Free Web NovelChapter 147: Chapter 147: An Old Friend
Across two lifetimes, Su Li’s dream had never changed.
That was why she had still applied to this university.
Huaguo Communication University was a national key university, one of the top-tier institutions in the country.
In her past life, Su Li had looked up to this university with reverence. She had dreamed of getting in.
In this life, she had finally made it.
Su Li gazed at the words "Huaguo Communication University," absolutely adoring the sight.
If she hadn’t been holding onto her sanity, she would have planted a few kisses on the sign to express just how much she loved it.
A moment later, with a heart full of reverence, Su Li stepped into the land of her dreams.
The academic buildings, the library, the dorms, the athletic field, the cafeteria... they were all so familiar, yet so strange.
Su Li walked and looked around, memories flooding her mind.
In her past life, Yu Zhengqing had brought her here twice and told her many amusing stories about his school days.
"...The braised tofu in Cafeteria Number One is the best. You always had to run to get there in time to snag any..."
Su Li looked at the sign for Cafeteria Number One, recalling Yu Zhengqing’s words as she rubbed her stomach.
’It’s a shame the semester hasn’t started, or I could’ve had it one more time...’
Su Li followed the route Yu Zhengqing had shown her before, setting off once more.
"It’s cool by the lake in the summer. When I was a student, my classmates and I often came here to take afternoon naps... Look, these two spots right here, this is where we usually slept."
Su Li walked and walked, continuing on until she reached the edge of a lake, its shimmering green water surrounded by willow trees.
Su Li went to the spot Yu Zhengqing had told her about, chose one of the stone benches, and sat down. Leaning back against it, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
It was something of an unwritten rule that many universities had a lake. Whether natural or man-made, large or small, there always had to be one.
This lake would become a scenic spot on campus, as well as a popular sanctuary for dating couples.
But Yu Zhengqing and his roommates had carved out their own unique path, turning this spot into a place for summer afternoon naps.
As Su Li sat with her eyes closed, lost in thought, a voice she knew all too well suddenly reached her ears.
"Come on, hurry up! The old spots are still free. We’ve got to seize the chance to nap here a few more times before we officially graduate..."
It was a pleasant male voice, young and full of life. It sounded like the voice from the depths of her memory, yet somehow a little different.
Su Li froze, completely still. She strained her ears, terrified it was just her imagination.
"You talk as if this stone bench is your lover..." another voice, full of teasing, chimed in.
After a bit of rustling, the familiar voice spoke again.
"How could a lover compare to this? This bench has been with me through three whole summers."
The voices were so close, so real. Su Li’s eyelashes trembled, and her hands clenched into tight fists, shaking with excitement.
’Is it really Yu Zhengqing?’
’Is it really him?’
’Did I run into him the moment I arrived at the university?’
Su Li’s heart raced. Hearing that familiar voice let out a contented hum, she could no longer hold back and slowly opened her eyes to look.
In that instant... Su Li’s world narrowed to the person before her.
His hair was styled in a side part, the fine strands glittering in the dappled sunlight.
His features were refined, with sharp brows, bright eyes, and an extraordinary presence.
Dressed in a white shirt, Yu Zhengqing appeared before Su Li without any warning—youthful, handsome, and as perfect as a dream lover. He was so young, so full of vibrant energy.
This was the Yu Zhengqing who was always passionate, who had a strong sense of justice, who always helped others to the best of his ability...
Her friend... no, her dearest friend, her benefactor.
After being reborn, besides saving Little Tang Mo, the person Su Li had wanted to see most was Yu Zhengqing.
She had wanted to seek him out several times but had desperately held back, all because she wanted to become a better version of herself before appearing in front of him.
In her last life, Su Li had met him when she was at her most miserable and wretched. He had pitied her, sympathized with her, and endured many hardships to help her.
It was also because of his help that she was finally able to find Tang Mo, resolving her greatest regret before she died.
In this life, she didn’t want him to suffer for her sake again.
She wanted to appear before him normally, to meet him as an equal, to get to know him and become his friend.
’Yu Zhengqing... Yu Zhengqing...’
Su Li looked at him, tears streaming down her face.
Yu Zhengqing was just settling contentedly onto the stone bench, getting ready for his nap, when his roommate nudged him.
"Hey, that girl started crying the moment she looked at you..."
"What?" Baffled, Yu Zhengqing turned his head and saw Su Li, who was staring at him with tears streaming down her face.
Yu Zhengqing froze.
He was sure this was the first time he’d ever seen this girl, but for some reason, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
Moreover, seeing her tears made him feel strangely uncomfortable.
A mix of emotions stirred in Yu Zhengqing’s heart as he mumbled, ’She’s not crying because of me, is she...’
"How could it not be? I saw her when I first got here. She was just resting peacefully, but then she turned, saw you, and suddenly burst into tears."
His roommate asked, "Don’t tell me you broke this poor girl’s heart?"
"Don’t be ridiculous." Yu Zhengqing pushed him away, got up, and walked over to stand in front of Su Li. He hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Hey, are you okay? Are you feeling unwell?"
Seeing Su Li’s appearance, Yu Zhengqing instinctively categorized her as a fellow student.
He patted himself down and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, but he drew it back just before offering it to her.
’This handkerchief hasn’t been washed in two or three days. I use it to wipe my sweat every day... She’d probably be grossed out.’
He stuffed the handkerchief back into his pocket. He reached out his hands, then pulled them back, unsure of what to do.
Through her blurry, tear-filled eyes, Su Li saw Yu Zhengqing approach. She quickly raised a hand to wipe her tears away, but they only seemed to flow faster.
’This is wonderful. This time, Yu Zhengqing, who’s two years older than me, didn’t call me ’Big Sis.’ He called me a fellow student. Everything has changed. This is so wonderful.’
"I’m... I’m fine." She shook her head forcefully, raised her arm to wipe away the tears, and took two deep breaths to calm herself.
"If you’re not feeling well, I can take you to the campus clinic."
Yu Zhengqing stood before Su Li, at a bit of a loss.
"I’m fine," Su Li said. Though tear tracks still stained her face, she gave Yu Zhengqing a brilliant smile.
"Thank you."
’Thank you, Yu Zhengqing. Thank you. I really mean it.’
Yu Zhengqing’s breath caught in his throat as he looked at Su Li’s radiant, tear-stained smile. "Don’t mention it." freeweɓnovel.cѳm
Su Li stood up, her gaze greedily drinking in the sight of him.
Seeing that she had stopped crying, Yu Zhengqing breathed a sigh of relief and scratched his head. "Are you a student here?"
Su Li smiled and nodded. "Yes and no. I just received my acceptance letter, but I haven’t registered yet."
"Oh, so you’re an incoming freshman," Yu Zhengqing said with understanding. "A future junior, then."
Hearing that term, ’junior,’ Su Li felt the urge to cry again.
’Not ’Big Sis,’ but a junior. Even better than a fellow student—a junior.’
She blinked hard, forcing the tears back, and nodded emphatically.
"Yes. Hello, senior. My name is Su Li. It’s a pleasure to meet you."
’Yu Zhengqing... I’m so happy to be meeting you again.’
’I finally did it. I appeared before you not as a wretched, tragic figure, but as a healthy, normal peer, and introduced myself.’
"Hello. I’m Yu Zhengqing. This year... I’ll be a senior when the semester starts."
Yu Zhengqing hadn’t expected Su Li to introduce herself first. His eyes widened in surprise, and he extended a hand, introducing himself just as earnestly.
Su Li looked at his outstretched hand, her gaze complex as she gently took it.
In her past life, it was also these fair, slender hands that had pulled her from the depths of hell and given her a new life.
In this life, these hands had appeared before her once again.
