Volume 11: The Lingering Warmth of Melting Snow
Chapter 26: A Narcissistic Me
Perhaps there was someone else in this school with the same name as him, Lu Li thought, deceiving himself. How could it be such a coincidence? It was clearly Zhu Xi’s doing. Why would she do this? To prank him? Or had she really fallen in love with him?
Lu Li felt that neither was very likely.
If Jingyi found out he had participated in the princess’s husband selection, what would happen? Did he still want to win back the Silly Goose or not?! The more Lu Li thought about it, the more he felt that this was Zhu Xi deliberately sabotaging his relationship with Chu Jingyi. Regardless of her motive, she had succeeded in angering him. He hated it when people made decisions for him—except for Yameng.
Lu Li wasn’t very focused during this class. The moment the bell rang, Lu Li left faster than the lecturer. He went to the villa, opened his computer, and logged into the Mulan government’s official website. Sure enough, he saw a notice for an outstanding talent selection, and the person in charge was none other than Zhu Xi. Lu Li called the number on the announcement. He dialed four times before he finally got through.
“Hello, Mulan Office.”
“Hello, I’d like to check if there is a male named Lu Li among the applicants for the outstanding talent selection program.”
“One moment.” The sound of typing. “Yes, a Mr. Lu Li has applied.”
“Can you tell me his specific information?”
“I’m sorry, sir, we do not provide the personal information of the participants here.”
“I am Lu Li. My ID number is…, I’d like to confirm if I have completed the application.”
After a while, the clerk grunted in agreement. “You have completed the application.”
Lu Li’s head was buzzing. “Is there a problem with your application process? I haven’t touched this matter at all. How could I have applied? Did someone impersonate me to apply?”
“This, this talent selection program requires the person to be present in person to apply. You cannot apply if you are not present in person.” The other side was still talking in circles.
“But I wasn’t there in person!”
“If you weren’t there in person, it’s impossible for there to be an application information.”
Lu Li’s head was spinning. Dealing with these people was really draining. He said, “Can I cancel the application? What materials do I need to prepare?”
“Cancel the application, hmm, we don’t have that process here. How about this, I’ll confirm with my superiors and call you back later, okay?”
Lu Li knew that this so-called “later” would probably be next year. He rubbed his temples. “Do I still need your permission to cancel the application out of my own personal will?”
“If you are absent after applying, you will be added to the dishonest list. If everyone can apply and cancel at will, it will seriously increase our workload, so we do not have a process for canceling applications.”
Lu Li’s voice rose a little. “But I didn’t even go to the site to confirm! Can you provide a signature? A fingerprint? Or a recording?! Your process has serious flaws, allowing someone to impersonate me to apply, seriously interfering with my personal life…” Towards the end, Lu Li gradually stopped. His thinking still hadn’t changed; making things difficult for a small clerk was useless.
He hung up the phone, called Mulan Bank, and a little while later, the other party sent him a string of numbers. Lu Li dialed this number.
“Hello, Mr. Lu. I am Zhao Zhi, the head of the Mulan Government Affairs Office.”
“Hello, Director Zhao. I’m Lu Li. Someone has impersonated me to apply for the outstanding talent selection program. I hope to cancel this application,” Lu Li said, getting straight to the point.
Zhao Zhi was also very polite. “Mr. Lu, you indeed did not come to the site to confirm in person. But your application materials were sent down directly from a higher level.” He was being very tactful.
“Can you cancel it from your end?” Lu Li was still struggling. He didn’t want Chu Jingyi to know about this.
“Mr. Lu, the seal on your application materials is from the Capital City. Our office has no authority to revoke it. You might be able to contact your relatives and friends to see who applied for you.” Zhao Zhi hesitated for a moment. “Mr. Lu, actually, this outstanding talent selection program is a good thing for you. You don’t have to be so resistant.”
It was indeed pressure from Zhu Xi’s side. He sighed helplessly, said a few more polite words, and then hung up the phone.
Of course, Lu Li wanted to just wash his hands of it and not go, but his identity was tied to Changle Company. If he were added to the dishonest list, it would have a huge negative impact on Changle Company’s business operations. The company was currently expanding, and he didn’t want to cause trouble at this critical juncture.
The image of Zhu Xi’s long, narrow eyes appeared in his mind. She always squinted when she looked at people, like a cunning wolf sizing up its prey, her gaze full of teasing and mockery. Maybe she was feeling smug right now for having played a trick on Lu Li. Lu Li only hated that he hadn’t thrust harder back then; it would have been better to have knocked this bad woman silly.
Just as he was thinking about Zhu Xi, his phone rang again. After Lu Li answered, he heard an unexpected but incredibly familiar voice.
“You with the surname Lu, are you listening?”
It was Zhu Xi.
It had been nearly a month since they had last parted. Zhu Xi was heartless, not even saying a word of goodbye before she left. Hearing her lazy voice now, Lu Li was surprised to find he missed it a little.
“…I was just about to look for you.” To be precise, he was full of pent-up anger. “You know about my relationship with Chu Jingyi, and you still dug a pit for me?! Zhu Xi, we’ve at least been through life and death together. Although we can’t say we have any deep feelings, we shouldn’t be enemies, right?!”
Zhu Xi was completely unconcerned. “Is there anything else you want to say?”
Hearing her indifferent tone, Lu Li became angry. “What do you mean, ‘is there anything else I want to say?’ What I’ve said is already annoying enough! Yes, you’re a high and mighty princess, you can play with power to trick me, but if you really push me too far, I’ll fight you to the bitter end!” These words were a bit harsh. Lu Li was just angry and had subconsciously said what he had been thinking about Zhu Xi—of course, just back then.
Zhu Xi was silent for a moment. “I thought you would ask if my leg had healed.”
Lu Li was taken aback, unable to describe the feeling in his heart.
“You with the surname Lu, I didn’t apply for that talent selection for you to trick you. I don’t need to resort to such low-down tricks,” Zhu Xi huffed.
If it wasn’t to trick him, could it be because she had fallen in love with him? Lu Li sneered in his heart. But then a flash of inspiration went through his mind, and he remembered the scene of Zhu Xi lying on top of him in the ice and snow. It seems, perhaps, maybe there really is such a possibility?
“Of course, don’t think I’m really in love with you just because of one shag. I’m not exclusively yours,” Zhu Xi unceremoniously shattered Lu Li’s narcissistic fantasy. “I applied for you to save you. Lu Li, the worst has happened. Because the matter of you and I being in trouble together has blown up, Grandmother now knows you’re still alive. It’s not convenient to talk about the details on the phone. We’ll meet at the school tomorrow.”
After speaking, without waiting for Lu Li’s reply, Zhu Xi decisively hung up the phone, as if she knew Lu Li wouldn’t refuse.
