Liang Qingqing's hand had just reached out to grasp her arm when Su Qing took a step sideways, leaving her hand suspended in the air.
The air froze.
Seeing Su Qing didn't get into the car, he wouldn't leave. Both of them were resolute, and as the taxi was about to arrive, he showed no intention of leaving. Eventually, Su Qing yielded.
Approaching, she opened the car door, leaving Liang Qingqing in bewilderment as the car drove past her.
"She did it?" As the car started moving, Lu Xiu's gaze shifted towards the injury on her forehead, his tone casual as if he had brought up a trivial topic out of boredom.
Su Qing tightened her grip on her clothes, paused for two seconds, then responded, "None of your business."
There was a light "huh" from the other side, creating an awkward silence in the quiet car. Lu Xiu then said casually, "Not going back for it?"
"I already did." She glanced at him and added, "Deducted five hundred."
Turning her head to gaze out of the car window at the night, tears glistened in her eyes. She hadn't cried in years, but since Lu Xiu's return, her emotions had fluctuated greatly. Before, no matter how much she was bullied, she remained indifferent. But this time, just seeing Lu Xiu made her feel unbearably wronged.
She concealed her small emotions.
Lu Xiu lightly tapped the steering wheel with his long fingers in rhythm, his deep black eyes calculating something.
"But don't worry, I'll repay you the money soon." She continued immediately, realizing something.
He chuckled lightly. "Do I look like I need your money?"
Indeed, Lu Xiu's family had been in business for generations. He had never lacked money since childhood. He could have whatever he wanted. His world didn't revolve around mundane things like money, nor did he need to work overtime for a salary. They were simply not from the same world.
She bit her lip, and as the glass window opened slightly, the cool breeze blew in, clearing her mind.
"Lu Xiu."
He turned his head. "Hmm?"
"What are foreign universities like?" Su Qing finally spoke after a long silence, her eyes revealing envy and yearning. The wind outside blew her bangs away from her forehead.
"Just like that." He replied nonchalantly.
Su Qing lowered her eyelashes, picking at her fingers. What was university life like? She had longed for university during high school, but after her family's troubles, she had to start working right after graduating. She didn't want to experience those dark days again.
Lu Xiu sensed her emotions and reached out to touch her cheek. She frowned and dodged his hand. "Lu Xiu!"
"Can't I even touch you?" He chuckled awkwardly, his tone becoming casual.
Her face blushed slightly in the darkness, and she glanced at him. Right now, she just wanted the car to go faster, to lessen the pain in her heart a little more.
After a while, the car stopped downstairs. She inadvertently let out a sigh of relief. Getting out of the car, she blended into the darkness.
Just as she took a few steps, she heard the sound of the car door closing. Lu Xiu had also gotten out. She pursed her lips in silence. He should give up now, right?
Turning on the lights, a red passport caught her eye behind the glass counter.
*
Over the next few days, Su Qing didn't see Lu Xiu again, but his updates were everywhere on Weibo.
Liang Qingqing was fired the day after she met Lu Xiu for the first time. Su Qing knew it was Lu Xiu's doing.
She transferred the money to him as soon as she received her salary. He only accepted it very late, without saying a word. She suddenly felt ashamed of herself. She didn't want him, so why did this tug-of-war make her breathless?
Noon.
Sitting at her desk with her phone in hand, Su Qing habitually opened Weibo. She didn't follow anyone, just wanted to find traces of him.
Su Qing skillfully found Lu Xiu's Weibo and clicked on it. After a long time, he posted a new update—a picture of a clearly defined hand casually placed on the steering wheel. He was participating in a racing competition. Most of his Weibo posts were about racing, something he loved. Su Qing had also learned about it because of him.
She clicked on the comment section. The first few comments immediately caught Su Qing's eye.
- "Is it with Lin Siyu? Everyone, go check out her Weibo—"
- "Won't they be together? With a boyfriend like Young Master Lu, she probably won't have to worry for the rest of her life. But I still have hope. After all, with his status, she might be his first official girlfriend, right?"
- "You're wrong. I went to the same high school as Young Master Lu. He had a girlfriend in high school, but not many people knew about it. I saw it secretly. They were quite close back then, but they've probably broken up by now—"
- "You're overthinking it. Could Young Master Lu be interested in an internet celebrity? He doesn't even follow her on Weibo. She looks innocent on the surface, but who knows what she's like inside? I think she's just using him—"
- "What's wrong with being an internet celebrity? Lin Siyu comes from a wealthy family! You think he's not interested? Go check her Weibo from the past month; she's been hinting at it. They're subtly showing off. You dreamers—"
Su Qing's eyes paused, and her heart felt sour. Lin Siyu's name sounded familiar. She searched for her Weibo, which had three million followers. She scrolled down to see a picture posted a few hours ago—a selfie with the background at the racetrack. She was smiling sweetly, and in the lower right corner, a cold, pale, slender hand slipped into view, unmistakably Lu Xiu's hand. Su Qing was a bit of a hand fetishist; she used to love touching his hands for no reason, so this was too familiar for her. So, they were really together now?