Chapter 7: No Longer Disturb Us
“Sorry, no.”
After saying those words, Lu Li breathed a sigh of relief, as if coming to terms with himself. He thought he would never be able to refuse Wen Hupo, just like the sun would always chase the moon, and warm spring would always follow the harsh winter, a natural law of the heavens, the way of all things. But when he had something more precious and cherished, he surprisingly found that Wen Hupo wasn’t so irreplaceable after all.
First love always lingered in men’s minds. Every woman they loved afterwards would carry a trace of their first love.
“No.” He repeated, as if to strengthen his resolve, or perhaps to cut off any lingering hope.
A faint smile appeared on Wen Hupo’s lips, but it was filled with an unfamiliar bitterness. “As expected of the Outstanding Representative, perhaps you’re not a scumbag after all, because what scumbag would refuse a free meal?”
With each word Wen Hupo spoke, Lu Li felt another illusion in his heart shatter. He didn’t want to continue this conversation. His usual conversations with Wen Hupo were flights of fancy and shared interests. Today’s conversation felt like an inquisition by the Crusaders. He didn’t understand why Wen Hupo was doing this. Even if it was for life experience, she shouldn’t be so aggressive. His mind was a mess, and he couldn’t think as calmly as usual.
“I’m leaving,” Lu Li said curtly, and turned to leave. Before he could exit, Wen Hupo called out to him again, “Do me a favor, can’t you?”
“No.” As he said those two words, he thought of An Baili and Chu Jingyi, and Sister Yameng.
“I won’t give up.” Wen Hupo was more determined, more stubborn than Lu Li had imagined.
“Okay.”
After Lu Li left, Wen Hupo’s faint smile disappeared. She slumped in her chair, staring at the maid outfit she was wearing, feeling like it wasn’t all that interesting after all. She swore that every word she had said to Lu Li was genuine and rational, carefully considered. If Lu Li was the “scumbag” she thought he was, he would have agreed without hesitation, and she could have used him without any guilt, without worrying about leaving behind any regrets.
But why did he refuse?
Wen Hupo pinched the hem of her skirt, her gaze unfocused. He was angry, she could sense it. It wasn’t an explosive anger, but a deeper, more subtle struggle.
And she had mistakenly believed that Lu Li would, as always, understand and agree with her, so she had said what she thought without hesitation. But the result was Lu Li’s rejection. Had something gone wrong? It seemed she still couldn’t see through Lu Li completely.
“Why did you say that?” Just as Wen Hupo was lost in thought, an unexpected voice startled her.
An Baili dropped the reports she was holding onto the windowsill. Her delicate eyebrows were furrowed in anger. “Wen Hupo, why did you say those things to Lu Li?!”
Wen Hupo was stunned. She didn’t understand why An Baili, who was usually so timid in front of her, was speaking to her in this tone. And what did she mean by “those things”? Had she been eavesdropping outside the door?
Wen Hupo didn’t respond, just stared at An Baili indifferently.
Her indifferent attitude infuriated An Baili even more. She shouted at Wen Hupo, “Do you think acting so aloof and self-righteous makes you superior? I’ve been disgusted by you for a long time! Since a long, long time ago, why should you get everything I ever wanted without doing anything? Why should you just stand there like a clay statue and receive all the blessings of life?”
I… I just don’t know what expression to make, what response is appropriate… Wen Hupo wanted to explain, but she felt that her explanation would be weak and powerless in the face of An Baili’s anger. So she chose to remain silent.
“Lu Li, he was… he was so… so… Why did you hurt him? Wen Hupo, what are you thinking?!” An Baili’s eyes were red. No matter in which life, Wen Hupo had a significant place in Lu Li’s heart. In her previous life, even though she became Lu Li’s bride, she could sense that there was always a golden shadow in his heart, a place that didn’t belong to her, and wouldn’t belong to anyone but Wen Hupo. Lu Li was actually a very resilient person. He always protected himself, but in front of Wen Hupo, he would repeatedly back down, repeatedly “suffer.” An Baili saw it all, and it made her heart ache.
“I…” Wen Hupo finally spoke, but her words lacked their usual quick wit. “I… I was just being honest… I didn’t want to hurt him… I thought… I thought…” She thought Lu Li was a playboy, someone like her, a person “without a heart.”
After taking a few seconds to organize her thoughts, Wen Hupo sighed. “I’m leaving.”
“…?”
“This semester, before it ends, I’m leaving China with my father, going back to my home country, and I probably won’t be coming back. I just wanted to leave behind some memories I could cherish forever… I don’t want to destroy your, Jingyi’s, and Lu Li’s relationship, but I don’t know any other boys besides Lu Li… I… I had no other choice.” Wen Hupo finally came up with an excuse.
An Baili’s anger subsided, and she gradually calmed down. “You don’t know, or you don’t want to know?”
“…” Silence.
“Why didn’t you tell Lu Li?”
“…” More silence. What was there to tell Lu Li? Did she expect him to show sympathy or concern? Or would he just shrug it off indifferently? None of those reactions were what she wanted. Only with Lu Li. In her mind, only Lu Li was a peer she could connect with on an intellectual level.
Her pride, her stubbornness, her clumsiness.
An Baili remembered the first time she saw them, how smoothly Lu Li and Wen Hupo’s relationship seemed to develop. Without her interference, without Chu Jingyi’s sudden appearance, they would have met, gotten to know each other, and fallen in love naturally. She realized that perhaps Wen Hupo was flawed when it came to love, just like her. It was Lu Li who had tolerated her, them, allowing Wen Hupo to have a happy life.
But this time, would Lu Li still tolerate her?
An Baili already had the answer. She picked up the reports on the windowsill. She and Chu Jingyi were supposed to go to the administration office for statistical work, but on her way back to the classroom, she decided to detour to see Wen Hupo, and unexpectedly overheard their conversation.
“Do you like Lu Li?” An Baili asked. This was the first time she could ask Wen Hupo this question so calmly and confidently.
“…No…” The answer was slow.
“Then that’s that.” An Baili turned to leave. “Do what you want. Promise me, leave China gracefully, and never disturb us again, okay?”
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