Gu Xiaoer's voice trembled, yet it was very light, faint, and calm, a stark contrast to the screaming person she was just moments ago.
The stifling atmosphere of the private room seemed to snap like an overly taut string at her words, becoming oppressive.
Wei Feng dared not breathe heavily, looked at his Boss, and then at Gu Xiaoer, before he realized. Geez, why was he still gawking here? He'd better scamper off and let Boss handle this on his own!
"Go go go!" He urged the petrified managers, quickly making their exit.
Kind enough to close the door behind them, the vast space once again contained only Han Luoli and Gu Xiaoer.
The air appeared to stop circulating.
The suffocating and repressive ambiance made Han Luoli uncomfortably loosen his shirt collar. It was always he who stifled others; he never imagined he would meet his match.
That little girl's every frown and smile seemed to overpower legions.
Gu Xiaoer sniffed, squeezing her eyes shut tightly to force away all her tears. When she opened them again, her eyes were clear.
"I'm leaving."
She rushed to the door so quickly that she even forgot to put on her shoes.
Her delicate hand touched the metal door handle with an ornate pattern, only for a large palm to cover it just as swiftly, pressing down on hers, preventing her from turning the handle.
"Baby, don't go... Listen to my explanation, okay?" Han Luoli said with a strained voice.
In this lifetime, there might be a few who could make him surrender. But the one capable of making him yield unconditionally was only the person before him.
No matter what, he wouldn't let her wander off in confusion and silence.
But Gu Xiaoer, she was never a brave person.
Just like when she faced Lu Tianze and Lin Kexin in bed together, she quietly closed the door for them and silently walked away.
She didn't want to make a scene; it would seem unbecoming...
Perhaps even more so, she was unwilling to face the reality, preferring to hide like an ostrich, diverting the issue, then gradually digesting the pain and discomfort, so she could stand up again the next day.
Like now, she still only wanted to escape far away, to be alone and calm down.
"Xiaoer, I didn't mean to hide it from you!" The man's brows furrowed tighter and tighter.
"I know..."
"The identity is fake, but my heart is real!" He explained.
"I know..."
"Then don't be like this. If you're angry, then vent, if you want to cry, come into my arms, if you want to lash out, I'm always here! But please, don't keep it all bottled up inside, okay?"
"Da Luoluo..." Gu Xiaoer turned to look at him, her eyes flickering, reluctant yet still resolute, "It's really late, I should go back to school, Principal Wang is waiting for me."
"It's always Principal Wang!" Han Luoli's irritation grew with Gu Xiaoer's detachment and calmness, and he snatched the documents from her hand and tore them to shreds in a couple of moves, "Now, you don't have to go back, right?"
"You!" Gu Xiaoer gazed at the shredded paper on the floor in shock, and after her surprise turned into anger, "You are the CEO, you're the Boss, if you tear up the documents that's your business with the school, it has nothing to do with me! But can you not be so domineering in demanding others' feelings? Right now, I just want some peace, I just want to leave!"
Even a tiny spark can flare up with force, and taking advantage of the man's distraction with the papers, she wrenched open the door and ran out.
Gu Xiaoer sat in the taxi, crying all the way back to school.
She had already sent a message to Ai Le in advance, so as soon as she got out of the car, she saw Ai Le standing alone at the gate under the moonless night sky, anxiously looking around.
"Lele..." Gu Xiaoer rushed over, comforted that she had a good friend by her side during difficult times.
Ai Le quickly examined Gu Xiaoer, relieved to find that she had only cried, and hurriedly embraced her to head back to the dormitory, "It's alright now, let's go back and talk, okay?"
The two turned around and were startled to see Principal Wang rushing toward them from afar.
From a distance, he called out, "Xiaoer, how's the situation?"