Chapter 20: Coming to Terms

“I’m at school Monday through Friday more, so probably no time then.” Jiang Ya said seriously. “Weekends… usually only Saturday is freer. Sunday we could do lunch—it depends on your schedules.”
Seeing her expression normal again, Qi Yu dropped the extra speculation. “Sure, either works for me. I’ll ask Li Tong when I get back and let her set a time.”
“Okay.” Jiang Ya nodded. “Have you decided what to eat?”
“Not yet.” How could they—she had only just remembered, and had not even talked to Li Tong…
The thought flashed; Qi Yu turned and saw Jiang Ya looking at Qi Xuan’s quiz again, expressionless, calm and focused—as if that half-teasing smile from moments ago had been her imagination.
Probably overthinking again.
Jiang Ya had always been like this—what change was there? Did she need to be this sensitive? One smile and her mind ran wild.
Qi Yu suddenly remembered what she had said to Jiang Ya that night—emotional then, embarrassed only after.
Words she should never have said. She cared most about dignity; she had torn it herself.
Jiang Ya was as always; it was she who was suspicious and anxious—really…
After scolding herself inwardly, Qi Yu sighed quietly. When she looked at Jiang Ya again there was nothing left to say, yet she spoke deliberately anyway. “Right—anything you want to eat?”
“Hm? I’m not picky.” Jiang Ya set the quiz down and looked at her. “Up to you. Western or Chinese both fine. I can’t handle much spice—mild is okay.”
“Same as me.” As if to prove something to the person before her, Qi Yu smiled to ease the mood, tone no longer stiff—more like natural banter between friends.
“I’ll tell Li Tong not to pick hotpot or anything. Anyway leave booking to her—she knows food better.”
Qi Yu thought her act was good enough. She did not know how sharp Jiang Ya was—the shift in her attitude was subtle but obvious to Jiang Ya.
Jiang Ya did not answer at once. She held Qi Yu’s smiling eyes a beat, then curved her lips. “Sure. You decide.”
Qi Xuan came out of the bathroom and caught them talking about food. Her ears perked up and she dashed over.
“Teacher, what are you talking about?” She plopped down, grinning at both. “Hotpot? When are you going?”
“Don’t even think about it.” Qi Yu said lazily.
Qi Xuan: “Why!”
“Why can’t I? Take me— I haven’t had hotpot in ages.”
Qi Yu raised a brow. “Who said hotpot? We haven’t picked anything.”
Qi Xuan: “That’s fine, I’m not picky.”
“It’s a class reunion—not just the two of us. You’re going too?” Jiang Ya added with a smile.
Jiang Ya said “we” especially soft and natural—an ordinary inclusive word, yet Qi Yu still paused slightly, eyes drifting to Jiang Ya.
Seeing Qi Xuan speechless, Jiang Ya went on. “Also—less than two weeks to finals and you’re thinking about food instead of review.”
“Listen. Since your sister’s here, I’ll tell you straight where you stand.”
“Your science scores are excellent, but humanities are barely passing. What does that mean?”
Jiang Ya’s expression grave, pen tapping the desk with each point. “First—it means your progress has been huge. If you pull humanities to science level, not only key universities—even top schools are in reach.”
“Second—if you can’t guarantee science stays high and you still ignore humanities, your class rank will keep dropping.”
“I won’t force you to study. But I want you to wake up. Clear?”
When she finished, the room went quiet.
Qi Xuan had none of her usual clowning; she bowed her head as if trying to bury herself in the desk, barely daring to breathe under Jiang Ya’s lecture—proof of Jiang Ya’s authority among these students.
A slap needs a candy; Jiang Ya knew that too and was about to soften—when an utterly inappropriate soft laugh broke the solemn air.
Qi Xuan and Jiang Ya both looked at Qi Yu, surprised.
Embarrassed, Qi Yu coughed twice and tried to stop—but one glance at Jiang Ya’s baffled eyes, so unlike the stern teacher a moment ago, and she could not hold back.
This time the laugh came from the heart.
“Sorry.” She knew it was absurd. “First time I’ve seen you that fierce.”
She looked down, coughed, hand over her mouth—but the harder she tried to suppress it, the more her body rebelled. Jiang Ya’s stern face in her mind set her off again.
Jiang Ya blinked, surprised, lips parting as if to speak—then nothing came out.
A strange flush rose… Jiang Ya pressed her lips and lowered her fine brows.
Qi Xuan almost laughed along until Qi Yu snapped at her and hustled her to pack up, threatening to repeat everything to Qi Wenping if she dawdled.
Qi Xuan begged all the way to the door not to tell—Qi Wenping would never let her off.
Jiang Ya stood behind them, faint smile watching their bickering, something unclear moving in her eyes.
Though Qi Xuan made Qi Wenping sound strict, Jiang Ya understood: if Qi Xuan did not truly feel loved, if she were not truly happy, she would not talk that way.
People only act spoiled in love.
If she really hated it, she might never mention it—how could she keep bringing it up?
From her tone Jiang Ya could imagine it—a warm, close family of four…
“We’re off then.” Qi Yu and Qi Xuan stood outside the door saying goodbye.
“Mm. We’ll confirm when we’ve set a time.” Jiang Ya smiled gently, voice mild.
Qi Yu nodded. “Okay. When Li Tong books I’ll tell you. Bye.”
“Bye.”
The moment the door closed, the smile on Jiang Ya’s lips faded too.
She leaned back against it, staring at the clean ceiling, not knowing what she thought. After a long sigh she slowly went to tidy the tutoring tables…
……
Since the temperature dropped, Nanliu’s sky stayed gray, as if veiled—light dimmed, only gloom and cold over the land.
Li Tong thought gray weather called for fiery hotpot. But Qi Yu and Jiang Ya both disliked spice, so Li Tong switched to a barbecue chain in the same mall as the hotpot place.
The national chain was famous. In a county-city not yet promoted to second tier, only this busiest mall had one branch—packed on weekdays, worse on weekends.
Qi Yu and Li Tong arrived early. Jiang Ya’s apartment was farther; she took a cab, hit traffic, said she would be late.
Timing worked out—after nearly twenty minutes waiting for a table they had just sat when Jiang Ya walked over.
Before she reached them she brushed hair back, a gentle smile on her face.
She was looking at them, yet customers at the next table looked too. Eyes tried to follow—halfway there someone glared coldly and they awkwardly looked away.
Hmph.
Qi Yu withdrew her unfriendly stare and sipped water. Across the table Li Tong waved eagerly at Jiang Ya.
“Come quick, sit here!” Li Tong patted the empty seat beside her.
Qi Yu said nothing, only stared at that seat until Jiang Ya passed her side and sat down without hesitation.
Qi Yu’s gaze stalled. She swallowed the water and looked away.
“Sorry I was so late… traffic was awful.” Jiang Ya sat beside Li Tong, folding her coat she had just taken off.
Qi Yu: “It’s fine. We just got in—haven’t ordered yet.”
“Yeah, perfect timing. You don’t know how busy this place is—we waited almost half an hour outside with Qi Yu…” Li Tong complained, reaching for Jiang Ya’s clothes. “Give me your coat, I’ll hold it.”
Jiang Ya paused, then handed over the folded clothes with a smile. “Thanks.”
Li Tong: “Still thanking me—we’ve known each other almost ten years and you’re this polite.”
“Okay okay, my fault, habit—I’ll fix it.”
“Fine, forgiven, hahaha. Here, pick what you want first.”
Qi Yu listened to their chatter in silence. She looked up just as Jiang Ya naturally took Li Tong’s phone, brows slightly knit, choosing on the screen.
“Jiang Ya.”
“…Ah?” Sudden call of her name startled Jiang Ya slightly.
Qi Yu looked straight at her. “Order me a drink while you’re at it. Anything’s fine.”
“Oh… okay.” Jiang Ya glanced at her twice before lowering her head to pick.
After everyone ordered and got condiments, Li Tong started small talk while they waited for food.
Work and life mostly.
Like Tang Xuejun, Li Tong had little work pressure. Her father was a real-estate GM; her mother owned a beauty salon—no money worries. Li Tong was a self-media blogger with flexible hours; her biggest headache was daily vlog material.
Work stress was more real for Qi Yu and Jiang Ya—especially Jiang Ya.
Qi Yu’s department had a nepotism hire nobody could order around; she and colleagues swallowed his workload. She might get nodules from him and a picky director daily, but at least she had weekends off and decent benefits—as long as she did not see that guy, days were tolerable.
Jiang Ya was different. New at No. 1 High, she had planned a transition period as subject teacher. But Zhou Lin, using her status as a former senior teacher, kept recommending and flattering the principal—so Jiang Ya became homeroom teacher this year sooner than expected.
On the surface homeroom and subject teacher might not differ much; Jiang Ya had thought so too—until pressure piled up: student issues, parent messages, lesson prep, morning reading, grade analysis, sudden emergencies…
“Anyway—I’d say teaching is draining, especially near finals. Not only students; I’m wound tight too.” Jiang Ya smiled faintly and drank water.
When she set the glass down she found Li Tong propping her chin, staring with an ambiguous smile.
“Why look at me like that? Something on my face?”
Qi Yu looked at Li Tong too, puzzled.
Li Tong raised a brow, smile widening. “There is.”
“What?”
“Beauty.” Li Tong said to Jiang Ya without blushing.
Then she sighed, took her hand away, and leaned closer to study Jiang Ya.
Jiang Ya leaned back slightly, blinking, not understanding.
But Li Tong was not Qi Yu. When Jiang Ya met her eyes, Li Tong did not retreat—her gaze grew bolder, taking her in.
Jiang Ya wore light makeup today—little difference from bare face; makeup only added color.
Maybe the biggest change was no glasses. Without them her whole aura shifted slightly.
Jiang Ya’s features were not each delicate alone, but together they harmonized. Best were her brows and eyes—brows neither thick nor thin, eyes long but not sharp, soft; when she smiled they held natural warmth. Without expression they half-lidded, as if no one could enter—as if cool and distant.
Li Tong forgot who had said Jiang Ya was like the moon. Now it fit more and more.
Moonlight: look up and its glow seems to gentle the earth, almost within reach—yet distance is real; you cannot touch it.
“I get it now.” Li Tong withdrew her gaze and said something more suggestive under Qi Yu and Jiang Ya’s confused looks.
“Get what?” Qi Yu could not help asking.
“Mm… want to hear? It’s kind of a secret—I never said it.”
Mysterious enough to hook anyone.
Qi Yu had asked casually; now her mind was caught. “What secret? Spit it out, don’t tease.”
Jiang Ya hesitated. “This secret… is it about me?”
“Yeah.” Li Tong’s eyes shifted into memory.
After a while she said, “Jiang Ya, did you know? A girl really had a crush on you.”
The sentence landed like thunder.
Qi Yu felt cold shoot to her scalp the instant she heard it—heart clenched and released, pounding, mind blank.
Jiang Ya said nothing, only looked at her, brow slightly furrowed—emotion unreadable.
Their silence surprised Li Tong. She had thought such explosive gossip would make them grill her nonstop.
“Really, true story.” Thinking they did not believe her, Li Tong sat straight. “There was a junior who liked you—you probably didn’t know.”
At that, both moved.
Qi Yu’s chest loosened in a heavy breath—the tension that had nearly peaked eased, but her pulse was still uneven; she had to breathe deep.
“Really? I never heard.” Jiang Ya forced a smile and sipped juice from her glass.
Li Tong: “Yeah. I wasn’t going to say—I promised her. But it’s been years; she probably doesn’t like you anymore. I don’t know her anyway…”
“Senior year, a sophomore wanted to find you in our class. You weren’t there. She asked me to give you a letter she wrote.”
“I was curious. Added her and asked what kind of letter—she wouldn’t say at first, then said love letter, told me not to tell others.”
“But… you didn’t read it, right? I didn’t tell her—you usually ignore love letters… afraid it would hurt her.”
Jiang Ya froze a beat, then raised a brow. “I really didn’t read it. No impression.”
“But maybe it wasn’t a love letter. At that age admiration between girls is normal.” Jiang Ya smiled. “Maybe that kind of feeling.”
“Who says it’s only admiration between girls?” Li Tong countered. “She told me she often stole looks at you but didn’t dare talk or approach…”
“I think you’re too straight to get it.”
“Should’ve told her straight you’re straight, you wouldn’t like girls—she could’ve moved on.”
“Anyway she was going to confess after you graduated but gave up…”
“Honestly I’m curious—if she had really confessed, what would you have done?”
The table went still again.
Since Li Tong brought it up, Qi Yu had not lifted her head—busy frowning at her phone, fingers swiping fast.
Jiang Ya’s face was not as easy as before; even her smile looked strained.
After a while her eyes drifted slowly to Li Tong. A hollow smile. “Nothing much. I’d refuse, of course.”
Of course she would refuse.
The tone was that firm.
Even though the matter was long painless in her heart, when Jiang Ya’s cool words fell Qi Yu’s breath still caught; her scrolling stopped.
Yes—she would refuse. She always would.
If only she had seen the truth clearly back then.
They were friends. No matter how close, only friends.
Jiang Ya would never cross that line.