A Young Woman's Heart

"Huh... um... something's weird."

"I... I didn't take a good picture?" Yu Shu asked, somewhat flustered.

"No, no, it's just that seeing myself in the photo felt a little strange, like that person didn't look like me." Mo Xueyao scratched her head. "You don't need to worry about it, haha."

"Hmm, isn't anyone else coming?"

"I need to take care of a few other things. I'll be over in a bit." Mo Xueyao glanced at the novel in her hand. "Yu Shu... how's life in your first year of high school?"

"It's much better than before... I'm so glad I decided to come here in the end."

"Although the college entrance rate and the proportion of students admitted to key universities are not very high, at least the atmosphere is relaxed and people are more comfortable with each other."

“It’s a regular high school after all,” Yu Shu said, tilting her head. “It can’t compare to a top-tier high school.”

"But it seems that our school is only average among regular high schools—in terms of academic performance."

"If you have a heavy academic workload, you won't have many fun activities."

“Yes, that’s why I like this kind of school.” As he was speaking, Wang Jiale walked in without saying a word, picked up his bass guitar, and sat down in a chair, lost in thought.

"Click." Yu Shu took another photo.

"What's wrong, Lele? You've been looking downcast since this morning," Mo Xueyao teased. "Did you lose your wallet? Or are you still half asleep?"

Wang Jiale pouted, looking like she wanted to say something but didn't want to.

"It couldn't be because he broke up with his girlfriend, could it? Hahaha..."

Surprisingly, she nodded.

"Huh—? No way? Lu Bolun seemed like a good guy? He broke up with you on his own initiative?"

"No, no...!" Wang Jiale paused, her gaze falling on Yu Shu. "Um... who is she?"

"The members of the art club will be responsible for taking photos and videos for us in the future."

"Oh... um, we haven't broken up yet." Wang Jiale changed the subject.

"So, what exactly happened?" Mo Xueyao asked, puzzled.

Yu Shu moved a chair and sat in the corner, seemingly not intending to participate in the conversation.

"Well, I was just thinking, should we break up..."

"Why did you break up?" Mo Xueyao asked, puzzled. "Weren't you getting along quite well? And he treated you really well, right? Uh, could it be that you didn't spend enough time together, so you argued?"

"I didn't argue. Well... she did complain to me a few times, but I had to study and practice bass, and all I wanted to do in my spare time was rest."

"Hey, doesn't going out with him count as taking a break?"

"How should I put it? I still feel like I'm not relaxed enough. It's more fun to go out with my girlfriends. It's so tiring to worry about my image."

"Then why don't you just be your most authentic self?" Mo Xueyao put her legs up on the chair next to her. "There's no need to pretend to be the kind of person he likes, right? Hmm... maybe he'll be happier if you treat him the way you treat us?"

"Oh, no, no..." Wang Jiale strummed a bass string, producing a deep sound, "Hmm... how should I put it? I always feel like he's more like a friend, not a boyfriend..."

"Ugh, so you just didn't have any feelings for me? Then why did you agree to it in the first place?" Mo Xueyao asked helplessly. "Wasn't that just playing with other people's feelings?"

"So... I didn't want anything from him, um... um... I accepted it back then because... I thought it would be better to have a boyfriend? After all, we were already in high school."

"It's not just for showing off, is it?"

"No, it's just that I feel more fulfilled this way. Besides, feelings can be cultivated. He confessed his feelings, and he's good-looking and has a decent personality, so I... agreed."

"I didn't expect that after so long, we still haven't developed any feelings for each other?"

"There are still feelings involved, like friends, or... siblings? But there's no romantic feeling at all."

Mo Xueyao touched her chin and spread her hands: "Uh, I don't know why either, so I can't give you any advice."

"Yeah, I know, after all, Xiaoyao hasn't dated anyone."

"Don't make me sound so pathetic, okay..."

"What? What are you talking about?" Hua Yinyin rushed in excitedly. "I think I just overheard you two talking about love and romance outside?"

"How long have you been eavesdropping?" Mo Xueyao asked, glancing at her sideways.

"I've only listened for half a minute. Oh, by the way, Teacher Qiu said that a first-year high school student is going to be our team photographer. Has he arrived yet?"

"There it is."

"Eh, eh... hello..."

"Her name is Yu Shu, Yu as in Yu Ji, and Zhu as in 'woman' with the radical for vermilion," Mo Xueyao introduced her. "She lives next door to me."

"Oh—I remember now! Little Yaoyao seemed to have said, 'Hello, Yu Shu.'"

"Hello……"

"The bun hairstyle is so cute, hehehe—" Hua Yinyin suddenly darted behind her and pinched her two round little buns tied up with her hair.

If you add a cheongsam, that's the image of a Chinese girl that's commonly perceived abroad.

"Eee! No, don't pinch..." As if some strange switch had been turned on, Yu Shu began to writhe restlessly.

"What's going on? Do your hairs have neurons too?" Hua Yinyin asked curiously.

"Ugh... If I mess it up, I'll have to redo it... That takes a bit... time..."

"Okay, then can I touch it gently?"

"Um……"

"Hehe, I'm touching, I'm touching, I'm touching~" Today, Mo Xueyao was unusually out of favor, and Yu Shu became a toy in Hua Yinyin's hands. "So cute!"

Mo Xueyao cast a sympathetic glance at Yu Shu, but for some reason, she felt a little empty inside.

Because whenever she arrives at the band room, Hua Yinyin is always the first person to greet her...

—Although her way of greeting people is always terrible.

"Oh right, where were we? What was I going to say? Uh, right, isn't it because Lu Bolun is too good to you, Lele?"

"What do you mean?" Wang Jiale didn't know how to express her feelings at this moment, so she simply put on a blank face.

"Love requires effort from both sides. He probably puts in more effort, but you don't reciprocate. That way, there won't be any interaction between the two... Just like with Xiaoyaoyao. You see, I always reach out to her, but she seems to dislike me. So, over time, I stopped wanting to hang out with Xiaoyaoyao, and she won't fall in love with me. She'll just see me as a friend!"

"Please don't use me as such a weird analogy, okay? Besides, I'd love for you to stop bothering me!"

"Oh my, is little Yao Yao jealous?"

"Tsk, what are you doing? Don't come any closer!"

"Hehe~ So, Lele is too passive. You should be more proactive so that sparks can fly, right?"

"Hmm, should I take the initiative? Hmm... but I don't feel anything special about him, so I can't bring myself to do it."

"Then let's break up."

"But... breaking up so easily, isn't that a bit much?" Wang Jiale became conflicted after Hua Yinyin's words. "Besides, he really is a good person..."

……

Chapter 120 Let's have a sweet romance!

When school ended, the light rain that had been falling all day was still continuing.

"Wanyan, I'm going to the band room now." Mo Xueyao stuffed the last notebook into her schoolbag, then picked up her chair, placed it on the table with the chair facing her.

"Go ahead." Li Wanyan picked up the cup with her right hand, which looked a little unsteady. "I'll go over in a bit."

"Hmm." She casually slung a backpack strap over her shoulder and walked out the door.

Wang Jiale followed her for a few steps, then quickly stepped forward and patted her on the shoulder: "Xiao Yao."

"what?"

"I think I won't go to the band room today."

"Oh... I see." Mo Xueyao didn't ask why, because she could guess the most likely reason herself.

"Okay, thank you."

"It's nothing, I'll talk to the others."

Wang Jiale clenched her fists nervously and ran back to the classroom.

Mo Xueyao glanced over there a few times, and seeing that nothing seemed to be happening anytime soon, she walked towards the band room on her own.

Sanhua Tongjue has already gone home because she knows that Wang Jiale stays in the band room to practice every day, so she goes home by herself as soon as school is over.

Occasionally, he would invite Huang Yuxi to buy some snacks at the small shop near the entrance, and then leave after his brother arrived.

Wang Jiale stood at the classroom door, peering inside, but didn't find the person she was looking for.

"Hey."

"ah!"

"Lele, what are you doing? Aren't you going to the band room today?" Lu Bolun looked at her with a smile.

Wang Jiale patted her chest lightly and glared at him angrily: "What are you doing? You scared me."

"hey-hey……"

"Yeah, I'm not going to the band room today."

"Oh—did you go home with Sanhua Tongjue?"

"No."

"what?"

"What's up? I usually don't get back for another two hours anyway, so today I can make a special effort... um... to spend time with you!" Wang Jiale pushed Lu Bolun to the railing. "Let's have a sweet romance!"

Anyone who didn't know better would think she had confessed her feelings.

However, Luberon found it extremely strange: "Uh...didn't we start talking about it a while ago? Oh—is it not sweet enough? How about I treat you to ice cream today?"

"Tsk, whatever, you can do whatever you want with the next two hours anyway." Wang Jiale snorted. "Let's go."

"Really?" Luberon's eyes widened in surprise. "Great... um, shall we go out first?"