Category: I Don’t Want to Be Reborn With You

Chapter 9: The Tiger’s Tears

“Cough, cough…” Chen Jianing tried her best to suppress her cough. Seeing Lu Li looking at her, she quickly explained, “I saw people coughing in the video, and I felt so scared that I started coughing too…”

Was that really the case?

“It’s getting late, you should go rest now. We can talk about anything tomorrow.” Lu Li was also feeling heavy-hearted and didn’t have the energy to chat with Chen Jianing at the moment.

“Okay.” Chen Jianing’s small figure moved, walking hesitantly towards the door. She looked back and said, “I really don’t want to cough, really, you have to believe me.”

“Yes, I believe you.” It was important to reassure girls at times like this. After sending Chen Jianing away, Lu Li finally had time to check his phone and reply to his friends and family.

First, it was Chu Jingyi. Silly Goose’s messages were very much in line with her usual style, all forwarded official announcements, one after another. At the end, she added, “I’m very worried about you.” Lu Li felt warmth in his heart. He could imagine Silly Goose’s shyness and nervousness when she typed those words.

[Lu Li: I’m fine now, I’ll be back in Chuanhai soon.]

Chu Jingyi replied quickly.

[Silly Goose: You must take care of yourself…]

[Lu Li: It’s so late, why aren’t you asleep yet?]

[Silly Goose: I can’t sleep, can I call you?]

Lu Li was about to agree when he saw another message from the Class Monitor.

[Silly Goose: Never mind, I shouldn’t disturb your rest. Good night.]

[Lu Li: Good night.]

Lu Li stared at the words “good night” on the screen for a long time before switching to the next chat window. It was Zou Yameng.

[Sister Yameng: Can you buy a ticket back? I just called the station, and they said they don’t know yet, they’re waiting for a notice…]

This was Sister Yameng’s only message, sent half an hour ago. Lu Li didn’t need to think to know that his sister must be frantically looking for a way back, probably contacting Coach Dan. Lu Li quickly reassured his sister, relaying Chu Xiaodong’s promise, and finally received a reply from Sister Yameng.

She only replied with a crying emoji, without saying anything else.

An Baili didn’t have a phone and couldn’t send him messages. She was probably pulling her hair out in the low-rent district right now. After hesitating for a long time, Lu Li asked his sister to go next door to An Baili’s place to let her know he was safe. Sister Yameng replied with a big question mark, still not saying anything. Lu Li didn’t know if his sister would do it, or if there would be a conflict when she met An Baili…

Stop thinking about it!

Lu Li threw his phone aside, lay down on the bed, and sighed deeply. His mind was filled with all sorts of messy thoughts, such as what would he do if he was trapped in Mulan City forever? Where would he be buried after he died? How much would the funeral cost… It was all because of that unlucky Chen Jianing, making him full of pessimistic thoughts.

Lu Li tossed and turned in bed until three or four in the morning before finally falling asleep.

At eight o’clock in the morning, he was woken up by the ringing of his phone again. Lu Li opened his phone and saw an unknown number with an area code for the capital.

“Hello?”

“It’s Chu Xiaodong.” Chu Xiaodong’s words were concise and to the point. “Xiao Lu, the situation has been basically clarified. The disease spreading in Mulan City has been named Respiratory Syndrome A, or RSA for short. It’s a contagious and fatal disease that has been dormant in Mulan City for more than six months and only recently broke out due to the change of seasons.”

“There are currently over 4,000 confirmed cases in Mulan City hospitals, with over 1,300 deaths. Stay where your school arranged for you and absolutely do not come into close contact with any Mulan City residents. They are all potential RSA carriers. The early symptoms of RSA are indistinguishable from a common cold or fever. This information should be made public soon.”

“Okay.” Lu Li was secretly alarmed. Over 4,000 confirmed cases, with over 1,300 deaths. That meant one in four infected people would die?

“Take what I’m about to say as a heart-to-heart talk from an elder, not related to official business.” Chu Xiaodong changed the subject. “Mulan City has limited medical resources and simply cannot accommodate the growing number of patients. In other words, if you contract RSA, you might not receive timely treatment. Be mentally prepared.”

Chu Xiaodong’s words were already very polite, but the underlying meaning was so cruel that Lu Li felt a chill.

“The Mulan City government is in chaos right now, and our orders cannot be effectively implemented. For Yi Bao’s sake, Xiao Lu, you must, must pay attention to your safety. You can even stay in your room all day if you have to. I don’t want to see my daughter crying her heart out when I get home. Understand?”

“Don’t worry, sir.”

“Okay, I’ll hang up now.”

It seemed that it wasn’t just the people inside Mulan City who were troubled. The people outside the city were also unsettled by this sudden outbreak. After Lu Li washed up, the hotel staff brought him breakfast: dumplings and hot soy milk. The waiter also asked, “Is the person next door your friend? We knocked on the door when delivering breakfast, but there was no response…”

Hearing this, Lu Li suddenly jumped up from his chair and rushed to Chen Jianing’s room.

“Chen Jianing? Chen Jianing? Are you awake? It’s me, Lu Li.”

He waited for a long time, but there was no response from inside.

“Sir, do you need a spare key?” The waiter also pressed his hand to his forehead anxiously. “I’ll get one for you.”

“Thank you.”

Just then, Chen Jianing’s weak voice finally came from inside the room. “I’m here, no need for a key.”

“Open the door!” Lu Li was a bit anxious. “What are you doing alone inside? Don’t you know it’s worrying people?” Could this girl stop being so stubborn? Lu Li’s already bad mood worsened. What time was it…

Lu Li finally waited for the door to open. The moment he saw Chen Jianing’s small figure, all the anger he had bottled up suddenly dissipated. Chen Jianing slowly opened the door, only a crack, revealing half of her frail and pitiful body. The most heartbreaking thing was her eyes. They were red and swollen, as if she had been crying. Her nose was also red, with a trace of blood in her nostrils.

Lu Li sent the waiter away before asking, “What’s wrong?” His tone was unexpectedly gentle.

“I… you… don’t worry about me…” Chen Jianing’s voice choked with sobs. “It wouldn’t be good if you get infected too, just leave me alone… Sob…” She actually started crying at the end.

This was the first time Lu Li had seen Chen Jianing cry so vulnerably. In his memory, when Chen Jianing cried, she would usually raise her small face, clench her teeth, and make an expression like she was about to bite someone, while tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. Was this girl, crying like a wounded cub, really that Chen Jianing?

Chapter 8: An Ill-Timed Cough

“Okay, okay, I understand.” Lu Li hung up the phone, opened his laptop, and started searching for news about “Mulan City.” It was the teacher in charge of the Chuanhai No. 1 High School team who had just called. He said that the other students and teachers were locked down in a villa on the outskirts of the city and told Lu Li to stay in the hotel and not go out. The hotel had plenty of supplies, and they should wait for further notice from the school. As for the Academic Competition? Now was not the time for competitions.

Not long after he hung up the phone, a hotel staff member knocked on the door. He explained that due to the special circumstances, all districts were on lockdown. If they needed anything, they should contact the hotel staff, who would deliver it from the warehouse. They were advised not to go out unless absolutely necessary. After saying this long string of words, the staff member hurried downstairs, as if he had more important tasks to attend to.

The trending topics online were all related to Mulan City, such as “Zombies Appear in Mulan City,” “Mulan City Plagued by Black Death,” and all sorts of other wild speculations. Lu Li finally found a legitimate piece of news. A netizen posted a photo of a hospital, saying that there was an acute infectious disease spreading in Mulan City and asking everyone to stay indoors and cooperate with government control measures.

The overwhelming amount of news was all declaring one thing: Mulan City had changed.

Lu Li put on a jacket and walked out of the hotel. As he walked, he sent a message to Chen Jianing: “Where are you now?”

“Right outside where you’re staying.”

Lu Li looked up and saw Chen Jianing’s small figure and her large silver suitcase. She was stopped by the security guard at the entrance, looking extremely pitiful. Lu Li explained the situation to the guard and then led Chen Jianing directly to the fifth floor of the hotel. Their pace was quick, as if they were infected by the tense atmosphere of the city.

“Do you know what happened?” Chen Jianing was visibly nervous, her mouth chattering non-stop. “Oh my god…”

“I don’t know, I just woke up, my mind is still a mess.” Lu Li looked at the clock. It was eleven o’clock at night.

“I was waiting for the bus at the bus stop, I waited for a long time, but no bus came. Then I suddenly saw ambulances with their sirens on, speeding recklessly on the road. I was scared, so I wanted to walk back to school. But when I reached the end of the block, two policemen stopped me. They put up a cordon, made me take my temperature, and asked me to register my personal information. They said I couldn’t leave… But I was just going back to school…” Chen Jianing poured out all her worries, her face pale. It seemed like she was really frightened.

Is it really that serious?… Lu Li’s heart skipped a beat.

“And look at this.” Chen Jianing grabbed Lu Li and showed him her phone.

It was a short video of about ten seconds. In the video, three or four young men were walking on the road when they suddenly collapsed one after another, as if possessed. The title of the video was: “Deadly Virus Appears in Mulan City! Please Share!”

Chen Jianing’s hand gripping Lu Li’s sleeve tightened, crumpling the fabric. “What should we do? Is something really wrong? People were walking on the road perfectly fine, how could they suddenly faint? Do you think they fainted or… or died?”

“I don’t know.” Lu Li felt a bit irritated. This kind of situation beyond his control made him uncomfortable. “This video might not be real. Just relax.”

As soon as Lu Li opened his hotel room door, he rushed to his computer, logged onto the ticket booking platform, and tried to see if he could buy a ticket back to Chuanhai. At this moment, the people he was most worried about were his family and friends in Chuanhai: Sister Yameng, An Baili, and Chu Jingyi. Unfortunately, all train and plane tickets from Mulan City were suspended, and it was extremely difficult for private cars to leave the city.

He saw online that some people had taken antipyretics and driven on back roads to get out of the city. People trapped in Mulan City were trying every means to break through the government blockade, which in turn attracted criticism from residents of other cities. The online environment was in chaos. Some bullet screen websites were flooded with comments like “Witnessing history” and “Witnessing history”… It made Lu Li feel uneasy.

Mulan City had suddenly become an isolated island. Fish, shrimp, crabs, and even sharks were swimming around the island in a frenzy.

Lu Li turned around and saw Chen Jianing sitting on the floor, staring at her phone and constantly refreshing the screen. The blue and white light from the phone screen cast a gloomy and sorrowful shadow on her face.

“Do you have any family or relatives in Mulan City?”

“No, I came to university alone.” Chen Jianing finally tore her gaze away from her phone. “I already called my family. They want me to go home quickly and not stay here.”

“You can’t go back. All ways out of the city are blocked. Even the students from Chuanhai No. 1 High School can’t go back, let alone ordinary people.” Lu Li’s calm voice gradually calmed Chen Jianing’s anxious heart. She asked again, “What happened? People online are saying there’s a black death outbreak in Mulan City. Are… are we all going to die here?”

“It’s not the black death, it’s some kind of new infectious disease. The officials haven’t given it an official name yet.” Lu Li also sat down on the carpet, facing Chen Jianing. “You can only stay in the hotel for now, but the good news is that at least you don’t have to worry about food and water.”

“How long will this last?”

“I don’t know.”

Chen Jianing’s voice was tinged with tears. “I knew I shouldn’t have come out. It would have been better to stay in school.”

Lu Li didn’t have the time to comfort her now. After letting Chen Jianing calm down by herself, he left the room and went to the corridor to call Secretary Long back. He called three times, but the line was busy. Just as he was about to give up, Secretary Long called back. However, it wasn’t Secretary Long who spoke, but Chu Xiaodong.

“Xiao Lu, are you in Mulan City?” Chu Xiaodong’s speech was faster than usual, and there was chaotic background noise, as if he was in a crowded area.

“Yes.” Lu Li’s answer was calm and concise.

“Listen to me carefully.” Chu Xiaodong took a deep breath. “Do you have any symptoms of fever, headache, or cough?”

“No.”

“Good. Then don’t move, stay where your school arranged for you. Send your body temperature to Uncle Long’s account every day. I will send someone to pick you up as soon as possible. Remember, don’t come into contact with any Mulan City locals!” Chu Xiaodong’s tone was extremely serious.

Mulan City locals? Lu Li suddenly thought of Chen Jianing…

“Uncle Chu, what exactly happened?”

“A new virus has emerged in Mulan City. It’s estimated that the city will be locked down for at least three months. I’m flying to the capital to participate in the discussion on countermeasures. I don’t know much else. I’ll let you know as soon as I have any news. Oh, and pay attention to personal hygiene in the coming months…” His voice became intermittent towards the end. It seemed that Chu Xiaodong was very busy.

Lu Li hung up the phone, still pondering what Chu Xiaodong meant by “Mulan City locals.” He returned to his room and saw Chen Jianing still sitting on the floor. He was about to call out to her when he suddenly saw her covering her mouth and coughing harshly.

“Cough, cough…”

Chapter 7: Etiquette of High Society (Part 3)

The students of Chuanhai No. 1 High School were also very particular about their meals. They didn’t call it “eating,” but “feasting.” Dinner, for example, was referred to as a “banquet.” A large traditional round table was laden with all kinds of delicacies – it was said that some places preferred Western-style long tables. The teachers in charge sat at the head and tail of the table, with the children of officials on the left and the children of merchants on the right. Before the meal, one had to remember to dress appropriately, be well-groomed, avoid excessive flattery, and not act too reserved.

When Lu Li arrived with Chen Jianing, no one ushered them to their seats, so he sat down on the right side on his own. Chen Jianing naturally felt awkward in such a setting. She carefully followed Lu Li and said, “…I’m not very hungry right now, maybe I should go back first.” How could she not be hungry? She was clearly just afraid of embarrassing herself in front of so many people.

“Sit down, it’s just a meal, don’t mind them.” Lu Li pulled out a chair for her. Chen Jianing’s small body shrank in the chair, like a curled-up hamster, her expression stiff as a zombie. She didn’t even dare to turn her head, as if afraid that any large movement would attract everyone’s attention.

After a while, the waiter served tea. Chen Jianing’s delicate nose twitched slightly, catching the rich aroma of the tea. Her eyes lit up. “It smells so good, even better than my dad’s Biluochun.” She was a girl who loved tea. When she was a child, her grandmother would brew tea in a clay pot, using inexpensive tea leaves, and she could drink three or four pots a day. However, drinking too much tea could stain teeth, so she developed the habit of brushing her teeth frequently.

The waiter respectfully placed a ceramic teapot in front of Chen Jianing without closing the lid. There were also chopsticks, spoons, and other tableware beside it. Chen Jianing secretly glanced at Lu Li beside her and saw that he didn’t touch the tea in front of him. Did he not like tea? She looked at the others, and none of them made a move either. The girl endured for more than ten seconds, but she couldn’t resist pouring herself a cup of tea. She happily held the small teacup and started drinking. If she could let out a satisfied sigh after finishing the tea, it would be perfect.

Just then, Chen Jianing saw several girls suddenly covering their mouths and chuckling, their gazes frequently shifting towards her, making her feel uncomfortable.

What’s wrong? Never seen anyone drink tea before?

Chen Jianing thought angrily and poured herself another cup. Rich people were so troublesome, they even laughed at others for drinking tea.

A student sitting next to Lu Li nudged him lightly with his elbow and said with a smile, “Young Master Lu, tell your friend that’s not tea for drinking, it’s for the waiter to wash the tableware.”

His voice wasn’t loud, but it was enough for everyone to hear, including Chen Jianing. Chen Jianing’s face suddenly flushed red with shame. Looking at the teacup in her hand, she could only pretend that she hadn’t heard anything, staring at the table in silence, wishing she could find a hole to crawl into.

The custom of washing tableware with tea originated from Quanzhou. There was a particular way to do it. First, the tea leaves had to have a strong and mellow aroma. Second, the tableware had to be made of good wood, allowing the tea fragrance to permeate the wood and leave a lingering scent on the lips and teeth. People in Quanzhou initially used hot tea to wash chopsticks for disinfection. After it spread inland, somehow it became a form of etiquette and art.

Lu Li only then realized that this hopeless Chen Jianing had actually drunk the tea meant for washing chopsticks. He found it both funny and pitiful. He leaned closer and whispered, “Chen Jianing, you can’t drink this tea.”

Chen Jianing felt her brain burning, her ears turning red. She said in a voice as soft as a mosquito, “…So-sorry…” This voice was probably only audible to herself. She suddenly regretted coming to this place. She started to miss everything at school and at home. She didn’t need to look up to hear the whispers of others. Someone seemed to be laughing. They must be laughing at her, right? Lu Li must also think she had embarrassed him. Maybe he was cursing her in his mind right now… The more she thought about it, the more Chen Jianing felt like she was in the eighteenth level of hell.

She wanted to leave, but she was afraid that the act of getting up would attract too much attention. She wanted to pretend to be deaf and dumb, but she felt that would be even more embarrassing. No matter what she chose, it was wrong. Chen Jianing curled her small toes tightly inside her shoes, a thought floating in her mind: “It’s better to be alone after all.”

Lu Li sighed and suddenly reached for the teapot, pouring himself a full cup. “Is this tea so good? I’ll try it too.”

The student who had advised him earlier quickly stopped him. “Young Master Lu, you can’t be serious.”

For some people, they no longer had to worry about material things in their lives. Their pursuits had already ascended to the spiritual level. The phrase “losing face” was more terrifying than being beheaded.

Chen Jianing was also stunned and wanted to stop Lu Li. But Lu Li was quick. He gulped down the tea without any grace, not like he was savoring it, but like a street thug drinking beer. “This tea is not bad, what a waste to use it for washing chopsticks.” Lu Li smiled and poured himself another cup.

Everyone else at the round table was dumbfounded. All conversations ceased, leaving only Lu Li’s bold figure. They didn’t know whether to laugh or praise him. Could they laugh at him? He was a guest of the Chu family, and might even become a member of the family in the future. Could they praise him? That didn’t seem right either. He was just an ordinary person, and drinking the water used to wash tableware was too embarrassing.

The atmosphere suddenly became awkward. Everyone was watching Lu Li’s actions. Seeing him casually pouring tea, a strange thought popped up in everyone’s mind: Was this tea really that good?

“The aroma is strong but the aftertaste is lacking. The texture is smooth, not bad.” Lu Li put down the teacup. “Why are you all staring at me?”

“Uh… Young Master Lu, is this tea really that good? It’s…”

Lu Li interrupted him. “Whether it’s good or not, how would you know without trying it?”

These words did move some people. After all, they were all sixteen or seventeen-year-old teenagers. Although they had much more experience than ordinary teenagers, they weren’t necessarily more mature mentally. Seeing Lu Li’s determined and confident demeanor, these students actually felt a bit tempted. People were blind followers, regardless of wealth or status. The phrase “one call, a hundred responses” applied to every social class.

A girl with a youthful face secretly poured herself a cup, took a small sip, and said in surprise, “It’s actually quite good.”

Nonsense. The tea used to wash your tableware is specially provided, how bad could it be? Lu Li complained inwardly. Once someone started, more people followed suit. For a while, everyone was pouring themselves the tea meant for washing tableware, making the waiter standing by break out in a cold sweat. He cursed these little ancestors in his mind. If the manager saw this, he would be the one getting scolded.

“Young Master Lu has good taste. We almost missed out on good tea, haha!”

“That’s right, otherwise how could he catch the Prime Minister’s eye?”

Lu Li responded with a forced smile, knowing that they weren’t giving him face, but giving face to Chu Jingyi.

Chen Jianing was still in a daze when she saw Lu Li pour her another cup of tea, his expression gentle. “It’s just a meal, don’t overthink it.”

Chen Jianing stared at Lu Li’s face, her heart touched. Her voice choked with emotion. “Tha-thank you…” Her small hand holding the teacup tightened.

***

After the banquet, the students all went to a villa on the outskirts of the city for a party, leaving only Lu Li and Chen Jianing in the hotel. After resting for a while, Chen Jianing decided to go back to school. She dragged her heavy suitcase and didn’t look back at Lu Li. “Thank you for earlier… I was so embarrassed…” Her voice was soft and gentle, like a cloud.

The hotel floor was covered with soft carpet, making it a bit difficult to move the suitcase’s wheels. Chen Jianing walked haltingly. Lu Li picked up her suitcase, causing Chen Jianing to turn around. “What are you doing?”

“Helping you carry it.”

“No, thanks.” The soft tone from earlier was gone, replaced by her usual fierce demeanor.

Was that sarcasm? Lu Li couldn’t really tell with Chen Jianing. This girl mixed sarcasm and sincerity in her speech, making it difficult to discern her true intentions. When they reached the hotel entrance and were about to part ways, Chen Jianing suddenly stopped, frowned, and glared at Lu Li.

“What’s wrong?” Did he offend her?

“Add me on WeChat.” Is this how you ask someone to add you on WeChat?

Lu Li added Chen Jianing on WeChat. Her profile picture wasn’t some abstract figure, but a pink, lolita-style avatar. As the saying went, the pinker the avatar, the harsher the insults. The ancients were wise indeed. Before Lu Li could say a few farewell words, Chen Jianing suddenly dragged her suitcase and ran away, shouting without looking back, “Don’t ever contact me again!”

Lu Li watched Chen Jianing’s small figure disappear with a wry smile, gaining a deeper understanding of her contradictory personality. Wasn’t she running towards the bus stop? Could she even catch a bus with the traffic jam?

Lu Li didn’t worry about it anymore. He returned to the empty hotel and lay down on the bed for a nap. He hadn’t had a good rest since getting off the plane, and after dealing with the eccentric Chen Jianing, his brain was already exhausted. As soon as he touched the bed, Lu Li drifted off to sleep. He didn’t know how long he slept for when the ringing of his phone woke him up. Lu Li groggily picked up his phone and saw that he had over a dozen missed calls, from Sister Yameng, Silly Goose, and even Secretary Long.

He answered the phone. “Hello? Sis… what’s wrong?”

“Little Li, are you okay?” Sister Yameng’s voice was filled with anxiety.

“What? Of course I’m okay.” Lu Li’s mind cleared a little. “What happened?”

“Little Li, Mulan City is on lockdown! Where are you now?”

Lockdown? Lu Li pulled open the curtains, and the neon-lit Mulan City came into view. Under the dark sky, countless cars were jammed on the roads, their headlights pointing towards the distant city limits, like long dragons crossing a river. The colorful neon lights reflected on the glass, making this unusual scene even more surreal.

“There’s a major infectious disease outbreak in Mulan City! It’s been completely sealed off! No one is allowed in or out! Little Li, you…”

His sister’s voice on the phone gradually faded away. Lu Li put down his phone and stared blankly at the cars on the road. What was going on? Why was this happening, something that never happened in his past life? Was this also the butterfly effect? And what was this “major infectious disease outbreak”? Was it so serious that they had to lock down the city? What was this? A real-life Resident Evil?

There was an unread message on his phone, from that annoying girl with the pink lolita avatar:

“I can’t go back, can I come back to the hotel?”

Chapter 6: Etiquette of High Society (Part 2)

The hotel booked by Chuanhai No. 1 High School was called Mulan International Hotel, a property owned by a subsidiary of Huaji Group. The chairman of the group was also a school board member of Chuanhai No. 1 High School. The relationship was quite complicated, full of the subtle cultural connotations unique to Shenzhou. The common area at the entrance was paved with ordinary marble, polished to a shine. To the left was the lounge area, which included a sauna and massage rooms. To the right, the floor was covered with handmade silk carpets – it was said that the old woman who made these carpets had once worked for the Zhu family, though no one knew if it was true.

Chen Jianing, who was new to this environment, was immediately dazzled by the dazzling array of furnishings. Her family was just an ordinary middle-class family, how could she have ever seen such extravagance? She couldn’t wait to take out her phone and snap photos of every nook and cranny, brainstorming seven or eight different captions for her WeChat Moments. This was the most common thought in the minds of girls her age.

Lu Li led Chen Jianing to the fifth floor and explained the situation to the teacher in charge. The teacher politely let Chen Jianing stay in the vacant room next to Lu Li, only asking for her ID card to complete the check-in process.

As soon as Chen Jianing entered her room and saw the large bed covered with a dark red quilt, her eyes lit up. She threw herself onto the bed like a starving tiger. “This is the life I’ve always dreamed of~” Lu Li quietly placed her suitcase by the wall and replied, “Your dream is quite mundane.”

“What’s wrong with being mundane? Only you second-generations have the privilege to talk about dreams and love.” Chen Jianing rolled around on the bed, hugging the soft pillow, her small body almost completely sinking into the plush mattress. “The most vivid memory I have from my childhood is my mother counting banknotes one by one, preparing to pay my tuition fees the next day. She counted them once and then counted them again, afraid of missing a single bill.”

Lu Li had a similar experience when Sister Yameng gave him living expenses.

“I’m not a second-generation.”

“I don’t believe you.” Chen Jianing suddenly got up and pushed Lu Li out the door. “Okay, thank you. Now I want to rest for a while by myself. Bye, see you later.”

With a bang, Chen Jianing hastily closed the door, not giving Lu Li a chance to speak.

She’s still as rude as ever.

Lu Li wanted to continue persuading her to join his game development team. He knocked on the door, but there was no response. He could only return to his own room and continue swimming in the sea of knowledge. After reading for a while, he felt his stomach growling. He hadn’t eaten lunch. Lu Li went downstairs to the lobby, asked the manager, and was led to the dining area for lunch.

While eating, he happened to encounter the students from Chuanhai No. 1 High School returning from outside. They were gathered together, chatting and laughing, discussing whose villa to have a party at tonight. Someone saw Lu Li and came over to talk to him. “Young Master Lu, want to hang out with us tonight?”

Are we close? This thought popped into Lu Li’s mind. He smiled and said, “I don’t deserve to be called ‘Young Master,’ just call me Lu Li.”

“Young Master Lu is being modest.” Another girl said with a smile. “My uncle said he often sees you having dinner at Prime Minister Chu’s house. We’ll be relatives in the future. According to seniority, I might even have to call Chu Jingyi ‘niece’.”

Lu Li felt a little nauseous. These kids were only sixteen or seventeen years old, but they were already talking about “Young Master Lu” and “Prime Minister Chu,” speaking with bureaucratic airs. Talking to them felt like his soul was being tainted. Besides, would you really dare to call Chu Jingyi “niece” to her face? Did they really think Silly Goose was a pushover? He corrected them with a serious expression. “I’m just an ordinary person from the lower class. I have nothing to do with the Chu family. You must have misunderstood.”

“Perhaps.” The girl didn’t mind, covering her mouth with a smile. Seeing Lu Li’s refusal, the others didn’t insist and continued chatting and laughing as they walked deeper into the hotel.

On the other hand, after posting the hotel photos on her WeChat Moments with some artistic captions, Chen Jianing eagerly awaited likes. As expected, within half an hour, she had received more than thirty likes. Usually, her posts only received one or two likes. Some classmates who rarely interacted with her commented, “Did you strike it rich?” “Did you rob a bank?” “A hidden rich woman!”

Chen Jianing wasn’t satisfied yet. She also sent the photos to her dorm group chat, wanting her roommates to see that she was doing better after leaving the dorm. But all she received was a cold notification: “You have been removed from the group chat.” Her phone suddenly started buzzing non-stop. Some acquaintances she wasn’t close to sent her messages. Some were more subtle, asking where she was traveling, while others directly asked if she was a rich woman.

Chen Jianing didn’t reply to any of them. Looking at the red notification dots on WeChat, she suddenly felt a bit empty.

Yeah, it was quite pointless.

She looked around at the luxurious decorations of the hotel and then at her own scratched silver suitcase, which looked completely out of place in this upscale environment. No, it wasn’t the suitcase that was out of place, but her, right? She walked to the floor-to-ceiling mirror and looked at her reflection. The girl in the mirror had a wistful expression, messy hair, and was wearing clothes she bought online for a little over a hundred yuan. She had spent all her savings on mobile games and didn’t even have decent cosmetics. The only thing she could boast about was her relatively good looks.

This is pointless. She touched the mirror, leaving a faint fingerprint on the smooth surface. What am I doing? Just to get back at them, I ran to a place where I don’t belong with a stranger I just met, and I’m even feeling smug about it?

Did I get back at them? Yes. Am I happy? No. Why? I don’t know.

Chen Jianing suddenly grabbed her suitcase, took her room card, and walked out. She had changed her mind. She was leaving this place. She didn’t belong here.

The elevator door opened, and she bumped into Lu Li, who had just finished lunch and was returning to the fifth floor. Lu Li pushed the clumsy girl away, glanced at her suitcase, and asked, “What’s wrong? Don’t you like the room?”

“I’m sorry, I’d better leave.” Chen Jianing bowed deeply. “I thought about it carefully, and I think I should stay in the dorm after all.”

“Really…” Lu Li’s eyes held a hint of disappointment. “Have dinner before you go?”

“Well… okay.” She reluctantly agreed.

Chen Jianing hung her head, no longer as excited as when she first arrived. Her eyelashes were long, like a hazy cloud, casting a beautiful arc on her small face. Lu Li looked at her, but she was staring at the ground, lost in thought, like a canary longing to escape its cage.

Lu Li knew that he couldn’t keep her. He knew everything about Chen Jianing, but to her, he was just a stranger. This was probably the furthest distance in the world.

V3 Chapter 5: Etiquette of High Society (Part 1)

Chen Jianing sat on her suitcase, resting her chin on her hand, and asked, “Hey, is my game, Black Wolf’s Ring, really that bad? Why is your game’s positive rating still higher than mine even after I gave you so many negative reviews?”

Lu Li wanted to laugh. “Is it possible that your game quality is really not up to par? Using a 2D engine meant for visual novels to make an action game, isn’t that a bit too much of a stretch?”

“But I don’t know how to code.” Chen Jianing said dejectedly. “I have to go to school, where do I have time to learn coding?”

“You can say that to your friends, but not to your players.” Lu Li skipped another stone. The feel wasn’t right, it only bounced three times. “They don’t care if you know how to code or not, they only care if your game is fun.”

“They’re so hard to please.” She muttered.

That’s how the world was. Except for those close to you, no one cared about the process. The public only cared about the results. This was the reason why utilitarianism could take root in this world. Lu Li asked tentatively, “Do you want to join my team?”

“You came all the way here just for this?”

“Yes. What else? You thought I was really here for revenge? Am I that petty?”

“Kind of. You look shifty-eyed, not like a good person at all.” Chen Jianing nodded repeatedly.

No one had ever said that Lu Li looked shifty-eyed. From childhood to adulthood, only teachers and parents had praised his good looks. Looking at Chen Jianing’s cherry-like lips, Lu Li had the urge to sew them shut with a stapler. “There are three people in my team now, one is me, and the other two are in charge of music. We still need a planner and an artist.” Since reconciling with An Baili, she and Chu Jingyi had been working together on the music for the game. “I came here mainly to invite you to join us.”

Chen Jianing got up, picked up a stone from the ground, and imitated Lu Li’s stone skipping. But the small stone only touched the water once before sinking without a trace. She seemed a bit listless. “I can’t even find a place to live, how can I make games with you? Besides, I haven’t finished college yet. If I drop out, my parents will definitely kill me, and the gossip from my relatives will drive me crazy.”

“You don’t have to drop out, just treat it as a part-time job.” Lu Li also picked up a stone. “When skipping stones, pay attention to your wrist movement. Don’t throw it, pay attention to the shape of the stone, imagine you’re throwing a frisbee.”

Chen Jianing hesitated for a moment, then threw another stone according to Lu Li’s instructions. It bounced three times on the water. She immediately beamed with joy. “It really worked! You’re actually somewhat capable.”

After playing for a while, Chen Jianing’s mood visibly improved. “Alright, whoever you are, I’m going to find a place to rent. See you around. Oh, and I won’t give you bad reviews anymore, considering you taught me how to skip stones.”

“Okay.” Lu Li stopped his movements and looked at Chen Jianing seriously. “Do you want to live at my place?”

“?”

Realizing that he had caused a misunderstanding, Lu Li explained, “Our school booked a hotel, and there are many vacant rooms. You can stay there temporarily until you find a place to rent.”

Booked a whole hotel? The surprise on Chen Jianing’s face was uncontainable. “What school do you go to?”

“Chuanhai No. 1 High School.”

“Chuanhai No. 1 High School? Is that the Chuanhai No. 1 High School that’s always in the news for scandals?” Chen Jianing suddenly became excited, like a paparazzi who had spotted gossip. “The school where a student got into a car accident on the highway with four girlfriends the year before last?”

“Yes, that school.” Two years ago, a second-generation official, during his winter break in his senior year, drove his supercar on the highway with his four girlfriends. The five of them were fooling around in the car, which resulted in a tragic accident. The incident caused quite a stir at the time, and the pressure from public opinion even forced the parents of the second-generation official to resign. The four girls were also pitiful. It was said that they were all from poor families, blinded by money, and willingly became someone’s playthings, eventually dying in the car accident. Not only did they not receive respect after their deaths, but they were also condemned by everyone.

Chen Jianing suddenly had an idea. She wanted to stay at the Chuanhai No. 1 High School’s hotel, take some luxurious photos, and send them to those snobby roommates to rub it in their faces, making them regret their actions! This was the classic face-slapping scene in urban novels! The ostracized nobody suddenly turned into a rich second-generation, the ex was heartbroken, and the enemies regretted their past actions… Hehe, thinking about this, Chen Jianing’s smile gradually became smug.

“Uh, what was your name again?” She asked again.

“My name is Lu Li.”

“That’s a nice name, hehe.” Chen Jianing looked at Lu Li as if he were a fat sheep. “Can I really stay there? Just to be clear, I won’t sell my body. I’ll only stay for one day, just one day, and then I’ll move out. Is that okay?”

“…Of course. You can stay until we leave. Our teacher is very generous. Some students brought their families too.” Lu Li also smiled. This girl was really easy to read. She took the bait with just a little bit of teasing.

“Thank you so much, Lu Li!”

Chen Jianing was so happy that she wanted to pat Lu Li on the shoulder, but then she realized that he was just someone she had just met, so she awkwardly withdrew her hand. “So, what does your family do?”

“I’m an orphan. I’m not a second-generation anything, you don’t have to worry.” Lu Li took her suitcase. “Let’s go this way. I’ll take you there.”

“Really?” Perhaps because she had already argued with Lu Li online, Chen Jianing didn’t feel any sense of distance from him. “Have you read Legend of the City’s Heaven-Defying Prodigy? The male lead in that story pretends to be an orphan and meets the female lead who works at a car repair shop. Don’t think the same trick will work on me. Don’t even think about hitting on me.”

“Are you always this talkative?”

This question stumped Chen Jianing. She suddenly froze. Yeah, was she usually this talkative? When she was with her roommates, she often didn’t say more than ten words a day, and whenever she spoke, it was filled with gunpowder. She didn’t have any close friends at school either, and she always sat alone in a corner during class.

But why did she feel so relaxed when facing this man named Lu Li?

“I… I don’t usually talk this much.” She hesitated. “Maybe it’s your gentle aura that makes me want to talk more?”

Is that so? Lu Li shook his head inwardly. It wasn’t because of some aura. Everyone in society wore masks. They had different masks for colleagues, superiors, friends, and lovers. This was their “persona,” both a social rule and a pressure on individuals. Lu Li just happened to be the one who saw through her mask – through two unpleasant conflicts. The people who knew you best were often your enemies, and the people furthest from you were often the ones who loved you the most.

This was something he only understood in this life. After taking off his mask, he could forgive An Baili and face his true heart.

Such thoughts were too heavy for Chen Jianing. Lu Li didn’t explain, just smiled and replied, “Thank you for the compliment.”

“Don’t get it wrong, I wasn’t complimenting you.” For Chen Jianing, complimenting someone and making them happy was more painful than suffering a loss herself.

I need to find a chance to seal her mouth with tape. Lu Li thought.

He and Chen Jianing boarded the bus. Chen Jianing fell silent, and Lu Li habitually looked out the window. He noticed that the road leading out of the city had become extremely congested. Had something happened?

V3 Chapter 4: What an Awful Name

“You, you really came?”

The woman in front of him was petite and delicate, with delicate features, the typical appearance of a Jiangnan beauty. Her shoulders were narrow, making her look particularly slender, the kind of girl who could easily arouse a man’s protective instincts. In Lu Li’s mind, Chen Jianing was two-faced. She was always timid and hesitant in front of strangers, but boisterous and impulsive with those close to her. She was a bit like An Baili, but even more extreme.

Oh, and her most prominent characteristic was her love for saying the opposite of what she meant.

“Didn’t I say I was coming for you? Orochimaru, you really messed me up.” Lu Li said with a frown. “This is a great place, isn’t it? No one around, no one would know if I did anything to you, right?”

“You followed me?” Chen Jianing suddenly looked behind him. “Professor Wang, you’re here too?”

Lu Li didn’t turn around, just looked at Chen Jianing’s performance with a knowing smile. Chen Jianing swallowed and took two steps back. “Why didn’t you fall for it?”

Seeing Lu Li’s composed demeanor, she simply spread her arms. “Do whatever you want to me, I’ll consider it being bitten by a dog!”

If Lu Li wasn’t familiar with this girl’s temperament, he might have actually believed her words. Chen Jianing had the habit of carrying pepper spray with her. If he let his guard down and got close to her, he would definitely get a face full of pepper spray. She was, after all, a woman who could survive on her own in Mulan City, not a delicate young lady like Chu Jingyi.

Lu Li put on a lecherous expression. “Although you’re not that good-looking, you’re still a woman, hehe.” Chen Jianing’s shoulders slumped, suppressing her fear, and said tremblingly, “Re-really here? At least, at least find a hotel…”

“I can’t hold back anymore.” After saying that, he made a move to hug her. Chen Jianing suddenly pulled out a bottle of pepper spray from her pocket, a triumphant smirk appearing on her face. Just as she was about to press the nozzle, she suddenly felt her wrist tighten. Lu Li’s large hand had grabbed her right hand and snatched the pepper spray away.

“You…”

Lu Li shook his head inwardly. The current Chen Jianing was still a bit naive. If this were his past life, she would have already delivered a groin kick, even harder than Sister Yameng’s. How did he know? Well… it wasn’t convenient to reveal that. “Do you have any other tricks?” Lu Li tossed the pepper spray onto the grass.

Chen Jianing bit her lower lip, stared at Lu Li, and said nothing.

Words were meaningless now. She was just a small girl, with no advantage against a tall and strong man. And this was the most secluded spot by the river. Even if she screamed, it was unlikely that anyone would hear her.

This is terrible… I should have stayed in the dorm… If I hadn’t argued with them, I wouldn’t have encountered this pervert… She regretted it in her heart. The more she thought about it, the more wronged and regretful she felt. Then she thought of her parents who gave birth to her and raised her. The thought of her body being defiled by a pervert made her tears flow uncontrollably.

“Don’t cry.” Lu Li’s heart softened, and he no longer felt like teasing Chen Jianing. The anger in his heart had also vanished. “I was just kidding.”

Chen Jianing wiped her tears. “…Weren’t you here to cause trouble for me?”

“I was going to cause trouble for you. But seeing you in person, I’m not so angry anymore.” That was just mean.

“Who jokes like that?” Her tone was a bit angry.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

“You, you were really joking?” Chen Jianing still couldn’t quite believe it.

“Yes, yes. My name is Lu Li. I’m the developer of ***. We’ve talked on Valve.” Lu Li quickly explained.

Chen Jianing’s tears gradually stopped. She pouted and looked at Lu Li. “My name is Chen Jianing.”

My name is Chen Jianing. These simple words suddenly struck Lu Li’s heart. He felt as if he was back in his past life, meeting Chen Jianing for the first time. His first encounter with Chen Jianing was always accompanied by comical conflicts. The two of them, with completely different ideas, actually became business partners. Fate was truly wonderful.

“Can I go now?” Chen Jianing’s voice was still weak. “I have an appointment with a classmate at school.” An appointment with a classmate? It was clearly just an excuse to slip away.

“I won’t call the police about the doxing. Let’s just call it even, okay?” Chen Jianing asked weakly.

It seemed like he had backfired. Lu Li forced a smile. It seemed like he had made Chen Jianing distrust him. As expected, jokes should only be made between close acquaintances. “I’m sorry, I went too far with the joke.”

Chen Jianing didn’t reply, just snorted and ran away without looking back. Lu Li watched the little tiger flee in panic, feeling a little lost and guilty. Fate was truly a wonderful thing. They were fated in his past life, but in this life, were they fated to have no connection?

Ultimately, it was his habitual thinking at fault. He had been treating the current Chen Jianing as the Chen Jianing from his past life.

Feeling down, Lu Li sat by the river, watching the wind ripple the water’s surface and seeing a wagtail fly by. Before meeting Chen Jianing, he had imagined many conversations in his mind. He thought about bringing Chen Jianing into his development team, and he thought about helping her mediate her interpersonal relationships. But in the end, he suddenly realized that he was taking himself too seriously. He wasn’t a saint, how could everyone like him?

He deserved it.

He picked up a stone and skipped it across the water. He was an expert at skipping stones. He could make a stone bounce twelve times on the water at most. It didn’t seem bad to empty his mind like this and entertain himself by skipping stones. Just as Lu Li was engrossed in skipping stones, he heard rustling footsteps behind him.

“You’re still here?” It was Chen Jianing.

Lu Li’s mentality had changed now, and he was much calmer. “Why are you back?”

“It’s past two in the afternoon now, I’ve already had lunch. You’ve been skipping stones here for four hours?” Chen Jianing was a bit surprised. Lu Li only then noticed that she was dragging a suitcase behind her.

It had already been four hours? No wonder he was a little hungry. Lu Li continued skipping stones while saying, “I was just thinking about something, and I lost track of time.”

I like to think here too. Chen Jianing thought to herself. She scrutinized Lu Li and saw that he was still engrossed in skipping stones. A strange feeling arose in her heart, a mixture of empathy and schadenfreude. “I say, you didn’t come here to skip stones alone because you had a fight with someone, did you?”

“Yeah, someone like you who makes inappropriate jokes without considering the situation must be very unpopular.” Chen Jianing repeated what others had said to her, trying to strike a blow at Lu Li. She wanted to see Lu Li jump up and down, as if looking in a mirror.

However, Lu Li just smiled faintly and nodded. “Maybe.” He didn’t think he was a likable person either. He had always had very few friends. People always liked to associate loneliness with genius, but the truth was, genius was genius, and loneliness was loneliness.

Chen Jianing felt like she had punched cotton. She angrily dropped her suitcase and sat on the grass, lost in thought.

“What? Not afraid of me anymore?”

“If you were really a bad guy, something would have happened to me this morning.” She hugged her knees and stared blankly at the river. “I’m not stupid. After thinking about it carefully, I understood. You were just making a bad joke. Of course, you’re not a good person either. Good people don’t dox others.”

I didn’t dox you. Lu Li defended himself in his mind. I know you too well, why would I need to dox you?

Chen Jianing didn’t know why she came back here. After leaving Lu Li in the morning, she returned to the dorm. During lunch, she had another conflict with her roommates. After a big fight, she finally decided to move out and live alone. But after dragging her suitcase out of the school gate, lacking life experience, she didn’t know where to rent an apartment. After wandering around, she ended up back at the riverside she frequented, dragging her suitcase.

“Hey, what’s your name?” She suddenly called out to Lu Li.

“Didn’t I tell you already?”

“I forgot.”

So annoying.

“My name is Lu Li.” By the river, the stone skipped across the water, making a clear “plop” sound, forming a refreshing picture with the young man’s elegant posture.

“What an awful name.” She suddenly laughed, like an elf.

This was Lu Li and Chen Jianing’s first meeting in Mulan City, and it was also the last moment of peace before the storm arrived.

Vol 3 Chapter 3: The Foot-Picking Elf

Mulan City was one of the core cities in central Shenzhou. It had jurisdiction over nine districts, covering a total area of 5,600 square kilometers, with a permanent population exceeding 10 million. It was a megacity second only to Chuanhai City. Lu Li was no stranger to Mulan City, as he had spent his four years of university there in his previous life. As soon as he got out of the airport, there were staff members from the school to pick him up. The wealth of Chuanhai No. 1 High School was evident. As far as he knew, many students from other high schools who came to participate in the competition could only take the slow train and stay in youth hostels.

Besides the teachers, there were also a dozen or so boisterous students from Chuanhai No. 1 High School. They were well-spoken, well-dressed, and even the texture of their hairstyles seemed to hold some unknown meaning. They were typical children of privilege. Lu Li felt a strong sense of disconnect when interacting with them. He couldn’t even join their conversations. Although no one mocked him, the feeling of powerlessness, like a pebble dropped into a lake without making a ripple, was deeply ingrained in his bones.

At times like this, Lu Li missed Chu Jingyi. That girl was much more likable than these spoiled brats.

After checking into the hotel, several students discussed which bar to book for the night, and the teachers turned a blind eye. The parents of these students were either high-ranking officials or bank presidents, and they addressed each other as “Young Master” and “Miss.” How could the teachers control them? Then he heard someone say that their family had a property in Mulan City, with an underground garage filled with countless cars, and they invited everyone to go for a joyride that night.

Lu Li couldn’t stand it anymore and went back to his room alone.

Some people struggled to make a living in the low-rent district, while others indulged in luxury at the top of the world. The greatest sorrow between people was the inability to connect emotionally. You couldn’t empathize with me, and I couldn’t understand you. Even family members had their differences, let alone strangers?

He took out his textbook and reviewed the key points for the Academic Competition. When he saw the phrase “warm, fragrant jade,” he started missing the girls’ fragrance. He wondered what An Baili was doing at this moment. Was she dozing off in class again? Had she decided to let Lu Li support her for the rest of her life? What about Silly Goose? Was she taking attendance? Her ranking had dropped more than ten places in the last monthly exam. Although she didn’t say anything, Lu Li felt somewhat responsible.

His mind was distracted, and he couldn’t focus on the textbook at all. He simply got up and walked out of the hotel.

“Sir, do you need anything?” As soon as he went downstairs, he met the lobby manager, who was extremely enthusiastic. He looked at Lu Li’s Chuanhai No. 1 High School uniform as if it were the golden robe of a deity.

“I’m going to Mulan University.”

“Do you need us to drive you there?”

“No, thank you.”

“Have a pleasant day.”

Mulan University was where Chen Jianing studied. If he remembered correctly, she should have just started university and was having a falling out with her roommates, thinking about renting an apartment and living alone. This girl never seemed to get along with anyone, and she never thought it was her own problem.

It wasn’t difficult to find Chen Jianing. After years of knowing her in his past life, Lu Li knew her habits like the back of his hand. For example, when Chen Jianing was angry, she liked to find secluded and open spaces to be alone, often by the river. And she was angry twenty-five days out of the month, spending the remaining five days figuring out what excuse to use to get angry next time.

Truly the worst, worst girl.

While thinking about these disrespectful things, Lu Li boarded the bus to Mulan University. He didn’t need to enter the grand university campus. Just turn a corner and go to the canal next to the university, and he would definitely find a petite figure there.

His gaze scanned the sparse crowd, and Lu Li locked onto a barefoot girl by the river.

This girl, whom Lu Li considered the worst, was petite and delicate, only reaching his chest. She was tiny, not like a college student, but more like an underdeveloped middle school student. Her eyebrows were raised, her long hair messy and tangled, relying solely on her cute face to maintain whatever little charm she had. If Sister Yameng was an eagle and Chu Jingyi a swan, then Chen Jianing must be a tiger, not the majestic kind, but a clumsy little tiger that stumbled even when walking.

Chen Jianing sat barefoot on the grass by the river, her eyes distant. The gentle breeze blew fallen leaves around her, making her look like an elf in the wind.

Beautiful. Even Zhao Feiyan couldn’t compare.

If only she were mute. Lu Li thought to himself.

He hadn’t yet figured out how to start the conversation when he saw “Zhao Feiyan” rubbing her white and tender little feet with her hands, completely shattering the dreamy, elf-like aura. Could you imagine a girl squatting by the river and rubbing her feet? Even an old man doing that would be considered unhygienic.

Lu Li stood stiffly behind Chen Jianing, still able to hear the little tiger’s muttering:

“Where did this thorn come from? So inconsiderate, ugh…” Oh, so she was removing a thorn from her foot.

After examining her foot, Chen Jianing sniffed her hand. Not satisfied with one sniff, she sniffed again. Lu Li couldn’t help but cough lightly, interrupting the girl before she could do anything even more embarrassing. She was always someone who did whatever she wanted. Taking advantage of the fact that no one could see her here, she completely disregarded her image.

“?” Chen Jianing turned her head suspiciously and saw Lu Li. She instantly became nervous and reached for her shoes. “Who are you?”

She still had some sense of shame, becoming timid upon seeing a stranger. Lu Li actually felt a bit relieved. At least she wasn’t a hopeless idiot.

“You’re Chen Jianing?” Lu Li deliberately put on a stern face, his hands clasped behind his back.

Chen Jianing hurriedly put on her shoes. “I’m not Chen Jianing, you’ve mistaken me for someone else.” She was quite cunning, not stupid at all.

“Why did you take off your shoes here?”

“…”

“Do your own feet smell good?”

Chen Jianing’s face instantly flushed red. She was socially awkward and not good at interacting with people. No, it wasn’t entirely accurate to say she was socially awkward. She was afraid of communicating with people, but when offended, she would lash out like a tiger, often hurting others because she couldn’t distinguish between jokes and malice. Over time, Chen Jianing became increasingly reluctant to interact with people and preferred chatting online. She wasn’t always socially awkward, but she chose to become so.

Lu Li, who had touched upon her sore spot, was now the one poking the tiger’s whiskers, albeit a little tiger’s whiskers.

“What do you want? Do I know you? If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going.”

Despite being scared to death, she still managed to say those words with a straight face and attempted to walk past Lu Li, determined never to come here again.

But Lu Li shifted his body, blocking Chen Jianing’s path. “Did I say you could leave?”

“Are, are you crazy…?” Her voice trembled. “If you keep this up, I’ll call for help!”

Who would have thought that the tough guy who boasted online about being 1.89 meters tall, weighing 200 kilograms, and loving to lift weights would be such a timid little girl in reality?

“You got my game flagged for violation, and I’m here to settle the score. Orochimaru, remember me?” Lu Li revealed a malicious smile. This smile scared Chen Jianing so much that her face turned pale, and her eyes welled up with tears. “You, you really came?”

V3 Chapter 2: What Hundred-Year Event Could Happen?

Time rewinds back to half a month ago, to Lu Li’s birthday. Lu Li clicked on Chen Jianing’s profile picture and typed “Are you crazy?” in the chat box. After pondering for a long time, he deleted the message and sighed. Why bother arguing with Chen Jianing? This was just how she was, annoying as hell. Wasn’t he used to it already?

He would be leaving for Mulan City at the beginning of next month, and he would personally visit her to “thank” her then. Originally, Lu Li planned to bring her a gift, but now he was in no mood. Not sending her a box cutter was already considered kind. He spent over an hour deleting the violating comments and turning on automatic filtering, finally getting his game page back online.

Unexpectedly, before Lu Li could go find Chen Jianing, she took the initiative to contact him.

“So? Are you convinced or not?” He could sense her smugness even through the screen. How could this girl be so shameless? Not only did she do whatever she wanted, but she also did things that only harmed others without benefiting herself.

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll dox you?” Lu Li was a bit angry now, and his words weren’t polite.

“If you dare to dox me, I’ll call the police. Who’s afraid of who?”

“Fine, just you wait.” Lu Li replied, a mischievous thought suddenly coming to mind. “I’ll go see you in person next month.”

“Haha.” As expected, Chen Jianing didn’t believe him at all. “If you dare to come, I’ll beat you up so bad you won’t even recognize yourself! I’m 1.9 meters tall, weigh 200 kilograms, and I love lifting weights. My muscles are bigger than your head!”

Really? Lu Li chuckled, closed the chat window, and ignored the girl’s bluster. Didn’t she say the same thing in his past life? The two of them had a heated argument online and decided to settle it offline, but when they actually met, the girl was scared to death. According to her later account, she had stuffed sponge pads under her clothes, hidden metal rods in her sleeves, and called the police in advance, reporting a potential brawl at a certain location in a certain square.

Lu Li took a shower and was about to go to bed when he saw the gift Silly Goose had given him in his backpack. For some reason, he picked up the notebook and opened the cover, finding a line of delicate handwriting: “To my good friend, Lu Li.” There was also a cute smiley face drawn next to it. It was just an ordinary sentence, but Lu Li’s eyes inexplicably felt a little sore, and a wave of emotion surged in his heart. Simple, plain, sincere. Unpretentious words always had a way of touching people’s hearts.

He continued to flip through the pages. On the back of the second page, two stick figures were drawn. On the margin of each subsequent page, there were two more stick figures. Flipping through the pages quickly, he could see an animation of the stick figures making a pinky promise. There were 130 pages in total, not one more, not one less.

Lu Li opened his phone and found the girl with the golden retriever profile picture on WeChat.

[Lu Li: I really like the gift, thank you for your thoughtfulness.]

There was no reply. She must be troubled by what he said this evening. This girl probably couldn’t even eat peacefully now. Lu Li was about to turn off his phone when he suddenly received a reply from Silly Goose.

It was a heart emoji.

Lu Li was stunned, momentarily at a loss. Chu Jingyi wasn’t the type of girl who liked to use emojis, let alone send such an ambiguous emoji. Ordinary girls might send a heart emoji simply to express joy or excitement, but Chu Jingyi was definitely not one of them. She was a particularly serious, even old-fashioned and traditional girl.

For a moment, he had the illusion of time flowing backwards, as if he was back in his most innocent and ignorant age, restless because of an emoji sent by his crush.

He waited for a while with his phone in hand, but there was no further message from Chu Jingyi. The red heart on the chat interface was particularly conspicuous.

How embarrassing, to be flustered by a little girl. Lu Li laughed self-deprecatingly and decided to put this matter aside for now. He lay in bed for a while, and then his sister pushed the door open and entered. Sister Yameng had been acting more and more suspiciously lately, often barging in without even greeting him. Fortunately, he didn’t have the habit of rewarding himself, otherwise it would be embarrassing if he was caught.

Zou Yameng glanced at Lu Li and couldn’t help but pout, muttering something that Lu Li didn’t catch.

“What? Sis, what did you say?”

“I said a new person moved in next door, did you know? Seems like a girl about your age.” No, that’s definitely not what she muttered just now.

“I know, she’s my classmate.” Lu Li said frankly. “Her father lost custody for some reason, so she’s temporarily living in the low-rent district.”

“Your classmate? Why would she move to this kind of place?” Zou Yameng was suspicious. “Are you close to her?” Her frowning expression was like an old farmer worried about the neighbor stealing melons from his field.

“We’re pretty close.”

Upon hearing this, Zou Yameng suddenly became serious and stared at him intently until he felt increasingly uncomfortable. “Little Li, how come I don’t remember you having any close friends?”

“Of course I do, the one last time…”

“Isn’t the one last time the same as this one?”

“Uh…” He paused. “No.”

Zou Yameng felt a sense of crisis. She sat on the edge of the bed and nudged Lu Li with her long, white leg. “Do you remember what you promised me? No puppy love.” Lu Li had indeed promised his sister that he wouldn’t fall in love prematurely. But at that time, he had just been reborn and was only thinking about getting rid of An Baili and focusing on his career. He never thought that he would get more and more entangled with Chu Jingyi and An Baili.

Speaking of which, how did things get out of control? Was it when he ran into the Class Monitor at the bookstore? Was this the butterfly effect of rebirth? The two of them, who had no connection in his past life, had become extremely ambiguous friends.

“Is she pretty?”

“What?”

“This classmate of yours next door, is she pretty?”

An Baili was certainly pretty. In terms of looks alone, she was top-notch. But her temperament was lacking. In Chen Jianing’s words, “She looks like a village girl.” That was quite rude, and Lu Li had flicked Chen Jianing on the forehead when he heard that.

“She’s okay, average.”

Zou Yameng secretly breathed a sigh of relief and unceremoniously squeezed onto the bed. “Move over, I’m sleeping on the outside tonight. Otherwise, you’ll keep pushing me against the wall.”

“When did I do that? It’s clearly you who keeps pushing me.”

“Oh, my little brother has grown up and learned to talk back.”

“Don’t lift the blanket, don’t lift the blanket, I just took a shower and I’m not wearing any underwear.”

“It’s not like I haven’t seen it before.”

The night passed without incident.

***

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was November, the day Lu Li was leaving for Mulan City. There wasn’t anything particularly noteworthy to mention during this time. The trio of Chu Jingyi, An Baili, and Lu Li went back to normal, attending classes, eating, and playing together just like before. Lu Li and Chu Jingyi tacitly avoided mentioning what happened on his birthday, and everything seemed to have returned to the starting point.

Sister Yameng was helping him pack his luggage, stuffing clothes into the suitcase one after another. Winter jackets were bulky, and the small suitcase was packed to the brim. Even so, Zou Yameng was still worried that Lu Li wouldn’t have enough clothes. Seeing her start looking for sweaters again, Lu Li quickly stopped his sister. “Sister Yameng, that’s enough. It’s not even time to wear down jackets yet. Besides, I’m only going for a little over a week, I’ll be back soon.”

“You’re afraid of the cold, and you get chilblains in the winter. If you don’t bring enough clothes, what if you get sick?” Sister Yameng gave him a reproachful look. “And you’re so careless when you wash clothes. Bringing more clothes means you’ll have to wash less.”

She suddenly took out her phone. “By the way, Little Li, I saw on the news that there’s an infectious pneumonia in Mulan City. Why don’t you just not go?”

“Didn’t the officials already deny it?” Lu Li didn’t pay much attention to the news. “They said it was a rumor, and the rumor mongers have already written a letter of guarantee. Besides, what era is this? How could there be a large-scale infectious disease outbreak in a big city?” He racked his brain, but he couldn’t recall any pneumonia or flu outbreaks in his past life, so this matter was even less worth mentioning.

Seeing his sister’s worried expression, Lu Li smiled. “Don’t worry, Sister Yameng, even if there really is a flu, I can take care of myself.”

“You, you have to be careful.” Finally, she nervously grabbed his hand. “How about I go with you? I can put my training on hold for now.”

Lu Li held his sister’s warm hand, lifted it to his cheek, and felt her body temperature with his face. He didn’t need to say anything, just a calm look was enough to reassure Sister Yameng. Lu Li picked up his suitcase and left, waving goodbye. He still remembered the last time he sent his sister to participate in the Six Provinces Tournament, when the two siblings argued for a long time over a small amount of money.

After turning the corner, Sister Yameng finally disappeared from sight. Lu Li saw a slender girl waiting for him by the roadside.

An Baili naturally took his hand, their fingers intertwined. “Aren’t you going to kiss me goodbye? You won’t be able to taste my sweet lips for a whole week.”

Lu Li kissed An Baili, not passionately, but gently. Unlike the usual lust-driven kisses, this kiss was tender, warm, and affectionate.

“Come back soon.” The reluctance in An Baili’s eyes was almost overflowing.

Why are they all like this? Lu Li smiled wryly. He wasn’t going to his execution. Mulan City wasn’t some dangerous place. It was just a short trip for a little over a week. Could he really encounter some once-in-a-century event?

Volume 3: Love in the Time of Cholera

Chapter 1: The Empty Classroom

“My lady, perhaps you haven’t realized yet, but Shenzhou is a magical country. Back in 1582, the Ming Empire, the predecessor of the Shenzhou Constitutional Monarchy, faced a crisis that almost led to its downfall. It was thanks to the emperor named Zhu Zhengyuan that the Ming Empire was able to turn the tide. However, historians have consulted thousands of historical documents and haven’t found any record of this emperor’s origins. He appeared suddenly, like a savior. Some say that Emperor Zhu Zhengyuan was a reborn individual, traveling back in time from the future to 1582. This could also explain his series of radical and bold political actions. Perhaps in another timeline, the Ming Empire had already perished?” Mr. Diplomat continued to ramble on about what he had read from some unknown unofficial history. “My lady, are you listening?”

“Yes, sir, I am listening.” To be honest, Wen Hupo wasn’t listening to him at all. She was completely focused on observing the classroom on the other side of the glass. Dozens of black-haired children sat in the same classroom, listening to the teacher’s lecture. This was both nostalgic and novel for Wen Hupo.

The beautiful figure of the blonde girl flashed past the window like a ghost, causing a stir in the classrooms along the entire corridor.

“Did you guys see that just now? Two foreigners, a tall man and a girl?”

“That girl is so beautiful, her skin is so white.”

“I think she’s too pale, like a corpse, without any warmth.”

Foreigners weren’t uncommon at Chuanhai No. 1 High School. Chuanhai had a special preparatory school for international students, located in another part of the city. The foreign students there loved to shout, “This is China, those who offend China, no matter how far away, will be punished!”

What was rare was a beautiful blonde girl, not the dazzling bright gold, but more like platinum, even her eyelashes tinged with a platinum sheen. Her features were as delicate as an angel’s. A bit more would be too much, a bit less would lack charm. Her temperament was calm and peaceful, like the goddess in every boy’s dream. Few Western women possessed such a temperament. To the people of Shenzhou, they were too passionate, too unrestrained, like wild horses, not steeds.

It was mid-November, the mid-term exams had just ended, and the students had just been released from the pressure of studying. They were in a state of bursting energy. The arrival of Wen Hupo at this time caused quite a stir among the student body.

Wen Hupo followed her father to the principal’s office, listening to their conversation. Her future placement was decided in just a few words. She didn’t listen carefully and didn’t know which class she would be in. However, it didn’t matter which class it was, she wasn’t going to attend classes anyway.

“Student Wen Hupo, do you have any special requests?” The principal was a considerate man, seemingly afraid of not treating foreign guests well enough, so he specifically asked her this question.

“I want an empty classroom.” Wen Hupo thought for a moment. “A classroom for painting, where I won’t be disturbed.”

“Would a club activity classroom be alright?” The principal pondered. “I remember there’s a vacant classroom. I’ll call the Student Affairs Office. You can just go get the key later.”

“Thank you for your trouble.” She crossed her hands in front of her abdomen and bowed slightly, like a lady.

Mr. Diplomat was a busy man. Seeing that the most difficult matter of transferring schools was settled, he prepared to leave. “My lady, I’ve rented a detached villa near the school for you to live in. If you have any inconvenience in your daily life, I can hire a maid for you. Oh, it seems that Shenzhou doesn’t have maids. Anyway, if you have any problems, you can come to the consulate to find me. I usually live there, you know?”

“Thank you.” Wen Hupo said calmly, seemingly not resisting her solitary fate at all. She was used to Mr. Diplomat’s indifference towards her. As far as she knew, the only reason Mr. Diplomat had summoned her back was to get a bigger share of the inheritance.

“You’re so understanding.” Mr. Diplomat said with a chuckle, then tipped his hat. “You can go to class now. Goodbye.”

Wen Hupo wasn’t going to attend class. After bidding farewell to her father, she took the key to the activity classroom and, following the instructions of the teacher from the Student Affairs Office, went to Building Three. She found a particularly empty classroom. Well, not as empty as she had imagined.

A slender girl was quietly cleaning the classroom with a broom. Wen Hupo didn’t make a sound to disturb her, just observed the girl carefully. She was slender, with long black hair, an oval face, and watery eyes. She was a beauty with an Eastern charm. Her movements were gentle, blending perfectly with the quiet classroom, so serene that Wen Hupo didn’t want to break the tranquility.

Chu Jingyi swept the classroom again. Since Lu Li left, she often did this. Only in this empty classroom could she calm down and savor Lu Li’s words that day. She put down the broom, looked at the clean floor, and thought to herself, now Lu Li wouldn’t laugh at her for not knowing how to do housework, right? She suddenly saw the blonde girl leaning against the door.

“May I help you?”

“I speak Chinese.”

Chu Jingyi awkwardly clasped her hands behind her back. “Hello, what can I do for you?”

Is she also a student? Silly Goose thought to herself.

“I got the key to this classroom from the teacher.” Wen Hupo shook the key in her hand.

Chu Jingyi’s eyes widened slowly. “This classroom is already being used by a club.” It was Lu Li’s so-called game production club. It had been a month, and there was still no prototype.

“Is it yours?” Wen Hupo’s expression remained unchanged as she spoke, as indifferent as a robot. It wouldn’t be unacceptable if it was this girl. She looked like a well-behaved and sensible child, barely qualified to share this classroom with her.

“It’s not mine, it’s Lu Li’s.” Chu Jingyi’s tone was slightly stern. “This is Lu Li’s club classroom.”

Lu Li? A man? Wen Hupo suddenly lost interest. She said, “This is the principal’s arrangement.”

“No. How could he do this?” Chu Jingyi frowned again. When she was with Lu Li, she rarely frowned. But since Lu Li left, she had been frowning more and more often. Speaking of which, had it been a week since Lu Li went to Mulan City? Was he used to it there? How should she talk to him when he came back?

The two girls stood there, neither willing to give in. If it was her own matter, Chu Jingyi might have kindly backed down. But this classroom belonged to Lu Li, and she didn’t want to give anything of Lu Li’s to anyone else. As for Wen Hupo, it didn’t matter who occupied the classroom, as she had the principal’s permission.

The atmosphere became a bit tense. In the end, it was Chu Jingyi who softened. “What do you want to use this classroom for?”

“Painting.” She answered quickly and decisively, as if she had anticipated Chu Jingyi’s question.

Just then, hurried footsteps came from the corridor outside. It was An Baili’s voice. “Jingyi! Jingyi! Something terrible happened! Mulan City is on lockdown!”

Vol 2 Chapter 31: There and Then

November, across the ocean.

Drinking afternoon tea was actually a very particular affair. In 1879, Emperor Ming, Zhu Quanzhong, visited the British Empire. After witnessing the table etiquette of Alexandrina Victoria, he was inspired to write a lengthy essay of ten thousand words, “On the Art of Tea.” From this, later generations could glimpse the tip of the iceberg of the aristocratic etiquette culture of the old era. For most ordinary people, it made no difference whether they stirred their tea from the six o’clock or twelve o’clock direction.

At least for Shirley Amber, it didn’t make much difference.

“Miss Amber, please start stirring your tea clockwise from the six o’clock direction, at least three times, and keep your eyes focused. This is a sign of respect for the host.” The etiquette teacher was an old maid who couldn’t get married. Although she was only in her thirties, the wrinkles on her face were as deep as her grandmother’s. Once a person lived an unhappy life, their appearance wouldn’t be pleasant.

Shirley could see the impatience in the old woman’s eyes. This kind of basic etiquette class should have been completed by every aristocratic descendant at the age of seven. If a seventeen-year-old girl didn’t know how to drink afternoon tea – forgive her bluntness – she was simply a country bumpkin. And she was that country bumpkin.

“I’m sorry.” Shirley Amber’s complexion was a sickly pale, her skin almost cold, like the most exquisite and emotionless doll. “I haven’t had any contact with such etiquette before. I thought, I thought I just needed to pick up the teacup.”

“Oh, my God. How could you think that? Are you really Miss Amber of the Amber family?” The old woman made an exaggerated expression. “When picking up the teacup, you must pinch the handle elegantly with your index finger and thumb, not reaching into the circle. There are countless etiquette rules like this, even if I talk for three days and nights, I won’t be able to finish!” Judging from her expression, she seemed quite proud of this.

But… Shirley looked at the eloquent etiquette teacher silently. But what was the use of all this etiquette?

It was status that determined etiquette, not etiquette that determined status. The same behavior had two different descriptions depending on the person’s status: approachable and disrespectful. In that case, what was the use of these outdated etiquette rules that should have been swept into the dustbin of history?

“That’s all for today’s lesson, Miss Amber. I hope that the next time I see you, you will have fully mastered the etiquette that a lady should possess.” The old woman began to pack her handbag. Shirley could see that the handbag was a fake, but she didn’t point it out and simply responded respectfully.

After seeing off the etiquette teacher, Shirley Amber went to find her father who was reading documents in his study. Calling him “father” felt a bit strange. She had only met him a handful of times and hadn’t even figured out whether his name was Aureliano or José Arcadio Buendía. She was used to calling him “Mr. Diplomat.”

“My lady, you’ve come at the right time. I have something to discuss with you.” Mr. Diplomat took off his glasses. “Are you getting used to living at home? It might be a bit different from your past life, but you’ll get used to it eventually, you know.”

It was indeed much better than her past life. Shirley Amber thought to herself. A year ago today, she was just an ordinary daughter from an ordinary family, until her “parents” told her that she was actually the illegitimate daughter of a diplomat. Now, she had the right to return to the Amber family openly. Her “parents” seemed happy for her, but Shirley didn’t think so.

“Life at home is very comfortable, thanks to you.” Shirley performed the etiquette gestures while recalling them from memory.

“Well, I’ll be stationed in Shenzhou for a long time in the future. I’ve always been fond of Shenzhou culture. It’s truly an ancient and powerful country.” Mr. Diplomat always talked about many irrelevant things before getting to the point, from Shakespeare to Márquez. “…Now, you have the opportunity to go to Shenzhou with me! What do you think, my lady?”

“…My lessons haven’t finished yet…” The so-called lessons were actually just home education, specifically, the cultivation of a lady. From etiquette to makeup, to aesthetics and art, most of it was outdated stuff that was out of touch with modern society.

Moreover, Shirley Amber subconsciously rejected unfamiliar environments. It was fine to leave her alone, to let her thoughts soar freely in her own world like unfettered birds.

This world was just too boring… She often had this thought. Watching her nominal “father” talk endlessly, Shirley Amber felt increasingly bored. “Alright, I want to go to Shenzhou too.”

Mr. Diplomat clapped his hands happily. “My lady, congratulations on making the right decision! I will arrange for you to enroll in the best school in Shenzhou. I believe you will enjoy the experience of studying there.” Shirley smiled on the surface, but shook her head inwardly. In the end, it was just to get her, the illegitimate daughter, out of the Amber family for the time being. The internal turmoil within this ancient family was becoming increasingly bizarre, so fantastical that she, as an ordinary person, couldn’t understand it.

It’s better this way.

Finding an unknown corner, living out the rest of her life in solitude, buried in a remote corner of the world along with the fallen leaves of autumn, was perhaps the only interesting thing in this life, wasn’t it? No need for a coffin, just cremate her remains. If she had a friend, she would ask them to scatter her white ashes into the sea, becoming food for fish and shrimp, merging with the blue waves.

“By the way, my lady, you need to choose a Chinese name. Let me see, your grandfather had a Chinese name, Wen Haixiao. Why don’t you also take the surname Wen? How about Wen Meihua? This name is perfect, it’s simply the most beautiful Eastern name!” Mr. Diplomat rambled on, clearly not intending to listen to her opinion.

Shirley Amber actually liked Shenzhou culture too. Her favorite novel was “Dream of the Red Chamber,” and her favorite character was Lin Daiyu.

“Let’s call it Hupo.” She rarely expressed a different opinion, and Mr. Diplomat couldn’t help but be stunned. He thought this illegitimate daughter would only say yes.

“Wen Hupo sounds good. Father, what do you think?” Shirley repeated. She didn’t like the name Meihua. If you walked down the street and asked any woman who had been to Shenzhou, they would say their name was “Meihua,” “Qiujju,” or “Hongping.” It sounded like the name of a maid.

Hupo was “amber” in Chinese, similar in pronunciation to the family name “Amber.” It was quite elegant. Mr. Diplomat stroked his chin and muttered, “This name is not bad either, Wen Hupo, Wen Hupo, why didn’t I think of that?”

Because you didn’t put any thought into it. Shirley thought to herself.

After leaving her father’s study, Shirley Amber began to pack her luggage. She didn’t have much to bring. The only thing that truly belonged to her was a palette knife. It was a birthday gift from her adoptive father when she was seven. It was useful for painting, but she couldn’t bear to use it.

Shirley Amber stared at an unfinished painting in the room, lost in thought. It was a self-portrait, but not entirely accurate, because there was also a blurry figure of a man in the painting. It was a man who appeared repeatedly in her dreams. In her dreams, he laughed and cried with her, personally put her wedding dress on her, and had children with her. But it was just a dream. Would she really fall in love with someone? What did love feel like? Ridiculous…

“Wen Hupo…” The girl murmured her Chinese name repeatedly, stroking the rough canvas. “Is it a good name?” She suddenly felt a little anticipation for life in Shenzhou.

Perhaps, it wouldn’t be so boring after all.

This was the story that happened across the ocean.

***

(End of this volume)