Volume 10: Pro and Con
Chapter 4: The Interview (Part 1)
“What did you say, Yibao?” Lu Li was also very curious about how the Chu family’s elder, a core member of the previous cabinet, viewed him.
“How would I know what to say?” Chu Jingyi said pitifully. “It was Dad who stepped in and said you wanted to start your own career and had no intention of marrying into the family. Grandpa just said it was a pity and told me to go out and relax more…”
Chu Xiaodong was quite polite, not publicizing his disregard for traditional norms.
Lu Li turned his head and met Wen Hupo’s eyes. The golden-haired girl’s eyes sparkled in the moonlight, like gemstones.
“By the way, he also said… he also said that if there’s a chance in the future, he still wants to invite you over for a chat. Dad didn’t seem too happy about it, but I agreed for you.” Chu Jingyi was a little nervous. “Lu Li, you will come once, right?”
Lu Li imitated her previous tone. “Didn’t we break up? Why would I go?”
Chu Jingyi let out an aggrieved “oh.” “I get it. Anyway, you and I have nothing to do with each other now. I can’t control you. Anyway… anyway…” Towards the end, she sounded like she was about to cry. Lu Li just wanted to tease this girl for a change, not really make her cry. So he coaxed her, “I’ll go. If there’s a chance, I’ll definitely go. Of course you can still manage me. Isn’t there a saying, that an ex-girlfriend is more precious than a current one?”
A sharp pain shot through Lu Li’s arm. It turned out Wen Hupo had pinched him hard. Do women really just instinctively know how to pinch people?
After finally coaxing Jingyi again, the two of them chatted simply about the trivial matters since their separation. This kind of casual conversation reminded Lu Li of the time when they were still in the ambiguous stage of their relationship, without the burden of being a couple, only a hazy attachment and simple sharing. Perhaps their temporary separation wasn’t necessarily a bad thing; it could allow him and Chu Jingyi to examine their relationship from a more composed perspective.
After hanging up the phone, Lu Li felt completely relaxed, as if the night air had become a bit fresher.
“Do you feel like the future isn’t so bad anymore?” Wen Hupo’s arm rested on the railing, swaying listlessly in the wind, like flowing milk. Lu Li couldn’t resist reaching out to touch her smooth skin. Wen Hupo just gave him a disdainful look but didn’t dodge.
“Yes,” Lu Li sighed. “After Chu Jingyi left, I felt like a beam of light was suddenly taken from my world, that a few colors were suddenly missing, and the future was dim and uncertain. Looking back now, I was possessed. A man is born between heaven and earth and should rely on his own two hands to create a new world. I am not sick, not injured, not disabled, not useless, and I have people by my side who will never leave me. She was forced to leave, so I will risk my life to find her again. She is sad, so I will pursue her again. Wallowing in self-pity won’t change anything.”
Lu Li felt these words were like a basin of clear water, washing away all the gloom that had accumulated these past few days. To his surprise, Wen Hupo laughed. Lu Li was not pleased. “What are you laughing at?”
“I’m laughing at a certain Outstanding Representative narcissistically saying he’s creating a new world.” Wen Hupo was laughing so hard she couldn’t even stand up straight. “When will you realize how narcissistic you are?”
“Am I?” Lu Li touched his cheek. “Then I’ll try to correct it next time.”
“Better not. I like your narcissism.”
The two were about to say more when they suddenly heard An Baili’s panicked voice from inside the room. “Li, where are you? Where did you go?”
Lu Li quickly replied, “I’m outside getting some air. It’s too hot in the room.”
Then, the sound of crying came from inside the room, and Lu Li rushed in like a shot. He saw An Baili, soaked with sweat, throw her arms around him, crying as she said, “I thought you didn’t want me anymore… I just had a dream. I dreamed that you and Jingyi died for love, abandoning me and everyone else. When I—when I woke up, you weren’t in bed. I thought the nightmare had come true… wuwu…”
This silly girl. Lu Li held her, coaxing her while gently patting her back as if comforting a baby. The reason An Baili had such a nightmare was undoubtedly because he himself had been so distraught lately. His every move affected many people; he was no longer the boy from the past who, at thirteen, dared to rush toward the school bully without a care.
Lu Li kissed her forehead. “Be good. Time for sleep.”
“Mm…” An Baili hugged him tightly, unwilling to let go even though she was dizzy with heat.
…
The matter of Chu Jingyi’s separation was temporarily put to rest. With a direction and a goal, Lu Li no longer showed any desolation in front of the girls. He had regained his fighting spirit and had once again become the “Silver Demon Lu Li” that Wen Hupo spoke of.
For a few nights, Lu Li and An Baili were so restless that Wen Hupo, lying to the side, tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The next morning, Lu Li dazedly saw Wen Hupo get up and wash something in the bathroom. He asked, “Hupo, what are you washing? Leave it. I’ll help you wash it this afternoon.”
Wen Hupo said grumpily, “I’m washing my socks.”
Socks? Lu Li could vaguely see that it didn’t look like socks. Was it underwear? He was very tired at the time and didn’t think much of it, just fell back asleep.
These leisurely days continued for some time, and finally, it was time for the Mulan University interviews. At the end of July, Lu Li, An Baili, and Wen Hupo arrived in Mulan City. This time, there were no teachers or students arranged to pick them up. The three of them dragged their own suitcases to the hotel.
The interviews would start tomorrow. Taking advantage of the time in the afternoon, Lu Li first made a trip to the office building he had previously selected. He planned to rent the fifth floor as the company’s office space. Lu Li had already asked Long Di to complete the company registration. Now he had to choose an office location and then renovate it, and also make a trip to a local bank…
Lu Li rubbed his temples. Suddenly transforming from a student into a busy professional—the change was astonishingly fast.
On the bus to the bank, Lu Li was recording matters one by one in his phone’s memo. The bus passed a stop, and two couples got on, laughing and talking. Among them were two figures Lu Li recognized. Were they the Annoying Ghost’s roommates?
As they passed his seat, they also clearly noticed Lu Li. “Hey, isn’t this…”
“Shan’er, what’s wrong? Do you know him?” The male university student accompanying her had permed hair and was dressed trendily, with English letters printed all over his oversized T-shirt and shorts. He noticed his girlfriend’s gaze fall on Lu Li and couldn’t help but secretly compare his own looks with Lu Li’s. A strange sense of crisis welled up in his heart. “Your high school classmate?”
The other girl also had a sudden realization. “Isn’t this Jianing’s boyfriend? Hey… what are you doing here too?”
Why can’t I be here? Lu Li looked at her with confusion.
The two young couples sat down in front of and behind Lu Li, and the topic naturally fell on him.
Of the two boys, one was dressed plainly and looked extremely honest and good-natured; the other was dressed trendily and had a wild demeanor. The latter naturally rested his arm on the back of the seat and asked with a smile, “Buddy, are you that Chen Jianing’s boyfriend?”
In truth, Lu Li didn’t like it when strangers tried to get close to him for no reason. He just nodded placidly, neither saying yes nor no.
