Chapter 42: He Waits, Awaiting Pearl’s Heart to Stir

Outside the window, rain whispered down, weaving a misty veil that blurred the world and left the air heavy with dampness.

The third afternoon class for Qiao Zhen was the school-wide elective, "Special Topics in International Finance," allocated to the latter half of the semester. Today was the first session.

She had fought for this course at the start of the term, just to attend it alongside Ji Xian.

Qiao Zhen sighed quietly and arrived at the classroom just on time.

It was a large lecture hall, with a hundred students, nearly all already present.

Ji Xian and his friends sat in the very front row, deliberately leaving an empty seat.

The moment Qiao Zhen stepped through the door, all their gazes converged on her, as if eager to pierce through her.

Ji Xian lifted his eyelids lightly, searching for any expression on the girl’s face.

But there was nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

Qiao Zhen didn’t even glance at him, settling calmly into a corner at the very back, so quiet it seemed excessive.

As if she no longer cared.

Ji Xian’s eyes froze, his jawline tightened, and a sudden emptiness swept through his heart.

The elective was easy, most students idly playing on their phones.

The girl next to Qiao Zhen had spent the entire class playing poker.

During the break, the teacher took a slow sip from his water cup, standing at the lectern as he announced, “Final grades will be based on a paper. The detailed requirements are posted online. Two to a group, form your own teams and fill out the form once confirmed.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than a swarm of girls glanced at Ji Xian like hungry wolves. The bolder ones reapplied lipstick and approached him, politely asking if he had a partner.

Ji Xian replied expressionlessly, not even lifting his head: “I do.”

Upon hearing this, the girls retreated in disappointment.

Minutes passed, and the air around Ji Xian grew increasingly frigid, almost unbearably so.

Yu Wenjian gritted his teeth. “Relax, Qiao Zhen will definitely come over to team up with you.”

Ji Xian’s mood improved slightly at that.

But as time dragged on and Qiao Zhen never appeared, his patience wore thin.

When he saw Qiao Zhen smiling as she spoke to the girl beside her, Ji Xian couldn’t sit still any longer and suddenly stood up!

Qiao Zhen was still conversing with a medical student, when, in the next moment, a tall figure loomed larger and larger—a presence as cold and pure as falling snow, approaching step by step.

Qiao Zhen felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding and raised her head slightly.

Ji Xian stopped beside her desk, standing very close—so close that his chilly, austere aura enveloped her instantly.

Under the scrutiny of all, his translucent gaze remained fixed intently on Qiao Zhen, silently standing there, saying not a word.

The meaning was unmistakable.

Students craned their necks, eager to witness the drama, the room instantly erupting in murmurs.

Ji Xian was the school’s most renowned figure—everyone knew the student council president from a wealthy family.

And Qiao Zhen’s fondness for Ji Xian was equally famous. From the start of term, she had followed him everywhere, like a little shadow.

Countless girls adored Ji Xian, but he was the moon in the sky, a scion of the elite, forever out of reach for ordinary folk.

Yet now, Ji Xian was actively seeking Qiao Zhen as his partner?

How could this be!

Ji Xian stood before her, his expression cool, those beautiful eyes betraying a hint of obscure emotion.

He purposefully adjusted the light brown scarf around his neck and spoke, slow and deliberate:

“Team up with me.”

But Qiao Zhen leaned back slightly, her eyes serene, and without much hesitation, shook her head and softly refused:

“No.”

Her voice was gentle, calm.

But each syllable was heard clearly by everyone present.

She was unwilling.

Unwilling? Impossible!

Everyone was stunned, wishing they could crowd closer and gorge on the spectacle.

My goodness, this was explosive.

No sooner had she spoken than Ji Xian stepped forward, his aloof demeanor cracking.

His face darkened, as if he’d heard the most absurd joke, his voice growing colder:

“What did you say?”

Qiao Zhen discreetly widened the gap between them, the white lights illuminating her delicate skin.

She repeated, clear and steady: “I said, I’m unwilling.”

With that, she shifted her gaze, refusing to look at Ji Xian again.

Her classmates stared in bewilderment, and in the next instant, the atmosphere froze.

Ji Xian stood rigidly, his face nearly split, so dark it seemed ink might drip from it.

Those around gaped in shock.

She had rejected Ji Xian—not once, but twice, outright saying “no.” Incredible…

The bell chimed.

Ji Xian let out a cold laugh, proud and imposing, delivering a final warning before leaving:

“Qiao Zhen, my patience has its limits.”

He returned to his seat, face cold and distant, anger and detachment swirling about him like storm clouds.

His friends exchanged glances, astonishment written in their eyes.

Qiao Zhen, the girl who had followed Ji Xian everywhere, had truly refused him?

How could this be? Qiao Zhen liked Ji Xian so much, had even studied hard to get into Jing University for him.

Wasn’t she afraid she’d ruined everything?

Ji Xian sat with half his face in shadow, his expression increasingly icy, like rain laced with shards of hail in deep winter, chilling to the bone.

He seemed on the verge of shattering.

Like the calm before a storm.

Just then, a nearby boy spoke cautiously: “Uh… don’t be angry, Ji.”

Ji Xian fixed him with a frosty stare, the warning clear in his eyes.

The boy broke out in a sweat: “Alright, alright, you’re not angry—I am, I’m angry!”

He continued, “Girls can be a bit dramatic, not easy to please.”

After a moment, the boy caught Ji Xian’s questioning gaze, scratched his head and added, “Ordering her coldly to team up, of course she’d resist! You have to coax her, maybe smile a bit.”

Ji Xian fell into thought, his eyes wavering with uncertainty and struggle.

But after a moment, he stubbornly held his ground, his gaze indifferent, voice cold and resolute:

“No. She likes me.”

“She’ll definitely come back.”

It was the light brown scarf that gave him confidence.

Qiao Zhen’s heart and eyes were filled with him—even if she was upset, she still cared, otherwise she wouldn’t have secretly slipped the scarf into his bag.

She cared about him, about his birthday, and just wanted him to make the effort to win her over.

Ji Xian became ever more convinced of his theory!

Beside him, the boy’s mouth twitched, feeling as though he’d been talking to a wall.

Even those who had bet “Qiao Zhen will come back” were beginning to waver.

Was Ji Xian perhaps a little too confident?

And they all sensed that Ji Xian’s “confidence” and “calm” seemed on the brink of collapse…

Dorm Room 307

Niu Yifeng hopped over, clutching his phone, and sidled up to Qin Yichi with an air of mystery.

“Wow—Chi, I just got a super hot scoop on the campus forum! Want to hear it?”

He grinned, popping a handful of tomato-flavored chips into his mouth, looking smug.

Qin Yichi tapped at his code, fingers flying over the keyboard, the clicks sharp.

He didn’t move, replying tersely: “No time.”

Qin Yichi never paid much attention to the forum, nor cared for gossip.

But Niu Yifeng’s words caught the interest of the other two roommates, who begged him to spill it and cut to the chase.

Niu Yifeng sidled over again, whispering in Qin Yichi’s ear, “Really not interested?”

Qin Yichi didn’t even blink: “Go away.”

Niu Yifeng sighed and shook his head. “Fine, I won’t tell you then.”

But then he muttered, offhandedly, “It seems to be about our little sister Qiao…”

The next second!

Qin Yichi’s fingers halted abruptly.

His lazy air vanished, and he suddenly looked up, grabbing Niu Yifeng’s shoulder with a serious expression:

“Speak!”

His reaction was instantaneous, like a radar triggered by the mention of “Qiao Zhen.”

Niu Yifeng bounced his leg, feigning surprise: “Oh, what’s up? Didn’t you just tell me to go away?”

Oh, the moment Qiao was mentioned, someone couldn’t help himself—he’d say no more.

Qin Yichi gritted his teeth: “Dinner’s on me.”

“Deal!” Niu Yifeng turned back, launching into a vivid account.

“There was a finance elective just now, both Qiao and Ji Xian took it. The teacher said the final paper had to be written in pairs, team up as you like.”

“No one expected Ji Xian to walk over and invite Qiao publicly!!”

At that, Qin Yichi’s eyes darkened.

His heart wrenched sharply, a surge of fierce, nameless emotion roiling in his chest, making it hard to breathe.

He hadn’t realized his fingers under the desk had clenched into fists, knuckles white.

“And then?”

Qin Yichi’s voice was calm, but if you listened closely, a tremor was audible—so different from his usual carefree, lax demeanor.

Niu Yifeng didn’t notice, carrying on, “But our Qiao was amazing, she rejected him twice. I heard Ji Xian’s face was so dark it could drip ink, hahaha!”

Every word struck clear and true.

Qin Yichi closed his eyes, exhaled slowly, letting the tension ebb away as he leaned back in his chair.

He pressed his brow, lashes trembling like crow feathers, his whole face half-lit, half-shadowed.

The boulder suspended in his heart finally dropped.

Niu Yifeng flashed a wide grin. “So, brothers, wasn’t that satisfying?”

Qin Yichi didn’t hear the rest. The chatter of his roommates faded, as if he were separated from them by a world.

He lowered his gaze, drew out an old diary from his drawer, flipping to the first page.

The paper was already yellowed, bearing the traces of countless storms and nights, marked by the passage of time.

The handwriting was slightly blurred, but sharp and bold, like a flame burning freely, forever imprinted on the page:

—I am waiting

—Waiting for Pearl’s heart to stir