HomeFalling In LoveZhui Luo - Chapter 70

Zhui Luo – Chapter 70

A few days later, Jiang Yan’s case was fully investigated.

It was a fateful connection—in their second year of high school, during the National Physics Competition, Tian Xuanyue had placed first nationally while Jiang Yan had placed second. Later in university, they continued competing for first place for four straight years.

In graduate school, they both chose the same research direction, selecting the most accomplished advisor in their field, and later collaborating to tackle the same technological challenge.

But both had sharp personalities and were constantly at odds. When their collaboration reached later stages, they simply couldn’t continue working together, so they split up to work independently.

This meant whoever solved the problem first would make their name in the physics world.

Everyone only remembers first place; no one cares about second.

Jiang Yan and Tian Xuanyue both worked tirelessly, day and night, spending countless sleepless nights in the laboratory. Initially, Tian Xuanyue thought he had simply lost to superior skill until he later discovered that most of Jiang Yan’s data had come from him.

The aftermath of this incident continued to expand.

As much praise as there had been when the news of winning the highest physics award came out, there was now just as much criticism.

Zhou Wan’s newspaper, having been at the forefront of reporting this story from the beginning, needed to continue covering the developments.

“Zhou Wan,” the editor-in-chief said, “You’ll do the interview later, on camera.”

Zhou Wan was startled: “On camera?”

“Yes, you’re our newspaper’s face. Don’t worry, we’ll just film your profile during the interview, no need to be nervous.”

Zhou Wan nodded, responding: “Alright.”

Since this matter had blown up online, they hadn’t been able to contact Jiang Yan.

He was ambitious and proud; facing something like this, he surely wouldn’t know how to cope.

Zhou Wan still couldn’t forgive what he had done in the past, nor could she continue to consider him a friend, but she didn’t want to see Jiang Yan do anything foolish.

She asked Uncle Ye for Jiang Yan’s phone number.

Uncle Ye found it strange: “Weren’t you classmates? Don’t you have his number?”

Zhou Wan smiled and shook her head: “I lost my phone after graduating high school, and afterward I lost contact with many people.”

“I thought you had exchanged contact information during the last interview.” Uncle Ye copied Jiang Yan’s number and sent it to Zhou Wan’s WeChat, sighing, “I never imagined things would turn out like this. During the interview, I thought Jiang Yan seemed quite easy-going and nice.”

Zhou Wan thanked him and returned to her seat.

—Jiang Yan, this is Zhou Wan…

She composed the message.

[Jiang Yan, this is Zhou Wan. I couldn’t contact you so I wanted to check how you’re doing.]

[When my grandmother had just passed away, I was extremely sad, felt life had no direction or purpose, and even had thoughts of ending it all. But it was Lu Xixiao who told me then that nothing was set in stone, that everything could still be changed, that we still had afterward, still had a future. Those words gave me great strength at the time and helped me pull myself together, and I hope they can give you strength too.]

[Jiang Yan, you’re still young, and you’re very smart. Things will get better.]

Just after sending the messages, the editor-in-chief called her to prepare for the interview.

“Coming,” Zhou Wan responded.

When she got in the car, Jiang Yan replied.

[Jiang Yan: Can we still be friends?]

Zhou Wan paused, then replied.

[Zhou Wan: I told you before, I can’t forgive you on Lu Xixiao’s behalf.]

[Zhou Wan: Jiang Yan, from now on, live well for yourself for once.]

After sending that message, Zhou Wan put away her phone and looked out the window.

Spring was in bloom, the sunshine perfect.

Arriving at the hospital, Zhou Wan was responsible for interviewing Tian Xuanyue.

She was naturally beautiful, with a gentle and steady air about her. Her profile was graceful and distinguished, looking extremely good on camera.

That evening, the interview video was released through the newspaper’s official accounts, becoming the first official explanation of the whole story, quickly reaching over a million views. While the comments below discussed the incident itself, many focused on Zhou Wan—

[The interviewing sister is so beautiful and speaks so gently too. Haven’t seen her in videos before.]

[I think she’s beautiful too!]

[What’s going on, why are you all discussing my wife? Don’t you have your wives?]

[Hey above, don’t just drink, remember to eat something too.]

Zhou Wan never expected that by just temporarily serving as an interview backdrop, she would somehow become popular.

Even Lu Xixiao received a message from Huang Ping with a video screenshot: [Is this our little sister? Not bad, you’ve got a lot of rivals now.]

Lu Xixiao raised an eyebrow at the message and showed it to Zhou Wan exactly as received.

Zhou Wan couldn’t help but smile, asking: “What’s wrong?”

“Explain.”

“…”

Zhou Wan felt completely wronged, with nothing to explain. Seeing Lu Xixiao’s open display of jealousy was adorable, and she couldn’t help lowering her head to hide her smile.

“What are you smiling at?”

Caught.

“Nothing.” Zhou Wan quickly straightened her face. “It’s just that I haven’t been at the job very long, so I’m trying different positions, and the editor-in-chief just wanted me to try interviewing temporarily.”

Lu Xixiao raised his hand, his finger hooking under her chin to lift her face, the gesture somewhat playful.

“Let me see—whether you’re as beautiful as they say.”

Zhou Wan blinked at him.

Being stared at like this made her embarrassed, and just as she was about to push him away, Lu Xixiao laughed and couldn’t help leaning down to kiss her lips.

He clicked his tongue: “So annoying.”

His tone was impatient, mixed with a hint of awkward displeasure.

Zhou Wan slowly hooked his fingers: “What’s wrong?”

“They’re calling you wife.”

“I saw that most of the ones saying that were probably girls, their avatars were all quite cute.”

“Don’t care.” Lu Xixiao bit her lip, his teeth grinding slightly as if venting frustration. “I haven’t even called you wife yet.”

Zhou Wan was startled, then smiled.

Lu Xixiao touched her ear, leaning to the side: “When can I call you that?”

“Huh?”

“Don’t pretend.”

“…”

Zhou Wan’s face grew hot at this direct and sudden question, but she still carefully considered it: “I haven’t saved enough money for marriage yet, but the editor-in-chief values me now, and the salary is about the same as my previous company. After saving for a few more years, things should be more comfortable.”

“…”

Lu Xixiao couldn’t follow her train of thought.

After a while, he nodded: “Fine.”

He lowered his eyes, then leaned closer after a moment, blowing on Zhou Wan’s loose hair by her face, looking a bit roguish: “Then I’ll fulfill my duties in advance.”

“What?”

Lu Xixiao simply picked Zhou Wan up, effortlessly, walking toward the bedroom: “Spousal duties.”

An hour later, Zhou Wan lay exhausted on the bed.

Her phone rang then, and she reached for it. It was an unsaved number from Pingchuan City.

Zhou Wan paused before answering: “Hello?”

The other end was also hesitant and quiet for a few seconds, then a young woman’s voice came through: “Is this Zhou Wan?”

Zhou Wan frowned slightly, feeling the voice was familiar. After a moment, she finally realized: “…Gu Meng?”

“It is you!” Gu Meng immediately dropped her previous reserve. “Wan Wan, it’s been so long since we’ve been in touch. If I hadn’t seen your interview video online, I wouldn’t even know how you’re doing now!”

Zhou Wan smiled, explaining that she had lost her phone not long after leaving Pingchuan City, and hadn’t intentionally cut contact.

“How did you get my phone number?”

“A college friend of mine interned at your newspaper before, so I asked her to help me find out. I can’t believe I got in touch with you.” Gu Meng said, “Wan Wan, how have you been?”

Zhou Wan laughed lightly, downplaying: “Pretty good, quite smooth. How about you?”

“Oh, you know, same old. I’m teaching now.”

Zhou Wan thought Gu Meng’s cheerful personality was indeed very suitable for teaching.

The two chatted casually, sharing what had happened in their lives over the years, and discussing Jiang Yan’s situation with sighs.

At this moment, Lu Xixiao came out from his shower.

He wore only loose pants, his upper body bare, revealing the tattoo on his collarbone and his scars. His muscle lines were smooth and even, arranged in perfect horizontal and vertical patterns, still covered in water droplets that rolled down his waist before disappearing at his waistband.

“Who are you chatting with?” he asked.

“High school classmate,” Zhou Wan answered. “We just got back in touch.”

She smiled, her eyes curved into crescents, bright and sparkling, looking extremely beautiful. Lu Xixiao couldn’t resist leaning down to kiss her, saying softly, “Keep chatting, I’ll go handle some work.”

“Mm.”

Gu Meng naturally heard what she said, and her gossip radar immediately activated. She teased, “Wan Wan, was that your boyfriend?”

“Mm.”

“Wow, next time I come to B City, you have to bring your boyfriend out to let me see him.”

“You’ve seen him before,” Zhou Wan smiled, a subtle dimple appearing at the corner of her mouth. “It’s Lu Xixiao.”

Gu Meng was stunned for a full ten seconds before exclaiming: “You two are still together!?”

“Mm, though we only met again last year.”

“That’s wonderful, Wan Wan, that you’re still together. Though I had thought before that it wouldn’t end so simply between you two.”

“Why?”

“Because what one thinks of and hopes for can be seen daily.”

Zhou Wan laughed, “No wonder you’re a Chinese teacher now.”

“I’m being serious!” Gu Meng said. “When you first transferred schools, I disliked Lu Xixiao because he didn’t seem sad at all, still acting the same as before, like it didn’t matter. The school forum was full of people talking about it then.”

Zhou Wan paused, her heart suddenly beating faster: “And then?”

Zhou Wan had heard from Huang Ping about Lu Xixiao from that time and also heard about him from his old friends’ perspectives, but those were all from boys, who were straightforward and couldn’t see too much detail.

“Later—oh right, Wan Wan, when exactly did you lose your phone back then?”

Zhou Wan thought for a moment: “The year I transferred, after National Day, late October I think.”

“Right, that was around then. I think it was around the end of the year when I tried messaging you and couldn’t get through, calls wouldn’t connect either. I got a bit worried and thought I’d try my luck and go to your house, thinking maybe I might run into someone who knew where you were.”

The reason Gu Meng remembered so clearly—

It was because that year, Pingchuan City’s typhoon came later than usual, arriving fiercely in late October with strong winds and heavy rain. The old residential complex seemed like it would dissolve in the rain, the air thick with a humid tang.

Her umbrella was torn away by the fierce wind, so she ran into the building wearing a raincoat, dripping water, her shoes completely soaked.

She ran up the stairs, but suddenly stopped at the last few steps, looking up.

Lu Xixiao was covered in rain, his hair wet and messy, raindrops falling one by one from his hair strands. He was thin, his lines sharp, angles distinct, like a bedraggled, rain-soaked stray cat.

Gu Meng stared at him in surprise, calling out: “Lu Xixiao?”

“You—”

His voice was hoarse as if roughly ground against sandpaper. Gu Meng even suspected he had been waiting there for a long time.

Lu Xixiao cleared his throat and asked, “Do you know where Zhou Wan is?”

Coming closer, Gu Meng could smell the strong scent of alcohol on him. In the dim corridor light, she could see his reddened skin, clearly drunk.

When Zhou Wan had left so suddenly, Gu Meng didn’t know what had happened between them, only seeing that not long after Zhou Wan left, Lu Xixiao had gotten a new girlfriend, acting as if nothing had happened.

Angry on Zhou Wan’s behalf, her tone was sharp: “What does it matter to you where she is? You two broke up long ago.”

Lu Xixiao went quiet.

His gaze was sluggish as if slowly processing this fact.

After a long while, Lu Xixiao said softly: “She’s the one who didn’t want me anymore.”

Gu Meng was startled.

Lu Xixiao had sharp facial features, but at that moment his whole being radiated a kind of damp desperation as he silently looked aside with reddened eyes.

None of this suited Lu Xixiao—the redness in his eyes and the vulnerability seemed to break through something inherent in his nature.

His breath trembled as he repeated in a low voice, word by word: “She’s the one who didn’t want me.”

After that day, when Gu Meng saw Lu Xixiao at school again, he returned to his usual self.

That typhoon night became like an illusory dream.

*

Not long after hanging up, Zhou Wan was added to a class group chat by Gu Meng.

Soon, many former high school classmates came to add her as a friend.

The class group had been quiet for some time, but suddenly having an old friend back opened the floodgates of conversation, making it instantly lively.

Many former close friends asked Zhou Wan about her current situation, and as they chatted, they began reminiscing, all sighing about how blessed their school days had been, though they hadn’t realized it at the time.

Zhou Wan read through the messages one by one.

She learned that some classmates had married, some had gone abroad for further studies, some had successful businesses, and some were still dependent on their parents—forty or fifty people, forty or fifty different paths in life.

Later, someone brought up how time was a merciless blade, saying that their former PE representative now looked completely different.

The PE representative was named Lu Hai; Zhou Wan remembered him as a tall, thin boy with tanned skin, sunny and outgoing.

At this comment, Lu Hai immediately posted a photo of his dinner, the dishes looking exquisite and appetizing.

He replied: [Can’t help it, my wife has fed me into happiness.]

The group members teased him for showing off his love life, making Zhou Wan smile, her eyes curving.

[I can barely remember what Lu Hai looked like.]

[Hahaha, you reminded me that I had a crush on him for a while during school.]

[Hahaha, too late to say that now, he’s already got a wife.]

[Get out of here, I only liked him for less than half a month, and then I heard him reading texts with that accent and instantly lost interest.]

[Does anyone have photos of Lu Hai from back then? Quick, let me see!]

Soon people started posting pictures in the group, mostly candid shots from sports meets.

As the pictures loaded one by one, the last one made Zhou Wan pause.

It was a panoramic photo—the graduation picture of the entire grade.

She clicked to open it, downloading the original image. The file was large and took a while to download completely.

Zhou Wan enlarged the photo, carefully looking for Lu Xixiao.

She found him quickly.

Lu Xixiao stood out wherever he was.

The young man stood in the back row, wearing the blue and white school uniform, his black eyelashes like crow feathers casting shadows below, his eyes dark and deep.

The weather that day must have been quite sunny, his brows slightly furrowed, his expression showing impatience and casual indifference, his features sharp and severe.

Sunlight fell on him, creating a faint halo of mist, softening and blurring the edges. His back was straight, his figure detached, yet like a lonely island.

Zhou Wan suddenly felt very sad, and very regretful.

Among the five or six hundred people from the entire grade in this photo, she alone couldn’t be found.

How she wished everything could start over, that she could have grown up by Lu Xixiao’s side.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest Chapters