Staring at him with wide eyes, Chen Jingyun was speechless.
But soon enough she ended up laughing, grabbing her stomach, and gasping for air.
Li Minghao was a bit taken back from her reaction, but nonetheless patiently waited for her to finish her laugh.
"You´re too funny." Chen Jingyun wiped a tear from her eye.
"How come?"
Propping her elbow on the seat´s hand, Chen Jingyun leaned towards him.
"Fu Wang is not in love with me." She states confidently. "He just likes me as a friend."
"Really?" Li Minghao arched his eyebrow, a look of doubt taking over his face. "Last time I checked he also likes his friends and he doesn't treat them nearly as gentle and attentive, nor looks at them with admiring eyes."
Chen jingyun was a bit surprised at his choice of words, but still shook her head and waved her hand at him, as if dismissing his statements.
"That's not it. You are looking too much into it."
"Then, what is it?"
Chen Jingyun smiled at him. "From what I'm hearing, I'm guessing you don't know everything about me after all."
Li Minghao said nonchantly. "Of course I don't."
"Well, how about you tell me first what you know about me, and then I decide what remains unseen of me?" She shrugged.
She was genuinely curious as to what extend he knew of her. After all, it could let her know the power of his sources and where she could draw the line when being honest with him.
Taking her deal, Li Minghao started listing out the things he knew about her.
"You are seventeen. You are from the Chen Family, specifically the military clan. Your grandfather is the decorated General Chen Mo. You were also raised by him to have military level intellect, which means you are not dumb-" He paused, and looked up at her. "-But somehow you are kinda dumb. No offense."
"None taken." Chen Jingyun rolled her eyes with amusement at him. Trust him to take a jab at her when he could.
"Good." Li Minghao continued. "You are also supposed to have a physical prowess, still have it, but not at its prime. You also participated in tournaments in areas such as chess, piano and gymnastics, but for some reason never pursued the wordwide scene..."
Hearing all this, Chen Jingyun was impressed. He knew almost everything she was worth knowing for before.
"Is that all?"
"Nope, now it's time for your dark history." Li Minghao shook his head and changed positions. His eyes turning clear, not a ripple of emotion could be seen.
Chen Jingyun could only gulp and raise her face. She must not be ashamed of her past.
She also already expected him to know about it. Otherwise, how coulod she justify getting that death threat?
"You were the main instigator of bullying in your last school. Your modus operandi incluyed destroying the victim mentally and sometimes physically as. One of the victims testified you once said you didn't like to leave evidences. You were particularly said to like playing mind games. You were in juvenile detention for two years and just came out, as for which juvenile detention. There were no records of that. And lastly..."
Chen Jingyun felt her chest deflate by the minute. Yeah, in the end she was still ashamed of who she was. Whatever was the last thing he knew about her, she was sure it was as bad as the rest.
"You tried to kiss me." Li Minghao finished.
Chen Jingyun instantly flared up. She was annoyed.
"I did not!"
"You did. Everyone saw."
"I was under the influence."
"Fair enough, but it doesn't take away the fact you tried to kiss me."
"How does this relate to my dark history anyways?" Chen Jingyun rolled her eyes, an anoyed smile playing on her lips.
Li Minghao shrugged.
"You were taking advantage of me, of course it has to go under your dark history."
Chen Jingyun only sighed and let him have his way. "Fine."
"It's your turn."
"For what?"
Li Minghao gave her another look. "Fu Wang and you."
Chen Jingyun chuckled, but nonetheless decided to tell him about her a Fu Wang. He didn't seem like he was about to let it go any time soon.
"He's my friend from childhood." She started. He recognized me and now we're just trying to catch up. Something like that."
Hearing all that, Li Minghao was not that surprised, but he still appreciated the piece of information she had given him.
"I understand." He nodded. "In that case, you have to tell him to back off."
Li Minghao crossed his arms, looking like he would not take a 'no' for an answer.
Looking up, Chen Jingyun was riddled with questions.
"Why?"
At this, Li Minghao arched his eyebrow.
"It is dangerous for you to appear anywhere around him. The organization can trace him back to you even if you are currently supposedly in hiding. Actually, anyone from your past will trace them back to you."
"In fact, you being with us is already pushing it a bit."
"The truth is you are in plain sight for them to see, find you and well, take your life."
"You should have been blending with the crowd."
"However, the scene is already set. And the only thing you can do is to roll with it."
"Which means you have to own your role as the little brother, avoid cameras and social media. And obviously avoid Mr. Fu. That kid is way to notorious."
"What about you? Shouldn't I avoid you too?" Chen Jingyun arched her eyebrow backa t him.
She was not trying to challenge him, no. She understood his point, but... as notorious Fu Wang was, him and his gang should be on the same level, right?
"It is preferable you avoid me." Li Minghao admitted. "You could change roommates and we could pretend this never happened. But everyone at school already knows you are with Fu Wang's group and they have also seen you with us. They also know your little stunt with Zhang Wuxian, which does not make things any better. You, yourself, already made things notorious for yourself."
"So you are saying, I set myself for failure?"
"From the very start." He nodded. "I'm just confused at why they- your grandfather- would send you like this. Unprepared."
"I'm not unprepared."
"Yes you are. You didn't even know about your doctor being here."
Chen Jingyun's lip fell into a flat line. Whatever was left of her confidence and ego gone.
"Fine." She mumbled.
"Look. Your life is a mess, that's a given. All you can do now is do your best to stay low and ask Fu Wang to be more discreet. Nothing much."
"Okay, I'll do that." She nodded a bit defeated. "Anything else?"
Li Minghao set his eyes on her. "If it makes you feel any better, I think it is not your fault the sitaution is like this. If anything, you seem the most unprepared person under a protection program."
Chen Jingyun only smiled.
Whether it made her feel any better or not, Li Minghao couldn't tell.
"Enough about me and my life." She stretched hear hands out, correcting her posture before picking up her now cozily warm cup of tea. "Tell me about you."