(49)

Jiang Zhiming stared at the girl standing in front of him. Her eyes, as white as purple grapes, were wide open, filled with shock and fear.

Doubts and confusion, like fleeting clouds in the sky, vanished and reborn. He and she were complete strangers. Their first meeting was of her chatting and laughing with Professor Cai; this was their second encounter. They met in the library. It seemed he wasn't the only one who hadn't gone home for the National Day holiday, and it seemed she wasn't the only one studying diligently. The first time he saw her, he was stunned by her beauty and elegance, but he couldn't be sure of her identity. This time, seeing her holding first-year English and calculus textbooks, her face still showing a youthful innocence, he was almost certain she was a student at Q University, just like him. So, what was her relationship with Professor Cai?

Jiang Zhiming felt as if he had walked into a deep fog. The image of Ye Wenyu when he first saw her resurfaced in his mind. She seemed to have a close relationship with Professor Cai. That evening, the two of them were chatting and laughing, standing so close together, which did not seem like an ordinary relationship. Could it be?

A strong suspicion popped into Jiang Zhiming's mind. He composed himself and immediately dismissed the thought. Professor Cai was a renowned professor at Q University, a man of excellent character. He would never do something so unethical. Perhaps, this girl, like all the other girls at Q University, simply harbored a girlish infatuation with Professor Cai. A young girl's feelings are always poetic; he shouldn't misunderstand.

but--

Jiang Zhiming was still pondering deeply. This girl, whom he had met by chance, he didn't even know her name. This reunion at the library was only their second meeting. Whether it was the first or the second meeting, when she saw him, her big eyes were always filled with fear, as if he were not a person, but a terrible demon.

What could be the reason for this?

His polite greeting did not receive a warm response. After an unknown amount of time, Ye Wenyu, who had been in shock and silence, came to his senses and immediately turned and ran away as if avoiding a plague, faster than a rabbit.

It was dusk at Q University, and because of the National Day holiday, there were hardly any people on campus. Near the library, it was just the two of them. Ye Wenyu's avoidance greatly hurt Jiang Zhiming's pride. He snorted coldly, took three steps at a time, caught up with Ye Wenyu, and blocked her way.

He was nearly 1.8 meters tall, almost two heads taller than Ye Wenyu. Standing in front of her, his tall and imposing figure completely blocked her view.

Ye Wenyu became even more flustered and angry. She tried to dodge to the right, but he moved to the right as if he were a mountain. She tried to dodge to the left, but he moved to the left as if he were a mountain. In short, he was determined to prevent her from passing.

Ye Wenyu became even angrier and shouted shrilly, "Get out of the way! A good dog doesn't block the way!"

She actually called him a dog! This was the first time she'd spoken to him, and she called him a dog—it was outrageous! Jiang Zhiming, who had been confused, was now even more enraged. He snorted heavily and said to her, "Why did you run away? Because I—" He stopped there, his handsome face flushed red. After a moment of silence, his overly sensitive nature led him to question her, "Because I'm poor?" She was like the girls in his class, avoiding him like the plague, because of his poverty, his unsophisticated appearance, his ill-fitting suit, and the seemingly indelible grime on his face!

Although he knew that none of the female college students who knew him liked her, she was the only one who acted so exaggeratedly and excessively, which greatly hurt his self-esteem. Moreover, his self-esteem had become as thin as paper.

Ye Wenyu looked up at Jiang Zhiming in disbelief, wondering if this was why he had blocked her way when she tried to escape. She observed him and saw that his face was red and his neck was thick, his nostrils were wide open with anger and he was breathing heavily. His hands, hanging at his sides, were clenched into fists, as if he would throw a punch at her at any moment.

She suddenly remembered that in her previous life, she and Jiang Zhiming were cut from the same cloth, the pot calling the kettle black. She was a poor girl who hoped to marry Lin Tingfeng and live a rich and comfortable life, while he was a poor boy who married Lin Tingyue, saying that doing so would save him fifty years of struggle.

Neither of them should laugh at the other; they even felt a sense of shared misfortune. When they were together in private, they would always lament the injustice of the world. One of them was handsome, talented, intelligent, hardworking, emotionally intelligent, and capable, yet he was born like a seed thrown into the desert, beginning a difficult hellish life from birth. On the other hand, Lin Tingyue and her brother Lin Tingyue were born into a wealthy family and lived the life of a prince and princess from birth, with a large number of servants, cooks in the kitchen, security guards in the house, gardeners in the garden, drivers in the car, and so on.

Recalling her past life, Ye Wenyu's fear lessened. They were both from poor families and were equally pitiful. Besides, she wasn't actually afraid of Jiang Zhiming; she was just afraid of the people and events from the past haunting her. What she truly feared was Lin Tingfeng.

She glanced at him and said softly, "No, you've misunderstood." Then, thinking of herself, a bitter smile appeared on her face. She lowered her head and said softly, "When it comes to poverty, no one is poorer than me." She thought to herself, no matter how poor Jiang Zhiming was, at least he had a complete family and loving parents. As for her, her parents had long since divorced, and the house that served as her home had been sold long ago because her mother remarried. If it weren't for Brother Wen's care and love, she probably wouldn't have made it this far. She was the most unfortunate person in the world.

Jiang Zhiming was stunned when he saw the girl's tearful face. His curiosity burned even brighter. She said, "When it comes to poverty, no one is poorer than me." Could it be that her family was also poor, or even poorer than hers? But her demeanor and her clothes didn't seem like those of a child from a poor family at all.

At that time, Ye Wenyu was wearing the new clothes that Cai Wenchuan had bought for her when they went shopping that day.