Chapter 9

Shi Zhi and Shen Jia parted unhappily in the cafeteria. This was the first time they'd fought in their nearly half-year relationship.
She refused to answer Shen Jia's calls and avoided seeing him.
So two days later in the morning, when a girl from the same dormitory building came knocking on the door saying there was a boy looking for her downstairs, Shi Zhi thought it was Shen Jia again.
She crossed her arms and leaned against the balcony window to look down, but unexpectedly saw Fu Xiling.
When Shen Jia came to find her, he usually stood properly downstairs, looking up and smiling at her.
Fu Xiling didn't inconvenience himself. Even waiting for someone, he had to wait comfortably, like a leader condescending to inspect work, sitting on the flower bed edge, currently catching the tabby cat that had been freeloading downstairs for years to pet.
The tabby cat was very unwilling, almost shrinking itself into a double chin before escaping from Fu Xiling's clutches, crouching more than a meter away, very dissatisfied, meowing with a drawn-out sound.
Fu Xiling was very flamboyant, didn't care about others' gazes. Looking up and seeing Shi Zhi, he very naturally waved at her, asking across three floors: "Come on, go have coffee?"
Said it like they were very familiar.
There were several coffee shops near school. Shi Zhi randomly chose one. Before going in, she said to Fu Xiling: "I have class later, only have twenty minutes."
"Got it."
Fu Xiling had a call to take, holding his ringing phone, pushed open the door for her, but didn't go in himself.
Due to personal experience, when watching films and TV shows, Shi Zhi most hated characters who were neither good nor evil.
Those characters were usually portrayed as very popular with audiences, but she always felt their actions were based entirely on preference, had too much uncertainty, couldn't be figured out, not solid enough.
In life it was the same. People like Fu Xiling were always those she kept at a respectful distance.
She liked types similar to Shen Jia. Low-key and restrained in dealing with people, solid, reliable, not radical or impulsive, would never do overly risky things.
Around people like that, life would most likely not experience too much turbulence, stable and secure.
But Shen Jia...
He just needed to raise three fingers, look firmly, and say, "You have to believe me. My childhood friend and I aren't the kind of relationship you imagine."
As long as he dared say that, Shi Zhi would consider believing.
But he didn't. The messages he'd sent these past two days were just repeatedly saying things that couldn't solve the fundamental problem.
Sigh, Shen Jia...
Shi Zhi sighed, her gaze unintentionally falling out the window. Fu Xiling was in that direction, cigarette in mouth, taking a call.
While he was still outside, Shi Zhi took a deep breath, trying to calm her mood.
By the time Fu Xiling came in, she could already calmly throw out a question: "How do you know which dormitory building I live in?"
"Asked around a bit."
Fu Xiling sat opposite Shi Zhi, put his phone and cigarette pack on the table, looked at her twice: "Haven't been sleeping well these past two days? Dark circles are showing."
Having a relationship crisis with your boyfriend, who could sleep well?
Shi Zhi usually didn't have close friends and didn't need them. Not being close meant not being backstabbed.
She also wasn't the type to complain, stubborn. She extended her hand: "Lost my bracelet, of course I can't sleep well."
This answer surprised Fu Xiling, and he looked at her a bit more.
She was really beautiful, the kind of beautiful where she'd look good even wearing a sack.
Even after fighting with Shen Jia, clearly not in good spirits, she was still beautiful.
That day in the cafeteria, Shi Zhi shook off Shen Jia and strode away. Passing right in front of Fu Xiling, eyes straight ahead, as if he were a wall.
So Fu Xiling took out that Hetian jade bracelet from his jacket pocket, put it in her palm, and teased: "I thought you didn't see me."
The sunlight was good, falling on the jade beads in her palm, texture fine and warm.
The bracelet was a gift from Shen Jia. For Shi Zhi, the size was a bit large, not quite right. Removing two or three beads should be perfect.
But Shen Jia had said this Hetian jade bracelet had been blessed at a temple and could protect peace. She kept this reason in mind and never modified it.
Back then, she'd even joked with Shen Jia: "Blame you for not observing carefully. My wrist isn't that thick."
What had Shen Jia said then?
He seemed to scratch the back of his head: "I'll learn from this. Next time I buy jewelry, I won't get the size wrong."
Shi Zhi was distracted, looking at the Hetian jade bracelet in her hand without speaking. Fu Xiling noticed this too: "Gift from Shen Jia?"
Shi Zhi didn't answer.
She wasn't familiar with Fu Xiling originally. Agreeing to come out for coffee with him wasn't to chat idly.
At this moment, Shen Jia called, and she hung up.
Shi Zhi scanned the QR code on the table with her phone. After the ordering page popped up, she pushed the phone over for Fu Xiling to see.
"What do you want to drink? Today's on me. Thanks for keeping your word that day, and also thanks for picking up my bracelet."
She said all this in a completely businesslike tone, didn't smile, looked very aloof, and while speaking, put the bracelet back on her wrist.
For no particular reason, Fu Xiling suddenly felt a bit annoyed.
He didn't touch Shi Zhi's phone, crossed his arms and leaned back in the sofa, his ring-wearing index finger lightly tapping his arm twice. He didn't beat around the bush, directly exposed her: "You can sit here drinking coffee with me, not just to thank me, right?"
It really wasn't just to thank him.
Fu Xiling had been so certain Shen Jia wouldn't contact her earlier, probably because he had information she didn't.
Shi Zhi said: "You know Shen Jia's childhood friend."
"Sort of. 'Childhood friend' isn't accurate. Hmm, 'childhood sweetheart' is more appropriate."
Fu Xiling finally picked up Shi Zhi's phone and started ordering coffee: "You... want to know something about their relationship?"
Fu Xiling finished ordering what he wanted to drink and pushed the phone back.