It Seems Like My Senior Seems to Like Me - Chapter 50

The year Ye Wanjia was born, May 20th was just another day in May. Now, with the date known as 520, it carried an added layer of romance beyond just a birthday.

She wore the dusty-rose long dress Pei Suye had given her, and Pei Suye wore the maple leaf brooch she had given him. These were small, ordinary gestures between young lovers, but seeing them made everything feel sweet.

“Every time I see her wearing that brooch, I remember her beaming smile when she received it—that’s probably the longest-lasting meaning of a gift.”

Ye Wanjia held the bouquet of roses the entire time, occasionally glancing at Pei Suye. When she noticed he was looking at her too, dimples forming, her heart fluttered and she shyly lowered her head.

They had planned to go watch a movie. Several romantic films were releasing on 520, and Pei Suye chose one starring the up-and-coming actress Ai Kexin. It was a campus story, with a light and cheerful pace, no melodramatic misunderstandings—an easy, enjoyable watch.

“Ladies, would you like a photo?”

As they walked out of the cinema onto the old street’s small alley, a young man stopped them. “We’re college students doing social practice, taking quick photos. Ten yuan per shot, printed instantly!”

Ye Wanjia immediately calculated in her mind: “Ten yuan? That’s not worth it.”

Pei Suye, however, scanned the code: “I think it’s fine. Today’s my girlfriend’s birthday, so let’s do a solo shot of her.”

Ye Wanjia objected: “No way! You don’t take solo shots on a holiday!”

The young man read the mood and quickly said, “Exactly! Since you’re a couple, you should take one together. Look at the big bouquet of roses! If it’s her birthday, I’ll take extra shots for you and give you the digital copies too!”

And so, Pei Suye was drawn into the idea of a couple’s photo. After the transfer, they stood side by side.

As high-value customers, the young man gave special attention, arranging them in the best-lit spot, adjusting the framing, focus, and composition perfectly.

“Alright, look at the camera. Three, two, one—”

“—Achoo!”

At the moment the shutter clicked, Ye Wanjia, facing the bright sunlight, couldn’t help sneezing.

“Oh no!” She clutched the roses, her face paling. “This one won’t do, let’s redo it!”

“Hehe…” Pei Suye chuckled at her nervous expression and approached the young man. “Let me see?”

The photographer, trying not to laugh, examined the shot. “Actually… it’s not bad.”

Pei Suye shaded the glare with his hand. In the photo, Ye Wanjia had her mouth slightly open, eyes closed, brows slightly furrowed—like a little rabbit dozing in a carrot field—vivid and full of life.

“Hmm, it looks cute. Let’s go with this one.”

Ye Wanjia ran over, trying to reclaim control. “Why just this one? No way!”

Pei Suye explained: “It’s adorable.”

“What’s cute about it? Your eyes are broken.”

“Cute means everything about it is cute.”

Ye Wanjia was utterly exasperated—this person! Ever since being together, all traces of her lady-like filter had vanished! He was always teasing her! Utterly annoying!

“Ha ha!”

Seeing her pout, Pei Suye laughed, showing his neat, pearl-like teeth, and coaxed her, pulling out his phone to pay another ten yuan:

“Alright, the ones I like are done. Let’s take one you like.”

Finally, Ye Wanjia’s face brightened. She smiled, but tried not to show too much happiness to keep him from gloating. She lifted her head proudly and let out a soft huff:

“Now that’s better.”

Yet her sensitivity to bright light was a problem. No matter how much she tried, she still sneezed—twice this time.

“Ha ha ha! Oh no!” In a playful, newly affectionate tone, she laughed with Pei Suye. “It’s ruined!”

“It’s okay.”

Pei Suye tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, revealing her smooth cheek, and suggested:

“Let’s do this: close your eyes, hold the flowers with both hands, and I’ll stand beside you. How about that?”

Ye Wanjia agreed without thinking; this would avoid more sneezes. “Okay. Your hand on my shoulder, I’ll smile with my eyes closed.”

Pei Suye’s eyes curved gently. “Alright.”

The photographer adjusted his camera for the third time: “Ready, focus set. Three—two—one!”

Just as the countdown ended, something soft touched her cheek.

“Huh?”

Her eyes opened, revealing her sparkling grape-like eyes. The mischievous someone had already stepped back, letting his hand fall from her shoulder, as if nothing had happened.

The photographer shouted, “This one’s perfect! Absolutely wonderful!”

Ye Wanjia ran over. In the photo, she held the bouquet, beaming with happiness. Pei Suye had his arm around her shoulder, slightly bending, gently pressing his soft lips to her cheek. Upon closer inspection, his eyes curved with tenderness as he kissed her.

Beautiful photo. Beautiful people.

“This is the one.” She bit her lip, her eyes full of joy.

They each took a printed copy and walked away, hearts full.

Meanwhile, the girl responsible for printing the photos squinted, noticing the couple’s identities from behind: “Isn’t the girl on the left the student council president from the Veterinary College? Pei Suye, right?”

“No way,” the young man said, delighted with the 20-yuan transfer. “They say Pei Suye is aloof, but she wasn’t cold at all. She kept looking at her girlfriend, joking with her.”

The girl nodded. “True, that makes sense.”

That day, both lovers gained something. For the birthday girl Ye Wanjia, besides the small cake at dinner, Pei Suye gave her the real birthday gift when they returned to the dormitory.

It was a handmade booklet.

Clearly handmade, yet meticulously crafted.

“This is…” Ye Wanjia’s knowledge was limited. “A journal?”

Pei Suye hesitated. “Strictly speaking, not really.”

His calm eyes fixed on hers, taking in every expression—after all, this was her first birthday gift for little Ye. Nervous but determined, he explained:

“I know you love writing. So I bought 19 novels. One for each year since you were born, all first published that year. I removed the covers and bound them into this.”

These weren’t random purchases—they were carefully selected, high-quality works by well-known authors from each year. The titles corresponded to her age:

• The year she was born: “When I Opened My Eyes to the World”
• Age 1: “Baby’s First Words”
• Age 3: “Back to Kindergarten”
• Age 6: “First Day in Uniform”
• Age 13: “Youth Doesn’t Mean Melancholy”
• Age 18: “First Taste of the Ivory Tower”
• Age 19, this year: “I Want to Love You Forever”

On the inside of each cover, he had penned, in elegant handwriting, a core sentence from each novel. “I Want to Love You Forever” read:

“Under the moonlight, I wish to love you with my tiny life. Now, and forever, day and night, every moment, until my last breath.”

The words, graceful and tender, seemed to spill out from the paper itself.

Support