Chapter 22
Ling Yao's irritation quietly fermented in Su Rui's continued silence.
The feeling of being out of control was unfamiliar and exasperating. His little fox, Su Rui, who was always so cautious and enthusiastically responsive to his every move, actually dared to ignore him? For an entire day, not a single message, not a single glance. Even when he deliberately raised his voice to chat with Ah Zhe, there wasn't a single uneasy or prying glance from her.
This isn't right. Why does this dull ache in my heart?
But he would never lower himself to question. That would be too cheap. His approach was more subtle and colder.
During the break the next day, Su Rui was organizing his notes with his head down when a ball of paper landed precisely on his desk.
His heart sank, knowing who it came from without even looking. He took a deep breath and slowly opened it.
On it was Ling Yao's powerful handwriting, written in a vibrant and powerful way, with only one sentence: "Is the camera any good?"
No name, no expression. This seemingly ordinary question was like a cold, poisonous snake, instantly tightening around Su Rui's heart.
He was reminding him who had given him that priceless camera. He was implying that everything he gave could be taken back at any time.
Su Rui clutched the note tightly, her knuckles turning white. A chill rose from the depths of her heart, accompanied by an indescribable disappointment. As expected... he only knew how to do it this way.
The photography club had a surprise afternoon activity, and Chen Wei was there. Su Rui, immersed in the joy of discussing topics with like-minded people, temporarily forgot her worries. By the time the activity ended, it was already late and raining.
He didn't bring an umbrella and was standing at the door of the teaching building with his camera bag, hesitating whether to rush into the rain.
At this moment, the familiar black car slid silently in front of him.
The car window rolled down, revealing Ling Yao's expressionless profile. He had just returned from somewhere, and was dressed elegantly, a stark contrast to Su Rui's slightly disheveled appearance.
"Get in the car." He looked straight ahead, his voice flat and without any emotion, as if he was just picking up a piece of luggage along the way.
Su Rui looked at the blurry, delicate reflection in the car window, then glanced down at the camera in her arms. The chill brought by the rain was far less chilling than the scene before her.
How he had longed to be closer to this car, closer to this person.
But now, he just felt tired.
He shook his head, his voice not loud but unusually clear: "No, thank you. The rain isn't heavy, I'll just wait."
Ling Yao's knuckles tightened imperceptibly around the steering wheel. He finally turned, his gaze fixed on Su Rui. His eyes were deep, scrutinizing, and tinged with the cold, disbelieving anger of rejection. But he said nothing, only a faint sneer.
Then, the car window slowly rolled up, completely blocking his view. Without stopping, the car steadily drove into the rain and disappeared.
Su Rui stood there alone, looking at the direction where the car disappeared. The coolness brought by the rain seemed to soak through every limb.
He refused. He actually had the courage to refuse Ling Yao.
It wasn't because he wasn't afraid, but because he suddenly saw clearly that the warmth in that car had always been conditional. And that condition was the dignity that he could no longer afford.
He held the camera tightly, but instead of feeling the same panic as before, a strange, cold calm settled over him.
He turned and walked back to the teaching building, deciding to wait until the rain stopped before leaving.
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