In a daze, I made my way to school from home. It was six in the morning, and the campus was nearly empty. I stood outside Chen Qiao Luo’s classroom, waiting for him to show up. Everyone who passed by couldn’t help but glance at me.
But even when the bell rang for class to begin, Chen Qiao Luo still hadn’t arrived.
It felt as though someone had taken a hammer and slammed it into my heart.
I closed my eyes in pain, took a deep breath, and dragged myself to my own classroom. By the time I reached the door, the math teacher was already at the podium. She frowned at me, clearly displeased, and asked a few questions. But I barely registered her words, walking straight to my seat and slumping down over my desk.
Noticing my state, Li Zi leaned over with concern and whispered, “Yun Hao, are you feeling unwell? You look terrible.”
Yes, I felt unwell—every part of my body seemed to ache with misery. I didn’t respond, burying my face in my arms. It felt as though tears were streaming down my face, soaking my arm, sticky and warm.
I called Chen Qiao Luo repeatedly, but no one ever picked up. I started to think that maybe he had only been pretending to attend school for my sake, and after I caught him in his lie yesterday, he saw no point in continuing the act.
The whole day, my mind replayed countless possibilities over and over. I wanted to find him, but I had no idea where he was. Finally, when school ended, I unexpectedly saw him waiting outside the gate. The sunlight fell on him, making him seem almost unreal.
Seeing me freeze in place, he crossed the street and walked up to me. Knocking lightly on my head, he chuckled and said, “What are you staring at? You look like a fool.”
It was as if nothing had changed. Chen Qiao Luo was still the same as before, and everything that happened yesterday felt like a nightmare—one that had faded with the dawn.
My nose suddenly stung. I shoved him lightly and said, my voice trembling with tears, “Chen Qiao Luo, how dare you show up in front of me!”
“Why wouldn’t I?” he replied with a bright smile. “Come on, Miss Zhu, don’t be so unreasonable. Let’s grab a bite to eat and talk things over.”
He took me to a night market on the next street, to the same shop we used to go to.
After two beers, he finally started talking.
“Yun Hao, you know my family is in a tough spot right now. Gu Yu’s mom’s health is getting worse, and her medical bills are a bottomless pit—no matter how much money I throw in, it’s never enough. If it weren’t for the mistakes my dad made back then, things wouldn’t be like this. So I have to take responsibility.”
He took a sip from his glass before continuing, “A few days ago, while I was working, I met Lei Zi—the guy you saw yesterday. He and a friend were parking outside the shop when someone came looking for trouble with his friend. Lei Zi didn’t hesitate—he took the blow for his friend. I thought to myself, this guy is loyal. Sure, he’s rough around the edges, but people like him are real. Over time, we got to know each other. Lei Zi is a true friend. He knows I’m strapped for cash and has even given me money more than once. He told me that if I stick with him and work hard, I’ll make something of myself.”
Looking at the almost-entranced expression on his face, I felt a surge of anxiety. Lei Zi didn’t seem like a good person at all. Hesitating, I finally said, “Chen Qiao Luo, you’d better not trust Lei Zi too much.”
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