Apocalypse Forecast

Chapter 576 - 483 You're Drunk_1

"Peking University? Is that for real?"

After everyone had nearly finished eating, the conversation naturally turned towards college choices. After all, even though high school graduation hadn't been long ago, they were still students. If they weren't talking about studying, what else would they talk about if not the college admission letters right after the exams? Dirty jokes weren't exactly fitting for the occasion. That would've been too undignified. Besides, it wasn't a twenty-year reunion where they had weathered the storms of society. Their skins were still thin, not yet polished to a slick social grease. Moreover, with five or six female classmates there, how could they not feel embarrassed if they opened their mouths and spouted such things?

When the admission letters came up in conversation, Liao Jun couldn't help but look smug as he took out his phone to show everyone the photo of his admission letter.

It was impossible not to be smug. Frankly, Huai Shi felt that if he had genuinely been admitted to Peking University, he would've treated the whole class to a meal and then found a way to brag about it. How could he be low-key about it? And shouldn't he be proud?

Blending in with the crowd, Huai Shi nodded along, "Awesome, awesome, really impressive."

Then he continued to lower his head and devour meat ravenously.

Riding his bike all the way here had been energy-consuming, hadn't it? He needed to replenish his calories, or wouldn't that be a loss?

Liao Jun had the best exam results, followed by two other girls. Zhuo Ling hadn't done particularly well in his studies and just waved his hand without saying much. After all, his family had connections, and he could simply buy a diploma if necessary.

When Fu Yi was asked about her plans, she simply said that her family had arrangements and didn't disclose where she had applied. Instead, she took out her phone and began talking about her family's dog.

Liao Jun, who had been listening quietly, suddenly felt dejected. Having been classmates for so long, everyone knew he was interested in Fu Yi, but she had always been indifferent, keeping her distance and never giving him a chance. Otherwise, even with all the time spent together in the student council, if there was anything between them, some gossip would have surely emerged by then. Now that high school was ending and his chances were dwindling, the elation from his exam success faded, and he felt dejected once more.

After everyone had finished talking, Zhuo Ling turned his attention to Huai Shi, who was trying hard to minimize his presence. Zhuo Ling's look of curiosity made Huai Shi exceptionally nervous.

"Huai Shi, have you received your admission letter?"

Huai Shi hesitated. "Uh…" He fell into deep thought, not knowing how to respond.

Should he say that he had received more than fifty letters all at once? From Dongxia's Peking University, America's Hengfu University, and the Roman Empire... a whole bunch. All the world's top fifty universities had sent him letters, all offering diplomas, none asking for tuition fees. Should he ask if they wanted to see? It would be quite a spectacular sight...

Who would believe such a thing if he said it out loud?

However, everyone could see his hesitation, and their expressions instantly turned sympathetic.

Zhuo Ling patted his shoulder and offered a toast, "It's fine. We can still try next year. Don't lose heart."

Huai Shi sighed, unable to help it, and shook his head. "I'm afraid there won't be a next year... I'll likely have to start working soon."

"Not going to university?" Everyone was startled. "Aren't you in the arts and sports category? Teacher Liu said you could try for Vienna, why didn't you apply?"

"Life's pressures are too great."

Huai Shi sighed. "To tell you the truth, I was working part-time even before the exams. I even missed the disaster drill classes. I relaxed for a few days after that, and now more work is piling up..."

As he spoke, he took out his mobile phone to show the reminders on the screen, his expression gloomy. "They sent me several messages during the meal, urging me to go to work. It's bad enough with the overtime, and they don't even care if I get injured at work. When they heard I wanted to go to school, they started causing trouble for me..."

His genuinely melancholic eyes, coupled with the powerful persuasiveness that seemed to stem from the depths of his Soul, cast a solemn air over the entire dinner table. Everyone looked at Huai Shi with extraordinary pity and sympathy. The wealthy young woman sitting next to Zhuo Ling scrutinized Huai Shi's face, hesitating, wanting to speak but stopping herself. After all, having not yet experienced the harshness of society, she wanted to help him avoid a few years of struggle but didn't know how to offer without hurting his pride. After a long hesitation, she could only wave at the waiter to bring two more plates of meat, hoping this unfortunate classmate could eat his fill before his hard work.

Only Fu Yi, who knew the truth, couldn't help but let out a cold laugh. She was about to speak up and expose him when the girl next to her gently pulled on her sleeve, signaling that, after all, they were classmates, and she shouldn't be too harsh on Huai Shi.

Then, Huai Shi wiped away a feigned tear, turned his sorrow into appetite, and ate even faster. After finishing, he wiped the oil from his mouth and couldn't help but heave a long sigh.

His eyes shone with glimmering tears.

"My life is so bitter..."

Is life always like this, or is it only like this in childhood?

For a moment, the joy brought by the admission letters was extinguished by the chilling wind of societal pressures, leaving everyone feeling wistful. Seeing the mood dip, Zhuo Ling quickly raised his glass, changed the subject, and told a couple of embarrassing stories about Liao Jun as jokes, finally managing to liven up the atmosphere somewhat.

High school was over, and chances were they wouldn't see each other often after this.

By the end of the meal, the girls' eyes were red, and all the boys, except for Huai Shi, had drunk a bit too much. Huai Shi, however, was rather calm; about 750 grams of white liquor was like water to him, whether he was a Soloist or any ordinary Sublimator. The red bamboo wine of Yu Dai Shan was nothing special to him; it wasn't even as potent as the sake from Tengu Mountain.

Afterward, they all clamored to go to karaoke, calling friends and planning to sing their hearts out all night long.

Perhaps it was the alcohol talking, but after settling the bill, Liao Jun finally summoned his courage. His face red, he walked up, took Fu Yi's hand, and loudly confessed his feelings right at the entrance of the hotpot restaurant.

Watching this scene unfold, Zhuo Ling immediately started whooping and egging him on, while the other girls couldn't resist screaming.

Only Fu Yi looked helpless, trying to pull her hand back, but Liao Jun held on tight, and she couldn't break free.

She sighed in resignation. "Listen to me, Liao Jun, you're drunk. Can we talk about this tomorrow?"

"So, you've agreed?" Liao Jun was overjoyed.

Fu Yi looked down at her hand being held and suddenly said, "Honestly, you're hurting me, and we really aren't suitable for each other…"

"Am I not good enough?" Liao Jun's eyes widened as he persistently asked, "What's wrong with me, Fu Yi? I... I... Don't you understand my intention? Or is it that you already like someone else?"

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, his face was flushed with agitation.

Fu Yi calmly looked at him, lifted her hand, and one by one pried his fingers off hers.

"I've told you before, Liao Jun." She withdrew her hand and coolly told him, "I'm rejecting you, not because there's someone else, but because I don't want to be in a relationship, and because I have no feelings for you."

In the silence, Liao Jun stared at Fu Yi, unable to hold back his shame and anger.

"What if he wasn't there?" Liao Jun lifted his hand, pointing at Huai Shi, who was nearby with his bicycle. Huai Shi turned his head in astonishment, wondering why he had suddenly been dragged into this.

"Because of him?" Liao Jun asked furiously. "Because of this white-named face? Other than playing his instrument, what's so great about him? Fu Yi, how am I inferior to him?"

"Liao Jun, you're drunk," Fu Yi said, her expression turning cold.

"I'm not drunk!"

"You're drunk," Fu Yi emphasized for the third time.

Liao Jun opened his mouth, "I…" He stepped forward, wanting to say more, but then everyone heard the loud smack of a slap.

SMACK!

It was Fu Yi.

"Stop embarrassing yourself, Liao Jun. You're drunk. Wouldn't it be better to keep some dignity for yourself? And give me, and my friends, some dignity too?"

Fu Yi looked down, took a tissue from her pocket, wiped the grease and alcohol stains from her fingertips, then looked up at the pale-faced classmate in front of her. "I've lived for eighteen years. My parents raised me all this time—was it just so I could go to school to find a man? Or, in your heart, do you think I'm that cheap?"

"I... I…" Liao Jun waved his hands, wanting to explain, but under Fu Yi's gaze, he couldn't say a word.

"You're drunk." For the last time, Fu Yi told him, "Go home and rest. You will have your own life, and I will have mine. But our lives will not be the same."

She said, "Goodbye."

Liao Jun stood still, silent.

She turned and walked away.

Huai Shi sympathetically patted Liao Jun's shoulder, then got on his bicycle and pedaled to catch up with Fu Yi.

Only an awkward, painful silence remained.

After a while, Liao Jun sat wearily on the steps outside the hotpot restaurant, looking up at the sympathetic gazes of his classmates, then sadly hung his head.

"Don't be sad, alright?" Having hailed a car on his phone, Zhuo Ling came back and sat by his side. "If you're really feeling that bad, should I get someone to beat Huai Shi up for you? My cousin has some connections…"

"Beat him up? My ass!" Liao Jun looked up, glaring at him, and bellowed, "So what if I'm not as good as Huai Shi? Do I have to stoop to such a scummy level?!"

"What else then? Beat you up?" Zhuo Ling looked at him and countered, "It's just heartbreak, and we've graduated. Everyone's going their separate ways. Can't we just leave things on a good note with a good memory?"

After a pause, he couldn't help shaking his head. "Besides, I don't have the kind of composure to stand by calmly after being called a white-named face. Honestly, if Huai Shi had actually rushed up to hit you then, I really wouldn't have felt right stopping him. What did he even say? He said nothing. He came for a meal, you singled him out and insulted him, and he didn't even bat an eyelash. Do you see the difference now?"

Liao Jun was speechless.

"You lost thoroughly, my friend." Zhuo Ling shook his head, patted his friend's shoulder, and pulled him to his feet.

The car they'd called arrived, honking its horn. Zhuo Ling waved to the few remaining, embarrassed classmates. "Let's go. We'll sing a few more sad love songs for this idiot tonight... I'll go buy some more booze. A toast to this unlucky guy, and also to our classmates, Huai Shi and Fu Yi..."

Zhuo Ling took one last look at the direction they had left in and sighed.

Soon, the car carried them away, melting into the traffic and vanishing from sight.

The last small epilogue of high school thus came to a close.

And so, not too gracefully but with some dignity preserved, their youth—whether determined, stubborn, or even tinged with unwillingness—came to an end.

Under the same starry sky, on the gradually quieting streets, Fu Yi, riding on the back seat of Huai Shi's bicycle, suddenly asked him, "Aren't you angry?"