just one semester, she audited her way from freshman courses up to senior courses.

As long as it did not conflict with her own major's class schedule, Yan Yan would audit.

Yan Yan appeared so frequently that the professors from the English department started to think of her as one of their own students.

On the rare occasion that Yan Yan couldn't attend due to other matters, the professors would even ask where Yann (Yan Yan's English name) had gone.

Auditing to the extent Yan Yan did was definitely reaching a certain level of dedication.

Yan Yan's English was originally quite good, so even attending senior-level classes while auditing in the English department, she never embarrassed herself.

However, there were many classroom exercises in the English department that involved pairing up for live dialogues.

Seeing the names, the professor easily paired Yancey (Lei Pili's English name) and Yan Yan as a team.

Yan Yan audited English courses to prepare for the IELTS.

After the IELTS at the end of her first winter vacation, Yan Yan no longer audited courses in the English department.

It wasn't until then that Lei Pili, emerging from his own sense of loss, realized he had fallen for Yan Yan, which led to his subsequent six undeterred confessions despite rejections.

.........

"Ning Xuan, I have something to tell you," Yan Yan said after she and Lei Pili had finished eating and returned to the dorm.

"What is it?" Ning Xuan, who was lying on her bed reading a book, didn't even look up.

"Well, summer vacation is approaching, so you should treat me to a few more meals in the coming days," said Yan Yan, walking directly to Ning Xuan's bed and snatching the book she was reading.

"Why? Won't you have any food at home after you go back? Give me back my book, I haven't finished it yet." Ning Xuan finally sat up in bed, trying to retrieve her book.

"It's not like that," Yan Yan returned the book to Ning Xuan.

"Then why should I treat you to meals? Move aside, don't disturb me while I'm reading my novel," Ning Xuan said as she picked up the book and continued reading.

"I was thinking you could treat me to the meals you were supposed to treat me over the next three years, sophomore through senior year, because you won't be seeing me next semester," Yan Yan continued to speak to Ning Xuan, albeit a little guiltily.

"Who said I was going to treat you to meals and add it up to three years' worth? Let me tell you, even combined it wouldn't be enough for one meal," Ning Xuan retorted and then returned to her book.

Less than a minute later, Ning Xuan suddenly remembered something as if it just dawned on her, and she put down her book.

"What do you mean I won't see you next semester? Did I not listen carefully just now, or did I misunderstand?" Ning Xuan asked with confusion all over her face.

"It means I'm not studying here anymore, I'm not coming back," whispered Yan Yan, her voice a little softer than usual.

Yan Yan had actually always been unsure about how to broach this topic with Ning Xuan. Fortunately, she didn't have many friends in her own department, so she only needed to explain seriously to Ning Xuan alone.

"Is it because no one voted for you during the student council election? Are you serious? Didn't you say you didn't care? The rumors about unsavory connections will soon be known to be false. If it's really necessary, I'll go and explain to everyone," Ning Xuan thought Yan Yan was mostly joking.

"If I'm drawing this much fire, you explaining won't help me, and it'll drag you down with me, making you the scandalous female lead number two," Yan Yan replied to Ning Xuan with a playful smile.

"You can't possibly be serious about these rumors, right?" Ning Xuan got up and climbed down the ladder beside her bed.

"Do you think it's possible? When have I ever cared about rumors? The truth is, I just got an unconditional offer from the University of Melbourne, so I'm heading to Melbourne next semester.

Rumors can't bring me down; only momentous events like you refusing to invite me for a meal could make me dejected and lose the will to sleep."

Yan Yan said this with a look of disappointment, while also pretending to be extra hurt.

Knowing that Ning Xuan would be more disappointed than herself upon hearing this news, and wanting to avoid a "thorough thrashing" from Ning Xuan, Yan Yan decided she had to "strike first."

"The international news major, Mei Bao, seems to have gone to Melbourne last semester too," Ning Xuan mused, still not fully recovered from the shock of Yan Yan's impending departure, mentioning something somewhat off-topic.

"Mei Bao? I'm not familiar with her; we've never even spoken," Yan Yan admitted, for she really didn't have any way of knowing about it.

"You say that as if you talk to many people. Other than me, do you even have friends?" Ning Xuan sneered at Yan Yan's reply.

"Don't be too proud. I might not have many in the School of Journalism, but there are plenty in the Foreign Languages Faculty, even more in Physics, and some in Chemistry, ah yes, and also in Biology," Yan Yan indeed had met quite a number of people during her freshman year.

"And they're all science and tech guys, right? Can't even fend off all their advances, can you?" Ning Xuan found it strange, the discrepancy between Yan Yan's popularity in the science and tech departments and her own department was simply too vast.

"Which eye of yours has seen the Foreign Languages Faculty as science and tech majors?" Yan Yan countered Ning Xuan.

"Both my eyes have, you mercilessly crushed the heartthrob of the Foreign Languages Faculty several times," Ning Xuan replied just as uncompromisingly.

"It's all my fault; I didn't even claim your heartthrob as my own, didn't capture him for myself, my sins are truly grave," Yan Yan said with a contrite face.

"You'd better acknowledge it. You're definitely just as unpopular in the Foreign Languages Faculty," Ning Xuan said with certainty.

"Yeah, whether it's the Foreign Languages or Journalism, it's mostly dominated by female students. Occasionally, when one or two decent-looking, not effeminate guys show up, it causes a sensation among the girls," Yan Yan spoke as if she were just an observer.

"As if you're not a girl yourself," said Ning Xuan, quite discontented.

"That's right, I'm totally a guy, and I've even cohabited in the same dorm room with you for an entire year. If you end up not being able to marry, remember to come find me. If I'm feeling generous, maybe I'll even consider taking a tiny bit of responsibility for you," Yan Yan said with a look of sympathy.

"Yan Yan, are you really not coming back next semester?" Ning Xuan finally brought the conversation back to the reality she didn't want to accept.

"I really won't, don't miss me too much, and there's no need to waste away on my account. If I knew, I might feel just a tad bit of heartache," Yan Yan said, pinching the tip of her little finger.

"I give up on you. With the way you talk, I just can't even get sentimental," Ning Xuan didn't know what kind of face to make while talking to Yan Yan.

"That's the spirit, if you can't get into it, then don't bother. I am saying all this just to comfort you, after all."