Once the grades were out, Lin Jiang was indeed consumed by a profound sadness, but her personal gloom was soon swept away by the festive bustle that followed.
The day after the results were released happened to be Singles' Day. For some reason, this holiday had become a trend; ever since her freshman year, the excitement on this day rivaled even Christmas. Lollipops would sell out everywhere, and even the top students, who usually did nothing but study, joined in the fun.
After school that afternoon, He Lai dragged Lin Jiang to the supermarket to buy a few Alpenliebe lollipops. As they passed the sports field on their way out, they saw Shen Yan playing basketball. He Lai nudged her, "Aren't you going to give one to Shen Yan?"
Lin Jiang shook her head. "I’m afraid those guys will start making jokes again. I’ll give it to him when we head home tonight."
As fate would have it, what she feared most came looking for her. It was halftime, and Shen Yan, sharp-eyed as ever, spotted her and ran over. "Buying so many lollipops? Is there one for me?"
Lin Jiang teased him, "Nope."
Shen Yan pouted. "So stingy? Fine, then just give me that bottle of Coke in your hand."
Lin Jiang caught several people on the court glancing their way out of the corner of her eye. She hurriedly shoved the Coke into his hands. "I give up. You really don't know the meaning of 'polite,' do you?"
Shen Yan grinned, flashing a row of white teeth. "Thanks. I’ve got something good for you after school tonight."
He Lai chimed in with a laugh, "Class Monitor Shen, if I give you a few lollipops, will you have something good for me too?"
Shen Yan wasn't shy. He seemed to be in a great mood, likely because they were winning. Taking the candy from He Lai, he said, "Sure. I’ll give it to Lin Jiang tonight, and she can give it to you tomorrow."
He Lai acted mock-surprised. "Oh my, thank you for the reward, Master."
Shen Yan laughed even harder. "Alright, I’m heading back to the game. They’re waiting for me."
Lin Jiang let out a sigh of relief and quickly pulled He Lai away.
Shen Yan shook his head, running back to the court with a lingering smile.
The guys on the court were no longer focused on basketball; they were entirely preoccupied with teasing Shen Yan. "So what if we won the game? It’s better to have a 'wife' who looks after you."
Shen Yan twisted open the Coke, laughing before he even took a sip. "Don't talk nonsense."
Just then, Jiang Weifeng and Stone arrived at the entrance of the court, just in time to hear the boys joking with Shen Yan.
"Shen Yan, is Lin Jiang your 'wife'?" Stone asked, eager for gossip.
The boy drinking the Coke smiled and said, "Don't listen to their rubbish."
Despite his words, his eyes held an undeniable sweetness, prompting the boys nearby to whistle. "The Class Monitor is blushing!"
Stone was puzzled and asked Jiang Weifeng, "Does that mean Cheng Minghao doesn't stand a chance?"
Jiang Weifeng’s gaze darkened.
At that moment, Cheng Yunchuan and another girl happened to walk toward the court. She stopped beside Jiang Weifeng. "I was buying things at the supermarket and saw you coming this way. Here, I bought this for you."
Jiang Weifeng looked at the delicately wrapped lollipop in the girl's hand but didn't take it.
Cheng Yunchuan was on good terms with several of Jiang Weifeng’s classmates. Seeing the awkwardness, Stone stepped in to smooth things over. "I’ll take it for him for now."
Cheng Yunchuan’s expression shifted slightly. She glanced at the person dribbling on the basketball court and said, "Shen Yan is here too."
"Yeah, Lin Jiang was just here a moment ago, bringing him water," Stone replied.
Cheng Yunchuan gave a soft "Oh," then glanced at Jiang Weifeng. "That friend of yours hasn't shown up these past few days. If he doesn't start paying attention, someone else is going to pluck the flower."
Jiang Weifeng’s face remained unreadable. Ignoring Cheng Yunchuan, he stepped onto the court to play.
The corner of Cheng Yunchuan’s mouth twitched imperceptibly as she watched his retreating back, lost in thought.
That evening, Cheng Minghao came looking for Lin Jiang after school with a box of "Starry Sky" lollipops, but he arrived a bit late; Lin Jiang had already gone home.
All the way back, Cheng Minghao was incredibly disappointed. "It’s mostly because my academic classes are so tight right now, and the art training isn't letting up either. My mom is keeping a close eye on me, otherwise I would’ve been there sooner."
Jiang Weifeng’s voice was devoid of emotion. "I suggest you stop wasting your effort. It seems like there really is something going on between her and Shen Yan."
"Who told you that? Cheng Yunchuan? Can you even believe her?" Cheng Minghao fired off a string of questions.
For some reason, the first thing that came to Jiang Weifeng’s mind was the smile the girl had given him when she got out of the car the night he took her home. After a long pause, he said, "Believe what you want."
"Shen Yan isn't that much better than me, is he? I’m not worse-looking than him, and in what way do I fall short?" Cheng Minghao gave a stubborn laugh. "Even if it’s true, I’m not afraid."
Jiang Weifeng chuckled at that, narrowing his eyes in confusion. "It’s rare to see you so invested."
Cheng Minghao answered quickly, "How could you understand, Brother Feng..."
Cheng Minghao watched as Jiang Weifeng’s expression gradually stiffened. Before he could lose his temper, Cheng Minghao turned and bolted.
Jiang Weifeng stood there, feeling as if something was bottled up in his chest with no way out. He stared blankly at the boy’s running figure.
***
Back at home, Lin Jiang set down the lollipop gift box Shen Yan had given her and took out her phone.
On her Qzone feed, Wang Jiaqian had posted a photo of a lollipop Gu Xiang had given her—it was larger than a washbasin, looking both ridiculous and hilarious.
Lin Jiang couldn't help but laugh and left a comment following the trend.
The next second, a QQ message from Wang Jiaqian popped up: *Sister, Gu Xiang is going to be the death of me.*
Lin Jiang replied: *You’re so hard to please. He gave you such a huge lollipop, you won't finish it in a year. Why are you still angry?*
Wang Jiaqian sent a "furious" emoji: *Exactly, it'll take a year to eat! This thing is so big it won't even fit in my backpack. I had to carry it out of the school gates like that. People were staring at me the whole way.*
Lin Jiang sent a perfunctory: *Haha.*
The two chatted about random things for a while. After exiting the chat, Lin Jiang unconsciously tapped on Jiang Weifeng’s QQ profile picture.
After a moment of thought, she sent him a message: "Happy Singles' Day."
Her fingers trembled as she typed those three words. After thinking it over, she added a parenthetical note at the end: *(Mass message, do not reply).*
Only then did she feel safe enough to hit send.
***
After these exams, Lin Jiang was set to leave school for a while.
The Thursday broadcast was her final stint. On this day, "38.6°C" made a long-awaited appearance, requesting the song "Always Very Quiet" for Jiang Weifeng.
*My love for you has always been very quiet...* Perhaps they were just lyrics, but they felt more like her own heart.
When the song ended, Lin Jiang packed her things to leave. She took a long, deep look at the broadcasting room, a nameless sense of reluctance swelling in her chest.
A voice sounded from behind her. "Can't bear to leave?"
A cold draft blew through the hallway, making the room feel desolate. Lin Jiang shuddered.
She turned around to see the newcomer, who seemed wrapped in a similar chill.
She met the girl's eyes. "Cheng Yunchuan?"
Cheng Yunchuan had feline features; when she wasn't smiling, she looked overbearing. At this moment, her gaze was particularly mocking. "It makes sense. Once you’re gone, there won't be any '38.6°C' or '36.8°C' person to request songs for Jiang Weifeng."
Lin Jiang knew she came with ill intent.
But the moment the words were spoken, Lin Jiang panicked. She tried to maintain her composure, but her heart felt like it had been filled with cold lead, sinking heavily.
Cheng Yunchuan gave a contemptuous laugh. "What, are you mute? Don't dare to admit it?"
Lin Jiang felt a chill spreading through her entire body. She opened her mouth to argue, but her voice was stiff. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't you think it's a coincidence? '38.6°C' only requests songs when you're the one broadcasting." Cheng Yunchuan narrowed her eyes.
She stepped closer to Lin Jiang. "When love at first sight happens, a person's body temperature rises to 38.6°C. *Lonely Thoughts*, *Rainy Day*, *Always Very Quiet*—they’re all songs about unrequited love. You’ve certainly put a lot of thought into this, Lin Jiang."
Lin Jiang stood rooted to the spot. Cheng Yunchuan’s voice felt like it was laced with poison; every word felt like a piece of her flesh being carved away, draining her of all strength.
She didn't know how much time had passed—it felt like a century, yet perhaps it was only a few seconds—before Lin Jiang spoke expressionlessly. "When did you find out?"
Cheng Yunchuan remained equally expressionless. "I saw it that day at the KTV."
"So? What do you want?" Lin Jiang feigned indifference, though the fortress in her heart was crumbling inch by inch.
Cheng Yunchuan smiled, but the warmth didn't reach her eyes. "Naturally, I hope to keep your secret forever." She took another step forward. "Anyway, Jiang Weifeng will never like you. It’s better to stay silent forever, rather than speaking up and making a fool of yourself like I did."
Lin Jiang’s gaze darkened. She had to use all her strength to keep her shoulders from shaking, forcing a ghastly smile. "Are you... concerned about me?"
Cheng Yunchuan’s eyes flickered, her voice icy. "You don't believe me? Since I can see that you like him, I can also see who it is that *he* likes."
As Cheng Yunchuan spoke, a trace of loneliness appeared on her face. Lin Jiang felt as if someone was clutching her heart. She asked, "Are you talking about Zhao Siyi?"
Cheng Yunchuan laughed. "Who else could it be?"
Lin Jiang didn't understand. "If that’s the case, I’m no threat to you."
"Who can say for sure what the future holds?" Cheng Yunchuan sneered. "To be honest, I’m not overestimating you. I don't care about grand principles. If there's a threat, I eliminate it."
Lin Jiang gave a bitter smile. "So it doesn't matter if you kill the innocent?"
"Innocent?" Cheng Yunchuan acted as if she’d heard a joke. "Say that again, Lin Jiang. Are you innocent? Haven't you stayed close enough to him? What kind of intentions are you harboring?"
Lin Jiang trembled all over. She was so angry she actually laughed. "If I remember correctly, you have no right to speak to me like this. You aren't 'anyone' to him either, are you?"
Lin Jiang spoke harshly, but perhaps because she had never been one for arguments, her tone lacked any real force. Instead, it only fueled Cheng Yunchuan’s arrogance.
"True. I am indeed no one to him." Cheng Yunchuan was stunned for a moment, but then she donned her signature smile again. "That’s why I came here today to discuss this with you quietly, instead of making a scene in your classroom."
Lin Jiang was left speechless by her words.
Seeing this, Cheng Yunchuan changed her tactic, playing the emotional card. "Seriously, Lin Jiang, if I were given another chance and knew that chasing him would be this hard, I might not have had the courage to say it out loud. But since I’ve done it, I won't back down. You have no idea how much I’ve done for him. I’m not the type to consider other people's feelings; if I’ve offended you, then my apologies. You can dislike me, or even hate me. But I still hope you’ll step aside for me."
The wind in the hallway was so cold it made Lin Jiang shiver. Cheng Yunchuan asked again, "Will you, Lin Jiang?"
Lin Jiang looked at the girl in front of her and suddenly realized that she truly did love Jiang Weifeng. Why else would she be so paranoid, seeing enemies in every shadow?
But Cheng Yunchuan was worrying over nothing.
Lin Jiang had no right to "step aside" for anyone. She had never even entertained the thought of confessing. To be able to see him occasionally, even if they weren't even on nodding terms, was already more than enough.
She licked her dry lips and said, "Fine."
Cheng Yunchuan let out a nearly imperceptible sigh of relief.
One after the other, the two girls left the broadcasting station in silence.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
光棍节 | Singles' Day | An unofficial holiday in China (Nov 11) celebrating being single, often associated with shopping and gift-giving.
阿尔卑斯 | Alpenliebe | A popular brand of lollipops/candy in China.
星空棒棒糖 | Starry Sky lollipops | A type of lollipop with a galaxy/nebula design inside.
一直很安静 | Always Very Quiet | A song by the singer A-Sun, famous for its themes of unrequited love.
赵思意 | Zhao Siyi | A character mentioned as the person Jiang Weifeng might actually like.
群发勿回 | Mass message, do not reply | A common disclaimer used in China when sending holiday greetings to many people at once.
