Afraid that he might notice her loss of composure, Li Susu didn't linger; she strode off quickly in the direction of the university.
Perhaps it had been too long since anyone had truly cared for her. Even with her best friend, Tang Yixin, there were many things she still couldn't bring herself to voice.
For instance, there was that incident six months ago when Wu Nianke and her group had cornered her outside campus, demanding she agree to date a boy from the physical education department. When she refused, they slapped her across the face. Provoked to the brink, she had fought back with everything she had, tackling Wu Nianke to the ground. She didn't remember how many times she struck back, only that by the end, Wu Nianke’s face was swollen like a pig’s head.
She only learned afterward that Wu Nianke’s father had gone straight to the school administration, yet for reasons unknown, the school never disciplined her.
It wasn't until a week later that she heard from one of Zhou Huaixu’s close friends that it was Zhou Huaixu who had intervened and pleaded her case to the principal.
That was when she realized that Zhou Huaixu, who worked alongside her in the school cafeteria, came from a very wealthy family—he was a well-known scion of a prominent family in Jiangcheng.
Although she had found Zhou Huaixu to thank him and even treated him to a meal, an instinctual reaction caused her to distance herself from him, whether intentionally or not, from that moment on.
Tang Yixin had always hoped she would give things a try with Zhou Huaixu. It wasn't as if she hadn't been tempted, but in the end, reason had prevailed over momentary impulse: they belonged to two different worlds.
Love and the like were far too ethereal compared to the things she earned through her own hard work.
She wanted to rely on her own efforts to lead the life she desired—to live with dignity and a clear conscience.
Since her falling out with Wu Nianke, the two had avoided any direct confrontations on the surface. Only when Tang Yixin was away would Wu Nianke dare to make snide, passive-aggressive remarks. Because Tang Yixin had trained in martial arts and was even more ruthless in a fight, Wu Nianke feared being beaten and knew how to behave when Tang Yixin was around.
But now that she was pregnant, for the sake of her baby and her future, she could no longer afford to clash with her head-on.
As she drew nearer to her dormitory, Li Susu felt increasingly anxious, terrified that someone might discover she was pregnant.After a long moment of hesitation, she decided to call Tang Yixin first to see if she was at the library or in the dormitory. On weekends, if she wasn't on a date with her boyfriend, she was usually at one of those two places, working on her writing.
She dialed the number, and just like every other time, it was answered quickly.
"Susu, have you made it back?" It sounded a bit noisy on Tang Yixin's end.
"I’m downstairs at the dorm building. You aren't in the room, are you?" Li Susu sat down on a bench beside the lawn.
"I just finished writing and came out to relax. I’m at the self-service hot pot place by the school’s east gate. Why don't you come over?"
Li Susu chuckled. "If I’m not mistaken, your boyfriend is probably there too."
"Don't worry about him. If it comes down to it, I’ll just kick him out. He’s just an unexpected guest; you and I are the real deal."
As Tang Yixin finished her sentence, a slightly aggrieved male voice came from the other side: "Tang Yixin, I’m the one taking you out to eat, and you want to kick me out? Can you have a little bit of conscience?"
"The fact that I showed up is already giving you face."
"Can't you just talk to me properly?"
Li Susu quickly cut in, "Xinxin, just have your meal. And please, be a little gentler with your boyfriend."
"Got it. I'll bring you back something tasty."
Li Susu was about to say something else, but the call had already been disconnected.
Thinking back to half a month ago when Tang Yixin’s boyfriend had inexplicably said to her, "If only Xinxin were as gentle as you," she felt a lump form in her chest.
She couldn't help but feel that this guy wasn't all that devoted to Xinxin, but then, considering they had been dating since high school, she worried she was just overthinking things.
In her eyes, Tang Yixin was the best girl in the world—talented, hardworking, kind, and loyal. She deserved the most beautiful love imaginable.
Since Tang Yixin wasn't at the dorm, she decided to tell her about the pregnancy another time. After all, she would still be at school for a while, and it would be good to have someone looking out for her in case of any emergencies.
Li Susu headed to the school cafeteria first, tracked down the manager, and brought up the matter of her resignation.
The manager was a woman a few years older than her who had always looked out for Li Susu.Li Susu handed in her resignation. She felt a bit reluctant to let her go, as the young woman was incredibly efficient and diligent; her two hours of part-time work every day were worth a whole afternoon of anyone else’s labor.
However, when Li Susu explained that she was considering graduate school and needed to prioritize her studies, she readily agreed.
Knowing that Li Susu was financially strapped, she even paid her wages in advance and told her she was welcome to come back anytime she needed work.
After leaving the restaurant, Li Susu felt conflicted about whether she should ask her academic advisor for leave.
Per Old Madam Bo’s wishes, she was supposed to take a few days off to recover her health, but she felt she was doing fine. As long as she avoided physical activities, she could handle attending classes every day.
She didn't want to affect her attendance without a good reason.
Perhaps she would hold off on asking for leave and discuss it with Mr. Bo when she went back that evening; he might just agree to let her go to class.
While planning what she should bring over later, Li Susu walked toward the dormitory building.
As she passed the campus artificial lake, she caught sight of a familiar figure in the distance.
Zhou Huaixu was wearing a light gray trench coat paired with dark blue jeans. His broad shoulders and upright posture made him look like a striking piece of scenery standing by the lake, drawing frequent glances from passing girls.
Seeing him facing the lake while on a phone call—and assuming he hadn't noticed her yet—Li Susu quickened her pace toward the dormitory steps.
Just then, her phone rang.
Glancing down at the screen, she saw it was a call from Zhou Huaixu. She had saved his number previously and remembered it from their occasional communication regarding her restaurant job.
As she hesitated over whether to answer, she heard someone approaching on the steps behind her.
When the footsteps stopped, she slowly turned around to find Zhou Huaixu standing there, arms folded, watching her quietly.
"Senior, did you need something?"
Caught red-handed while trying to slip away, Li Susu felt rather awkward and offered a sheepish greeting.
Zhou Huaixu’s gaze remained locked on her as he tilted his chin slightly, gesturing for her to come down.
Li Susu took a few steps toward him and waited for him to speak.
"Susu, have you been intentionally avoiding me lately?"Li Susu scratched her head, feigning ignorance. "I haven't. We were just at the restaurant together yesterday."
"You haven't spoken more than five sentences to me on your own initiative in the last few days."
Zhou Huaixu accused her, the corners of his lips curling slightly in a playful, teasing manner.
Li Susu didn't want the atmosphere to become too awkward. After all, Zhou Huaixu had helped her out on many occasions; take that time half a year ago when she clashed with Wu Nianke—if he hadn't stepped in for her, she likely would have been fired by now.
She wasn't the type to be ungrateful. Even though she knew he had romantic intentions toward her, she couldn't bring herself to treat him coldly.
She hoped Zhou Huaixu would see her as nothing more than an ordinary friend.
Previously, she had avoided him because she didn't want to offend Wu Nianke, and now that she was pregnant, there was even less of a possibility for them.
She didn't want him to continue wasting his time on her. If she didn't clearly reject him, it would only cause him deeper pain in the long run.
Thinking of this, Li Susu suggested they find a place to have a proper talk. If they were to run into Wu Nianke again right in front of the women’s dormitory, it would be impossible to explain the situation.The two of them arrived at the top floor of the gymnasium one after the other. The space was vast and usually empty.
"What did you want to say to me?"
Zhou Huaixu stopped in his tracks, his hands resting casually in the pockets of his trench coat. Even in front of the girl he liked, his posture remained relaxed. He possessed the confidence that winning her heart was only a matter of time.
Li Susu turned around. The wind brushed past her ears, whipping up her high ponytail, the tips of her hair glowing with a golden sheen in the sunset.
Zhou Huaixu watched her, mesmerized. He stepped forward instinctively, wanting to brush the strands of hair blown across her face by the wind away.
Li Susu instinctively took a step back. "Senior, please don't waste any more of your time on me—"
He paused slightly, a flicker of imperceptible hurt crossing his brow. "Is it because of Wu Nianke?"
Li Susu shook her head without hesitation. "No. I already have someone I like."