We ordinary people also need to fall in love.

Xing Yi? Why would he add me? Countless questions arose in Li Mubai's mind.

After thinking about it, he accepted the friend request.

The ruthless test-taking machine: "You must be Li Mu Bai."

Li Bubai: "Yes, hello, what can I do for you?"

Li Mubai's sudden politeness caught Xing Yi off guard. He had thought Li Mubai would be extremely arrogant and ask him if he wanted to do business in the market.

After a few seconds of silence, Xing Yi sent the message he had already typed.

Ruthless test-taking machine: "I don't know how you feel about Xie Shu, but I suggest you don't get too close."

...What kind of lousy campus romance novel plot is this? Li Mubai pinched himself to make sure he was real, but he didn't reply. Xing Yi then sent several messages in a row.

The Ruthless Test-Taking Machine: "Xie Shu has consistently ranked first in the grade, even I can only rank second. Do you think you two can get into the same university after the college entrance exam?"

Ruthless Quiz Machine: "As for her family background, although I don't know much about it, I heard from Deng Yi that it's quite good. She often travels abroad, owns several villas in Pingyang City, and even flies to the beach for the winter during winter break."

Xing Yi didn't know the second half either; he just made it up.

Ruthless Quiz Machine: "To be honest, bro, to use a phrase from King of Glory, you two are like King and Bronze rank players, you can't be matched together."

After sending these messages, Xing Yi stopped sending them and waited for Li Mubai's reply.

A minute or two later, Li Mubai sent a message.

Li Bubai: "Idiot."

Holy crap, you dare to insult me?

Xing Yi was so angry that he was trembling all over. After typing a few words on the keyboard, he sent them, but a red exclamation mark appeared, indicating that the other party had deleted him.

"Damn it, add me back!" Xing Yi frantically clicked on the friend request, but Li Mubai didn't respond.

In fact, he had already blocked Xing Yi.

He turned off his phone and stared blankly at the pale white ceiling in the darkness. He hadn't swore since the second year of junior high, but this time he really couldn't hold back.

In the darkness, he slowly savored the anger and bitterness within him.

As he pondered this, Li Mubai unconsciously let out a self-deprecating laugh. How absurd! To have a crush on a girl and still encounter a rival for her affections.

…………

"Xiaobai, hurry up and eat. I made your favorite fish," Li's mother urged at the dinner table on Saturday.

"Um."

"What's wrong, Xiaobai? Did something unpleasant happen at school?"

"It's nothing, Mom. I was just thinking about the final exams."

"Okay, but don't put too much pressure on yourself. I've heard from others that some students are so stressed that they want to commit suicide."

"No, Mom."

Sometimes he feels that his life doesn't just belong to himself, but also to his family. His family's expectations of him keep urging him forward, so he won't easily take his own life.

Yan Shu: "Spark".

Li Bubai: "Hmm."

Yan Shu: "So busy, I'm going to sleep now, goodnight."

Li Bubai: "Okay." (The other party has retracted a message due to a typo.)

Li Bubai: "The moon [emoji]".

What's wrong?

On Sunday, Li Mubai lay in the passenger seat on his way back to school, staring blankly at the scenery rushing past the car window.

Until the tall buildings gradually disappeared, until the pedestrians gradually vanished, until the school slowly came into view…

"I'm leaving, Dad."

"Li Mubai," Li's father called out to him, as he always addressed him by his given name.

Li Mubai looked at his father with a puzzled expression.

"Tell your family if anything happens at school."

……"OK."

The car sped away, leaving Li Mubai standing there until the car disappeared from his sight before he moved.

As Xing Yi walked towards the school gate, he happened to get out of a car.

What a small world! Xing Yi glared at him resentfully, but Li Mubai ignored him and walked past.

Returning to his dorm, putting down his luggage, topping up his meal card, and heading to the classroom—this is the constant repetition of his ordinary days.

Chen Qiuhe and Xie Shu hadn't arrived yet, so he sat down in his seat, ready to practice his calligraphy for a while.

I took out "How to Write Quickly with a Fountain Pen" from my desk... After that, I'll just buy a different calligraphy practice book, any one will do, or I can ask Doubao for a recommendation.

He put it back on his desk and took out his books to review.

"Mu Bai, Li Mu Bai, why are you here so early? Are you studying as soon as you arrive?" Chen Qiuhe said as she sat down in her seat.

"Um."

"What's wrong? Why are you suddenly being so aloof?"

"I'm reviewing." He buried himself in his book, trying to suppress his bad mood.

"Oh, okay, then I won't bother you anymore."

From the moment he arrived at the classroom until almost evening self-study, Li Mubai was always reading a book.

Deng Yi walked in with Xie Shu, chatting and laughing, and he felt his heart tighten again.

If Xie Shu knew what happened on Friday, what would she do?

Li Mubai chuckled inwardly, laughing at his own absurd idea.

As Xie Shu sat down, he no longer leaned on the table, but instead leaned back in his chair to keep a distance.

"Xie Shu, Li Mubai, try some freshly baked cookies."

"No, I won't eat it," Li Mubai refused.

"Really not going to eat it? It's delicious."

"I won't eat it."

"Hmm—okay, I'll save it for you first. Let me know when you want to eat it."

Xie Shu glanced at him, but Li Mubai's attention was focused on his book.

The two people sitting in front of him were exchanging snacks, and their relationship had taken another step forward, as if he was the only one who was awkward.

Ring ring.

It was evening self-study time, and the silent learning atmosphere suited his gloomy mood perfectly.

A notebook appeared on his desk:

Are you unhappy?

Who asked this question? Xie Shu? Or Chen Qiuhe? It doesn't seem to matter who it was anymore.

"It's okay, let's get back to studying."

The evening self-study session ended in this silent atmosphere, and Li Mubai returned to his dormitory alone.

Thinking about it, a semester has almost passed, and it seems like nothing has changed. I still go to the cafeteria alone, go to and from get out of class alone, and return to the dormitory alone.

Yan Shu: "Spark".

Li Bubai: "Hmm."

Yan Shu: "Are you unhappy? You seem so cold."

Is it obvious? It seems like everyone around me has noticed.

It's quite obvious. When he's unhappy, he basically doesn't want to say much. Like a hedgehog, he curls up and doesn't let anyone get close when he's hurt.

Li Bubai: "It's nothing. I'm probably just under a lot of academic pressure lately. After all, the semester is almost over, and the college entrance exam is next semester."

Li Mubai hadn't forgotten his identity as a senior in high school, which would serve as a convenient excuse for him.

Yan Shu said, "If you're unhappy about something, talking about it might make you feel better; keeping it inside will only make you feel worse."

Li Bubai: "Okay, thank you."

Yan Shu: "It's alright, after all, we're friends."

Friends...

Li Bubai: "I'm really fine. I'm going to sleep. I'll probably be better by tomorrow. [moon emoji]"

Yan Shu: "Okay, don't overthink it. I'm always here. Goodnight."