Chapter 23: Long Night, Long Talk
“I’m sorry, I just wanted to play a joke on you.” Lu Li apologized sincerely. When dealing with someone like the class monitor, bowing one’s head and yielding was the best strategy.
“Don’t do that next time.” The girl’s voice sounded silly. She was clearly reprimanding him, but her tone was like a lover’s coquettish complaint.
“How did you get my number?”
“I’m calling you from my dad’s phone.”
No wonder. It was normal for Chu Xiaodong to have his number. Thinking about it carefully, he had left school without a word and skipped class for three days – tomorrow would be the fourth day – which was indeed not good. It wasn’t him who should have a headache, but the class monitor, Chu Jingyi. Thinking of this, Lu Li’s voice softened, “My sister has an important competition, and I wanted to witness it personally. I’m so sorry for the trouble I’ve caused you. When I get back, I’ll come to thank you personally.”
“N-no need to be so formal!”
Perhaps it was Lu Li’s gentle tone that startled her, or perhaps it was his overly formal words that made her feel at a loss. The girl quickly explained, “I don’t blame you. I’m just… worried about you.” Where were your principles, class monitor? On the first day of school, you were so serious about him not skipping class.
Chu Jingyi was definitely the kind of person who would make a great friend. She was generous, gentle, innocent, and selfless. Apart from being a little silly and a little gossipy, Silly Goose was a perfect girl. It was a blessing from the heavens to be friends with Chu Jingyi.
“Thank you, Jingyi.” This time, the address “Jingyi” had no other meaning, it was just a natural expression of the young man’s true feelings.
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a long time before Silly Goose’s voice came through, “When are you coming back?”
Just then, Chu Xiaodong’s voice could be faintly heard, “You little rascal, you’re siding with him too much! You sound just like your mother when she asks me about him!”
“Dad! Why are you eavesdropping on my call! Shoo! Don’t come upstairs! Mom!”
There was another round of commotion before he heard Silly Goose say angrily, “Don’t… Don’t listen to my dad’s nonsense. I’m just asking when you’ll be back so I can… write the report. You know, the class monitor has to write a report when a student takes a long leave. And the report…” She rambled on, all excuses to cover up her embarrassment. Lu Li listened quietly.
“Okay,” he replied softly. “I probably won’t be going to school this week. I’ll be back before next Monday.”
“Oh…”
They had finished talking, but Chu Jingyi didn’t hang up the phone. She didn’t speak either. Lu Li could only hear the girl’s soft breathing through the receiver.
“Hello? Are you asleep?” Lu Li didn’t want the atmosphere to become ambiguous, so he made a joke and was about to hang up.
“I’m not asleep. It’s just… just…”
“Just what?”
“Are you and An Baili really… that kind of relationship?”
How did the topic get to this? Lu Li was stunned for a moment, then realized that this was a good opportunity to explain.
“Of course not.”
“…You never talk to Baili, you don’t tell her about music, and you won’t let me give her your address… Do you hate Baili?”
“Yes.”
“Why? You… you…”
“I have nothing to do with her.” This was true depending on how you looked at it. In this life, he and An Baili really hadn’t had any interactions, so it wasn’t a lie. “I just simply hate her.”
There are two types of terrifying people in the world: one is an Arab with a backpack, and the other is a woman who will drag you down with her in real life. Whichever one is approaching, you have to turn around and run.
Just then, a man’s shrill voice came from the next room, “I have nothing to do with her~” The soundproofing of this rental house wasn’t very good. Although Lu Li’s voice wasn’t loud, it could still be heard if one listened carefully. As soon as the man finished speaking, the landlady abruptly got up and slammed on his door.
“Are you going to shut up while other people are having a private conversation?! If you make any more noise, get out!”
“Landlady, are you being unreasonable?! It’s this kid who’s keeping me awake with his phone call!”
“What I say goes! Sleep or don’t sleep, if you can’t sleep, go to work! You think you’re staying in a five-star hotel with the measly rent you pay?!”
The tenant grumbled a few times, not daring to talk back to the landlady anymore. Lu Li came out of the room and bowed slightly to the landlady apologetically, “I’ll go outside to answer the call.”
“It’s cold outside. Come sit in my room. I’m watching TV outside, I won’t disturb you.”
This time, the landlady was being genuinely kind, but Lu Li politely declined. He insisted on going outside to answer the call.
Walking onto the street at night, Lu Li finally had time to talk to the class monitor, “It wasn’t convenient to answer the phone just now. It’s fine now.”
Silly Goose had been listening quietly and finally spoke, “Lu Li, I’m sorry for bothering you…”
This girl had a habit of taking the blame on herself.
“…” Lu Li didn’t say anything because he didn’t know what to say. He was just waiting for the class monitor to hang up the phone, but Chu Jingyi didn’t seem to have any intention of doing so. Chu Jingyi was acting strange today. Did she have something to say?
“I’ll hang up if there’s nothing else. You should get some rest.”
“…Oh…” Chu Jingyi drew out her voice, her reluctance evident, just like a child who hadn’t grown up.
“I’m hanging up.”
“…”
“…”
Chu Jingyi suddenly laughed, “You liar, why haven’t you hung up yet?”
Lu Li sighed, “I’m just worried you still have something to say.”
“I’m fine now~ You should get some rest too. See you next week.” The girl’s mood suddenly improved for some reason. She hung up the phone on her own initiative, but a minute later, he received a WeChat friend request.
The profile picture was a golden retriever, smiling innocently.
[Likes Strawberries: Good night~]
Lu Li casually changed the remark to Silly Goose.
[Lu Li: Good night, good night.]
The city at night was exceptionally quiet. The evening breeze was gentle, and the neon lights in the distance were a blur. The world seemed to be divided into two halves: one half intoxicated with luxury and revelry, the other filled with the endless sounds of barking dogs and cicadas.
When Lu Li returned to the rental house, the landlady was still glued to the television. The handsome male lead in the drama was holding a dying woman and shouting, “No! Shuqin! How can I live without you! No!”
Lu Li felt that the woman could still be saved, as long as the screenwriter stopped writing such brain-dead plots. The landlady, on the other hand, was moved to tears. She wiped her eyes with a tissue and said, “Why is it so hard for lovers to be together? Sob, sob, you must cherish the people in front of you!”
Was she thinking of some sad past event? Her aura of a lovelorn older woman was showing. After chatting with Chu Jingyi, Lu Li’s mood had also improved a lot. He sat in the living room and watched TV with the landlady for a while before returning to his room and falling asleep amidst a chorus of snores.
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