The Literature Society’s Club Activity Room still had that same bookish scent rushing at you.
It might also be because the windows here were never opened for ventilation all year, causing the stuffy smell to soak in.
Xiao Yi’an sat down at the table in the Club Activity Room as usual and placed his Backpack on the seat beside him.
The seat felt quite cozy after that.
Then, as usual, he took out a carefully cared-for flower from his Backpack and handed it to Ye Qingchang, who had just sat down.
Ye Qingchang took one look and could not tell what flower it was exactly, only that it could be counted in the rose family.
The faint scent was not too strong, probably taking Ye Qingchang’s rhinitis into consideration.
Then, just like usual, on the Club Activity Day, after watching Ye Qingchang accept the flower and place it in the vase, Xiao Yi’an took out the book from the shelf behind him that he had not finished last time and began to continue appreciating literature.
But Ye Qingchang did not. She stared carefully at Xiao Yi’an for a long moment.
Only then did she plan to take out a book to read and begin today’s club activity.
But Xiao Yi’an raised his head the moment before she withdrew her gaze, meeting Ye Qingchang’s eyes hidden behind her glasses.
“If there is something you want to ask, you can ask directly. I have always spoken my mind to you without reservation, both before and now.” Xiao Yi’an said, placing a bookmark and closing the book.
Ye Qingchang did have questions she wanted to ask Xiao Yi’an. She did have things she was curious about.
“You said it yourself. If someone nowadays kept a Senior Phone of that style, then there must be something in the Senior Phone worth keeping, something that can be regarded as a treasure, right?”
Ye Qingchang said, “But you said you have one too.”
“I do have one, and the things inside are indeed very important to me.”
Xiao Yi’an spoke the truth.
“Is that so…”
To be honest, Ye Qingchang grew even more curious.
Because she had not known this thing existed.
Given Xiao Yi’an’s former relationship with her, he would have been eager to tell her about this thing’s existence, eager to tell Ye Qingchang everything about himself.
But there was actually still something she did not know.
However, Ye Qingchang was rational.
She would not turn into some brainless fool over such a small thing, especially since Xiao Yi’an was different now.
Though she was very unwilling to admit it, she truly could not underestimate Xiao Yi’an as she had before.
But it did not matter. She just needed to be a little more serious. She was still a master of emotions.
“I never told you about this thing. It was because you told me back then not to deliberately recall sad things. So even if I truly cared about something sad enough, I would not bring it up in front of you.” Xiao Yi’an said quite calmly, as if narrating someone else’s story.
Xiao Yi’an looked at Ye Qingchang, who seemed lost in thought.
“That Senior Phone was my first Mobile Phone. When I was little, my parents used it as a way to keep in contact with me.”
Actually, Ye Qingchang could roughly guess it was something like a keepsake from Xiao Yi’an’s parents.
“Inside are happy birthday messages my parents sent from when I was seven all the way until I was eighteen. This is also why I cannot bear to throw that Senior Phone away.”
And why the blessings stopped at eighteen was a story not convenient to bring up here.
“I can take that style of Senior Phone apart and put it back together. Actually, I am quite confident I can fix your roommate’s Senior Phone. I even have a whole pile of replacement parts, so even if some of the parts are broken, I can swap them out.”
After Xiao Yi’an finished speaking, he fell silent for a moment.
“But at the time, I was still quite worried that revealing this behavior of constantly sinking into past sorrow would make people dislike me, so I never told you from beginning to end.”
Ye Qingchang opened her mouth but for a moment could not say anything.
“But it does not matter. At least I am at peace now. I can face any past with peace.” Xiao Yi’an’s expression carried a bit of relief.
Ye Qingchang finally spoke. “Even if you had told me this back then, I could not have hated you over something like this.”
“I was muddled at the time, treating you as my only salvation to fill the sorrow of my parents’ departure. Naturally, you were more important than most things.” Xiao Yi’an explained. “But you do not need to feel any burden. I did not say this to guilt-trip you. It is only because you were curious, so I explained. That is all.”
Ye Qingchang inexplicably felt somewhat taken aback.
“Uh, my condolences.”
Not knowing what to say, Ye Qingchang held back for a moment and then blurted out this sentence.
“It is actually quite strange for you to say that. You already said ‘my condolences’ to me many times back then.”
“Then I wish you never die.”
Ye Qingchang put her hands together and gave a sincere blessing.
After that, Xiao Yi’an seemed to be amused and chuckled softly, opening the book in his hands again.
It looked like things were about to quiet down and return to their usual club activity.
Xiao Yi’an suddenly raised his head. “Do you have any dietary restrictions?”
“Why are you asking that?”
“Classmate Ye, tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and the day after tomorrow is Christmas. We agreed on a time to go out to eat. If I still do not know your food preferences at this point, am I planning to leave a meal that people find quite unpleasant?”
Xiao Yi’an’s expression was serious. “And even counting all our previous conversations, you only revealed some of the foods you like. You did not describe the foods you do not like very much.”
Ye Qingchang was stunned for a moment, then answered, “I am not very good at eating spicy food.”
“Then that means you cannot eat it at all.”
“I have realized you are quite unwilling to spare people’s feelings.”
“Then it is still because you bragged first.” Xiao Yi’an replied with a smile.
“I can still drink a little alcohol.”
“I have long since learned this. No matter how hard you brag, it is useless. You cannot drink at all.” Xiao Yi’an directly reached out and interrupted Ye Qingchang’s spellcasting.
Just like that, the meal between the two for the day after tomorrow was more or less settled.
“By the way, have you ever spent Christmas with someone else?” Xiao Yi’an said.
As the Dark Literature Girl, how could Ye Qingchang have something that sounded like it would only appear in youth literature?
“You are really full of crap today.” She said through gritted teeth.
“It is fine. At least this time you have someone to spend Christmas with.” Xiao Yi’an comforted Ye Qingchang.
Ye Qingchang only opened the book she was going to read and silently gave Xiao Yi’an the middle finger.