Chapter 30: The New Deskmate
When Lu Li and the pubescent boy returned to the classroom with the new chair, Class 1 of the second-year liberal arts program was in an uproar. Lu Li saw the Class Monitor at the podium, busily taking notes, as the students below enthusiastically signed up for events, one after another. What was going on? Weren’t these privileged kids usually trying to avoid the sports meet like the plague?
Wen Hupo sat at Lu Li’s desk, casually flipping through his notes, while An Baili glared at her back, her cheeks puffed out like an angry pufferfish. Of course, glaring was all she could do.
“What’s going on? Why is everyone so excited?” Lu Li placed the chair at the back of the first row, far away from him and An Baili. Although he wanted to be closer to Wen Hupo, considering the feelings of his silly and clueless girlfriends, he decided to keep his distance for now.
Hearing Lu Li’s voice, Wen Hupo turned around, her deep eyes filled with curiosity. “Did you write this story in your notes? Is there a sequel? What happened to Xiaoguo in the end?”
She was holding a notebook with a plastic cover, the one where Lu Li jotted down his script outlines during his free time.
Reading other people’s private belongings without permission wasn’t a good habit. Lu Li frowned slightly. “Xiaoguo regained her memories in the end.”
“And then?”
“There’s no ‘and then’.”
“After she regained her memories, did Qiangzi come back? They must have had a happy ending, right?”
“Qiangzi died at sea. Xiaoguo remarried later, but she wasn’t happy.” Lu Li shrugged. Wen Hupo’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. “Then what about all the hardships they endured? Were they all meaningless?”
“Yes. The theme of the story is the impermanence of life, that good and evil aren’t always rewarded accordingly.”
Wen Hupo was silent for a moment, then closed the notebook. “You’re horrible.”
“Thank you for the compliment.” Lu Li pointed at the new chair. The boy with acne was standing next to the empty seat, obsequiously wiping it for Wen Hupo. Whether male or female, those in a disadvantaged position in a relationship were always experts at self-deception, thinking, “I’ve given so much, endured so much, why don’t they love me?” Wasn’t this a form of emotional manipulation?
Just as Lu Li believed, life was unpredictable, good and evil weren’t always rewarded, and effort didn’t always pay off. Staying true to yourself and respecting yourself was the only meaning of existence. If you didn’t even love yourself, how could you love others?
He glanced at An Baili discreetly.
“Miss Wen Hupo, your seat is here, please return to your own desk.” Whenever he talked to Wen Hupo, a dozen pairs of eyes would be on them. There had been rumors about Lu Li and Wen Hupo before. Her unusual behavior today would inevitably lead to speculation. Did they really kiss at the New Year’s Eve party? Did Wen Hupo fall in love with Lu Li because of that kiss? And now there was a complicated love quadrangle between Lu Li, An Baili, Chu Jingyi, and Wen Hupo?
Gossip was human nature. Primitive humans learned about the natural world by watching others, increasing their chances of survival. The students of Chuanhai No. 1 High School learned about the upper class through gossip, improving their own status in the school. There wasn’t much difference between them.
“No need, I discussed it with your deskmate. She moved to a new seat. From now on, I’ll be your deskmate, Outstanding Representative.” Wen Hupo smiled faintly, a very fake smile.
An Baili grumbled at her desk, but no one could understand what she was mumbling about. In front of Wen Hupo, she was as timid and sneaky as a mouse.
Lu Li paused, then realized that his unknown deskmate had already moved to the new seat with her backpack. She waved at him with a wry smile, a silent farewell. He had been her deskmate for a semester and a half, and he didn’t even remember her name. He was a terrible deskmate.
Lu Li hummed in acknowledgement and sat down next to Wen Hupo, his expression carefully neutral.
“Baili, why is the class so noisy? I could hear them from the corridor. The disciplinary teacher has been pacing outside our classroom.”
An Baili whispered in Lu Li’s ear, “It’s all Wen Hupo’s fault.”
“?”
“Wen Hupo said she wants to participate in the sports meet.”
So that’s why. Lu Li suddenly understood. Wen Hupo’s influence in this school was greater than he had imagined. He had even heard that some girls were imitating her clothing and mannerisms, creating a trend. She had a strong appeal among both boys and girls. What would others think when a girl like her said she wanted to participate in the sports meet? The boys would be eager to show off in front of her, wouldn’t they? And the girls, out of admiration or jealousy, probably wouldn’t want to be outdone.
But…
Was Wen Hupo even good at sports? Wasn’t she a klutz?
Among the girls he knew, Wen Hupo was definitely the most clumsy. All brains and no brawn. In his past life, when they went swimming together, she didn’t even dare to get into the water, just sat by the pool with a glass of orange juice, staring blankly. In Lu Li’s mind, it would probably take twenty Wen Hupos to equal one Zou Yameng.
Today was truly bizarre. Wen Hupo must have a fever. Lu Li looked at the blonde girl’s profile. Her skin was flawless, without the large pores common among Westerners. It was as smooth and delicate as cream.
An Baili said hatefully, “She’s doing this on purpose! She definitely remembers the past life!”
“What past life?” Wen Hupo turned around, startling An Baili.
An Baili hiccuped in fright. “Hic-no-nothing—”
Wen Hupo tilted her head and let out an “oh,” not asking further. Lu Li quickly handed An Baili a glass of water. “Count to four, then drink the water. It’ll stop the hiccups. Why are you so easily scared?”
An Baili looked like she was about to cry. “Don’t scold me. Hic.”
“Okay, okay, good girl, drink some water.”
“Okay…”
Wen Hupo silently observed their interaction, a faint, fake smile on her face. Was it because Lu Li had taught her, “When you don’t know what expression to make, just smile”? That smile made Lu Li feel uneasy.
With Wen Hupo taking the lead, almost everyone in Class 1 of the second-year liberal arts program signed up for an event. Wen Hupo was even more outrageous. She signed up for seven events. If it weren’t for scheduling conflicts, Lu Li suspected she would have signed up for every single event.
Sensing Lu Li’s scrutiny, Wen Hupo smiled and met his gaze. They didn’t say anything, as if communicating silently through their eyes. In the end, it was the shameless Lu Li who looked away, unable to hold her gaze… Wen Hupo puffed out her chest slightly, like a victor. Lu Li even saw her put his notebook into her bag. Hey, didn’t anyone teach you not to take other people’s things without permission?…
“Outstanding Representative, aren’t you signing up for any events? Why don’t you team up with me for the three-legged race?” Wen Hupo said with a smile.
An Baili bristled like a wary black cat. Fortunately, Lu Li shook his head. “No, I’m not participating.”
“Oh? That’s a pity.” Wen Hupo said casually.
“Hic—”
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