Still can't let go?

Over those few days of learning, Firefly had picked up quite a bit. Though she had even surpassed Lin Yu, it was enough to get by.

Afterward, Lin Yu transferred five hundred yuan to Firefly's phone.

Some was for groceries, and the rest was her spending money.

Over the past few days, Lin Yu had kept observing Firefly, but there had been nothing strange about her.

How should he put it? Was Firefly just too good at pretending, or had that remark really been a joke?

Classes started tomorrow, and things would get busy again.

At the shop, Lin Yu let out an exhausted sigh.

He had been too tired lately, and he was afraid he wouldn't be able to hold on.

Just then, a notification chimed on Lin Yu's phone. He thought it was from Firefly.

But a glance at the sender left him a little surprised.

"Why's it this guy?"

The sender was Zhang Zeyang, Lin Yu's college roommate and his buddy.

They studied different majors, though, so they mostly saw each other in the dorm.

Still, he was Lin Yu's best friend. Perhaps because Lin Yu didn't socialize much, after three years of college, only his three roommates could be called friends.

Wasn't his dad supposed to have confiscated all his electronics because he wasn't studying properly?

Why was he suddenly messaging me? Had his ban been lifted?

Lin Yu opened the message to see what he had sent.

Zhang Zeyang: [Hey, bro, classes start tomorrow. Come out for barbecue tonight. [Doge]]

Lin Yu didn't rush to answer Zhang Zeyang's invitation. Instead...

Lin Yu: [You're out of prison?]

That single sentence silenced him on the spot. The typing indicator kept flashing on the chat screen. It seemed that had broken his defenses.

A few minutes later, he finally replied.

Zhang Zeyang: [Hey! Is that how you talk to your dad, you brat?!]

[Your old man finally sees daylight again, and instead of celebrating, you roast me!]

[You're defying the natural order!!!]

[Furious.jpg]

Lin Yu: [Your dad was treating your internet addiction. I thought you'd died.]

[After all, I remember your addiction being pretty bad.]

[But you seem fine.]

Zhang Zeyang: [So I should thank you for your concern?]

Lin Yu: [Go ahead if you want. What can I say? I'm just that caring.]

Zhang Zeyang: [Hiss-no, wait...]

[Forget it. I can't be bothered arguing with you. Are you coming tonight or not?]

After two and a half minutes of consideration, Lin Yu replied.

[Sure.]

[OK, see you at the usual place at eight tonight.]

"I'm home..."

That evening, Lin Yu returned home, ready to change before heading out to meet his friend.

"Ah... welcome back."

Firefly, who had been scrolling on her phone in the living room, heard the noise at the door and turned to look.

"You're already done meeting your friend?"

Lin Yu took off his jacket, tossed it onto the sofa, and plopped down.

"Phew-not yet. I came back to change before going."

"Would you like something to tide you over first? You look pretty tired."

"No need to go to the trouble, Firefly. I'll eat with my friend in a bit."

Before coming back, Lin Yu had already messaged Firefly at home, telling her not to wait for him to eat.

"What are you doing, Firefly?"

Firefly waved the phone in her hand.

"I'm watching livestreams."

"Oh, I see. Good luck!"

Firefly clenched her fists to cheer herself on.

"Mm!"

The buzz surrounding that earlier incident had completely died down over the past few days, so Firefly could go online again.

After all, she had only appeared once, which was hardly convincing, so the buzz had faded before long.

Besides, the livestreaming equipment had arrived, but this would be Firefly's first time streaming, so she had started watching other people's streams to learn.

However, Lin Yu and Firefly had made an agreement about going online.

She wasn't to casually leave comments or trust information on the internet.

Firefly didn't understand, but he understood all too well. After all, he had been using the internet longer than she had.

It was common knowledge that the internet wasn't beyond the law, yet plenty of people still crossed that line without thinking, causing who knew how many tragedies.

"All right, I'm going to get changed."

After resting a while, he saw that it was about time to leave.

Once he had changed, he said goodbye to Firefly and went out.

When he reached their agreed meeting spot, Lin Yu spotted him a short distance away.

Zhang Zeyang seemed to spot him too and waved in his direction.

Lin Yu walked slowly over and raised a hand in greeting.

Zhang Zeyang said, "Brother Lin, three days apart feel like three autumns!"

Hearing those affected words, Lin Yu couldn't help shuddering.

That eye-catching blond hair and flashy street-punk outfit really didn't match his utterly serious expression.

Lin Yu said, "Ugh! What three days? We haven't seen each other all break."

"Besides, what did your family do to you? What have they trained you into?"

"It's just a figure of speech. All right, enough chatter. Let's order first and talk about the rest later."

They found an empty table and sat down, and Zhang Zeyang called a server over to take their order.

"Ten kidney skewers, twenty signature beef skewers, plus potatoes, squash, eggplant..."

"Wait! That's enough, that's enough!"

Just as Zhang Zeyang was about to keep ordering like mad, Lin Yu spoke up to stop him.

With Lin Yu stopping him, Zhang Zeyang quit adding food to the order.

"And one case of Brave Paradise beer. That's all."

After handing the menu back to the server, the two began talking about interesting things that had happened over the break while they waited.

They had only been apart for a month, but that was how friendship between men worked. No matter how long it had been, once they met up, they had to tell each other about everything they had encountered.

"You know, Lin, I thought I wouldn't survive this month!"

"Seriously, my dad! He treated his own son like he was Japanese!"

Zhang Zeyang kept tearfully complaining to Lin Yu about his father's inhuman behavior.

But Lin Yu was unmoved. He was nearly graduating, yet instead of studying properly, all he did was fool around.

If he were my son, I'd put him through his paces too!

"Oh, come on. If you weren't so obsessed with having fun, your dad wouldn't have locked you up for a month, would he?"

"What's wrong with having fun? It's human nature!"

As they talked, dish after dish of barbecue arrived at the table, along with the case of Brave Paradise they had ordered.

Zhang Zeyang took out two bottles and handed one to Lin Yu.

"Come on! Let's drink first!"

They popped the caps, and the bottles clinked crisply.

Clink!

"Phew! That hits the spot!"

Zhang Zeyang wore a look of enjoyment. It was clear he really liked drinking this.

"Classes start tomorrow. We'll be seniors then."

"Have you figured out what you're going to do?"

Lin Yu didn't answer Zhang Zeyang's question right away. He took a sip of beer first.

"I don't know. I'm thinking of doing an internship first, then figuring it out later."

"Aren't you thinking about grad school?"

"I remember Professor Zhou wanted to take you as his student. Getting into grad school would be a piece of cake!"

"We'll see..."

"Do you... still not want to let go?"

Lin Yu swirled the bottle in his hand and gave a self-mocking smile.

"Maybe. Maybe I really can't let go..."

"All right, then! If you can't let go, don't! Instead of suffering, think about how to make yourself happy! That's what matters most!"

Zhang Zeyang leaned over and draped an arm around Lin Yu's shoulders.

"Then come work at my family's company after graduation. Talent like you is exactly what we need!"

Lin Yu pulled the hand off his shoulder.

"Seriously? I was just getting all emotional, and this was what you were waiting for?"

"Why let the good stuff go to outsiders?"

"Enough about me. What about you? What are you going to do?"

"Me? What else can I do? Just follow whatever my dad arranges."

Zhang Zeyang spread his hands, indicating that he had no choice either.

"True. You are the heir to the Zhang Group, after all."

The Zhang Group was Jiangcheng's largest internet company, and Zhang Zeyang, sitting before him, was the Zhang boss's only son.

Though Zhang Zeyang came from a wealthy family, he had none of that spoiled young master's temper. Instead, he was easygoing and got along with others easily.

"All right, all right. Let's eat first."

"Mm..."

The two ate and chatted until ten, with bottles covering the ground and table.

Zhang Zeyang had drunk most of them. Lin Yu had drunk very little; after all, he couldn't hold his liquor, and Firefly was at home. He didn't want her seeing him act like a drunken fool, or he would never be able to show his face again!

Just then, Lin Yu remembered something and took out his phone to send a message.

Zhang Zeyang, still drinking beside him, saw Lin Yu's phone and asked curiously.

"You got a new phone?"

"Yeah, over the break. Why?"

Lin Yu found it strange. It was just a new phone. What was there to ask about?

"Oh-nothing. It's just that you used your last phone for three years and were always so careful with it. I thought it was something really important to you."

"What happened to your old phone, then?"

Still typing, Lin Yu answered speechlessly.

"Chucked it."

Zhang Zeyang suddenly perked up!

"Hey! I think an old phone ought to go..."

"Hey! Don't say it!"

Before Zhang Zeyang could finish, Lin Yu cut him off.

"We're not getting paid for advertising."

"I was just saying."