Fans kept coming in an unending stream to ask Qi Sheng for autographs.
Mingtang stood waiting in line among the crowd, while Wen Qingli waited for her a short distance away.
“Little Qingli, you really have no heart at all.” A wild, unrestrained male voice suddenly sounded beside her.
Wen Qingli turned her head to see Fu Wenzhou walking toward her, and frowned slightly. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Fu Wenzhou stopped beside her, a look of hurt appearing in his flirtatious eyes. “I sent you messages from abroad, and you never replied even once.”
Wen Qingli pressed her lips together. “I thought they were junk messages.”
Fu Wenzhou clearly did not believe her. He had always clearly stated who he was in every message. She looked soft and gentle, as if she would be easy to handle, but deep down she was actually very strong-willed and decisive. He could not figure out what it was about him that did not meet her standards—she had rejected him so thoroughly and completely.
“You look very beautiful today,” he said, suddenly changing the subject. “But you are too thin; I don’t like women who are this frail.”
Wen Qingli fell silent for a moment, then replied plainly, “It doesn’t matter whether you like me or not.”
A smile spread across Fu Wenzhou’s strikingly handsome face. “How have you been all these years? Have you found a boyfriend yet?”
Wen Qingli was not in the mood to discuss such personal matters with him.
Fu Wenzhou glanced down at her slender fingers—there was no ring on them, so at the very least she was not yet married.
“Actually, I am still single, but everyone seems to have misunderstood my relationship with Bai Chuxue.”
Hearing him mention Bai Chuxue, Wen Qingli looked back at him. “Are you… in a relationship with Bai Chuxue?”
Fu Wenzhou raised an eyebrow. “Oh? So now you are interested in my love life?”
Wen Qingli fell silent. He had never outgrown his habit of thinking too highly of himself.
“My younger sister suffers from a blood disorder and has been receiving treatment abroad for years. Bai Chuxue’s blood type was a match for hers. Back then, we reached an agreement: she would donate blood and help regulate my sister’s condition, and in return, my family would fund her studies overseas. Now that my sister’s condition has stabilized, the arrangement between Bai Chuxue and me has come to an end.”
“Her heart has always belonged only to Lu Zheng. She has come back to China this time to pursue him! Little Qingli, you must stop misunderstanding what is going on between me and Bai Chuxue.”
Wen Qingli’s gaze flickered slightly. Bai Chuxue intended to pursue Lu Zheng? A vague sense of unease stirred in her chest.
“I really don’t understand you women. Lu Zheng seems cold and distant, doesn’t know how to treat people gently, and never says sweet words. How could he possibly compare to someone like me—funny, interesting, and full of life?”
Wen Qingli bit her lower lip gently. “He is a very good man.”
Fu Wenzhou did not catch what she had said clearly. He frowned slightly. “What did you just say?”
Wen Qingli lowered her long lashes. “Nothing.”
Lu Zheng was upright, steady, and honorable. His affection and care were never spoken aloud, but always shown through every word and every sincere action. Any woman who eventually earned his true love would surely be very happy.
Mingtang finally got her autograph from Qi Sheng, and she was absolutely overjoyed.
The school anniversary gala was about to begin in the main auditorium, so Mingtang pulled Wen Qingli along to head inside.
As they neared the entrance, Wen Qingli caught sight of a familiar figure from the corner of her eye.
It was Lu Zheng.
He was walking side by side with Bai Chuxue, just coming out of the auditorium.
“Are you kidding? Could Lu Zheng actually be getting together with Bai Chuxue?” Mingtang asked, having also spotted them.
Wen Qingli stared at the pair’s perfectly matched figures from behind, her fingers tightening involuntarily. What would they talk about while alone together? Would Bai Chuxue boldly confess her feelings? If Lu Zheng learned that Bai Chuxue and Fu Wenzhou had never been in a relationship, would he change his mind?
Wen Qingli pressed her fingertips into her palm, her mind running wild with anxious thoughts. Her chest felt as though it was stuffed with a sponge soaked in bitter bile—heavy, sour, and aching. She bit her lip hard, wanting to walk out and find them several times, but never mustering the courage to do so.
The performances for the gala began shortly after. Every act was wonderful, but Wen Qingli could not bring herself to pay attention. She felt restless and distracted, her gaze drifting frequently toward the doors of the auditorium.
Lu Zheng and Bai Chuxue walked to a quiet corner not far from the building.
Lu Zheng stopped, his brows furrowed as he looked at her. “You asked me to come out in such a hurry—what is it you want to say?”
Seeing his attitude growing even colder toward her, Bai Chuxue felt a pang of sadness. “Lu Zheng, I have already told you everything about my relationship with Fu Wenzhou. Surely you don’t misunderstand us like everyone else does?”
Lu Zheng’s expression remained stern and unyielding, his eyes deep and calm. “You do not need to explain your relationship with Fu Wenzhou to me.”
Bai Chuxue’s heart sank to the very bottom. As a captain of the criminal investigation division, his perception was always incredibly sharp—could he really not see how she felt about him?
“Lu Zheng, you know very well that the person I love is—”
Lu Zheng cut her off, his face impassive. “Bai Chuxue, I am married.”
He had agreed to come out alone with her precisely so he could tell her this directly.
Bai Chuxue’s mind went blank. She stared at him, eyes wide with disbelief. “That is impossible! You are lying to me!”
She had never heard from his grandmother that he had gotten married. He must be making it up to put her off!
“Lu Zheng, I admit that in the past, I acted ambiguous with other men just to make you jealous and provoke a reaction from you—but I only did it to force you to see me!”
Lu Zheng frowned deeply, genuine confusion appearing in his eyes. “Did I ever give you the impression that I had feelings for you?”
He had always disliked emotional entanglements and complications. His entire focus had always been on his studies and his career. When he chose to marry Wen Qingli, it was precisely because she was quiet and reserved, unlike Bai Chuxue, who was bold and demanding. He simply did not have the energy to maintain a passionate relationship. Someone like Wen Qingli was perfect—she did not demand his affection, did not cling to him, and never required him to comfort or coax her.
Seeing the cold indifference in his eyes, Bai Chuxue felt as though an invisible hand had wrapped tightly around her heart and was squeezing it. He was upright and honorable in his work, but when it came to matters of the heart, he was ruthless and unfeeling. Even a woman as striking and beautiful as herself could not win his favor—was there any woman in the world who could ever catch his eye?
“Lu Zheng, you are truly hateful!”
Her eyes glistening with tears, Bai Chuxue turned and ran away. After going a short distance, she could not help but stop and glance back, secretly hoping he would follow—but he did not move a step.
Lu Zheng walked straight back into the main auditorium.
As he entered, Qi Sheng was just stepping onto the stage.
He began to sing a powerful rock song. Almost everyone in the audience rose to their feet. Young girls waved light sticks wildly, moving freely to the strong rhythm of the music.
Lu Zheng scanned the room, and his sharp black eyes immediately locked onto a slender, delicate figure.
Wen Qingli was standing up too, holding a light stick in her hand and waving it gently and quietly.
Lu Zheng stared at her back for a few seconds, then strode toward her.
“Do you like him?”
Wen Qingli was still distracted, her mind filled with the image of Lu Zheng and Bai Chuxue walking out together alone.
When his deep, magnetic voice suddenly sounded right beside her ear, her long lashes fluttered, and her heart gave a sudden leap. She turned her head instinctively to look.
Lu Zheng was standing right behind her, leaning down slightly to speak. In her sudden, unexpected movement, her soft lips brushed lightly against his firm, handsome cheek.
The accidental, intimate contact left both of them frozen in place, equally stunned.