Chapter 30
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“I really feel sorry for my mom,” Sun Nianxi said. “The day before yesterday morning, she came in like a cat, without making any sound. I guess she saw a man’s clothing at the door and thought I secretly had a boyfriend. When Lin Xuan and I walked out, the three of us looked at each other. I was really scared out of my wits, and so was my mom. She must have been so disappointed. I wrote a long letter of apology to her, but she didn’t reply a single word. I’m sure she doesn’t want to talk to me anymore.”
Sun Yutan could really understand. “Auntie also needs time. Don’t worry… huh?” Was that Chen Rui?
Sun Nianxi burst out laughing for a moment. “I almost forgot, you’re still playing games.”
The two of them stopped in their tracks and looked at Chen Rui not far away. Sun Nianxi whispered, “Looks like your male lead’s patience has run out. Good luck my friend.” She waved and left on a forked path.
It was a certain autumn evening in November. In a small village in Europe where rivers intersected, Chen Rui suddenly appeared beside a wooden bridge adorned with colorful fallen leaves. He walked towards her step by step along the stone path.
It was rare for him to wear a casual windbreaker, his posture was straight, and his features were sharp, just like the first time she saw him, making her heart skip a beat.
Unfortunately, the atmosphere was shattered in just a second. Chen Rui was not gentle at all. He grabbed her hand and turned to leave. Sun Yutan almost stumbled and angrily exclaimed, “Where are we going? Slow down!”
Chen Rui said, “Let’s find a place where we can sit down and talk.”
“There’s one right there,” Sun Yutan pointed to a white-painted wooden bench on the other side of the bridge.
Chen Rui didn’t move and didn’t seem to want to go there. Sun Yutan tried to break free, but he held on tighter and took three steps onto the bridge.
“What do you want to say?”
“I didn’t move to Anshan Road for any project. I did it for you. I wanted to see you every day. The cactus shop was also for you. I don’t really like those monotonous dwarf plants, but every time I see them, I think of you. What can I do? You used to be really annoying. We never even had a proper conversation, so why did you always greet me? Why did you mess with my LEGO? You liked someone else, so why did you kiss me? And in the end, you don’t remember anything and just casually slept with me. Only I was like a fool waiting for you all these years, unable to forget you, and now you’re treating me like a f*ck buddy.” Chen Rui pinched her face. “Sun Yutan, don’t you think you’re too cruel to me?”
Sun Yutan was stunned by his sudden confession and asked, “Are you confessing?”
Chen Rui said impatiently, “Yes. Damn it. I love you so much even though you’re such a terrible person. I willingly let you control me. Even though I know you’re up to something, I still run over here eagerly and listen to your nonsense.”
Sun Yutan’s mouth was about to twist from holding back laughter. “Hey, did you get possessed? Chen Rui, are you really Chen Rui? What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?”
“Are you satisfied now?” Chen Rui covered her eyes so she couldn’t see him. “Sun Yutan, I can’t stand you anymore. Have you heard enough? Can you come back with me now?”
Ah! Sun Yutan’s heart was screaming like a groundhog. She really liked Chen Rui’s shy and hesitant appearance. She laughed too exaggeratedly and Chen Rui covered her mouth. “That’s enough, you look ugly.”
Sun Yutan kissed him through his hands, and her two paws slipped into Chen Rui’s clothes, tightly hugging him.
Chen Rui moved his hands away, and the two of them kissed and hugged by the unnamed small river.
They naturally slept on the same bed that night.
Sun Yutan was lying on Chen Rui’s body. “You are really too slow. How did you figure it out?”
“You forced me to this point, didn’t you?”
“Chen Rui, am I really that bad to you? Your accusations are absurd. Is it my fault for being polite and helping you fix your model? And I’ve greeted you so many times, but you never even looked at me. Do you know how hurtful that was? As for kissing you, you immediately kissed me back, so you didn’t lose anything.”
“You’re the best at turning things around.”
Sun Yutan said again, “And about the f*ck buddy thing, you never said anything, so how was I supposed to know you weren’t just looking for a fling? Chen Rui, when did you start liking me? I can’t tell at all.” Sun Yutan thought she had been playing it cool, but it turned out that Chen Rui not only didn’t show any signs of liking her, but also seemed to really dislike her.
Suddenly, Chen Rui pressed on her neck and stared at her, “Did you like me back then?”
Sun Yutan nodded, “Of course, handsome guy.”
“Then why did you rush to go out with Wu Junzhe after the college entrance examination? Why did you choose to go to Tangwai when you knew where I was studying?”
Sun Yutan avoided his gaze, but Chen Rui didn’t let go. He had been wanting to ask for a long time, and it had become a thorn in his heart. For so many years, he couldn’t convince himself that she liked him, but he also didn’t believe that she didn’t care about him at all. Now she casually admitted that she liked him, but why?
“Because I didn’t know if I could be with you. And I never thought about being with you.”
Chen Rui was confused, completely forgetting his previous bad attitude. Sun Yutan sighed softly. “I was young and had a small mind back then. The first time I went to your house, you said my family had ulterior motives. I’ve been remembering it all this time.”
Chen Rui frowned, suspecting that she made it up. “Did I say that?”
“Don’t deny it.”
“So you’re getting back at me?”
“What? I just didn’t want you to think my family had ulterior motives, so I kept my distance from you.”
Chen Rui pursed his lips, feeling even worse now. The reason was unexpected, and it sounded like he brought it upon himself.
“It’s that expression,” Sun Yutan held his face, “Every time you see me, you make that face. As someone with good perception, how could I not feel discouraged?” She smiled. “But now I understand. So the iceberg actually hides a volcano underneath. Do you want me to come find you?”
Chen Rui turned his face away. “Can you say less?”
“No,” not only that, but she also brought up old things, “Chen Rui, I’ve secretly been following you all along. I even know that you had a very beautiful girlfriend in college named Xiang Jiayu. I heard that you went to the United States for her.”
“It’s fake.” Chen Rui frowned. “Where did you hear that?”
“What is fake? The girlfriend or going to America for her?”
“The latter is fake.”
“Exactly, how can the girlfriend be fake? After all, during our junior year, you even mistook me for her. It looked like you had good feelings and deep emotions for her.”
“…” Chen Rui emphasized heavily, “You were the one who introduced me to your boyfriend first.”
“So you immediately started dating someone. Chen Rui, you are so competitive and ambitious.”
Chen Rui wanted to laugh in anger. He pinched her chin. “What right do you have to question me, Sun Yutan? You, who are always indecisive and playing with people’s hearts, how come it’s okay for you to date one person after another, but not for me to have a girlfriend?”
“No, no, don’t get me wrong. I’m just curious, just asking casually. I really don’t mind. Don’t be anxious, don’t be anxious.”
“Don’t mind? Why don’t you mind?” Chen Rui pinched her cheeks so hard that they sunk in. He was really worried at that time. “Sun Yutan, do you really like me? Is it no different from liking cats and dogs?”
“You’re talking nonsense.” Sun Yutan stopped asking and turned her head to put Chen Rui’s index finger into her mouth.
There was actually a follow-up to that misunderstanding in their junior year.
After Sun Yutan left, Chen Rui was angry at himself and angry at her. He was angry at himself for forgetting the pain so quickly and angry at her for the embarrassment and frustration she had caused him on the tree-lined path.
But he couldn’t help the strong desire to go and find her, which burned in him and kept him up all night.
Then, when he almost surrendered, he saw a photo of her and Wu Junzhe.
The two stood side by side in the photo, their smiles reflecting the blue sea and sky of Australia, dazzling Chen Rui and causing him to lose heart. He completely gave up and thought that going abroad wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
Chen Rui would never speak of these past hesitations and regrets.
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