Chapter 37: Choices and Unspoken Rivalries

A four-seat table, Su Yubai and Ji Zizhen each claiming a side.

Jiang Yule didn’t think long—her actions decided for her.

Glancing at both, she turned.

Ji Zizhen, puzzled, asked softly, “Junior, where’re you going?”

Su Yubai’s gaze followed.
Seconds later, Jiang Yule dragged a chair from another table, sitting between them.

She subtly shifted her focus to the tableware.

A server poured water, chuckling at Jiang Yule outside the table.
“There’s two seats free.”

Confused, Jiang Yule heard Ji Zizhen echo, “She said there’s two seats.”

“Easier to grab food,” Jiang Yule smiled at the server, glancing at Su Yubai.

Only her profile was visible, expression calm, unruffled.

Looking away, Jiang Yule handed Su Yubai the menu.
“Sister Yubai, what do you want?”

“I’m fine with anything, you choose,” Su Yubai said lightly.

Jiang Yule ordered a dish, Ji Zizhen another.

Turning to Su Yubai, “Your turn, Sister Yubai.”

She picked crystal shrimp dumplings and garlic shrimp noodles.

Dinner passed quietly.
Jiang Yule, thinking of something, said, “Bathroom break.”

At the counter to pay, the server said, “The professor already paid.”

But Su Yubai hadn’t left her seat.
“You sure?”

“Yes, she’s a member—deducted from her card.”

Jiang Yule trudged back, sitting.
“Sister Yubai, you paid.”

“Small thing.”
A faint glance.

“Thanks for treating us, Professor Su,” Ji Zizhen smiled.

“You’re welcome.”

Lunch done, an hour and a half until afternoon classes.

Leaving the restaurant, Ji Zizhen said, “Professor Su, we’ll head to the office to rest. Thanks for lunch~”

We.

Su Yubai glanced neutrally at Jiang Yule.

Smiling faintly, “See you this afternoon, Sister Yubai!”

The office seemed the only place to go.

“Mm.”

Su Yubai turned, heading to her office.

Jiang Yule and Ji Zizhen rested in theirs for an hour, then went to class.

“Professor Su’s lecture was really insightful,” Ji Zizhen smiled.

Nodding, “She’s popular at mainland conferences too.”

From Hong Kong to the mainland, even abroad, Su Yubai’s academic influence was undeniable.

Her charm rivaled queer idols.

Lost in thought, Jiang Yule followed Ji Zizhen to class.

Su Yubai was already there, quietly reading by the window.

Jiang Yule’s gaze lingered on her.

The second row’s middle seats were taken.
Ji Zizhen asked, “Junior, where to sit?”

Her eyes drifted to the back.

Snapping back, Jiang Yule pointed, “First row.”

Ji Zizhen glanced at her.
“First row, really?”

“What’s wrong with it?”
She strode to the front.

Ji Zizhen followed without a word.

They sat in the middle of the first row.

Jiang Yule set out her notebook, pen, and water cup.

Before class, she opened her laptop, revising her paper per Su Yubai’s notes.

Ji Zizhen, seeing her type but respecting academic confidentiality, didn’t ask.

Instead, she brought up lunch.
“Junior, you and Professor Su collaborating?”

Glancing at the woman by the window, “Maybe in the future.”

Ji Zizhen didn’t press.

The afternoon class went smoothly.
Su Yubai barely looked at her, her gaze rarely landing.

A subtle distance lingered.

Jiang Yule lowered her eyes, focusing on the PPT and her voice.

Cool, detached—top-tier CV quality.

After class, Ji Zizhen asked, “Need a ride? Or to the subway?”

Shaking her head, “No need to trouble you, Senior.”

Glancing at Su Yubai packing her laptop on the podium.

She didn’t notice Jiang Yule’s gaze, heading out after packing.

Chasing after, “Sister Yubai!”

She stopped, turning.
“Hm?”

“You heading home now?”

“Yeah.”

Rubbing her nose, “Can I ride with you?”

Su Yubai nodded.
“Sure.”

To Ji Zizhen, “See you tomorrow, Senior!”

“Tomorrow.”

Watching Ji Zizhen’s back, a faint smile curved Su Yubai’s lips.

At the parking lot, eyeing the back seat, Jiang Yule heard, “Still sleepy?”

Morning’s memory hit.
“Haha, not sleepy.”

Bracing herself, she took the passenger seat.

In the quiet garage, her uneven breathing stood out.

Su Yubai turned the key, starting the system.

Reaching for the stereo, Jiang Yule leaned toward the driver’s side just as Su Yubai’s hand moved.

Reflexively, her fingers flinched.

A flicker of meaning in Su Yubai’s eyes as she turned.

Breath catching, Jiang Yule’s gaze darted, heart racing.

“Why no watch?”

Choking slightly, “It’s hot, sweat’s uncomfortable.”

“Oh.”

Unfazed, Su Yubai tapped the screen, playing music.

The same violin piece from their first ride (Chapter 26).
Jiang Yule looked out the window, thoughts muddled, sensing something off.

“Seatbelt,” Su Yubai reminded softly.

Realizing, she laughed, “Sorry.”

Buckling up, she glimpsed Su Yubai’s watch-wearing hand shifting gears.

Embarrassment deepened; she steadied her breathing under the music.

The car was often silent, but today’s silence felt different.

She couldn’t pinpoint why—maybe her own guilt.

At home, in the elevator, Su Yubai asked, “Any questions from today’s class?”

“None, you explained clearly,” Jiang Yule smiled.

“Good.”

Out of the elevator, “See you, Sister Yubai.”

No response.
As she punched in her code, a voice called—

“Yule.”

Pausing, she turned, smiling.
“What’s up, Sister Yubai?”

“I’m heading to Hangsu for a few days, leaving soon.”

Hangsu.

Heart clenching, she forced a smile.
“Let me drive you to the airport.”

Looking at her, “You drive much?”

Testing her skills.

Grinning, “I’m decent. Last time you were drunk, I drove us home safely, right?” (Chapter 32)

Silence.
Jiang Yule added, “I’ll drop my bag and come when you’re ready.”

Inside, she set down her bag.

Her palms were sweaty from the car.

Washing her hands, she sat on the sofa, reflecting.

As adults, she shouldn’t show her awkwardness so obviously.

Regret crept in—she hadn’t cherished time with Su Yubai, who wouldn’t stay in Hong Kong forever.

Panicking on the sofa, no doorbell or phone ping came.

About to knock on Su Yubai’s door, a message arrived: [No need to drive me, rest well. Keys on the door if you need them.]

Instinctively, she rushed to the window, seeing a red car pull away toward the complex gate.

Familiar, somehow.

Disappointed, she went to the entrance, finding the keys on the handle.

Her gaze lingered on Su Yubai’s door.

She left without letting her drive.

Messaging: [Okay, safe travels, Sister Yubai!]

Later, a reply: [Mm.]

Hungry earlier, her appetite was gone.

She opened her laptop, revising her paper.

An hour later, done, she hesitated to send it—Su Yubai likely wasn’t home yet.

Noticing a WeChat notification, her lashes trembled.
It was Su Yingying: [Heard my sister’s coming back!]

[Yeah.]

[Curious how I know?]

[How?]

[Mom told me! Unexpected, right? Sis reports her plans to Mom now, their relationship’s warmed up.]

Surprised, [That’s great.]

[Why not come back with her?]

Fingers hovering, [Classes just started. Why would I?]

[You really don’t like her?]

Stumped, she sent an emoji.

Su Yingying: [If you don’t like her, why care so much?]

[Do I?]
Confused.

[You do.]

No reply, wondering where she showed care.

Closing her laptop, she stared at the treadmill, dazed.

Sleepless again.

Why didn’t Su Yubai let her drive?
Mad about the watch?
Something else?

Or not mad, just meaning rest well?

She didn’t know when she slept, waking at 5:30—her old running time with Su Yubai.

But Su Yubai wasn’t in Hong Kong.

Pushing down disappointment, she got up, washed, and jogged to the beach alone.

At the door, she paused, dazed.

Heading to the elevator, she ran slowly.

At a fork, she took the beach path.

Running, she collided with Huang Yuxin.

Recalling her sneaky photo (Chapter 34), Jiang Yule meant to ignore her, but—

“Yule, what a coincidence.”

“Morning, Senior Yuxin,” without looking.

Huang Yuxin jogged beside her, matching pace.
“Free to run today?”

Today?
She knew Jiang Yule hadn’t run lately.
Did Su Yubai tell her?
Why?

Suppressing irritation, “Yeah.”

Her tone mimicked Su Yubai’s.

Huang Yuxin, unfazed, smiled.
“Been running with Senior lately, even had breakfast together.”

Smiling, “That’s nice.”

“Why not go to Hangsu with her?”

She even knew about Hangsu!

Turning, “Senior Yuxin, you’re kind. I drove her to the airport yesterday.”

Smiling, “I’ve got class, heading back.”

Speeding up, no footsteps followed—relief.

Eating breakfast at a random shop, she showered, changed, and went to school.

In class, the second row was empty.
She took the middle.

Soon, someone sat beside her.

“Morning, Junior.”

Smiling, “Morning, Senior.”

Near class time, her peripheral caught someone at the door—her gaze shot over.

A foreign lecturer, blonde.

She looked away.

The lecture was in accented English; she recorded, snapped PPTs, planning to review later.

Lunch with Ji Zizhen at the cafeteria.

“Junior, you seem… off today?”

Turning, “Not really.”

“You’re distracted, quiet.”

Less smiley, Ji Zizhen thought.

Smiling, “Just didn’t catch today’s lecture.”

Nodding, “Junior’s accent was tricky. I’ll share my notes.”

“Thanks, Senior.”

Sitting with her tray, she scanned around, checking her phone.

No new messages from Su Yubai.
Opening Moments, she saw a white avatar.

Thumb twitching, she clicked.

Su Yubai’s post: [Eat well.]
A table of dishes, enough for two, unfamiliar tableware.

“Junior, you okay?”
Ji Zizhen noticed her expression.

Locking her phone, “Fine.”

She focused on the afternoon class, even if parts were unclear, trying to push Su Yubai out.

She succeeded, mostly.
After class, Ji Zizhen marveled, “Junior, you recharged this afternoon!”

“Morning and afternoon you’re different people! Snickers bar?”

Laughing, “You know Snickers, Senior?”

“Yeah, it was big here before.”

Taking the subway, she grabbed dinner to go.

In their hallway, she avoided looking at Su Yubai’s door, though her peripheral noticed.

After dinner, she reviewed Ji Zizhen’s notes, PPTs, and recordings.

A phone vibration spiked her heart rate.

It was Su Yingying: [Sis ate at home, all chummy with Mom!]

Learning Su Yubai’s updates through Moments and Su Yingying stung.

No new messages in their chat.

Suppressing disappointment, [Nice, I miss home dinners.]

Avoiding Su Yubai’s name, intentional or not.

But she reopened her Moments.

Only two original posts—both meals.
Others were academic reposts.

Backing out, she threw herself into work for days, staying late at the office, reading or writing.

One day, post-class, Ji Zizhen watched her pack, smiling, “Junior, Professor Qiao struck gold with you.”

“Nah.”

“Don’t be modest, your drive’s got us all hustling.”

Apologetic smile, “Sorry, Senior, heading home.”

“No, no, not what I meant,” Ji Zizhen clarified, worried she misunderstood.
“Our group’s about healthy competition, no one’s sidelining you.”

Smiling, “Just want to go home today.”

“See you tomorrow.”

Home, checking her phone, another Su Yingying message: [Iron tree bloomed—Sis ate at home again!]

Unsurprised, she sent an emoji.

Then: [Heard her friend’s visiting, hitting B Uni daily.]

Friend?

Typing fast: [Which friend?]

[Dunno, she said it’s her junior, surname Huang.]

Huang Yuxin?
In Hangsu with Su Yubai?

Heart jolting, she opened Su Yubai’s chat, typing: [Sister Yubai, what’ve you been up to? Super busy?~]

Chatting with Su Yingying, she backed out.

No reply from Su Yubai.

Probably busy, she thought.

Later, a reply: [Just busy, handling an institute economic project.]

Must be hectic.

[Saw your Moments about eating out. I’ve got restaurant recs—need any, Sister Yubai?]

Quick reply: [Sure, send them.]

Opening an app, she sent links to favorite restaurants, adding: [These are tasty, but solo you might miss out on variety. Maybe bring Yingying?]

[No need, have a friend.]

Her fingers froze.

So busy, yet dining with a friend… Huang Yuxin?

In a snap decision, she messaged Ji Zizhen: [Senior, is the summer course mandatory? Can I drop out midway?]

Quick reply: [Not mandatory, but you’d need to tell Professor Qiao.]

[Something up?]

[Yeah, might need to go to Hangsu.]

[I’ll ask Qiao, thanks, Senior~]

Carefully, she messaged Qiao Anqing: [Professor Qiao, family stuff came up, need to go to Hangsu. Can I join the course online?]

She recalled online attendees.

Anxious, waiting for Qiao’s reply.

Joining the group and leaving so soon felt… off.

Soon, Qiao replied: [No issue, skipping’s fine. Let me know you’re safe.]

Relieved, [Thanks, Professor!]

Opening a booking app, she found a noon flight to Hangsu tomorrow.

Another vibration—Qiao: [Typo, I’m Qiao Anqing.]

Cheeks flaming, she typed: [Sorry, Professor, typo!]

[No worries.]

Squirming in embarrassment, she sent a cute emoji.

Total mortification—blame the keyboard, not Su Yubai on her mind.

Sighing, she booked the ticket.

In the family chat: [Mom, Dad, miss home! Landing in Hangsu tomorrow afternoon~]

[Check my ticket!]

Flight: 12:34, Hong Kong to Hangsu.