As soon as the words were spoken, a man in uniform walked out of the store and called Fu Shize over to help. He responded with a nod, gave a slight bow to the two women, then turned and walked inside.
Du Gefei suddenly realized these two knew each other. Her face turned green with envy.
Yun Li said quietly, “I should be going too.”
“Oh,” Du Gefei adjusted her expression and linked arms with Yun Li. “I need to leave as well. Let’s go together.”
Though somewhat reluctant, Yun Li didn’t pull away and walked towards the escalator.
Du Gefei followed beside her, making casual conversation: “So you two know each other?”
“Sort of,” Yun Li replied.
“Is that so?” Du Gefei sighed, her tone tinged with reproach. “You should have told me earlier. I certainly wouldn’t have done what I did. You’ve put me in such an awkward position.”
Yun Li turned to look at her.
Du Gefei’s face still wore a smile. “But it’s alright. I’m sure you didn’t mean to.”
Yun Li had never met someone so shameless before. To twist things around to this degree was truly impressive.
Her bad mood from arguing with Yun Yongchang had not yet dissipated, and now she’d been used as a pawn by this stranger in front of Fu Shize. Her lips tightened into a line, feeling she’d already shown enough restraint by not losing her temper.
Yun Li spoke slowly, “If I remember correctly, this is the first time we’ve ever spoken.”
“Oh, that’s right. But if we’ve never talked before, how did you recognize me?” Du Gefei blinked, seemingly oblivious to Yun Li’s mood. “I’m quite flattered.”
Yun Li deflected with a question of her own: “What about you?”
“I have a good memory,” Du Gefei replied.
“I see,” said Yun Li.
“You know, you remind me of a good friend of mine. Whenever she sees me interested in something, she deliberately buys the same thing,” Du Gefei said, finally getting to her point after much build-up. She continued with feigned realization, “Oh, that’s right. I didn’t see you showing any interest in that handsome guy before. Was it because you heard me asking Mr. Xu for his WeChat?”
Yun Li was momentarily speechless, unsure how to even begin addressing such an absurd statement.
Taking her silence as confirmation, Du Gefei smiled. “But you misunderstood. I’m not interested in that kind of poor—” She paused, searching for a gentler term. “Maintenance worker without much ability.”
Yun Li frowned. “What did you say?”
“Didn’t you see? His hands were covered in dirt. So filthy,” Du Gefei said. “I initially thought he might be Mr. Xu’s friend, at least a store manager or something. But it seems their relationship isn’t that close after all.”
Years ago, Yun Li’s family had gone through a difficult period financially.
When Yang Fang was pregnant with Yun Ye, she nearly died in childbirth and had to stay home to recover. Coincidentally, the factory where Yun Yongchang worked went bankrupt, leaving the family without income and struggling to make ends meet. Unable to find work but unwilling to remain idle, he eventually resorted to manual labor at construction sites to support the family.
At every family gathering, there were always a few relatives who, relying on their slightly better circumstances, would mock and belittle them excessively.
Some would often use the guise of sympathy to say that Yun Yongchang’s lack of education meant he could only do such work, that the dirt had seeped into his skin and bones, impossible to wash away.
At that time, Yun Li was young and not yet as reserved and shy as she was now. Unlike Yun Yongchang’s silent endurance, she would respond each time with quick wit, feeling indignant and angry on her father’s behalf.
Even now, she still couldn’t muster a pleasant expression when seeing these relatives.
Because of this, she despised people who believed themselves superior simply because they lived more comfortably.
Du Gefei’s words reminded Yun Li of how her father had been treated. Suppressing her anger, she said, “It seems you’re quite well-off.”
“I suppose so,” Du Gefei began, but Yun Li cut her off.
“I wasn’t aware you had asked for Fu Shize’s WeChat before. After all, I saw you asking quite a few people that day. It’s hard to keep track of everyone.”
Expecting Yun Li to be an easy target, Du Gefei’s expression froze at this unexpected retort.
Unlike Du Gefei, who could maintain a smile even when hostile, Yun Li spoke with a blank face: “By the way, if you’re so well-off, why didn’t he give you his WeChat?”
Du Gefei started, “That’s because—”
“Oh, so he wasn’t interested in you at all,” Yun Li interrupted, not intending to let her explain. “Then what does his profession or monthly income have to do with you?”
By the time Yun Li returned home, her anger had gradually subsided.
She belatedly realized that her fighting spirit during that encounter had been unusually strong. The feeling was incredible and somewhat exhilarating, inexplicably improving her mood.
Yun Li opened WeChat to find messages from both Yang Fang and Yun Ye.
Yang Fang had comforted her, saying much the same as usual, mainly trying to mediate. Yun Ye, having somehow caught wind of the situation, was surprisingly well-informed: [Did you argue with Dad again?]
Yun Li: [Don’t you have classes?]
Yun Ye: [Mom asked me to comfort you.]
Unable to resist, Yun Li told him: [I just argued with someone and won.]
Yun Ye: [Oh.]
Yun Li: [Don’t you find that incredible?]
Yun Ye: [Not really.]
Yun Li: [?]
Yun Ye: [You’ve never lost an argument with me. You always leave me speechless.]
Yun Li: [?]
Yun Ye: [You might not have noticed, but while you might be a bit tongue-tied when meeting people normally, your fighting spirit becomes super strong when you’re angry.]
Yun Ye: [It’s pretty good though.]
Yun Ye: [Being socially anxious doesn’t mean you’re weak.]
After ending the conversation, Yun Li pondered his words, feeling for once that her brother might be useful. She got up and went to the kitchen to grab an ice cream for herself.
Replaying the recent “battle” in her mind, she recalled Du Gefei calling Fu Shize a maintenance worker.
Even knowing it wasn’t true, hearing someone speak of him that way made Yun Li uncomfortable.
Thinking about it, if he had been in graduate school, he should have graduated by now. With such an impressive resume, he’d likely be working at a large company or doing research.
Or perhaps it was because the store was owned by a relative?
Remembering how familiar they all seemed during the dinner, Yun Li felt this was more likely.
Yun Li sat at her computer and browsed E-station for a while. Her private messages were already filled with people urging her to update, which she guiltily ignored.
Ever since she started preparing for the graduate entrance exam, Yun Li had devoted all her energy to that four-square-meter study room. Even a few minutes to edit videos had been a luxury then. Every day, she longed for the day she’d be free from that cage, but when that day of rebirth finally came, she had learned a new way of life.
Lazy, but comfortable.
Just as Yun Li was enjoying her ice cream, her phone screen lit up with a video call notification, displaying Fu Shize’s highly recognizable name.
Startled, Yun Li felt the ice cream rush down her esophagus. Her instinctive reaction was that he must have dialed the wrong number.
While she hesitated, the call ended.
Having missed the call, Yun Li felt a mixture of regret and relief.
But before she could catch her breath, the screen lit up again with another video call from Fu Shize.
Yun Li muted her computer. Each vibration and ring of her phone seemed amplified in her senses, causing even the desk to tremble imperceptibly.
Mustering all her courage, Yun Li switched the video call to voice mode and answered, pretending nothing had happened: “Hello?”
There was no response from the other end.
While Yun Li usually enjoyed silence, at this moment it felt like a series of hand grenades about to explode.
A crackling sound came through, followed by the noise of a crowd.
“Sister Yun Li, are you at the university?” Yun Li barely recognized Fu Zhengchu’s voice by the way he addressed her.
Suddenly feeling foolish for her earlier nervousness, she replied, “What’s up?”
Fu Zhengchu: “There’s a club fair at the school today. Do you want to come by our booth?”
Rarely receiving invitations from acquaintances, Yun Li didn’t know how to refuse: “Sure.” She paused, then added, “When I first got the call, I thought it was your uncle.”
But Fu Zhengchu didn’t seem to hear clearly. He spoke louder, “I have to go to work now. Come show your support, okay?”
He quickly hung up.
Initially intending to probe whether Fu Shize was also there, Yun Li felt ashamed of her ulterior motives after some reflection. Fu Zhengchu might have just been extending a friendly invitation, but her impure intentions were obvious.
Perhaps Fu Zhengchu wasn’t even at the school, and Fu Shize just happened to be next to him.
Moreover, she didn’t need to overthink it.
Would she not go support Fu Zhengchu if Fu Shize wasn’t there?
Yun Li felt even more ashamed as she realized—
That was indeed what she was thinking.
The club fair was an event where various student organizations gathered to promote themselves. The organizers set up tents on both sides of the school square, forming long rows like a bustling midday market.
The last time Yun Li encountered a similar event was when she first entered university.
However, her interviews didn’t go well, resulting in her not joining any clubs throughout her undergraduate years.
With no other plans for the afternoon, Yun Li took a bite of her ice cream, grabbed her bag, and headed out.
The school wasn’t far from her rented apartment. Yun Li walked to the school gate and took the usual minibus to campus.
Even before reaching the square, she could hear the dense chatter and sound systems. The entrance was packed with people, and a small stage had been set up in the center.
After getting off the bus, Yun Li moved with the crowd. The promotion staff, seemingly mistaking her for a new undergraduate, kept handing her flyers.
After a full circle, she finally found Fu Zhengchu at the corner of the square.
“Sister Yun Li!” Fu Zhengchu wore the college uniform, his cap emblazoned with the South University of Science and Technology emblem. He had been engrossed in talking to a freshman but promptly dismissed them with a flyer upon seeing Yun Li.
Noticing the thick stack of flyers in Yun Li’s hands, Fu Zhengchu said, “Those aren’t good. Sister Yun Li, just look at our clubs.”
He brazenly took away the pile of advertisements and pulled out a new one from the folder hanging around his neck.
It was for an outdoor sports club called “Climb High.”
Fu Zhengchu cleared his throat, putting on a serious face: “We’re the only outdoor club in the school and the largest. I’m the vice president.”
To highlight their competitiveness, Fu Zhengchu boasted, “And I recently secured a huge sponsorship deal, tons of money!”
As he finished speaking, Yun Li noticed a line at the bottom—”Sponsored by EAW Virtual Reality Experience Hall.”
Below is EAW’s detailed address and a brief introduction. The flyer also offered a 20% discount for in-store purchases.
Yun Li: “…”
The “Climb High” outdoor sports club’s booth wasn’t large, consisting of two 1.5-meter tables forming an L-shape. A few students sat under the tent, guiding new students in filling out application forms.
As the sponsor, EAW had successfully printed their logo and images of their main projects on the club’s tent.
The pull-up banner was unexpectedly placed at some distance, with a flat table in front and unopened EAW packaging boxes on the ground.
Standing in front of the booth, Yun Li noticed a figure occasionally appearing behind the pull-up banner.
It was Fu Shize.
He stood with one leg supporting his weight, his trousers neat, not hiding his tall, straight figure. As he cut through the tape to the bottom with a utility knife, his body leaned back, revealing a sharp, clear jawline.
The scorching sunlight made his skin appear even paler. His eyes flickered between light and shadow, his expressive features paradoxically silent amidst the bustling crowd.
As if suddenly aware of something, Fu Shize looked up in her direction.
Feeling like a peeping tom, Yun Li quickly averted her gaze. Fortunately, Fu Zhengchu noticed his presence and interrupted Yun Li’s guilty surveillance with a loud call.
“Uncle!” Fu Zhengchu carried a cardboard box, panting as he ran towards Fu Shize.
Yun Li slowly followed, meeting Fu Shize’s gaze and nodding awkwardly.
Fu Shize showed little reaction to her arrival, giving her a cold glance before continuing to arrange the contents of the box Fu Zhengchu had brought over.
Inside were neatly stacked commemorative pens, paper, canvas bags, and folders, each corner printed with the letters EAW and an address, apparently custom-made.
Fu Zhengchu helped spread the prizes on the table, arranging them slightly: “These are the prizes to attract people. We’ll give one for each game played, and they can choose for themselves.”
The prizes were fairly standard, but Yun Li noticed a half-moon printed lonely at the bottom of a sky-blue canvas bag—a daytime moon. She looked away, then couldn’t help but glance back a couple more times.
Fu Shize was now listening to Fu Zhengchu explain the prize distribution rules, responding half-heartedly, sounding uninterested.
Yun Li didn’t know what she had been expecting. She had originally thought there was a one-in-a-million chance that the two of them had agreed to invite her over.
Now, Fu Shize’s coldness had completely shattered that far-fetched idea.
Feeling awkward standing there, Yun Li busied herself arranging and rearranging the prizes on the table.
“Aren’t these prizes great?” Fu Zhengchu suddenly asked her, his tone proud.
“They’re all quite nice,” Yun Li replied, a bit embarrassed. Perhaps to ease her discomfort, she searched for another topic. “It’s quite a coincidence. I interviewed at EAW this morning.”
“That’s fantastic, Sister Yun Li! You’ll be working at the same company in the future,” Fu Zhengchu was exceptionally pleased to hear this news. He turned his head, deliberately putting on a serious face. “Uncle.”
“Don’t cause trouble for Sister Yun Li.”
Though Yun Li thought Fu Shize wouldn’t respond, he suddenly spoke up: “Then I’ll be heading back.”
Fu Zhengchu: “Uncle, how can you leave!”
Fu Shize: “To avoid causing trouble.”
Fu Zhengchu: “I was wrong.”
…
Fu Zhengchu quickly changed the subject: “Since Sister Yun Li has such a connection with EAW, why don’t you be our first tester? All these gifts have the EAW logo, you know.”
His tone suggested he was expecting an affirmative answer. Yun Li hesitated, “Well, I could try it out later…”
Fu Zhengchu: “Which one do you want? I’ll have Uncle save it for you!”
Yun Li tried to hide her desire for the canvas bag, answering reservedly, “They’re all quite nice.”
“Is that so?” Fu Zhengchu was straightforward, his face showing indifference. “Never mind then, Sister Yun Li, just take a gift directly. It’s fine, EAW bought them all anyway.”
Before she could refuse, Yun Li was handed a box of commemorative pens.
Fu Zhengchu wore an expression as if he had done a great deed.
Yun Li: “…”