When Hearts Collide: From Ashes to Love

Marian arrived in class the next day for her finance lecture, only to find hushed whispers and curious glances everywhere she went. The moment she sat down, she heard two girls behind her whispering:

"Look at her—so plain-looking. Wonder what stroke of luck got her a whole night with the campus idol Aaron."

"Shh, keep it down. Maybe she's good at… certain things, haha."

Marian bit her lip, digging her nails into her palm under the table until it turned red.

Yes, she wasn't pretty. She wasn't fair-skinned, her eyes weren't big, her nose wasn't dainty—just another face lost in the crowd. But so what? Ninety-nine point nine percent of the world was made up of "plain" men and women. Besides, she hadn't even done anything with Aaron the night before. They'd only, bizarrely, taken a photo at the school gate, and now people were spreading tawdry rumors. She was furious—seething, even!

But Marian was a coward; she dared not talk back.

"Hey, you two—did you eat crap for breakfast? Your breath sure stinks! I suggest you head back to your dorm and brush your teeth before coming to class!" Zoe's voice rang loud and clear, so everyone in the lecture hall heard.

The two gossiping girls behind them turned pale, skulking away to the last row in silence.

Moments later, the instructor arrived, and the class quieted down.

Marian was profoundly grateful to Zoe. She pulled out her phone to send her a message:

"Lunch is on me~ [heart emoji]."

"OKK," Zoe replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and shooting her a thumbs-up.

Unfortunately, that lunch never happened.

Marian found herself facing a stunningly beautiful Yao Ning, so gorgeous that Marian felt self-conscious just looking at her. Plenty of male students openly stared, but Yao Ning was used to it and remained unruffled. She smiled broadly, and when she smiled, her large eyes curved into crescent moons, her long lashes fluttering like butterflies. "So you're Aaron's girlfriend, Marian? Great, that makes us all friends now! Right?"

She knows Aaron too?

"I…" Marian started, but before she could finish, Aaron was already beside them, forming a lovely tableau with Yao Ning. He asked, in a measured tone, "Why are you here?"

Yao Ning clung to his arm, pouting playfully, "I heard you got a girlfriend, so I came to meet my future sister-in-law."

Marian's cheeks burned. "I'm… I'm not…"

But looking up, Aaron and Yao Ning had already walked off, leaving her behind, unsure whether she should follow.

Had they actually invited her along?

"Marian, come on!" Yao Ning waved at her, smiling radiantly. Marian clutched her canvas bag, hurrying to catch up.

"By the way, Marian, do you have class this afternoon?" Yao Ning asked.

Aaron frowned. "You should ask me, not her."

Yao Ning nudged him. "That's so rude. Of course I'll ask the girl first—right, Marian?"

Marian felt nothing but awkward, like some extra in the background, uncherished by the one funding her role.

"Um, no class," she answered.

Yao Ning beamed and linked arms with her. "Great! Then let's have Aaron treat us to a nice lunch, and we can introduce you to his rowdy friends."

The fancy spot was a high-end western restaurant downtown, one Marian had only seen on TV. Yao Ning asked her preferences, but Marian, self-conscious, merely said, "Anything's fine." She'd never eaten real Western cuisine before, so she had no idea what she might like.

"In that case, I'll order for both of us," Yao Ning decided. "A medium-well steak and a plate of pasta." She winked at Marian. "The portions here are small, so you won't have to worry about putting on weight."

So thoughtful… but Marian had never worried about getting fat—only about not getting enough to eat.

Soon, the "rowdy friends" of Aaron's arrived, taking seats across from Marian. One was Yao Ning's brother, Yao Qian, who lived up to his name: modest and polite, speaking in a gentle way that put people at ease. But the other one wasn't so friendly.

Xu Huanran gave Marian a once-over, frowned like he was constipated, then bit his tongue.

Marian found out what he wanted to say when she came back from the restroom:

"So, Aaron, what's the deal? I was excited all day, and you end up dating some ugly chick? That's a slap to your face, man!"

"She's not just ugly—she's so painfully shabby. I bet that ratty down jacket of hers cost under a hundred. I'm telling you, dump her now! One more look at her and I lose my appetite!"

Aaron finished cutting the steak on his plate and slid it over to Marian's seat, casting Xu a frosty glare. "If you're that bothered, you can leave."

"Xu Huanran, all you do is go on about 'ugly girl.' If you ask me, you're the ugly one. Go look in a mirror for once!" Yao Ning also stepped in to defend Marian.

Xu Huanran, accustomed to the gang's typical banter, was so offended he stormed off, bag in hand. Yet at the corner, he ran smack into Marian's impassive gaze. He hesitated, turned red, and left in a wordless huff.

A heavy mood settled over the table, but Yao Ning remained cheerful, chattering away. Marian felt a sudden stab of regret. She shouldn't have come.

She recalled her grandmother's teachings: be sensible, watch people's reactions, don't lose your head just because someone treated you kindly—they might just be being polite. Indeed, Aaron and Yao Ning had likely only invited her out of politeness, whereas she had taken it seriously.

Shame and humiliation pressed in, making her want to vanish on the spot.

She barely ate a bite, and on the way back, Aaron drove her to campus. It was the first time she realized some college students had cars of their own.

Before she got out, Aaron finally spoke his first words to her that day. "Don't let it get to you—he didn't mean it."

Marian looked up, confusion in her eyes. After a moment, she realized he was making excuses for his buddy, implying she shouldn't be upset and should graciously brush it off. That was what Aaron wanted, right?

"Okay," she replied, giving him what he wished for.

Just before leaving, she remembered his coat still in her bag. "Here's your coat. I'm returning it."

Aaron took it without fanfare and tossed it into a nearby trash bin. "I told you I didn't want it anymore."

After that, she didn't see Aaron or Yao Ning again… until Valentine's Day, after winter break.

That day, Yao Ning opened a chat group, typing excitedly: "Guys, it's Valentine's Day!!!"

Yao Qian responded with a facepalm GIF. "Seriously, it's just Valentine's. If you're seeing someone, go enjoy it quietly. Why rub it in our single faces?" Woof woof!

Xu Huanran chimed in. "Excuse me, Qian, you're the only single one here. I have plans tonight!"

Yao Ning teased him to add his girlfriend to the group. Xu refused, saying, "Nah, might dump her soon—no point inviting her." This triggered a mini roast session.

Marian found the chat rowdy. She set it to "Do Not Disturb," occasionally scrolling up to see the logs, mainly to check Aaron's attitude. Finally, she spotted his message:

"Sure, let's get together. At the little pub near campus. I'll treat everyone tonight."

The group cheered. Moments later, Aaron @mentioned Marian. "You come too. We'll head over together after class."

Her heart pounded wildly, and she typed a simple "Okay" without hesitation.