Age of Legends

Chapter 355 The Wall Between Ideals and Reality

"I understand." As Han Zhouxuan was leaving at the end of the dinner, she said softly.

Shen Nuoyi didn't understand what she had figured out.

Han Zhouxuan said, "Perhaps you chose Zhang Chen because you spent so much time together, and you felt that he provided you with spiritual support when you were most helpless."

Have you ever considered that the problems your father's company is facing are precisely because of you? If it weren't for your willfulness, your father's partnership with Pei Yan's company might have progressed even further, and there wouldn't have been any dissatisfaction from his mother. So, all of this could have been resolved much earlier.

"Of course, you have the right to choose. But I still don't understand your choice. I think you'll regret it." Han Zhouxuan said, "You are different from the people I've met. I know how many powerful families in Rongcheng are after Pei Yan. Many girls have even come from several streets away to ask him about her."

"I wonder what it is about Zhang Chen that makes you so invested. Is he just good at writing essays? After graduation, will you work your way up to a high-level position and end up working for someone like Pei Yan?"

Seeing Shen Nuoyi staring at her, Han Zhouxuan thought that since they had already spoken out, they might as well lay it all out in the open.

Han Zhouxuan continued, "Shen Nuoyi, you also have a problem, which is that you are actually very idealistic. You probably think I am mercenary and calculating, but life is realistic. I should just see reality a little earlier than you. You are not a little girl anymore, you have to grow up eventually."

They grew up together, watching trains roar along the tracks, folding paper airplanes and launching them into the blue sky, chasing each other's shadows in the sunset on their way home from school. But only now did Shen Nuoyi realize that, while they seemed to have similarities all along, they were also very different from each other.

It seems that Han Zhouxuan has always been the most "clear-headed" person. She is clear-headed about the world and understands human relationships and the rules of reality at a young age. On the contrary, most of the time, she is just the little girl following behind her, maintaining many naive imaginations about the world.

Just like now, Han Zhouxuan seems to "understand" the cold reality of society even better than she does.

However, all of this was out of place for her.

Only then did she realize that, without her noticing, the two of them had already drifted further and further apart in terms of their fundamental beliefs.

As best friends who grew up together, perhaps one day they will face a complete estrangement caused by their family background, values, and life choices, and even eventually drift apart.

The meaning of growing up is that two people who were once closely connected let go of each other's hands at the crossroads of life and go their separate ways in different directions.

Shen Nuoyi was neither angry nor retorted. Instead, she looked at Han Zhouxuan and said softly, "Zhouzhou, do you remember what we said before? We wanted to go to the north to see the snow, and if we had the chance, we would open a flower shop or a teahouse, so that people who like us and all those who like us could chat and read by the window."

Han Zhouxuan was stunned.

"Back then you said that such ideals were silly. But I think that was when we were most like ourselves."

Yes, I don't know if it was in junior high or some other age, but two girls once made such a silly wish. But at some point, that wish changed. Perhaps it was because Han Zhouxuan traveled to many places alone, studied abroad alone, and traveled alone, seeing more of the world, that she seemed to feel more indifferent, more worldly-wise, more realistic, and colder.

Han Zhouxuan sneered: "Fool, people change. When you were in elementary school, you were asked if you wanted to be a scientist. Do you still want to be one when you grow up? You said you wanted to be a teacher, but the reality is that you work yourself to the bone teaching a group of students every day and don't even earn much money in a month. Would you still do it then? We always yearn for things too early, because they seem beautiful because they are far away. But when we get closer, we find that it is just imagination. Reality is not like imagination at all."

“But at least I still believe,” Shen Nuo said. “You learned to disbelieve too early. Growing up does require facing reality, but I never thought growing up would become ‘accepting fate’.”

"What I fear most is that one day I will become like you, seemingly 'understanding' everything, but in reality, you no longer believe in anything. Many people live so cleverly that they can see through everything, but it seems that they can no longer see any hope."

After a pause, Shen Nuoyi raised her eyebrows slightly again: "I don't want it to be like this."

Han Zhouxuan stared blankly at Shen Nuoyi for a moment, then gave a self-deprecating laugh: "Fine, then go ahead and do what you 'believe' in. We'll see what happens later."

Shen Nuo nodded: "Agreed."

Han Zhouxuan looked at Shen Nuoyi, and thinking about her actions today, she felt a little irritated again. Between the two of them, Han Zhouxuan always wanted to be number one, and she always wanted to be one step ahead of Shen Nuoyi. In the past, when she was with Pei Yan, she and Pei Yan interacted the most and seemed to be closer. But unexpectedly, she lost to Pei Yan. And in today's situation, it seemed that Shen Nuoyi had stolen her thunder again with her "boyfriend" who was in the newspaper. This made Han Zhouxuan realize that her advantage over her seemed to be crumbling step by step.

So she is still unwilling to accept it today.

Then she smiled and said with absolute confidence, "Shen Nuoyi, your Zhang Chen, although he got a perfect score on his essay, only got into Sichuan University and couldn't go to Tsinghua University with you. The other half I'm looking for will definitely be even better than yours."

This may sound naive, but it's a very realistic example of a best friend relationship. For instance, her mother and Shen Nuoyi's mother are still constantly comparing themselves to each other, and it's not outdated at all.

But just as Han Zhouxuan was preparing to use a powerful psychological offensive based on future opportunism to suppress Shen Nuoyi in one round.

But to her surprise, a single glance from her beautiful eyes made her furious.

Shen Nuoyi simply raised her eyes and looked at her slowly, without giving her any face by saying "wait and see" or "I'm waiting," but instead simply and decisively said, "You're overthinking it."

"So what if Zhang Chen didn't get into Tsinghua University? Even if he can't get into Sichuan University, it doesn't matter. Everyone has their own strengths... If I can study and I have the ability, then I'll do more. On the other hand, if he only wants to do what he likes, then I'll support everything outside and give him space, what's wrong with that? People shouldn't simply calculate personal gain. If you have the ability to protect the people you want to protect and let them live happily, then I think that's my pursuit in life."

"Are you out of your mind? You'd even accept a man living off a woman?!...Fine, fine. I'll wait and see!" As if reciting a line from Shen Nuo's show, Han Zhouxuan forgot all about her ramblings, waved her hand, got into her parents' SUV, and stormed off.

She wanted to see how Shen Nuoyi's idealism would be utterly crushed by reality!
(End of this chapter)