Rejected by the Campus Belle, I Find My True Love-Chapter 24: No Romance Can Compare with Two Identical Acceptance Letters

Chapter 24: Chapter 24: No Romance Can Compare with Two Identical Acceptance Letters

It was their first time cooking together, but they moved as if they had done it countless times. Soon, two dishes and a soup were ready.

"Vegetables you wash yourself just taste better." Lin Xi sat at the table, her eyes shining. Although she ate quickly, her movements were extremely graceful.

If the servants at her home saw her so happily eating such a simple meal, they would probably die of shock.

Xue Yang sometimes didn’t quite understand what made her so happy. She was just doing things any ordinary person would, yet to her, it was all a source of immense joy. He was growing curious about what kind of family Lin Xi came from.

"Xue Yang, I’ve decided. I want to earn money." She hadn’t realized how difficult life was without money until she actually had to spend it. Now, she didn’t even dare buy the things she wanted.

"That’s great. So, my lovely and beautiful young lady, how do you plan on earning this money?"

"I’ve thought about it! Remember how I read your novel outline? I’ve decided to write a novel based on it and submit it to a website. The main plot you designed is so captivating. If I write it out, I’m sure lots of people will read it."

Xue Yang didn’t have the heart to crush her enthusiasm. "Then, future Platinum Author, may I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead."

"For instance, if the male and female leads get into a fight over who has to wash the vegetables, how would you write that scene?"

"Why would they fight about that?"

"I’m saying *if* they did, how would you write it?"

"Well... I’d just write it."

"See? You don’t even know how to write that, so how can you write a novel? Lin Xi, writing novels isn’t as simple as you think. And even if you manage to write one, there’s no guarantee anyone will read it."

"I... So what should I do then?"

"If you have nothing else to do, you can study at home."

Lin Xi fell silent. Having been forced to learn all sorts of things since she was young, she had developed an aversion to studying, and as a result, her academic performance wasn’t very good. Xue Yang had already noticed this from his observations of her.

Lin Xi didn’t have a phone and usually just stayed by herself in the rented apartment. It wasn’t that his apartment lacked books. On the contrary, Xue Yang quite enjoyed reading, so his room was filled with them, including all his notes from his three years of high school. Yet, Lin Xi would rather space out than touch those books. It was clear she truly disliked studying.

He even suspected she had run away from home because the academic pressure of her senior year was too great. Since she couldn’t keep up, she had likely gotten frustrated and gone astray. He had been through it himself and knew how heavy the burden of senior year was. But at seventeen or eighteen years old, what can you do if not study?

"Lin Xi, at your age, your focus should be on your education. The Mid-Autumn Festival is over now, so I’m sure your family is worried sick. If you go back now, I guarantee they won’t scold you anymore."

"You don’t understand. No matter when I go back, I can’t change my destiny. I just want to live for myself, for once."

"So you plan to just hole up in my apartment forever?" 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Lin Xi pouted. "But... I just don’t want to go back."

Xue Yang didn’t want to provoke her. What if she leaves and runs into bad people? Not everyone is as good a person as I am.

"It’s fine if you don’t want to go back. From now on, while I’m at class, you’ll stay home and study hard. In the cabinet in my room, you’ll find my notes from junior and senior high school. You can look through them. As for textbooks, I’ll borrow some from my classmates. Some of the local students who live off-campus should have theirs. That way, when you eventually come to your senses and decide to go back, you won’t have fallen behind in your studies."

"I don’t want to study," Lin Xi said sullenly, though she didn’t seem overly agitated.

"No, you do. If you don’t study, I’ll send you home right now."

"I’ll study."

The lunch break was short. Not long after they finished eating and sat on the sofa for a bit, it was time for Xue Yang to head back to class.

After Xue Yang left, Lin Xi followed his parting instructions and reluctantly opened the cabinet. Inside, as he had said, was a tidy stack of books. There were books on his desk, too, but apart from glancing through his novel outline, she hadn’t touched any of them. She only used the cabinet to store her few items of clothing, so she’d never had a reason to rummage through it.

Lin Xi found the notebooks Xue Yang had mentioned. There was a thick one for each subject. These notebooks had accompanied him through the three most grueling years of high school and contained all of his hard work.

She pulled out the Language Arts notebook and opened it. The pages were filled with dense, neatly organized notes. Even a slacker like her, who had barely attended class, could understand them. His handwriting was beautiful, possessing a certain masterful elegance. It wasn’t tedious to look at; on the contrary, it felt like admiring a great work of art.

She even noticed faint bloodstains on the pages.

Lin Xi could only imagine how much effort Xue Yang had poured into getting into Yanbei University.

Does this guy... really love studying this much?

But all that effort was for another girl. At this thought, a pang of bitterness welled up in her heart.

Flipping to the last page, she saw a sentence he had written: "No romance, however beautiful, can compare to two identical university acceptance letters."

Lin Xi gently stroked the words, imagining the determination he must have felt as he wrote them. Xue Yang’s handwriting, much like his personality, was clean and decisive, with no trace of hesitation.

"Xue Yang, if you can get into Yanbei University for someone else, then I can get into Yanbei for you!"

* * *

Monday’s schedule had an extra class. After it ended, Xue Yang wasn’t in a hurry to leave. Instead, he planned to head to the library.

"Xue Yang, why are you still at school?" Cui Hao asked, looking at him in surprise.

"What kind of question is that? Is it so strange to see me on campus?"

"Don’t you think it’s weird? You’ve been bolting right after class every day, and it’s been ages since you’ve lingered on campus like this. Be honest, are you hiding a girl somewhere? Let your bro have a look!"

As expected of Xue Yang’s good friend, Cui Hao’s guess was spot on. But would Xue Yang ever admit it?

"I’m going to the library. You coming?"

"No way. We’re in university now, who wastes their time at the library? I had more than enough studying to last a lifetime in high school. Outside of class, I don’t want to see a single book."

"There are houses of gold in books, you know."

"A house of gold or a house of silver isn’t as good as my own kennel. I’m heading back to the dorm to catch up on sleep. I’ve got my eye on a girl who likes to go for a run on the track at night. I need to build up my energy for a ’romantic encounter.’ Wish me luck!"

Cui Hao scurried away as if the soles of his feet were greased.

Xue Yang shook his head. This was the umpteenth girl Cui Hao had set his sights on since starting university, and he had yet to succeed even once.