“If given another chance, would you still be the good boy?”
“No.” He seemed extremely disgusted with his current self.
“I’m wondering, is it because you’ve been so excellent from a young age, never experiencing any setbacks, that your ability to handle pressure might be a bit weaker compared to the average young man? Sometimes people’s lack of attention to detail might have hurt you?”
“Are you saying I can’t handle things, that I’m too sensitive?” he raised an eyebrow, half-jokingly.
“That’s not what I meant,” Liang Fei quickly explained.
He immediately flashed a heart-melting smile: “It’s fine, I’m not angry.”
Perhaps due to his exceptionally striking appearance and lifelong excellent upbringing, his speech and behavior were more proper and appropriate than many normal people—polite, tactful, and considerate. Compared to all previous patients who came for consultation, he was forthright and unevasive, polite yet savvy in human relations. If needed, he could frankly lay bare his scars for others to examine. She was just an ordinary psychologist, but he was a perfect patient who left her at a loss.
Evening, S Academy dormitory.
“Hey, weren’t A University guys supposed to treat us to dinner tonight? Xiao Zhu, where are the boys? Did they stand us up?”
As soon as the roommate entered, she saw Xiao Zhu sitting in front of the computer looking at campus recruitment information, drooping like a frost-bitten eggplant, drawling listlessly: “Canceled.”
The roommates wailed endlessly.
“Damn, are you messing with us?”
“I just bought a new dress this afternoon.”
“I told you they’re only friendly to pretty girls!”
“Why didn’t you send them Meng Meng’s photo? You could have said our school’s beauty queen was initiating the date!”
Ye Meng happened to walk in just then, becoming the target of their comments. She glared at them fiercely, “After so many years of fraud, I don’t see any of you scamming a boyfriend.”
“You really are the acknowledged campus beauty, who’s scamming!” her roommate laughingly pulled her over, “Is that business school heartthrob still pursuing you?”
“Drop it.”
Xiao Zhu’s lips seemed glued together, wriggling several times without opening. Seeing her grief-stricken expression, everyone realized something was wrong. “What’s the matter?”
“Today, an A University guy sent me a message saying the gathering was canceled. I asked him why, and he just replied with a message saying that a junior from their journalism department attempted suicide. He’s in the hospital now, being resuscitated.”
“That serious? Are we so ugly that they need to fake suicide to avoid dinner with us?”
“Don’t joke about it! He’s very outstanding and nice, and he’s a rich heir too.”
“People always have all sorts of reasons to live or not to live,” Ye Meng casually comforted.
Xiao Zhu was trying hard not to cry but couldn’t. She had met this junior at Gou senior’s gathering last year and even heard him sing a song. Ye Meng asked her if it was good.
Xiao Zhu struggled to recall, “It was just okay. But I can’t deny, he had charm. Even though he sang off-key, no one had the heart to embarrass him, and everyone helped him continue. Tell me, a person like that, why would he…sob?”
Liang Fei didn’t leave after her shift the next day. She pulled up the electronic file and looked at the standard, cold ID photo.
The boy in the photo was handsome and upright, with the vibrant air of youth. His refined, chiseled features weren’t particularly memorable, but he happened to possess a pair of moving soulful eyes. In his pitch-black pupils seemed to dwell a lively little deer, his eyes filled with tenderness and mirth. Even from such a static photo, one could feel his exuberant aura—the whole person radiant and spirited like a fresh, bright white poplar. Such a person, no matter where they were, would shine brightly and cleanly like a beam of light.
File note: Li Jin Yu, twenty-two years old, Journalism Department, A University.