Cheng Xiyue and Zhou Fei were left behind, feeling petrified.
A while later, Zhou Fei finally spoke up.
“Since when did the second master change his taste?”
He had been deeply shocked when he saw the pink rabbit slippers on Ning Li’s feet.
Cheng Xiyue sent him a mocking glance and scoffed, “If you have the time to think about that, why don’t you think about what he has gotten you after so many years of friendship? Did he even buy you a plastic bag before?”
1
Fortunately, Zhou Fei had not said it in front of Lu Huaiyu, or he would have to leave in an ambulance.
Zhou Fei’s eyes twitched. It was not hurtful but was extremely insulting.
“Me? What about you? You said only a handful of people know the password to his door! How did Ning Li come in?”
Cheng Xiyue felt as if he had been slapped, but he had a strong mentality. He was able to adjust his emotions accordingly and prepare himself for any kind of situation.
The pair of slippers was the first of many. The next thing would probably be a mansion.
He sighed.
This explained Lu Huaiyu’s reaction when Cheng Xiyue had said he wanted to rent a unit to Little Ning Li.
He had been careless. He should not have tried to take the matter out of Lu Huaiyu’s hands.
“Forget about it. Little Ning Li is choosing books. I guess we will have to wait for a while.”
He returned to the living room.
Zhou Fei glanced at the stairs. He put his phone away and said, “Judging from his tone, I think you won’t be able to get your contract signed today. Why are you still going to wait here?”
Cheng Xiyue chuckled. “He wasted my time and ruined my project. I can’t spare him just like that.”
He was going to take his time’s worth back.
“You have all the time in the world. The thing is, he’s wasting my student’s time!” Zhou Fei finally reacted.
“The competition is tomorrow and the second master asks my student to come here just to return a book to him?”
He rolled his sleeves up, intending on going upstairs to reason with Lu Huaiyu.
Cheng Xiyue glanced at the grumpy Zhou Fei. He gave a friendly reminder because they were friends.
“If you are going up, then I’ll be going. I don’t want to be caught up in the middle of a bloodshed.”
Zhou Fei was no match for Lu Huaiyu.
Cheng Xiyue’s words successfully dissuaded Zhou Fei. He angrily stepped back a few steps and sat down on the couch.
He pulled his phone out grumpily and said, “I’ll wait!”
1
…
Ning Li followed Lu Huaiyu to the study room on the second floor.
When she entered, she picked up the scent of lemon.
She noticed that there were some lemon slices on the corner of the desk.
It was not for eating, it was only there to provide a refreshing scent.
Lu Huaiyu noticed the girl’s gaze. He walked to her and took the book from her hands.
Ning Li held on to the edge of the book.
“Second brother, I know where to put the book. Let me do it.”
Lu Huaiyu smiled as he sized up the girl. He let go of the book.
“Sure.”
Ning Li headed to the bookshelves.
She soon found the spot from where she had taken the book the other day and saw the original version right next to the empty slot.
Lu Huaiyu also noticed what the girl was looking at.
“I… failed to understand the details in the translated version, so I wanted to look at the original version to make a comparison.
Lu Huaiyu looked at her with a nod.
“I guess so.”
Ning Li took the book down. When she put the translated version back, Lu Huaiyu chuckled.
“I thought you wanted it to make a comparison. Why are you only taking one book?”
Ning Li’s heart skipped a beat. She nervously took the translated version back.
She had subconsciously returned the book to its spot.
Lu Huaiyu pointed at another book.
“You can have a look at that one as well. It is also about the same field.”
Ning Li nodded and chose another book.
“Your Physics competition is tomorrow?” Lu Huaiyu asked.
Ning Li kept the book that she had borrowed.
“Yeah. Second High has been set as the venue, so there won’t be a morning class tomorrow.”
Lu Huaiyu thought over what Zhou Fei had said earlier. “Are you nervous?”
Ning Li shook her head. Her ponytail softly caressed the back of her neck.
“No.” She clearly remembered the questions of the paper.
Moreover, she had waited two lifetimes for this competition. Why would she be nervous at all?
Lu Huaiyu smiled. He had already expected this answer.
“I wish you good luck. Zhou Fei said you need to get into at least the top 5 to escape from the school’s punishment, am I right?”
Ning Li softly sighed in her heart.
She had not told Lu Huaiyu about what had happened but it was not difficult for him to find out.
She had not planned on keeping it a secret but she had been wondering if he would ask her about the incident himself.
A week later, nothing happened and she had thought that the matter had passed.
“Yeah.”
Lu Huaiyu paused and laughed.
“Nicely done.”
“Huh?” Ning Li was confused.
Lu Huaiyu came closer and patted her on the head.
Ning Li finally realized what the man was referring to.
If you are bullied, fight back.
If you are bullied, tell me.
Almost no one had agreed with Ning Li’s method. Lu Huaiyu was the only person who praised her for this.
Something rose within the depths of her heart, filling it completely. She felt… warm.
Lu Huaiyu took a step back and sized her up with a tilted head.
Ning Li failed to understand. “What’s wrong, second brother?”
“Lili, are you… a little taller now?” Lu Huaiyu raised a brow.
Ning Li was stunned for a moment, as she had not expected that particular question.
“No?”
She had not measured her height recently.
Lu Huaiyu walked closer.
The two of them maintained a distance from each other but the invisible veil in between them was broken when Lu Huaiyu took a step forward.
He put his hand on her head and compared it to his own.
Ning Li felt that if he came any closer, her nose would touch his black shirt.
“I think you’ve gotten taller,” Lu Huaiyu said.
His voice came from above her and echoed in her ears, which made her earlobes feel a slight unusual numbness.
She could even feel the warmth of his breath above her.
The feeling was subtle but continuous, and difficult for her to break free from.
She subconsciously looked up to his sharp jawline and Adam’s apple.
As he spoke, his Adam’s apple undulated.
Ning Li blinked. The image from the video call a few days ago reappeared in her mind.
For a moment there, a thought appeared and occupied her mind: how would it feel to touch his Adam’s apple?
Lu Huaiyu noticed her silence. He pulled his hands away and saw her stunned gaze.
He chuckled and said in his low and rich voice.
“What’s wrong?”
His words pulled Ning Li back from her embarrassing thoughts.