JFWCM Chapter 54

Paper-Thin Affection

Amidst the bustling and fulfilling academic life of the Interstellar Campus, Yi Shang and Jiang Wan’yuan, along with their friends, were immersed in the exploration of knowledge. One day during a break, Yi Shang came to Jiang Wan’yuan’s seat as usual, intending to go to the next class with her.

Jiang Wan’yuan’s seat was by the window, and sunlight streamed onto her desk. As Yi Shang approached, she noticed an open diary on the desk, its pages gently fluttering in the breeze. Yi Shang had no intention of snooping, but the words “Yi Shang” caught her eye, and her gaze was involuntarily drawn to it.

Yi Shang frowned slightly, curious about what Jiang Wan’yuan had written about her in the diary. She knew it wasn’t right to peek, but an irresistible emotion compelled her to continue reading.

“Today the sun is shining brightly, like the way Yi Shang looks at me, gentle and bright. Every time I’m with her, I feel like I possess the entire universe. Although she always seems aloof and doesn’t talk much, I know that her concern for me is hidden in those subtle gestures.”

Yi Shang’s cheeks flushed slightly; she hadn’t expected that in Jiang Wan’yuan’s heart, her image was like this. She continued reading.

“I still remember the time I proposed an immature idea during the Interstellar Research Group discussion. Everyone was a bit skeptical at the time, but only Yi Shang seriously considered it and gave constructive suggestions, and she encouraged me to think boldly. Her voice was calm, but it was like the warmest encouragement to me.”

Yi Shang’s thoughts were drawn back to that discussion. She had only done what she thought was right, but she hadn’t expected Jiang Wan’yuan to remember it all along.

“And the last time I had a fever, I will never forget how anxious Yi Shang looked. She held me tightly, her eyes full of worry. At that moment, I knew that she was the most important person in my life. I hope to always be by her side, explore the mysteries of the interstellar world with her, and experience all the joys and sorrows together.”

A warm current surged in Yi Shang’s heart. She had always thought that Jiang Wan’yuan’s feelings for her were just habit and reliance, but she hadn’t expected Jiang Wan’yuan’s feelings for her to be so profound.

Just as Yi Shang was engrossed in reading, Jiang Wan’yuan skipped into the classroom from outside. She saw Yi Shang standing by her seat, her eyes on the diary, and the smile on her face instantly froze.

“Yi Shang, you…you’re reading my diary?” Jiang Wan’yuan’s face turned red all at once, both embarrassed and anxious.

Yi Shang looked up in a panic, a trace of guilt flashing in her eyes: “Wan’yuan, I…I didn’t mean to, the wind blew the diary open, and I saw my name written on it, so…”

Jiang Wan’yuan bit her lip and walked up to Yi Shang, closing the diary with a snap: “How could you peek at my diary? It’s all my…” She paused, her face turning even redder.

Yi Shang said softly: “Wan’yuan, I’m sorry, I know I was wrong, I shouldn’t have read it. But…but I was really happy when I saw what you wrote.”

Jiang Wan’yuan looked up at Yi Shang’s sincere eyes, and the shyness and anger in her heart gradually dissipated: “Hmph, don’t do this again next time. But…are you really happy?”

Yi Shang nodded slightly, gently holding Jiang Wan’yuan’s hand: “Yes, very happy. I didn’t expect that in your heart, I’m so important.”

Jiang Wan’yuan looked at the rare tenderness and sincerity revealed by Yi Shang and couldn’t help but smile: “Silly, of course you’re important. You’re my Yi Shang, one of a kind.”

At this moment, Jing Xiao and Zhang Yao walked over, saw the two holding hands, and Jing Xiao teased with a smile: “Yo, what are you two whispering about?”

Jiang Wan’yuan’s face turned red again, and she broke free from Yi Shang’s hand, pretending to be calm and saying: “No…it’s nothing.”

Yi Shang, on the other hand, had regained her aloof demeanor, but a hint of tenderness still lingered in her eyes: “Let’s get ready for class.”

The four walked towards the classroom together, and along the way, Jiang Wan’yuan occasionally stole glances at Yi Shang, still feeling a little embarrassed that her diary had been seen by her.

When they arrived at the classroom, Yi Shang and Jiang Wan’yuan sat together. In class, Yi Shang appeared to be focused on the teacher’s explanations, but in her heart, she was still thinking about the contents of Jiang Wan’yuan’s diary. She secretly resolved to cherish Jiang Wan’yuan even more and give her more sense of security in the future.

After class, Yi Shang and Jiang Wan’yuan strolled in the school’s garden. The garden was planted with various exotic flowers and plants from different planets, exuding a charming fragrance.

Yi Shang broke the silence: “Wan’yuan, I want to tell you that I also cherish the time we spend together very much. No matter what happens in the future, I will always be by your side.”

Jiang Wan’yuan looked at Yi Shang, her eyes sparkling with tears of emotion: “Yi Shang, I believe you. Actually, when I was writing in my diary, I was thinking about recording all our little moments, so that when we get old, we can slowly reminisce.”

Yi Shang gently put her arm around Jiang Wan’yuan: “That day will come. We will experience more things together and create more beautiful memories.”

Just as the two were immersed in a warm atmosphere, they suddenly heard an argument not far away. They followed the sound and found that it was Lin Jichuan and a classmate from another class arguing.

Yi Shang and Jiang Wan’yuan hurried over, and Jiang Wan’yuan asked: “Lin Jichuan, what’s going on?”

Lin Jichuan said with some grievance: “He insists that our achievements in the last Interstellar Research Competition were suspected of plagiarism. This is simply slander!”

Yi Shang frowned, looking coldly at the classmate from the other class: “You have to have evidence to speak. Don’t slander others arbitrarily without evidence.”

The classmate from the other class was a little intimidated by Yi Shang’s cold eyes, but he still stubbornly said: “Hmph, your achievements are so outstanding, I don’t think you did them yourselves.”

Jiang Wan’yuan said angrily: “You’re just jealous! You have no idea how much effort our team put in. Yi Shang researched the theory day and night, and we all worked together with one heart. How could we possibly plagiarize!”

Yi Shang took out her communicator: “How about this, we can go to the judges of the competition and let them judge. If we really plagiarized, we are willing to accept any punishment, but if you are slandering, you must be responsible for your words.”

The classmate from the other class didn’t expect Yi Shang to be so tough. He was a little scared in his heart, hesitated for a while, and walked away dejectedly.

Lin Jichuan looked at Yi Shang and Jiang Wan’yuan gratefully: “Thank you, I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

Jiang Wan’yuan said with a smile: “Why are you being so polite with us? We are a team, of course we have to face things together.”

Yi Shang nodded slightly: “Don’t be afraid if you encounter this kind of thing again. We’re all here.”

After this incident, Yi Shang realized even more that she not only had to protect the relationship between herself and Jiang Wan’yuan, but also had to protect the honor of the team together with her partners.

After returning to the dormitory, Yi Shang lay on the bed, thinking back to everything that had happened today. She knew that Jiang Wan’yuan’s diary had made her more clear about her feelings, and facing the doubts with her partners had also made her feel the power of the team.

The next day, Yi Shang came to the classroom early and began to prepare new research project materials. When Jiang Wan’yuan came, she saw Yi Shang’s focused appearance, and her heart was full of love. She quietly walked behind Yi Shang and covered her eyes: “Guess who I am?”

The corners of Yi Shang’s mouth turned up slightly: “Besides you, who else could it be?”

Jiang Wan’yuan let go of her hand and sat next to Yi Shang: “Yi Shang, let’s continue to work hard on the new project today. I’ve come up with some new ideas that might make our project even better.”

Yi Shang looked at Jiang Wan’yuan’s energetic appearance, her heart filled with warmth: “Okay, I’ll listen to you.”

In the days that followed, Yi Shang, Jiang Wan’yuan, and the team members devoted themselves wholeheartedly to the new research project. Yi Shang was still the core of the team, strictly controlling the theoretical direction of the project. Jiang Wan’yuan, with her creativity and cheerful personality, brought a relaxed atmosphere to the team, while also constantly putting forward novel ideas.

Lin Jichuan was responsible for communicating with other research teams, obtaining the latest research trends, and providing more references for the project. Jing Xiao and Zhang Yao played an important role in experimental operations and technical support.

When the project reached a critical stage, a tricky problem was encountered – the energy loss during the energy transmission process was too high, which seriously affected the overall performance of the project. Yi Shang spent several days in the laboratory, consulting various materials and conducting repeated experiments and calculations.

Jiang Wan’yuan was heartbroken to see Yi Shang’s tired appearance. Every day, she would bring Yi Shang nutritious meals, and occasionally tell jokes to make Yi Shang happy, hoping to relieve her stress.

“Yi Shang, look at this joke. An interstellar explorer got lost. He asked a passing alien for directions. The alien said, ‘Go straight ahead, turn left at the second black hole.’ The explorer said, ‘But I don’t have a compass, how do I know where left is?’ The alien said, ‘It’s very simple, your head will involuntarily turn to the left.'” Jiang Wan’yuan said vividly.

Yi Shang couldn’t help but smile when she heard it: “Wan’yuan, you always know how to make me relax.”

With Jiang Wan’yuan’s encouragement and support, Yi Shang finally found a solution to the problem. She successfully reduced energy loss by adjusting the frequency and circuit layout of the energy transmission.

As the project progressed, the day of the results presentation finally arrived. Yi Shang’s team, with their carefully prepared project results, stood confidently on the display platform.

Yi Shang concisely and clearly explained the principles and innovations of the project, Jiang Wan’yuan cooperated with a vivid demonstration, and Lin Jichuan, Jing Xiao, and Zhang Yao were ready to answer the judges’ questions at any time.

After the presentation, there was enthusiastic applause from the audience. The judges gave their project a high evaluation, believing that it had high practical value and innovation.

Yi Shang looked at the partners around her, her heart filled with relief. Jiang Wan’yuan excitedly hugged Yi Shang: “Yi Shang, we succeeded! This is the result of everyone’s hard work.”

Yi Shang gently hugged Jiang Wan’yuan: “Yes, thanks to everyone, and thanks to you for being by my side all the time.”