After Differentiation, I Marked My Arch-nemesis - Chapter 72

Night deepened.

Since the high school in the capital checked on students after 11 p.m. every night, Lu Yaoyi went back after meeting Jiang Youli at the school gate. Jiang Youli stood in the wind and snow until she received a message from Lu Yaoyi saying she was back in her dorm before turning around and leaving the high school.

The heavy snow was falling fiercely.

Jiang Youli walked alone on the streets of the capital, letting the snow envelop her.

She was in an exceptionally good mood.

So good that it was beyond words.

She walked aimlessly on one unfamiliar street after another. The hazy snowy mist under the moonlight was breathtakingly beautiful. She eventually got bored and took a taxi to a hotel near the high school in the capital, where she settled down for the night.

On Christmas Eve,

The girls went to sleep with sweet dreams and their own thoughts.

The next day was Christmas.

Because the high school in the capital required every grade to stay at school for self-study on the weekends,

Self-study included the possibility of teachers giving lectures.

They were not allowed to take leave unless there were special circumstances.

Lu Yaoyi could only go find Jiang Youli after school in the afternoon.

In the afternoon,

Jiang Youli woke up and went to the high school about an hour early to pick up Lu Yaoyi. She planned to walk around the bustling capital with Lu Yaoyi.

The heavy snow had stopped.

The entire capital was covered in a soft, snowy white carpet.

Time passed by, minute by minute.

Finally, school was out.

Lu Yaoyi couldn’t wait to leave the classroom.

Every minute she spent in the classroom felt like a torment.

When she left the school gate and saw Jiang Youli waiting for her not far away,

She subconsciously stopped in her tracks.

At that moment, she was suddenly surrounded by a sense of happiness.

She finally understood what it felt like to have the person you liked come to pick you up from school.

She then started walking, step by step, toward Jiang Youli.

She was so, so happy.

Night fell, and the heavy snow covered the brightly lit capital.

Jiang Youli held an umbrella, walking side by side with Lu Yaoyi on the street.

Neither of them said anything, not wanting to break the wonderful atmosphere.

Lu Yaoyi secretly looked at Jiang Youli next to her without being noticed.

Her eyes were filled with deep affection.

After a moment of silence,

She slowly looked away and at the dancing snow. The entire street was filled with Christmas celebrations. There were couples everywhere, showing their love and affection. The way she and Jiang Youli were right now was like a young couple on a Christmas date.

But…

They weren’t a couple after all.

However, she was already very content that Jiang Youli was here to celebrate Christmas with her.

She felt like she had taken another step closer to Jiang Youli.

She thought that one day, she would achieve her wish that she had since childhood.

Jiang Youli took Lu Yaoyi back to the high school before the nightly check.

Then she went back to her hotel.

She left the capital early the next morning.

Time passed quickly, and it was early January of the new year in the blink of an eye.

The exchange period between Jiangcheng No. 1 High School and the high school in the capital ended.

Monday.

After Lu Yaoyi and the other nine students had breakfast, they took an early morning flight from the capital back to Jiangcheng under the lead of the head of the first-year class.

Jiang Youli knew what time Lu Yaoyi would likely arrive at Jiangcheng No. 1 High School.

After the second class, she waited in the hallway.

A little while later,

The team returning from the capital appeared.

Jiang Youli watched Lu Yaoyi walk into the academic building with her suitcase.

She then leaned against the railing in the hallway and looked toward the stairs.

Soon,

Lu Yaoyi slowly walked into Jiang Youli’s sight with her suitcase.

Jiang Youli couldn’t put a finger on what she was feeling.

It was just…

Lu Yaoyi was finally back.

The students on both sides of the hallway were all drawn to Lu Yaoyi.

The expressionless Lu Yaoyi still looked as cold as ever, as if she were telling everyone to stay away. She dragged her suitcase toward Class 1, Grade 1, under everyone’s gaze, when her eyes suddenly fell on Jiang Youli not far away.

The two of them looked at each other from across the long hallway.

The next second, Lu Yaoyi’s eyes filled with a softness.

It was as if she were saying to Jiang Youli,

—I’m back.

Time flew by.

The final exams at Jiangcheng No. 1 High School arrived as scheduled.

For the three days of the exams, after Jiang Youli had written her name, class, and student number on the answer sheet and test paper, all she did was either sleep on her desk or stare out the window in a daze.

She didn’t answer a single question.

She was finally liberated when the bell for the last exam rang.

After the final exams, all the primary, middle, and high schools were on winter break.

From the day the final exams ended, Jiang Youli went out every day to hang out with her friends. Li Henian spoiled her and didn’t stop her.

He just repeatedly told her to be safe and not do anything illegal.

She agreed to everything.

However, whenever Jiang Xiyuan was home,

Jiang Youli would come home earlier at night.

She was still a little afraid of Jiang Xiyuan. Only Jiang Xiyuan could handle her.

The days passed, one by one.

Jiang Youli hung out and hung out until the day before New Year’s Eve.

Night fell.

When Jiang Youli got home after playing all night, she found out that Lu Yaoyi’s family had gone back to their hometown for the New Year. She stood at Lu Yaoyi’s door, looking at the pitch-black villa. In previous years, their two families would often celebrate the New Year together.

She was a little unaccustomed to Lu Yaoyi going back to her hometown this time.

She stood there for a few seconds.

Then she looked away with a complicated feeling and went home.

New Year’s Eve.

Jiang Youli was in the entertainment room at home, playing games with Chen Huaian and the others.

Li Henian would bring in all kinds of pastries and fruits from time to time.

He also prepared some drinks and put them on the table.

He never had any big demands for Jiang Youli.

As long as his beloved daughter was happy,

He was content.

Time passed by, and it was almost time for the New Year’s bell to ring.

Just then, Jiang Youli’s phone suddenly rang.

She picked up the phone from the table and saw that the caller ID was Lu Yaoyi. She took off her headphones and answered the call. “Hello, Lu Yaoyi.”

“What are you doing?”

Lu Yaoyi’s gentle voice came from the phone.

Jiang Youli felt good for no reason. “I’m playing games.”

Lu Yaoyi: “Who are you playing games with?”

Jiang Youli: “Of course, it’s Huaian and the others.”

Lu Yaoyi: “Oh…”

Jiang Youli: “What’s wrong?”

Lu Yaoyi: “Nothing. I just called to ask you.”

Jiang Youli: “What are you doing?”

The night breeze blew Lu Yaoyi’s black hair that was on her shoulder.

She looked up at the bright moon hanging in the night sky and answered Jiang Youli in her heart.

I’m thinking of you.

But what she said was, “I’m on the rooftop looking at the moon.”

Jiang Youli: “Looking at the moon?”

Lu Yaoyi: “Mhm.”

Jiang Youli: “What’s so great about the moon?”

Lu Yaoyi: “Tonight’s moon is very beautiful. Do you want to come out and take a look?”

Hearing this, Jiang Youli looked back at the French window.

“I don’t want to go look at the moon.”

That’s what she said, but she left her teammates and got up, walking toward the French window.

She pulled open the glass door and walked onto the balcony.

The cold wind howled.

The air was filled with the scent of the night and the cold fragrance of snow.

Jiang Youli leaned against the balcony and looked up at the bright moon.

A bright moon, radiating silver light, was embedded in the silent night sky.

Stars twinkled all around.

Tonight’s moon was indeed very beautiful.

Lu Yaoyi looked at the bright moon, thinking of Jiang Youli, who was far away in Jiangcheng.

She pursed her lips and called out, “Jiang Youli.”

Jiang Youli: “Mhm?”

“The new year is about to begin,” Lu Yaoyi’s mind was filled with the image of Jiang Youli’s arrogant face. “Is there anything you want to do in the new year?”

Jiang Youli: “No.”

Lu Yaoyi: “No?”

Jiang Youli: “Mhm.”

Lu Yaoyi: “Are you really going to keep playing around and waste your studies?”

Jiang Youli was slightly taken aback.

She suddenly didn’t know how to answer Lu Yaoyi.

Lu Yaoyi: “Jiang Youli, let’s start studying seriously next semester.”

Jiang Youli didn’t say anything.

Lu Yaoyi: “I can teach you and tutor you in anything you don’t know.”

Jiang Youli: “…”

She didn’t understand why Lu Yaoyi was making such a suggestion.

So she said, “I’m not cut out for studying.”

Lu Yaoyi’s eyes flickered. “Don’t you want to go to university?”

Jiang Youli: “Why are you suddenly asking me these questions?”

Lu Yaoyi: “Because you don’t like to study.”

Jiang Youli: “…”

She didn’t want Lu Yaoyi to focus on her.

She had to deliberately change the subject. “What about you? What university do you want to go to?”

Lu Yaoyi: “I want to go to Capital University.”

Capital University…

Just hearing the name “Capital” made Jiang Youli feel like it was an unreachable distance.

Let alone Capital University.

Capital University was the best university in the country. With Lu Yaoyi’s grades, going to Capital University was not a problem at all. Lu Yaoyi might even be able to get a recommendation to Capital University.

And her…

She couldn’t even reach the threshold of a university right now.

Lu Yaoyi: “Jiang Youli.”

Jiang Youli: “Mhm?”

Lu Yaoyi: “Let’s be desk mates starting next semester.”

Jiang Youli: “Why?”

Lu Yaoyi: “I’ll study with you, and I can also tutor you.”

Jiang Youli: “Lu Yaoyi, why are you suddenly telling me to study?”

“I’m doing this to help Uncle Li and Uncle Jiang supervise you,” Lu Yaoyi said slowly. “Otherwise… when I go to the capital in the future, you won’t be able to see me anymore.”

Jiang Youli was slightly taken aback.

She had never thought about not being able to see Lu Yaoyi.

She said awkwardly, “You narcissistic freak, who wants to see you?”

“Starting next semester, you study hard and work hard. Then we can go to a university in the capital together,” Lu Yaoyi said. “It’s also good for us to be close so we can help each other through our heats, right? We can… also rent a place and live off campus together.”

Her tone was calm but full of selfish motives.

Jiang Youli suddenly felt that what Lu Yaoyi said made a lot of sense.

And…

Both of the conditions Lu Yaoyi mentioned made her heart pound.

Her current grades were a mess.

If she didn’t study hard, when Lu Yaoyi went to Capital University in the future…

Where would she go?

Thinking of this, she suddenly shook her head awkwardly.

No.

She wasn’t Lu Yaoyi’s only option, so why should she listen to her?

She didn’t want to go to the capital at all.

Just then, the midnight bell for the new year rang.

One after another, magnificent fireworks bloomed in the night sky, lighting up the darkness.

The deafening sound of firecrackers echoed through the clouds.

Jiang Youli looked at the fireworks blooming in the distance and softened her voice. “Lu Yaoyi.”

Lu Yaoyi: “Mhm?”

Jiang Youli: “Happy New Year.”

This was the first time in so many years that Jiang Youli had said “Happy New Year” to Lu Yaoyi over the phone. Lu Yaoyi’s lips curved into a smile. “Happy New Year.”