Monday morning, Wu Mangmang had just gotten out of bed when Li Tong from the neighboring room poked her head in and said, “Mangmang, that handsome guy who came to your dorm yesterday is here. He’s waiting for you downstairs.”

To be honest, Wu Mangmang hadn’t expected Lu Sui to still be in City A, let alone showing up so early in the morning. Wu Mangmang hurriedly finished washing up and rushed downstairs.

It wasn’t that she was eager to see Lu Sui, but Lu Sui himself was like a walking drama—just seeing him made everyone’s minds start conjuring up all sorts of melodramatic stories.

After two days of fermentation, Wu Mangmang’s story had basically unified into a mainstream plot: she was a mistress kept by some big boss, with many branching storylines afterward.

The kinder version said that the big boss realized Wu Mangmang was his true love, so he came back to find her after their breakup.

The more melodramatic versions claimed Wu Mangmang had run away with money and was being pursued for debt recovery, or that Wu Mangmang had fallen for a young heartthrob and decided to reform herself, but the big boss wouldn’t let her go.

Zeng Ruling had vividly recounted all these story versions to Wu Mangmang.

Actually, she wasn’t sure what role Wu Mangmang was playing either, but the so-called ex-boyfriend had too powerful an aura. And that dance department talented girl who competed with Wu Mangmang for the title of University A’s campus belle had thoroughly dissected Lu Sui’s entire outfit. Although she hadn’t found any solid evidence, the limited edition Patek Philippe watch on his wrist had already demonstrated Lu Sui’s financial power.

These days, when a wealthy man in his thirties was with a girl in her twenties, probably not one person in ten thousand would believe it was true love—transactions of power and sex seemed to have become the cover story for such relationships.

While Wu Mangmang’s clothes, shoes, and bags were all good brands, her parents and relatives had never appeared, and although her daily spending wasn’t exactly tight, she definitely wasn’t lavish either. This contradiction further proved the “fact” that her family background was ordinary and she relied entirely on a financial backer to support her lifestyle. Losing her financial backer naturally left her impoverished with only the clothes and shoes she could carry.

“Mangmang, were you really… before?” Zeng Ruling asked carefully, afraid of hurting Wu Mangmang’s self-esteem, since it wasn’t a very glorious past.

But if Wu Mangmang really was a kept mistress, Zeng Ruling would have to keep her distance.

However, even if Wu Mangmang said no, everyone probably wouldn’t believe her.

Wu Mangmang did indeed tell Zeng Ruling “no,” but everyone still looked at her with eyes full of doubt. Because besides Lu Sui, Ning Zheng and Shen Ting were all typical representatives of rich and handsome men. The people who had surrounded Wu Mangmang in the past really made it impossible not to misunderstand.

Three people make a tiger, and many mouths can melt gold. Wu Mangmang’s days these past two days had definitely been difficult. Even when she encountered Guo Xuefeng on the road, he avoided her like the plague, as if having liked someone like Wu Mangmang was an extreme humiliation.

Wu Mangmang walked downstairs and saw Lu Sui.

Today Lu Sui was wearing casual sportswear, quite different from his usual style, and was currently sitting on a bicycle.

Wu Mangmang glanced at the bicycle—sure enough, it was the flashy spending of the rich. A Ferrari bicycle was really dazzling. Wu Mangmang estimated that this bike of Lu Sui’s wouldn’t be far from being stolen.

“Why did you come?” Wu Mangmang stopped three steps away from Lu Sui, hands inserted in her hoodie pockets, clearly drawing a line between them.

Lu Sui took out a thermal container from the bike basket and handed it to Wu Mangmang. “I came to bring you breakfast.”

Wu Mangmang hadn’t expected Lu Sui to have this kind of style at all. She didn’t reach out—Wu Mangmang understood people like Lu Sui too well. They never got up early without profit. Were his things so easy to take?

“I don’t want it,” Wu Mangmang said coldly.

“I got up at five to make porridge for you. Your favorite fish fillet porridge,” Lu Sui said. “And spring rolls and milk.” Lu Sui handed Wu Mangmang another thermal cup containing the milk Wu Mangmang had grown accustomed to drinking at the Lu residence.

Back when they were still together, Lu Sui had even mentioned taking her to a ranch to milk cows personally.

Unfortunately, Wu Mangmang wasn’t a foodie, and this wasn’t Dongshan Race Track—she wasn’t so hungry that her brain was dizzy.

“Lu Sui, everything I said to you was serious. Can’t you find a woman? Don’t waste time on me,” Wu Mangmang said.

“I don’t think it’s a waste of time,” Lu Sui replied lightly.

Wu Mangmang had absolutely no way to deal with Lu Sui’s “persistent pestering” and could only activate mockery mode: “Ha, don’t tell me something like you only realized I was your true love after breaking up, or that you can’t live without me.”

“It’s not quite that extreme,” Lu Sui said, his hands resting on the bike handlebars as he chuckled softly.

Wu Mangmang really didn’t understand Lu Sui’s mentality. She didn’t have such a big face to think that Lu Sui couldn’t find anyone better than herself in this world, so Lu Sui’s attitude was all the more worth scrutinizing.

For someone like him, even if he wasn’t arrogant, pursuing a woman with such humble persistence really wasn’t Lu Sui’s style.

But if it was retaliation, Wu Mangmang felt Lu Sui shouldn’t be that bored.

“If I said that after you left, I found that even the most delicious food tasted like it had no salt, would you believe me?” Lu Sui said.

Humans are higher animals because they have emotions and higher-level needs. Those needs are no longer limited to just pursuing survival and safety—they need to be loved, respected, needed, and to pursue self-realization of life’s value.

For some people, these needs can sometimes be more precious than life itself.

Wu Mangmang had heard the classic fairy tale about being “as precious as salt.”

“Eating less salt isn’t a bad thing either. The risk of high blood pressure increases with age, so eating less salt is good,” Wu Mangmang wouldn’t be moved by a man’s sweet talk.

Lu Sui leaned over and whispered softly in Wu Mangmang’s ear: “Do you really think I’m old?”

His tone was gentle yet dangerous. Although Wu Mangmang felt she wouldn’t compromise—only fools make the same mistake twice—given her instinctive fear and awe of Lu Sui, Wu Mangmang still didn’t dare to use Lu Sui’s age against him again. That wrong night, she had suffered quite a bit of torment.

Being threatened by Lu Sui like this, Wu Mangmang had even less of a good face for him. She turned and walked forward—she still had to rush to class.

Lu Sui rode his bike at an unhurried pace beside Wu Mangmang. Wu Mangmang turned her head angrily and said, “Can you stop following me?! Do you know what I hate most about you? It’s exactly this nature of yours that forces others to bow their heads to you!”

“Do you know what I like about you?” Lu Sui asked.

Wu Mangmang didn’t know, but her curiosity was starting to bubble, so she stopped walking.

Lu Sui smiled, grinning like an old fox: “I just like this fighting spirit of yours that goes against me. It’s very interesting.”

What the hell kind of psycho did this come from? Wu Mangmang even suspected that Lu Sui had been possessed by someone, his core replaced.

Lu Sui followed Wu Mangmang all the way to the teaching building, and Wu Mangmang felt he had a tendency to follow her into the classroom to audit the class. It was really making life impossible.

People around were already starting to point and whisper.

“Can you not do this? My classmates have already spread very unpleasant rumors about us, saying I’m being kept,” Wu Mangmang said, stamping her foot.

Lu Sui frowned slightly: “The innocent will prove their innocence.”

“You don’t understand anything?!” For Wu Mangmang, her psychology wasn’t as strong as Lu Sui’s. She might be able to face those baseless rumors with cold indifference, but inwardly she longed to be known as not being that kind of person. She also didn’t want to lose classmates and friends like Zeng Ruling.

“Eat your breakfast, and I’ll solve these things for you,” Lu Sui handed the thermal container to Wu Mangmang again. “Mangmang, I know what you’re afraid of. This time we can have a different way of getting along. I was too self-righteous before.”

Wu Mangmang blinked. She wasn’t afraid of Lu Sui mocking or ridiculing her—what she feared most was exactly this gentle attitude of Lu Sui’s, which was simply poison wrapped in sugar coating.

“Eat it, and I won’t make porridge for you tomorrow,” Lu Sui said.

There’s a tomorrow?! Lu Sui had immediately grasped Wu Mangmang’s weak spot. Wu Mangmang could only obediently take it: “We agreed then—you’re not allowed to bring me breakfast tomorrow.”

“Mm,” Lu Sui responded, leading Wu Mangmang to sit down in the small garden in front of the teaching building.

Wu Mangmang tasted the porridge. Lu Sui’s cooking had always been good. “How do I feel like you’re so familiar with our school?”

Lu Sui smiled: “I am quite familiar with it.” He looked at his watch: “Eat up, class is starting soon.”

Wu Mangmang didn’t see Lu Sui again for the rest of the day, but the day wasn’t boring for her either. In the afternoon and evening, both her advisor and counselor separately had talks with Wu Mangmang, telling her not to mind those rumors. They wouldn’t believe them either.

Wu Mangmang immediately knew that Lu Sui must have gone to them to clarify things.

Even Zeng Ruling, when Wu Mangmang returned to the dorm, changed from the past two days’ distance and greeted her with a smile, embarrassedly saying to Wu Mangmang: “I helped you get hot water.”

With just one sentence, they let bygones be bygones.

That evening, Zeng Ruling pestered Wu Mangmang to tell her the story about her and Lu Sui.

“I don’t believe you dislike Mr. Lu’s age. He’s only in his early thirties—that’s the most charming age. Just that face alone should make you able to endure what others cannot. If it were me, I wouldn’t break up even if you killed me,” Zeng Ruling said.

Wu Mangmang said nothing.

“You don’t like him even a little bit?” Zeng Ruling asked. “That can’t be right?”

Wu Mangmang had originally decided to keep her mouth shut, but couldn’t withstand Zeng Ruling’s persistence and had to tell her the story.

“Don’t you think he’s excessive? He actually deleted my equipment—that’s simply a massive grudge. He managed me like I was his grandson. Whatever you didn’t listen to him about, he could always find ways to make you submit. He wouldn’t hit or scold you, but he’d definitely have ways to make you back down. You don’t know—when I fought with him, other people in relationships have the guy coaxing the girl, but not us. I always had to please him and say nice things to him. I could publish a book called ‘Complete Collection of Love Letters.'” Once Wu Mangmang opened this floodgate, she couldn’t stop.

“And that whole family of theirs is too hard to please. I was like an ugly duckling mixing into a group of swans. This wasn’t done right, that wasn’t done well, I had to learn this, learn that. My education wasn’t good enough—I hadn’t studied abroad at a globally top-ten ranked school. These were all unforgivable flaws. It was really too exhausting. I felt that even if I were reborn, I couldn’t meet their expectations,” Wu Mangmang said, shoulders drooping.

Zeng Ruling listened silently, then asked: “Did you ever tell Lu Sui about these complaints in your heart?”

Wu Mangmang was stunned, then said: “Telling him wouldn’t have been any use.”

Zeng Ruling thought for a moment: “I think you’re also somewhat wrong, Mangmang.”

Wu Mangmang immediately stared wide-eyed at Zeng Ruling.

Girls have a major characteristic when making friends—they’re emotional creatures who think “if you’re my friend, you should support me unconditionally. Whether I’m right or wrong, you should stand on my side.” That’s what being best friends means.

“Don’t stare at me like that. Your eyes are so big—it’s scary when you stare at me,” Zeng Ruling raised her hands in mock surrender.

“I’m discussing this objectively,” Zeng Ruling insisted. “Think about it—you didn’t even try hard before sentencing him to death, and then you act like the victim. That’s definitely not right.”

“How else should I have tried harder?” Wu Mangmang protested. “I already did my absolute best to listen to him, doing whatever he told me to do, putting his family first in everything. What more could I do? He even took away my last right to play games. I really couldn’t bear it anymore.” Wu Mangmang was so angry she was breathing hard.

“Did you ever think that precisely because you were so cooperative, Lu Sui might have misunderstood that you were willing to do all that? Of course, him not letting you play games was wrong, but his starting point was also for your health. Besides, you’re just making excuses—after you two broke up, you didn’t play many games either, did you? So this was all just an excuse,” Zeng Ruling said.

“Hey, whose side are you on?” Wu Mangmang said angrily. “Little brat.”

Zeng Ruling rolled her eyes: “I’m on your side, of course. Don’t look at my young age, but truth isn’t something you understand better just because you’re older. You’re a classic case of the person involved being confused.”

Wu Mangmang didn’t want to talk to Zeng Ruling anymore.

Zeng Ruling shook Wu Mangmang’s arm: “From an observer’s perspective, let me tell you—after hearing your story, although I think Lu Sui is very domineering, I at least saw his efforts. But you just endured everything. To put it nicely, you endured; to put it bluntly, you were passive—extremely passive. You never really fought for your relationship.”

“How else should I have fought? I learned this and that, and had to endure his aunt’s various criticisms,” Wu Mangmang felt so wronged.

“Okay, that counts as effort too. But why don’t you think about why you were willing to learn? Mangmang, you don’t know how lucky you are. You have someone you like, and he likes you too. But you weren’t willing to communicate with him. Even I, an observer, can hear how much he likes you. If he didn’t like you, would he have married you? When his little aunt spoke badly of you, he didn’t hesitate for a second to support you. I believe that as long as you communicated well with him, he would definitely help you. You liked him too much, so you didn’t want his family to think badly of you, which is why you tried so hard to cooperate, right? Later, when the pressure became too much, you became a deserter. Poor Lu Sui didn’t even know the reason and was also criticized by you for being too old. Honestly, that he could turn around and pursue you again—you really burned incense for eight generations of ancestors,” Zeng Ruling said.

Although Wu Mangmang couldn’t say that what Zeng Ruling said was wrong, something about it sounded off. She tentatively asked: “Were you bought off by Lu Sui?”

Zeng Ruling immediately bristled like an angry cat: “What kind of thing is that to say? I’m kindly analyzing problems for you, and you think of me this way. Fine then, I’d be delighted if you and Lu Sui split up completely. I’m still waiting in line for such a good man.”

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have misunderstood you like that,” Wu Mangmang apologized first regardless of whether it was a misunderstanding, because she really didn’t want to lose a friend like Zeng Ruling.

“Who would have thought that at such a young age, you analyze relationship problems so systematically. How many relationships have you been in?” Wu Mangmang asked with a smile.

Zeng Ruling was indignant: “Even though I haven’t been in many relationships, I’ve read a lot of books! Reading is beneficial, and looking at you—although you’ve been in quite a few relationships, you’ve always been muddle-headed about them.”

Wu Mangmang lay on her bed looking at the snow-white top of the mosquito net, asking herself: Had she really never tried hard?