To live by obsession is for all beings—“Getting first place in exams really isn’t that important. Next time, I’ll try for second.”

Charlotte Lee no longer considered how much pride was in that sentence, nor did she care that Thomas Chase had unintentionally belittled Andrew Lane’s abilities. She only heard that this boy was willing to comfort her, to set an example, and give up his place at the top.

She shook her head. “It’s because of the ranking, but also not because of the ranking. I can’t explain it.”

“You can’t explain it?”

Charlotte Lee almost cautiously seized the rare chance when he neither changed the subject nor ended the conversation early, and answered, choosing her words carefully: “My pressure comes from so many places. I feel like I’m trapped. I can’t find the real me anymore. What’s left is all vanity.”

Thomas Chase, holding his notebook, leaned against the mirror with his hands in his pockets, smiling. “So the person I know isn’t the real you?”

Charlotte Lee lowered her head, and after a long time finally made up her mind. “No.”

She saw countless Thomas Chases laughing together.

“Then the fake one is beautiful too.”

Charlotte Lee’s heart plunged like a roller coaster. She tried hard to tell herself to stay calm—this was just his ambiguity, his usual, meaningless ambiguity. What she should hold onto was a real, concrete attitude.

She looked up, her mind blank, barely able to hear what she was saying.

“Thomas Chase, I like you, do you know that?”

A second felt as long as a lifetime. Thomas Chase stopped smiling, his gaze shifting away from her, and after what felt like three lifetimes, he finally responded.

“That’s why I’ve been avoiding you,” he said.

Charlotte Lee really heard the sound of flowers blooming.

“I can’t let myself like you. Ling… Qianqian,” he called her name a bit more intimately, “you know, we can’t be together right now.”

Charlotte Lee didn’t know whether to feel sad or happy. She couldn’t accept Thomas Chase’s honesty for a moment, just stood there, bewildered by countless shadows.

Not now, but what about in the future?

But she knew that pressing further would ruin this rare atmosphere. With Thomas Chase’s personality, saying this much was already the limit.

So how could she not immediately accept it with gratitude?

She was left with only the most simple and sincere words: “Let’s both work hard together, you and me, and get into the same university, okay?”

The most unrestrained and flamboyant youth, the most sensible and rational kids, even that bit of innocent excitement could be actively transformed into motivation to study hard.

Charlotte Lee wiped away her tears, lowered her head, and ran past him, blushing.

What she wanted most now was to link arms with Jennifer Lewis, carrying the sweetest secret, and pretend nothing had happened as they continued to stroll through the science museum.

Andrew Lane and Zoe Young stood on the other side of the mirror, not daring to make a sound.

After confirming that both the main characters had left the area, Andrew Lane let out a long breath. “So Thomas Chase really does like that girl.”

Zoe Young smiled. “Really?”

Andrew Lane scratched his head. “Actually, I don’t know for sure, but I’ve always known that Charlotte Lee likes Thomas Chase. You can tell if a girl likes a boy just by looking at her eyes—she can’t hide it.”

After saying that, he looked a bit disappointedly into Zoe Young’s eyes.

“But Charles Johnson… sigh, anyway, I think Charlotte Lee is going to get hurt. My mom always says, ‘If you can rely on a man, pigs can climb trees.’”

Zoe Young laughed. Her eyes caught another thin figure, which disappeared in an instant into the corner of the mirror.

They played with many more exhibits together, until all the other classmates had gradually left. Only then, under Zoe Young’s urging, did Andrew Lane reluctantly leave the science museum.

The bus stop at the entrance was packed. The science museum was in a remote location, and they couldn’t get a taxi. Zoe Young was worrying, when Andrew Lane suddenly suggested, “Let’s walk. It’s just a little over half an hour to the downtown area, and there are more cars there.”

Zoe Young was hesitating, so he added, “We can also keep an eye out for taxis along the way.”

She nodded. “Alright, let’s walk.”

It was only five thirty, but the sky had already turned a deep blue-black. It was especially cold today. Zoe Young had forgotten her hat and gloves, and her ears were red from the cold. Without a word, Andrew Lane took off his earmuffs and put them on her, then took off his gloves and gave them to her—

Actually, there was another way to warm her hands, but Andrew Lane didn’t have the courage.

“Are you freezing?” His breath fogged up the air as he spoke. “Here, I’ll call my dad and see if he can drive over…”

Zoe Young instinctively wanted to refuse, but after a moment, she laughed at herself inside. What was there to be afraid of now? Andrew Lane was already grown up; he wouldn’t get scolded by his mom because of her anymore.

At worst, after today, they’d just go their separate ways again.

Andrew Lane took out his phone and muttered, “Damn, it’s about to die.” Then he quickly pulled up his dad’s number and dialed.

On the empty street, Zoe Young lowered her head, trying not to laugh. The gentle female voice from Andrew Lane’s phone kept repeating, “Sorry, your account balance is insufficient. Please recharge.”

Then the phone screen went black. Out of battery.

“Use my phone to call your dad,” Zoe Young offered, but saw that Andrew Lane looked troubled.

“What’s wrong?”

“My parents both changed to new numbers, and I haven’t memorized them yet. Without my phone’s contacts, I can’t call… They’re both busy tonight, so calling the home phone won’t help…”

Zoe Young gave him a look that clearly said, “I despise you.”

“Well, a walk is nice too.” Andrew Lane cheerfully ignored Zoe Young.

But the whole way was just too quiet. The only sound in the world was their feet crunching on the snow, like two little mice walking side by side.

Andrew Lane racked his brains but couldn’t think of anything to say. After a while, he foolishly suggested, “Let’s play a game, so walking won’t be so tiring. Song relay? Guess the number? Story relay? Let’s do story relay—you used to be the story queen when you were little. Remember, my parents even took pictures of you!”

Andrew Lane felt a bit guilty after saying that. After the photos were developed, he’d hidden them all himself, never giving any to Zoe Young.

But Zoe Young didn’t dwell on it. “Alright, story relay.”

“Okay, um, what are the main characters’ names?”

“There are main characters?” Zoe Young was surprised. “Alright, let’s go with Ryan Lewis and Hannah May.”

Andrew Lane rolled his eyes. “Fine, so who starts? You go first.”

Zoe Young didn’t refuse and started right away: “On Sunday morning, Ryan Lewis was sleeping in at home when suddenly the phone rang.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it, your turn.”

Andrew Lane frowned and thought for a while. “He picked up the phone and realized it was Hannah May… his girlfriend, Hannah May.”

Zoe Young swallowed the words “Actually, I think Ryan Lewis likes Lily” and continued, “Hannah May shouted, Ryan LewisRyan Lewis, turn on the TV, there’s news about you!”

As soon as Zoe Young took over, the story got harder. Andrew Lane decided to take a detour: “He thought Hannah May was being crazy, so he hung up and went back to sleep.”

Unexpectedly, she wouldn’t let it go.

“But Ryan Lewis couldn’t sleep.” Zoe Young stared at him intently.

Andrew Lane had no choice but to make Ryan Lewis get up: “So he decided to turn on the TV and take a look…”

Only then did Zoe Young smile: “The morning news was reporting a hit-and-run accident where a man was hit while jaywalking. The camera zoomed in, and Ryan Lewis saw that the person lying in a pool of blood was himself.”

To live by obsession is for all beings—Andrew Lane had always been afraid of ghost stories. He remembered in first grade, Zoe Young would always tell him stories like ‘the cat-faced granny’ or ‘the woman in white on the stairs’ on the way home from school. Looking back, they were all crude superstitions, but at the time, they really scared him so much he didn’t dare go upstairs alone.

He had to swallow and follow her lead: “Ryan Lewis was terrified, immediately grabbed the receiver and dialed Hannah May’s number, but on the other end was a strange woman’s voice. She said…”

He signaled to Zoe Young with his eyes—he could only make up this much.