Chapter 29 "To you, I'm nothing but a dog..."
Chapter 29
When Xia Sili heard about the blind date, he was stunned and quickly asked, "What's your friend's name? Who's he?"
"His name is Yan Huai, we all call him Yan Zi. He just started working in Beijing last week. He has some money at home and is making investments. What's wrong?"
How much do you know about blind dates?
Xia Sili asked him to be more specific, and the other person recalled: "His parents have been urging him to get married, and they introduced him to a girl from a scholarly family. She does some kind of intangible cultural heritage handicraft, but I forgot her name. Both families are quite satisfied, and they may be able to finalize the marriage next year. I don't know if it's the girl in the picture. They look quite compatible."
Yan Huai's family background was insignificant in the eyes of top-tier Beijing socialites like Fu Linzheng and Xia Sili. The silver-blue-haired man was completely bewildered. "What's wrong? Do you know each other?"
Fu Linzheng's dark eyes coldly swept across the restaurant.
The young girl had a cool and clean appearance, like a gardenia blooming in the snow. Across from her, Yan Huai was attentive and smiling, and they were talking about something, creating an exceptionally harmonious atmosphere.
A few seconds later, Fu Linzheng turned around with a cold face and strode towards the elevator.
Xia Sili quickly followed, and considering the extremely tense atmosphere around Fu Linzheng, he tried to ease the tension: "Ah Zheng, I think it's a misunderstanding. Wei Yue is such a good catch, she shouldn't need to go on a blind date..."
When the two arrived downstairs, a Pagani was already parked in front of the hotel. Its dark body looked cold and menacing in the night. Xia Sili was worried that something might happen to him, so he wanted to go to the driver's seat, but Fu Linzheng said coldly, "I'll drive myself."
Fu Linzheng got into the car, and Xia Sili immediately opened the passenger door and got in. Fu Linzheng's eyes turned cold, and his fingers tightened around the steering wheel: "Get out."
"Are you crazy? You're driving alone now? If you don't let me come with you, I'll call your dad right away."
Xia Sili understood Fu Linzheng's personality.
He's already in a state of imminent eruption, and with no one around, the consequences could be disastrous if he loses control of his emotions.
Fu Linzheng's face was grim as he slammed on the gas pedal.
The Pagani's engine roared deafeningly, as if a long-suppressed rage had been ignited, and a lurking beast charged out, its tires spinning rapidly, crushing the road surface and sparking from the friction.
The bustling night view rushed past the car window, and a biting cold wind rushed in. Fu Linzheng gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white, and his thin lips were as sharp as a line.
Fu Linzheng floored the accelerator, and Xia Sili felt like he was about to be thrown out by the force of the acceleration. He gripped the handle tightly and yelled, "Damn it, Fu Linzheng, slow down! Are you out of your mind?!"
There was no response.
Fu Linzheng, with a sullen face, continued to accelerate, overtaking one car after another, passing through one intersection after another, and driving out of the city.
Jealousy surged within him, and with a final, screech of brakes, the Pagani came to a stop on the side of the road at the foot of the mountain.
Xia Sili was jolted backward by the seatbelt. His eyes widened and he gasped for breath. It took him a while to recover his senses: "Damn it! Fu Linzheng, are you crazy?! I shouldn't have bothered with you just now!! I almost thought I was going to die!"
Fu Linzheng didn't say anything, opened the car door and got out.
He was dressed in all black, his aura cold and sharp in the night, yet like an erupting volcano. He bent down, opened his cigarette case, took out a cigarette, and lit a lighter.
A bluish-green flame lit the cigarette butt, and Fu Linzheng exhaled smoke with each breath, the crimson light illuminating his sharply defined cheekbones.
He leaned on the car, breathing heavily, his right hand, which was holding a cigarette, trembling slightly.
Xia Sili got out of the car and walked over. Seeing his right hand, he frowned as if he had just remembered something: "Is your hand... again...?"
Fu Linzheng clenched his fists to suppress his trembling, exhaled white smoke, and felt a bitter burning taste in his throat.
Xia Sili sighed helplessly: "I reckon the girl from the scholarly family that Zhang Cheng mentioned is Wei Yue. Have you heard that her parents introduced her to potential partners before?"
Fu Linzheng lowered his eyes and remained silent.
"But what we just heard was Zhang Cheng's side of the story. We don't know the truth. Even if Wei Yue really went on a blind date, so what? They've only just met."
Xia Sili couldn't understand: "No, Fu Linzheng, with your usual temper, how could you tolerate this? Why didn't you rush in just now? Why didn't you ask Wei Yue about her attitude to her face?!"
Fu Linzheng curled his lips into a smile, lowering his eyelashes: "May I ask?"
Xia Sili was stunned upon hearing this. This was the first time he had ever seen the word "fear" in the usually arrogant young master Fu.
It wasn't that he didn't want to ask, but rather that he dared not expose the truth.
He feared that all his guesses would be confirmed at that moment.
Fu Linzheng forced a smile and said in a hoarse voice, "On my way here, I kept thinking about whether Weiyue and that guy were having a great time chatting. Did they share similar interests and have so much to talk about? She hates my carefree attitude so much, maybe she'd like someone mature and steady..."
She's so wonderful; she's never lacked suitors since high school.
And who is he in her life?
Fu Linzheng didn't have the courage to rush in just now. He was afraid of hearing her frankly admit that they were on a blind date, afraid that she would say she was willing to give it a try with Yan Huai, and afraid that she would ask him what right he had to question her.
What is he anyway?
Six years after their breakup, they have nothing left but that time together.
Even if he were closer to her now, he couldn't interfere in her new life, and he didn't even have the right to be jealous.
From childhood to adulthood, Fu Linzheng was arrogant, willful, and used to controlling everything. However, in his relationship with Rong Weiyue, only he knew that Rong Weiyue was the one who held the dominant position from beginning to end.
From the beginning until now, the only problem between them has always been whether she wants him or not.
Fu Linzheng glanced sideways at the inky night in the distance, exhaled white mist, and felt an endless astringent taste rising from the back of his tongue.
Xia Sili watched, his heart breaking, and he sighed silently.
Fu Linzheng's phone vibrated; it was a message from Huai Yu: "Brother Zheng, where are you? The manager is already urging us; everyone's here."
After a moment, he lowered his gaze, stubbed out his cigarette, and got into the car.
Xia Sili followed.
Fu Linzheng looked down and took out his wallet, where he saw the photo tucked inside.
It's a photo of me and Rong Weiyue taken under the cable car that day.
Under the setting sun, a little girl in a long dress looked at the camera with a gentle smile. He stood beside her. The photo was blurry and even a little distorted, but he treasured it as soon as he got it.
This is the only photo of them together since they reunited.
It was something he had worked so hard to acquire.
Fu Linzheng started the car, and a cold wind rushed in. He looked ahead, and the heavy rain of early autumn six years ago during his freshman year of college felt as if it had drenched him, chilling him to the bone.
His dark eyes turned crimson, bleeding profusely from the pain.
-
An hour later, the dinner party finally came to an end in the restaurant.
Rong Weiyue was absent-minded; her mind was already wandering elsewhere.
Yan Huai called the waiter to settle the bill. She suggested splitting the bill, but Yan Huai laughed and said, "It's a gentleman's way for a man to treat you on our first meeting. You can treat me another time."
...Where does the future come from?
Yan Huai said he wanted to learn about filigree inlay: "Miss Weiyue, could I add you on WeChat? My sister is getting married next year and is thinking of having a set of filigree inlay jewelry custom-made. You're the perfect person to help."
Finally, he said something she was willing to listen to. Rong Weiyue also wanted to add him on WeChat and transfer the money. She didn't want to have a second meal with him.
The waiter returned the card and bill, and the two walked out of the restaurant. Yan Huai asked her, "I know a really nice bar downstairs with a beautiful night view. Shall we go down and sit there sometime?"
"No, I'm busy."
"Okay then, let's make it another time."
When they got downstairs, Yan Huai offered to take her home, but she politely declined, saying she had other things to do. He then said goodbye to her.
"Miss Weiyue, I enjoyed the meal very much today. We were a bit rushed this time, so I hope we can get to know each other better next time."
Rong Weiyue looked up at him, her voice calm and clear: "Mr. Yan, I think you can understand my attitude very clearly. I have no feelings for you, so you don't need to waste your time on me."
Yan Huai raised the corners of his lips: "Miss Weiyue, love is not just about love at first sight, but also about love that grows over time."
Yan Huai smiled confidently: "Feelings can be cultivated slowly. I don't mind if you compare me with other people before making a decision. My conditions are right here. I believe that if you go out and look around, you will know what to choose."
Rong Weiyue smiled coldly: "There's no need to compare, because you're not even in my consideration. I've met people who are much richer than you, but they never talk about money because they are too outstanding. Money is just the least worthwhile asset they have."
Yan Huai's expression stiffened slightly. Rong Weiyue turned to leave, then stopped and turned back to look at him.
"Also, I'm sorry, but I only believe in love at first sight."
Some people are the ones she can't forget from the first glance.
No matter how many different kinds of people I encounter in the rest of my life, none of them can replace me.
Rong Weiyue walked forward, through the bustling street, until she passed a trash can and threw the bouquet of pink roses she was holding into it.
She went to a nearby shopping mall, picked out a dress for Yin Lu, and bought a coat for herself.
Yin Lu said the meeting wasn't over yet, and when asked how the meeting went, she replied indifferently: "No feelings whatsoever."
Yin Lu teased: "If you have someone in your heart, of course you won't feel anything for others."
Rong Weiyue felt a ripple in her heart as if she had been struck.
It was almost 11 p.m. when she took the subway back to her apartment complex from the city center.
Back home, her mood, which had been gloomy all night, had improved considerably. She rushed over, and the little fluffy ball rubbed against her legs. She smiled and picked it up: "Baby, I'm home! Have you eaten?"
The room was dark. She hummed a song as she walked in, turned on the light, and the figure of a man sitting quietly on the sofa chair in front of the French windows appeared before her eyes.
She was startled.
Why isn't this person turning on the light?
Fu Linzheng didn't know how long he had been sitting alone, his figure blending into the night. Hearing the sound, he lifted his eyelids and looked at her.
Rong Weiyue calmed her racing heart: "What are you doing here?"
Fu Linzheng's gaze fell on the shopping bags she was carrying.
Did they go shopping at the mall again?
She was humming a song just now, and seemed to be in a fairly good mood.
He lowered his eyes, took a sip of wine, and said in a low, husky voice, "Look at the night view."
Rong Weiyue walked over and saw a bottle of whiskey on the table in front of him. The air was filled with a strong smell of alcohol. Next to the bottle were some opened boxes and tools such as screwdrivers and parts, but she didn't know what they were.
Rong Weiyue blinked, sensing the unusual emotion in this person's expression, and asked softly, "When did you get back? I remember we were supposed to give Hu Hu a haircut today."
"It's all cut."
She paused for a moment, then apologized, "I got back a little late tonight after finishing my work."
Seeing that he didn't speak, she didn't know what to say and didn't dare to disturb him: "If there's nothing else, I'll go back to my room to rest."
As she turned to leave, her wrist was suddenly grabbed.
Rong Weiyue was stunned. Fu Linzheng raised his eyes, looking at her with burning eyes, and asked in a very low voice, "Did you have a good time having dinner with Yin Lu tonight?"
In the afternoon, she told him that she would be having dinner with Yin Lu that evening.
Her heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason.
Suddenly, she didn't want him to know about Yan Huai's existence.
Her red lips parted slightly, and after a few seconds of silence, she softly asked, "Um... what's wrong?"
Fu Linzheng looked at her guilty eyes, and his gaze gradually turned cold.
All his emotions surged up but he managed to suppress them with all his might. He lowered his eyes and chuckled softly.
He slowly released her hand, his low, husky voice saying, "It's nothing. Hu'an is looking for her, saying she wants to ask her something."
"Ah, okay, then I'll go tell Yin Lu..."
Rong Weiyue walked back to the room, picked up the wine bottle, tilted his head back and drank it all down, not a drop left, and then put the bottle upside down on the table.
His eyebrows drooped, and his expression was cold and indifferent.
Meanwhile, Rong Weiyue closed the bedroom door, her mind swirling with thoughts.
She felt inexplicably uneasy, sensing that Fu Linzheng was acting strangely, as if he were angry, yet not quite. She wondered if there was a problem at work...
She didn't tell the truth earlier because she felt there was nothing between Yan Huai and her, and she had already rejected him. She wouldn't see him again in the future, and for some reason, she didn't want Fu Linzheng to know, as she had a feeling he would be unhappy.
She didn't know what the future held for her and Fu Linzheng, but she longed for the time she spent living with him now to last a little longer, even if it was just a dream that could end at any moment, she wanted to immerse herself in it.
Rong Weiyue lay dazedly on the table, her mind a jumbled mess.
-
One night, Rong Weiyue tossed and turned, unable to sleep soundly.
The following Sunday was the 60th anniversary of Lanzhou High School.
The morning session includes the school anniversary opening ceremony and cultural performances, while the afternoon features an alumni exhibition and free campus tours.
Yin Lu was in a meeting at school in the morning, so Rong Weiyue would go with her in the afternoon.
In the afternoon, she changed her clothes, wearing a cream-white knit sweater with a straight long skirt, and a newly bought smoky blue long coat. Her waist was outlined slenderly, and the skirt hem swayed gently in the wind. Her long black tea hair, tucked behind her ears, revealed pearl earrings on her earlobes. She looked like she had stepped out of an old movie, gentle and clean.
She walked out of the bedroom and saw Fu Linzheng sitting on the living room sofa, making a phone call.
“That young lady is nice, why don’t you meet her first?” Mother Ni Yingzhi’s gentle voice came through the speakerphone. “She’s a law PhD from Tsinghua University, beautiful, and has a gentle and dignified personality. She’s a good match for you.”
Rong Weiyue paused in her steps.
"I won't see him." Fu Linzheng's voice was deep and hoarse, tinged with impatience. "Can you please stop making these arrangements?"
On the other end, Fu Sisheng's steady voice rang out: "Azheng, you've always been good at planning things out since you were little. Your parents don't make decisions for you, but are you just going to keep delaying like this? Or do you already have a girl you like... or a boy?"
Fu Linzheng: "..."
He spoke coldly and irritably: "I like women, and I won't meet any of the women you've arranged for me. It's been years, when will this end? Whether I get married or not is my decision."
He tossed his phone aside, leaned back on the sofa, and lowered his long eyelashes.
The living room was quiet, except for Huhu nestled at his feet.
Rong Weiyue lowered her eyes upon hearing the sound, her gaze dimming slightly.
Fu Linzheng's family must have high expectations for his other half, and they're probably quite anxious about it...
She composed herself and went outside. Hu Hu saw her running towards her. She looked at the man on the sofa, and remembering what he had said before, she mustered her courage and asked:
"Fu Linzheng, I'm going to Langao. Do you want to come with me?"
This morning, Fu Linzheng stayed in his room and didn't come out. At noon, he ordered several dishes from a private chef and sent her a message telling her to eat them, but he didn't come out to eat himself.
Fu Linzheng had faint dark circles under his eyes. He looked up at her, his voice deep and indifferent, tinged with the smell of smoke and alcohol: "You go first."
Rong Weiyue paused for a moment, then lowered her head: "Okay..."
She didn't know if he was in a bad mood because he was being pressured to get married, so she didn't dare to bother him.
Half an hour later, Yin Lu arrived downstairs. Rong Weiyue got into the car, and Yin Lu realized something was amiss: "Didn't Fu Linzheng say a few days ago that he would be with you today? He's not free?"
"I don't know, he seems...to be in a bad mood."
"Did you two have a fight?"
Rong Weiyue shook her head. Yin Lu asked her about the aftermath of yesterday's blind date. Rong Weiyue said calmly, "There was no aftermath. I transferred the money after we added each other on WeChat, and he accepted it later."
She mentioned hearing that Fu Linzheng's parents were urging her to get married. Yin Lu sighed, "These days, how many parents don't urge us to get married? I've only recently started dating, so my parents have stopped talking. I'm actually quite afraid of getting married. I feel that I'll only be willing to get married if I meet someone I feel that if it's not him, then no one else in this life will have any meaning. Otherwise, no one else is worth getting married to."
Rong Weiyue looked out the window, her heart filled with turmoil.
After a while, the car arrived at Lan Gao, where an inflatable archway celebrating the school's 60th anniversary was set up at the school gate, creating a lively atmosphere.
The two got out of the car, walked around the huge fountain statue in the square, and walked onto the arched bridge. The teaching buildings stood in a row, with sycamore trees standing in front of the brick-red walls. The clean stone path extended to the end of the playground, and fallen leaves covered the ground, rustling in the wind, just like the pages of textbooks that had been turned in the past.
Teaching buildings, next to the playground, laboratory buildings...
As Rong Weiyue looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar scenery, she felt as if she had returned to six years ago, thinking of many memories with her friends and Fu Linzheng.
That night at the villa, when Fu Linzheng was playing Truth or Dare, he said that what he wanted to go back to most was his senior year of high school, and actually, she felt the same way.
That year in Langao was the happiest time of her life because of him.
Yin Lu and her friend walked to the autograph wall at the entrance of the stadium and left their names. They also ran into some of their former high school classmates.
In the evening, they met Xia Sili, Hu An, and a few other boys from their class. Yin Lu said she hadn't seen them all afternoon. Hu An smiled gently and said, "We went to play basketball with our old teacher. We're in the gym. When did you arrive? I was thinking of contacting you."
"We arrived around 3 PM and browsed around the exhibition hall. By the way, Fu Linzheng said yesterday that you were looking for me?"
The two went to chat, and a classmate asked in surprise, "By the way, why hasn't Zheng Ye arrived yet? Didn't he say he'd play ball with us this afternoon? He stood us up again."
Hong Le, a former sports committee member, joked: "If A-Zheng doesn't come tonight, we'll just go and kill him at his house. That's too much. He said he was coming just two days ago."
Upon hearing this, Xia Sili looked at Rong Weiyue and asked in a low voice that only she could hear, "What's wrong with him today?"
She shook her head blankly, "I don't know..."
Xia Sili smiled helplessly, "I guess he's not in the mood to play."
Rong Weiyue was stunned. Xia Sili didn't say anything more. After leaving the school, everyone went to a restaurant for a meal. There were already about ten classmates in the private room, singing and chatting.
The class reunion is held every year, but this was Rong Weiyue's first time attending since graduation, and everyone was surprised to see her.
"Oh my god, Weiyue, I've finally met you!"
"Our class goddess is back!!"
Many people gave her a warm welcome, and a few girls looked her up and down, whispering among themselves as their eyes met. They hadn't expected that Rong Weiyue would still be so beautiful after all these years, standing out at first glance, and anyone standing next to her would pale in comparison.
Many people greeted her. Rong Weiyue was a little reserved at first, but with Yin Lu by her side and many classmates still as friendly as before, she was able to relax.
More and more students and teachers arrived, and after a while, a voice came from the doorway: "Everyone, our class's young master Fu has arrived!"
A deafening roar tore through the air as the silver-black Bugatti Centodieci, one of only ten in the world, drove up in front of the restaurant.
The car's lines are sharp as a blade, with silver and black luster intertwined, exuding a cold and flamboyant aura. The number "京A·R0831" is someone's exclusive license plate, and you can tell as soon as it appears that the young master of the Fu family in Beijing has arrived.
The car door opened, and the man stepped out. His long black coat was open, his dark eyes were sharp, and he exuded an arrogant ruthlessness and innate nobility, radiating an aura of power.
Fu Linzheng tossed his car keys to the valet and walked inside. Several friends came to greet him at the door, and they excitedly put their arms around his shoulders when they saw him.
Soon the private room was also bustling with excitement. One student said, "I have some exciting news for you. For this school anniversary celebration, Zheng Ye donated a new multimedia building to the school. It was just finalized this afternoon."
The news caused an uproar: "Really? Didn't he just donate one a few years ago? And now he's donating another one?!"
"Holy crap, that's awesome! No wonder he's Master Zheng. He donated 20 million before, and this time he'll probably donate at least another 20 million!"
"Didn't you see that just this evening, when Fu Linzheng came out of the principal's office, the school leaders came out in person to see him off, their faces beaming with joy? Master Zheng can both overturn the principal's desk and donate a building. Who can be as arrogant as him!"
"The school was going to invite him back for his outstanding graduate speech this morning, but he declined. But which class of students doesn't know him? He's awesome!"
As they were talking, Rong Weiyue looked up and saw Fu Linzheng being ushered into the private room, becoming the focus of the entire room.
Fu Linzheng walked in, lifted his eyelids to meet Rong Weiyue's gaze, as if he were precisely targeting her among a group of people.
Rong Weiyue paused for a moment, then lowered her eyes and moved to the side with the others.
Fu Linzheng sat down next to her, and many classmates looked at each other, their eyes darting between them.
Everyone knows that Fu Linzheng pursued Rong Weiyue passionately back then, and after they got together, he doted on her to the core, making everyone envious and causing girls who liked Fu Linzheng to be extremely jealous. But later, for some reason, the two broke up after the college entrance examination, which made many people sigh with regret, while many others applauded.
Six years later, the two former prominent figures were seen together in a rare public appearance, sparking gossip among the crowd. However, Fu Linzheng remained calm and composed, as if nothing had happened.
The atmosphere cooled down for a moment, but soon people started chatting with Fu Linzheng again. They talked about work and life, and someone asked who among them would be the first to get married. A boy named Zhang Chun grabbed Xiao An's hand and said with great pride, "Of course it's the two of us! We're going to get our marriage certificate next Wednesday!"
These two were a couple in their class back then, and they've been together ever since after graduating from high school. Everyone cheered and congratulated them, and a friend asked gossipy, "Zheng, we're really curious, do you have a girlfriend now?"
"What are you saying? Do you think Ah Zheng is a single dog like you, with a long line of people wanting to be his girlfriend?!"
"When can we meet Master Zheng's girlfriend? She's kept it a secret for so long!"
Rong Weiyue's eyes flickered slightly. Fu Linzheng fiddled with his lighter, and after a few seconds, he uttered a few words indifferently: "I don't have a girlfriend."
Everyone: "?!?!?!"
Everyone exclaimed that it was impossible, "Brother Zheng, you have everything you could want, how come you don't date?"
"Yeah, back in high school, so many girls were swooning over him!"
Fu Linzheng's eyes dimmed, but he forced a smile and said casually, "Being single is great. Is it wrong not to want to be in a relationship?"
"Brother Zheng understands me, being single is the only way to be happy, hahaha!"
Rong Weiyue felt a stab in her heart and lowered her gaze.
One guy joked that girls who are interested should hurry up, there's still a chance. Someone else remarked, "I'm going crazy from being pressured to get married by my parents. Rich people are definitely not in a hurry."
Yin Lu nodded: "Yes, my parents arranged blind dates for me at the beginning of the year, and Wei Yue is also being pressured to get married."
Rong Weiyue looked up and met Fu Linzheng's deep gaze. One of the boys asked in surprise, "Weiyue, you're so pretty, why aren't you dating?! Why don't you?"
She paused, then murmured softly, "I...I haven't met anyone I like."
She hadn't dated anyone during her four years of university, and the person she wanted to see had only recently come into her life.
Without any explanation for the second half of the sentence, Fu Linzheng turned his eyes away upon hearing this, pressed the tip of his tongue against the roof of his mouth, and his face was cold and gloomy.
No one expected that the two once highly sought-after individuals would now be single. A girl nearby joked, "Then the guys should hurry up! There are quite a few boys who like Wei Yue. But fate can come unexpectedly, and maybe they'll even be able to attend each other's weddings next year."
The people around laughed: "That's going to be quite a spectacle..."
Rong Weiyue pursed her red lips, lowered her head and took a sip of water, her heart aching.
After a while, most of the students and teachers arrived. Since it wasn't a major holiday, only about twenty people were able to attend the school anniversary celebration.
Everyone sat around the large round table. Rong Weiyue and Yin Lu sat down, and there were still a few seats left. The classmates asked Fu Linzheng where he should sit. Rong Weiyue looked up and saw him walk to the empty seat opposite her.
"Sit here."
Rong Weiyue paused for a moment, then lowered her head and pinched the hot towel.
Many students exchanged glances, noticing the subtle shift in their expressions. Fu Linzheng was unusually cold towards Rong Weiyue now.
As the dishes were served one by one, everyone clinked glasses and chatted, creating a lively atmosphere. Rong Weiyue noticed some red wine on the table and poured it into her glass.
She still vividly remembered the accident she caused by drinking a few nights ago, but for some reason, she felt extremely suffocated, as if a wet piece of cotton was stuck in her chest, and she just wanted to use alcohol to dispel it.
Across from him, someone enthusiastically offered Fu Linzheng a drink, but he stopped them, saying, "I'm driving, I don't drink."
"Oh, call a designated driver."
Xia Sili laughed: "Who would dare drive Zheng's sports car worth tens of millions? Last time we were all drinking, he called three designated drivers, but when they came over, they all canceled their orders and ran away in fright."
"Hahahaha..."
Everyone laughed, but Fu Linzheng remained calm and didn't touch a drop of wine.
During the free time at the table, when toasting, several boys approached Rong Weiyue to chat and exchange pleasantries, asking to add her on WeChat, which she accepted.
"Weiyue, let's keep in touch."
The boy offered her a toast, and she smiled faintly and said, "Mm."
As she drank, she didn't notice the unfathomable, increasingly somber gaze directed at her from across the table. After a while, her emotions collapsed, and she opened a bottle of wine, tilting her head back to gulp it down.
One bottle after another.
After a few rounds of drinks, Rong Weiyue got up and left the private room to go to the restroom.
Other classes were also having dinner here tonight, making the whole floor lively. She walked to the restroom door and heard several girls chatting inside:
"Did you know that Fu Linzheng and Rong Weiyue both came to our class reunion?"
"The two of them? Weren't they a couple? It's so exciting for old flames to meet again! Did anything happen?"
"Do you think this is a TV drama? Nothing has happened, and the two of them haven't exchanged a single word? I think Fu Linzheng is too lazy to even acknowledge Rong Weiyue."
"I originally thought that since they were both single, there might still be a chance."
"How could that be? Fu Linzheng has plenty of women around him, why would he go back to an old flame? It's obvious he's no longer interested in Rong Weiyue."
"I've never understood what Fu Linzheng saw in her in the first place..."
Before the words were finished, the bathroom door was pushed open.
Upon meeting Rong Weiyue's gaze, the group awkwardly shut their mouths and hurriedly left.
She walked in, head down, washing her hands, the harsh words echoing incessantly in her ears, stinging her eardrums little by little.
After a while, she walked out of the restroom and back, only to see Fu Linzheng leaning against the wall outside the private room, with a woman standing in front of him.
The woman smiled brightly, seemingly trying to strike up a conversation with him. She couldn't see Fu Linzheng's expression clearly, but she could see that he had a cigarette between his fingers, his long legs casually swaying on the ground, exuding the nonchalance of a young master, just like the way she saw him on the night they first met in their senior year of high school.
He lives a carefree life, seemingly unburdened by worldly affairs.
No one was worth his time.
Perhaps, she was never an exception.
Rong Weiyue's heart ached more and more. She walked back to the private room; everyone was going to go to karaoke. Yin Lu and her classmates were having a great time. Rong Weiyue said she was sleepy.
"I'm going back first, Greenie, you can play all you want."
Yin Lu asked worriedly, "Are you sure you can manage on your own?"
"No problem, I'll call a car myself."
After saying goodbye to her teachers, Rong Weiyue took her bag and walked out alone when her phone suddenly rang with a call from Fu Linzheng.
The call connected, and a cold, indifferent voice came through:
"Where are you? Come downstairs and wait for me at the door. I'll take you back."
He contacted Huaiyu to come and pick them up.
Hearing his voice, her nose tingled with tears, and she said softly, "No need, I can walk by myself, don't trouble yourself."
She didn't know why Fu Linzheng was so cold to her today. Perhaps their relationship was ambiguous and he didn't want to get involved with her, so she decided not to take his car back to avoid misunderstandings if others saw them.
There was a moment of silence on the other end, then a furrowed brow: "Where are you? Why are you wandering around after drinking?"
"It's okay, don't worry about me."
Rong Weiyue didn't know what to say. She hung up the phone and walked downstairs. Suddenly, she heard a male voice behind her. It was a male classmate from the next class who had pursued her in high school, but she had rejected him.
The man walked over and smiled at her: "Weiyue, I saw you at school this afternoon and couldn't help but come over to say hello. Can we add each other on WeChat? We can keep in touch if needed."
Rong Weiyue hesitated for a moment, then nodded gently.
The other person glanced at her, expectantly asking, "Are you in a hurry to leave? If not, would you like to go grab a coffee?"
Before Rong Weiyue could utter her refusal, a hand suddenly reached out and firmly grasped hers, the cold scent of tobacco and alcohol wafting over and filling her nostrils.
Fu Linzheng's cold, deep voice fell:
Do you think she has the time?
Rong Weiyue was stunned when she saw him. The man recognized Fu Linzheng and knew about their past relationship. He was taken aback and quickly said, "I'm sorry to bother you, I'll be going now..."
The male classmate ran off in a flash. Rong Weiyue looked at him, but before she could say anything, Fu Linzheng grabbed her and pulled her outside.
The cold wind howled outside, and the man walked very fast. Rong Weiyue had to jog to keep up, and her wrist ached from his grip. "Fu Linzheng, slow down..."
The man's face was as cold as charcoal, and he didn't stop walking. Her wrist was gripped so tightly it hurt. "Let go of me..."
Reaching the silver-black Bugatti Centodieci, Fu Linzheng pinned her against the car, his dark eyes fixed on her with an overwhelming sense of pressure, his voice chillingly cold:
"Twelve men came to toast you in one night, ten men greeted you, and eight men wanted to add you on WeChat, and you accepted them all. What, if I hadn't shown up, were you planning to go to this coffee shop too?"
The man's hand gripped her waist tightly, rendering Rong Weiyue unable to move. Hearing his words, her temper flared, and she glared at him coldly.
"Fu Linzheng, someone is looking for me, someone wants to add me on WeChat. That's my business, what's it to you?"
Fu Linzheng stared into her cold eyes, then sneered, "I was worried you'd be in danger if you got drunk, so I waited for you in the parking lot for ages, and you just turned around and dumped me, huh? You're so unwilling to be with me? Does it mean you don't care what I do?!"
The emotions that had been suppressed all day were stirred up. Rong Weiyue didn't know where this person got such a temper. "Fu Linzheng, weren't you the one who didn't speak to me all night? Who treated me like this first?!"
Her eyes reddened, and a bitter feeling gripped her heart like a hand, suffocating her. She met his gaze in anger, choking back sobs.
“Those people added me tonight, I only agreed because we're classmates. I don't like them, and I won't go to any coffee shops... You're the one who's being unreasonable. I invited you to the school anniversary celebration this afternoon and you didn't go, and you didn't even look at me at dinner tonight. Fu Linzheng, what right do you have to question me?!”
Fu Linzheng looked down at her, and after a few seconds, gave a cold, bitter smile:
"What about the guy you went on a blind date with last night?"
His cool voice was like a needle suddenly piercing through the fabric, tearing everything apart.
Rong Weiyue's eyes widened in shock, and her head buzzed.
Suddenly, the air seemed to still.
She was stunned.
How could he have known...?
Fu Linzheng looked at her, a smirk playing on his lips: "Don't overthink it. I wasn't following you, I just happened to see you. Someone told me you two were on a blind date, and that if you're both happy with each other, you can get married next year."
His gaze seemed to burn a hole in her face, each word distinct and clear:
"And when you got home, you told me that you and Yinlu had a great time eating."
Rong Weiyue's eyelashes trembled, and a storm raged in her mind.
Suddenly, she understood everything.
No wonder he suddenly asked her last night, "Did you enjoy your meal with Yin Lu?", and today he's inexplicably cold and ignoring her.
So he knew all along.
He didn't confront her, but she chose to keep it a secret.
In his eyes, it was as if she had deliberately lied to him...
Rong Weiyue felt as if her heart had been pierced and dissected; her mind was in turmoil. She wanted to speak, but Fu Linzheng lowered his bloodshot eyes and cut her off:
"Yes, your parents are pressuring you to get married, and you haven't met anyone you like. Of course you can date other people. It's my fault for being a jerk. I was the one who said I would never look back six years ago, and now I'm the one who can't control myself."
She was stunned.
Fu Linzheng lowered his head, his eyelashes trembling, his eyes red as if they had been burned: "Rong Weiyue, so many things have happened during this time, I don't believe you don't know what I'm thinking."
Since their reunion, even though he tried to restrain himself with reason and pride, he still couldn't help but get closer to her time and time again.
He wanted to protect her, take care of her, cherish her, give her a carefree life, see a bright smile on her face, and be there for her when she was sad or scared. He wanted her to know that even if no one in the world supported her, he would always be there for her.
He tried every means to coax her into living with him. He couldn't cook, wasn't very attentive, and might have been stubborn and narcissistic, often annoying her, but he wanted to do his best to do everything well.
He didn't expect to receive a response in this lifetime, but even if it was just from his roommate, he would accept it.
In this lifetime, he could only see her.
The outdoor area was open and cold. The cold winter wind blew into the parking lot, rustling through the withered leaves. The dim streetlights cast long, solitary shadows on the ground.
Fu Linzheng felt a tearing pain in his heart, which pierced through his limbs and bones. His right hand trembled uncontrollably, and his voice was hoarse.
"That day you kissed me when you were drunk, and for a moment I wondered if that meant it was your intention."
He chuckled self-deprecatingly: "But now I know it was all wishful thinking on my part."
She's already gone on blind dates, and she's already said that she doesn't like anyone.
Fu Linzheng felt a lump in his throat, struggling to swallow it. After a few seconds, he looked up at her, a single tear falling from his scarlet black eyes.
"Rong Weiyue, I'm just a dog to you, summoned and dismissed at will. How many more times do you want to play with me?"
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