"Of course, I'm not secretly belittling the girl in front of me. Everyone makes different choices." Jiang Yuan lifted her chin. For some reason, her eyes suddenly lit up and the corners of her eyes curved into a smile.
"Hey, Lu Zhen, are you in a relationship?" Jiang Yuan leaned closer, looking around like a patrolman. After making sure no one was nearby, she continued to ask.
"I heard that you saved a girl near my school some time ago and it was on the news. There are many girls around me talking about you."
The smile on Lu Zhen's lips faded a little. His voice was calm. "That's because they don't know about my high - school days."
A person almost abandoned by his parents.
Then there was a big commotion in school, and he almost beat someone to death.
If they knew, the discussions would be negative.
It was like a stone suddenly dropped into a calm lake, causing ripples.
"I've never been in a relationship, not once." Lu Zhen added seriously, staring intently at the girl in front of him.
Jiang Yuan was silent for a while. She tried to persuade him and help him get out of that shadow.
"It's different now, Lu Zhen. There are many differences between college and high school. You should learn to let it go."
Lu Zhen shook his head. "They only care about my face. That's what they talk about the most. It's so shallow."
"Cough, cough, cough..." Jiang Yuan was shocked by this answer. She choked on a breath, and a series of coughs came out.
She knew it in her heart, but hearing it said out loud was another matter. Lu Zhen was so straightforward.
"There must be a process. Maybe you can meet a girl who doesn't care about your face but your inner qualities."
Jiang Yuan carefully chose her words and said them slowly, one by one.
Towards the end, she felt like an elder urging someone to get married and fall in love.
What about you? Back then, you neither cared about my face nor discovered my qualities, yet you still spoke up for me without hesitation.
Jiang Yuan, would you like to be with me?
Lu Zhen lowered his head calmly. His dark eyes were filled with indescribable emotions.
Jiang Yuan held her breath. She felt strange inside. She tightened her grip on the milk tea and casually changed the topic.
"Okay, since you don't like this topic, I won't talk about it. I was just being nosy and curious."
Jiang Yuan then picked up a recent topic and chatted with Lu Zhen.
Lu Zhen was obviously absent - minded. He stirred the grass jelly with a spoon and took a bite. The slightly bitter taste spread in his mouth.
He always knew that there was someone in Jiang Yuan's heart, someone hidden in the deepest corner.
She got into Peking University to fulfill her promise with that person.
He didn't contact Jiang Yuan after the college entrance examination because he knew he had no chance.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, he decided to let their relationship end there, staying at the time of their sophomore and junior years in high school.
But in the end, he was bewitched. When filling out the college application, he stubbornly chose a university near Peking University.
His score wasn't high enough to get into Peking University.
Did Jiang Yuan just say that she wasn't in a relationship?
Was it because she hadn't met that person yet?
Or had their relationship changed?
Just like a candy that has been left for too long, it will melt and become sticky, sticking to the wrapper. When you tear it off, it's completely unrecognizable.
"Jiang Yuan..." He suddenly called her name.
Jiang Yuan looked at him curiously. Her beautiful black eyes were full of clarity.
"I remember you got into Peking University for that person. Have you met him now?" It was difficult for him to say, and each word came out of his mouth slowly.
He was both scared and nervous.
Scared of hearing the answer he didn't want, and nervous about hearing the answer he hoped for.
"Yes, I have." Jiang Yuan replied quickly.
At that moment, his heart sank like it had fallen into an abyss.
Lu Zhen was silent. He should have guessed this result earlier.
He turned his head slightly to hide his disappointed expression.
"But... I'm going to tell you my plan now. You mustn't tell anyone else."
Jiang Yuan specially warned. She looked around to make sure no one she knew was around, then lowered her voice and told him everything from their encounter to the present.
Lu Zhen was stunned and couldn't believe it. "You're living with him now?"
Living together?
There must be other motives.
No, both of them had their own agendas, and no one knew what the other was thinking.
"Yes, half of my plan has succeeded. The most exciting part is coming soon."
Jiang Yuan nodded seriously. "And sharing an apartment with him is also part of the plan. It's not living together."
Lu Zhen forced a bitter smile. He had been standing still, hoping that fate would favor him.
But he didn't expect that his encounter with Jiang Yuan back then was already the greatest fortune.
"Will you fall in love with him during this process?" When Lu Zhen saw the sparkle in her eyes as she talked about that person, he already knew the answer in his heart.
"No, definitely not. I'm the hunter and he's the wolf. A hunter will never fall in love with a wolf." Jiang Yuan said firmly.
There must still be some chance, right?
Lu Zhen sighed silently and reluctantly accepted this answer.
The two continued to chat for a while. Jiang Yuan checked the time. It was already past ten o'clock at night, and there were two unread messages on WeChat.
[forikyy: I'm home. Aren't you here?]
[forikyy patted me and said, "Look at the fireworks."]
[forikyy: Why aren't you back yet?]
Jiang Yuan replied that she would be back soon, then turned off her phone. She was about to say goodbye to Lu Zhen, saying that they would meet again some other time.
Lu Zhen also stood up and said with a smile, "I'll walk you back. It's not safe to walk alone at night."
Jiang Yuan was about to object, saying that there were so many people around the university town and there was nothing unsafe.
But then she suddenly thought of the incident where the grandfather and grandson tried to blackmail her. Forget it. It was better to trouble Lu Zhen to walk her back.
"Don't you have a curfew?"
The moon was hazy, and the night was soft. The hustle and bustle of the street continued.
"No, there's never been a curfew. Do you have one?" Lu Zhen asked with a smile.
Jiang Yuan nodded angrily and complained about the unreasonable rule of the school. "Yes, it's so annoying. But luckily I moved out, so there's no curfew for me."
There was just someone who would wait at home and ask when she would be back.
It was like a husband waiting for his wife to come home.
Jiang Yuan shuddered. What was she thinking? It was such a messy thought.
Get out of here, such thoughts!
Lu Zhen walked her to the downstairs. After Jiang Yuan thanked him, she happily waved goodbye and took the elevator upstairs.
Lu Zhen watched her leave. The elevator went up floor by floor and finally stopped on the fourth floor. With a "ding",
he knew Jiang Yuan had gotten out.
The lights in the living room on the fourth floor were very bright, blindingly so.
Lu Zhen stood downstairs and saw Jiang Yuan send a message saying that she had arrived. He smiled and replied with a "Okay", then left.
On the other side, as soon as Jiang Yuan opened the door, she heard Chi Xu's voice.
"Why are you back so late?"