Chapter 60

Zhou Hang ate the giant lobster on his plate, face scrunched up with envy as he looked at Fang Yi, sitting across and calmly cracking a crab leg: “Is this even human? Is it?! How is it possible?!”
Fang Yi, expressionless, calmly ate her own crab leg.
Zhou Hang lamented: “They finished university early, even graduated with a PhD ahead of time! I’ve been working day and night, doing experiments, reading papers, writing papers just to catch up with them, and the more I try, the further I fall behind! I, I can’t handle it!”
Fang Yi was Yan Xiao’s super-academic roommate. She scooped a spoonful of caviar and said flatly: “The gap between ordinary people and geniuses is astronomical. If you can’t catch up, isn’t that expected?”
Zhou Hang, hoping for comfort but ruthlessly reminded of reality, choked on his words.
After a while, he recovered enough to continue: “But I’ve worked so hard! Do you know when I started? In high school! I gave up my autonomous enrollment in 10th grade to sit the college entrance exams with them, and what happened? They skipped grades together, hand in hand, leaving me behind! I suffered so much!”
Fang Yi glanced at him calmly: “Isn’t that normal?”
Zhou Hang froze mid-complaint: “Normal?!”
Fang Yi picked up a plate of sashimi, eating slowly: “You started chasing at the wrong time.”
Zhou Hang immediately put down his fork: “Then when should I have started?”
Fang Yi sipped champagne: “Starting in high school was already too late. From the moment you existed as a fertilized egg, you were already left behind. It’s determined by genetics, not when you start chasing.”
Genetically crushed, Zhou Hang: “…”
“Precisely,” Fang Yi said, analyzing him like experimental data: “From the moment you existed as a life in this world, you lost.”
The lobster dropped with a clack from Zhou Hang’s hands.
He…he can’t live!
After attending Qiu Li’s PhD defense last week and Yan Xiao’s today, he had already suffered multiple hits. Seeking comfort, he got hit by a nuclear-level blow instead.
Even the lobster didn’t taste good anymore.
Earlier, in the hall, they had run into Qiu Li and Yan Xiao returning from catching up with their seniors. Fang Yi remained nonchalantly eating, while Zhou Hang looked struck by lightning. Yan Xiao curiously asked: “What’s wrong? Allergic? I thought you weren’t allergic to seafood?”
Zhou Hang sniffled, picked up his lobster, and began eating miserably.
Yan Xiao looked at Qiu Li, silently asking what had happened. Qiu Li poured her some lemon water and cut a piece of steak for her: “Ignore him, just eat. You had breakfast so early, and you didn’t eat during the break. You must be hungry.”
Zhou Hang, hit again: “…”
Next to the pair of best friends casually ‘feeding’ each other, Zhou Hang finally broke down: “And you know what?! They’re still a couple! I’m still single! I’m living such a miserable life!”
Qiu Li, having just given Yan Xiao dessert, looked at Zhou Hang expressionlessly.
He furrowed his brow. What was she doing?
Then he saw Fang Yi put down her dessert spoon, wipe her mouth, and lift her head with a serious expression: “So, your ultimate complaint is that you’re still single, right?”
Zhou Hang blinked. That seemed to be the case.
Talent is something granted by heaven, embedded in your genes. He didn’t have it, no matter how much he envied, he couldn’t acquire it. And being perpetually single had always been his lot, which drove him crazy.
Watching his friends help each other, get together, get engaged, and become a popular couple online, and what about him? He had nothing! Everyone else were good friends, so why was he so miserable?!
Fang Yi removed her napkin and nodded knowingly: “Then I’ll be your girlfriend, so you’re no longer a single dog.”
Yan Xiao, who was drinking water, nearly sprayed it all over Qiu Li: “Cough, cough, cough…”
She almost choked him with her water but managed to swallow it just in time, though she still coughed a little.
Qiu Li quickly patted her back to help her recover.
Meanwhile, Zhou Hang was utterly stunned.
What just happened? How did he suddenly lose his single status?
Seeing Zhou Hang not respond, Fang Yi slightly frowned: “Not willing? Not willing? Fine then.”
Her tone and expression were so calm it made Zhou Hang hesitant, as if she were simply commenting on the fine weather.
But, possessed by some strange impulse, he stammered: “N-no, I’m willing!”
Fang Yi: “So, are you willing or not?”
Zhou Hang, suddenly determined, he was about to be in a relationship, no longer a single dog, nodded firmly: “Willing!”
Fang Yi: “Okay, then you’re no longer single. Shut up and eat.”
Zhou Hang, just out of singlehood, was stunned for a moment.
Yan Xiao and Qiu Li, having witnessed the whole scene, exchanged glances: “…?”
Because of this little interlude, the table fell into an awkward silence. Even Yan Xiao, the star of the day, quietly ate her dessert without speaking, occasionally exchanging a glance with Qiu Li.
Finally, Zhou Hang couldn’t hold back and asked: “When did you start liking me? I didn’t even notice.”
Fang Yi: “I don’t like you. That’s why you didn’t notice.”
Zhou Hang: “Not liking me, but you asked me to be your boyfriend?”
Fang Yi: “You complained about being a single dog. I just gave you an opportunity. Any problem with that?”
Zhou Hang couldn’t comprehend: “Wait, you don’t like me, yet you want me to be your boyfriend?”
Fang Yi: “All men are more or less the same. Why not?”
Zhou Hang was furious: “How can you be like this?!”
Fang Yi: “If you’re unwilling, then we’ll break up.”
Zhou Hang, who had just gotten into a relationship less than an hour ago, suddenly faced the prospect of being single again. He was livid and stubbornly exclaimed: “You say we’re together, then we’re together. You say break up, then we break up. Why should I listen? I’m not breaking up!”
Fang Yi looked at him: “Not breaking up, but why ask so many questions?”
Zhou Hang couldn’t catch a breath; his face went pale, then red, then green, almost choking.
Yan Xiao’s shoulders shook as she nudged Qiu Li with her elbow, signaling him to save the situation, otherwise, Zhou Hang might collapse!
But before Qiu Li could say anything, Fang Yi asked again: “Are you full?”
Zhou Hang was already fed up and angry; he couldn’t eat anymore, not even the king crab.
“Mm,” he said gloomily: “Full.”
Fang Yi stood up, bag in hand: “If you’re full, then let’s go. Don’t disturb their private time.”
Zhou Hang, both angry and guilty: “Where are we going?”
Fang Yi: “On a date. Hurry up, don’t dawdle. I have data to process at three!”
Hearing “date,” Zhou Hang’s previously gloomy expression immediately brightened. He grabbed his bag and eagerly said goodbye to Qiu Li and Yan Xiao.
Once they left, Qiu Li looked at Yan Xiao with a doting expression: “They’re gone, now you can laugh.”
Leaning on Qiu Li’s shoulder, Yan Xiao finally let out the laughter she had been holding in for so long.
She hadn’t realized how lively these two were.
After laughing for a while, wiping the tears of laughter from her eyes, she asked Qiu Li: “How far do you think those two will get?”
Qiu Li wiped the remaining tears she hadn’t reached: “A lifetime.”
Yan Xiao raised an eyebrow: “So confident?”
Qiu Li smiled: “Aren’t we the same?”
Yan Xiao smiled too: “That’s true, great minds think alike.”
Qiu Li corrected her: “That’s called being in sync.”
Yan Xiao laughed again.
After breakfast, the two held hands and went for a walk at a nearby square, effectively going on a date.
The past few months had been consumed by writing papers, revising, reviewing, and defending theses. They hadn’t had a proper date in a long time.
The square was full of couples. In the center, there was a famous wishing fountain, considered a love landmark. Many couples were taking photos by it. Yan Xiao watched for a moment, then suddenly asked Qiu Li: “Why do you think Zhou Hang and Fang Yi will be together for life?”
She was genuinely curious why he was so certain.
Qiu Li looked at her: “First, Fang Yi wouldn’t do something she’s not interested in. Second, Zhou Hang is just slow, not stupid. He just hasn’t realized he likes Fang Yi yet.”
“Zhou Hang himself doesn’t realize,” Yan Xiao stared at him: “How can you be so sure?”
Qiu Li’s lips curled: “Because I’ve experienced it.”
Yan Xiao instinctively asked: “When did you experience it? Why didn’t I”
Before she could finish, she noticed Qiu Li smiling at her. Suddenly she realized: the ‘slow to realize their feelings’ person he was talking about was himself!
She punched him lightly: “You were too sudden!”
Qiu Li looked serious: “Not sudden anymore. I’ve waited ten years for you to grow up. Actually, Zhou Hang and Fang Yi have one thing worth learning…”
Yan Xiao blushed slightly at his “ten years” remark: “Which aspect?”
“Decisiveness,” Qiu Li said. “If I had even half the decisiveness they have, I wouldn’t have had to wait so many years.”
Yan Xiao: “That’s just early love, isn’t it? Teachers and parents would have chased us down!”
Qiu Li looked confident: “Even early love wouldn’t have affected our studies. Why would anyone chase us down?”
Yan Xiao thought about it and realized he was right. Even if it had been early love, it wouldn’t have stopped her from aiming for first place and getting into T University. It’s just that back then, she was still obsessively checking her scores, completely unaware that the ones she was chasing were negative. Even if Qiu Li had confessed, she definitely wouldn’t have believed him.
Thinking of that, she felt a little guilty: “Actually, it’s not that late.”
“Late,” Qiu Li pressed his lips together, “Late by several years. Just thinking that I lost several years of being with you in this lifetime makes me really regret it.”
Yan Xiao: “…”
Seeing how serious he was, she smiled and said: “Even without a formal relationship, haven’t we been together almost every day since we met? It’s not much different.”
“Far from it,” Qiu Li said, looking at her, his deep eyes sparkling like stars. “The meaning is different.”
Yan Xiao didn’t know what else to say. She thought for a moment, tiptoed, and kissed him on the chin: “How about this? Does it make up for the lost time?”
Qiu Li’s lips curved slightly: “Not enough.”
Yan Xiao tiptoed again and kissed him on the lips: “How about now? Enough?”
Qiu Li’s eyes narrowed, his smile full of affection: “Not enough.”
Yan Xiao was about to protest, “Don’t be too much” but before she could finish, Qiu Li wrapped his arms around her waist, leaned down, and kissed her back.
While kissing her, he even pulled out his phone and captured the moment.
The past couldn’t be changed, so they would just love each other more every day from now on.
Behind them, the fountain flowed. Around them, pigeons spread their wings and soared. The sunlight was bright and dazzling. In this bustling love landmark, they kissed, oblivious to the world around them.

Not far away, Zhou Hang watched the scene eagerly, extremely envious.
“Wah…”
He wanted a kiss too…