Chapter 25: Unable to Focus

Lying awake and unable to sleep is a truly painful thing.

Jiang Zheng didn’t know how long he had been lying there. He opened his eyes, unable to drift off, and finally decided to give up on sleep altogether.

Perhaps reading a novel would help pass the time, he thought.

He struggled to focus on textbooks because the material was too technical and dry; it was no wonder they were exhausting to read. Novels, however, were another matter—you could read them without even thinking.

But after a while, Jiang Zheng realized he still couldn’t concentrate. Just like when he had been reviewing his class notes earlier, he would drift off after only a few minutes.

A sense of discomfort settled over him. No matter what he did, he couldn’t focus, and that was a miserable feeling. The worst part was that he couldn’t even lose himself in games or novels, which only made it worse.

He couldn’t even entertain himself.

Feeling more and more irritable, Jiang Zheng opened the door to his dorm room.

“Heading out for lunch, Fourth?” Zhou Quanyi suddenly called out.

Jiang Zheng paused, checked the time, and realized it was indeed lunchtime.

“Yes,” he replied.

He had only intended to take a walk, but since it was already mealtime, he might as well eat.

“Wait for me, I’ll go with you,” Zhou Quanyi said.

After they ate at the cafeteria, Zhou Quanyi suggested, “Let’s stop by the supermarket before heading back. I need to stock up on snacks.”

Jiang Zheng replied, “I think I’ll pass. I want to walk around the track for a bit.”

Zhou Quanyi looked at him in surprise, then said, “Alright, I’ll go by myself.”

Jiang Zheng nodded and headed toward the sports field.

Unable to concentrate, his mood grew increasingly restless. Coming out in the first place had nothing to do with lunch; he simply wanted some air. It was only because it happened to be lunchtime that he grabbed a meal.

Now, still unsettled, he had no desire to return to the dorm.

He wandered the track, but his attention continued to wander as well. He often found himself lost in thought as he walked, lucky that this was a campus with little traffic. If he had been out on a busy road, he might have been hit by a car.

After a while, his agitation remained. He decided to run instead.

Maybe a bit of exercise and sweat would help, he thought.

There weren’t many people on the track that weekend. Most students stayed in their dorms or went out shopping or socializing. Jiang Zheng wasn’t the only one running, but runners were few and far between. Most people were there to play ball or stroll.

The track was clear, so at least he didn’t have to worry about bumping into anyone. Normally, he wouldn’t be concerned, but today his mind was so unfocused that it would be easy to collide with someone if he wasn’t careful.

...

In the women's dormitory, Liu Xiao clung to Jiang Qianyu’s arm, shaking it as she pleaded, “Yuanyuan, come with me, please?”

Jiang Qianyu felt a headache coming on. “I have something to do. Why don’t you go by yourself?”

“Oh, come on! You’re the only one in our room right now—if you don’t come, I’ll have no one to go with!” Liu Xiao pouted.

Jiang Qianyu was speechless. No matter how many times she heard Liu Xiao’s cutesy tone, it always made her skin crawl.

“Alright, alright, I’ll go with you,” Jiang Qianyu relented. She had no choice but to give in if she wanted to avoid further coaxing.

“You’re the best, Yuanyuan! Love you!” Liu Xiao made a heart shape with her arms.

“Don’t talk to me in that voice—be normal, or I’m not going,” Jiang Qianyu warned.

“Okay, okay,” Liu Xiao agreed.

Jiang Qianyu saved her document, closed her laptop, put on her shoes, and said, “Let’s go.”

“Mhm,” Liu Xiao nodded.

The two of them walking together were a striking sight, drawing glances from many passing boys.

Jiang Qianyu attracted the most attention. Liu Xiao was pretty, but beside Jiang Qianyu, she faded into the background.

“So, why exactly did you want me to come with you?” Jiang Qianyu asked.

“I’m meeting a boy,” Liu Xiao replied shyly.

“How did you meet him?” Jiang Qianyu inquired.

“Online. We’ve been chatting for a long time, but we’ve never met in person,” Liu Xiao explained.

“Is it safe?” Jiang Qianyu frowned, worry evident in her voice.

“Of course it is! I’m not stupid. I only agreed to meet after getting to know him really well,” Liu Xiao insisted.

“But you’ve only talked online. How can you be sure he’s telling the truth?” Jiang Qianyu pressed.

“We’ve talked on voice calls—of course I know! His voice is really nice,” Liu Xiao replied.

“Have you video called? A voice is easy to fake, and even video chats can be deceptive,” Jiang Qianyu said, her concern growing.

“He wouldn’t lie to me. We haven’t video called because he was overseas. Whenever we talked, it was late at night for him, and he didn’t want to disturb his roommates,” Liu Xiao explained.

“So he’s back now?” Jiang Qianyu asked.

“Yeah. He said his work over there is done, and he came straight to see me as soon as he got back today,” Liu Xiao replied happily.

Jiang Qianyu couldn’t help but feel skeptical, though she had no concrete reason—just a hunch.

“Xiaoxiao, just be careful. Even if you’ve chatted for a long time, it’s still your first meeting in real life. Don’t let your guard down,” Jiang Qianyu advised.

She wasn’t against Liu Xiao making new friends or even finding a boyfriend online. She just thought that, as a woman, it was better to be cautious when meeting strangers.

So many girls have been taken in, each one thinking she knew the other person well, only to realize too late she’d been deceived. Stories of women losing both money and love were all too common.

“Don’t worry, Yuanyuan. I’m being careful—that’s why I asked you to come, so you could help me keep an eye out,” Liu Xiao said with a smile.

Jiang Qianyu was silent for a moment, then replied, “I’ll do my best, but still, be careful.”

“I know, I won’t get tricked,” Liu Xiao promised.

Jiang Qianyu said nothing more.

Liu Xiao’s insistence on having her along made it clear she was serious about this boy. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be so proactive.

There was little more Jiang Qianyu could say. She had already given her advice.

Since Liu Xiao had no intention of giving up, Jiang Qianyu resolved to keep a close watch and, if anything seemed off, to drag her friend away immediately.