Chapter 18: A Chance Encounter on a Morning Jog
Lu Li woke up at 6 a.m. for a run. He didn’t usually have the habit of jogging in the morning, but the so-called “price” still weighed heavily on his mind like a mountain. Although a little exercise might not be enough to counteract the price, doing nothing and waiting passively wasn’t his style either. The only consolation was that An Baili’s price had indeed disappeared. She no longer experienced drowsiness or coughing fits, her complexion was improving, and every night she would snuggle into his bed, clamoring to have his baby, not stopping until she was flushed and exhausted. He was, after all, a young man of seventeen or eighteen, with the stamina to handle at least twice a night and still wake up refreshed the next morning.
At first, Lu Li would use condoms, but later, with the increasing demand, he just went bareback. An Baili didn’t mind, her waist writhing like a snake. Lu Li knew she was also enjoying the most precious time of her youth.
Youth…
Speaking of youth, Lu Li thought of Silly Goose. The little girl was becoming more and more partial to him at school. She wouldn’t nag him about homework, helped him with attendance and lunch, exempted him from cleaning duties, and even allowed him to tease her a little when they were alone. She would just say shyly, “…Don’t neglect your studies…” She no longer had the commanding presence she had last year.
Their three-way relationship wasn’t public. This was Lu Li’s request. Society’s judgment of women was often filled with prejudice, and girls were usually more sensitive to public opinion than boys. To protect the two girls’ reputations, Lu Li chose to keep their relationship a secret. He didn’t mind enjoying the blessings of two lovers, but he had to consider the girls’ feelings. He wouldn’t let the girls he loved become the target of gossip before the right opportunity arose.
Moreover, to truly be with Silly Goose, his real “enemy” was her father – Chu Xiaodong. Only when he was qualified to speak with Chu Xiaodong as an equal could he confidently declare, “I want them all.”
That day might be far away, but he wouldn’t give up.
Zou Yameng also started replying to his messages, which meant she had finally found a way to slack off and was getting used to the national team’s rhythm of life. She said the training was intense, but the schedule was very regular. The coach paid special attention to the athletes’ diet and sleep quality, even forbidding them from practicing privately during their free time. She also complained that her skills were only average in the second team. She had even played against a current member of the first team and was completely crushed.
When she couldn’t sleep at night, Sister Yameng would video call Lu Li. At first, their conversations were normal. But then, one day, they started wearing less and less clothes during the calls, and their conversations became increasingly inappropriate. There was no need to elaborate on the details.
As he jogged, Lu Li entered a clean and tidy street. This was the “rich people’s district” of Chuanhai, where most of the wealthy businessmen lived. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and was about to turn back when he saw the gate of a villa open. A petite maid in a maid outfit, freckles dotting her face, walked out timidly, muttering to herself.
What era was this, were maid outfits still a thing? Not the cute, stylized maid outfits from anime, but an old-fashioned, plain brown dress from Europe.
Just as he was curious, another person walked out of the gate. It was Wen Hupo. So this was where she lived?
He always felt that Wen Hupo was like a ghost, ethereal and unreal. During club activities, she always sat alone in a corner, observing them with her light-colored eyes. Wen Hupo, like him, was someone who disliked trouble. But she was even worse than him. Not only did she find social interaction burdensome, but even making facial expressions seemed like a chore to her.
Wen Hupo also saw him. Lu Li noticed the corners of her lips curve upwards in a faint smile.
“Good morning, Outstanding Representative.” Wen Hupo curtsied, her smooth blonde hair cascading down like a golden river, her demeanor as elegant as an old-fashioned aristocrat from the last century. Lu Li felt a hint of joy in her voice. Was she happy?
“Good morning, Miss Wen Hupo.”
“Why do you always look so nervous when you talk to me, Outstanding Representative?” Wen Hupo walked beside him.
“Do I?”
Of course he did. Lu Li hadn’t realized it himself, but he would subconsciously become serious and formal when facing Wen Hupo. This was because, in his heart, the blonde girl was like a holy and distant moon. How could the perceptive Wen Hupo not notice?
“Hmm.” The girl stood on her tiptoes, a rare girlish gesture. It seemed like she was in a genuinely good mood. Did something happen that made her happy?
“Have you heard about the recent news?” Wen Hupo suddenly asked.
“What news?”
“The Shenzhou royal family is publicly recruiting a son-in-law, a Prince Consort, is that the right term?” she asked. “In our country, this is an unimaginable thing. The marriages of high-society daughters are usually decided in private gatherings. They don’t even know what their future husbands are like. We are born as tools for our families.” Wen Hupo’s voice was tinged with sadness.
Lu Li’s heart skipped a beat. “Are you engaged?”
“No.” Wen Hupo turned her head, her unfathomable eyes staring straight at Lu Li. “You’re nervous again, aren’t you?”
“I’m not.” Lu Li insisted.
He didn’t want to see his white moonlight fall into the gutters of the mortal world, didn’t want to see the bright moonlight shining on any lake in this world. It was a selfish and despicable thought, but it was his true feeling.
“But I will eventually face the same fate as them.” Wen Hupo didn’t expose Lu Li’s lie. She looked ahead wistfully. “When I become an adult, or when I leave China, I’ll have to fulfill my duty as a daughter of the Amber family.”
“You can choose not to leave, or to refuse.”
“I don’t have a home, Outstanding Representative. If I leave the Amber family, I’ll be homeless.” Wen Hupo said this indifferently and then fell silent.
No home…
Even Lu Li wouldn’t say he had no home. A home wasn’t necessarily a place, it could be a person, an atmosphere, an environment. What kind of person had no home? Didn’t she even have family to confide in?
Lu Li was speechless. He realized that he might have understood Wen Hupo’s inner world, but he never knew about her outer world.
What kind of environment did this beautiful girl grow up in that made her so detached, so indifferent, so cold?
Leave a Reply