When Hearts Collide: From Ashes to Love

Inside the lounge of the quiet bar, Yao Ning and Yao Qian were already there, along with a boy with delicate features. The moment Marian and the others arrived, Yao Ning stood up and introduced him: "This is my boyfriend, Wan Ming. Isn't he handsome?!"

Aaron gave a casual nod as a greeting; as for Yao Qian, his face was stiff with displeasure. Only Marian, with genuine politeness, introduced herself to Wan Ming: "I'm Marian, sophomore in Finance. Which department are you from?"

"I…uh…" Wan Ming scratched his head awkwardly. "I'm from the vocational college next door, majoring in Computer Science."

"Huh?"

Marian was taken aback but kept her composure so he wouldn't feel uneasy. "That's fine—Computer Science is in high demand. I hear the salary after graduation can be pretty high."

"Yeah, exactly!" Finally, someone appreciated him. Yao Ning grinned proudly, clinging to Wan Ming's arm. "I told you, look—handsome, plus studying comp sci. After you graduate, you'll definitely land a job at a big company and make great money."

Aaron gave a faint snort, but so quietly that only Marian noticed it.

At this point, Marian finally realized that Aaron's feelings toward Yao Ning were definitely more than mere friendship. A dull ache spread through her chest, yet she remained calm—no tears, no outburst. Her position was too awkward; even if she wanted to cry, there was no reason to.

Halfway through the drinking, Xu Huanran showed up with a new flame on his arm and plopped right down next to Marian. She instinctively scooted closer to Aaron. When her knee accidentally brushed against his, she murmured an apology, "Sorry."

Aaron said nothing, quietly switching seats with her.

Just drinking felt too dull, with no festive atmosphere. So Xu Huanran suggested, "Why don't we play a game—Truth or Dare, maybe?"

"Sounds great!" Yao Ning cheered, tugging Wan Ming along, arms raised in agreement.

No one else voiced an objection, silently consenting to the game.

They spun an empty wine bottle, which gradually slowed and pointed at Xu Huanran. He cursed under his breath and raised his hand in surrender before they could even ask him: "Dare—dare!"

Yao Ning smirked mischievously. "Then randomly kiss any guy's cheek in the room," she said, hugging Wan Ming tight. "Except my boyfriend."

"Damn!"

It was obvious she was forcing him to kiss either Aaron or Yao Qian. Noting the grim expressions around him, Xu Huanran had no choice but to grab Yao Qian and give him a forced kiss, earning a round of swearing and a swift kick to the backside.

The bottle spun again; Marian's palms got clammy as she prayed it wouldn't land on her. Naturally, fortune wasn't on her side. With sweaty hands, she bashfully chose Truth. Yao Ning was about to speak when Xu Huanran jumped in first: "Is your first time still…intact?"

Marian's mind went blank—she hadn't expected such a bold question for Truth.

"Yes, of course."

"Huh?" Yao Ning covered her mouth, glancing between Marian and Aaron. "So you two didn't do anything on New Year's Eve?"

Marian knew exactly what she meant and waved her hands in denial. "Of course not. We just took a photo outside the campus gate, and then I went back to my dorm." The private room fell silent.

Next round, the bottle pointed at Aaron.

Xu Huanran deliberately raised his voice: "Who's the woman you love most in your heart? Is she here in this lounge?"

A sly grin formed on his lips—he clearly intended to make Marian realize she didn't belong in their world.

Aaron, fully aware of this, glanced at Marian on his left. In a calm, unhurried tone, he said, "Following the rules, I'll answer only the first question. The woman I love most…would be my mother."

Marian exhaled in relief but, looking across, saw that Yao Ning's eyes had gone dull and empty.

At ten o'clock, Marian said she needed to leave, and Aaron stood to see her out.

"You're not drunk?"

Marian shook her head. "No." In truth, she hadn't touched alcohol the whole night—just a bunch of soft drinks.

"Alright then, get home safe."

Marian waved goodbye. "See you."

After a few steps, she heard him call from behind, "Message me when you get back to the dorm. Let me know you arrived safely."

"Mm-hmm!" Marian nodded vigorously.

Obediently, once she reached her dorm's entrance, she sent him a WeChat message—her very first to him:

"I'm back at the dorm~ [dancing emoji]"

There was no reply until after she'd showered and settled at her desk, when she finally saw his lukewarm response: "Ok."

That night, Marian lay in bed, unable to sleep for a long time.

She thought: Aaron is terrifying, like a poppy flower—intoxicating. Clearly, in the private room she'd made up her mind not to cross paths with him again, yet a single, effortless word of concern from him pulled her back in. She just couldn't bring herself to walk away.

She comforted herself: We'll keep interacting for a while longer, I guess. Anyway, once we graduate, we'll each go our separate ways.