Chapter Sixty: You Were the Joy of My Youth

After New Year’s Day, everyone plunged into the tense revision week. The holidays arrived as scheduled after the exams, and on the eve of the New Year, the school released a new list regarding the student transfer of Class A.

When Jiang Mu Wen saw the list, she was utterly shocked—so what Bai Xu had said before was true. In Class A, if you didn’t perform well in the final exams, you would be expelled from the class.

Although her grades had improved under Wen Yi Chen’s guidance, Jiang Mu Wen still felt anxious and uncertain.

She stared at the thumbnail of the document, hesitated for a long time, and finally summoned the courage to click it open.

Just as her fingertip was about to touch the file, a message popped up in her phone’s notification bar, followed by another, then several more in succession, drawing Jiang Mu Wen into the group chat.

The messages came from Yin Li Ze: “Congratulations to our six-person study group—no one got kicked out of Class A!”

As soon as he said this, Jiang Mu Wen felt a surge of joy in her heart. But even so, she wanted to confirm it for herself. No sooner had she checked than Yin Li Ze sent another message:

“To celebrate all of us staying safely in Class A, let’s travel together to S City next Monday!”

“I heard Ling’an Town there is really fun! We can even release sky lanterns at night!”

After Yin Li Ze sent these messages, he didn’t reply further.

Jiang Mu Wen stared at her phone screen, unsure how to respond. Well, someone else would reply eventually.

With that thought, she prepared to close the group chat. Yet, just as her finger hovered over the return icon, Yin Li Ze sent a red envelope.

That dazzling envelope made Jiang Mu Wen abandon her plan to leave the chat; her finger shifted direction and tapped on Yin Li Ze’s red envelope.

As soon as the envelope appeared, everyone came out of hiding.

Within seconds, system notifications popped up one after another:

“Wen Yi Chen received the red envelope.”

“Jiang Mu Wen received the red envelope.”

“Bai Xu received the red envelope.”

“Gu Nian Xi received the red envelope.”

“Gu Chen received the red envelope.”

The red envelope instantly drew out all five silent members.

Yin Li Ze’s red envelope was snatched up in five seconds, and Wen Yi Chen was crowned the luckiest.

Wen Yi Chen: “…”

Wen Yi Chen: “Thank you for the red envelope.”

Bai Xu: “Eh? A trip?”

Gu Nian Xi: “I think that’s a great idea. Next Monday, right? I should be able to go.”

Going on holiday with friends had always been Jiang Mu Wen’s wish. Seeing Gu Nian Xi agree, she replied, “I can go too!”

Right after her message, Wen Yi Chen followed: “I can go as well.”

Bai Xu: “Eh? I can’t next Monday. I have to visit relatives.”

Gu Chen: “I need to go to my grandmother’s next Monday. I won’t be able to join either.”

…

Just like that, the trip to S City went from six people to four.

By the time the four arrived at Ling’an Town, dusk had already fallen. They settled their luggage and finished dinner as the sky gradually darkened.

The restaurant overlooked the sea; just a few steps outside, they saw tourists beginning to release sky lanterns.

“Xiao Wen Wen, look!” Gu Nian Xi called out to Jiang Mu Wen, her tone tinged with excitement. Jiang Mu Wen followed Gu Nian Xi’s pointing finger with her gaze.

As night deepened, more and more tourists released lanterns, each drifting gently into the ink-colored sky, like glowing fireflies, breathtakingly beautiful.

“What are you looking at?”

It was Yin Li Ze’s voice. As Jiang Mu Wen and Gu Nian Xi turned back, Yin Li Ze stood before them holding lanterns, Wen Yi Chen by his side.

The warm yellow glow fell softly on the two boys’ faces; at that moment, they seemed to have stepped out of a painting.

Before Jiang Mu Wen could react, Yin Li Ze already pressed a lantern into her hands, “Time to release sky lanterns—one for each of us.”

He handed her a pen as well.

It was said that if you wrote your wish on the lantern, when it soared into the sky, your wish would rise with it and eventually come true.

Jiang Mu Wen took the pen, thought for a moment, then slowly lifted her hand. Before she wrote, she instinctively glanced at Wen Yi Chen—he stood with his head lowered, writing carefully on his lantern.

Watching him, a phrase surfaced in her mind: “Years of quiet happiness.”

“Xiao Wen Wen, what are you staring at?” Gu Nian Xi’s voice suddenly snapped Jiang Mu Wen back to reality.

“Hm?” Jiang Mu Wen withdrew her gaze and glanced at Gu Nian Xi.

“Hurry up and write your wish! Then we’ll release the lanterns together.”

Jiang Mu Wen replied softly, and just as she lifted her pen to write, Yin Li Ze’s voice popped up beside her: “Big Boss! What are you writing?”

The unexpected “Big Boss” startled Jiang Mu Wen.

“Yin Li Ze, go away! She’s writing her wish—why are you interfering?” Gu Nian Xi scolded, pushing Yin Li Ze to the other side.

Taking advantage of the moment, Jiang Mu Wen picked up the pen and carefully wrote down the secret she had always hidden in her heart:

“I will always like you. I hope you’ll like me too.”

Jiang Mu Wen stared at the line on the lantern. After a moment, she picked up the pen again and added another line:

“You are the joy of my youth—read it backwards and it’s the same.”

Finished, she capped the pen and lifted her gaze to Wen Yi Chen—not knowing what wish he was writing on his lantern.

But someone as reserved as him would probably write something official like “academic success,” wouldn’t he?

“Wen Yi Chen, have you finished your wish?” Yin Li Ze, banished by Gu Nian Xi, walked over to Wen Yi Chen with a pout.

Wen Yi Chen saw Yin Li Ze approaching and instinctively turned the written side of the lantern toward himself, as if shielding his wish.

Yin Li Ze noticed this little gesture, surprised that the usually emotionless genius would have secrets he didn’t want to share, “Come on—I wouldn’t peek at your wish!”

As he spoke, Yin Li Ze called Gu Nian Xi over, “Boss Gu, let me help you light your lantern.”

Seeing Yin Li Ze busy lighting Gu Nian Xi’s lantern, Wen Yi Chen relaxed, lowered his guard, and moved his lantern away. He glanced at the wish written on it, then looked up at Jiang Mu Wen standing opposite him.

Though Yin Li Ze claimed he wouldn’t peek, when Wen Yi Chen’s wish was exposed, curiosity got the better of him and he couldn’t resist stealing a glance.

On the lantern, only a simple line remained:

“I want to always be by your side.”