4. Choice
In the stillness of the night, Lu Mingfei sat in front of his old laptop, running QQ and StarCraft simultaneously.
A long time ago, he had read a StarCraft peripheral novel called "The Blood-stained Totem." In it, there was a giant mechanical being fighting in outer space. It secretly used the military network to chat with a little girl on Earth. This giant mechanical being, named "Godzilla," was on a distant planet, fighting the terrifying Zerg under the lead-gray low-altitude clouds. Amidst the hail of bullets, it still told the little girl warm words. During their last conversation, "Godzilla" said, "I'm going to die. My battery fluid has run out, and I'm about to run out of power." The little girl asked, "Are you kidding me?" Godzilla replied, "It was really nice chatting with you." Then it was forced to disconnect because, on that distant planet, after the bloody battle, a temperamental dog jumped onto the wreckage of the giant mechanical being and tore its circuits apart with its sharp claws.
Sometimes, Lu Mingfei felt like he was that giant mechanical being, and Chen Wenwen was the little girl. Sometimes, Chen Wenwen would tell Lu Mingfei very secret things in her heart, and Lu Mingfei would happily listen, replying with various cute emojis to show that he was listening carefully. But Chen Wenwen would never understand why Lu Mingfei did this, nor would she know that Lu Mingfei waited for her online for an hour after hour. If one day Lu Mingfei's circuits as a giant mechanical being were to break, Chen Wenwen wouldn't know if she would be sad.
Thinking about it, Lu Mingfei felt very sad, as if there was battery fluid flowing in his chest and his circuits were crackling all around him.
The group chat of the Literature Club was quiet. Without Chen Wenwen, no one would discuss literature. The beauty of literature mainly lies in the Muse, especially when the Muse is wearing a white cotton dress, exuding the scent of sunlight.
In the StarCraft channel, the guy with the panda avatar was teaching a group of people how to defeat "Scumbag No. 1" Lu Mingfei in the channel. Ever since he defeated Lu Mingfei, who used the red dot controls, he had become a hero in the channel, leading the charge against Lu Mingfei's tyrannical rule. At this moment, the big-faced cat logged in, and the name "Nuono" flashed startlingly.
Lu Mingfei's heart skipped a beat, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "Is it really you?"
"Yeah, Chen Mopupil." Nuono's reply sounded lazy, "I'm just bored and came to play a few games. Have you thought it over? Are you going to accept our invitation?"
"I haven't thought it through... How did you know my ID?"
"Nuoma found out. It wasn't hard at all. You actually use an ID like 'Mingming,' which sounds like a girl's name, and 'Sunset Marks'... Are you a shemale?"
"Keep it a secret, keep it a secret. The latter one is just to tease my brother..."
"I don't have time to bother with your brother. His gaze keeps sweeping across my chest."
Lu Mingfei thought that this statement was made with such confidence. Lu Mingfei even began to admire Lu Mingze's courage. Although there was a beautiful girl sitting opposite him, Lu Mingfei didn't dare to look at Nuono. This girl was too radiant and composed, like a sharp steel blade, seemingly very useful for cutting people. In front of her, Lu Mingfei couldn't help but feel a bit inferior, but unlike the first time he met Chen Wenwen, in front of Nuono, he really wanted to slip away.
"You guys seem like spies," Lu Mingfei said.
"Your only highlight in your resume is that you're good at competitive games, like StarCraft. I'm here on behalf of the school to verify that. Not bad. You tell the truth."
"Alright, alright, I've lost."
"I lost... It was Nuoma and I playing together. We controlled one account. In the end, I knew you were upgrading your Level 3 base because Nuoma secretly opened the map and saw it."
"Damn it if you cheat!" Lu Mingfei blurted out this sentence without thinking. This vicious curse is like saying "screw the second wife and stab three holes" in the Green Gang. It's just something people say, but no one really cares.
"Say whatever you want. I'm the only one left in my family," Nuono replied flatly.
Lu Mingfei was stunned for a moment, trying to imagine Nuono's expression when she said this, but he couldn't figure it out no matter how hard he tried. An orphan? Divorced parents? A childhood full of bitterness and hatred? None of these could be seen from Nuono's face. She was simply a cold and proud little princess with a hint of malice.
"You guys can't really be from a competitive gaming school... Even the school secretary plays StarCraft?" Lu Mingfei associated this with the terrifying micro-controls and multi-line offensive commands of his opponent in that game. It really didn't seem like something one person could do. If such a person existed in the world, he would have to have the ability to operate two mice simultaneously.
"Of course not. What we study and what we have to deal with are much more troublesome than bugs. They are the legendary... Well, never mind. Want to play a game?"
"I'm not in the mood."
"Got dumped?"
"Not yet..." Lu Mingfei suddenly felt very frustrated. Nuono seemed to see through his heart like a little witch. In front of this girl, he almost had nowhere to hide, "I don't have a girlfriend, so of course I won't get dumped. What do you want, sister?"
"Sister sounds pretty sweet," Nuono sent an extremely cheerful smiley face, "Come on, tell me what's going on. Maybe I can help you."
"How can you help? You're not even from our school."
"I don't know Chen Wenwen either, right?" the little witch Nuono said annoyingly.
"How much do you guys really know?" Lu Mingfei suddenly felt a great fear.
"Have you ever wondered why your parents haven't seen you for six years and only write to you? And do you still doubt why Cassel Academy gave you a high scholarship despite your average grades? Do you think all the explanations we give you are vague?"
"Yeah, probably only my uncle and aunt don't doubt... They think my parents are too strong and can do anything... They've been asking me how to get my brother out too," Lu Mingfei replied.
"But we have nothing to tell you. I can only tell you that you always have a second choice, but whether to accept it depends on yourself. In fact, there are many things in this world that you don't know at all, so don't judge what will happen in the future based on your past knowledge... For example, you've never dated a girl, so you'll never know what Chen Wenwen is thinking," the little witch's evil nature stirred again.
Lu Mingfei hesitated for a long time and decided to show weakness to the little witch once. Since she was so overbearing, maybe she had some unusual suggestions.
"What is Chen Wenwen thinking?" he asked.
"I don't know," the little witch Nuono replied readily, then changed her tone, "But I'm a girl too. Although I don't know Chen Wenwen, I have feminine intuition!"
"So what's your feminine intuition?"
"She doesn't like you."
Lu Mingfei was so angry that he almost shot fire out of his nostrils, but his heart sank silently.
"But if you think it's good, then go all out and pursue her. There are many ways to impress a girl," Nuono finally said something conciliatory, "Anyway, at first, it's not common for you to like me and me to like you. It's just one person chasing another. You know what 'chase' means, right?"
Lu Mingfei faintly sensed a glimmer of hope, "How do I chase? I'm so far behind her, and I hardly get a chance to talk to her."
"Then why do you like her? You don't even know what she's thinking."
Lu Mingfei didn't speak. There were some things he still didn't want to tell Nuono, like the afternoon when Chen Wenwen invited him to join the Literature Club. The classroom was quiet, with only Chen Wenwen and him there. He was wiping the blackboard. Chen Wenwen, wearing a white cotton dress, puff sleeves, sneakers, and white socks, was sitting on the podium humming softly. The slanting sunlight shone on the newly replaced desks, and the ivy outside the window hung down. It was between spring and summer, and plants were growing rapidly. Lu Mingfei could even hear their rapid growth while wiping the blackboard. He had forgotten why Chen Wenwen also stayed that day, only remembering that Chen Wenwen suddenly turned her head and asked him, "Are you joining our Literature Club?"
The plants outside the window grew wildly, the slanting light quickly dimmed, the cicada chirping seemed to speed up a hundredfold. At that moment, Lu Mingfei felt as if his soul was lifted into the sky, feeling time slipping through his fingers, clouds changing beneath his feet, and he and the angel named Chen Wenwen looking into each other's eyes.
"Have you ever given her flowers?" Nuono asked.
"Does a dog's tail grass count?"
"Cut it out. Have you ever invited her to a movie?"
"I sat next to her during the school's revolutionary film education screening. It was 'Sparkling Red Star.'"
"When is her birthday?"
"October 10th."
"Have you given her a birthday gift?"
"She used my pen to write a reply to the boy who gave her a greeting card and then forgot to return it to me. The next day, she said it was a gift..."
"Can you be any worse?"
"I think I can't get any worse."
"Damn it, having a little brother like you makes me ashamed!" Nuono seemed angry.
"Little brother?"
"You're my junior," Nuono said, "I came all the way from the United States with Professor Goodrian to recruit students. I won't let you escape from my grasp! Come on, let sister educate you. First, all girls need to be pursued! If you don't take the initiative, do you expect her to confess to you? Second, what's most important to a girl is a sense of happiness. It's not absolutely important whether this boy is useful or not, but whether you can give her a sense of happiness!"
"Happiness?"
"For example, if Chen Wenwen really likes you, but you have no feelings for her, but one day you mess up an exam and feel extremely depressed, and suddenly see Chen Wenwen driving a Ferrari to pick you up, and in public, she strokes your hair and says, 'Don't worry, work hard, and you'll do better next time.' Wouldn't you feel incredibly happy? Even if you have no feelings for her, wouldn't you immediately give in?"
"Immediately! Without hesitation! Put a leash on myself and follow her barking!" Lu Mingfei replied resolutely.
"Pathetic! That would make you look too cheap. You should at least struggle a little before reluctantly accepting!"
"Sister... What should I do?"
"Go all in. To pursue a girl who is so far away from you, you should spare no expense and not be afraid of failure. If you succeed, you've hit the jackpot. If you fail, it's only natural. Be grateful for what you get and accept your fate if you lose it," Nuono said.
"How do I go all in?"
"Just tell everyone that you like her, and say it loudly. Bet your manhood and future on it," Nuono said, "Do you understand girls? No girl will really dislike a boy who confesses to her honestly and boldly. Even if she doesn't accept you, she'll remember you."
"What's the point of remembering me?" Lu Mingfei felt a bit dejected.
"Take your beautiful memories and go study in the United States. How does that sound?"
"It still sounds pretty tragic..."
"The best ending isn't for ordinary people. You always have to fight your way out of a myriad of soldiers, be the last dog, cross countless dragon cavalry fire, and when you have only one drop of blood left, make a move that changes the situation! If you die halfway, it's also natural. But a dog that doesn't charge into the fire isn't a good dog!" Nuono said.
Lu Mingfei was stunned for a moment. He felt the murderous intent in Nuono's words, and the image of that beautiful and cold face appeared in front of him. That girl like a steel blade... Now she drew her sword, stabbing right at Lu Mingfei's heart, blood splashing everywhere. Lu Mingfei made the boldest decision of his life. He was going to be that dog charging into the fire. In the last three months before graduation, in the last time he had with Chen Wenwen, he would tell her that he had liked her for three years. No matter how weak this final move was or whether it could break through the girl's defenses, he was determined to be a good dog! This filled his heart with a warm current.
"Got it!" he said.
"Get flowers. If you don't know what she likes, then roses, deep red ones. No girl will really dislike roses. Have music. Music is more moving than words. Most importantly, say it in front of everyone. That's your courage!" Nuono said, "Good luck, little brother!"
She logged off, and Lu Mingfei didn't have a chance to respond. Looking at the gray big-faced cat avatar, Lu Mingfei suddenly felt that his bold confession would succeed. For this, he could give up the opportunity to go to the United States, or maybe he would never see Nuono again, this girl like a little witch. He suddenly felt a bit moved, thinking that he would miss Nuono. Before Nuono, no girl had ever been so close to him and spoken to him like this, not even Chen Wenwen.
He had a strange illusion that at the moment he successfully confessed to Chen Wenwen, Cassel Academy, Professor Goodrian, and Nuono would all disappear like bubbles from this world.
At this moment, the world split into two paths in front of him. One pointed to the illusory Cassel Academy, and the other pointed to the beautiful and warm Chen Wenwen. Choosing one meant the disappearance of the other.
In a Starbucks coffee shop, Nuono picked up a warm mocha and took a sip. On her Apple laptop screen, QQ wasn't closed; it was just set to invisible mode. Lu Mingfei's last message had arrived, simply saying "Thank you." In another chat window, a person named "Sonic" said, "Shouldn't you be thinking about how to get him into our academy? Why are you teaching him how to confess to a girl? If he succeeds and doesn't want to go abroad, Professor Goodrian will really go crazy."
"How could such a confession succeed? Are you nuts? I was just teasing that fool," Nuono wrinkled her delicate nose and showed a cold smile, "That Chen Wenwen sounds like a very artistic girl. She'll only accept what she likes. Even if you give her more, she won't care if she doesn't like it. That fool has been chasing her for three years without much of a chance. Do you think music, roses, and loudly saying 'I love you' would work? Joking!"
"Then why did you talk so convincingly?"
"I said I was just messing with him."
"Can you be any less moral?"
"I can't. I have to admit this is the least moral thing I've ever done."
"Then why do it? Why bully a future junior?"
"I just don't understand why the academy listed him as 'S' level on the recruitment list. I was originally 'A' level. If I don't take the opportunity to bully him now, it'll be hard to bully him once he enters school," Nuono's smile was a bit evil.
"The level on the recruitment list doesn't matter anymore. In the end, it's all about grades. Do you care so much about this level?"
"Yeah," Nuono raised her sharp and pretty eyebrows, "Whenever, I should be the best. I'm just that twisted!"
"Alright, twisted little witch, but have you ever thought that you don't really understand Chen Wenwen. If she's as shy as Lu Mingfei, likes him for three years but doesn't want to tell him, just waiting for a confession... Wouldn't you mess up everything?" Sonic said.
The confident smile on Nuono's face suddenly stiffened.
"I won't be that unlucky, will I?" Nuono muttered to herself, "No way... It definitely won't happen..."
Lu Mingfei felt that Nuono must be an angel who would bring him miraculous good luck. Right after Nuono finished speaking to him, Chen Wenwen suddenly logged in and started talking in the group. Then those who were invisible also jumped out one after another, lively and cheerful, not at all like they were suffering in the nightmare of the college entrance examination.
"It's almost time for the college entrance examination. Let's have a graduation party for the Literature Club," Chen Wenwen suggested.
The crowd cheered, and Lu Mingfei was among them. Such a suggestion should be made by Chen Wenwen. Zhao Menghua joked that Chen Wenwen was like Liu Bei in the Literature Club because she had an absolute attraction to men.
Only Su Xiaoqiang coldly said, "A party is not interesting. I've been on a diet recently and only eat boiled vegetables and fruits. Besides, I'm doing mock exam questions until I'm dead. I don't have the mood."
Su Xiaoqiang was willing to condescend to join the Literature Club, which Lu Mingfei had not expected at all. The tennis club and billiards club presidents were both admirers of Su Xiaoqiang and had eagerly invited her, but Su Xiaoqiang didn't even think about it and joined the Literature Club, which was the biggest rival. It didn't seem like she was joining in; it seemed like she was here to cause trouble.
However, Lu Mingfei soon discovered that Su Xiaoqiang's target was not Chen Wenwen but Zhao Menghua. The reason why even the slow-witted Lu Mingfei could notice this was that "Little Heavenly Princess" Su Xiaoqiang was very straightforward. Su Xiaoqiang invited the pretty girls in school to Pizza Hut. Suddenly standing up at the table, holding a glass of beer, she said, "I invited everyone to eat just to tell you that I like Zhao Menghua. If anyone wants to compete with me, bring it on. No matter how many people there are, I'm not afraid!" Then she finished drinking that glass of beer, her face turning bright red all at once. This kind of courage was similar to the Qingpi in Tianjin during the Republic of China going to