Volume 11: The Lingering Warmth of Melting Snow
Chapter 3: Screaming Curses
Thanks to An Baili’s greeting, Fu Li was indeed a bit warmer the next day. Today, she skied over from the green slope just as slowly as before, still surrounded by a crowd of men. Seeing Lu Li from a distance, she called out, “Is that our club’s new classmate, Lu Li, over there?”
An Baili reluctantly let go of Lu Li’s arm and gave him a push. “Go on. Use your skills at tricking girls.”
Lu Li sighed and unwillingly approached Fu Li. Fu Li, over there, studied Lu Li for a while, the smile on her face growing brighter and brighter. After all, Lu Li’s appearance was not bad, and his refined temperament also stood out like a crane among chickens in the university student crowd. Of course, Hupo said this was just him being a closeted pervert. Lu Li thought with dissatisfaction, only little boys are closeted perverts. Having the heart of a thief but not the guts is what a closeted pervert is. I’m not like that.
“Senior Fu,” Lu Li greeted her, unable to squeeze out any more words. When he had first talked to Hupo, he could have rambled on from the three primary colors to the Big Bang, but now he didn’t even have the interest to start a conversation.
“What was your rank in our friendly match yesterday?” Fu Li asked with a smile.
She didn’t remember Lu Li at all. Lu Li hadn’t even participated in any friendly match yesterday.
“Oh, oh, I’m sorry. I have a bad memory.” Fu Li shook the ski poles in her hand. “How was your skiing yesterday? Was there anything you didn’t understand?”
“Lili, let’s ski and chat. It doesn’t look good to just stand around,” that senior with the surname Cui said, looking not too happy. The surrounding boys also showed a faint hostility toward Lu Li.
Fu Li smiled and said, “Alright then, we’ll listen to you, Brother Cui.”
The group once again swarmed onto the ski slope. Lu Li noticed that the staff had wanted to remind them several times, but for some reason, they held back in the end. Was this what “money makes the world go round” meant? Lu Li himself was quite rich and had a small reputation in the local business circle. His partners all called him “that young boss with a big background,” but he had never exercised this kind of privilege because he had an instinctive aversion to it. This was a distrust of the upper class rooted in his childhood experiences. Even though he was now on his way to the top, he still cautiously examined the power that came from money and status.
Fu Li slowed down, trying to ski parallel to Lu Li. “Lu Li, where are you from?”
The wind was a bit cold, and Lu Li didn’t want to open his mouth to speak.
“Chuanhai.”
“What’s your relationship with An Baili?”
He wanted to say they were lovers. But he knew that if he said that, An Baili’s little pimping ambition would be dashed.
“We were in the same class in high school.” Evasive and not a lie. Scumbags all loved to answer questions this way.
The men who had been eager to show off also slowed down. “Which An Baili? The beautiful new junior in our club?”
“Were you introduced by An Baili?” someone asked Lu Li, without using his name, which was not polite. Lu Li just pretended not to hear and deliberately ignored him.
Fu Li said, “Lu Li, I think you have a real talent for skiing. Let’s keep in touch in the future. If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can ask me.” She smiled brilliantly. Lu Li, of course, knew why. An Baili had given her a heads-up beforehand, saying that Lu Li had always admired her. Fu Li therefore believed that her charm was a cut above An Baili’s. Lu Li was An Baili’s high school classmate and was now attracted to her, Fu Li. How could she not be happy?
People are like that. They get jealous when they see men more outstanding than themselves, and they get jealous when they see women more beautiful than themselves. This group of people in the ski club had always lived in jealousy.
Lu Li was mentally exhausted. With his personality, he had no desire to get involved with these superficial people. He didn’t know what the meaning of life was for this group of people—drifting along, waiting to die, fighting to the death for a little bit of vanity, creating a chain of contempt in an already small circle, insisting on dividing everyone into different ranks.
Lu Li thought, if you threw them in front of those young masters and misses from Chuanhai No. 1 High School, these people probably wouldn’t even be able to let out a fart.
So deeply servile, Lu Li pouted.
“An Baili too. She signed up for the event but hasn’t come skiing once!” That senior with the surname Cui, in order to please Fu Li, began to belittle An Baili. The other boys also hurriedly chimed in, afraid of being ostracized if they were a step too slow. Lu Li noticed that although Fu Li didn’t say anything, the expression on her face was one of enjoyment. A spasm went through Lu Li’s stomach. He probably knew now what kind of life Baili had been living in the ski club.
“I have something I’ve been holding back for a long time,” Lu Li said.
Fu Li asked curiously, “What?”
“Why am I wasting my time with you people?” he said. “A female university student with more powder on her face than my fingernail, and a group of men whooping like rutting beasts. I forced myself to adapt to your circle, but I really can’t do it.”
The expressions on everyone’s faces changed again and again, but their eyes were no longer friendly.
“Lu Li, watch your words!” Senior Cui reprimanded. “How can you talk to your seniors like that? No respect for your elders!”
“No respect for my elders? By what right do you determine you are older and more noble than me? Are you richer than me? Do you have more connections than me? Or is it just that you enrolled a year or two earlier than me?” Since he had already offended them, he might as well offend them to the end. Lu Li had to get these words off his chest. “Right now, my assets alone are approaching nine figures. I have government support, and my company is based in Mulan City. I don’t know what gives you the right to say such things to me? Senior Cui, you’re the one with no respect for your elders, aren’t you?” Lu Li’s words were already very restrained; there were still many things he hadn’t said. Mainly because he didn’t dare to. If these people recorded some of his words and posted them online, it would bring trouble to Long Di and other partners.
That Senior Cui hadn’t expected Lu Li to pull out such a big formation. His face instantly turned red, half from shame and anger, half from humiliation. “Do you think you’re so impressive, just spouting off nonsense?”
Lu Li let out a “tch.” “One cannot speak of ice to a summer insect. Also, An Baili is my wife.” No longer bothering with them, he turned and skied toward a fork in the path.
Fu Li, hearing Lu Li’s words, was also a little moved. The angry expression on her face disappeared in an instant, replaced by a smile. “Junior, don’t be angry, hey…” But Lu Li didn’t pay her any mind at all and disappeared coldly around the corner.
Leaving everyone staring at each other. “Is what he said true?”
“…I don’t know. It feels like he’s bragging…”
“Yeah, I was just saying, a first-year university student, how much money can he have, haha…”
“It feels like he’s just trying to act tough to save face. I only used to do that kind of thing in junior high. Haha.”
As they talked, everyone came to a consensus about Lu Li, and for a moment, the ski slope was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.
…
Lu Li skied very fast down the slope. He was already regretting it. What was the point of saying those things to that group of people? Although it was very satisfying at the time, it was completely unnecessary. With the mentality of those frogs in a well, they would probably die before they believed him. Talking to them was a complete waste of breath.
He reflected on himself. In the end, his self-cultivation was still not up to par. If he were in Chu Xiaodong’s position, that old fox would have probably just brushed it off with a smile. The road ahead was still long.
“A novice skiing so fast, are you trying to get yourself killed?” Zhu Xi’s voice came from his side.
Lu Li turned his head. He had forgotten to bring his goggles when he came out, and the cold wind made it hard for him to open his eyes. “You’re a princess. Why are you always following me?”
This sentence left Zhu Xi choking with anger. A scumbag man is truly a scumbag man. The next time she reminds this scumbag man, her surname won’t be Zhu!
