Although Cheng Junliang was still slightly drunk, he had sobered up considerably. At least he could stand and walk on his own now, no longer a human pendant clinging to Gu Yan. Still, Qi Xi and Gu Yan remained concerned and accompanied him all the way home in a taxi. Only after seeing him safely to his doorstep did they feel relieved enough to say goodbye.
To save on rent, Cheng Junliang lived quite far from the city center. At this late hour, it was hard to hail a taxi in this area. Qi Xi and Gu Yan had to rely on public transportation to return to the city center. The nearest subway station from Cheng Junliang’s apartment was a twenty-minute walk.
Fortunately, the temperature was pleasant that night, with a gentle breeze. Walking side by side under the soft glow of the night, Qi Xi and Gu Yan didn't find the journey difficult. In fact, Qi Xi found it quite enjoyable.
Although Qi Xi was a Rong City native, she rarely visited the district where Cheng Junliang resided. Besides a few hills suitable for hiking and exercising, and a small lake popular for weekend getaways, the area also boasted a unique attraction for young people – a bookstore called “Momi Cafe.”
This wasn't just a bookstore; it combined elements of a cafe and a post office. It was trendy, eclectic, and quite popular among young people. Aside from browsing through original picture books and illustrations, the most interesting feature was the opportunity to write postcards to your future self.
Qi Xi had heard about this bookstore countless times, but the branches in the city center were always packed. She'd been dissuaded by the crowds every time.
“I just remembered, there’s a Momi Cafe nearby! I read online that this branch in the suburbs is less crowded, especially at night. It’s supposed to be very peaceful!”
Qi Xi had always been interested in writing postcards to her future self. She immediately opened the map and was pleasantly surprised to find it on their route to the subway station.
It wasn't too late. Even a quick visit wouldn't make them miss the last subway train back to the city center. Qi Xi made up her mind and turned to Gu Yan, "You can go ahead if you're in a hurry. I want to check out Momi Cafe."
Gu Yan was taken aback for a moment, then showed interest, "Oh, I've heard about Momi Cafe a few times but never had the chance to go. Since we're passing by, I'll come along."
Qi Xi hadn't expected Gu Yan to be interested too and was naturally delighted, "Let's go together then!"
**
They soon found the famed “Momi Cafe." As expected, this branch was relatively quiet due to its remote location. Stepping inside, Qi Xi was immediately charmed by the bookstore’s ambiance. The creative merchandise was fascinating, the postcards unique, and true to its name, the bookstore was home to several lazy cats.
Having a soft spot for furry creatures, Qi Xi immediately began petting them.
Gu Yan, however, seemed more reserved. Though the cats were fond of him, rubbing against his legs, he seemed a little restrained.
He frequently glanced at Qi Xi, almost seeking reassurance. "Are these cats vaccinated? Will they have fleas?"
His cautiousness contrasted sharply with his usual composed and self-assured demeanor. Qi Xi, however, found this side of him quite endearing.
His steadiness inspired trust, but his occasional childish anxieties and excessive caution made him appear more lively and adorable.
A mischievous thought crossed Qi Xi's mind. Scooping up a cat, she held it out to Gu Yan. "Pet it. It’s very gentle."
Gu Yan instinctively recoiled, his body leaning back as Qi Xi approached. A look of slight disgust crossed his face. "I won't touch it. Real men don't keep cats. Petting cats is too girly."
"Fine, don't touch it then." Qi Xi held the ginger cat up, waving its paw at Gu Yan. "I'm going to get a drink. Is milk tea okay?"
"No milk tea," Gu Yan said seriously. "It's not very manly to drink milk tea. Get me a red tea latte."
"Red tea latte? At this hour?"
Gu Yan nodded resolutely. "Yes."
He'd rather suffer than lose face…
But after a moment's thought, Qi Xi still ordered him a cup of hot milk. She got herself a milk tea and some pastries. While waiting, she selected a few postcards, planning to write to her future self while enjoying her treats.
Momi Cafe had an entire wall dedicated to postcards, each labeled with a date in the future. After writing your message, you could place it in the slot corresponding to your desired date, and the staff would mail it for you when the day arrived.
By the time Qi Xi finished choosing her postcards, the drinks and snacks were ready. Carrying the tray, she made her way back, only to witness an unexpected scene –
Gu Yan, who had just declared that real men don't pet cats, was crouching down, carefully and gently stroking the large ginger cat Qi Xi had been holding earlier.
Unaware of her presence, he murmured as he petted the cat, "I'll just pet you a little. Don't bite me."
However, despite claiming to only pet it briefly, Gu Yan seemed unable to stop.
He only paused when he sensed someone behind him. He stiffened slightly before turning around, feigning composure.
"Oh, this cat was being clingy and wouldn’t let me pass unless I petted it." Gu Yan's face was flushed as he fumbled for an explanation, a stark contrast to his usual self-possession. "I had no choice but to pet it."
Qi Xi almost burst out laughing but managed to hold it back out of politeness.
"Your drink."
She handed Gu Yan his hot milk. He took a sip and seemed surprised to find it wasn't red tea latte, but didn't comment. He finished the milk obediently, like an elementary school student.
Qi Xi handed him a postcard. "Write to your future self. You can write anything you want. Choose a date in the future for the staff to send it to you, or send it to someone else."
Gu Yan paused, then accepted the postcard. He glanced at Qi Xi, his eyes earnest and focused under the warm bookstore lights. Then, as if he'd made a decision, he lowered his head and began writing on the postcard.
Qi Xi began writing as well. She wrote one to herself, one to her father, and one to her mother. After finishing these, she still had some postcards left.
She glanced at Gu Yan, a mischievous thought crossing her mind. On a whim, she decided to write one to him.
She didn't write any formal wishes. She wasn't even sure why she was doing this, but by the time she realized it, she had finished writing Gu Yan’s postcard –
“You look handsome even when you’re petting a cat.”
Since it was a postcard for someone else, a proper closing was in order. Thinking of what Gu Yan wished for the most, she added – “Hope you’re already together with your unrequited love by the time you read this.”
But…
While her wish for Gu Yan’s happiness was genuine, a wave of discomfort washed over Qi Xi after she finished writing.
Before she could place the postcard on the wall, she picked up her pen and, with pursed lips, erased the last sentence.
As if venting her frustration, she scribbled over the words until they were completely blackened, ensuring Gu Yan wouldn’t be able to decipher them.
Even so, she felt a twinge of guilt when she finally placed the postcard on the wall. Her actions felt shady, as if she’d committed a terrible crime by withholding even a simple, future blessing from Gu Yan.
But…
What happiness could Gu Yan possibly find with that hateful woman who kept stringing him along?
Recalling how that woman had treated Gu Yan, Qi Xi convinced herself that her actions were justified. After all, she was a terrible person. If Qi Xi could genuinely bless their union, what did that say about her?
Despite her reasoning, she still felt the need to be discreet, like she was doing something wrong.
However, Gu Yan seemed to share her sentiments. It was unclear who he was writing to, but he shielded his postcard as if his life depended on it, preventing Qi Xi from stealing a glance. When he finally placed his postcard on the wall, his movements were cautious, clearly not wanting Qi Xi to see.
They had come to write postcards to their future selves, but for some reason, both of them acted like thieves.
**
After finishing their postcards, they reluctantly left the bookstore as it was getting late.
The walk to the subway station was quiet. Thinking back on the successful resolution of Lu Juan and Cheng Junliang’s situation, Qi Xi couldn't help but replay the events in her mind. "I was actually just guessing about Pan Zhendong’s infidelity. I didn't expect to be right."
She looked at Gu Yan. "So, you were guessing too? But you seemed quite sure he was cheating."
To her surprise, Gu Yan's voice was steady. "He wasn't just probably cheating. He was definitely cheating."
His certainty took Qi Xi aback. "Aren't you just saying that because you know the outcome now..."
"Because I'm a man."
Huh? What does being a man have to do with it?
Gu Yan pursed his lips, then offered a simple explanation, as if indulging her. "I'm a man, so I understand men. Someone like Pan Zhendong, with his inflated ego and lack of ability… He probably owes much more than just tens of thousands of yuan. Lu Juan was clearly blinded by love. As long as Pan Zhendong treated her well and kept sweet-talking her, she would have continued to borrow money for him. She was willing to scam Cheng Junliang for him, wasn't she? She definitely would have continued to borrow from loan sharks. That means she still had value to him. So why would he choose to shoulder a debt of 120,000 yuan, sign an IOU, and break up with her?"
"There's only one logical explanation - he fell for someone else, he already had someone else, and he no longer had any feelings for Lu Juan. He didn’t even bother making up excuses for her. There's simply no other plausible explanation."
His words were like a bolt of lightning, illuminating Qi Xi’s mind.
She looked at Gu Yan. He was walking beside her, a step away, his face illuminated by the dim streetlights. His tone was calm, but when he talked about the case, his expression turned focused and serious. An air of unshakable composure and tranquility settled over his handsome features.
Qi Xi suddenly felt a pang of frustration.
She had been so pleased with herself for correctly deducing Pan Zhendong’s infidelity, thinking she was the only one who had figured it out. It was her brilliant strategy that had saved Cheng Junliang from his predicament.
However, after hearing Gu Yan’s explanation, she realized he had seen through it all along. He wasn’t even guessing; he was certain that exploiting Pan Zhendong’s infidelity was the key to breaking through Lu Juan’s psychological defenses.
He had simply chosen not to say anything, giving Qi Xi the opportunity to shine.
Why is he being such a gentleman now?
Qi Xi was annoyed. She didn’t like to lose, but she wasn't a sore loser either. Gu Yan always came in first, while she was perpetually in second place. She might complain about him stealing her thunder, but deep down, she knew he won fair and square. She admired him, but her pride wouldn’t let her admit it. She saw him as a rival, someone she had to badmouth to soothe her ego. The word "steal" was merely a figment of her imagination, a way to cope with her own insecurities.
But this time, Gu Yan had waited until now to show his gentlemanly side. Why hadn’t he done that during their school exams? Just once would have been enough!
She wanted to confront him about it and before she could stop herself, she blurted it out.
To her surprise, Gu Yan paused, then replied –
"I couldn't let you have first place."
Of course. "The Complete Gu Yan" had clearly stated that Gu Yan only cared about results, not the process. To him, first place was different.
This thought brought Qi Xi some comfort. "That's right. Who doesn't want to be number one? After all, everyone remembers the winner, not the runner-up."
“I don’t care that much about being first.” Contrary to Qi Xi’s expectations, Gu Yan corrected her. He paused. “Well, it’s not that I don’t care. It’s just not for myself.”
Now Qi Xi was truly curious. “Then who was it for? Your sister? Your parents? Did they demand you to be first?"
The answer, however, was none of the above.
“For a girl I liked.”
???
Qi Xi couldn't help but raise her voice. "Why?"
“Because she only looked at the person who came in first.”
Gu Yan glanced at Qi Xi, then looked away. “Her eyes were always on the person who came first.”
Wow! That is… incredibly demanding!
“So you could only date her if you were number one?” Qi Xi felt a surge of indignation on behalf of Gu Yan, and strangely, for herself as well. She always thought Gu Yan’s drive to win stemmed from the same competitive spirit she possessed. It turned out he was doing it all for a girl!
“So, what about her? What place did she get? What did she study?” Qi Xi knew she was overreacting, but she couldn’t shake off her hostility towards Gu Yan’s unrequited love. “She makes it sound like she’s choosing a consort! Is it because she believes only the person who gets first place is intelligent enough to produce intelligent offspring with her? What if she's the unintelligent one? Even a genius wouldn't be able to compensate for that.”
Perhaps because Qi Xi was criticizing his unrequited love, Gu Yan's expression turned complex. But it didn't seem like he was angry. On the contrary, he appeared rather tolerant of her words.
“You shouldn’t say that about her,” he chided gently, as if to say Qi Xi had no right to speak ill of her.
Most people, especially when it came to their unrequited love, would have retaliated by now. How could Gu Yan tolerate such criticism?
Qi Xi was surprised by his reaction. She tested the waters. “You didn't seem too upset when I badmouthed her. Does that mean you don't like her that much anymore, after thinking about it?”
Gu Yan pursed his lips and stared at Qi Xi for a long moment, so long that she thought he wouldn't answer. Then, finally, he spoke.
"No. I still like her very much." He averted his gaze, no longer looking at Qi Xi, instead focusing on the greenery by the roadside. "But you're allowed to criticize her. Only you. No one else can."
Wow!
So she had special privileges. Did this mean…
“Gu Yan, do you think I’m…not bad? Worth being friends with?”
Gu Yan didn’t answer right away. He looked at Qi Xi for a moment, then turned away. "You're…bearable."
Earning Gu Yan's approval was no easy feat. If he said someone was "bearable," it was already high praise. After all, he had only used the same word to describe the durian fruit he loved so much. It was evident that his standards were as high as his good looks.
Qi Xi was touched. So, this was the status she held in Gu Yan’s heart.
Gu Yan must see her as a very close friend to tolerate her behavior!
She was overwhelmed by a mix of emotions – comfort, warmth, and a strange, inexplicable unease. She shook off the jumbled thoughts, determined to focus on the positive.
What was there to be unhappy about?
Wasn't this the outcome she had been striving for?
She had offended Gu Yan but had finally managed to mend their relationship. And by the looks of it, she had done a pretty good job. Gu Yan even considered her a good friend…
And this also meant…
“Gu Yan, have you forgiven me?” she asked sincerely. “I’m really sorry about what happened at the graduation ceremony. I misunderstood you and caused you so much trouble. Thank you for forgiving me.”
“There’s nothing to forgive.”
Huh?
Qi Xi’s heart sank. Did this mean he hadn’t forgiven her after all?
Finally, Gu Yan turned to look at her, his expression neutral. “I wasn’t really holding a grudge against you for that. So there’s no need to talk about forgiveness.”
That’s true. If he had truly held a grudge, he could have sued her for defamation.
The more Qi Xi thought about it, the more she felt that Gu Yan was a good person. He was handsome, had a good physique, and most importantly, he possessed good character. He might be aloof, but morally, he was a true gentleman.
She suddenly understood why he was so popular in school.
A man like him deserved all the adoration he received.
A twinge of envy flickered within her. “I think I understand why so many girls liked you.”
She hadn't expected him to reply to that, but to her surprise, he did. It was as if he couldn’t help himself, and she wasn’t even sure if he was saying it for her benefit or his own.
“But I only like one.”
His voice was muffled, but his tone was resolute.
For some reason, Qi Xi felt a sudden surge of irritation.
Okay, okay, I get it. Next topic!
She forced herself to think of other things. At the very least, she had managed to clear the air with Gu Yan. And she owed it all to “The Complete Gu Yan.” If she hadn't discovered that encyclopedia of all things Gu Yan and tailored her approach accordingly, would they have reached this point of reconciliation?
She snuck a glance at Gu Yan walking beside her, his face calm and composed. She really needed to catch up on her "studies." She would have to revisit “The Complete Gu Yan” when she got home.
She had downloaded a beginner’s guide to heavy metal music a few days ago. She decided to start studying it tonight so that when she went to the concert with Gu Yan on the weekend, she would be able to engage in meaningful conversations about heavy metal and impress him with her newfound knowledge.
Qi Xi thought optimistically, After the concert this weekend, our friendship will be unbreakable.