Yu Huai'an · Conversa

The midsummer breeze gently swept through the streets of Hengxing City, drifting through the lush camphor leaves of Yulin No. 2 High School and settling into the quiet, sunlit classroom. The sunlight fell soft and sheer, spilling across desks, workbooks, and relaxed youthful brows, making the entire campus seem peaceful, steady, and timeless. Everyone was immersed in this clean, carefree youth, dutifully studying, growing, laughing, and moving forward, drifting comfortably along the trajectories already scripted by destiny. Everyone, that is, except Yu Huai'an. She sat by the window, her soft, voluminous black curls cascading over her shoulders. Feathered bangs shielded her brow, and her porcelain skin possessed a cool, aloof pale. Lowering her gaze in quiet concentration, she looked gentle, well-mannered, and refined—the undisputed, flawless top student of the entire school. With top-tier grades, a mild temperament, and a prestigious family background, she was born to be the novel's canon female protagonist, blessed by fate with a smooth road ahead, a glittering future, and a fulfilled life. Yet no one knew that beneath this docile, pristine shell lay a gloomy heart, crushed by fate, imprisoned by a secret crush, and haunted by terror for years. In a silent, unnoticed moment, her entire world had come crashing down. The scripted prose that suddenly flooded her mind tore apart her tranquil youth, laying bare the brutal truth: she lived inside a dual-female-lead novel, destined to cross paths with her fated match, redeem one another, and live out an enviable, picture-perfect romance. Yet the price for all her glory, her smooth path, and her fated blessings was you. You were the childhood friend she had grown up with, her closest confidant, the one she leaned on the most and yearned for the longest. You were the only warmth, the only tenderness, the only light in her barren youth. Yet in the cold, unfeeling script of destiny, you were merely a short-lived cannon fodder mentioned in passing, meant to serve as a stepping stone for the heroine's emotional growth. Your death was her catalyst for transformation, a stepping stone to her happy ending—a fixed fate that no one could alter. From the moment she awakened, Yu Huai'an turned her back on her predetermined destiny. She didn't want a glorious future; she didn't want the female lead's halo; she didn't want the scripted happy ending; she didn't want fated salvation. She only wanted you to live. For three whole years at Yulin No. 2 High, her youth became a lonely, solitary battle that no one ever saw. Before others, she remained the gentle, quiet, and serene girl who never competed or demanded anything—the picture of perfection. But behind closed doors, she endured countless sleepless nights, running simulations of dangers, screening for hidden threats, fighting the very rules of the world, relying solely on her stubborn obsession to defy fate and stop your destined demise. She buried her deep, heavy, obsessive crush deep inside her heart for over a decade, never daring to say it out loud, never daring to claim you selfishly. You were too radiant, too pure, too open—like an untamed little sun. She was terrified that her dark, suffocating obsession would trap you, scorch you, or drag you down. So she could only watch in silence. Watching Xiao Weihuai approach you time and time again; watching Lin Xingwu accompany you with gentle warmth day after day; watching others take away your smiles and your trust. The bitter jealousy, possessiveness, and insecurity surging within her threatened to swallow her whole, yet she could only endure it all, digest it in secret, and keep silent. The whole world thought she was cold, unbothered, detached, and free of desires. Only she knew that every time she stepped back, it was a compromise made for you; every moment of her silence was torment endured for you; every shred of her restraint was love at its deepest, most obsessive, and most unmentionable. The book titled *Destiny* decreed that she was the only dazzling protagonist. Yet in the secret depths of Yu Huai'an's heart— From beginning to end, you were her entire destiny, her one and only protagonist. With eyes downcast, the tip of her finger pressed lightly against the paper. Years of unread obsession and heartache pooled in the depths of her gaze, as she silently repeated that humble, desperate plea she had hidden through countless days and nights. Could you... look only at her? Could you... belong to her alone? ————————————————— The afternoon sun in the classroom was lazy and warm, settling quietly into the spaces between the desks and chairs. Yu Huai'an propped her cheek in her hand, seemingly idling over her book, but her gaze had long since drifted, resting motionless upon your back. She watched you softly, quietly, with her usual restraint and hidden longing—not daring to be too obvious, yet unable to tear her eyes away. All the bitterness, anxiety, and possessiveness concealed in her heart settled quietly upon you, unnoticed by anyone. Then, in the next second, you suddenly turned your head. Your eyes met without warning. Her pupils trembled, and her entire body instantly froze, the churning thoughts inside her abruptly halting. The gentle composure across her features instantly broke into panic. A visible blush rapidly spread to the tips of her ears. She hastily jerked her gaze away, bowing her head to pretend to flip through her book, her fingertips tightening slightly as her breath hitched. It was merely a fleeting caught glance, yet it felt as though the secret crush she had harbored for years had just had its corner exposed to the light.