HomeFalling In LoveZhui Luo - Chapter 81: Falling in Love (Complete)

Zhui Luo – Chapter 81: Falling in Love (Complete)

Old Master Lu was aging year by year, and it was time to find someone to entrust with his authority. Unfortunately, his son and daughter were both inadequate – the former foolish, the latter greedy. Neither could be trusted with power. His only satisfactory choice was his grandson, Lu Xixiao.

“Old Master.” Lu Xixiao entered the old residence and met him in the living room.

“You’re back.” Old Master Lu gestured. “Sit.”

Lu Xixiao sat on a nearby sofa. By now, his emotional connection to the Lu family was pitifully thin. Ever since Shen Lan’s death, Lu Xixiao had distanced himself from the Lu family. Being young and still in Pingchuan City at the time, he couldn’t completely avoid entanglements.

“Did you need something?”

Old Master Lu had someone pour tea and asked, “How have you been lately?”

He smiled faintly: “Pretty good.”

“I saw some of that drama between you and her online.”

Lu Xixiao raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He no longer depended on the Lu family, so naturally, there was no need to explain anything about Zhou Wan to others, nor did he care whether they accepted her or not.

“Do you like her that much?” Old Master Lu asked.

Lu Xixiao smiled and answered candidly: “Yes, it has to be her.”

Old Master Lu paused: “Before you two return to B City, bring her over for a meal.”

Lu Xixiao looked up. He knew exactly what kind of person Old Master Lu was. After a moment, he smiled and took a sip of tea, deciding to lay everything out clearly: “Old Master, this sudden change of heart – are you trying to negotiate some terms with me?”

“How could I negotiate terms with you now?”

Lu Xixiao lazily curved his lips.

“There’s just one thing I need your help with.”

“Please go ahead.”

Old Master Lu looked at him and sighed: “Grandfather is old now, and there are many things I can’t manage anymore. But with our Lu family’s business, I can’t trust anyone but you. Xiao’er, come back.”

Lu Xixiao truly hadn’t expected this conversation.

“I don’t want to get entangled in Lu family affairs anymore.”

With Lu Zhongyue and Lu Qilan watching closely, handing the business to Lu Xixiao would only create more trouble. Lu Xixiao didn’t want to risk anything that might harm Zhou Wan.

“When I finished the college entrance exam, I agreed to study abroad because I had already planned to use that to break free from the Lu family’s control.”

These thoughts weren’t lost on Old Master Lu, but he still let him go abroad. He simply hadn’t expected Lu Xixiao to be willing to give up such a large family business for one person, nor had he expected him to achieve his current success purely on his own.

“But you still have Lu family blood flowing through your veins…” Old Master Lu said.

“Half my blood is from my mother. After what Lu Zhongyue did to drive her to that state, how could I return to the Lu family as if nothing happened?”

Lu Xixiao looked at him, his expression calm, his voice light. “Grandfather, none of you know how I lived back then, but Zhou Wan does.”

“You probably don’t know I used to have severe acrophobia, a trauma from those days. For two years before going abroad, I would have heart palpitations every time I got off a plane. None of you knew about this, nor did you care.”

“I used to feel very lonely and wanted a real family, but now, I don’t care whether you know or not.”

“Some things can’t be fixed just because you want to make amends. What’s past is past, and can never be retrieved.”

Old Master Lu looked at him, momentarily speechless.

“Don’t worry, I understand I’ve benefited from many resources the Lu family provided as I grew up. If the Lu family needs help, I’ll certainly assist, and I’ll take care of you in your old age, but that’s the extent of it. Beyond that, I’ll live my own life.”

Lu Xixiao’s voice was steady, without deliberate distance, just deep and unwavering.

Old Master Lu finally understood that Lu Xixiao had truly grown up. And this growth meant he really wouldn’t come back.

… After leaving the old residence, Lu Xixiao messaged Zhou Wan.

[6: Still at Grandmother’s?]

[Zhou Wan: Yes.]

[6: I’m coming over now.]

He drove over and walked into the community with familiar ease. As he stepped onto the cement floor of the stairwell, he suddenly thought of past events and those report cards that had been slipped through the door crack.

Lu Xixiao’s steps faltered, then quickened.

The door was ajar.

He pushed it open to find Zhou Wan with her back to him, holding a bag. She turned at the sound: “You’re here.”

“Mm.” Lu Xixiao walked over and took the bag from her. “What’s this?”

“Some of my grandmother’s things that weren’t taken before. I was sorting through them.”

“Mm.”

“Also-” Zhou Wan paused, pressed her lips together, and said softly, “Your high school senior year report cards.”

Lu Xixiao raised an eyebrow: “You saw them?”

“They were right at the door when I came in.” Zhou Wan couldn’t help lowering her head, looking at her shoetips. “You must have hated me back then, so why did you still slip report cards through the door crack?”

“I was quite annoyed with you then.”

He smiled carelessly, “But I had promised you I would always be by your side.”

He said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

As if those years were just a fleeting glance.

Lu Xixiao held Zhou Wan’s hand as they walked out of the old community. It was sunset, with the remaining light casting an orange-red glow across the horizon.

“Lu Xixiao.”

“Mm?”

“Guo Xiangling is gone.”

Lu Xixiao paused slightly, saying nothing.

Belatedly realized what that “gone” meant.

“The last person related to me by blood is also gone now.” Zhou Wan said softly.

“Let’s get married.”

He spoke quickly, saying it as naturally as if making small talk.

Zhou Wan slowly turned her head to look at him.

The man’s dark eyes were lightened by the sunset as he looked down at her: “I will be your family, I will always be with you.”

I will always be with you.

Just like what was written on the back of that paper:

Zhou Wan, I keep my word.

Since I promised to stay with you, I definitely will stay with you.

See you in B City.

“What if I hadn’t gone to B City at all, what if you couldn’t find me?” Zhou Wan suddenly asked.

“I never considered you wouldn’t go to B City.” Lu Xixiao squeezed her finger bones, smiling as he said, “After all, my Wan Wan is so capable, she would get into Huaqing University.”

During those years when she didn’t even believe in herself.

Lu Xixiao always believed in her.

“Wan Wan, I don’t like saying ‘forever,’ I always feel no one can decide ‘forever,’ saying it too easily makes it frivolous, weightless.”

He said in a deep voice, “But the forever I promised you, I will do my utmost to fulfill.”

I will stay with you forever, whether it’s the muddled 18-year-old Lu Xixiao, or the self-accomplished 27-year-old Lu Xixiao now, or even the gray-haired 80-year-old Lu Xixiao.

None will break their word.

They walked forward in the sunset.

Instead of going straight home, Lu Xixiao took her out for dinner. On the way back, they passed by Yangming Middle School.

The school had been renovated in recent years, with the entrance looking quite impressive after repairs, with four golden characters gleaming brightly.

“Want to take a look?” Lu Xixiao turned to ask.

Zhou Wan looked at the large characters above the entrance and nodded: “Mm.”

She couldn’t remember how long it had been since she’d last returned.

It was winter break now, and the school was empty with the gates locked.

“How do we get in?” Zhou Wan asked.

Lu Xixiao held her hand and walked to a nearby wall. He stepped back a few paces, suddenly accelerated, kicked off with one leg vaulted over the wall, and then reached his hand out to Zhou Wan.

Zhou Wan stared for a moment, looking up at him. The cool moonlight fell on him, his whole body emanating a luminous glow, making the scene before her overlap with a certain memory.

Zhou Wan couldn’t help but curve her lips: “I’ve seen you climb walls before.”

Lu Xixiao raised his eyebrows, neither confirming nor denying.

He had climbed quite a few walls during his school days.

Zhou Wan said: “You even gave me an iced drink back then.”

He had no memory of this at all.

“When was that?”

“During military training.”

Military training.

Before formal enrollment in the first year of high school.

Lu Xixiao laughed: “When you had a secret crush on me?”

“Mm.”

“Your secret crush was truly secret, didn’t let anyone notice at all.”

Zhou Wan gave him her hand, and Lu Xixiao gripped it, his arm exerting force, easily pulling her up.

Before they had always climbed low walls, but after renovation it had become much higher. Lu Xixiao had intended to jump down first, then carry Zhou Wan down to prevent her from getting hurt or twisting her ankle.

But before he could say anything, she had already nimbly jumped down.

Lu Xixiao quickly jumped down after her, grabbing her arm: “Does it hurt?”

Zhou Wan shook her head.

There was thick grass below that cushioned the fall.

She then answered his previous comment: “Back then I didn’t even know this was called liking someone, I was just attracted to you, sometimes when you appeared at school I couldn’t help but look at you.”

Back then, Zhou Wan felt she didn’t even have the right to like someone, let alone confess.

Lu Xixiao raised his eyebrows: “You liked my face?”

Because of his words, Zhou Wan couldn’t help but turn to look at his face: “Mm.”

Zhou Wan didn’t seem like someone who would like someone just for their face.

“Alright.” Lu Xixiao laughed, joking, “Then I’ll have to take good care of this face from now on since it’s what won you over.”

Zhou Wan’s eyes curved as she smiled, letting him lead her into the campus, playing along: “Mm, you absolutely can’t get old.”

Even though he had started this line of conversation, now he wasn’t pleased. He pinched Zhou Wan’s cheek and pulled, lazily threatening: “Try saying that again.”

Zhou Wan stopped talking.

Lu Xixiao was someone who responded better to gentleness than force. He snorted softly and released his hand.

Zhou Wan took the initiative to hold his hand, taking the opportunity to smooth his ruffled feathers.

“Lu Xixiao, do you know what attracted me most about you back then?”

Zhou Wan tilted her head slightly, looking at the moon in the sky, “Because you were so forthright.”

She understood Lu Xixiao’s wildness then, and knew his untameable nature.

But when I looked at you, everything around blurred away, leaving only you, bringing the world’s freshest wind, blowing into my dark hiding place.

They walked through the corridor of the teaching building, across the vast playground and basketball court, past the grove and pond.

Every bit of the past flooded into their minds.

Without Lu Xixiao, Zhou Wan might have died in that room with the gas leak.

Without Zhou Wan, Lu Xixiao might have also died on some unknown night.

Sometimes it’s hard to tell exactly when I started loving you.

But no matter when it was, from the day I fell in love with you, I never stopped loving you.

They hadn’t been able to properly tour the school together before, so today they walked hand in hand around the school again and again.

Zhou Wan often heard people sigh that students don’t appreciate their blessings while in school, and after graduating and entering society, their most beautiful dream is to wake up and find themselves back in that classroom with the squeaking fan, looking up to see familiar faces.

“Lu Xixiao, do you want to go back to high school?” Zhou Wan asked.

“No,” he said.

Zhou Wan was somewhat surprised, then thought of something and corrected, “What about just back to the first semester of the second year?”

“Don’t want that either.”

Lu Xixiao smiled, “Back then I couldn’t protect you properly, I don’t want to see you struggling so much again.”

Zhou Wan froze for a moment.

She lowered her head, pressed her lips together, and said softly: “I quite want to go back to that time.”

Lu Xixiao turned his head.

Zhou Wan looked into his eyes: “If we could do it again, I could accompany you through senior year, and you could hand me every test report card in person.”

You wouldn’t have to go alone to that empty room, slipping report cards through the door crack.

Like sending letters destined to never be received.

If we could go back, our names would appear together on the grade honor roll, we wouldn’t have to endure that difficult time alone, and we wouldn’t have any more regrets.

“Wan Wan.”

Lu Xixiao said softly, “Those report cards eventually made it into your hands.”

That’s enough for me.

As long as the ending is you, any process is fine.

And those regrets can no longer be called “regrets,” they’re just thorns we cut through and pushed past on the way to each other.

Those are our medals of honor.

*

It was already late when they left the school.

B City had banned fireworks in recent years, and while Pingchuan City had similar policies, enforcement wasn’t strict during the Spring Festival. Many people were setting off fireworks now.

Brilliant fireworks rose into the sky one after another, illuminating the entire sky.

The car window was half down, the wind lifting strands of hair as Zhou Wan looked up at the fireworks painted across the horizon.

Another new year was about to begin.

They were about to step into a new year, together.

Having just left the school, Zhou Wan’s heart was still unsettled.

Schools always stirred infinite associations, making one look back on youth.

As if in those brief seconds, she had quickly reviewed the first half of her life.

And in her youth, the most worthwhile part to look back on was her time with Lu Xixiao.

The car suddenly stopped, and Zhou Wan looked outside – they weren’t home yet.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

Lu Xixiao turned his head: “Don’t you recognize this place?”

Zhou Wan looked out again, then curved her lips: “You’re nostalgic tonight.”

The arcade.

Where they had first properly met.

“Let’s go take a look.”

Zhou Wan followed Lu Xixiao into the arcade.

Perhaps because it was New Year’s Eve, the arcade was empty.

“Welcome!” A young woman stood at the counter, looking only about twenty years old, smiling, “Would you like to get a card?”

Lu Xixiao had gotten a card before and had never changed his phone number all these years.

They played some games and got quite a few prize tickets, storing them all on the card.

Zhou Wan asked: “What’s the highest-value prize here now?”

“A bicycle.” The girl nodded toward the display case behind her, “That one.”

Zhou Wan looked over.

After so many years, while the outside world had changed rapidly, this place hadn’t changed much.

It was still the same bicycle as before, the one Lu Xixiao had won for her.

“Sister, would you like to redeem your points?” the girl asked.

Zhou Wan turned to look at Lu Xixiao, letting him decide.

“Let’s redeem them,” he said, “who knows when we’ll be back next time.”

There weren’t many choices available with their points.

Zhou Wan looked around and chose a pink fluffy keychain.

She remembered Lu Xixiao had exchanged for a blue one before.

She held up the keyring with her index finger, her eyes curved: “Is it pretty?”

Lu Xixiao curved his lips: “Mm.”

The girl added: “Sister, we have a New Year’s activity, you can also draw a prize.”

“Oh, you have New Year’s activities now?” Zhou Wan smiled, “I never encountered any before.”

A large bunch of red balloons hung nearby.

“Just pick any balloon here, there’s a paper inside saying whether you’ve won,” the girl said.

Zhou Wan tugged at Lu Xixiao’s wrist: “You do it.”

“You draw.”

Zhou Wan looked at him: “I have bad luck.”

He smiled: “Maybe this time will be different.”

They had drawn prizes and hit golden eggs together before, but Zhou Wan’s luck was always bad, getting “Thank you for participating” every time.

But she never took prize draws too seriously, just treating them as fun, so she didn’t refuse further, pulling out one balloon: “This one.”

The girl helped her pop the balloon.

With a “pop.”

A red paper floated to the ground.

Zhou Wan bent down to pick it up, turned it over to look-

Grand Prize.

She froze for a moment.

She had never had such good luck before.

Completely caught off guard.

The girl also saw the words on the paper, smiling as she said: “Congratulations, sister, Happy New Year, may good luck stay with you, and may everything go your way.”

“Thank you.” Zhou Wan clutched the paper tightly, still finding it unbelievable, looking at Lu Xixiao, smiling as she said, “My luck seems to have improved since being with you.”

She asked the girl again, “What’s the grand prize?”

The girl bent down and took out a square black velvet box from behind.

Zhou Wan froze for a moment, then saw Lu Xixiao reach out to take the box.

Such a box easily led to certain thoughts.

Zhou Wan’s heartbeat steadied as she looked up at Lu Xixiao.

Then she saw him lower himself to one knee.

Zhou Wan’s gaze followed him down, watching him slowly lower himself, kneeling on one knee, his back straight, opening the box to reveal a diamond ring.

The diamond sparkled dazzlingly, appearing especially bright even in the dim arcade.

She was completely stunned, it had only been two seconds just now, but every frame seemed to play out in slow motion.

Yet inappropriate fragments flashed through her mind.

The dilapidated abandoned station, pouring rain, the youth coming alone, his eyes bloodshot, saying nothing, knee bending, directly kneeling before everyone.

His pants were dirty with dust, like a fallen deity.

Before Lu Xixiao could speak, Zhou Wan reflexively stepped forward, grabbing his arm: “Get up, don’t kneel, Lu Xixiao.”

He laughed, not knowing what Zhou Wan was thinking of at the moment, speaking carelessly, matter-of-factly: “Isn’t this how proposals are done?”

Zhou Wan paused, looking at him.

The man wore a casual and rakish smile, identical to his younger years.

Her thoughts returned to the present.

“Zhou Wan.”

He knelt on one knee, looking up, saying softly, “Will you marry me?”

Zhou Wan’s eyes grew wet: “Didn’t I… already propose to you?”

“Whatever other girls get, you should have too.” Lu Xixiao curved his lips, “Zhou Wan, will you marry me?”

Tears blurred her vision.

Lu Xixiao’s figure became indistinct.

And she seemed to be pushed by a force into a whirlpool of memories-

“Zhou Wan, the ‘Wan’ that means to draw a bow like a full moon.”

“Lu Xixiao.”

“I know.”

The man was still like before.

Spirited, rakish, and forthright.

Just as he looked when she first saw him at 15.

“Yes.” Zhou Wan couldn’t look away, her voice trembling, “I will.”

He curved his lips, lowering his head to slip the ring onto Zhou Wan’s ring finger.

The diamond was too dazzling, reflecting brilliant light that made his eyes sting. Lu Xixiao lowered his head to kiss her finger joint, his spine slightly curved, a posture of complete submission.

“Let me introduce myself again.” His voice was magnetic and deep, “I’m Zhou Wan’s husband, Lu Xixiao.”

Zhou Wan smiled through tears: “I’m Lu Xixiao’s wife, Zhou Wan.”

The arcade was dimly lit, but the man was radiant, just like before, forging ahead without hesitation.

Zhou Wan suddenly remembered an insignificant old incident from long ago-

It was a day in early autumn.

After school, Zhou Wan went to the hospital to get her grandmother’s medical examination report. Coming out, she remembered her grandmother’s skin had been itching lately, so she went to the pharmacy across the street and bought a jar of menthol ointment, thinking it would make her grandmother more comfortable.

Coming out of the pharmacy, it was rush hour.

Before her eyes was an endless flow of people coming and going, the whole world seemed to be rushing forward, while she had no choice but to be left behind.

Zhou Wan held the medicine, trying to push back the bitterness, but it only grew stronger.

Zhou Wan slowly crouched down, hands hugging her knees, face buried.

The autumn wind was desolate, making her whole body cold.

After who knows how long, a magnetic deep voice came from above-

“Hey.”

Zhou Wan looked up, stunned.

Lu Xixiao stood beside her, head not lowered, gaze downward, looking down at her from above.

In the early autumn weather, he wore only a white short-sleeve shirt, the wind outlining his tall, clean figure. His expression was lazy: “You okay?”

Zhou Wan shook her head.

Through tear-blurred eyes, she saw Lu Xixiao bite the cigarette between his fingers into his mouth, hand in his pocket, pulling out a pack of tissues to hand to her.

Zhou Wan paused, reaching out to take them: “Thank you.”

He gave no further response. His friends gradually came out of the internet café nearby, calling his name. Lu Xixiao flicked his cigarette ash, and walked over, leaving only his back view.

The wind lifted his clothes, carrying the unique rakishness and forthrightness of youth.

So dazzling, so passionate.

Forcefully pulling Zhou Wan into a world that originally didn’t belong to her at all.

But do you know?

Back then when I looked at you, even the surrounding wind stood still, leaving only you, burning bright enough to illuminate my pupils.

Bringing the world’s freshest wind, blowing into my dark hiding place.

We are all pulled forward by fate, perhaps on a smooth path, perhaps stumbling along.

Some stop abruptly, some fall badly bruised, and some take wrong turns.

None of us remain pure and untainted.

But it’s okay to become imperfect because someone will always love you as you are.

Not just loving you in full bloom, but also loving you covered in mud.

And in the days ahead, let’s look forward together, and walk toward higher places.

Let’s have a beautiful dream we’ll never wake from.

Together, let’s plant flowers in hell.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest Chapters