Chapter 99

Wen Feixi’s message finally arrived.

Feixi Sister: 【Congratulations, congratulations! Lulu, you’re amazing!】

She followed it up with several adorable cat emojis.

Wen Feixi’s messaging speed had slowed down noticeably.

Lu Chenyu found it a bit odd, but she figured her sister must be busy with something. Besides, the overwhelming joy from her victory had clouded her mind, so she didn’t dwell on it.

That evening, Lu Chenyu returned home.

Sitting at her desk, she pored over the medal and the photo again and again, unable to get enough of them.

The night was quiet all around, but Lu Chenyu’s heart surged with excitement.

She had never imagined she would enter a competition like that—let alone win an award.

As Lu Chenyu fondled her prizes with delight, unable to put them down, the landline phone in the house suddenly rang.

She still hadn’t told Ms. Song about secretly buying a phone over winter break. She knew her mother would blow a fuse if she found out, so she kept quiet about it.

Lu Chenyu picked up the receiver, and as usual, Ms. Song asked about her recent studies.

“Lulu, Mom’s already picked out a university for you!” Ms. Song’s excited voice came through from the other end.

Lu Chenyu froze. “What university?”

Ms. Song laughed. “Right here in Serene River—Serene River Normal College! Your Auntie Wang and I went to check it out yesterday. The campus is nice, and I hear graduates have great job prospects around here. Once you finish, you can come back to Little Sea Trench and teach.”

It felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over Lu Chenyu’s head, followed by a punch to the gut.

In an instant, her mind reeled with dizziness.

“Teach…”

Ms. Song went on, “Yeah! I’ve already talked to the school—your elementary school. The principal knows us, and he’s thrilled to hear you’re going to be a teacher.”

“The principal’s so proud. It’s not every day a school produces a star student like you.”

Lu Chenyu said, “But it’s still a long time until I graduate university.”

Ms. Song replied, “I know my girl can ace it, right? Getting into the teachers college in the county seat will be a piece of cake for you. You can teach math—kids in Little Sea Trench don’t even speak proper Mandarin well, so literature’s tough, but math is straightforward, stable, and comes with subsidies…”

Ms. Song grew more animated with every word.

She had always admired educated people. Today, she’d even had dinner with Lu Chenyu’s old principal—a rare brag-worthy feat.

Lu Chenyu listened to her mother’s chatter, her brow slowly furrowing.

She pulled out the entry ticket Wen Feixi had given her and slipped it between the pages of a book.

–

Time flew by, and soon it was mid-April.

That day, while everyone in the classroom was hunched over practice tests in tense silence, Teacher Xu walked in with a grin, holding a stack of forms.

“Class, the College Entrance Exam is drawing closer, but don’t let studies consume you entirely.” He began passing out the forms. “Come on, set a goal for yourselves and charge toward it.”

It was a University Goal Form for the exam, where students had to list their target colleges.

Excitement buzzed through the room as everyone filled theirs out with laughter and chatter. Lu Chenyu stared down at the blank white sheet before her.

“Lu the Goddess, what university are you aiming for?” Liu Jie sidled over with a cheeky grin.

Lu Chenyu thought of the teachers college Ms. Song had mentioned.

A certain idea in her heart burst forth like a chick from its shell, growing uncontrollably and turning her world upside down.

Just then, she overheard whispers.

“Wen Feixi’s got it easy these days, huh? No exam worries—just chilling at home. Wonder if she’ll even fill out a goal form.”

“I hear she’s drowning in offers. No clue which unis she’s locked in.”

“So lucky… I wanna study abroad too, but we can’t afford it…”

Lu Chenyu’s irritation deepened.

…

That night, she video-called Wen Feixi.

On the other end, Wen Feixi wore her gold-rimmed glasses, holding a teacup as she tilted her head back to drink. Lu Chenyu could see stacks of books and test papers cluttering her desk.

Lu Chenyu couldn’t help saying, “Sister, try not to drink so much coffee at night, okay?”

Everyone thought Wen Feixi could slack off at home without the exam looming. Only Lu Chenyu knew someone like her could never sit idle. If anything, she’d push herself harder.

Wen Feixi paused, her eyes curving in a smile as she picked up her phone and aimed the camera at the cup.

“See what this is? Just plain water.” She laughed lazily. “Your wife’s teachings are etched in my heart. How could I dare drink that stuff at night?”

Lu Chenyu’s lips curved up.

They chatted about school as usual.

Lu Chenyu held up the goal form and said softly, “Teacher gave out the goal forms today.”

Wen Feixi paused again. “You mean the one for target universities?”

Lu Chenyu fished the form from her bag and showed it to her, front side facing the camera.

“Old Xu said we’re making a big goal board to post at the back of the classroom with everyone’s dreams. So we need to collect opinions.” She asked, “What university do you want to go to?”

Silence from the other side.

Lu Chenyu suddenly realized she’d asked a foolish question.

For Wen Feixi, “goals” were already a thing of the past.

It was something Wen Feixi had long achieved.

And yet Lu Chenyu had asked anyway, not even sure what mindset drove her—like testing the waters, probing for some reaction.

Lu Chenyu added quickly, “It’s fine, you can pick anything. Doesn’t have to be a real target. I can fill it out for you and hand it in…”

Wen Feixi was quiet for a moment, then asked in a husky voice, “What university do you want to go to?”

Lu Chenyu froze.

She didn’t know.

She had never known. All she knew was what Ms. Song wanted her to aim for.

Her mind buzzed, her nose stinging as she gripped the edge of the desk.

“I want to be a teacher someday,” Lu Chenyu said. “Probably that university near Little Sea Trench.”

Terrified Wen Feixi would notice something off, she blurted that her roommates were back and hastily ended the call.

After hanging up, Wen Feixi sat at her desk for a long time.

From childhood, she’d toiled diligently, following her father’s prescribed path—steady, relentless.

She had never questioned it.

But now, did she truly want to keep racing along the track Wen Yanxiu had laid out for her?

When Wen Feixi went downstairs for dinner, Wen Yanxiu was at the table, watching financial news. He was on the phone, brows furrowed, voice stern as if berating someone.

Wen Feixi ate in silence. Father and daughter exchanged no words. When she finished, she set down her chopsticks and headed upstairs.

Wen Yanxiu suddenly asked, “How’s your studying going lately?”

Wen Feixi paused. “Fine.”

Wen Yanxiu said, “Finish the set curriculum before Labor Day. It’ll benefit your university life later.”

Wen Feixi took a couple steps, then stopped.

She drew a deep breath, turned back, and stood before him.

Wen Yanxiu looked up from his tablet with a kindly smile. “Feixi?”

Wen Feixi said, “Dad, I need to talk to you.”

He raised an eyebrow at her.

Wen Feixi sometimes felt her father did love her. She had wanted to come clean about her relationship, but reason held her back—the matter with Lu Chenyu could never be spoken aloud.

After nearly nineteen years together, she knew exactly what kind of man Wen Yanxiu was.

Until she was certain it wouldn’t harm Lu Chenyu, Wen Feixi wouldn’t breathe a word of her feelings to him.

So she clenched her hands and said, “I want to attend university in China.”

The words hung in the air, plunging the living room into dead silence.

Wen Yanxiu looked up at her, eyes narrowing slightly. In a cold voice, he asked, “What did you say?”

Wen Feixi repeated, “Top schools aren’t only abroad. China has plenty of great ones, and I can go overseas later through grad school or exchange programs. Why does it have to be abroad right away?”

Wen Yanxiu said, “Do you even know what you’re saying?”

Long years in power had given him an aura of effortless authority. His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried immense pressure.

The indulgent smile in his eyes had vanished completely.

Wen Feixi’s pupils contracted sharply.

Wen Yanxiu lowered his voice. “From the day you were born, you’ve been destined for the world’s top universities. Only a world-class name suits you—suits your status. You know what you’ll inherit someday. And now you say this? Are you worthy of me? Of all the years I’ve poured into raising you?”

Wen Feixi stared at him in silence.

Wen Yanxiu looked down and said flatly, “Don’t let me hear that again.”

–

The next day at noon.

Her conversation with Wen Feixi from the night before still weighed on Lu Chenyu’s mind.

It was early; her roommates hadn’t returned yet.

Lost in thought, Lu Chenyu climbed into bed and stared blankly at the ceiling.

The door suddenly swung open.

Thinking it was a roommate, she stayed put. But then someone lightly tapped the bed frame.

A familiar scent wafted up—gentle and crisp. Lu Chenyu froze and whipped her head around.

There stood Wen Feixi by the bed, hands behind her back, smiling softly at her.

“Lulu.”

Lu Chenyu’s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Wen Feixi.

It had been days since they’d seen each other, and Wen Feixi looked radiant, positively glowing. She wore a knit sweater and a white skirt, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders. Standing there at the bedside, she tilted her head with a warm smile.

“How did you get here?”

Lu Chenyu was stunned. She hadn’t expected Wen Feixi—who lived off-campus and was always so busy—to show up like this.

Light sparked in Lu Chenyu’s eyes, bit by bit. She scrambled down from the bed and landed in front of Wen Feixi, unable to stop her lips from curving upward.

Wen Feixi pulled her into a hug and murmured, “I was feeling a bit tired and happened to pass by on the bus. Thought I’d drop into your dorm for a rest.”

“Is that okay?”

Lu Chenyu nodded eagerly. “Of course.”

Wen Feixi lay down on her bed.

Lu Chenyu carefully drew the mosquito net closed.

Sunlight streamed brightly through the window, a little harsh. Worried it might disturb Wen Feixi’s sleep, Lu Chenyu slipped off the bed and pulled the curtains shut.

Wen Feixi was worn out. She curled up against the wall, hugging herself as she drifted off. Lu Chenyu, afraid she might get cold, tucked her in.

Under the covers, Wen Feixi reached out a soft, boneless hand and drew her close.

Covered by the same blanket, they lay pressed too near.

Lu Chenyu inched closer still, her lips brushing Wen Feixi’s. Wen Feixi parted her lips in response, and their wet tongues met.

Creak—

The dorm door suddenly opened again.

Jiang Chang and the other roommates were back.

Jiang Chang barged in and called out bluntly, “Little Fish, you up there?”

Wen Feixi lay still, unmoving.

“Little Fish?!”

Lu Chenyu shot up.

“Yeah, I was just sleeping,” she said. “What’s up?”

Jiang Chang: “Sleeping? This early? Bad night?”

Thank goodness the room was dim; Jiang Chang couldn’t make out Lu Chenyu’s flushed cheeks. Lu Chenyu clutched the blanket, heart pounding wildly.

For a split second, she felt utterly depraved.

A year ago, she never would have dreamed of sneaking around like this in the dorm.

Jiang Chang said, “We’re ordering takeout later—you in? That hotpot place at the school gate. Want a portion?”

Lu Chenyu replied, “…No thanks, you guys go ahead.”

Jiang Chang acknowledged it, and the door clicked shut again.

Wen Feixi pulled her close once more.

This time with force, arms locked tight around her waist, chests pressed together, ribs aligned. Wen Feixi, eyes closed, rested her chin lightly on Lu Chenyu’s shoulder.

Lu Chenyu paused.

From experience, she knew Wen Feixi always clung like this when she was upset.

She gently patted Wen Feixi’s back. “Sister, are you unhappy?”

Wen Feixi smiled, forehead to forehead, nose to nose. “How could I be unhappy? As long as I’m with Lulu, I’m happy. I just missed you—it’s been too long.”

Lu Chenyu’s heart swelled with sweetness. Wen Feixi’s scent was intoxicating, and now she could savor it up close, not just in memories or dreams.

Her phone buzzed suddenly.

Lu Chenyu blinked. She had few WeChat friends, and no one messaged her at this hour.

It was from Wen Feixi.

A document.

Lu Chenyu unlocked her phone, opened their chat, and asked curiously, “What’s this?”

Wen Feixi said, “Put it together last night.”

Clicking open the document, Lu Chenyu was astonished to find a detailed spreadsheet. It listed top chemistry programs, with college fair dates and historical admission scores.

Her throat went dry. “Why’d you send this to me?”

“I thought you’d be interested.” Wen Feixi nuzzled her cheek. “Lulu, never let others steer you. Always listen to your heart.”

Lu Chenyu’s heart trembled violently. The once-calm waters within her churned into massive waves.

The form was incredibly thorough. Beyond chemistry, there were six appendices on other majors.

Wen Feixi had listed every field Lu Chenyu might like.

Her heart raced; her eyes grew misty.

Unable to hold back, she kissed Wen Feixi’s cheek.

“Thank you, Sister.” Lu Chenyu whispered it again. “I really love it.”

Staring at the form Wen Feixi had sent, Lu Chenyu wondered: Did she have the courage to defy Ms. Song’s plans?

Could she even succeed? Anxiety gnawed at her. She lowered her gaze, gripping her phone, torn and hesitant. No doubt, she hated Ms. Song’s choice. She knew exactly what she wanted, but…

Her thoughts shattered.

“No matter what decision Lulu makes,” Wen Feixi said earnestly, gazing at her, “I’ll stand by your side.”