In a strange environment with unfamiliar people, she felt extremely out of place. The only solace was her proficiency in English, which helped her clumsily find the school where Lu Xiu was. The school was vast, and she knew it was highly unlikely to catch a glimpse of him. Unable to enter the school, she lingered nearby.
Surrounded by fair-haired and blue-eyed individuals, each with impressive figures, even in winter attire designed to accentuate their bodies, she felt a sudden impulse to describe herself. He must be doing well without me, she thought. Just then, two tall and beautiful girls beside her exclaimed.
"Lu Xiu is over there."
"Who's the girl next to him?"
Hearing the familiar name, she couldn't help but stiffen, her eyes involuntarily glancing over. At the school gate, the two figures stood out conspicuously. The tall young man, wearing trendy brand-name hoodie, hands lazily tucked in his pockets, stood there lazily with a black cap shading his eyes, making it hard to discern his expression. He gazed at the girl before him with lightly pursed lips.
Even from a distance, she could see the blush on the girl's face and her shy expression. Clenching her fist, she lacked the courage to continue watching and promptly fled the scene, almost running away. It took her a while to realize she should stop.
Breathing heavily, her flushed cheeks refused to cool down. He must be popular at school, she thought. With so many girls knowing him, it seems he's doing even better without me. Leaving him was the right decision.
"Sunny, have I ever told you? You're the most challenging person I've ever met. Back then in school, I was the top of our class, yet somehow I ended up in your hands. But meeting you as a friend, I'm glad," Xiao Yin's words pulled Sunny out of her reverie.
Stiffening, she turned her head, unsure how to respond. Avoidance had become her habit.
Back in her rental apartment, it was already nine in the evening, and the chill seeped into her clothes, causing her to shiver. She was always sensitive to the cold, so she never liked winter. Dust had accumulated on the air conditioner, but despite owing Lu Xiu several thousand, she resisted the urge to turn it on.
Sunny took out another blanket from the cabinet, spreading it over the bed. The sight of the thick quilt made the air around her seem warmer.
On the other hand, Lu Xiu lounged on the sofa, flicking a lighter lazily. The sound echoed faintly as if he had grown tired of waiting. His face showed clear signs of drowsiness.
"A-Xiu, did you go racing again today? Haven't I told you? Don't engage in such dangerous activities. Why do you insist on going?" Opposite him, Shen Yuqing, elegant and graceful, spoke with a worried tone.
"I like it," Lu Xiu's deep voice carried a lazy tone. "Apart from racing, is there anything else you like?" His mind flashed with the image of a petite figure, his eyes instantly softening, and a gentle smile played on his lips.
Shen Yuqing and Lu Xiangqi looked at their son, noticing his improved complexion, but they were puzzled.
"And what happened on Weibo today? Who is this Lin Siyu?" His mother recalled the commotion on the internet that day, feeling puzzled. She was quite clear about her son; she hadn't seen him bring any girls home. Yet now she saw he had a new daughter-in-law online.
"You don't need to know. She has nothing to do with me," Lu Xiu pocketed the lighter, shook his crossed legs, displaying a rebellious young master's demeanor.
Shen Yuqing nudged the tall man beside her reproachfully. "You don't urge your son to bring a girlfriend home soon. I'm eager to become a grandmother."
The man shifted slightly, pulling the delicate woman beside him into his embrace, "A-Xiu, your mom is speaking. When you meet someone you like, go after her. Don't hesitate like a shy boy."
Lu Xiu's dark eyes flashed, revealing no emotion. He didn't answer their question and bid them good night before going upstairs to sleep.
The two glanced at each other, puzzled by Lu Xiu's response.
Upstairs, Lu Xiu took out his phone. Seeing the uproar about himself online seemed uninteresting. But when he saw the mutual gaze between him and a certain friend on the platform, his eyes softened, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth. His long fingers tapped on the phone, finally satisfied as he hit 'send'.
Su Qing arrived at the company, unaware of what was happening online, assuming that the events from yesterday had settled down. Yang Zhiyan stirred her coffee, her gaze darkening as she saw Su Qing approaching. "Qing Qing, have you checked Weibo?"
Su Qing raised her eyes, not responding, and picked up her phone to open Weibo. She saw a startling headline behind the first hot search: "Lu Xiu responds to netizens." Unable to resist, she clicked on it, her eyes widening at the headline: "Lu Xiu denies accidental slip." She clicked on Lu Xiu's Weibo to see his comments.
The first one read: "Don't play that card, it wasn't accidental." Su Qing felt a strange pang of sourness in her heart. She always felt she shouldn't have existed in this world, that she was a person abandoned by the world, but his appearance had given her new hope, only to be crushed by her own hands.
Many online spectators were enjoying the show, speculating about the identity of the person Lu Xiu followed. One headline read: "Lu Xiu's ex-girlfriend trending at lightning speed." A sense of unease washed over Su Qing.
Few people knew they had been in a relationship back in school. At that time, apart from a few classmates and his friends, she wasn't sure if anyone else knew. But back then, Lu Xiu was flamboyant, not only in their school but also in several nearby schools where girls were curious to see what the young master of the Lu family looked like. They were two people from different worlds who happened to come together.
He was possessive, never letting her talk to other boys, not even allowing basic greetings. She was introverted, while he was rebellious.
They had never argued during their time together, except for that breakup, which wasn't even an argument in the end, just his disappointment in her. She clicked on the trending topic. A girl came forward with a revelation: I was in the same school as Lu Xiu, in the class next to his. He had a girlfriend in high school.
Maybe many of you don't know, but I happened to run into them a few times back then. That girl was very beautiful, the kind that shines bright, and you could see that Lu Xiu treated her well. Eyes never lie. They seemed to have broken up later, for reasons unknown.
Afterwards, despite numerous tabloid rumors about Lu Xiu, they all felt fake. I suspect the person he's following now is his ex-girlfriend.