Jiang Yuan still returned to the dormitory instead of staying in the apartment.
When she opened the door, her roommates had just woken up. Yu Huan squinted at her sleepily and mumbled.
"Yuan Yuan, you're back. It seems to be Christmas Eve today."
Jiang Yuan looked down at the date on her phone. It was December 24th, and tomorrow would be Christmas.
In a blink of an eye, half a year was almost over.
She remembered Chi Xu's pitiful plea before she left, but he didn't mention Christmas Eve at all.
Jiang Yuan was annoyed. Had he forgotten the tradition of giving apples on Christmas Eve from before high school after they'd been apart for three years?
He was supposed to be atoning for his mistakes. Didn't he have any plans for Christmas Eve?
Jiang Yuan decided that since it was still early, she'd wait and see what he would do next.
"Yu Huan~" Jiang Yuan crossed her arms and spoke in a flat tone. Catching Yu Huan as she walked out of the sink area, she asked, "What happened last night? Why did you all leave me behind?"
"Ah, this..." Yu Huan blinked her eyes, skipped over to Jiang Yuan, and grabbed her arm, shaking it. "You know, your bed is on the upper bunk, and you were drunk. The three of us couldn't carry you at all."
"Right. We couldn't let you sleep on the floor. It's cold, and you'd easily catch a cold." Su Kexin was brushing her teeth. She opened the door on one side and poked her head out to explain.
"Exactly!" Yu Huan nodded like a pecking chicken. "Chi Xu is a boy. He can't enter the dormitory building."
"Fine." Jiang Yuan reluctantly accepted this answer. She looked around and noticed one person was missing. She asked awkwardly, "Where's Lin Suye? Why haven't I seen her?"
"I don't know. She got up earlier than us. Maybe she went out." Su Kexin replied.
Just then, there was a knock on the dormitory door, and Lin Suye's voice faintly came through: "Please open the door for me."
Jiang Yuan stood behind the door and opened it. Looking down, she saw Lin Suye carrying a bag of apples.
Lin Suye might not have expected Jiang Yuan to open the door. She was slightly stunned, but then quickly came to her senses. Her eyes lit up, and her whole face seemed to come alive.
"Yuan Yuan, Merry Christmas Eve. Here's an apple for you." Lin Suye took out a big, round, and red apple and nervously held it out.
Jiang Yuan's gaze fell on the apple. She paused for a few seconds and said disdainfully, "It's just an ordinary apple. There isn't even a gift box."
The words lightly fell into Lin Suye's ears. Her eyes dimmed slightly, and she pursed her lips tightly.
She must still be holding a grudge about the time she'd deceived her.
Lin Suye stared at the big red apple. Its color was so vivid that it was almost blinding. She tightened her grip on the apple.
Suddenly, a shadow fell.
Then the apple in her hand was taken away. "Thanks anyway. I'm just about to have it for lunch."
Lin Suye was first stunned, and then a huge wave of joy welled up in her heart. Her eyes were slightly red. She took out another apple from the bag, hoping that Jiang Yuan would forgive her as much as possible. "One apple isn't enough for lunch. Have two."
Jiang Yuan gave her a speechless look. "Come on. I don't have such a big appetite. One is more than enough, and your apples are so big."
That kind of subtle familiarity and intimacy was fermenting in the air.
With just a look and an ordinary sentence, Lin Suye knew that the girl in front of her had mostly forgiven her.
"Ye Zi, what are you standing at the door for? Do you only want to give apples to Yuan Yuan? Are Kexin and I not worthy?" Yu Huan joked playfully to ease the atmosphere between them.
"No, no. I just haven't come in yet. Everyone will get one." Lin Suye lowered her head and quickly wiped the redness from her eyes with the back of her hand. Her smile was mixed with glistening tears, shining brightly.
She walked in and gave each roommate an apple. "I have quite a few here. If you want more, just take them yourself."
"Why do you have so many apples?" Su Kexin asked curiously.
Lin Suye explained, "My family sent them to me by express. They wanted me to share them with my friends."
"Wow. Your family is so nice. Please thank your uncle and aunt for me..."
Jiang Yuan washed the apple, leaned lazily against the sink, and looked down at Lin Suye who was joking with the other two. Suddenly, the corner of her mouth lifted, and she took a small bite.
Hmm, it was crispy and sweet.
The afternoon class started at four. Jiang Yuan took a nap. When she opened her phone memo again, there was no new message from Chi Xu.
She closed her phone expressionlessly, got out of bed, and went out with her roommates to the Duxing Building for class.
"Hey, isn't that Jiang Yuan? Merry Christmas Eve!" When they were waiting for the elevator at the elevator entrance, a girl asked in a hurry. She stuffed an apple into Jiang Yuan's hand and then ran away quickly.
She went down the stairs next door.
Jiang Yuan was stunned. She squeezed the apple in her hand. It was a small one. "Do you know her?"
"She seems to be from the class next door." Lin Suye scratched her head and gave an uncertain answer hesitantly. "But why did she give you an apple?"
"Your apple is so small. You can finish it in two or three bites." Su Kexin observed it with interest. "This kind of apple is called Honglu Apple. It's different from the ones we usually eat."
"Maybe she just gave it randomly." Jiang Yuan was starting to feel unsure of herself. She happened to bring a small backpack when she went out. She put the apple in it so she didn't have to carry it all the way.
She followed everyone downstairs. Just as they walked out of the dormitory building, another girl walked over. She gave Jiang Yuan a playful smile. "Junior sister, you're so beautiful. I've decided to give you this apple. I wish you peace and happiness."
Jiang Yuan took it hesitantly and took a closer look. It was also a Honglu Apple. "Thank you, senior sister. I don't have any apples with me..."
"It's okay. As long as you like it." The girl interrupted her and waved her hand, then left.
Apart from the apple Lin Suye gave her, this was the second apple from a stranger.
"Why doesn't anyone give me an apple?" Su Kexin grabbed Yu Huan's arm and shouted.
Yu Huan helplessly patted her on the head. "I don't have one either."
Lin Suye said quietly, "What about me? Aren't the apples I gave you Christmas apples?"
Yu Huan and Su Kexin immediately shut up.
Jiang Yuan put the second Honglu Apple into her backpack and continued to go to the classroom with her friends for class.
These two small apples were nothing. The backpack could easily hold twenty of them.
Along the way, all kinds of classmates enthusiastically gave her apples.
"Classmate, you're so cute. I like you so much. Here's an apple for you."
"Wait a minute, classmate. I want to give you an apple."
"I lost a game with my friend. She asked me to randomly give an apple to a stranger today. Classmate, I've decided it's you."
"..."