Over the past two years, he has met quite a few people, but no one knows about his past. Most people don't want to know others' pasts either; even if they occasionally did, he brushed them off with lies. So now, facing old classmates, he has to use various lies to cover up.

Qiao Huanxuan looked at him and sighed softly, "This... I can believe."

"What do you mean you can believe? Either you believe it, or you don't," Li Yan was a bit exasperated, clearly skeptical of what he was saying.

"From the person I knew before, I don't believe it. You had your own opinions and thoughts, were mature beyond your years. Even if you dropped out, I believe in different circumstances, you could succeed and do well. In every profession, there are masters, and while you weren't a champion in academics, I believe you will be a champion in your field!" Qiao Huanxuan said with slight excitement.

Li Yan blushed. "You're giving me too much credit. I'm not as extraordinary as you say." But in his heart, he was sweating a bit, realizing she was right, except she'd never guess he'd risen to fame among assassins...

"But... people change. We were together for three or four years during our formative years. Now, more than a decade has passed since we last met, the time when people's lives change the most. Maybe the high-spirited youth has long since become an ordinary fellow content with mediocrity," Qiao Huanxuan sounded a bit disappointed.

"What you said makes sense. I'm just an ordinary guy waiting around, living from day to day," Li Yan admitted honestly.

Qiao Huanxuan looked at him and suddenly laughed: "You're too calm!"

"Hmm?" Li Yan was puzzled, thinking, today meeting all you old classmates has been nerve-wracking, and you say I'm calm...

"I mean, your reaction is too calm. First, I'm your female classmate. Second, there are no others here. Normally, any man, in such a situation, wouldn't want to reveal his weaknesses. When no one else can expose him, in front of a female classmate, or any female friend, a man would somewhat embellish himself. It's a male trait; women are the same," Qiao Huanxuan analyzed rationally, like an expert.

"But... you didn't! You admitted lying, you said you were insecure, acknowledged just getting by. Only someone who sees through their insecurity can make fun of it, and only someone without life pressures can joke about living aimlessly... That shows, you are lying again!"

Facing Qiao Huanxuan's intense gaze, Li Yan was speechless. Are women all this sharp nowadays?

"We haven't seen each other for over ten years, and in just half a day, you've lied repeatedly. Don't you think it's a bit much?" Qiao Huanxuan sighed softly.

Li Yan coughed and said, "It's getting late, and we've been drinking. Qiao Huanxuan, you should get some rest. I'll head back first."

"You're avoiding, evading..." Qiao Huanxuan shook her head and sighed.

Li Yan felt overly passive and added firmly, "Avoiding? What am I avoiding? You invited me up just to prove I was lying? I've already admitted it. You don't really think I'm secretly in love with you, do you?"

"I didn't say that..." Qiao Huanxuan's eyes dropped.

"Then what else do you want to say? If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave. I need to get home to my wife," Li Yan stood up.

"Listen to a story... before you go, okay?" Qiao Huanxuan looked up at him again, self-deprecating with a smile, "It's just that under today's special mood, I have the urge to tell this story. By tomorrow, I might never tell it again..."

In this ever-changing era, "forever" in many people's words might represent a year—and that's considered good. How many people have declared they'll support their idols forever, only to forget them a few days later; how many have promised to love a girl (or boy) forever, only to break up in a few months and be with someone new.

However, sometimes, "forever" still holds its intended meaning. Like when someone dies, then they will never be seen again, or if a moment to speak is missed, those words may never be spoken again forever.

Li Yan hesitated for a moment, choosing not to leave and sat back down, awaiting the story she wanted to tell. He didn't need to be told; he had a hunch this story was certainly related to him.

...

"Once, there was a girl who excelled academically from a young age. Whether in elementary or middle school, she often outperformed the boys, always the top in her class. Because of this, while some boys admired her, others were jealous. Among the girls, things were even more exaggerated: most girls distanced themselves out of jealousy, while a few surrounded her for help with studies...

At that time, being so young, there was bound to be some pride and willfulness. Gradually, the girl also distanced herself from those jealous boys and girls. Therefore, her circle of friends wasn't like others who had the whole class; it consisted only of a small circle of good students, plus a few who performed decently.

In middle school, she was once a class monitor. Just being good at her studies wasn't enough; a class monitor's role was to help everyone improve. But since many people looked down on her, some of her arrangements couldn't be implemented. At that time, their class president was a mature boy. His academic performance was also pretty good, not the best in any one thing, but well-rounded in all.

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