“Could it be that... she’s gone crazy?” Nathan Lucas was heartbroken and couldn’t help but warn himself that love was something to be avoided.

For Andrew Lane, the feeling of love was wonderful. He understood his own heart and was certain of Zoe Young’s feelings—even though she hadn’t said she liked him, at least she hadn’t let go of his hand and had obediently followed him for such a long way—of course, it could also be because of her usual indifference and nonchalance, but Andrew Lane decided not to consider that possibility this time.

In short, he instantly gained a stronger resolve, even the Chinese test papers seemed adorable, and though he wasn’t exactly inspired when writing essays, at least the words flowed much more smoothly.

Maybe it was because even the historical heroes in his essays were tinged with a bit of sentimental tenderness.

In the midterm exam of the second semester of sophomore year, Andrew Lane somehow got first place in the grade, while Thomas Chase, inexplicably, dropped to sixth.

This was definitely big news, and its impact was such that Charlotte Lee didn’t receive a single text from Thomas Chase for two whole days.

In the end, Charlotte Lee still didn’t know what exactly was going on between her and Thomas Chase. He would send her messages like “Good night, go to bed early, be good,”

but during the day he was completely silent, no matter what kind of message she sent, he wouldn’t reply. When no one was around, he had even gently hugged her and kissed her on the forehead, but as soon as they met in front of others, his attitude was even colder than before.

That kind of pretentious coldness made Charlotte Lee doubt whether the warmth on her forehead and her wild heartbeat at that moment had just been an illusion.

“Didn’t you tell me before? First place isn’t that important. Someone like Andrew Lane, it’s just a fluke, he’s nowhere near as consistent as you.”

All the messages she sent disappeared without a trace.

Charlotte Lee was second place again this time, only now the first place was the person she least wanted to see—Ray Cindy. However, she didn’t have time to react to this unpleasant situation, because all her thoughts were on Thomas Chase.

Once again, in the hot water room, she walked to the door hugging her bottle and heard two familiar voices inside.

“What happened this time, did you suddenly get good at Chinese?”

“Not really... maybe... haha.” Andrew Lane was obviously so happy he could only blow bubbles.

“Congratulations, congratulations.”

Thomas Chase’s voice no longer sounded so relaxed and confident, and the composure he prided himself on was shattered beyond repair in Charlotte Lee’s heart. But Charlotte Lee still stubbornly made excuses for him, telling herself she was overthinking it, and that compared to that vague, insignificant tone, what mattered was that he congratulated Andrew Lane, he was still generous.

He was still the Thomas Chase she thought she knew.

She walked over with a bright smile and joined the conversation.

“Oh, you’re both here!”

Born from obsession, for all beings, Andrew Lane raised his hand and grinned in greeting. Charlotte Lee hadn’t seen him for a while, so she quickly took the chance to gossip: “Double victory in love and exams?”

Seeing him blush, Charlotte Lee wanted to laugh, but then noticed Thomas Chase had already turned away to get hot water, and only then did she realize what she had just said.

Just as she was about to make up for it, he turned around, wearing a flawless smile.

“Yeah, I heard it from Nathan Lucas, come on, just admit it.”

Girls are always especially sensitive to the boys they care about, and Charlotte Lee could still sense the emotions Thomas Chase was trying so hard to hide. She had always known how proud he was, but only now did she truly understand.

Andrew Lane picked up his cup, as if deliberately not wanting to be a third wheel, winked at Charlotte Lee, and turned to leave the hot water room.

“I’ve got something to do, I’ll head out first...”

Only the two of them were left in the hot water room. Charlotte Lee stared at the dripping faucet for a long time before finally mustering the courage: “Are you okay?”

“I’m great. Why do you have to comfort me, as if I care so much about this? Charlotte Lee, you’re making me feel embarrassed.”

No longer the gentle “茜茜.”

Charlotte Lee bit her lip. “So that’s why you’re not replying to my texts?”

“There’s a competition training camp coming up, I don’t want to get distracted.”

“Andrew Lane is going to the training camp too, don’t think I don’t know, and it’s still a long way off.”

For the first time, a mocking smile appeared on Thomas Chase’s face: “So should I put it this way, I miss you so much it’s driving me crazy, I can’t concentrate, so in order not to fall further, I don’t dare reply?”

Charlotte Lee stared at him blankly for a long time, almost unable to believe that this sharp and out-of-control person was Thomas Chase.

She slowly straightened her back, and with the last of her pride, looked Thomas Chase in the eye and said, “You really are a coward.”

Then she strode away with her cup.

After a few steps, she quietly looked back. The boy was still standing there watching her. Such a beautiful silhouette, spring sunlight streaming through the green trees behind him into the room, he looked like a flowering tree growing out of concrete, still so flawless.

Charlotte Lee’s heart ached like a knife.

Just an exam, it was laughable in hindsight.

How could he be this kind of person.

How could he possibly be this kind of person.

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8. You Should Be Happier Than Before

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Ray Cindy should have been happy.

Even someone like Tina Carter, who always only paid attention to the most popular people, came over to flatter her with congratulations.

But the reactions she most wanted to see from two people were both missing.

Zoe Young’s face showed a kind of confused pain and struggle, for reasons unknown.

Charlotte Lee’s face was full of confusion and hurt, also for reasons unknown.

Under the stage she had painstakingly built for herself, her two VIP audience members were both distracted. Ray Cindy felt a kind of insulted anger.

Charlotte Lee was handing out sheets of subjective questions from the politics test, passing them out desk by desk. When she passed Ray Cindy’s desk, she didn’t look sideways, her face no longer smiling, but also without the guilty unease that Ray Cindy wanted to see, the kind that Grace Howard couldn’t hide despite her best efforts.

It was disdain, a kind of disdain for Ray Cindy’s first place. She’d rather believe she was overthinking it, but the feeling wouldn’t go away.

What are you pretending for. Ray Cindy stood up angrily and walked out the door.

It was nothing like she had imagined. Every time a subject’s results came out, she would carefully ask about Charlotte Lee and Zoe Young’s scores, then add and subtract in her mind, guessing at the possible results of the remaining subjects... but even though the results turned out as she wished, it didn’t make anyone else unhappy.

Born from obsession, for all beings, Ray Cindy wandered aimlessly in the corridor. Over the past two years, she had gradually become familiar with the faces of the students coming and going in the hallways. Ray Cindy stared intently at each person’s face, wanting to know if any of them knew her, if their lives were really as happy as they looked. Were they always in cliques? Was the person walking beside them, laughing and chatting, really a friend?

Actually, from beginning to end, no one ever really cared about her, did they?

She was first in the grade, but no one wanted to know who Ray Cindy was. She had racked her brains to change her name—Ray Cindy, “new and sharp,” unstoppable—but just like the old, rustic name Michelle Cindy, no one would remember it.

Stopping at the door of a certain class, she suddenly saw Grace Howard standing at the door, playing around with another girl, looking so happy. Ray Cindy watched quietly from a distance, feeling a little sad. See, she’s from the branch school, once mocked by her, but she’s living happily.

The happiest life is always someone else’s.

Ray Cindy tried so hard, but in the end, she still couldn’t become anyone else.

Maybe it’s time to let go. Letting go brings freedom. Ray Cindy turned to go back. In that moment, she even felt a sense of relief, as if only when she stopped craving others’ approval did she truly approve of herself.

“Hey, 美香?” Grace Howard called out loudly from behind.

Ray Cindy stopped.

That name she didn’t want to hear. Grace Howard clearly still wanted revenge.

Ray Cindy wanted to laugh. Every time she ran into Grace Howard, every time she pretended to let go and rise above it, she would be provoked by the other and fall back into that painful cycle.

She turned back, smiled, “It’s you,” and walked over. “How did you do on the exam?”

Grace Howard had clearly just called her old name on impulse to get the last word, and had no intention of chatting, especially not about grades.

“Not much,” she shrugged, “just so-so, I don’t really care.”

Ray Cindy kept smiling. “I figured, just so-so. I was just asking to be polite.”