As She Wished - Chapter 1

After morning class ended, Fu Jing walked out of the lecture hall and looked at the long string of messages Qin Zijin had sent her on her phone.

The more she read, the tighter her brows furrowed.

Lowering her head, she typed a reply.

Fu Jing: [She still thinks of me as a love rival?]

Fu Jing: [My family makes keys. Ask her—]

She had not even finished typing the second half.

Qin Zijin quickly caught the joke: [Ask her if she’s even worthy of being matched, hahaha!]

But Fu Jing was angry and could not laugh. She sighed, somewhat irritated, and shoved her phone back into her pocket.

Blending into the stream of students leaving class, she slowly walked outside.

Less than two months had passed since the semester started, yet she had already run into three ridiculous incidents like this.

The first was a senior, who kept insisting Fu Jing liked him. According to him, the fact that she never looked him in the eye meant she was shy, and the fact that she never spoke to him meant she was introverted.

The second was a junior who inexplicably started pursuing her. When he failed, he wrote little essays confessing to her on the online confession wall every single day.

The third classmate was the worst. After his confession to Fu Jing failed, he found a girlfriend named Fang Jing, and the note he saved for her was actually her initials: FJ.

He posted screenshots of their chat records on Moments to show off their relationship, successfully making half the physics department think he was dating Fu Jing.

This person’s behavior finally made Fu Jing unable to hold back, so she asked Qin Zijin to hint at it to his girlfriend.

She had meant well, but in the end, that classmate Fang Jing strongly warned her instead.

She said Fu Jing had failed to chase him and was now trying to stir up trouble.

Whenever Fu Jing encountered things like this, she became especially irritated, but there was nothing she could really do about it.

Forget it.

She would just pretend nothing happened.

Fu Jing was walking under the shade of the trees when she suddenly noticed a sneaky shadow approaching her. At the same time, a hand patted her shoulder.

“Hey, pretty girl, how about adding me as a contact?”

The tone was asking for a beating, full of self-proclaimed humor.

Pretty girl Fu Jing turned her face, showed no mercy, and glared at her angrily.

“Huh?”

“Whoa! Why do you look so unhappy?” Qin Zijin jumped in fright and pulled her hand back. She hopped over to Fu Jing’s side and walked shoulder to shoulder with her. “What made our young lady so upset?”

Fu Jing shook her phone. “What do you think?”

“Because of those self-absorbed boys? Didn’t you never care about this kind of thing before? After all, with such a pretty face, it’s not strange for endless rotten peach blossoms to float your way.”

After saying that, Qin Zijin grinned cheekily again. “Can I borrow the printer in your office? I’m too lazy to run somewhere far.”

“Sure.” Fu Jing took out the student card on her. “I brought my card.”

So the two of them turned back toward the teaching building.

Fu Jing was the president of the Physics Society. Their society had its own separate office in the College of Science’s teaching building—because the society was especially boring and had an extremely high threshold, there were basically no other members, so it had gradually become Fu Jing’s personal space.

All the office supplies inside were complete and could be used freely. Its setup was no different from a professor’s private office.

Qin Zijin was delighted. “Thank you, babe.”

Fu Jing continued the topic from before. “When I was little, someone once told my fortune and said I’d have a romantic calamity at twenty. Either I’d get through it smoothly and live happily, or I’d be troubled by it and spend half my life depressed. So this year, I’m especially careful.”

“When did you start believing in this kind of thing?” Qin Zijin was greatly astonished. “Didn’t you say that science is your only faith?”

They went upstairs and turned a corner, soon arriving at the office door in the corner of the second floor.

Fu Jing took out her student card and swiped the lock open while saying seriously, “I’m someone who wants to do scientific research. Of course I’m a firm atheist.”

Before her voice had even fallen, she pushed the door open and walked in.

Qin Zijin followed behind her.

Only to see that, at some unknown time, an offering table and altar had been set up in the empty space in the middle of the office. Four framed pictures hung on the wall: Newton, Einstein, and, in the center, two immortals dressed in Daoist robes.

Fu Jing immediately walked over, closed her eyes, pressed her palms together, and bowed devoutly.

“May all you great immortals bless my paper so everything goes smoothly.”

Qin Zijin: “……………”

Qin Zijin: “Hello?”

The corners of Qin Zijin’s lips twitched. Unable to bear looking directly at it, she turned away and spun around in place a few times before finally digesting the fact that her good friend had openly set up an offering table and started practicing superstition in the office of a prestigious university’s College of Science.

“Can you explain this situation a little?”

“Explain what?” Fu Jing casually picked up a bag of original-flavor potato chips offered to Newton from the table piled with snacks and greeted her. “Do you want some?”

Qin Zijin glanced at it and hesitated. “These are chips for Newton. It doesn’t seem too good for me to eat them.”

“Why not?” Fu Jing looked completely puzzled. Holding the bag, she shook it twice and said, “Newton has blessed them. Eat more and maybe your IQ will go up a little.”

Qin Zijin accepted them. “That makes a lot of sense.”

So the offerings placed in front of the table were just being used to borrow the blessings of great gods…

As Qin Zijin opened the bag of chips, she looked over Fu Jing’s simple little altar, which was oddly down-to-earth.

“So do you believe in gods now, or are you doing some kind of dark humor?!”

Fu Jing helped her turn on the computer and connect it to the printer. She said seriously, “For scientific researchers like us, even if we’re firm atheists, after experiencing a few tragic rounds of having no ideas, producing no results, and being unable to write a paper, we basically all end up finding some god at random to worship. Because a lot of the time, success really is only three bows away.”

“Finding some god at random…” Qin Zijin ate the chips and guiltily glanced at the two immortals in Daoist robes in the center. “I suggest you watch your wording. Otherwise, if the gods you worship hear you, how hurt would they be?”

Fu Jing pulled out a chair. “It’s ready. What do you need to print?”

“You print it for me.” Qin Zijin handed her the USB flash drive from her pocket and instructed her, “Print one copy of everything inside.”

Fu Jing took it and operated the computer.

The machine made a buzzing sound as it started working. A blank sheet of paper was swallowed in and then spat out as the study materials she needed.

Qin Zijin sat down and nestled comfortably into the sofa. “You don’t have anything else to do, right? After this prints, let’s go eat. I’ll treat you to that newly opened Sichuan restaurant.”

“No.” Fu Jing opened a drawer, took out a blank sheet of paper, and seriously started writing a leave request. “My professor is coming back tonight. I need to quickly ask him for leave so I can go out and find a partner. So I don’t have time to eat with you.”

Qin Zijin almost failed to swallow her chips. “…Ask for what? Find what? What do you want to do?”

Fu Jing’s tone was completely flat. “I want to ask for leave, find a partner, and fall in love.”

Qin Zijin: “…”

Qin Zijin looked at this good friend, whose way of thinking had been different from others since childhood. After a long while, a thousand words finally condensed into one deep sigh.

“After so many years, you’re still like a mystery to me. Mysterious Girl Fu Jing.”

“What do you mean?” Fu Jing finished writing the leave request and looked up at her with a dark expression. “Can’t I turn passive into active? Can’t I fall in love?”

Qin Zijin sighed. “Then where do you plan to look? Do you think finding a partner is as simple as you studying physics?”

Fu Jing gritted her teeth. “May I ask what part of physics is simple—”

Qin Zijin said, “I meant for you.”

Fu Jing said, “How is it simple even for me?!”

Qin Zijin said, “We’re clearly the same age, but I’m still in my second year of undergrad while you’re already a second-year graduate student. Isn’t that enough to explain it?”

Fu Jing said, “If I studied your major, I would’ve graduated with a PhD by now.”

Qin Zijin said, “Bullshit! With your emotional intelligence, you still want to study literature? I think you wouldn’t be able to graduate in eight lifetimes!”

“…”

The two of them began a fierce bout of elementary-school-level bickering. In the end, Qin Zijin decided to personally take her to find a partner. This child had been simple-minded since she was little. It was truly hard to believe she would not be easily abducted by some bad person.

—

Jiang Jianhua, a doctoral supervisor in the physics department, was on his way back to school from a business trip when he received Fu Jing’s message asking for three days of leave.

When he returned to his office and turned on the lights, he saw a handwritten leave request pressed on his desk:

Personal Leave

Going out to find a partner. Requesting three days off. Please approve!

Fu Jing

Three short lines written on a piece of scrap paper.

Every character was written with crisp, forceful strokes that penetrated the paper, from which one could see how urgently the writer wanted to take leave and how open and aboveboard her attitude was.

And it was personal leave…

The corner of Jiang Jianhua’s mouth twitched.

Well, that was true. It really could only be personal leave.

—

After some discussion, the two of them arrived at the entrance of a well-known lesbian bar in the city.

Qin Zijin had often hung out at nightclubs in high school. Although, as a straight woman, she had never entered this particular place, she had long heard of its reputation.

Fu Jing tugged at her sleeve. “I’m a little nervous.”

“Nervous my ass.” Qin Zijin looked at her with disdain. Just then, the phone in her bag rang. She glanced at it, and her expression changed slightly. “My professor is looking for me… It’s definitely nothing good. You go in first and wait for me.”

“But…” Fu Jing opened her mouth, but before she could ask where she should wait inside, Qin Zijin had already dashed off to a quiet place to answer the call.

Fine…

Going in alone was going in alone.

Fu Jing walked past the two burly men in black guarding the entrance and pushed the door open.

The light was dim. An enormous wave of sound rushed toward her. In the dance floor directly facing the entrance, a small group of people were dancing. The booths were half occupied and half empty.

A rotating beam of light struck Fu Jing’s face. She narrowed her eyes and avoided it, then walked forward a few steps somewhat stiffly.

As she looked around, the customers in the booths more or less raised their eyes to glance at her. Then some gazes scattered away, while some continued lingering on Fu Jing.

Fu Jing did not know where to sit. She noticed a booth by the window, farthest from the stage. It was in a backlit area and looked quite hidden. She subconsciously walked over.

Only when she was a few meters away did she realize someone was already sitting there.

A woman sat alone, drinking, her body hidden in the shadows.

The stage lights, turning at random, suddenly cast themselves here. Colored lights rapidly alternated across her face, faintly illuminating her brows and eyes, yet not clearly enough.

Fu Jing could only see her side profile. Her nose bridge was straight, and her outline was perfectly beautiful. Her deep-blue silk blouse shone with a soft luster.

Her long hair was black and glossy, giving off a slightly cool feeling under the dim light.

Fu Jing’s expression became a little dazed.

Her gaze stared straight at the woman, and she had no idea how long she stood there stupidly.

Finally, the woman raised her eyes.

Her face met the not-bright-enough light source.

Their eyes briefly met.

Fu Jing held her breath, only feeling that the scene before her lightly faded into a silent void. In an instant, the stars became brilliant, and the universe stretched boundlessly.

As if they had known each other long ago.

As if they should not still be strangers.

Fu Jing’s thoughts froze.

A moment later, the thudding of her heartbeat shook her awake again.

Fu Jing’s throat moved, and she involuntarily walked over, wanting to get a little closer to her. She thought, she absolutely had to get to know this Sister!

The phone in her pocket suddenly vibrated.

She took it out and saw that it was a message from her advisor, Jiang Jianhua, who had just returned to school.

Teacher Jiang: [Fu Jing, aren’t you being way too arrogant?]

Fu Jing glanced at the phone screen, then looked at the woman sitting not far away.

She lowered her eyes and typed. After tapping out a few words, she paused.

Damn it. Right now, her mind was full of how to go over and strike up a conversation.

She had forgotten what she wanted to reply.

Teacher Jiang: [You only asked for three days of leave?]

Teacher Jiang: [Do you think finding a partner is that easy? Your senior searched for five years and still hasn’t found one, even after delaying his graduation!]

Fu Jing snapped back to herself: [Teacher, I’ve already found one!]

She stuffed her phone back into her pocket.

After taking a deep breath for a few seconds, Fu Jing walked over step by step, her head floating, and pressed her lips together into a sweet smile.

“Um…”

She stopped as soon as she opened her mouth.

She realized she had to raise her voice a little.

The music in the bar was very noisy. From that distance, a normal speaking voice practically scattered the moment it left her mouth.

Fu Jing stood there for a few seconds. Just as she gathered her breath and prepared to speak louder—

She was suddenly glanced at by the woman.

The woman held her glass, looking as if she might drink but might not. Her pair of long, slightly upturned phoenix eyes were clear in black and white, looking at Fu Jing with a smile that was not quite a smile.

She did not speak.

“Hello,” Fu Jing said nervously. “May I ask…”

She wanted to directly ask if she could have her contact information. Then she realized that she herself had once rejected countless passersby who used this exact opening line to strike up a conversation. That line was probably very lame.

Fu Jing’s words paused, and she fell silent again.

“…”

She wore a clean white shirt, a dark gray jacket, bright blue jeans, and an ordinary pair of ginger-yellow canvas shoes. Her face was pretty and young, and her whole body carried a pure, obedient student-like air.

The way her eyes did not know where to land made her look completely out of place. Anyone could tell this was her first time coming in.

The woman lifted her eyes, no expression on her face.

Her gaze paused on Fu Jing for a few seconds before she said, “The restroom is upstairs.”

Fu Jing: “…?”

She quickly reacted. She had been mistaken for a passerby borrowing the restroom.

She wanted to explain, but she did not know how to say it. She was already clumsy with words, and because she was too nervous, she even stuttered a little.

“N-no.”

What a joke… She was someone who never got stage fright when giving speeches.

Today, she had substitute-taught for her advisor in a large lecture hall, and even when a group of inexplicable school leaders suddenly came in and sat down to observe, she had not panicked in the slightest.

Breathe. Don’t be nervous. Don’t be nervous…

Fu Jing’s thoughts were a mess as she encouraged herself inwardly. It was just striking up a conversation. Could there possibly be any danger?

Her eyes looked toward the woman, then lowered slightly, not daring to stare too directly.

The hesitant expression on her face was far too obvious.

Gu Qingci felt that she looked like an elementary school student facing a teacher, not daring to raise her hand to ask for permission. So she turned her eyes away.

Casually, she called someone over for her. “An, come here. Take this kid to the restroom.”

Tao Xian, who was passing by, paused. She lifted a hand to brush her hair back, her gaze falling on Fu Jing.

“You need someone to accompany you to the restroom? Are you afraid to go alone? Little sister, how old are you?”

Her enunciation was crisp, and the slightly drawn-out questions carried a charming, pretty tone.

At the same time, her body leaned closer.

All at once, she was too near. Fu Jing smelled the faint fragrance coming from her hair and could not help taking half a step back, secretly opening up a little distance. But Tao Xian hooked her arm and pulled her back.

She smiled and said, “You’re even shy? All right, Sister will go with you.”

“No…” Fu Jing only managed to say two words before Tao Xian familiarly linked arms with her and pulled her toward the second floor. “Little sister, you should be of age, right? Why do you look like a high school student? High school students can’t come into our bar…”

And just like that, Fu Jing was taken away.

Thus, the beautiful conversation starter she still had not managed to think of directly came to an end…