Chapter 103, Chapter 4: The Lost Manor

What happened at noon, Cheng Yuzhou left the school in the afternoon.

His appearance was truly appalling; his long hair was half-disheveled, his clothes and pants were covered in mud and grass, and he had several scrapes and cuts that were bleeding. It would be difficult for him to go unnoticed.

The parents of the children who bullied Cheng Yuzhou were quickly called in. They not only apologized to Cheng Yuzhou at school, but were also forced by their parents to come to his home to apologize.

This did not make Cheng Yuzhou's life any easier. Different gazes continued to surround him, and all sorts of unpleasant nicknames were slapped on his head.

He mustered up the courage to try and strike up a conversation, but after several attempts, the children opposite him all shouted, "Song Xiaona told us not to play with you!" "You're just a tattletale!" "You tattletale!"

This went on for nearly a month, until Cheng Yuzhou could no longer endure it.

He waited until Cheng Yandong returned home, and timidly called out at the door of the master bedroom on the second floor, "Dad..."

After a long silence, a tired and impatient voice came from behind the door: "What?"

“Dad, I…” He looked down at his feet, “I want to change schools.”

"Why?"

"I...I don't like the No. 3 Middle School Affiliated Primary School."

"Your mother also attended the Third Middle School Affiliated Primary School."

Cheng Yuzhou lowered his eyes.

He pressed himself against the wall and said nothing more.

The secretary waved to Cheng Yuzhou from downstairs, signaling him to leave the room.

That was Fang Yuzhou's original bedroom.

Fang Yuzhou was not buried; her remains were preserved lifelike in a crystal coffin after being processed.

Cheng Yandong dislikes having his time with his wife disturbed.

Cheng Yuzhou came down from the second floor and went to his secretary's side.

The secretary sighed and patted him. "Young Master, would you like some cake?"

The boy looked up and glanced at him.

He asked a question that took the secretary by surprise: "When are we taking Dad to the hospital?"

"A hospital? Why would you think that?"

Cheng Yuzhou glanced at the closed door out of the corner of his eye, then lowered his gaze and said, "Isn't he abnormal?"

His tone was not sarcastic, but purely one of doubt.

The secretary was filled with mixed emotions: "...No, young master, President Cheng is not sick. He just loves your mother too much."

Cheng Yuzhou had heard this answer countless times.

Before, it was when his mother cried; now it's him—in almost every painful moment for him and his mother, people around him tell him with the same expression: "Your father just loves your mother too much."

The expression seemed to pity him, yet it also seemed to subtly criticize him, asking him to understand his father.

"I don't understand." Cheng Yuzhou clutched the hems of his clothes on both sides and murmured, "Isn't love a good thing?"

“Of course, love is the most beautiful thing.” The secretary squatted down, trying to prevent the child, who had lost his mother, from being completely disappointed in his father. “Your father’s love is deeper than that of ordinary people, just like how eating too much sugar can cause a slight acid reflux. His original intention was still good. He just, just loved his wife too much. You will understand him when you grow up.”

Cheng Yuzhou turned his head and looked at the door that had never been opened to him before.

Will he understand...?

There was no room for negotiation regarding the transfer; Cheng Yuzhou would continue studying at the Third Middle School Affiliated Primary School.

His deskmate had built a tall wall of books in the middle, and when Cheng Yuzhou accidentally crossed the line earlier, he immediately yelled in a strange voice, "Ah! I'm going to get infected with the transvestite virus!"

Those around him immediately chimed in, "Go wash your hands! You're about to turn into a ladyboy!"

This was an indescribable shame and embarrassment. Cheng Yuzhou lowered his head, and in his burning embarrassment, he glanced frantically at the seat by the window.

The pretty little girl was talking to her deskmate and seemed unaware of what was happening over there.

Cheng Yuzhou felt a sense of relief for no apparent reason, followed by a wave of disappointment and embarrassment.

Time hasn't healed anything; instead, it's allowed this trend to fester.

The last English class on Friday.

"Today we are learning about colors."

“Now, tell me,” the English teacher said, holding the microphone, “which of you like red.”

A chorus of hands went up, and the teacher chose the pair with the most fervent and vibrant eyes. "OK, Li Yufei, please tell us why you like the red best."

The little girl stood up, but she couldn't speak very well, stammering as she answered, "Because...because I love flo...rose!"

"Oh, you love roses? Great! I love them too." The English teacher specially selected a small red flower sticker from the question-and-answer stickers and stuck it on the back of Li Yufei's hand.

She turned around and continued asking, "Next—"

Who likes pink?

After he said that, the classroom suddenly burst into laughter.

The English teacher was baffled until a boy shouted from below, "Cheng Yuzhou, love! Teacher, Pink is Cheng Yuzhou's favorite color!"

In the center of the classroom, the boy lowered his head.

There were very few English classes for the lower grades, only two a week. The English teacher didn't know what had happened, but still encouraged him, saying, "Which one is Cheng Yuzhou? Stand up, please."

The classroom was filled with the smell of sweat from a physical education class in the late summer evening, and the old electric fan creaked and groaned above Cheng Yuzhou's head.

All eyes in the class were on him. Those gazes felt tangible; he felt cold, yet his face burned with heat.

"Stand up, Cheng Yuzhou!" the boys around him jeered and teased. "The teacher told you to stand up!"

"Be quiet!" The English teacher noticed something was wrong and sternly reprimanded, "Quiet!"

"Teacher, Cheng Yuzhou is shy!" The noisy class wasn't going to quiet down easily; boys yelled, and girls covered their mouths and laughed. "He loves pink the most!"

"Get up, Cheng Yuzhou! Stand up! The teacher is asking you why you like pink!"

"Ms. Li!" Suddenly, a girl's sweet voice rang out in the noisy classroom.

I like pink!

The resounding, crisp sound was like a bamboo arrow, piercing through the noise and drowning out all the commotion.

Cheng Yuzhou looked up and saw a girl standing gracefully by the window under the magnificent sunset, her eyes shining with a brilliance even more dazzling than the fiery sunset outside.

“No,” the teacher corrected her, “Not ‘likes’. Read with me, ‘I like pink’.”

Li Yufei echoed the teacher: "I like pink."

She volunteered to stand up, but said something wrong.

She was publicly pointed out for her mistake, but she showed no shame and read it a second time even louder and more forcefully.

Cheng Yuzhou stared at her in astonishment. No matter where she was, Li Yufei was always full of confidence, as if everything she did was justified, reasonable, and no one could question her.

Even the English teacher couldn't stop the classroom commotion. She didn't do anything special; her two clear and concise sentences silenced everyone and drew everyone's attention to her.

The English teacher reminded her to raise her hand before speaking, then went through the process again and asked her why she liked pink.

“Rose, pink…” Li Yufei racked her brains and pieced together a sentence, “Rose has pink too!”

This was another nonsensical and incorrect sentence. The teacher smiled and corrected her, then gave her a small pink red flower.

She sat down happily, and no one laughed at her for her mistake. Instead, her deskmate looked at her hand with two flowers on it with envy and whispered, "You're so amazing."

She is dazzling and beautiful.

Cheng Yuzhou didn't need to pay special attention; he could spot her at a glance in the crowd.

In group activities, Li Yufei is always the center of attention. She is the center of the first row in chorus, the lead dancer in dance, and she also stands at the front of the line in radio calisthenics.

Regardless of Li Yufei's technical skill level, her spirit is enough to impress the teachers and judges.

Even in a fight, she's second to none.

She fought with boys who acted like jerks, girls who talked badly about her behind her back, and people who stole her thunder. The girl she fought the most was Song Xiaona from the next class.

"What exactly do you two want me to say?" The two homeroom teachers were numb and unable to muster any anger.

The homeroom teacher of Class 1 was puzzled, "Song Xiaona, you are the class monitor of Class 1, a model student, and you participate in so many competitions every semester. You set an example for other students, so why do you always fight with Li Yufei?"

The homeroom teacher of Class Two was exasperated. "Li Yufei, what exactly are you trying to do? It's only been two months of the new semester, and you've already counted how many conflicts you've had with your classmates. I'm telling you seriously, if you continue like this, you really risk being expelled!"

Both girls were in a sorry state. Li Yufei held her chin up, like a thorny rose, sticking out of the ground.

Song Xiaona lowered her head and sobbed, "I'm sorry, teacher, I didn't want to fight either, but Li Yufei... she insulted my mother..."

"Li Yufei! How could you insult your classmate's mother!"

"I didn't!" Li Yufei protested, accusing herself of wrongdoing.

"Waaah..." Song Xiaona cried even louder, sobbing intermittently, "Li Yufei, how could you... how could you lie..."

The homeroom teacher of Class Two slammed her hand on the table: "Li Yufei!"

"I...I...I!" Li Yufei glared at Song Xiaona, who was crying with her eyes covered, her ears turning red with anger. "Oh, right, I did scold her, so what? Your mother is just..." Before she could finish speaking, there was a gentle knock on the office door.

"Teacher." A fair and beautiful face peeked out, looking timidly inside.

"Cheng Yuzhou?" the Class Two homeroom teacher asked in surprise. "What's wrong?"

“Teacher, I saw them fighting,” he said softly. “Li Yufei didn’t insult Song Xiaona’s mother.”

Song Xiaona stopped crying, and the two homeroom teachers called Cheng Yuzhou in.

Teachers and students have completely different feelings about Cheng Yuzhou; no teacher doesn't adore this beautiful and intelligent student.

"Cheng Yuzhou, did you see them fighting?"

The boy nodded: "They're in the grove near the inscription."

This is the right location; it seems he was indeed there. The teacher then asked, "Do you know why they fought?"

“Because…” Cheng Yuzhou hesitated and glanced at Song Xiaona.

Cheng Yuzhou was always timid and dared not utter a sound when bullied, but when he met Song Xiaona's eyes, she felt inexplicably flustered.

The boy's voice was soft and weak, just like his personality: "Because Song Xiaona said that Li Yufei is a big-breasted, brainless vase, with nothing but a pretty face, and that she shouldn't compete with her for the lead dance this time."

The two teachers looked at Song Xiaona in surprise, and Song Xiaona said sharply, "What nonsense are you talking about! I didn't, I didn't say that!"

Cheng Yuzhou flinched, startled, and took half a step closer to Li Yufei. Li Yufei immediately shouted back, "You still won't admit it! That's what you said!"

The expressions of the two children were easy to understand, especially Li Yufei, whose chest heaved with anger, her eyes filled with fury, and her thoughts were clearly written all over her face.

“Song Xiaona even laughed at Li Yufei, calling her an idiot.” Cheng Yuzhou pursed his lips. “She doesn’t even know why they always go to the grove, the toilet, and that basketball court to fight.”

Song Xiaona immediately said anxiously, "I didn't say that! I really didn't say that!"

Li Yufei looked bewildered. "Huh? Why?"

The two homeroom teachers' expressions changed slightly.

Half a month into the semester, Song Xiaona ran into the office in tears and told the teacher that Li Yufei always chose places without surveillance cameras to hit her.

The homeroom teacher of Class 1 immediately went to Class 2, saying that such a vicious child must have his parents called in.

At that time, the homeroom teacher of Class 2 stopped him: "Teacher Wang, I would definitely believe you if you said Li Yufei hit someone, but to say that she specifically targets places without surveillance cameras... that girl may not even know what a surveillance camera is."

"Teacher Li, do you think the students in our class are lying? Don't you know what kind of student Song Xiaona is? Who do you think is more trustworthy, her or Li Yufei?"

The two homeroom teachers even argued about it, which led to the grade leader coming over to mediate.

I never expected that this matter would come to light in this way today.

The homeroom teacher of Class 1 looked extremely grim. "Li Yufei, Cheng Yuzhou, you two go back first. Song Xiaona, call your mother and ask her to come over."

Song Xiaona's face turned pale instantly. Li Yufei glared at her happily and left the office overjoyed.

As she walked up to the corridor, Li Yufei was happy, but also a little confused.

Based on her extensive experience, she was bound to have her parents called in today, but she managed to escape unscathed!

Glancing at the boy beside her, Li Yufei chuckled with amusement: "You're a pretty good person. It's just that Song Xiaona will probably be giving you trouble later."

This was the first time she had spoken to him; aside from their first meeting, they rarely stood so close.

Cheng Yuzhou's heart was racing a little. He shook his head and said, "It's okay."

Li Yufei was in a good mood. "I didn't expect to be so lucky. You just happened to see me beat her up."

"Hmm..." Cheng Yuzhou shifted his gaze slightly, smiling shyly, "Yes, I just happened to be passing by."

"Ah! I remember now!"

Cheng Yuzhou's heart tightened: "W-what?"

Li Yufei pointed at him, "You're the one she beat up on the court that day."

Cheng Yuzhou was taken aback.

He knew he was insignificant to Li Yufei, but he never expected that she would actually not remember him at all.

Perhaps it's better not to remember; he didn't want Li Yufei to see him like that day at all.

Cheng Yuzhou lowered his eyes and murmured, "It's me..." "Don't be too smug."

Li Yufei interrupted him, and Cheng Yuzhou was bewildered, not knowing what there was to be proud of.

“Even if Song Xiaona approached you on your first day, it doesn’t mean you’re prettier than me,” she told him arrogantly. “There are plenty of people who have been approached by Song Xiaona. This just proves that you’re prettier than her. In the entire Third Middle School Affiliated Elementary School, I’m the most charming and alluring. Don’t get too cocky.”

Cheng Yuzhou never imagined that the "fire" in "provoking trouble" could actually be the "fire" in "war".

He stole a glance at Li Yufei.

Although they had both been in a fight, her condition was completely different from Song Xiaona's. Her cheeks were flushed, and her neck and arms were covered with glistening beads of sweat, radiating vitality.

Having apparently humiliated Song Xiaona, Li Yufei's large eyes shone brightly, and even her hair was styled in a perfectly messy way.

Being as beautiful as Li Yufei, it's perhaps not an exaggeration to say that she's attracted controversy.

She is probably the peerless beauty described in the book, coveted by various countries.

"Why are you blushing?" That fiery face suddenly drew closer, startling Cheng Yuzhou, who hastily retreated, "N-nothing."

"You still say no? Your face is as red as a monkey's bottom." Li Yufei raised an eyebrow, and after a while, smiled smugly. "I know, look at me, you must be ashamed of yourself now!"

"You mean...feeling ashamed of yourself?"

"You admit it!"

"Ah, um..." Cheng Yuzhou always avoided looking at her, his gaze fixed on the floor beside his feet, and he responded softly, "You're right."

He felt extremely ashamed in her presence.

“You don’t need to feel inferior. Compared to ordinary people, you’re already doing quite well.” Li Yufei tilted her head, pulled off her almost-loose hair tie, and started braiding her own hair. “You just lack a highlight and need to dress up a bit.”

She let her hair down, and the scent of shampoo spread out; it was a rose fragrance.

The rich scent of roses mixed with her warm body heat made Cheng Yuzhou hold his breath, afraid to breathe.

His face flushed even more from holding it in, until a small white hand was held out in front of him. "Here, put this on."

A rose diamond the size of an earring, with a red-to-white gradient, was in her hand; it was one of the hair ties she was wearing today.

She took one strand of the double-stranded hair tie and gave it to Cheng Yuzhou.

"You always wear that black hair tie, so I'll give you this one. Consider it your reward for being honest."

Tiny diamonds sparkle amidst the red and white roses.

Cheng Yuzhou was flattered: "No, no need, I'm a boy."

"But don't you have long hair?"

Cheng Yuzhou's eyes dimmed slightly, and he forced a smile. "...I'm a guy, and I have long hair. It's disgusting, isn't it?"

Li Yufei stared at him intently for a while. "You're really strange. What do you want, to be a man or a woman?"

She didn't shy away from this sensitive topic at all. There was nothing that Li Yufei needed to be careful about. Her attitude was natural and her eyes were clear and open. It was others who should be avoiding her.

Cheng Yuzhou avoided her gaze and whispered dejectedly, "I don't know... If I were a girl, maybe everything would be better..."

"Then you can be a girl," Li Yufei said. "I'll lend you my skirt."

"No, that's not what I meant," Cheng Yuzhou said with a wry smile.

"Stop nagging. Just take it, my hand is getting tired." Li Yufei lost her patience. "Whether you're a man or a woman, if you have long hair, you need it."

She forcefully shoved the hair tie into his hand, and Cheng Yuzhou held it helplessly, "...Thank you?"

"What are you standing there for? Put it on now."

"I don't know how to wear this...?"

"Are you a pig?!" Li Yufei exclaimed in surprise. "You can't even tie your own hair?"

"I'm sorry, I've never done it myself before..."

"Who combed your hair? Your mother?" Li Yufei asked suspiciously, then answered herself, "I think I heard your mother died."

This was the first time Cheng Yuzhou had heard such a straightforward greeting.

"She's the family's nanny."

Unlike the others, Li Yufei spoke as if it were a casual conversation, as if this wasn't some earth-shattering secret that required constant mourning. She could continue from where she left off, saying, "The nanny combs my hair every day."

"You don't even comb your hair, why bother taking care of it and maintaining it so well?"

"……sorry."

"What's there to apologize for?" Li Yufei frowned and sighed. "Fine, I'll help you."

She walked behind Cheng Yuzhou and replaced her dull black hair tie with a sparkling diamond rose.

"How is it? Pretty, right?" She took out a small mirror and tossed her hair. "It's the same as the one on my head. This is a custom-made one."

Cheng Yuzhou stared blankly at the hair accessories in the mirror.

It really looks exactly like Li Yufei's...

"Do you really like roses?" he asked hesitantly.

"So-so," Li Yufei said, putting away the mirror. "Only roses are barely good enough for me."

Cheng Yuzhou couldn't help but laugh.

Li Yufei is truly very different.

"I'm going home now." She brushed the bits of grass off her pants and said goodbye crisply, "Bye-bye."

"Li, Li Yufei!" Seeing her about to leave, Cheng Yuzhou subconsciously called out to her.

The girl turned around, her large, clear eyes looking at him: "What?"

Cheng Yuzhou opened his mouth, but he didn't know what he wanted to do.

He was just, just glad that they were able to talk.

He hesitated, then forced a bitter smile. "Thank you for being willing to talk to me."

She was the only one who wouldn't discriminate against him.

"Oh." Li Yufei nodded to indicate that she understood.

She was about to leave again, and he needed to say something; he wanted to see her more closely.

"Um, Li Yufei!" he began, but his courage waned considerably under the girl's questioning gaze.

After a moment, he whispered wistfully, "You are really beautiful...you are the most beautiful person I have ever seen."

The girl's round eyes widened slightly.

She was like a rose that had been set ablaze, radiating a bright and blazing light.

"Mmm." She tilted her chin to the side, her eyes full of coquettish smiles. "Of course, you really are very honest."

Turning around, her braids swayed from side to side, the rose tied at the top shining brightly.

Cheng Yuzhou reached back and touched the back of his head.

The same rose, she herself placed on his body.

He knew this meant nothing to Li Yufei, just like when she climbed down a floor to chase away the students who were bullying him; just like when she stood up and said she liked pink.

She didn't do those things for him, and he wouldn't be so shameless as to think he could become friends with her because of this little thing today.

Even if their relationship were to return to square one tomorrow, everything that happened this afternoon would still be a precious and beautiful dream for Cheng Yuzhou. He would remember Li Yufei's dazzling and extraordinary appearance for the rest of his life.

Cheng Yuzhou warned himself to put away his shameful fantasies; he didn't want to see disgusted mockery on Li Yufei's face.

But they had talked for so long, and she had even given him a hair tie.

If Li Yufei walks by him tomorrow and greets him, should he respond?

Getting involved with him won't do her any good; she'll be laughed at for talking to a transvestite.

But if she actually takes the initiative to talk to him, he can't possibly not respond to her...

The curtains in the second-floor room remained tightly closed, preventing any sunlight from reaching the room.

Cheng Yuzhou knelt on the bay window, and as dusk fell, he quietly lifted a small section of the curtain and peered out with a pounding heart.

He could occasionally hear Li Yufei laughing and talking; she would play with her friends in the neighborhood after finishing her homework.

On several occasions, she passed by his window.

I really want to talk to Li Yufei again, even just a sentence or a single word.

...

The next day, when Cheng Yuzhou entered the classroom, Li Yufei had not yet arrived.

He stood with a book covering half his face, his mind preoccupied with the doorway, inexplicably agitated.

At five minutes to eight, a glimmer of light finally appeared in his field of vision.

Li Yufei came in carrying her schoolbag.

Her updo today looked elegant and refreshing.

Cheng Yuzhou's gaze followed her uncontrollably as he watched her walk past the front row, with three or five students greeting her along the way.

Like a princess on an inspection tour, she nodded hastily and went straight to her seat. As soon as she sat down, someone struck up a conversation with her, asking about the new watch on her wrist.

She didn't glance at him once along the way.

Cheng Yuzhou lowered his eyes. Although he had expected it, the bitter disappointment was still almost overwhelming him.

What is he fantasizing about...? They are completely different.

"Ugh..." A sudden pain shot through his scalp as his long hair was yanked down by the person in the back seat.

Then a boy's curious voice came from behind, "Cheng Yuzhou, you're wearing a rose too!"

In an instant, half the classroom turned to look.

An unprecedented panic surged through Cheng Yuzhou. He hurriedly grabbed his hair, but it was no use. Several students behind him had already seen what was on his head and laughed in surprise, "Cheng Yuzhou is wearing flowers!"

"Wow, it's a rose! What a vain ladyboy!"

Cheng Yuzhou clutched the back of his head tightly, his regret and fear more prominent than his shame.

He shouldn't have worn that.

What if someone recognizes that these are Li Yufei's things? She'll be gossiped about, and she'll definitely be angry!

Why did he bring it to school...? He's so arrogant and shameless.

Please, please don't look at him...

Please, please don't look over here... don't see him...

"Shut up, you bunch of ugly freaks!"

A fair and clean hand rested on the back of Cheng Yuzhou's chair.

Li Yufei's sudden insertion startled the boys. They quickly realized, "Li Yufei, that's your stuff, isn't it?"

"Oh, Li Yufei gave Cheng Yuzhou a token of their love!"

"Look everyone, Li Yufei likes ladyboys!"

Cheng Yuzhou turned around in a panic, but from his angle, he could only see the girl's profile, which was both angry and amused.

She saw it... she saw his embarrassing and pathetic state.

She shouldn't have come. If she had pretended not to see them, those people wouldn't have made the connection to her.

"It wasn't hers, it was me..." Cheng Yuzhou tried to explain, but before he could finish, a huge bang exploded in the back of the classroom.

Bang--!

The seven-year-old girl braced herself against the back of his chair with one hand and kicked over the table behind him.

Stationery and books from the drawer were scattered all over the floor, and the boy behind the desk was startled and fell over.

The noisy classroom instantly fell silent.

The boy, who had fallen to the ground, stared blankly at Li Yufei.

She took a few steps forward and stomped on his Chinese textbook with a thud, her shoe rolling back and forth.

He pulled his foot back, leaving a gray shoe print on the cover.

She pointed at the book and sneered condescendingly, "Chen Jiahao, you actually collected my shoe prints. You have a crush on me, don't you? That's why you're jealous of Cheng Yuzhou."

"What kind of logic is this?" The boy's face flushed red. "I..." "Pah!" Li Yufei kicked him in the shin. "You toad! Only good-looking people deserve my roses!"

Cheng Yuzhou's breath hitched. Outside the window, the sun blazed fiercely, but her radiance surpassed even the sun's.

He was flushed with the color of roses from head to toe, both red and hot, and his breath was filled with the domineering fragrance of roses.

In Cheng Yuzhou's short life, he had never seen anyone more beautiful than Li Yufei.

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Author's Note: A warm and healing little sun heroine ×

The scorching sun that leaves nothing but barren land.