Chapter Twenty-Five: Farewell Once More to the Days of Youth

“Are you still saying you have no feelings for her?”

Yang Fan scoffed, clearly displeased with Zhao Rui’s insincerity.

“What nonsense.”

Zhao Rui didn’t press further but was well aware that Luo Min’s plan to apply to Dongqi University was almost certain.

Having a classmate to accompany her wouldn’t be bad.

“Why don’t I apply to your school instead?”

Zhao Rui poked Sun Tiantian lightly on the back; his finger landed squarely on the clasp of her X-cup bra strap—firm and distinct to the touch.

“Annoying! Who asked you to meddle?”

Sun Tiantian’s face still showed annoyance, but inside she was already happy.

She was just reluctant to part suddenly.

After all, she had harbored a secret crush for so long, and now they were about to go their separate ways.

“A whiff of unrequited love’s sourness!”

Yang Fan wrinkled his nose in disgust, which angered Sun Tiantian enough to spin around and throw a playful punch. The two exchanged blows in a lively scuffle, creating a ruckus.

Zhao Rui quickly pressed down on the table, preventing it from being overturned.

The classroom was already noisy and chaotic, so a bit of scuffling was hardly surprising, and no one paid much attention.

“Can you keep it down?”

A sharp voice full of impatience came from the front row by the window.

It was Wang Han, the so-called “model student.”

But this time, his voice had little effect; the classroom remained noisy.

Before, they listened to him to avoid trouble and protect their chances for the college entrance exam. Now, having graduated and heading separate ways, no one cared.

Wang Han’s chest heaved with anger, his face darkening.

“Why isn’t Bai Xuening here?”

After a while, Yang Fan glanced curiously at the empty seat not far ahead and asked Zhao Rui.

Just then, a girl wearing a pink-and-white puff-sleeved dress gracefully appeared.

The girl’s sailor collar was tied neatly at the neck, and the skirt flared out in a perfect arc, rippling layers of lace with each step.

A satin ribbon hanging at her waist ended with a lily-of-the-valley silk charm, like willow branches stirred by a spring breeze.

Her slender legs were wrapped in white knee-high socks, leading down to a pair of pretty round-toed Mary Janes.

This outfit?

In an instant, the once noisy classroom fell utterly silent.

Could this be Bai Xuening?

Where had the cold, stern, unsmiling girl gone?

After a brief silence came an outburst of chatter.

“Xuening, you look so beautiful!”

“You’ve changed styles—I barely recognized you. Xuening, you actually like the lolita look! It’s so pretty!”

With her arrival, the classroom buzzed once more.

While handling the girls’ excited chatter, the girl’s gaze casually flicked toward Zhao Rui’s seat.

When she saw the surprise in his eyes, a proud smile flickered across her face.

Zhao Rui caught the smile and couldn’t help but chuckle quietly.

If he went over to her later, Bai Xuening would probably pretend not to notice him.

Still just a kid!

The classmates chatted freely, fully aware that after today, once the applications were submitted, they would truly go their separate ways.

Some might never see each other again.

The lively noise persisted for over half an hour before the homeroom teacher finally arrived, slightly late.

Stepping onto the podium, he had the class monitor hand out report cards and application forms to everyone.

The students looked at their reports with mixed expressions—those who did well smiled with hope for the university life ahead.

Those who didn’t were downcast, silent and dejected.

Some were indifferent, resigned to their fate, continuing as usual.

“Wow, Zhao Rui, you came in fourth in the whole class this time—amazing!”

A classmate from the right aisle leaned slightly toward Zhao Rui.

“Yeah, with those grades, there’s no way you won’t get into a top university!”

Another student heard this, turned around, and looked over.

Though everyone somewhat knew each other’s results, Zhao Rui’s leap from the lower ranks to fourth place surprised them all.

“Our results are clear,” the homeroom teacher reminded them. “Be careful with your applications—think it over thoroughly and discuss with your families…”

After the brief talk, he stepped down and chatted casually with the students.

Having taught them for three years, as parting approached, even the teacher felt reluctant.

Zhao Rui had already consulted his family about his choices, and his parents, Zhao Jincheng and his wife, had given him great freedom and respect.

Based on past Dongqi University admission scores, as long as he agreed to adjustments, his grades would secure him a spot.

He didn’t care about the major—that was just a step to get the diploma. What mattered more was the martial arts platform.

Only by entering Dongqi University would he have the chance to access a higher martial arts world and step into a different future.

Filling out the applications wasn’t complicated and took only one class period; most students finished quickly.

After collecting the forms, the teacher let those who were done leave.

Once gone, who knows when they would meet again?

Zhao Rui finished early; Yang Fan had already settled on a third-tier university and didn’t need to think much.

But Sun Tiantian insisted the two wait for her and Xiao Xue to finish before leaving together.

So they lingered in the classroom a while longer.

Throughout high school, Zhao Rui had few friends, and even fewer familiar girls.

It was rare for Sun Tiantian to look at him differently, and he wasn’t heartless—though not lovers, they were friends.

To be loved by someone when you are ordinary is the rarest gift in this world.

Around ten o’clock, the two finally finished filling out their forms with some hesitation.

They tidied the desks—though there was little to put away—and left together.

At the classroom door, Sun Tiantian called the three over and took a group photo with her phone in front of the door sign.

Outside the teaching building, the girl’s eyes were already red, her lips pressed softly, her fragile demeanor stirring pity.

“It’s okay, it’s not like we’ll never see each other again. We can still meet during winter and summer breaks!”

Seeing her so moved, Zhao Rui was touched and gently wiped a tear from her cheek.

“Yeah, I know you don’t like me, but I just…”

“I know, I know—stop crying or you won’t look pretty anymore!”

Zhao Rui gently ruffled her hair and said, “Come on, so many people are watching!”

Sun Tiantian nodded shyly and obediently followed Zhao Rui out.

Yang Fan watched enviously, glancing at Xiao Xue beside him.

“What are you looking at?”

Xiao Xue frowned slightly and shot him a sharp look.

“I won’t let a girl who likes me cry!”

“…”

Xiao Xue rolled her eyes and left him behind with a slender silhouette, quickly walking away.

Do you know? In youth’s past, flowers blushed and green branches shyly met.

Now unchanged, virgins vie for beauty, as if love were again at first bloom.

With graying temples and fading days, longing for past joys, who else to seek delight from?

…