Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Xu-er, are you really going to join the army?” Han Mofeng finally found the chance to ask him.
“It must have been Wen Xinya who told you all.” Xu Zhenyu held the fragrant, sweet wine. With his slender arms, he gently swirled the wine. These grape wines tasted sweet; thus, it is impossible for anyone to get drunk on them. It is the most suitable for these youngsters to drink. It was Gu Junling’s winery that handcrafted these. He saw that Wen Xinya was particularly fond of it so he would ask Gu Junling to gift her some later.
“Wow, Xu-er. This is a huge matter, but you didn’t even discuss it with us. If it weren’t for Wen Xinya mentioning it, we would still be in the dark. You should not be so biased to put love before friendship.” Ling Qingxuan heard his tone, and it sounded like he was for real. She could not help but tease him.
Xu Zhenyu indifferently said, “It isn’t really such a big deal. My family is from a military background, but my father and my brother entered politics. There should be someone to continue the family’s tradition. Me taking the military route has long been decided.”
Han Mofeng gave him a complex look. “Haven’t you always rejected the military? You even quarreled many times with Grandpa Xu over this matter.”
Ever since Wen Xinya’s scandal, Xu-er had matured a lot. The things he said and the things he did were efficient and unscrupulous. There was no hint of the boy who was filled with laughter and anger. Who knew a person could actually undergo such drastic changes in such a short time? If he did not still have Xu-er’s looks, there was no way of telling that this person was indeed Xu-er.
Actually, Han Mofeng’s guess was pretty accurate. Xu Zhenyu’s drastic change was mainly due to the dream that he had. The dream was extremely realistic, portraying his life vividly and in great detail.
“One’s thinking changes constantly. I wasn’t sure when it started, but I was left behind. Slowly, all of you started getting busy, and I no longer have any similar conversation topic to discuss with you guys. I just took it that all of you have changed. But since the incident with Wen Xinya, I finally understood that actually, you guys have not changed at all. It was me who was never on the same level as you from the very start.”
Han Mofeng felt his throat dry up. “Entering the army is good too. I’ll let you be the political commissar in the future.”
Ling Qingxuan patted him lightly on the shoulders and smiled. “My grandfather just retired from the government, so my family currently does not have anyone who can be elected. In the future, when I have taken over the family business, it would be convenient to have someone in the military!”
At this moment, Gu Junling sauntered over. He looked at their weird expressions. “Has something happened? Why do all of you have such odd look on your faces?”
Han Mofeng said, “It’s nothing. Xu-er has decided to enter the military soon, so we’re simply happy for him.”
Gu Junling was shocked as well and was about to ask for more details. However, after seeing that Han Mofeng and Ling Qingxuan were truly happy for him, he slapped Xu Zhenyu on the shoulder and said, “Xu-er, you finally thought it through! I was still worried that you were really going to smoke your way through your entire life.”
Xu Zhenyu could not help but kick him. “Who smoked through his life? Why aren’t you at Tianyu’s side being her protector but here with us?”
Gu Junling finally remembered what he was there for. “Previously, the waiter accidentally ruined Xinya’s clothing, then brought Xinya to the second level cloakroom to change. It seemed like they left for a while. Tianyu and I are too busy to leave, so we hope you can go and check on her.”
Xu Zhenyu’s gaze swept the venue once, and noticing that Xia Ruya and Wen Yuya were not around either, his heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly had a bad feeling. “I’ll go and take a look now.”
Xu Zhenyu placed his wine cup on a waiter’s tray and rushed across the ballroom to the second level.
Reaching the cloakroom, Xu Zhenyu knocked on the door. “Wen Xinya, have you changed?”
There was no movement in the room.
Sensing that something was not right, Xu Zhenyu knocked harder this time. “Wen Xinya, you have been changing for too long, Tianyu and the rest are waiting for you downstairs.”
There was still no sound or movement coming from the room, so he pressed his ears on the door. All of a sudden, there was a sharp banging coming from the inside of the room, and he thought he even heard shouts for help. However, because the soundproofing was good, he could not be sure what he heard, but he could vaguely make out Wen Xinya’s voice.
Xu Zhenyu’s blood ran cold. His mind was a complete mess as he frantically turned the doorknob, but the door was locked from the outside, so there was no way to open the door.
“Wen Xinya, what’s happening inside? Hurry up and tell me.” Xu Zhenyu had an ominous feeling. Hearing the banging grow more and more intense, Dong Dong Dong Dong , it sounded very similar to the pounding of his heart.
He pressed his ears on the door once again but heard no reply, only the sounds of repeated banging. Feeling the vibrations of the door, the intense sound pierced his ear.
“Wen Xinya, don’t be afraid. Move away from the door, I will knock it down!” Xu Zhenyu’s breathing became shorter. He retreated a few steps back and violently slammed at the door. He hit the door so hard that half of his body was numb with pain, but he kept going, slamming his body at the door.
At this moment, a few guests made their way upstairs. Among them were Jiang Yuqing and Jiang Ruoxin. Seeing Xu Zhenyu slamming his body at the door, they rushed toward him and asked, “Brother Yu, what happened? Why are you slamming against the door?!”
Xu Zhenyu ignored her, retreated, and kicked at the door. The door merely shook a little.
Jiang Ruoxin looked at Jiang Yuqing’s teary expression and approached Xu Zhenyu, holding him back. “Brother Yu, the ball is boring. Tianyu just prepared a room for poker. Come and play poker with us!”
Xu Zhenyu brushed Jiang Ruoxin aside. In his world, there was only that door. As though the door had instantly overtaken his whole world.
Jiang Ruoxin fell violently to the wooden floor because of his action.
Jiang Yuqing hurriedly helped her up. “Ruoxin, are you okay?”
Jiang Ruoxin’s bottom hurt, and she nearly teared. She was too embarrassed to speak, so she just nodded at Jiang Yuqing.
Jiang Yuqing then heard the banging coming from the inside. Her eyes flashed with recognition. “There seems to be someone inside banging on the door! Brother Yu, do you know what has happened inside? Who is inside banging on the door?”
Xu Zhenyu ignored her as well.
Jiang Yuqing saw Xu Zhenyu being extremely anxious and realized that the person in the cloakroom could very well be Wen Xinya. With that thought, her whole body shook with agitation, moving closer to the door instinctively.
Jiang Ruoxin also noticed that something was amiss, and asked curiously, “Could it be that there is a reverse lock in the cloakroom? Isn’t it strange that the cloakroom above the ball would lock someone in?”
Jiang Yuqing feigned innocence. “Since someone has been reverse locked in the house, why not look for Miss Zhou for the key?”
Boom! The sound was deafening. The sturdy door had been kicked down by Xu Zhenyu.
Xu Zhenyu was the first one to rush into the cloakroom. When he saw the situation inside, he felt like he was hit by five bolts of lightning simultaneously. He stumbled a little, feeling all the blood drained from his body in an instant. Breathing feeling like torture, as though there were countless binds wound around his chest, suddenly tightened. It was painful beyond reason!
Wen Xinya, Wen Xinya, whether in the dream or in reality, I still failed to protect you!
