The dorm supervisor looked at Wu Mangmang strangely, as if not quite understanding what she meant.

Wu Mangmang immediately realized that Lu Sui had tricked her again – he had never said he was her little aunt’s husband.

Wu Mangmang could only walk out in extreme embarrassment.

“Sorry for the trouble,” Lu Sui smiled slightly at the dorm supervisor, then affectionately ruffled Wu Mangmang’s hair.

The dorm supervisor smiled back at Lu Sui. “No problem.” Then she returned Lu Sui’s ID card to him.

A man who looked that handsome even in his ID photo couldn’t possibly lack women. The dorm supervisor was very assured about Lu Sui – he clearly wasn’t a casual man.

Just as Wu Mangmang reached the entrance, she heard the dorm supervisor behind her say to Lu Sui: “Um, there are quite a few people pursuing this little girl. You need to be more careful.”

Wu Mangmang nearly fell down the entrance steps upon hearing this.

“Thank you, Sister Wang. I’ll pay attention,” Lu Sui replied.

Wu Mangmang had lived here for half a year and didn’t know the dorm supervisor’s surname was Wang, but Lu Sui had only been here a short while and already knew to call her Sister Wang. His mouth was really sweet enough.

Just as they walked down the stairs, Wu Mangmang looked up to see Guo Xuefeng approaching on his bicycle not far away.

Seeing Wu Mangmang, Guo Xuefeng pedaled hard a few times, rushed to Wu Mangmang’s side and stopped. “Mangmang, I specially went to Old Wang’s in the west district to get you preserved egg and lean pork congee.”

Although spring had begun, A City was still experiencing late spring cold. Wu Mangmang was still wearing a coat, while Guo Xuefeng wore only a thin long-sleeved T-shirt and was sweating from heat. He must have ridden his bicycle very fast to prevent the congee from getting cold.

Wu Mangmang took the congee container, feeling both grateful and guilty. “You don’t need to be so good to me.”

Guo Xuefeng smiled: “I like eating it too, that’s why I went.”

Wu Mangmang knew Guo Xuefeng was just comforting her. Just as she was about to speak, she saw Guo Xuefeng looking behind her as if facing a great enemy. “Who is he?”

Wu Mangmang didn’t need to turn around to know Lu Sui had come out.

“Lu Sui.” Lu Sui stood beside Wu Mangmang and extended his hand to Guo Xuefeng.

Guo Xuefeng was stunned for a moment, then somewhat awkwardly extended his hand to shake Lu Sui’s, introducing himself: “Guo Xuefeng.”

Wu Mangmang watched Guo Xuefeng’s awkwardness and inexplicably felt angry at Lu Sui. A student like Guo Xuefeng had no defense against him at all – this was an unfair victory for Lu Sui.

Guo Xuefeng looked at Lu Sui, then at Wu Mangmang. His face showed hurt grievance and inferior embarrassment. “I’ll go first.”

Wu Mangmang had too many admirers and had finally driven away the one who treated her best.

Wu Mangmang watched Guo Xuefeng’s lonely figure and felt guilt rising in her heart that nearly drowned her. Although she hadn’t planned to be with Lu Sui, she also felt that someone like her didn’t deserve Guo Xuefeng’s sincere devotion. She was afraid that being with her would actually harm him.

After Guo Xuefeng left, Wu Mangmang had an even worse attitude toward Lu Sui, silently walking forward.

“Drink the congee before it gets cold and hurts your stomach,” Lu Sui said.

Wu Mangmang didn’t speak. There happened to be a bench in the small grove by the roadside. She walked over and sat down, opened the congee container lid, and began eating the congee in small sips.

Actually, Wu Mangmang didn’t eat preserved eggs, but Old Wang’s preserved egg and lean pork congee was especially fresh, fragrant, and smooth. She fell in love with it after trying it once, and Guo Xuefeng would ride halfway across the city every weekend to buy it for her.

She probably wouldn’t be able to eat it anymore in the future. Wu Mangmang’s eyes became moist. She hadn’t expected that she would shed tears for Guo Xuefeng. He really, really was a very good boy.

Lu Sui naturally also saw the tear that slid down Wu Mangmang’s eye corner. Young girls usually could only see men’s best sides – the ugliness was hidden in shadows and might take a lifetime to discover.

Wu Mangmang drank her congee while wiping her moist eye corners with her fingertips, occasionally stealing glances at Lu Sui. This person was always good at keeping his composure, sitting leisurely and admiring the female students reading English not far away.

“What exactly do you want?” Wu Mangmang couldn’t help asking Lu Sui after finishing her congee.

“You know, Mangmang,” Lu Sui said, looking at Wu Mangmang.

That gaze gave Wu Mangmang the illusion of being hunted.

Wu Mangmang stood up excitedly: “But we’re not suitable, and I don’t deserve you.”

Lu Sui made a calming gesture to Wu Mangmang, then said: “I can lower my standards to accommodate you.”

Wu Mangmang was so angry at Lu Sui that she nearly fell backward, cursing internally – pursuing women while being so sharp-tongued? Could this be sincere?

“I need to go to the lab,” Wu Mangmang said, too lazy to deal with Lu Sui anymore, afraid of getting so angry she’d grow gray hair early.

“I’ll drive you there,” Lu Sui also stood up.

“No need, no need.” Wu Mangmang cowardly grabbed the congee container and began running frantically. She was truly afraid of Lu Sui from the bottom of her heart, probably also afraid she might waver in her determination.

With Lu Sui’s personality, he naturally couldn’t run through campus chasing Wu Mangmang, so he could only smile helplessly.

Wu Mangmang ran all the way to the lab and was nearly out of breath. After sitting for a while, she realized her behavior had been too childish.

Fortunately, Lu Sui didn’t appear again after that. Wu Mangmang stayed in the lab until around eight in the evening before being summoned back to the dorm by Zeng Ruling’s death-defying chain of calls.

But before Wu Mangmang reached the dorm road, she was intercepted by Zeng Ruling at the corner. “Has your ex-boyfriend left?”

Wu Mangmang nodded.

Zeng Ruling patted Wu Mangmang’s shoulder: “You’re really something. The men pursuing you are each more handsome, rich, and tall than the last. I’m really worried for my cousin. Guo Xuefeng simply can’t handle you.”

Wu Mangmang smiled: “I’m not a dragon or tiger – what’s this about handling or not handling?”

“Mangmang, I’m just asking for my cousin – what exactly are your feelings toward him?” Zeng Ruling put away her joking expression.

Wu Mangmang lowered her head slightly, unconsciously stepping on a small pebble on the ground and rotating it back and forth. “I think Senior Guo treats me very well and is very upright and passionate.”

“But you don’t like him, right?” Zeng Ruling immediately grasped the key point.

Wu Mangmang looked at Zeng Ruling: “But I don’t want to find someone I like for the rest of my life. I just want to find someone who will always love me and always treat me well.”

Zeng Ruling was still in the stage of being full of fantasies and longings about love. She didn’t quite understand Wu Mangmang’s mindset. “But you could also find someone you like who also likes you.”

Wu Mangmang looked at Zeng Ruling somewhat enviously. She used to think that way too, but now felt it was too difficult.

For Wu Mangmang, love was no longer the main goal she pursued in relationships between men and women. As long as their personalities were compatible and they got along comfortably, that was enough.

Zeng Ruling didn’t get an answer from Wu Mangmang. After thinking for a moment, she said: “I know what I’m saying might be a bit harsh, but I still have to tell you – if you don’t like my cousin, don’t agree to be with him, because that would be more cruel. He hopes you like him.”

Wu Mangmang nodded: “I understand.”

Zeng Ruling saw the lonely expression on Wu Mangmang’s face and knew she was being a bit cruel. Actually, this was Wu Mangmang’s private matter – she shouldn’t interfere at all.

Wu Mangmang took Zeng Ruling’s hand: “Even if you didn’t say anything, I’d know what to do. I can’t harm Senior Guo.”

Wu Mangmang looked up at the sky, where there were a few sparse stars, as desolate as her mood.

The person she loved had left her, the person she liked couldn’t get along with her, and the person who liked her, she couldn’t bear to hurt. Every path in love seemed to lead to a dead end.

Zeng Ruling’s phone chimed with a WeChat notification. She glanced at the screen, took Wu Mangmang’s hand and said: “Let’s go.”

Turning the corner, they reached Wu Mangmang’s No. 2 girls’ dormitory building.

Wu Mangmang felt a strange flash in her heart but didn’t immediately react to what was happening. After five seconds, Wu Mangmang asked strangely: “Is our dorm building having a power outage today?”

The entire dormitory building didn’t have a single light on. This was too incredible – it was pitch black, like a huge square monster.

Zeng Ruling smiled without speaking.

Suddenly Wu Mangmang’s vision brightened. The entire dormitory building basically lit up at the same time. Looking from afar, the lit rooms formed the English word “LOVE.”

Downstairs, Guo Xuefeng held a large bouquet of red roses, looking nervously and somewhat shyly at Wu Mangmang. Behind him were two male students helping him hold a banner that read “Mangmang, will you be my girlfriend?”

All the onlookers were cheering: “Say yes to him, say yes to him.”

Wu Mangmang glanced sideways at Zeng Ruling. No wonder she had said those things to her earlier.

Guo Xuefeng walked through the path the crowd had cleared to Wu Mangmang’s front, extending the bouquet forward: “Mangmang, will you be my girlfriend?”

Wu Mangmang felt like she was being roasted over a fire. She had already promised Zeng Ruling she wouldn’t respond to Guo Xuefeng, but rejecting him in this situation would also be a huge blow to him.

Worse yet, Lu Sui had to join the commotion at this moment. He stood quietly under a street lamp not far away. His expression couldn’t be seen clearly, but he pressed on Wu Mangmang’s heart like a mountain.

The shouts of “say yes to him, say yes to him” continued. Everyone liked to see “lovers finally united” stories.

Happiness belonged to everyone, but sadness could only be licked in solitude.

“Sorry, I can’t agree,” Wu Mangmang said with a wooden expression.

Everyone around became quiet.

After hearing this, Guo Xuefeng’s face showed almost no surprise. He smiled bitterly: “Actually, I expected this this morning. It’s just that I asked classmates and friends to help with tonight’s event long ago. Although we can’t be together, I still wanted to give myself a chance – what if a miracle happened?”

Guo Xuefeng extended the bouquet to Wu Mangmang again: “Mangmang, roses suit you very well. Please accept them. If we can’t be boyfriend and girlfriend, we can still be friends.”

At this moment, Wu Mangmang felt she was truly terrible. Originally, she could have prevented some mistakes, but she had allowed them, letting Guo Xuefeng sink deeper and deeper, deeply hurting this extremely good boy.

“I’m sorry.” Wu Mangmang wanted to cry, but felt she didn’t even have the right to shed tears.

Some people around sighed, some cursed Wu Mangmang, and of course a small number expressed understanding – just because you like me doesn’t mean I have to like you back, right?

After Wu Mangmang returned to the dorm, she couldn’t sleep all night. In the middle of the night, she got up and opened Weibo, deleting all her Red Apricot Weibo posts completely clean.