Chapter 18
Tan Quelu's taxi was forced to stop after less than five minutes.
With a roar and flames erupting, the driver looked helplessly at the huge black motorcycle blocking his way, unable to move.
This motorcycle was clearly an illegally assembled piece, yet the traffic police on the roadside turned a blind eye to it. The boy sitting on the motorcycle had short platinum blonde hair, arrogant and handsome features, and looked every bit the young master.
He is someone that an ordinary person like him could never afford to offend.
But at this moment, the blond young master stood in the middle of a red light, looking down and struggling to reach for the car window, pleading with the person inside who was ignoring him: "Greenie, please come out, let's talk?"
Tan Quelu didn't want to talk to him at first.
But when he turned his head, he noticed a dirty band-aid on Zhong Wan's forehead, which looked rather comical. The boy stared intently at him, his eyes suddenly lighting up when their eyes met: "Que Lu, get down here, I'll apologize to you!"
Tan Quelu paused for a moment, bit her lip, and looked at the expectant driver.
The system notification popped up in my mind: [Host, you've transferred ten times the fare to the driver!]
Tan Quelu hummed in response, got out of the car with a cold expression, and asked in a very indifferent tone: "Zhong Wan, what exactly do you want?"
Zhong Wan looked at him, and because it was the first time she had ever coaxed someone, she spoke incoherently: "I was talking about a project with Wei Zhiyan, and when I came back I saw the surveillance footage. I'm sorry, Que Lu, I didn't know Xie Chenbi would treat you like that."
"He's always disliked students admitted through special programs, and I thought he'd treat you better because of my advice..."
"Heh," Tan Quelu interrupted him with a cold laugh, "I'm also a special admission student, what's the difference? What, only because of your Young Master Zhong's favor do I deserve to be respected?"
"That's not what I meant, Green!"
Tan Quelu ripped the band-aid off Zhong Wan's forehead and threw it on the ground. Her voice was unusually sharp, but her eyes were red: "Don't wear cheap stuff. You don't deserve it. Get lost!"
After saying that, he turned around and walked forward in silence.
Zhong Wan had never been scolded like this in his life, but he wished he could be scolded a few more times, especially when he saw Que Lü's slightly red eyes. Zhong Wan's heart tightened, and he just wanted to beat the heartless version of himself from before to death.
What an idiot! How could you entrust Elk Green to someone else? Without him, anyone would dare to bully Elk Green. He's so innocent; what did he do wrong to deserve this humiliation?
Zhong Wan threw the car keys to the traffic policeman, got out of the car anxiously, picked up the band-aid, and caught up with Tan Quelu in the crowd.
He gripped the boy's thin wrist tightly, his chest heaving: "What will it take for you to calm down, Que Lu? What can I do to make you stop being angry? Please tell me."
Tan Quelu looked up and Zhong Wan stuffed all her cards and cash into his backpack. She also took off her seven-figure watch and forced it into his palm, like a dog that was determined to put a chain on itself.
"Do you like the green peacock green? If you don't, I have more, I can give you them all!"
Tan Quelu didn't struggle. A few seconds later, she chuckled softly, "So you think I only like these things, right?"
That's not what he meant.
Zhong Wan opened her mouth: "...No."
That's all he has.
These are the only things Zhong Wan can keep Tan Quelu with her.
Tan Quelu shook his head, helplessly telling him to let go. Zhong Wan wouldn't let go, and even tried to kneel down before him.
"Zhong Wan!" Tan Quelu gritted her teeth, forcefully pulling the person up, and looked around at the crowd: "Are you crazy? Don't embarrass yourself in the street!"
Zhong Wan looked at Tan Quelu, her heart filled with immense joy.
He knew that Elk Green cared about him; otherwise, why wouldn't she want him to kneel? Even when she was so angry, she remembered to buy him band-aids and was willing to get out of the car to argue with him. She hated money but accepted his gift.
He loves him so much.
He loved him very much too.
They love each other so much.
Zhong Wan stared intently at Tan Quelu, his brown eyes brimming with boundless satisfaction. He finally understood why there were such silly Cinderella stories—because Tan Quelu was his Cinderella.
"Green Sparrow, I'm sorry."
Zhong Wan apologized more often than he did when his father beat him in the yard every day when he was a child.
Tan Quelu pursed her lips and asked softly, "...Do you really know you were wrong?"
Zhong Wan wished she could tear her heart out and show it to Que Lu, explaining to him word by word: "I really know I was wrong—last night I received news that there was a diamond brooch at the end of the auction, and I wanted to bid on it and give it to you as a gift for next month's welcome party."
"I want you to wear the brooch to the party. I know I'm being silly, but I promise I won't do it again next time."
Tan Quelu blinked, and after a long while, looked up at him and said with difficulty, "...It's not impossible."
Zhong Wan's eyes lit up: "You agreed to let me buy you the brooch? You've forgiven me, right!"
If Elk Green hates money so much, the fact that she accepted the brooch must be because she loves him!
Tan Quelu hummed in agreement, a smile finally appearing in her innocent eyes. After a few seconds, she pursed her lips and said, "I forgive you... So what gift do you want?"
Zhong Wan met his gaze.
After a while, he gently handed over the band-aid that Tan Quelu had thrown away twice and picked up twice, and which was already dirty.
The blond boy smiled and looked at him expectantly: "Help me put it on."
"You can put it on for me."
......
Tan Quelu returned to St. Weston at noon.
After they made up, Zhong Wan didn't bring Tan Quelu back to the auction. Instead, she drove him to a shopping mall under the Golden Dome Group and thoroughly searched the luxury goods section.
The diamond brooch was also taken. Zhong Wan knew that Tan Quelu disliked Xie Chenbi, so she had her subordinates bid for the final item on his behalf and send it all the way to Tan Quelu.
The velvet box was opened.
The dazzling main diamond reflects a brilliant fire, and under the light, several rings of fine diamonds surround it, forming an exquisite bird in pink and green.
"Do you like it?" Zhong Wan asked cautiously, observing Tan Quelu's expression.
dislike.
Tan Quelu smiled and nodded, not looking at it for long, and said only, "I like it. This is a gift from you, the thought behind it is the most important thing."
Zhong Wan breathed a sigh of relief, and at the same time felt that Que Lu really loved her, accepting the gift even though she regarded money as dirt.
Tan Quelu refused to have dinner with him, using her exhaustion as an excuse, and was driven back to her dormitory by Zhong Wan in a high-profile manner. Before saying goodbye, he finally took pity on her and peeled off the dirty band-aid, smiling as he replaced it with a new one for her amidst the boy's bright smile.
"They're gone."
Tan Quelu turned around, carrying countless luxury bags, and swiped her card to go upstairs without looking back.
Zhong Wan withdrew her gaze with satisfaction, thought for a moment, and quickly sent a message to the housekeeper.
[Please prepare roses and a violinist for me tomorrow night.]
[Have the kitchen prepare at least twenty alternative menus, excluding alcohol.]
[Make sure the entire estate is kept clean and beautiful.]
The butler was puzzled and tentatively asked his young master what style he wanted.
Zhong Wan lowered her eyes, and after a long while, replied: [...] Like a confession in a TV drama.
......
at the same time.
The English Weibo information that Xie Chenbi had his men look up was finally delivered to him.
This subordinate was one of his own. The Xie family kept a close eye on him because of his illness, only relaxing their control slightly after he came of age. So far, he only completely trusted two people, both of whom had done a lot of dirty work for him.
They happen to be brothers. One of them went to Lingqing to investigate Tan Quelu some time ago, and the other never expected that he would also be sent by the young master to investigate the same person.
“Young Master, this account was opened by Tan Quelu using another unregistered phone card, which is why my brother couldn’t find it before.”
Xie Chenbi remained silent.
The subordinate only dared to plead for his brother, and upon seeing this, he immediately put down the documents and wisely left the private room.
The gate is closed.
Xie Chenbi tapped the screen, his fingertips swiping gently as he read through the private and sincere, bittersweet words.
Unrequited love is a grand secret that belongs only to me.
Three years and forty-two days later, I finally met you again.
—The accompanying information includes text and images: [Three years ago, the Xie family sponsored the Seagull Welfare Home where Tan Quelu studied, and you were present, young master. Three years later, Tan Quelu was admitted to St. Weston University, the same university as you.]
Our first conversation today felt like a dream... Sometimes I envy those two people, because they can walk alongside you openly and honestly.
—A conversation in the basketball court. He walked into the court, and Tan Quelu called out to him, smiling as she asked him to help her unscrew the bottle cap.
You're so different from what I imagined.
I will never love you again, ever.
This morning, Tan Quelu was humiliated by his cold words. After storming out, she returned with money and coldly and hastily returned everything to him.
......I see.
Everything—the details, the timing, the traces—matched up.
Xie Chenbi put down the tablet, his dark and sinister eyes like those of a venomous snake in the night, gleaming with a deep, eerie light.
All the unspoken words had a reason, all the tears welling up had a cause. The tension and awkwardness were not illusions, the deliberate approach and the hurt were not acting, and the stubbornness and embarrassment were not pretense.
But the real reason was not as complicated as he imagined.
Instead, it all boils down to a single, incredibly simple, and yet utterly unexpected sentence—
He loves him so much.
A note from the author:
System: Baozi, you can continue!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com