Hours passed, and the night wore on quietly. But for Xi Yi sleep was elusive. Her slumber was abruptly shattered in the dead of night. She sat up without warning, her mind still reeling from the butterfly's words and the novel's plot. The dim light of her desk lamp cast a warm glow as she rummaged through the bottom drawer, her fingers closing around the familiar shape of her novel book.
She carefully placed it on the desk, her eyes scanning the pages with an intensity that bordered on reverence. Her gaze lingered on the words, devouring every detail about the male lead. "Zhang Zhen?" she whispered, her brow furrowed in thought. "So, he's the love interest of the original Xi Yi... that means..."
Her eyes widened as realization dawned. Flipping back through the pages, she confirmed her suspicions – she was already on chapter 4. "Chapter 4 already?" Her voice was barely audible, her mind racing with possibilities.
Just then, the purple butterfly fluttered into view. "Xi Yi, not Qing Zhi! You're quite the hard worker, aren't you?" The butterfly's words were laced with amusement.
Xi Yi's gaze remained fixed on the butterfly, her eyes pleading for answers. "What do you mean? So Zhang Zhen is my love interest? And he's arriving at this time?"
The butterfly's laughter was like a gentle breeze. "One question at a time, Xi Yi! Okay, okay... Zhang Zhen is indeed the male lead, and he's your love interest."
Xi Yi's eyes searched for reassurance. "So, what happens next?" The butterfly's response was matter-of-fact. "You follow the novel, of course. You'll fall for Zhang Zhen."
Xi Yi's expression turned troubled. "Is that so...?" The butterfly's friendly tone offered little comfort. "Simple, right?"
"Easy for you to say, but not for me!" Xi Yi's voice was laced with frustration.
The butterfly's words hung in the air: "Just remember, he'll arrive tomorrow, and you need to show everyone your admiration for him, got it?"
Xi Yi's sigh was heavy with reluctance. "I'll think about it."
As the butterfly vanished, Xi Yi's gaze drifted out the window. She pushed it open, letting the night air fill the room. The city lights twinkled like stars, and the moon cast a silver glow on her face. Her eyes remained fixed on the sky, lost in thought.
"What should I choose?" she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible. Her eyes seemed to hold a thousand worries, reflecting the turmoil within.
The sound of the door creaking open broke the silence. "My dear daughter, why are you still up at this hour?" Her mother's voice was tinged with concern.
Xi Yi turned, her expression somber. "Just thinking about some things, Ma."
Her mother's brow furrowed. "What's wrong? You're still in senior high; don't worry about studies too much. You're not under that much pressure yet."
"It's not that," Xi Yi said, settling onto her bed beside her mother. "If it were just that, I'd be fine."
Her mother turned to her, curious. "So what's going on?"
Xi Yi's gaze met her mother's. "We're doing an essay on fictional worlds versus reality. Which one is more important?"
Her mother's smile was gentle. "Reality, sweetie. Fictional worlds are just that – fiction. It's better to wake up to reality than get lost in something that's not true."
With a soft pat on the bed, her mother stood up. "Get some sleep, okay?" She slipped out of the room, leaving Xi Yi alone.
Xi Yi lay down slowly, her mind replaying her mother's words. "Mom's right. Chen He Yi isn't real. Reality is what matters." She whispered the words to herself, a newfound determination rising within her.
With a quiet resolve, she stood up, closed the window, and slipped back into bed. As the chill of the night wrapped around her, she let her eyelids drift shut, the silence enveloping her like a shroud.
----
The morning sun cast a warm glow over the bustling street. Vendors were setting up their stalls, while pedestrians rushed to and fro, some on bicycles, others on foot. Chen He Yi emerged from his room, already dressed in his uniform, his movements swift and purposeful.
He headed to the kitchen, where a note on the table caught his eye. His mother's handwriting danced across the page: "Zhang Zhen arrives today! Pick him up 😊". A faint smile played on Chen He Yi's lips as he glanced at the clock. With a sense of urgency, he devoured his breakfast, grabbed his bag, and rushed out the door.
The wheels of his bicycle spun rapidly as he pedaled through the crowded streets, the wind whipping through his hair. He was on a mission.
----
Xi Yi's alarm blared to life, and she groggily opened her eyes. The sudden flood of light as her mother pulled back the curtains made her squint. "Xi Yi, get up! Breakfast is almost ready, and you don't want to be late for school," her mother called out, already heading out of the room.
Xi Yi slowly sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She shuffled to the bathroom, and emerged a few minutes later, dressed in her uniform. She gathered her things, including her novel book, which had become her guide for the mission ahead.
As she entered the dining area, the aroma of breakfast wafted through the air. Her parents were already seated, smiling at her. "Xi Yi, how's school going?" her father asked, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
Xi Yi took a bite of her breakfast before responding, "It's going okay, Pa. I'm pretty sure I'll make it to the top 5." Her father's face lit up with pride, and her mother smiled, serving her another piece of meat. "I'm such a lucky father," her father said, chuckling.
For a moment, Xi Yi felt like she was part of a real family, with a father who cared. The warmth and happiness in the room were palpable. As they ate, Xi Yi asked, "Pa, did I get a new bike?"
Her father's expression faltered, and he hesitated before speaking. "Well, actually..." Xi Yi's face fell, but she forced a smile. "It's okay, Pa."
But then her father's face brightened. "Actually, you did!" Xi Yi's eyes widened in excitement. "Really? That's amazing, Pa! You're the best!" She quickly finished her milk, grabbed her bag, and stood up. "I'm off, Ma! Pa!" she called out, already heading out the door.
She stepped out and headed to Chen He Yi's house, ringing the doorbell. "Chen He Yi! Chen He Yi! Chen He Yi!" she called out.
Moments later, she received a message from Li Na: "Chen He Yi said you're good to go ahead, he had an emergency to attend to."
With that, she left and hopped on her newly bought bike. As she pedaled, the wind swept through her hair, and the aroma of street food wafted through the air, teasing her senses.
After a while, she arrived at their school and immediately parked her bike in the bike parking lot and locked it. She walked around happily, drinking milk, and then took out her phone and played the song "Find You."
Meanwhile, Chen He Yi was walking in the school garden with a male companion.
"It's been a long time, Chen He Yi," the man said with a smile.
"Why didn't you tell me you were coming back now?" Chen He Yi replied.
"Just a surprise. I'm going to study here; my parents suggested it," the man said.
"That's the right choice, Zhang Zhen," Chen He Yi said jokingly.
On the second floor, Li Na and Ke Lin were lost in thought when they saw the two together.
"Wait..." Li Na said, grabbing Ke Lin's shoulder. "What is it?" Ke Lin asked.
"Is that... Zhang Zhen?" Li Na said in shock.
"It is Zhang Zhen..." Ke Lin said indifferently. But before long, he snapped back to reality. "It is Zhang Zhen!" Ke Lin exclaimed, unable to believe it.
As they watched, they saw Xi Yi approaching them, but she didn't notice because she was busy listening to music. "This is going to be the best show!" Ke Lin exclaimed, sounding excited and a bit nervous. "Her love interest is back!" Li Na said, clapping her hands.
Just then, the event unfolded, and the three of them collided. The two watching from the second floor were on edge. "Xi Yi," Zhang Zhen said with a smile, looking at Xi Yi. Xi Yi was startled and dropped the milk she was holding. "I knew it, this is going to be a great show!" Ke Lin said, and Li Na nodded in agreement.
Xi Yi's mind immediately went back to the novel's plot. She was lost in thought, remembering the exact scene where the male lead and female lead met in the garden. She quickly looked around and realized they were indeed in the garden. "Oh no!" she thought to herself.
Just as she was thinking, a purple butterfly suddenly appeared. "What's waiting for you, Zhang Zhen is here, remember the rules!" the friendly butterfly said.
Chen He Yi and Zhang Zhen looked puzzled. "Xi Yi, are you okay?" Chen He Yi asked, concerned.
But Xi Yi still didn't respond. Chen He Yi spoke up again, "Xi Yi!" This time, Xi Yi snapped back to reality. "Ah... what was that?" she asked the two, turning back to them.
Chen He Yi's gaze lingered on Xi Yi's face. "You look pale," he said.
Xi Yi's smile faltered for a moment before she forced a weak grin. "I'm fine, it's nothing."
Zhang Zhen's face lit up as he strode towards them. "Xi Yi! Long time no see!" He swept her into a tight hug, leaving Xi Yi's eyes wide with surprise.
On the second floor, Li Na and Ke Lin's eyes went wide. "OMG" they whispered in unison.
Chen He Yi's smile seemed to stiffen, his eyes clouding over for a brief moment before he recovered.
Xi Yi's voice was muffled against Zhang Zhen's shoulder. "Ah... long time no see too..." She awkwardly patted his back before he finally released her.
Chen He Yi cleared her throat. "Shall we head to class?"
Zhang Zhen shook his head. "You guys go ahead, I'll go to the admissions office first." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Xi Yi and Chen He Yi standing alone.
As the two friends rushed to their classroom on the second floor, Li Na's footsteps echoed down the hallway. "Hey, Ke Lin, slow down!" she called out, her breathless voice trailing behind her.
Mr. Wang strode into the classroom, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Good morning, class. And welcome our new student." His eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.
The door swung open, and Zhang Zhen stepped inside, his eyes scanning the room. "Hello everyone, I'm Zhang Zhen," he said, his voice confident. "Nice to meet you all."
The classroom erupted into applause, with Xi Yi and Li Na clapping enthusiastically. Xi Yi leaned over to Li Na, her voice barely audible over the noise. "So he's our new classmate, huh?"
Li Na grinned, her eyes shining with excitement. "Yep!"
Mr. Wang gestured with his book, his movements economical. "Zhang Zhen, take the empty seat in the back, next to Chen He Yi." Zhang Zhen nodded, his eyes locking onto the seat before he made his way over. As he passed Xi Yi, his lips curled into a brief smile.
----
As the class ended, Mr. Wang packed up his things and the students began to file out. "Xi Yi, what do you want to eat today?" Li Na asked, her eyes shining with excitement.
"Hmm... maybe the wonton soup and steamed dumplings with meat filling?" she said, her voice filled with anticipation.
The two friends made their way to the cafeteria, leaving the other three behind. "Guys, let's go eat, I'm starving!" Ke Lin called out, his voice laced with humor. Zhang Zhen and Chen He Yi exchanged a glance, their expressions nonchalant. "Alright," Zhang Zhen replied.
Meanwhile, Xi Yi and Li Na had already reached the cafeteria and were busy collecting their food. Xi Yi took a sip of the wonton soup and her eyes widened in delight. "Mmm, this is so good!" she exclaimed, savoring the flavors. Li Na smiled and nodded in agreement.
Before long, the other three arrived, carrying their trays of food. Chen He Yi's eyes scanned the table, and her gaze landed on the empty seat next to Xi Yi. With a swift movement, she slid into the seat, claiming the spot beside her friend. Zhang Zhen's eyes flickered to the now-occupied seat, and he shrugged, taking the seat next to Ke Lin instead.
As they finished eating, they immediately return to their classroom for self-study. The sound of chairs scraping against the floor filled the air. Xi Yi's eyes darted back to her novel, her fingers tracing the lines of text as she read. "It's time for me to start acting," She thought to herself.
She stood up, her textbook clutched tightly in her hands, and approached Zhang Zhen with a deep sigh. "Zhang Zhen, I don't understand this, can you teach me?" Her voice was laced with a friendly tone, but her eyes betrayed a hint of desperation.
Chen He Yi's expression faltered for a moment before she regained her composure. Li Na and Ke Lin's eyes met, their eyebrows shooting up in surprise.
----
The classroom emptied, Li Na and Ke Lin among the first to leave. They walked towards the seaside, the sound of waves growing louder with each step.
As they strolled towards the seaside, the salty air whipping their hair into a frenzy, Li Na's laughter echoed through the air.
"Wow, I don't get them!" Ke Lin chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I told you, her childhood sweetheart is coming back, so that's what's going on."
Li Na's laughter grew louder, her shoulders shaking with mirth. "What's so funny! I really didn't expect it!" Her voice was filled with genuine surprise.
Ke Lin's gaze drifted out to sea, his eyes squinting against the sunlight. "I think we should just let those three be, we don't really get them anyway," he said, his voice carried by the breeze. Li Na nodded in agreement, a grin spreading across her face. "You're right, bro!"
----
Chen He Yi stood lost in thought on his porch, his gaze drifting upward to the star-studded sky. The twinkling lights seemed to mirror the turmoil within his, his eyes tracing the constellations as if searching for answers. "What am I to Xi Yi, really?" he whispered to the night.
Meanwhile, Xi Yi stood under the same starry sky, the soft breeze rustling her hair. Her eyes, veiled with a mixture of sadness and uncertainty, gazed out into the distance. "I don't know either," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the crickets' gentle hum.
[Chen He Yi, I'll always admire you from afar. Life's circumstances mean I have to prioritize what's real, but my appreciation for you will never fade. Sadly, the real Xi Yi doesn't return your feelings, and I feel for you deeply.]