A Billion Stars Can’t Amount to You

That night, he learned that the ”Cola girl” he’d been looking so long for was called Ji Yi. She was the granddaughter of his neighbour, Luo Nainai 1

, and the daughter of his mum’s friend.

That night, he was lectured by his parents for half an hour in front of her. Unlike before, he didn’t turn to leave in less than a minute.

That night, he was in a particularly good mood. After his parents’ long lecture, he replied with a single ”En”, which shocked his mum.

After Ji Yi left that night, he took a shower and lay in the bed he hadn’t slept in for a long time, tossing and turning.

That night, he hugged his duvet, smiling foolishly to himself as he repeated her name. Ji Yi, Ji Yi, Ji Yi. So it turned out her name was Ji Yi, and he’s called He Jichen. Ji Yi, He Jichen, He Jichen, Ji Yi. Their names endlessly intermingled in his mind when he suddenly thought of something wonderful: My name has your surname 2 .

Because of the relationship between their families, he quickly learned which class she was in.

He was in Class Nine of the third year while she was in Class One of the third year.

At school, he was the slacker, and she was the nerd.

For someone who previously disliked people who walked through the doors of Class One, he started to often pass the windows of Class One.

For someone who used to spend long hours away from home, he started to come home on time every day.

He slowly learned that she’d been in Suchen for over a year, and had known He Yuguang for over a year now. Because of his rebellious behaviour, he often came home late before, so he missed out on over a year of getting to know her.

They were late to know each other by over a year—he’d never be able to make up for that time. She called He Yuguang ”Yuguang Gege 3 ,” but he was ”He Tongxue 4 .”

Although He Yuguang was mute and unable to speak, whenever she came over to his house, she mostly chatted with him. He Jichen tried to look as though he wasn’t bothered at all, but behind their backs, he sneakily found a way to secretly eavesdrop.

Later, he learned that He Yuguang didn’t call her ”Xiao Yi”, but ”Manman.”

But at the time, he was so confident to think that these little nicknames were nothing because one day, he would be just as close as to her as He Yuguang.

He Yuguang had a nickname especially for her, ”Manman,” but he had one for her too, ”Cola girl.”

So one day, when he accidentally saw Ji Yi write the words ” I only see you 5 ”, he didn’t feel anything. It was just a phrase with the words ”Yuguang” and ”Manman”? He had one too! It was ”My name has your surname.”

...

The back of his chair was suddenly knocked as He Jichen snapped out of his reminiscing.

Because he was lost in his own thoughts for so long, it took some time to realize where he was. Then he abruptly turned his head to see that Ji Yi drank quite a bit. She looked like a drunken mess as she swayed out the doors of the bar.

She didn’t pay the bill, so the waiter stopped her. She must’ve been really drunk because her vision was blurred and she didn’t understand what the waiter was saying at all.

He Jichen hurriedly got up, walked up to her and reached his hand out to help steady her swaying body.

After paying for both their bills, He Jichen walked out of the bar with Ji Yi.

She couldn’t even walk. He bent over and carried her on his back to where he parked his car.

Just as they were about to reach the car, while in a drunken mess, she started to murmur, ”I don’t want to get married, yet I think that’s all I can do...”