Bai Xiaotong was already feeling scared and upset. Hearing Lu Ling’s harsh tone, she felt even more wronged and cried even louder.
Lu Ling: “…”
Seeing quite a few people around looking over, he felt helpless and quickly pulled her away.
Not long after, the two arrived at the small pavilion in the cultural center courtyard.
Lu Ling handed her a handkerchief.
Bai Xiaotong didn’t take it, turning her back to wipe her tears on her own.
Du Yun and Fang Zhiyong were scum, and Lu Ling was blind—in her mind, none of them were any good.
Bai Xiaotong wouldn’t let herself go just because of a setback in love. She had plenty of admirers; if these two weren’t suitable, she could just put in a bit more effort and find someone else.
Once she figured this out, Bai Xiaotong quickly stopped crying.
She straightened her clothes and hair, wiped the tears that had fallen on her chest, took a deep breath, and without looking at Lu Ling, gripped the strap of her leather bag tightly, ready to leave.
Today’s attempt had been a failure, but she would try again tomorrow.
Lu Ling called out to her, “Don’t be in such a hurry.”
Bai Xiaotong sneered, “What? Regretting it now?”
Not only did he follow her, but he also went to great lengths to expose Du Yun and Fang Zhiyong’s true colors—he must be regretting it!
Too bad for him, though. A good horse doesn’t turn back to graze on old grass, and she wasn’t the slightest bit interested in him anymore.
Lu Ling didn’t speak, watching Bai Xiaotong’s proud little expression with some amusement.
Seeing he wasn’t saying anything, Bai Xiaotong didn’t wait any longer.
As she was about to leave again, Lu Ling finally spoke up. “Yesterday, you said if I wanted compensation, I should come find you.”
Compensation!
That was indeed something she’d said.
But she’d said it in a fit of anger. Bai Xiaotong never really thought he’d take it seriously! After all, Lu Ling always looked so arrogant, not like the kind of man who’d lower himself to ask for compensation.
Still, since she’d said it, Bai Xiaotong wasn’t about to take it back. She lifted her chin and said, “Yes, I said that. What compensation do you want? Just say it.”
At most, she’d pay him five yuan for one night—no more than that.
The beauty who had just finished crying still had a few tear stains at the corners of her eyes. Her beautiful eyes looked as if they’d been washed clean, like the blue sea and sky.
Lu Ling: “You have to take responsibility for what happened that night.”
Take responsibility?
Bai Xiaotong looked at him strangely. “How?”
She’d only ever heard of women asking men to take responsibility—the reverse was rare.
Lu Ling put his hands in his pockets and slowly moved closer to her.
“Don’t mind my background, don’t look down on my family situation, cut ties completely with Chen Xiangjun, marry me, and as husband and wife, face everything together, advance and retreat as one.”
Bai Xiaotong was stunned for a moment, then secretly laughed.
He really regretted it!
Hahaha…
She thought this guy was blind, but in the end, he couldn’t resist the charm of the factory’s top beauty.
She’d already guessed it, but hearing him say it out loud, Bai Xiaotong couldn’t help but feel happy.
She’d been depressed for two whole days, but now she finally felt relieved.
Tsk, tsk, tsk!
Bai Xiaotong looked Lu Ling up and down.
She’d just said a good horse doesn’t turn back to graze on old grass.
But this guy was too handsome, and he was the child’s father. If he lowered himself and begged her properly, it wasn’t something she couldn’t consider.
But before that, she had to get back the face she’d lost the day before yesterday.
Bai Xiaotong: “The day before yesterday, I tried to drag you to get the marriage certificate, but you refused. Today, you’re asking me to take responsibility for you. You get to decide everything—what does that make me?”
Bai Xiaotong pursed her lips and snorted coldly, then added, “There are plenty of people lining up to marry me, Bai Xiaotong. If these two today don’t work out, I’ll just find better ones tomorrow. In this world, who can’t live without someone else?”
Bai Xiaotong was putting on airs again.
Lu Ling asked, “Do you really think so?”
Bai Xiaotong replied, “Of course.”
Lu Ling chuckled, “So, all that talk about marrying no one but Chen Xiangjun doesn’t count anymore? Have you come to your senses?”
At the year-end staff meeting last year, Bai Xiaotong had witnessed her crush Chen Xiangjun publicly announcing his relationship with her cousin Hu Xiulan. She had grabbed Chen Xiangjun, crying and making a scene, even declaring she would marry no one but him. The whole factory had watched the spectacle, and it was utterly humiliating.
Although that incident had happened over half a month ago, Bai Xiaotong still felt embarrassed every time she recalled it.
Why did this person keep bringing up her past mistakes!
Bai Xiaotong said, “What does Chen Xiangjun amount to? He’s not even the best-looking, just a lowly technician who doesn’t deserve me at all. I was blind before, my judgment clouded, which is why I inexplicably took a liking to him. Now I’ve come to my senses and won’t repeat those past mistakes.”
Chen Xiangjun was the male lead, destined to be with the female lead. Getting involved with him would be courting disaster.
Over the past couple of days, Bai Xiaotong had woken up from her delusions and regained her clarity. Looking at Chen Xiangjun now, she suddenly felt he was nothing special.
Sure, he was good-looking, had a decent family background, and strong personal abilities.
Even though she had just belittled him as a “lowly technician,” after having that precognitive dream, Bai Xiaotong knew that Chen Xiangjun would go to university in two years. Four years later, he would first become deputy factory director, then the full director. Through his own efforts, he would reform and transform the textile factory, turning its losses into profits. He was destined to be an outstanding young man and a successful entrepreneur in the future.
But so what?
No matter how accomplished he became, it couldn’t change his fickle nature or his tendency to two-time.
Yes, Chen Xiangjun was a two-timer.
Although they had never explicitly defined their relationship before, they had watched movies together several times and even held hands.
She had waited eagerly for him to confess his feelings and bring a matchmaker to her home to formalize their relationship.
Who would have thought that while she waited, he would end up getting involved with her cousin Hu Xiulan, who was staying with her family?
Bai Xiaotong still remembered clearly what Chen Xiangjun had said when he tried to break things off with her.
“Xiaotong, Xiulan is your own cousin. You shouldn’t speak of her like that.
We have a pure relationship. Can you stop making unreasonable accusations?
Going to the park?
We weren’t just going to the park—we were signing up as volunteers, doing something meaningful. How could you think of it that way? Your mindset is too narrow-minded!
Xiaotong, my mother is right. Our personalities don’t match; we’re simply not compatible.
Even if we had taken things further, it wouldn’t have ended well.
So, please don’t come looking for me anymore.
After all these years growing up together, let’s not ruin even our friendship…”
Back then, Bai Xiaotong had lived in a daze, thinking she was the one at fault for displeasing Chen Xiangjun.
Now, looking back, it was just an excuse for a scumbag to move on to someone new.
And this kind of person was supposed to be the male lead?
Hah, who knows what the author was thinking. With such questionable character, how could he even qualify as a male lead?
Bai Xiaotong glanced sideways at Lu Ling, her expression haughty and her voice cold. “Don’t mention him in front of me again. It makes me feel like my past self was foolish, and it unsettles me.”
Lu Ling stared at her for a moment, confirming that her expression was sincere and not deceptive.
The corners of his mouth unconsciously lifted, his eyes concealing a hidden delight. “Alright, I won’t bring it up again. Since you’ve already walked out of the quagmire that is Chen Xiangjun, then taking responsibility for me is non-negotiable.”