Vol2 Chapter 14: It’s Me
A solemn atmosphere hung over the second year (1) class today. The usual chatter and laughter of the young students were replaced by the rustling of ballpoint pens scratching against paper. Even Chu Jingyi, who usually chatted with Lu Li, refrained from idle conversation. The reason was simple: today was the monthly exam that would determine the spots for the Academic Competition. Everyone held their breath, hoping to be the best among the privileged children.
An Baili’s seat remained empty. Even as the bell rang for class, she still hadn’t arrived. Chu Jingyi, as the Class Monitor, put down her pen and paper, glanced at Lu Li with a strange expression, then walked towards the homeroom teacher’s office. She planned to write a leave note for An Baili and use the office phone to call her home, inquiring about the situation.
Not long after, Silly Goose returned to her seat, her mind preoccupied: “Lu Li, do you think Baili knows about what happened yesterday? Is that why she’s angry and not coming to school?”
“What did they say on the phone?”
“The call didn’t go through. I tried three times.”
“…” As Lu Li remained silent, his deskmate spoke up: “Yesterday, before An Baili left, she sat in your seat, rummaged through your bag, looked at something for a while, and then left in a hurry.”
As expected… it was An Baili who stole the document. But why? The document contained information about An Gulai and evidence of his crimes. Logically, it shouldn’t have anything to do with An Baili. Lu Li stroked his chin, An Gulai, An Baili… both surnamed An, were they family? In his previous life, he had never met An Baili’s parents, nor had he ever heard her mention them. She only said they had passed away long ago, and Lu Li never doubted it.
Could An Gulai be An Baili’s father? Was An Baili the daughter An Gulai had mentioned studying at Chuanhai No. 1 High School?
This thought naturally arose, and Lu Li couldn’t find any evidence to refute it.
“Put all relevant materials in your bags or drawers and prepare for the exam.” The homeroom teacher patted the blackboard, pulling Lu Li back from his increasingly horrifying thoughts.
“Lu Li, good luck!” Silly Goose whispered encouragement. “Good luck to me too!”
However, Lu Li’s mind was elsewhere. His mind was filled with the image of An Baili. If An Baili was really An Gulai’s daughter, what would she do after getting the document? Destroy it to protect her father? Beg him not to prosecute her father? No, she chose to escape. Why escape? He couldn’t understand, couldn’t figure out what that woman was thinking!
He wished that An Baili would rush into the classroom at this moment and say awkwardly, “Sorry, I’m late.” But until the morning exam ended, An Baili’s seat remained empty. Lu Li’s palms were sweating. He realized that he didn’t understand An Baili at all. He had always looked down on her with a detached attitude, thinking he could completely control her. But now, Lu Li realized that An Baili had been acting along with him all along – he didn’t understand An Baili at all!
Yes, from the moment An Baili lit the lighter, everything had gone out of his control.
During lunch, Chu Jingyi saw that Lu Li was absent-minded and asked with concern: “Lu Li, are you feeling unwell?”
Lu Li didn’t want Silly Goose to worry, so he forced a smile: “I’m fine, I’m perfectly fine.”
“The geography exam this morning was so difficult… How did you do, Lu Li?”
“Ah… so-so.” His mind wasn’t on the exam, and he answered the questions carelessly. Lu Li could only say “so-so.” However, the liberal arts exams at Chuanhai No. 1 High School were more application-oriented, mostly subjective questions with no standard answers, testing the students’ comprehensive qualities. Lu Li was confident that even with an average performance, he was still much better than these high school students.
“Hmph, there was no geography exam in the morning.”
Only then did Lu Li realize that he had been tricked by this silly deer.
“Are you worried about An Baili?” The Class Monitor didn’t look at Lu Li, but instead focused on the lunch tray in front of her, poking at the shrimp meat with her chopsticks. Lu Li couldn’t see her expression and simply replied flatly: “I am a little worried.”
The Class Monitor suddenly gave an address.
“What?”
“This is Baili’s address. It’s the Class Monitor’s duty to remember the basic information of classmates.” She had no appetite and just kept poking at the prawns. “If you’re worried about Baili, go visit her.”
“Let’s go together, Class Monitor.”
“…” She remained silent for a while before answering, “No way. I still have to help the teacher organize the monthly exam papers today.”
Lu Li suddenly smiled: “Jingyi, lift your head.”
Silly Goose obediently raised her head, revealing a wronged expression, her small mouth pouting like Donald Duck, extremely cute. Lu Li’s heart stirred, and he quickly explained: “I’m worried about the document she stole, the one your father gave me.” As soon as he said that, he was stunned, not knowing why he explained it to Chu Jingyi. Fortunately, after hearing his words, Chu Jingyi’s expression softened slightly, and she nodded gently: “I know, you don’t have to explain to me… You’re my good friend… not…” Her voice trailed off at the end, like a mosquito’s murmur, impossible to hear clearly.
“What?”
“Nothing!” She ate the mangled shrimp meat in one bite, picked up her lunch tray, and ran away.
During the afternoon exam, Lu Li’s mood was much calmer. He finished the exam half an hour early and handed in his paper. After repeated confirmation from the homeroom teacher, he finally left Chuanhai No. 1 High School. He didn’t rush home, but instead took the bus to An Baili’s house. It cost one yuan per ride, cheap and convenient.
An Baili’s home was in the urban area. Lu Li had passed by this place when he bought a phone for his sister. The security guards of the community were a few listless old men, and Lu Li entered without being stopped. Security guards, securing no safety.
Going deeper into the community, he arrived at a slightly dilapidated old residential building. The originally white walls were now blackened and peeling, covered with mottled yellow stains. The corners were overgrown with creepers, and the environment was no different from the Low-Rent District. It was hard to imagine that a beauty like An Baili came from such a residential building. People always assumed that beautiful women only frequented high-end places and interacted with talented young men.
An Baili’s home was on the first floor. The windows were tightly shut, and the glass of one window was broken, simply boarded up with wood, looking extremely shabby. Walking to the door, he knocked gently and could hear a faint roar from inside: “Why don’t you open the door?!” It was indeed An Gulai’s voice. Lu Li’s heart sank. The worst had happened.
Life was unpredictable. Who would have thought that his ex-wife’s father was the culprit who had caused Lu Li’s displacement in the first half of his life?
The door opened a crack, and An Baili peeked out through the gap. Seeing Lu Li standing calmly, her small hand trembled, and she was about to close the door. Lu Li was quick-witted and inserted his palm into the gap. If An Baili forced the door shut, she would definitely injure his right hand.
An Baili stopped closing the door and looked at Lu Li with pleading eyes: “I’m sorry… I really didn’t know… I really didn’t know…”
It was time to put an end to everything. Lu Li thought. Then he pushed the door open with force and faced An Baili, who was wearing shabby clothes. An Baili’s eyes were panicked, trying to cover the patches on her clothes with her hands, not wanting Lu Li to see her poverty. Lu Li’s eyes, however, were incredibly calm, like an abyss.
As the two stood facing each other in silence, An Gulai’s voice came from the living room: “Who’s there? Can’t you speak?!” His tone was fierce, not like he was talking to his daughter, but roaring at an enemy.
“It’s me.”
Lu Li answered in An Baili’s stead, his voice as cold as ice.
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