Translator: Tojo
Editor: NaoNazo
Chapter 83
Zhou Xialei inserted a straw into the milk carton, applied a face mask, and took out her journal, intending to make a daily entry.
Suddenly, her roommate, lying on the bed with crossed legs and fully engrossed in her phone, sprang up. Holding her phone, she exclaimed, “Damn, look at the class group! Seems that Liang Yutian jumped off the library building and attempted suicide!”
“What? Are you talking about the campus beauty in our department?”
“Oh my goodness, is it true? Is she really dead? When did this happen?”
“No way, it must be a rumor. Why would she commit suicide? She’s so good-looking, comes from a wealthy family, always dressed in high-end brands. Many girls envy her. What reason could she possibly have to take her own life?”
Zhou Xialei had always been quiet, with a soft and gentle voice. When she heard her roommates engaging in a heated discussion, she was initially surprised but didn’t think much of it. She didn’t join in because she, herself, was not a gossip-loving girl.
Suddenly, the phone placed on her desk vibrated, emitting a muffled “buzzing” sound.
Zhou Xialei was startled, and her heartbeat skipped a beat. The typically gentle girl showed a rare moment of disgust when her phone made the muffled sound, as if she already knew who was calling her early on.
When she picked up the phone and saw an unknown non-local number displayed, she hesitated for a moment but then promptly hung up.
It was not surprising that her actions were so decisive. During this period, she had been relentlessly harassed and bombarded by her ex-boyfriend, causing her to block numerous unknown numbers.
Furthermore, as her phone number was tied to her campus card, she couldn’t simply abandon it. Even though she was persistently harassed, she never considered changing her SIM card.
Her ex-boyfriend was a domineering control freak, forbidding her from interacting with any other gender. She was even forced to delete the contact information of classmates with whom she had never exchanged a single word. He monitored her life 24/7, demanding detailed reports on what she ate and which classes she attended each day.
This kind of relationship pattern was like being encased in chains, restraining her hands, feet, and freedom.
Just when Zhou Xialei was harboring some silent complaints and feeling stifled, her phone suddenly received a new text message.
She curiously opened the message, and as soon as she saw its contents, she was so startled that her phone slipped from her hands, making a loud “crack” as it hit the ground.
The people in the dormitory were already engaged in a heated discussion, and the sudden loud noise startled everyone, causing them to look towards Zhou Xialei’s direction in surprise.
The girl closest to Zhou Xialei, seeing her visibly shaken, bent down to help pick up the phone. However, she was sternly rebuked by Zhou Xialei, who exclaimed loudly, “Don’t touch it, I’ll handle it myself!”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Then, as if what had fallen to the ground was her most precious possession, she swiftly grabbed the phone in her hand, her expression twisted into a vicious grimace.
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Zhou Xialei’s body was trembling uncontrollably; she even felt a chill in her bones. It was as if she was enveloped in a thick layer of ice, shivering more intensely.
Following that, two more text messages arrived, but this time, Zhou Xialei’s fingers trembled as she opened the messages.
The latest text message was concise: “If you don’t want your negative news exposed at school, scan this QR code, download this app, and we can talk slowly.”
“Um, I’m here.” Su Jingyan lowered his head, a faint blush on his cheeks. His hands tightly cradled the stack of thick books, and due to nervousness, his fingers fidgeted with the corners of the books.
Su Jingyan rented a one-bedroom apartment near the school, not very spacious but definitely quite decent for a college student.
Moreover, after walking out of the main entrance of the school, it doesn’t take long at all to reach there.
Lu Yichen’s gaze remained fixed on Su Jingyan from start to finish, without lifting his eyelids or blinking once, as if his eyes were glued to Su Jingyan.
His entire demeanor exuded a cold and reserved aura, with an impassive expression on his face. Upon hearing Su Jingyan’s words, the young man gave a subtle “Hmm,” his voice devoid of any modulation.
Su Jingyan’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he covered his head with the book, preparing to dash out from under the umbrella shelter despite the rain. Before he could take a step, Lu Yichen’s hand gripped his wrist, which was raised above his head.
Lu Yichen’s hand was especially cold, and Su Jingyan felt the icy touch. His eyes slightly trembled, and he turned his head to look at the expression on the man behind him.
The man’s eyes were already dull and unfocused, appearing somewhat shadowed.
Su Jingyan let his hand, held by Lu Yichen’s wrist, drop naturally in response to the man’s movement.
Without uttering a word, Lan Yichen placed the umbrella handle into Su Jingyan’s palm. Before Su Jingyan could express surprise and reject it, Lu Yichen walked out from under the umbrella, leaving Su Jingyan standing alone, bewildered in the rain.
After staring at the man’s silhouette for a while, Su Jingyan finally realized what had just happened. Startled, he lifted the umbrella and rushed in the direction where Lu Yichen had walked off.
But at the moment Su Jingyan took a step, the man had just reached the corner of the wall, disappearing from Su Jingyan’s line of sight.
Su Jingyan rushed to the corner, looked around, and realized that the man from before had completely vanished from this road. Not a trace remained, as if he had vanished into thin air, leaving Su Jingyan in a bewildered and dreamlike state.
He lifted his head to look at the umbrella he was holding.
Su Jingyan was filled with regret and disappointment once again.
He realized that apart from knowing the man’s name, he was completely ignorant of his field of study, class, and he even forgot to ask for any contact information!
At this moment, Su Jingyan wished he could turn back time and wake up his foolish self from that moment.
And he held the umbrella handle, slowly placing his hand over his chest, feeling the rhythmic thumping of his heart.
It was still fast, even getting faster.
Su Jingyan’s brain was filled with an indescribable tingling sensation, making him appear exceptionally excited.
Su Jingyan pursed his lips, with an indescribable feeling in his heart, and began to walk back towards the direction of his rented apartment.
As Su Jingyan walked, he comforted himself in his thoughts.
It’s okay, after all, they are in the same school. There will surely be a chance to meet again!
At this moment, thinking like this was the only way Su Jingyan could make the sense of loss a bit more bearable.
Su Jingyan walked towards the direction of the rented apartment building, sighed, feeling a bit frustrated.
After a while, a black figure reappeared silently at the corner, making a quiet entrance.
The rain drizzled down, hitting the ground and this man’s face, clothes, and even his disheveled hair, drenching him completely.
Lu Yichen’s eyes were fixedly watching every move Su Jingyan made, resembling an emotionless robot.
His face, now pallid and drenched by the rain, appeared eerily like a terrifying ghost emerging from hell seeking souls. His eyes remained unblinking, as if devoid of any signs of life.
It was unclear how long the man had been standing in this position.
Finally, just like his initial appearance seemingly out of nowhere, in no time, he silently disappeared from the spot once again…
Su Jingyan gently placed the heavy books on the coffee table, his right hand still gripping the umbrella handle.
He sat down slowly on the sofa, picked up the tissue box placed on it, pulled out a tissue, and wiped away the water stains on the umbrella.
Su Jingyan’s movements were very meticulous, especially in the crevices of the umbrella ribs. He wiped back and forth several times, as if caressing some earthly treasure, gentle and earnest.
Throughout the wiping process, a smile never left the corners of Su Jingyan’s mouth. His mind seemed to be lost in thought, and the smile appeared exceptionally sweet.
In the soft halo of light inside the room, Su Jingyan looked as if draped in a layer of golden attire, giving him a gentle and warm appearance.
Suddenly, his phone in the pocket vibrated. Su Jingyan paused for a moment in response to the sound, and then, slowly and carefully, he placed the umbrella on the table. Following that, he took out his phone from his pocket.
Su Jingyan unlocked the phone screen, glanced at the incoming call, furrowed his brow, feeling a bit puzzled.
Because the one calling him was his academic advisor, a young professor in his early thirties.
Su Jingyan hesitated for a moment before confirming the answer. He then placed the phone behind his ear and softly said, “Hello.”
The male voice on the other end chuckled lightly upon hearing Su Jingyan’s voice and then said, “Jingyan, are you free tomorrow?”
Su Jingyan had an indescribable feeling, especially when he heard the other person address him like that. His forehead almost formed a wrinkle like the character for “river” (川), an expression he only showed when he strongly disliked something.
It was not that Su Jingyan had any particular issue with this teacher; it was more about his own reasons, possibly related to his experiences from childhood. He always carried a deep-seated resistance and sense of distance towards anyone trying to get too close to him.
“Um, I’ll have to check the specific schedule for tomorrow,” Su Jingyan replied vaguely.
The person on the other end of the call clearly chuckled again. Upon hearing that laughter, Su Jingyan inexplicably got goosebumps, feeling uneasy all over.
“Well, can we have lunch together tomorrow? There’s something I want to talk to you about.” The man’s voice carried the magnetic charm unique to his age. The trailing tone of his words was intentionally prolonged, and his speaking voice had a hint of laughter. It didn’t make people uncomfortable; instead, it gave a refreshing feeling, like a gentle breeze in spring.
But Su Jingyan, unfortunately, was not an ordinary person; he only felt a chill.
Strangely, at the very moment the voice on the phone fell silent, the air in the room seemed to freeze, and the temperature inexplicably dropped, as if the air conditioner had suddenly been turned on, casting a chilly and gloomy atmosphere.
Su Jingyan touched his right arm with his left hand, feeling a chill that he couldn’t quite shake off.
Heh.
It’s unclear if it was Su Jingyan’s imagination, but he faintly felt as if someone next to him had let out a cold laugh just now.
Although Su Jingyan didn’t want to entertain such base thoughts about someone, at least so far, the male professor had behaved very decently and hadn’t exhibited any inappropriate actions.
But he had always been sensitive, easily picking up on the likes and dislikes of people around him. He had indeed witnessed too many seemingly upright hyenas and beasts, revealing sharp fangs in front of him. If it weren’t for these experiences, he wouldn’t have become so sensitive.
Therefore, Su Jingyan promptly interrupted the person on the phone who seemed inclined to continue speaking, and said indifferently, “If you have something to discuss with me, you can tell me over the phone now. If you have something to give me or a task to assign, I can come to your office the day after tomorrow during class.”
The person on the other end of the phone seemed to want to continue persuading, but inexplicably, the phone signal was abruptly cut off, leaving only the crackling of electric currents intermittently coming through.
Suddenly, there was another “pop,” and the phone abruptly cut off.
Su Jingyan furrowed his brow, thinking that perhaps something he said irritated the person on the other end, causing them to hang up in frustration. He didn’t dwell on it and continued wiping the umbrella beside him.
Heh.
It wasn’t known whom the laugh had came from.
Oooo excited for this new arc!!
Thank you for the chapter! ✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧