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Chapter 70 - Chapter 8: Unable to Wake Up 5

Fang Yuan couldn't sleep.

She was used to falling asleep in the dark, and with such bright lights, it was impossible for her to fall asleep.

But Su Ya was reading, and Xu Zhaodi showed no sign of turning out the lights.

Although the lights-out whistle blew shrilly outside, no one came to bother them.

Girls' Dormitory 441 had become a taboo at Nanjiang Medical College. No one wanted to enter it, not even the dormitory manager or the school's on-duty life teacher.

Fang Yuan debated whether to burrow under the covers. Although it would be a bit stuffy, at least she could fall asleep, which was better than wanting to sleep but not being able to.

At this moment, Xu Zhaodi suddenly asked, "Fang Yuan, are you asleep?"

"Yes," Fang Yuan replied vaguely, "I am asleep."

"I want to ask you a question?"

"What question?"

"Why do people live?"

"..."

Xu Zhaodi's question was baffling. Why do people live? Living is just living, so why?

But after careful consideration, Fang Yuan realized the question was profound, so profound that she couldn't answer it at all.

"Fang Yuan, answer me," Xu Zhaodi urged.

Fang Yuan could only ramble: "I think it's the instinct of life. Like other creatures, humans instinctively want to live."

"Maybe." This didn't seem like the answer Xu Zhaodi wanted. "But I always feel that living in this world is so tiring. There's more pain than joy, more disappointment than hope. Ideals and dreams, no matter how beautiful or dazzling, will always be shattered by reality and vanish, leaving not even a trace."

Fang Yuan hadn't expected someone as simple-minded as Xu Zhaodi to be so sentimental.

Xu Zhaodi asked again, "If we were to die tomorrow, what would be the first thing you'd want to do?"

Fang Yuan still couldn't answer.

If she died tomorrow, life would be filled with regrets. She had occasionally thought about this question before, but only in thought. She had never put herself in their shoes like she was tonight.

What would she want to do first? Would she want to see the person she'd never let go of her whole life? If she actually saw that person, what would she do? Would she laugh or cry? Was it a hug or a shove?

Fang Yuan couldn't answer, but Xu Zhaodi offered her own: "Fang Yuan, I've thought it through. I want to meet someone."

"Who do you want to meet?"

"A..." Xu Zhaodi suddenly grew shy and hesitated. "A pen pal."

"Pen pal?" Fang Yuan was speechless. In this day and age, everything is about speed and efficiency, and Xu Zhaodi actually wanted to have pen pals?

"Don't laugh!" Xu Zhaodi said angrily. "I'm serious."

"I'm not laughing. I'm listening carefully." Fang Yuan suddenly woke up from her sleepiness.

"I've been dating him for four years, and we've been writing letters since junior high. His handwriting is neat, and his manner is sincere, natural, and full of passion. Most importantly, he's very refined, with an air of a scholar in his bones..."

"Stop!" Fang Yuan looked puzzled. "Have you met him?"

"No."

"Have you seen his photo?"

"No."

"Then why do you speak so highly of him?" Fang Yuan was puzzled.

"I feel it! I can feel it."

Speaking of her pen pal, Xu Zhaodi's smile shone brightly, no longer innocent. Like any girl in love, she was filled with sweetness, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she looked charming and lovely.

At this moment, Xu Zhaodi possessed a natural and refreshing beauty, like a red camellia quietly blooming in the mountains.

"Actually, I've always envied Qin Yanping and Tao Bing'er. They came from wealthy families and were pampered like little princesses. My childhood memories are filled with endless farm work and the responsibility of taking care of my younger siblings. Fang Yuan, you're also from the countryside, but your life is much better than mine. Look at my hands." Xu Zhaodi reached out from under the covers.

They were rough hands, their skin dry, cracked in places, red, swollen, and peeling. They looked very old, not at all like the hands of a young girl.

"Now you understand why I like wearing gloves," Xu Zhaodi said, a little sadly. Like other girls, she loved to fantasize and yearn for love, but with her looks and figure, those romantic love stories were unlikely to happen to her.

Fearing she might be upset, Fang Yuan deliberately asked, "Can you find a way to meet your pen pal?"

"Of course!" Xu Zhaodi's eyes lit up at the mention of her pen pal. "I have his dorm phone number. He's also attending university in this city."

"What a coincidence?"

"What a coincidence? Didn't I tell you he's got a literary streak in him? How could he not get into university? He's at Nanjiang University."

Xu Zhaodi got excited. She got out of bed, pulled Fang Yuan along, and asked her to accompany her to the hall to make a phone call.

Fang Yuan had no choice but to go with her. But once they were in the hall and the call was connected, she kept giving Fang Yuan glares, asking her to leave so she wouldn't eavesdrop.

Fang Yuan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Seeing Xu Zhaodi acting like a little girl and speaking in a coquettish voice, she couldn't bear it any longer and had to return to her bedroom in a sullen mood.

The call lasted a full half hour. By the time Xu Zhaodi returned to bed, Fang Yuan had already dozed off, her head buried under the covers.

Xu Zhaodi didn't care and shook her awake.

"It's done!"

"What do you mean it's done? Stop it and let me sleep!"

"I've made an appointment with him to meet tomorrow!"

"Uh..."

"You have to go with me!"

"Uh..."

"So you agreed. Remember to go with me tomorrow!"

That night, Xu Zhaodi was visibly agitated and unable to sleep. She tossed and turned in bed, her mind filled with images of tomorrow's meeting with her pen pal.

The next morning, Xu Zhaodi, her eyes red and swollen, grabbed Fang Yuan tightly, insisting she accompany her to see her pen pal.

"What does your pen pal want me to do?" Fang Yuan didn't want to go, fearing she'd steal Xu Zhaodi's limelight. When boys look at girls, the first thing they look at is their appearance. I'm afraid Xu Zhaodi's pen pal is no exception.

"You promised me last night," Xu Zhaodi said with a wicked smile. "Besides, I can't carry on this drama alone."

"Why?"

"Because then, you'll be Xu Zhaodi, and I'll be Fang Yuan."

"No way!" Fang Yuan was stunned. "You want me to impersonate you?"

Xu Zhaodi hesitated, seeming a little shy. "We'll see. If he's handsome, you can chat with him using my name. If he's average, you won't have to do it."

Fang Yuan was secretly amused. It turned out Xu Zhaodi was so cautious and hesitant.

"If you're friends, you must go with me. If you don't, I'll be angry!" Xu Zhaodi issued an ultimatum.

Fang Yuan had no choice but to go with her.

Xu Zhaodi's date with her pen pal was at a KFC on Zhongshan Road, at noon.

That morning, Xu Zhaodi forced Fang Yuan to go with her to the salon, go shopping for clothes, and get dressed up. Time flew by, and it was already noon.

Zhongshan Road is Nanjiang City's bustling commercial street, and KFC is world-renowned. It was the weekend, so naturally, the place was bustling and packed.

The two of them walked into KFC, shutting out the chill of Nanjiang City's late autumn. True to its global reputation, KFC felt warm and inviting inside. Despite the crowds, the place was orderly, and the waiters all wore friendly smiles. In the corner of the restaurant, there was a small playground for children. The innocent laughter and melodious music blended together, evoking a warm feeling.

Fang Yuan felt a long-lost sense of ease, like a bird soaring freely, feeling an indescribable sense of comfort and ease. The heavy cloud that had weighed heavily on her heart instantly dissipated, revealing a rare moment of clarity and peace.

"Where is he?" Fang Yuan asked.

"He asked me to sit at the table on the second floor, by the south window."

The two of them slowly squeezed their way upstairs. The second floor had fewer customers than the first, and surprisingly, some seats were still empty. Three tables were set up by the south window: one occupied by a couple, one empty, and only the middle table was occupied by a man. He was tall, wearing a sporty blue tracksuit, his hair flowing and shiny black, clearly well-groomed.

The two of them couldn't see the man's face clearly; he was facing the window, his chin resting on his hand, as if admiring the view.

What did he look like?

Fang Yuan wanted to move closer to get a better look, but Xu Zhaodi tugged at her, winked at her, and made a head-scratching motion with her hand.

Xu Zhaodi's intention was to let her go first. If she felt the boy was too handsome for her, she could scratch her head and hint to Fang Yuan that she was impersonating him. If he was just average looking, there was no need for Fang Yuan to intervene.

Fang Yuan smiled and let Xu Zhaodi go first. Xu Zhaodi looked in the mirror, mustered her courage, approached the boy, patted his shoulder, smiled brightly, and whispered, "Hi!"

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