Falling Dreams, Rising Hopes: Saving Mr. Boyfriend

"Soooo? What's the story?" Su Lang put his arm around Feng Yue and dragged him along in the hallway. Yu Tian and Mei Qingyang were walking behind the two guys.

"Yue feels different this time," Yu Tian whispered to Qingyang on the side while Su Lang was forcing Feng Yue to tell them the truth about his disappearance.

"Hmm… I don't really know. Even if he is a guy, he recovered way too fast," Mei Qingyang put her hand on her chin and went into deep thinking. She was still not sure if he had really gotten over it or if he was just acting it out. Plus, his conversation earlier with Yu Rong, although he gave her a scornful reply, she was still not sure if he was suddenly in cahoots with her.

Ugh, she could not really trust anyone, could she?

But then, if she thought rationally, it would be too drastic to suddenly change his behavior of undying love for Li Sibao to getting vengeful over a rejection. What did she have anyway, to take revenge on? And if he really wanted to do something like that, why join Yu Rong? His one flick of a finger would be enough to take her whole family down.

Was she concerned for nothing?

Feng Yue finally got out of Su Lang's clutches. He glanced at the girl who seemed to be in her own world, and replied in a loud voice, "I can't be sulking over a girl all the time, can I? I have important stuff to do in life. If she can't reciprocate my feelings, I need to move on and find true love too."

Mei Qingyang heard his thoughts and stared at him wide eyed. Did… did he really say that? A month ago, he was practically forcing his feelings on her. He had been doing that for a long, long time actually. In their childhood, from her perspective, he had never even been at her side.

All he did was act frustrated with her. Children can be cruel, but her confidence had already hit rock bottom in her pre-teen years. The person whom she was engaged to, the person who she looked up to, that one person was the reason for her lack of self-respect. She had always thought of herself as a useless little girl, as he used to tell her. No matter how much she had tried, she was never good enough.

These are the things, usually parents do with their kids, knowingly or unknowingly. In her case, it was not her own parents, not her future parents-in-law but the person she was to spend her life with. What was her fault? Nothing. She had enrolled herself in so many classes, had overloaded herself with so much work, that she had remained sickly for a long time, without any idea of what was ailing her.

While her parents and future in-laws were quite encouraging, Feng Yue always mocked her. He made fun of her if she put in efforts and more so, if she stopped trying. Later, even in her early teen years, her life had started revolving around how to make him happy. She would come up with silly stuff just to see the guy smile once. But no, he was just always annoyed with her for some reason.

She had gone as low as doing slapstick comedy for him, just so that he squeezed out one smile. All she got were eyes telling her that she was disgusting for trying to get his attention.

When she had seen those memories vividly for the first time in the school prison, she had felt like a pathetic fool. She had all the means and talents to rise to the top of the world. Yet, she chose to spend all her efforts for one guy, who would not even respond to her feelings, much less reciprocate.

And so, when Feng Yue had declared that she was his first love and he was doing so in the past because it was his way of showing affection, she had felt regretful and ridiculous. Her parents had cursed her in their death because she had failed to get Feng Yue's enough attention. She had tormented herself over being the reason for her parent's misfortune.

It took her almost losing her own life to realize that botching down of her being, her soul was definitely Feng Yue's fault. She did her best. She went into depression because of all the ridiculing. And she did not have anyone to turn to either. She did not have friends because she was shunned for claiming one of the most prized families in the country.

And Feng Yue never introduced her to his friends. Her family would not believe how she had felt. It was just her imagination, or she just needed to try some more.

She only had one friend in form of her maid. Her maid was two years older than her. She had brought her as an assistant to the school with her. She wondered how she was doing and where she was. She remembered that she had to fire her whole staff at the end, but she could not bear to let go her best friend. Her maid was also an orphan to begin with, so she was okay remaining with her mistress. She needed to remember what happened with her in the end.

After going through so much, was it not okay for her to attempt suicide that time? To draw attention of media towards the heinous ways of the school and the wealthy? Towards the very people who destroyed her life? To take revenge on those outrageous people, on everyone, on the world?

Mei Qingyang's heart raced as her aura became darker and darker. Did she just regain another fragment of her memory? What were those dark emotions? If she would not stop herself, she would fall deeper and deeper in the blackhole of those feelings.

"What are you thinking about so deeply?" Yu Tian flicked her head with his finger. Mei Qingyang had a deep frown on her forehead and her nose had scrunched up thinking about her past. Her mind, that was struggling to come back to present, instantly calmed down.

"Uhh... nothing really," Mei Qingyang rubbed her head. Did she not have him now? What was there to be afraid of? But, she was scared. And scarred; and needed help. Li Sibao was part of her after all. There was a high chance that she would slip back into that loophole of self-deprecation and think of herself as worthless. 

This won't do.

"Senior Yu, can I… can I sleep in your room tonight?" she asked Yu Tian shyly.

Yu Tian's mind went blank on her question. This girl, who had been resisting all his advances for past three weeks at his home, was being so bold right now. Had she… had she finally made up her mind?

Both the guys who were bickering at the front, stopped at once. Su Lang's jaw dropped to the floor at his cousin's question while Feng Yue just stood there blankly. In the time he had not been there, had their relationship advanced so much, that there was no space for him anymore?

Although he had said it was time for him to find new love, but how could he really forget the girl he had for over twenty years in his heart? And that girl was now drifting towards one of his best friends. Should he congratulate her or should he go to a corner to cry?

"Qing Qing, are you okay? No fever or anything right? I could keep you company if you wish so," Su Lang became gravely serious.

"You are correct haha, I should have asked you first," she broke into a nervous laughter. She knew Su Lang was trying to help. But the question was, was she okay with anyone out of her closest people, or did it have to be this guy?

She looked at Yu Tian once again and then at the two guys. It seemed everyone was waiting for her answer, with concern written for her all over their faces. That was enough to touch her heart. She sniffled a bit. The feelings of emotions the had washed over were still lingering, and so it was easy to get emotional over the support she was seeing right now. This… should be enough for her to pass tonight at least, right?

"Uhh… never mind. I think I was not in the right state just now. I shall be okay in my room," she changed her mind. She could not be inconveniencing her friends over her. Furthermore, they all had important matches the next day.

"Are you sure? I don't mind it," Yu Tian asked once again, taking her hand in his and squeezing it a bit. His big broad rough hand compared to her small palm made her feel secure further. It would be okay, he was with her.

"Yes, I am okay."

She scolded herself. Why did she have to do such drama in front of everyone? What was this showing vulnerability to her friends. She was supposed to be the modern strong female lead of a . How was she getting so weak as she was discovering her memories?

Later in the night, while she was struggling to sleep, her memories still haunting her, she heard a soft knock on her balcony door. She got scared. Who could climb her balcony, she was on eighth floor with her room facing a deep valley? Did her spy friend visit her again?

"How did you come in here?" she asked, puzzled.

"My room is this one. I just needed to cross the wall," he grinned.

There was about three feet gap in between the two walls separating the two rooms. Once she realized this, she could not help but worry.

"It is so windy here! What if you, by accident, got yourself knocked over? What would have I done then? Could you not use the normal way?" she hit his c.h.e.s.t slightly. She had enough worries of her own, how dare this guy make her more worried.

Yu Tian felt exhilarated about the fact that she was so concerned over him.

"See? I am here with you now though. Why are you so sweaty though? I knew something was wrong. Want to talk about it?" Yu Tian checked her fever by keeping his palm on her forehead.

"No, I am really fine. Go back to your room, from the front door. We have a match tomorrow," she shook her head.

"Nothing is more important than you to me. The match can wait," he took her hand once again in his own and kissed her palm. Mei Qingyang's body went soft. She really liked the fact that only she could see his gentle side. Even his three friends must have not seen him like this. She was thoroughly enjoying this realization.

"Let's go. I will keep you company tonight," Yu Tian dragged her with him inside the room.

Once they lied down on the bed, Mei Qingyang fell asleep instantly in his arms. She had been on tenterhooks the whole day, first because of Yu Rong and then Feng Yue. Now she had her safety net with her, she did not need to think about anything. Come to think of it, she had developed too much trust for this guy. But in the back of her mind, she had not forgotten the face that she was dealing with Yu Rong's nephew.

They said keep your friends close, your enemies closer. She would say, keep your enemies' weakness closest to you.