Chapter 71: Can a Man and a Woman Really Be Just Friends?
It was already midnight by the time Gu Yifan got out of the shower.
His parents were nowhere to be seen in the living room. ’Did I piss them off so much that they went back to their room to try for another kid?’
Shaking his head, Gu Yifan dried his hair and returned to his bedroom.
Lying on his bed, he casually picked up his phone and saw he had a few unread QQ messages.
He tapped them open and saw they were from Su Qinghe. That Hanhan had asked if he’d gotten home yet and wished him goodnight.
She didn’t mention a single word about what happened by the lotus pond earlier, acting as if nothing had happened at all.
Gu Yifan glanced at the time. It was already a little past midnight, technically the next day. After a moment’s thought, he decided to reply.
Bothersome Yifan: Just got back. Was talking with my parents for a bit, so I didn’t see my phone.
BEEP BEEP BEEP—BEEP BEEP BEEP—
He’d barely sent the message when a reply came back from Su Qinghe.
July Qinghe: "Mhm, no worries. I figured as much."
Seeing her reply, Gu Yifan froze for a second. ’That Hanhan... she must have been holding her phone, just waiting for my message.’
’Alright, go to sleep now!’
’Good night, see you tomorrow~’
Gu Yifan shook his head helplessly, then typed out his reply.
July Qinghe: "Good night~ See you tomorrow."
...
After putting down his phone, Gu Yifan got ready for bed.
CLICK.
The light went out.
The entire room was plunged into darkness.
Gu Yifan lay in bed, gazing at the specks of moonlight filtering through the white lace curtains and dappling the ceiling. Suddenly, his mother’s words started flashing through his mind.
’In truth, when he’d said he wanted them all, he was just joking.’
’There was no longer any possibility between him and Han Ning. Being able to stay friends would have been a good outcome in itself.’
’In the past, he’d often heard people say you could still be friends after a breakup, and he’d always scoffed at the idea.’
’It was just like that perennially debated online topic: Can men and women truly have a platonic friendship?’
’The answer is always no!’
’People who "stay friends" after a breakup? It’s just because each of them is still clinging to the fantasy of being able to meet up and get laid one day!’
’And can men and women really have a platonic friendship?’
’Everyone knows the real answer. Maybe it’s possible when you’re a kid, but once you grow up? Anyone still insisting on "platonic friendships" is just using it as an excuse to do the things couples do!’
’Deep down, everyone knows this, men and women alike.’
’It’s just a convenient excuse, a fig leaf.’
’Although he and Han Ning had never officially been together—it had always been his own unrequited love—since they couldn’t be a couple, it was better to just be strangers.’
’It was better for both of them that way.’
’One-sided love is not enough; it has to be mutual.’
’It was a lesson that had taken him decades to learn in his past life, a truth he only understood at the very moment he died.’
’Thankfully, heaven had taken pity on what a pathetic simp he’d been and given him a chance to do it all over again.’
Lying in bed, Gu Yifan let out a self-deprecating laugh.
He gave his head a little shake, clearing away the heavy thoughts, and slowly closed his eyes.
...
「The night passed uneventfully.」
Early the next morning, Gu Yifan woke up at 5:30 AM as usual.
He had no choice. Ever since the 100-day pledge ceremony, morning reading sessions for the third-years had been moved up, all in the name of "seizing every second."
’Still, it was for the best. The earlier start time had cured quite a few students of their habit of sleeping in.’
’Including him.’
At 6:00 AM, before his parents were even awake, Gu Yifan had already washed up and headed out the door.
He took the elevator straight down to the underground parking garage.
After unlocking his car, Gu Yifan climbed into his personal ride: a Mercedes G63.
He first sent a message to Su Qinghe, telling her to wait for him at the school gate, then started the engine.
VROOOM!!
To the sound of the roaring engine, the car slowly pulled out of the underground garage.
...
Meanwhile, over at the girls’ dormitory, Su Qinghe had also finished getting ready. After packing her textbooks, she tiptoed out of the room, not wanting to wake her roommates.
She had just gotten downstairs and was about to head to the school cafeteria for a takeaway breakfast when she received Gu Yifan’s message.
Seeing that he wanted her to wait for him at the main gate, she obediently turned and headed in that direction.
Since it was still so early, there were few people on campus. The crisp morning air was refreshing and uplifting.
The chirping of birds in the banyan trees lining the campus paths added a touch of life to the scene.
Su Qinghe quickly reached the main school gate.
He didn’t keep her waiting long. About ten minutes later, his black Mercedes G-Wagon appeared near the school gate.
From a distance, he could see Su Qinghe standing quietly by the side of the road near the gate, dressed in her school uniform.
With a small smile, Gu Yifan drove right up to her and came to a slow stop.
BEEP BEEP.
Gu Yifan tapped the horn twice, startling Su Qinghe out of her daze.
Confused by the car that had suddenly appeared before her, she thought she was in the way and prepared to step back.
Just then, the window rolled down. An incredibly handsome face poked out and called to her, "Hanhan, get in!"
Only then did Su Qinghe realize it was Gu Yifan.
"Oh, right~"
Without a second thought, she nodded hurriedly, walked around to the passenger side, and pulled the door open.
The seat was a bit high, but thankfully, at 1.68 meters, Su Qinghe wasn’t short and climbed in with ease.
"Uh... Hanhan, the door isn’t shut properly. Use a little more force!"
Gu Yifan reminded her.
"Oh, right~"
Su Qinghe nodded, opened the door, and tried closing it again.
CLACK.
But she was afraid to use too much force, so the door still didn’t latch.
Seeing this, Gu Yifan had no choice but to say, "I’ll get it."
As he spoke, he unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned across her to shut the door.
But his movement and posture made Su Qinghe’s body suddenly go rigid.
There were less than two centimeters between them now. If Gu Yifan leaned forward just a tiny bit more, he could kiss her soft, pink lips.
The pleasant, clean scent of his body wash wafted over, and Su Qinghe’s face instantly turned bright red.
She bit her lip lightly, not daring to move a muscle.
SLAM!!
With a hard pull from Gu Yifan, the door slammed shut.
He didn’t notice her strange reaction. As he shut the door, he said, "You have to use a lot of force to close the doors on this thing. Don’t worry, you won’t break it!"
"Hmm?"
When Su Qinghe didn’t make a sound, Gu Yifan finally sensed that something was off...