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

Chapter 8: Who is Soft-hearted?

When An Baili returned to the classroom, she saw Lu Li with his back to her, his head lowered, his shoulders shaking. An Baili’s heart ached. When she was sad, she also liked to lower her head and sob. Seeing Lu Li sad was more painful than death itself. She walked over quietly. “Li, are you okay?”

Lu Li turned around, holding a bowl of oden, happily munching on a fish ball. “Baili, the oden in the cafeteria is only four yuan. I got you a bowl too.”

“…”

An Baili looked at the steaming bowls of oden on her and Chu Jingyi’s desks, both amused and annoyed. After Wen Hupo said those things to him, Lu Li actually had the mood to grab breakfast in the cafeteria? She had underestimated Lu Li’s resilience. Was he the kind of person who would be devastated by heartbreak?

“I actually overheard your conversation with Wen Hupo.” An Baili sat down in Wen Hupo’s seat and whispered to Lu Li while Chu Jingyi wasn’t there yet.

Lu Li paused, holding a bamboo skewer with a piece of tofu. He glanced at An Baili, then at the tofu in his hand. “Eat breakfast first, it’ll upset your stomach if you eat it cold.”

“Li, I actually always knew you had a crush on Wen Hupo.” An Baili lowered her head and whispered, “I also know that you’ll be disappointed to be treated as an insignificant ‘passerby’ by her. But Jingyi and I will always be by your side, okay?”

Lu Li smiled, put down the oden, and rubbed An Baili’s head with his spice-stained right hand. “Don’t make such a big deal out of it. I was indeed disappointed, but it’s not enough to bring me down. I’m not a seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy anymore.”

“But. But. One day in the future, on a quiet night, you’ll start to miss her. You’ll definitely remember what she said today. You’ll remember this regret for the rest of your life, won’t you?” An Baili said dejectedly. This wasn’t mere speculation, but her own personal experience.

“There are countless regrets in a person’s life. How can there be someone who has no regrets?” Lu Li shook his head. “To miss out on even more precious people for the sake of one regret, that would lead to even more regrets.” An Baili was like that, caring about him even more than she cared about herself.

Just then, Chu Jingyi entered the classroom. She couldn’t go back to her seat and hurriedly walked to the podium. “Five minutes early, we’ll be discussing some arrangements for the sports meet during today’s class meeting. Let the people in the hallway come in quickly.”

Wen Hupo, who had changed back into her school uniform, appeared abruptly at the back door of the classroom. She walked silently to Lu Li’s side and whispered to An Baili, who was still sitting in her seat, “An Baili, it’s time to go back to your own seat.”

An Baili snorted softly and reluctantly got up. Wen Hupo sat down, her gaze fixed on Lu Li. It was clear she wanted to say something. Lu Li completely ignored her, just staring at Silly Goose on the podium. After what Wen Hupo said, he, as a man with self-respect, shouldn’t fawn over her anymore.

Silly Goose was very dignified when she was serious. Her small face was tense, her cherry lips pursed, completely different from her usual soft and easily bullied appearance. Thinking of Silly Goose’s blushing face and pouted lips, Lu Li couldn’t help but chuckle.

“What are you laughing at?” Wen Hupo seemed to be looking for a conversation starter.

Lu Li’s smile vanished instantly. He said calmly, “Nothing.”

“Oh…” Wen Hupo’s jade-like fingers tapped on the desk. “Um, did you think of something happy?”

“No.”

Her fingers drew circles on the desk, like a dancing figure. “Really…”

Silly Goose was talking about the athlete groupings. Some events were group events and couldn’t be entered individually. She specifically mentioned Wen Hupo. If she wanted to participate in the three-legged race and doubles table tennis, she needed to find a teammate.

“…For example, Miss Wen Hupo. If you want to sign up for the three-legged race and doubles, you have to find another teammate…”

As soon as the Class Monitor finished speaking, enthusiastic boys raised their hands. “Me, me, me, I also signed up, let me team up with Miss Wen.”

However, Wen Hupo’s gaze was fixed on Lu Li. She looked at him with five parts expectation and five parts timidity. Wen Hupo felt that never in her life, and never in the future, would there be an event or a person that could make her emotions fluctuate so much. She was worried about the unpleasant parting with Lu Li earlier, yet she hoped that he would, as she wished, help her create some beautiful memories.

She didn’t hear the other boys’ calls at all, nor did she want to. Because in this school, even in this country, the only male she was willing to treat as an equal was Lu Li.

Wen Hupo didn’t understand why Lu Li was angry. Perhaps she could guess a little, or perhaps not at all.

Faced with the numerous gazes that followed Wen Hupo’s, Lu Li seemed oblivious. He sat upright, looking at Chu Jingyi biting her lower lip on the podium, appreciating how adorable she was. She must be jealous, right? The expression of the silly goose was written all over her face…

If it had been before, he would have been happy to be Wen Hupo’s “partner,” just like at the New Year’s Eve party. But today, no. Or rather, not just today, not right now.

Wen Hupo’s porcelain-white face began to flush, turning hot. This was the first time she had felt embarrassed and humiliated. The feeling of being ignored was terrible. She remembered Lu Li telling her that when she didn’t know what expression to make, she should just smile. So she smiled. She smiled, her voice soft, and called Lu Li’s name.

“Um, Miss Wen Hupo, what do you mean…?” Chu Jingyi finally broke the awkward silence. “Should I pick a teammate from the participating athletes?”

“Choose me, choose me!” someone shouted.

“Lu Li…” Wen Hupo still whispered, her tone becoming more pitiful, more pleading. She really wanted to just leave, leaving a solitary figure for the world to see.

Lu Li was annoyed by the clamor. He shook his head impatiently.

He couldn’t be soft-hearted anymore. Because the price of his soft-heartedness was Chu Jingyi’s tears. On the scales weighing Wen Hupo against Chu Jingyi and An Baili, Lu Li had finally made his choice.

He wasn’t soft-hearted, but a certain cutie was.

Chu Jingyi’s voice trembled. “Or, Lu Li, you, you can team up with Miss Wen Hupo?”

Lu Li sighed, feeling like the defenses he had built up with difficulty were collapsing with Silly Goose’s single sentence. Why are you so cute? Why are you so kind?

“Yeah…” Under everyone’s bewildered gazes, Lu Li finally nodded.

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?”

Chapter 6: The Taste of Heartbreak

Long Jing, that brat, seemed to know that her song had become a hit online. She flew all the way from another province to collect her “salary” from the unscrupulous boss. To be honest, Long Jing had contributed significantly to the success of Evening Collection. Many gamers were casual players who didn’t care much about gameplay mechanics or the depth of the story. But a captivating piece of music could instantly win them over. Lu Li wasn’t a miser, and he didn’t want to shortchange the little girl. However, the game was still on the trending charts, the dust hadn’t settled, and the bank hadn’t responded yet. Half of the money in his account was actually inaccessible.

Since learning that her song was worth a fortune, Long Jing had become more reserved. Back at the Chu family, she put on airs, holding her head high and refusing to utter a word. Asking her to speak required an “appearance fee,” which actually amused Lu Li.

He didn’t know why this girl wasn’t going back to school. She claimed she was “taking a break.” However, Lu Li heard from Aunt Chu that Long Jing had a conflict with her classmates at school and couldn’t go back temporarily.

In short, this weekend passed with Chu Jingyi’s shyness and affection and Long Jing’s noisy chatter. Oh, and An Baili, too. She was actually studying during the weekend! The sun must have risen from the west… Lu Li thought, a bit rudely.

Monday. 7:00 a.m. Lu Li and An Baili arrived at school, and An Baili was immediately dragged away by Chu Jingyi to help with the statistics for the school sports meet. Lu Li, on the other hand, went to the activity classroom in Building Three alone.

Before entering, he unconsciously straightened the hem of his shirt and adjusted his belt, his mind replaying scenes from the amusement park over the weekend. Since last week, Wen Hupo had been acting strangely, and this strangeness reached its peak at the amusement park. After thinking it over, Lu Li felt that Wen Hupo was like a hunter who had set a trap, and he, Lu Li, was the prey…

But why?

He walked into the activity room and froze the moment he saw Wen Hupo.

Today, Wen Hupo wasn’t wearing her signature white dress or the Chuanhai No. 1 High School uniform. What was she wearing? She was wearing a maid outfit… Yes, a black and white maid outfit with intricate lace trim around the skirt. The skirt was neither too long nor too short, just reaching her knees. Her slender legs were covered in smooth white stockings. The glimpse of her fair skin between the stockings and the hem of her skirt was perhaps the so-called absolute territory.

The Western-style maid outfit paired with her Western blonde hair was a perfect match.

The moment Wen Hupo saw Lu Li, she instinctively covered her chest. The next second, she smiled faintly, lifted her skirt, and curtsied. “Good morning, Outstanding Representative~”

Lu Li felt like he had been transported to a parallel universe, a parallel universe where the Ming Dynasty had long since perished and China had experienced a dynasty called Qing. Or perhaps the female protagonist of some romance novel had transmigrated into Wen Hupo’s body. How else could he explain what he was seeing?

“Good morning.” Lu Li tried to sound casual. At times like this, if he showed surprise or bewilderment, he might fall into Wen Hupo’s trap.

He took out his phone and silently started the timer, then walked over to the seat opposite Wen Hupo. “Miss Hupo, do you have any new artwork?”

Wen Hupo was still smiling faintly. She didn’t answer Lu Li’s question immediately. Instead, she moved her chair and placed it next to Lu Li before sitting down. “Not yet.” She was actively closing the distance between them.

Lu Li felt a surge of excitement at first, but this excitement was quickly replaced by a deeper calm. He shifted his body slightly. “Miss Hupo, isn’t this a bit too close?”

“Is it?”

Wen Hupo knew exactly what she was doing.

“I already have a girlfriend. I don’t want to make her… them sad.” Lu Li paused slightly. Wen Hupo smiled. “Only you could say ‘girlfriends’ so righteously. Indeed, shamelessness is the basic skill of a scumbag.”

“…”

“So? Is this the conclusion the Outstanding Representative reached after two nights of contemplation over the weekend?” Wen Hupo’s sudden question caught Lu Li off guard. He was used to the ambiguous push-and-pull with girls, maintaining a comfortable distance, enjoying the warmth of flirtation without taking on any responsibility. But Wen Hupo had ripped away his protective shell without hesitation, choosing to start today’s conversation with a sarcastic question.

“…Yes.” Lu Li nodded earnestly. He was indeed shameless and greedy. He liked Wen Hupo, but he disliked hurting Chu Jingyi even more. That girl was pitifully pure. Many times, he could deceive her not because he was clever, but because Silly Goose trusted him unconditionally.

“So the story of you and me squeezing into a tiny bumper car, of us holding hands on the roller coaster, you’ll just pretend it doesn’t exist, is that it?” Wen Hupo still seemed to be smiling, but her smile was becoming increasingly sarcastic.

Hearing Wen Hupo’s blunt words, Lu Li couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows. “You really are deliberate… Why are you doing this? You’re not… You shouldn’t be this kind of person.” In his heart, Wen Hupo should have been a near-perfect woman, as noble and pure as the moon in the clouds.

“…” Wen Hupo was silent for a long time.

Lu Li didn’t want the atmosphere to be so awkward and changed the subject. “Why are you wearing a maid outfit today?”

Wen Hupo suddenly took out her phone and turned off the timer. “Nine minutes and fifteen seconds. Outstanding Representative, you held back for nine minutes and fifteen seconds before asking the question you wanted to ask the moment you walked in. Impressive patience.”

Lu Li also secretly turned off his phone’s timer. He had actually wanted to see how long it would take for Wen Hupo to explain her outfit.

“It’s the uniform of the maid at my house. I just thought it was interesting, so I wore it.”

“Just interesting?” It didn’t seem like Wen Hupo’s style.

“Just interesting. Because I thought it would be a unique experience in my life.” Wen Hupo narrowed her eyes slightly, trying to hide the emotions in her eyes with a smile. “Including getting close to you… Outstanding Representative, I don’t particularly like you. I just want to have a different life experience. Participating in the sports meet, going to the amusement park, it’s all just because it’s interesting.”

Lu Li felt something shatter inside him. Being described as “just interesting” and “just a life experience” by his white moonlight wasn’t a pleasant feeling. His head felt hot, but he still pretended to be calm. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because I don’t want to spend the rest of my life with only lonely memories.” Wen Hupo’s eyes were still narrowed. “Outstanding Representative, perhaps you still harbor some self-important expectations. But actually, from my perspective, I chose you to play this role simply because you’re the only male peer I’m familiar with. And, I also believe that you would be happy to help me fulfill this little wish, right?”

Hearing Wen Hupo’s answer, Lu Li’s image of the perfect and unblemished goddess shattered completely. He couldn’t describe what he was feeling, was it disappointment? Anger? Regret? Or a deeper, more complex emotion?

The brief encounter at the amusement park, was it all just a hypocritical and selfish charade? Were the warmth of her hand and the beads of sweat just illusions?

Wen Hupo… His mind flashed with this name, the image of the blonde girl, and the thirty-seven blank letters she had sent him. Finally, his gaze settled on the smiling girl in front of him, and he was speechless for a long time.

Chapter 5: The First Kiss Under the Setting Sun

As Lu Li and Silly Goose became closer, the little girl would behave more and more childishly in front of him. Like now, pouting and silently staring at him, she looked incredibly adorable. She was jealous. Silly Goose wasn’t a saint who was immune to all desires. Her boyfriend and another girl had held hands on a roller coaster, how could she not be upset?

“Yi Bao…” Lu Li was about to speak when he saw Silly Goose angrily shake off his hand, breaking their handhold. She clasped her hands behind her back, deliberately not letting Lu Li hold her hand. When he tried to get close, she even pulled Long Jing and took a few steps back, refusing to let him touch her.

Lu Li chuckled wryly. He reached out and coaxed, “I’m sorry…”

“Ugh…” Silly Goose turned her head away, not wanting to look at Lu Li, but afraid of making him angry, so she turned her head back slightly, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. This girl’s heart was too soft. Even when she was angry, she was still considering Lu Li’s feelings. Lu Li’s heart warmed, but he also felt a pang of guilt. Had he been neglecting Yi Bao’s feelings? He had always thought of her as a naive child, assuming she wouldn’t mind anything. As the saying goes, “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” Sometimes, being too gentle wasn’t a good thing.

Lu Li pressed Long Jing’s head, turning her around like a screw. “Little kids shouldn’t look back.” Then, in front of Silly Goose’s complex gaze, he hugged her.

“You’re so annoying…” Silly Goose’s eyes were watery, as if she were about to cry. “If you don’t like me, just tell me. I’ll leave obediently.”

“I like Chu Jingyi the most.”

“Liar.” Chu Jingyi was crying now. “You were clearly scared on the roller coaster and held Wen Hupo’s hand. Who is Wen Hupo? Would she casually hold hands with someone? You’re so annoying…”

What Silly Goose said wasn’t the real reason for her sadness and anger. Lu Li rested his chin on the girl’s head. This silly goose was actually very tolerant. She was just upset because of the perceived unequal treatment. Lu Li couldn’t help but realize that he had been neglecting Silly Goose, thinking of her as a happy-go-lucky deer who didn’t have any worries.

What girl didn’t have delicate worries hidden in her heart?

“I’m sorry… I won’t do it again.” Lu Li’s words were sincere. He respected rebirth and cherished his current life. Wen Hupo was a passion born out of regret, a possessiveness fueled by a sense of superiority. To hurt the girl who loved him for the sake of fleeting excitement, was that something he would do?

“Wuu…” Hearing Lu Li’s words, Silly Goose was no longer angry. She was such an easy girl to please. With a simple promise, a few words without any guarantees, she would trust Lu Li completely. She snuggled into Lu Li’s arms and whispered, “…I can’t control you anyway… You always attract girls. Sooner or later… you’ll leave me and Baili… And I… I…” Her words were choked with sobs at the end.

That feeling of pouring all your emotions and efforts into someone, only to have it shattered, was heartbreaking just to imagine.

Lu Li knew that he hadn’t given Chu Jingyi enough security. Or rather, he had never given anyone enough security. Perhaps freedom and romance were poetic qualities, but recklessness and acting on impulse would only make those close to him feel insecure. That was the difference between a boy and a man. The latter took responsibility and willingly put on shackles.

“That won’t happen. I want to live with Chu Jingyi until we’re a hundred years old, lying in the courtyard and basking in the sun. By then, all my hair will be gone, and you’ll definitely laugh at me.”

Chu Jingyi burst into laughter through her tears. “Your hair won’t fall out… Not even when you’re a hundred… And I won’t laugh at you…”

Long Jing wanted to turn around and watch the couple’s intimate moment, but Lu Li held her head firmly in place. She pouted. “Sister is too easy to please. If it were me, I would definitely break up with brother-in-law! Break up! Divorce! This is cheating!”

“Don’t listen to this brat.”

“Mm-hmm… I’ll listen to you.”

Long Jing was furious. “You’re gaslighting me! Sister, who’s side are you on? Brother-in-law just held hands with another girl!”

“It was just because he was scared on the roller coaster, he held her hand subconsciously.”

“Mm-hmm…” Chu Jingyi nodded earnestly, choosing to believe Lu Li’s explanation. Seeing her watery eyes, Lu Li felt a pang of guilt. How pure was this girl? Did he really deserve to lie to her?

He kissed the girl’s forehead and secretly made a decision.

To appease Chu Jingyi, Lu Li spent the entire afternoon with her at the amusement park, leaving Long Jing to play by herself. He and Chu Jingyi enjoyed an extra-large sundae, rode the merry-go-round, and took photo booth pictures. Silly Goose carefully put away the photos, planning to put them on her bedside table when she got home… By the time the three of them left the amusement park, it was already evening. The sun was setting, the sky a blend of gold and crimson.

As they were about to part ways, Chu Jingyi suddenly grabbed Lu Li’s sleeve.

“What’s wrong, Yi Bao?”

Under the warm glow of the setting sun, Chu Jingyi’s face looked pitifully endearing.

“Lu Li, I shouldn’t have gotten angry this afternoon, I’m sorry…”

What? Lu Li was stunned. This silly girl was apologizing for being jealous? He was speechless.

“I know you were just trying to make me happy this afternoon.” Chu Jingyi lowered her head. “And I was indeed very happy. Now that I think about it, you only held Wen Hupo’s hand because you were scared on the roller coaster. And, and, even if you wanted to be close to other girls… I, I shouldn’t be so controlling… I’m sorry… Please don’t hate me because of this, okay?”

Lu Li felt an urge to embrace Chu Jingyi and declare to the world that she would be his future bride.

“Lu Li, can you close your eyes?” Sensing Long Jing’s absence, Chu Jingyi lowered her eyelids, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, like butterflies about to take flight.

Lu Li closed his eyes. The next second, he felt a warmth on his lips. He opened his eyes and saw Chu Jingyi blushing furiously, kissing him. Her toes were pointed, her neck stretched out, like a pure white swan.

Before, it was always Lu Li who took the initiative to kiss Silly Goose, and she would always be passive and accept it. This was completely different from Silly Goose initiating a kiss.

Lu Li stood there, stunned. The clumsy Chu Jingyi just pecked his lips like she was eating a lollipop, until there was a loud smack. The silly girl then ran away with her head in her arms, leaving a confused Long Jing looking back at her perverted brother-in-law.

“Brother-in-law? Did you fart?”

Lu Li was still in a daze, looking at Chu Jingyi’s slender figure, and nodded woodenly. “Ah, yes, I farted.”

“It stinks, eww, I’m going home with my sister~” Long Jing pinched her nose in disgust. “Hmph, my sister and I are going home. Poor brother-in-law can walk back by himself~”

Chapter 4: Crooked Sun Hat

“Turn left, turn left. Hurry, hit him, hit him… Outstanding Representative, you’re so clumsy…”

Wen Hupo rarely showed such overt emotions. Her voice was a bit higher than usual, her eyes sparkling, and her left hand unconsciously gripping Lu Li’s right arm. It hurt a little, but Lu Li didn’t say anything. In front of Wen Hupo, he felt like a naive boy, both nervous and excited. He thought Wen Hupo was truly beautiful, especially her blonde hair, like the radiant light left by the sun god driving his chariot, breathtakingly beautiful.

Looking at the girl’s fair skin, a sudden impulse surged through Lu Li. He wanted to shout to Wen Hupo, “You’re so beautiful.” No flowery language, just a simple outpouring of emotion.

With a thud, their bumper car collided with the cushion of another car, sending them spinning. Wen Hupo initially let out a gasp of surprise, but the gasp quickly turned into silvery laughter.

The surrounding scenery blurred into a swirl of colors. Only this charming girl beside him, laughing freely, remained clear. Lu Li was mesmerized. He stared at Wen Hupo, his gaze unmasked. Wen Hupo also noticed the young man’s gaze. She turned her head slightly, meeting his eyes. Time seemed to freeze, slowing down like a scene from a Wong Kar-wai film, only the complex and changing expressions on the blonde girl’s face remaining in focus.

A child’s laughter brought them back to reality. Lu Li coughed lightly, looked straight ahead, gripped the steering wheel, and focused on driving the bumper car. Wen Hupo had stopped laughing, but her hand still gripped Lu Li’s arm. The girl’s body temperature seeped through his skin. Lu Li couldn’t help but wonder, did she like him? Why didn’t she let go? Was she oblivious, or…? Thinking of that possibility made his heart skip a beat.

Every time it’s Wen Hupo… Lu Li thought. No matter which life, when facing Wen Hupo, his well-laid plans and tactics felt like a leaky sieve, unable to hold water or keep out the wind. Every time, it was Wen Hupo who saw him at his most embarrassing and ignorant. In front of other girls, he might be a confident and capable young man, but in front of Wen Hupo, he felt like a clumsy child, unsure of which foot to put forward first.

I like this girl.

Does she like me?

The answer to this question might remain elusive until the end of time, but the bumper car ride wouldn’t. One yuan could only buy five minutes of fun. Lu Li asked awkwardly, “Want to put in another coin?”

Wen Hupo shook her head. “No, let’s go play something else.”

“What do you want to play?”

“How about the roller coaster?”

Lu Li’s stomach lurched, but he still smiled and nodded. “Of course.” He didn’t know why he agreed to ride the roller coaster with Wen Hupo, but he was sure that the heavens were punishing him for his fickle and promiscuous nature. His heart pounded, perhaps because of the impending roller coaster ride, perhaps because of Wen Hupo sitting less than a fist-width away.

The roller coaster started, and the girl in the couple behind them let out a whimper. “I’m scared…” The boy replied, “Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”

Lu Li couldn’t help but look at Wen Hupo. Would she be scared? If Wen Hupo said, “I’m scared,” what would he say? Lu Li’s legs felt weak. He mocked himself, thinking, “I’ll probably say, ‘Me too.’”

“Outstanding Representative, are you scared?” Wen Hupo asked with a teasing smile.

“…No…” Vanity was truly one of humanity’s greatest enemies.

The roller coaster gradually picked up speed. Lu Li’s heart pounded in his chest, a feeling of weightlessness growing stronger. He felt a sense of dread towards the impending drop. He remembered a low-budget cult film where a murderer placed a piano wire on the roller coaster track. When the roller coaster passed, the piano wire sliced through all the passengers… Thinking of this, Lu Li couldn’t help but shrink back.

He wasn’t afraid of ghosts, powerful enemies, or life’s hardships. But he was afraid of unpredictable, unchangeable, and uncontrollable disasters.

The roller coaster reached its first peak, and Lu Li couldn’t help but close his eyes, not wanting to see the terrifying descent. He heard Wen Hupo take a deep breath, and before he could react, he felt someone frantically grabbing his sleeve. Lu Li opened his eyes abruptly and saw Wen Hupo looking at him with a fearful expression, her hand clutching at his arm, her face filled with a pitiful plea.

Without thinking, Lu Li grasped Wen Hupo’s hand just as the roller coaster plunged downwards for the first time.

Wen Hupo let out a suppressed scream. So she was afraid after all? Lu Li thought smugly. He had thought she was truly fearless.

They said that the “suspension bridge effect” referred to mistaking nervousness and fear for love and affection. If you had a crush on a girl, take her to watch a horror movie during the ambiguous stage of your relationship, or take her to do something exciting. This thought flashed through Lu Li’s mind. He slightly opened his eyes and glanced at Wen Hupo. He was feeling his heartbeat, but what about Wen Hupo’s?

The wind was too loud, and the screams of the other passengers were too deafening. Lu Li had a ridiculous idea. He smiled and shouted to Wen Hupo, “Miss Wen Hupo, I’ve actually been in love with you since the first time I saw you!”

“What?” Wen Hupo looked at him, shouting, “I can’t hear you! Say it louder!”

“Nice words shouldn’t be repeated!”

“I can’t hear you!”

“I won’t say it again!”

Lu Li laughed heartily. Wen Hupo glared at him and kicked him lightly.

When Lu Li and Wen Hupo got off the roller coaster, Wen Hupo was a bit disheveled. Her blonde hair was tangled, as if she hadn’t combed it after waking up. Lu Li, although feeling a bit unwell, was much better than the first time he rode a roller coaster. At least he could stand steadily and wasn’t throwing up. Indeed, the best way to overcome fear was to face it.

The two of them were still holding hands, neither having let go. Lu Li was pretending to be oblivious, not wanting to let go. What about Wen Hupo? Had she forgotten?

He was about to tease her when he heard a shout from behind, “Brother-in-law~ Brother-in-law~”

It was Wen Hupo who let go first. She retracted her hand as if burned, pretending it had nothing to do with her. Lu Li was stunned, glancing at Wen Hupo, but she turned her head away, refusing to look at him.

“Brother-in-law, you’re afraid of heights, aren’t you? Why did you ride the roller coaster?” Little Long Jing laughed mischievously. Behind her, Chu Jingyi’s face was somewhat pale.

“Miss Wen Hupo, hello. I didn’t expect to see you here.” Chu Jingyi bowed slightly, her tone unexpectedly polite, so polite that it felt distant. She took Lu Li’s hand and stood between him and Wen Hupo.

Wen Hupo hummed softly. After a few seconds, as if to cover something up, she said, “It was a coincidence. I borrowed your boyfriend for a while, I hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course not. Miss Wen Hupo, did you come alone? Would you like to join us?” Chu Jingyi said politely.

Too polite. Yi Bao. You don’t usually talk to Wen Hupo like this.

“No, thank you. I’m a bit tired. I’m going home.” Wen Hupo bowed slightly to Chu Jingyi, her gaze not even daring to fall on Lu Li, and then she hurriedly turned and left. Her white sun hat was a bit crooked. Lu Li wanted to remind her, but he didn’t say anything in the end.

He looked blankly at his right hand, where the girl’s warmth and a hint of sweat lingered. The experience of holding her hand just now felt like a dream. Before he could savor it, Chu Jingyi grabbed his right hand, their fingers interlocked, her face puffy like a steamed bun.

Chapter 3: Bumper Cars

As a true man, Lu Li had a shameful secret: he was a little afraid of heights. Perhaps it was because Sister Yameng used to swing him around like a helicopter propeller when he was a child, or perhaps it was a deep-seated fear of plane crashes. In any case, after getting off the roller coaster, Lu Li felt nauseous and his face was pale.

Long Jing, seeing an opportunity, started taunting him. Lu Li suspected she would be laughing about this in her dreams tonight. Chu Jingyi was much more considerate. She helped him to a bench, fussing over him more than he did himself. Seeing the tiny beads of sweat on the girl’s delicate nose, her concern palpable even through the falling snow, Lu Li thought: If I could marry a girl like this, I would use up all my future luck, wouldn’t I?

“Yi Bao, go play with Long Jing. I’ll rest here for a bit.”

“But… but…”

“We came here to accompany Long Jing. We’ll have plenty of opportunities to come together in the future, right?” Lu Li gently stroked her cheek. “Go on, go play with Long Jing.”

“Okay.” Chu Jingyi reluctantly agreed. “Don’t wander off. Stay here. We’ll be back soon.” Her tone was like a mother worried about her child getting lost. Were all girls naturally maternal? Lu Li wondered.

Long Jing made a face at him, proudly walking away with the hesitant Silly Goose.

Lu Li waited for them to disappear from sight, then his throat tightened, and he leaned over the trash can, vomiting. Fortunately, he hadn’t embarrassed himself in front of Yi Bao. Humanity clung to the earth but yearned for the sky. Perhaps fear of heights was heaven’s punishment for disloyalty.

The amusement park was bustling with people, but no one stopped to ask if Lu Li was okay. He leaned against the trash can, vomiting unceremoniously. Lu Li swore he would never come to an amusement park again, not even if An Baili begged him to.

A pair of grayish-white running shoes appeared in his field of vision. The owner of the shoes stopped beside the trash can he was clinging to.

Lu Li looked up weakly, trying to see the person’s face, but he was facing the sun and could only make out a blurry silhouette. But the figure was slender, so it must be a young woman, right?

“Outstanding Representative, don’t eat and drink too much.” She said.

Lu Li raised his eyebrows. He wanted to salvage his image. “…I’m not the Outstanding Representative.”

He squinted, finally adjusting to the light, and saw the girl’s appearance. She was slender like a floating cloud, wearing a light dress that hinted at her figure. She smiled without showing her teeth, her expression calm and serene, like still water. Her platinum blonde hair shone even brighter under the sunlight, making her even more beautiful, drawing admiring glances from men and women alike.

He thought for a moment and corrected himself, “I didn’t eat or drink too much.” He suddenly realized that he was leaning against a trash can, looking like a scavenging animal.

Damn it, his perfect image in front of Wen Hupo was completely ruined.

Wen Hupo seemed to smile, but he couldn’t be sure.

And why was Wen Hupo at the amusement park? Was she the kind of girl who would go to an amusement park? Was she here with someone else?

Thinking of this, Lu Li looked around nervously. He didn’t want Wen Hupo to be with another boy. It was a selfish and genuine feeling.

“I came alone.” As if reading his mind, Wen Hupo said with an almost imperceptible smile.

Tsk. Lu Li pursed his lips inwardly. Was I that obvious? He tried to appear nonchalant and generous. “Isn’t it boring to come alone?”

“Yes, it’s quite boring.” She nodded earnestly. “Why don’t you join me, Outstanding Representative?”

Her invitation was casual and relaxed, as if she didn’t care about his answer. Lu Li had always thought that girls like her were the most dangerous. They always maintained an ambiguous attitude, pretending to be innocent when a fish took the bait, and acting terrified when the fish escaped. Only a fool would fall for it.

“Okay.” He was surprised at how quickly he agreed, it was almost without thought.

At the same time, Lu Li felt a twinge of unease. Silly Goose was still with Long Jing, wasn’t she? Would it be bad to leave them alone with Wen Hupo? Maybe he should tell Silly Goose. Lu Li decided to send a message to Silly Goose, explaining that he had run into Wen Hupo.

The two of them walked side by side in the amusement park. Strangely enough, after getting off the roller coaster, his weakness vanished. Was it the vibrant life force of a young man, or the facade of a hypocritical ego? He didn’t know.

“Why… why are you at the amusement park?” After hesitating for a long time, Lu Li finally asked.

He suddenly felt awkward about his hands, unsure of what to do with them. Placing them by his sides felt too stiff, putting them behind his back felt too formal, and clasping them in front of his stomach felt too wretched.

“If I don’t come now, I might not have another chance.” She tilted her head, looking at the crowd. Lu Li couldn’t see her expression, nor could he decipher the tone of her voice. “I want to experience more of the world.”

“It sounds like you’re terminally ill.”

“Isn’t a mental illness still an illness?” she countered.

Lu Li was stunned. Before he could think of a response, Wen Hupo pointed at the bumper cars ahead. “I want to play that.”

Bumper cars? Wasn’t that something little boys liked?

“Okay.” He agreed without thinking.

The bumper car seats were smaller than he expected, and he and Wen Hupo could barely squeeze in. He guessed it was because they were usually occupied by an adult and a child.

Wen Hupo’s scent was light and fresh, not the smell of shampoo, but her natural body scent. Her slender arms brushed against his, and the two of them were pressed together so tightly that Lu Li could feel Wen Hupo’s breathing becoming a bit erratic. This sent his teenage hormones into overdrive.

The bumper car announced, “Little friends, fasten your seatbelts, the bumper cars are about to start~” Wen Hupo smiled, seeming to find a bit of childish joy. She urged Lu Li to hurry up and start, eager to join the throng of seven- and eight-year-olds.

This was the first time Lu Li had seen Wen Hupo like this. He had no other thoughts in his mind except to make her happy. He stepped on the accelerator, and the red bumper car shot out, crashing into the other bumper cars with Lu Li’s terrible driving…

Chapter 2: The Amusement Park

“By the way, is Baili not coming with us?” As the three of them walked towards the amusement park, Chu Jingyi suddenly thought of An Baili. She and Lu Li were going to the amusement park. Shouldn’t that be considered… sneaking off? Shouldn’t they bring Baili along? The girl’s mind was as pure as water, even at a time like this, she was still thinking about An Baili.

“It’s a rare day off, she’s probably sleeping in.”

“Speaking of which, Baili seems to be working very hard lately.” Silly Goose poked her cheek with her finger and tilted her head in thought. “She’s turning in her homework on time, and she’s not sleeping in class anymore.”

“Maybe she’s been inspired by seeing the seniors’ career paths.”

“Then what about Lu Li… you, what university do you plan to attend next year?” Silly Goose suddenly asked.

“…” Lu Li was silent for a moment. In fact, both Chu Xiaodong and Secretary Long had recommended several universities with strong political backgrounds, including Chuanhai University of Political Science and Law, which was local, and Southeast University of Finance and Law, which was in the neighboring province. The two elders also said that if Lu Li wanted to apply to these schools, they could write him a recommendation letter.

For ordinary people, this was undoubtedly a smooth path. As long as he followed the rules, didn’t make mistakes, and chose the right side, he could enjoy the political resources of the Chu family and achieve a huge leap in social class. But for Lu Li, this path was restrictive. He couldn’t give up the other girls he loved, so he couldn’t follow this path.

“Mulan University.” Lu Li gave an unexpected answer.

“Why Mulan University?” Chu Jingyi was stunned. Although Mulan University was a top-tier university in Shenzhou, its admissions philosophy was based on equality. Due to policy reasons, it favored students from ordinary families. Students like them, from elite schools like Chuanhai No. 1 High School, usually didn’t compete with ordinary people for such universities.

“There are many reasons. A recent one is the Mulan City epidemic, which will lower the admission standards for Mulan University for the next two years, making it easier for Baili and me to get into the same university. In the long run, Mulan University has a good reputation in the central and southern regions. Graduates from Mulan University are generally down-to-earth and capable. In the internet and gaming industries, Mulan University has a very good reputation.”

Lu Li remembered that in his past life, the most reliable and hardworking employees he hired were usually from Mulan University.

Actually, there was one more thing Lu Li didn’t mention: Chen Jianing was also at Mulan University.

Chu Jingyi suddenly smiled. “Lu Li, you’re so thoughtful.”

“What?”

“You’re even worried about Baili not getting into a good university. And, liar Lu Li, you’re actually still thinking about that girl named Chen Jianing.” Chu Jingyi said with a smile. “Liar Lu Li. Liar Lu Li.”

“Are you jealous?”

“I’m more happy than jealous.” Chu Jingyi looked at him affectionately. “Because I know that Lu Li is a gentle liar. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone, and he won’t let anyone down. As for the future, if liar Lu Li gets fickle again, Baili and I definitely won’t let him off easily.” Although she was saying threatening words, her tone was no different from that of a spoiled child.

The charm of a man didn’t just come from his faithfulness, but also from his character. Kindness, righteousness, consideration, achievement, responsibility, commitment. In relationships, many men often focused only on the former and neglected the latter, causing their attractiveness in the relationship to decline and making them feel inferior.

Long Jing, listening to her sister and brother-in-law’s conversation, had a hundred question marks in her head. Although she had accumulated a lot of inappropriate knowledge through the internet, she had no understanding of the intricacies of love. In the little girl’s world, if a boy and a girl liked each other, shouldn’t they be completely devoted to each other, with no room for anyone else?

At least, that’s how it was with her classmates. If a boy played with another girl, his “girlfriend” would throw a tantrum, and then they would “break up.”

She didn’t understand. Her sister and brother-in-law were a bit strange…

The amusement park was a new word for Lu Li. He was like a closed-off kingdom, and the amusement park was a foreign import. He had never been to one, not in his youth because of poverty, nor in his adulthood because of his busy schedule. The closest he had ever gotten to an amusement park was on Valentine’s Day, sitting by the river with An Baili, watching the colorful Ferris wheel on the other side and sharing roasted sausages. He remembered staring blankly at the colorful lights reflected on the water and thinking that this was the most beautiful thing in the world.

“When I was little, my mom used to take me here often.” Silly Goose reminisced. “But after I was too old to buy children’s tickets, I never came again.”

Lu Li smiled. Mrs. Chu was an interesting person. With her wealth, she still cared about a children’s ticket.

Or rather, the entire Chu family was interesting. Lu Li was like a replica of Chu Xiaodong, and Silly Goose was like a replica of her mother. Perhaps this was the deeper reason why the Chu family accepted him, right?

Long Jing pouted, looking disdainful. “Sister, I’m not a three-year-old, okay? What’s so fun about this amusement park?”

Chu Jingyi blushed. “R-really? I still think it’s quite fun… Am I being childish, Lu Li?”

“It’s childish for little kids, but it’s just right for us.” Lu Li stretched. “I’ve never been to an amusement park before. Jingyi, just pretend you’re taking me along, okay? This brat can just sit on the side and eat cotton candy.”

“No, no, no, I want to play too.”

“Didn’t you say this was for three-year-olds?”

Lu Li had figured out Long Jing. Everything she did was for attention. If you deliberately ignored her or didn’t pay attention to her, she would get anxious.

Long Jing blushed and stomped her feet. “Sister, brother-in-law is bullying me again! He won’t let me play! I, I traveled all the way to Chuanhai, and he’s still deliberately provoking me!”

Silly Goose widened her eyes in confusion. “Didn’t you say you didn’t want to play?”

She was the silly one!

Long Jing burst into tears. Seeing the gazes of the people around them, Lu Li ruffled Long Jing’s hair. “Okay, okay, it’s brother-in-law’s fault. I shouldn’t have left you out. Will Little Miss Long Jing forgive her brother-in-law and ride the roller coaster with him?”

Long Jing sniffled and wiped her tears. “Yes, yes.”

Chu Jingyi looked at Lu Li with admiration. She wasn’t good at dealing with Long Jing. She was always bullied by the little girl. Especially when the little girl started crying, she would be completely flustered. It was amazing how Lu Li could make Long Jing both cry and laugh with just a few words. Sure enough, Lu Li was quite suitable to be Long Jing’s brother-in-law…

Thinking of this, Chu Jingyi blushed again. Before she could say anything, Lu Li took her hand and led her forward. “Let’s go, Yi Bao, roller coaster!”

Long Jing raised both hands and shouted happily, “Roller coaster! Woohoo~”

---

T/n:

Just to remember that Yi Bao means “Little treasure”

Volume 6: Late Night, Late Arrival

Chapter 1: Long Jing’s Arrival

Youth is often dull and monotonous. During the day, he listened to the teacher’s lectures, dealt with the flirtations of Silly Goose and Clingy Goose, and at night, he would have a battle of the sexes with his own Silly Goose. The only variables in life were the clouds in the azure sky, sometimes resembling white clothes, sometimes gray dogs. Oh, and the occasional phone call from the bank, asking him to provide proof of income… That was probably the annoyance of sudden wealth, right?

The sudden increase in wealth didn’t have much of an impact on Lu Li and An Baili. They weren’t materialistic. Steamed buns were a meal, and bear paws were also a meal. However, Lu Li did start thinking about moving out of the low-rent district and buying a house.

The most excited person was actually Sister Yameng. She called him every night to confirm, her voice trembling as she looked at the increasingly extravagant numbers in her account.

It wasn’t that the gaming industry was inherently lucrative, but that the production costs for Lu Li’s team were extremely low. There were no rent, equipment, utility, salary, insurance, or processing fees… The girls were practically working as exploited labor for the unscrupulous boss. The Class Monitor didn’t accept his money, just asking him to study hard from now on and stop skipping class. Wen Hupo snorted and looked away, seemingly disdaining to let money tarnish her character. Chen Jianing accepted double the salary Lu Li offered, but she seemed angry, only using “hmm,” “oh,” and “no” in their conversations. An Baili was a bit more exaggerated. She wanted Lu Li’s “millions of descendants” as payment. Lu Li, of course, refused. An Baili wasn’t even an adult yet. If she got pregnant, he might end up in jail.

In these peaceful and sweet days, Lu Li finally welcomed his little nemesis.

On Saturday morning, Lu Li followed Secretary Long’s instructions and arrived at the airport early to pick up Long Jing. This girl had purchased an unaccompanied minor ticket. Lu Li remembered that when he was her age, he was still clinging to Sister Yameng’s side, worrying about his little insecurities. Thinking about it, Long Jing wasn’t entirely without merit.

Long Jing was the most conspicuous passenger disembarking. She wore her hair in twin tails, her face fair and delicate, her big eyes watery and bright. She was truly adorable. She was carrying a small backpack, followed by two smiling flight attendants. The little girl strode confidently, almost arrogantly, as if afraid of not attracting attention.

No wonder your dad is worried, making me take care of you.

Lu Li muttered to himself. If he were a human trafficker, he would definitely sell this arrogant little girl to some remote mountain village to work as a foot washer. Hmm… He wouldn’t want to sell her to someone else. He would keep her for himself and make her his foot-washing maid.

“Brother-in-law!” Long Jing shouted when she saw Lu Li. “What kind of greeting is this? I walked right up to you, and you didn’t even call out to me! I’m going to tell on you to my sister!”

Lu Li gave a look of apology to the people around them and casually grabbed the little imp’s pigtail. “Come on, I’ll take you to Jingyi’s place.”

“Don’t pull my pigtails, you idiot brother-in-law!”

“Then what should I grab?” Lu Li’s expression was innocent, but it was a deliberate tease.

“You should hold a lady’s hand. Hand!” The brat yelled.

Lu Li remembered the first time he met Long Jing. This little girl had sat quietly in the back seat of the car and called him “brother-in-law.” Why was she like this now? Was it because he looked too kind, making her think he was easy to bully?

The girl’s hand was plump and soft, a very pleasant sensation. Strangely, after holding her hand, Long Jing quieted down, obediently following Lu Li without shouting.

Lu Li took Long Jing onto a taxi. The brat finally spoke. “You don’t even have your own car? You’re a grown man taking taxis. You’re embarrassing my sister~”

Lu Li couldn’t help but pinch her delicate little face. “Can you stop talking?”

“Brother-in-law, it hurts… Ow, stop pinching… I’ll tell my sister if you keep doing that!” Long Jing’s eyes welled up with tears.

Lu Li ignored her, maliciously kneading her chubby cheeks, making her cry and complain. By the time they got out of the taxi, Chu Jingyi was already waiting outside the community.

Silly Goose was wearing a yellow dress today, her fair arms glowing in the sunlight, her eyebrows and eyes filled with a gentle tenderness that captivated anyone who looked at her. The yellow dress suited Chu Jingyi perfectly. She gave people the impression of a winter sun, warm and comforting.

Long Jing started crying and ran towards Silly Goose. “Waaah, sister, brother-in-law is a pervert, he abused me!”

Silly Goose didn’t listen to her. Her watery eyes were fixed on the young man in white. She couldn’t help but smile, her dimples appearing. She casually took Long Jing’s hand but spoke to Lu Li. “Go-good morning~”

Lu Li had been away from the Chu family for a while. Silly Goose missed him.

There was such a pure and beautiful girl who missed him. Lu Li’s heart warmed. He believed that no matter what Silly Goose asked of him now, he would readily agree.

“Good morning, Jingyi.” Lu Li walked up to her and reached out, wanting to hold Silly Goose’s hand. Silly Goose hesitated for a moment, subconsciously shrinking back, then lowered her head slightly and offered her hand to Lu Li, letting go of Long Jing’s hand.

Long Jing pouted. “Sister, aren’t you going to hold my hand?”

But no one answered her. The boy and girl held hands under the bright sun, gazing at each other sweetly, as if nothing else in the world mattered. The little girl with twin tails stood pitifully between them, like a lost puppy.

“Sister, sister – Brother-in-law, brother-in-law –” The brat refused to give up, jumping up and down between them.

“Okay, okay, I’ll hold your hand.” Lu Li, who had always hated children, had no choice. He was too soft-hearted, too easily moved.

The two of them, one on the left and one on the right, held Long Jing’s hands, but their gazes were constantly drawn to each other, exchanging knowing smiles. The three of them, holding hands, looked like a family out for a stroll, only the couple was a bit too young.

Long Jing whined. She didn’t like being ignored. What the hell? Didn’t my sister used to love me the most? But now she was always hanging around this perverted brother-in-law! She must have cast a spell on my sister!

“Long Jing, let’s go home and put your backpack down first. After lunch, Lu Li and I will take you to the amusement park, okay?” Chu Jingyi finally remembered that there was a pitiful little cousin.

Chapter 32: The Plane and Being Late

That evening, “Zhu Xi” messaged him as usual. For some reason, this princess insisted on reporting her daily activities to him like a grade-schooler. “Good evening~ I had cod and sushi for dinner tonight. It was a bit fishy; I didn’t really like it.”

Lu Li wiped the sweat from his forehead. I’m not your parent; you don’t have to report to me. He hesitated for a moment, then decided to test “Zhu Xi.” “I’ve been having some questions lately, and I don’t know who to ask.”

“Zhu Xi” took the bait. She replied cheerfully, “Ask me! I’m very good at answering questions. I can even see things that Grandma can’t~”

Who’s Grandma? Some sort of dowager empress? Shenzhou didn’t have a dowager empress, right?

“Do you know about Shanzhu Village?”

After typing these words, Lu Li’s heart was in his throat, unsure if Zhu Xi would drop the act and reveal her cruel nature. To his surprise, her reply was quick and casual. “Never heard of it~”

So she’s planning to play dumb…

Lu Li sighed in disappointment and was about to close the chat window when he saw Zhu Xi typing, “But I can take a look for you.”

Look? Look where?

Lu Li waited in front of his computer. For some reason, he felt an inexplicable trust towards the “Zhu Xi” on the other side of the screen. He felt like she knew something, or should know something…

“Okay, I see.” After more than ten minutes, “Zhu Xi” finally replied. “Shanzhu Village is gone.”

Lu Li’s heart pounded. “Zhu Xi’s” short reply sent shockwaves through him. The disappearance of Shanzhu Village was definitely related to the “price.” But he didn’t know if it was his price, the deceased Mei Jinliu’s price, or the price of some unknown third party. And Zhu Xi’s ability to state the truth so casually meant that she, like him, was an observer outside of the “price” mechanism, wasn’t she?

“How did it disappear?” Lu Li tried his best to remain calm.

“Because of a very old price…” Zhu Xi’s words were cryptic. “I can’t see clearly, but it feels very, very sad… as if many tragic things happened there…”

He understood the latter part of her sentence. The events in Shanzhu Village were nothing short of a tragedy. A group of souls who should have died in the flood were paying their debts to their benefactor in another way. But what did the first part mean? A very old price? Did this mean the disappearance of Shanzhu Village had nothing to do with him or Mei Jinliu?

Lu Li asked, “What else did you see?”

“I saw a boy… a very handsome boy, holding a heart-shaped pendant, looking very sad…”

“…”

“I can’t see anything else…”

Was she teasing him? Zhu Xi knew who he was, didn’t she? Why use the third person? Lu Li started to doubt if the person he was talking to was really Zhu Xi. Could someone have gotten hold of her selfie and be using it to scam people online?

“Anything else you want to see? I’ll do my best to help you…” Zhu Xi said.

No, thanks. Just don’t kidnap and interrogate me again. Lu Li politely declined “Zhu Xi’s” offer, deciding to keep his distance from this “Zhu Xi” for now – until he could confirm her identity.

On the other side, Zhu Qiao, having ended her conversation with the game developer, felt a bit disappointed. She muttered “Shanzhu Village” to herself, feeling like she hadn’t been helpful. The developer’s attitude seemed to have cooled down.

She lifted her skirt and ran downstairs to find Sister Xi. “Sister Xi, Sister Xi, do you know about Shanzhu Village?”

Zhu Xi was reading a book titled The Perfect Rulebook with her legs crossed. Hearing her sister’s question, the Poison Princess’s eyes sharpened. “What did you say?” Her sharp, short hair swayed slightly, like a razor blade.

“Shanzhu Village…”

Zhu Qiao was busy running down the stairs and didn’t notice the change in her sister’s expression.

“Who told you about that?”

“I just wanted to ask~” Zhu Qiao said in a sweet voice.

Zhu Xi’s expression remained unchanged. “Why are you suddenly asking about an obscure little village? There must be at least eight or ten villages called Shanzhu Village in the country.”

Zhu Qiao lowered her head in disappointment. “Is that so? Th-then I’ll go back upstairs.”

It’s a pity, it seems like I can’t help the developer. Looking at Zhu Qiao’s dejected figure, Zhu Xi narrowed her eyes, like a jackal that had spotted its prey. Zhu Qiao had been playing a game called Evening Collection recently, developed by Eternal Joy Studio. After some investigation, she learned that the studio was registered under the name “Zou Yameng,” with several unverified members, including “Lu Li” and “Chu Jingyi.” These names weren’t unfamiliar to her. They were the Chu family’s daughter and future son-in-law.

And the only one who could have any connection to “Shanzhu Village” was Lu Li.

A dangerous aura emanated from Zhu Xi. Zhu Qiao was her Achilles’ heel. She wouldn’t allow anyone to harm her, not even the prestigious Chu family.

Lu Li… Lu Li…

She repeated the name in her mind, contemplating how to deal with this boy. She didn’t know why Lu Li told Zhu Qiao, an innocent girl, about “Shanzhu Village,” but based on her experience, he definitely had ulterior motives.

After pondering for a long time, Zhu Xi made a phone call. “Book me a flight to Chuanhai. Yes… this week. Right. Postpone the matter of finding a husband, I have more important things to attend to.”

Back in her room, Zhu Qiao stared blankly at the computer screen, losing all interest in playing games. For the first time in her simple, sheltered life, she felt a sense of loss. It was melancholy and sadness when Sister Xi took her puppy away, heartache when she saw Grandma groaning in pain from her foot in the middle of the night. But what was this feeling of disappointing someone else? Guilt? Self-blame? A heavy weight settled in her heart, like a stone.

Grandma Zhu had warned her many times not to “see” things unrelated to the Colored Stones. If she abused her gift as a shaman, she would face eternal damnation. But Zhu Qiao didn’t have a clear understanding of “eternal damnation.” She had secretly “seen” many things before, like Grandma Zhu in her youth, Sister Xi’s soulmate in Chuanhai, the stray cats on the street gathering in the sewers for the winter… She enjoyed it, because it was one of the few ways she could learn about the outside world.

And now, she decided to take a look at the game developer’s future, perhaps she could offer him some help?

The first thing she saw was the developer’s face. Was he that handsome boy? Zhu Qiao blushed. This was the first time she had been so close to a boy her age, even the first time she had interacted with a male. Now she had seen his face, and he had seen hers. It was a fair trade. Zhu Qiao felt a little smug.

In Zhu Qiao’s “vision,” Lu Li was running frantically at the airport, out of breath and in a hurry, as if he were on some urgent and dangerous mission.

What was he doing?

Lu Li rushed past the security checkpoint. Police officers ran after him, trying to stop him, but he just kept running, like a wild animal escaping its cage, his clothes being torn by the officers. Where was he going?

Zhu Qiao followed Lu Li’s direction and saw a plane taking off. It seemed like the developer was late…

Zhu Qiao bit her nails, wondering if she should remind him to set an alarm.

***

(End of this volume)

Chapter 31: Existence and Non-existence

After school, Lu Li and An Baili said goodbye to Chu Jingyi and headed to the mobile phone store. He had some money now and wanted to buy An Baili a phone so it would be easier to contact her. He would use Sister Yameng’s old SIM card for now and get a new one for An Baili next year when she turned eighteen.

Lu Li focused on choosing a phone at the counter while An Baili chattered non-stop beside him. Buying a phone offline wasn’t the most cost-effective option. Brick-and-mortar stores targeted middle-aged and elderly customers who weren’t sensitive to specs and technology, so the prices were usually inflated. Receiving deliveries in the low-rent district was inconvenient and unsafe, so Lu Li decided to buy the phone offline after careful consideration.

“Li, listen to me, I’m now one thousand percent sure that Wen Hupo also has memories of the past life, or even the one before that!” An Baili started her serious analysis. “With Wen Hupo’s personality, she would never participate in the sports meet. She never showed any interest in it in the past life. Why the sudden change of heart in this life?”

Although An Baili wasn’t always reliable, what she said this time made sense.

Just like the Mulan City epidemic, things that never happened in his past life were now occurring one after another.

“How about this phone? The specs are decent, and the color is quite nice.”

“Oh, Li, listen to my analysis!” An Baili stamped her foot impatiently.

“Huh? I think you’re right.” Lu Li nodded absentmindedly.

An Baili pinched his waist angrily. “You’re so annoying.”

The saleswoman chuckled, covering her mouth. “Are you two university students or working adults?”

Actually, just high school students. Lu Li pointed at an indigo-colored phone in the display case. “We’ll take this one. Do you have it in stock?”

“Please leave your contact information. We need to retrieve it from the warehouse. You can pick it up tomorrow afternoon.”

Just then, Lu Li’s phone rang. He nodded at An Baili, signaling for her to fill out the information. An Baili snorted, gave him a quick peck on the cheek, and then slowly wrote down their contact information.

The saleswoman said enviously, “You two have such a great relationship. I also want a boyfriend… Sigh…”

Yeah, right. An Baili puffed out her chest proudly. A hundred of your boyfriends can’t compare to my Lu Li. And girls who said things like that usually had a harder time finding a partner. They claimed to yearn for love, but their standards were impossibly high, their understanding of themselves and society still unclear.

If you looked for love with a materialistic or transactional mindset, you would never be able to truly accept and embrace someone.

Lu Li answered the phone. It was Secretary Long, who had been transferred to another province. As the saying went, “When a man gets rich, even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.” After Chu Xiaodong entered the central leadership circle, his secretary also rose through the ranks, becoming a young cadre in an important city. Even at the peak of his career in his past life, the highest-ranking officials Lu Li had met were of this level. Secretary Long wasn’t even forty yet, was he?

As soon as the call connected, Secretary Long said casually, “Hey, Xiao Lu, I have a favor to ask. Long Jing has been driving me crazy these past few days. She insists on coming back to Chuanhai to see you…”

Before he could finish, Long Jing’s voice came from the phone, screaming, “Brother-in-law! You owe me a lot of money! You got rich and didn’t tell me! I contributed too!”

Secretary Long was clearly a doting father, his tone gentle even when scolding his daughter. “Long Jing, Daddy is talking to your brother-in-law—your Brother Lu. Go watch TV.”

“No, no, no! I want to talk to brother-in-law!” Long Jing continued to whine.

Being a father was tough. How could he resist the urge to spank this little brat?

Secretary Long got straight to the point. “Xiao Lu, I’m planning to send Long Jing to the Chu family’s in Chuanhai for a few days. Could you please spend some time with her…?”

“Ahhhhhhh!” Long Jing screamed. “Who needs company?! I want him to pay me back! Ahhhhhhh—”

Lu Li moved the phone away from his ear to protect his eardrums.

“Don’t worry, I’ll play with her with Jingyi.”

Secretary Long chuckled. “Good, good, thank you for your trouble, Xiao Lu.”

“It’s no trouble at all. When is Long Jing coming?”

Long Jing yelled, “Brother-in-law, I’m coming next week! Get my money ready!”

This brat is just like Chen Jianing. Lu Li thought. Long Jing was like an extroverted version of Chen Jianing, equally annoying, but somehow even more obnoxious? She was definitely spoiled. Just you wait, you little brat, when you come next week, I’ll make you cry and call me “big brother”… Lu Li thought with a malicious grin.

Lu Li suddenly remembered something. “Oh, right, Uncle Long, thank you for your help with the Shanzhu Village matter last time. I wouldn’t have been able to find it without you.” It was Secretary Long who had gathered the information about An Baili’s grandparents.

“Shanzhu Village?” Secretary Long paused. “What Shanzhu Village?”

“The village where An Gulai’s parents-in-law lived.”

“Xiao Lu, are you mistaken?” Secretary Long chuckled. “I remember Shanzhu Village. That village was abandoned a long time ago due to the outflow of young laborers and the relocation of the elderly. I was the one who handled the administrative closure procedures back when I first started working…”

“…?”

Lu Li’s pupils constricted.

What was wrong with Secretary Long? Was he mistaken? He was the one who gave him the information about Shanzhu Village! And wasn’t Shanzhu Village still there? The motorcycle driver knew about it, didn’t he?

“Your memory is getting worse and worse.” Secretary Long chuckled, not noticing Lu Li’s sudden silence.

After hanging up the phone, Lu Li stood on the street, watching the cars and people coming and going, his mind buzzing. He suddenly took out his phone and started searching for information about Shanzhu Village online – nothing. It was as if a village called Shanzhu Village had never existed.

What about the chat logs?

He had mentioned Shanzhu Village once when chatting with An Baili and the others. The chat logs couldn’t be wrong, could they?

Lu Li anxiously opened the chat logs and searched for “Shanzhu Village,” but only got “No results found.”

Impossible… impossible… He had done his research before going to Shanzhu Village. He found information about the village online and even its exact location on Baidu Maps.

Just then, An Baili came out of the phone store. Lu Li nervously grabbed her shoulders. “Baili, do you remember Shanzhu Village? The one I told you about, your mother’s hometown?”

An Baili looked at him blankly, then reached out and touched his forehead. “Honey, do you have a fever? My mother’s hometown isn’t Shanzhu Village…”

Hearing this, Lu Li was speechless. He stared blankly at the passersby on the street. Their expressions were so ordinary. The world was like a perfectly functioning computer program. There was no Shanzhu Village, no price, all the disasters and fears had vanished, leaving only a false sense of peace and tranquility…

For the first time, Lu Li felt a deep, bottomless fear, a chilling dread that made him tremble. For the first time, he was terrified of the so-called “price.” If this was also a form of the price, did it mean that someone around him had already disappeared from his memory because of it?

Lu Li swallowed hard. He suddenly thought of someone, someone who definitely wouldn’t forget about Shanzhu Village.

Zhu Xi!