Jingxia Rose

Chapter 103: I Can't Forget It
"If you feel that you have bad luck, go to the temple more often to pray. Be sincere and get rid of your sharp and mean-spirited habits. Maybe Buddha will see your sincerity and help you change your fate."

She replied indifferently, too lazy to even bother with the pretense.

After that, he turned around and left.

Feng Lei was stunned. Only when she saw her departing figure did she realize that she had been scolded, and she gritted her teeth in anger.

Xiao Guxing didn't hear their conversation, but seeing Ji Xuan's back, he quickly smiled at the person next to him and said, "I'll go first. Let's have a meal together when we have time."

Seeing that he seemed to be going after Ji Xian, his classmate raised an eyebrow and teased with a smile, "Okay, let's contact each other on WeChat. Hurry up and go. I'm still waiting to drink your wedding wine. It's been so many years."

Xiao Guxing smiled and said only, "Let's meet again another day," before going to chase after Ji Xian.

Having spent several years navigating the workplace, especially the years spent working alongside Wen Qi, Ji Xuan had long since learned to remain composed and always communicate in a way that left no room for error.

But he just lost control of his emotions and angrily confronted Feng Lei.

She only slowly came to her senses after walking several dozen meters.

In the end, it was that harsh phrase "good fortune" that pierced her heart. She didn't like hearing it, and she didn't have much of a classmate affection for Feng Lei.

Let's just criticize them.

Slowing down, she reached the entrance to the hall and was about to wait for Xiao Guxing to go in together when a paper cup about the size of a finger was suddenly held out in front of her, containing ice cream.

Xiao Guxing said, "Want to try some? They're free over there."

Ji Xuan was taken aback, glanced at him sideways, and then smiled as she accepted the gift, saying, "Thank you."

The temperature today is about five or six degrees lower than a few days ago. The sun isn't very strong either, and it's quite cool. I only have about two bites of this ice cream.

It melts in your mouth, is icy cool, sweet, and has a strong vanilla aroma.

"It's cold, so it's not good to eat too much, but a couple of bites are still nice," Xiao Guxing said with a smile. "The morning activities mainly consist of speeches, but in the afternoon, there will be many food stalls set up along both sides of the campus road, so you can go and have a look. I heard there will also be a friendly match at the basketball court, which happens to be a match between the School of Foreign Languages ​​and the School of Mathematics."

Upon hearing this, Ji Xian quickly forgot the unpleasantness that had just occurred with Feng Lei. "Speaking of which, it's been a long time since I've watched a basketball game. I remember you were the star player of our Foreign Languages ​​Department's basketball team, and that game against the Architecture Department was truly thrilling."

That basketball game was organized by the school when he was a senior in college.

When it came to the finals between their two departments, the scores were very close in the first half. In the second half, everyone was exhausted, and Xiao Guxing even injured his arm.

But he didn't leave the field; instead, he persevered until the very end, and fortunately, they won the match.

After hugging his teammates, he immediately looked at Ji Xuan in the audience, sweating profusely, and raised his hand with a smile, making a fist in the air to indicate 'We won't lose'.

Then he collapsed to the ground, exhausted, staring at the top of the court, before being taken to the medical room by his teammates.

Before the match, Ji Xian told him, "You will win."

Xiao Guxing turned to look at her and said, "It's not that I will win, it's that we will win. Ji Xian, we will win."

Ji Xuan interpreted the sentence as meaning that "we" referred to him, his teammates, and the entire Foreign Languages ​​Institute.

Before, their rumored relationship was just speculation in a small circle, but from that day on, photos of the two facing each other on the basketball court became popular on the school forum, and everyone was talking about it.

Ji Xian avoided him for a while to avoid suspicion.

However, Xiao Guxing's open and natural behavior made him seem a bit petty. It is said that gossip can be terrifying, but neither of them were afraid of rumors.

However, they will still maintain a certain distance in their interactions afterward; otherwise, nothing will change.

Xiao Guxing wasn't stupid, and he naturally sensed her avoidance. Later, he overheard her telling someone, "Xiao and I are just friends. We can't be lovers. Neither of us has that intention. You're just making assumptions about other people's relationships based on your own thoughts. Who's as dirty as you two?" Perhaps afraid that they wouldn't even be able to remain friends in the end, he swallowed the confession that was on the tip of his tongue.

Ultimately, fearing that the rumors circulating on campus would cause her harm and stress, he consciously distanced himself from her, and the two of them interacted less and less.

After graduating from university, he didn't stay to take the postgraduate entrance exam, but went abroad directly.

The two completely lost contact.

He originally thought that as long as they no longer saw each other or contacted each other, he would eventually forget. But he overestimated himself and underestimated how deep the mark Ji Xian had left on his heart was.

Can't forget it at all.

"You still remember?" Xiao Guxing's smile softened even more. "If I weren't getting old, I would have liked to go on stage and try it out this afternoon."

Upon hearing this, Ji Xuan looked him up and down and asked, "Mr. Xiao, are you 30 years old this year?"

"Isn't it going to happen soon? There are still a few months to go."

"Oh, only thirty? Judging from your tone just now, I thought you were seventy or eighty years old and couldn't walk anymore."

Xiao Guxing laughed.

Just then, Professor Tan arrived. After exchanging pleasantries, Ji Xuan handed her the gift he had prepared.

Professor Tan scolded her, asking why she was being so polite, but he accepted the gift generously.

The main entrance to the auditorium was completely blocked, so Professor Tan led the two of them through the side door at the back.

"Gu Xing, how's your speech preparation going?" Professor Tan asked as they walked. "You were once an outstanding student representative and the first one to speak."

"Professor, rest assured, I will not embarrass you," Xiao Guxing said.

“I’m not worried.” Professor Tan looked at Ji Xuan. “Ji Xuan, what about you? Are you…”

"No, Professor Tan, I really can't do this, especially in front of thousands of people."

Professor Tan smiled and had no choice but to give up, leading them to sit down in the second row on the right.

The auditorium doors were already closed, and the second-floor corridor was packed with people. The speech had officially begun.

First to take the stage were several school leaders, followed by representatives from the Education Bureau, city leaders, and now student representatives.

Time flies, and more than two hours had passed by the time the student representative finished speaking.

Xiao Guxing took a sip of water to moisten his throat. When he heard his name called on stage, he exchanged a glance with Ji Xuan and walked up calmly and composedly.

His speech was short, but because it was interesting and included anecdotes, the students listened with great interest, and many were even captivated by his handsome appearance.

They had lunch with Professor Tan and several other familiar professors, as well as other old classmates, at the school cafeteria.

Feng Lei was also there, and seeing Ji Xuan's charming smile, she couldn't help but roll her eyes.

Really good at pretending.

I don't know which heartless person spread the rumor that Ji Xian is gentle and kind.

That's because you haven't seen her when she's smiling but hiding a knife, gentle but sharp, and when she's being sarcastic.

It was only after her friend tugged at her sleeve that she managed to force a smile and start talking to the professor next to her.