Lu Yi lifted the cup and took a sip as he leisurely crossed his legs. “What, do you want to try it?”
Fang Zhu always asked for a glass of water whenever she visited the Lu residence. Lu Yi had naturally assumed that was her favorite drink.
“How can you drink that?” There was a hint of stern disapproval in Fang Zhu’s voice. “Only little girls who don’t know better would choose to drink something like that. It’s full of all kinds of additives, you know.”
Lu Yi had lifted the cup to his lips again, but he could not bring himself to take another sip, not with Fang Zhu lecturing and glaring at him like that.
He set the cup down. The unhappy scowl on Fang Zhu’s face finally went away.
“Lu Yi, you should stop drinking that. No more unhealthy drinks in the future.”
Lu Yi gently caressed the cup with his fingers. He suddenly felt as though he had gotten himself a nutritionist.
The two of them lapsed into silence again. It did not feel awkward, however, as Fang Zhu had actually brought her textbooks with her and was now busy drafting her lesson plans. Lu Yi, on the other hand, pretended Fang Zhu was not there and went about his business as usual.
Not long after, Lu Yi stood up.
“I’ll take you home now.”
Fang Zhu was caught off-guard. She stood up and smoothed the wrinkles in her clothes, one by one. She knew it was going to have to happen sooner or later: they were both adults, and now that they were officially seeing each other…
She was already mentally prepared for it. Personally, she felt it was better to wait until their wedding night, but if Lu Yi wanted to do it, well, she would not refuse him. It was supposed to be enjoyable for both men and women, after all.
They exited Lu Yi’s apartment and entered the elevator. Yan Huan was already inside; she was, once again, carrying a listless cat in her arms. She was taking Little Bean to the vet for the second time because the cat had become sick again.
Yan Huan gave an inward snort.
She thought cynically to herself: done so soon? She wondered whether Lu Yi had erectile dysfunction. Perhaps he was one of those early finishers?
She gently stroked Little Bean on the head as she kept her gaze on the floor before her. Her eyelashes were so long that they inspired envy in every woman who saw her.
Fang Zhu did not know who Yan Huan was, but she was a woman, and women were naturally equipped with supernaturally accurate instincts when it came to other women— even those they weren’t actually acquainted with. She had to admit to herself that this unfamiliar woman in the elevator was making her a little uncomfortable.
Fang Zhu studied the woman before her: she was younger and taller than Fang Zhu. She had a face so exquisite she looked like she had just walked out of a painting. She was the kind of woman that men drooled over. She had large, doe-like eyes, a small, pixie-like face, and snow white skin. Fang Zhu would not be at all surprised if men worshiped her at the altar and called her things like “my lovely goddess.”
Fang Zhu had been convinced that these so-called “goddesses” had to stay within photoshopped photos on tiny phone screens to be able to cast their spell on their adoring fans. They were always shockingly plain and ordinary-looking in real life.
But this woman with the cat was evidently an exception. She was incredibly beautiful, so beautiful she made all the women around her feel hopelessly insecure.
Fang Zhu could not help stealing a glance at Lu Yi to see if he had noticed. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw that his eyes appeared to be glued on the elevator doors.
She suddenly realized that she had been acting silly and paranoid. Lu Yi’s ideal partner was a sophisticated intellectual like her, not pretty, shallow celebrities. How could she have forgotten that?
Ding! The elevator doors opened, but neither Lu Yi nor Fang Zhu moved.
Yan Huan was annoyed. She wanted to exit and decided she would just have to shove her way through. She took a step forward, but Fang Zhu was standing in her way.
“Auntie, can you please move aside?”
Fang Zhu was stunned. A few strands of hair broke free from her shiny, meticulously combed hair. Auntie? Auntie?! Who was this woman referring to? She was only 25!
Yan Huan walked past her, and then turned to give Fang Zhu a dazzling smile, one that showed off her radiant youth and perfect features. She was wearing a milky white dress, her silky hair tumbling down her back and shoulders in natural waves. Her canvas shoes and the cat in her arms made her look even younger, in fact, she looked like she could be in high school. Fang Zhu, on the other hand, looked closer to 35 than 25 because of her “old prudish nun” outfit and hairstyle.
Fang Zhu had always looked older than her peers. The gods were fair: they had given Fang Zhu an exceptionally high IQ and a top-class education, but had neglected to make her pretty. Fang Zhu didn’t mind, however; she had always told herself that it was what was inside that counted.
Now, however, Yan Huan’s smile stabbed Fang Zhu like a spear to the heart.
Lu Yi did not say or do anything. He merely stood beside Fang Zhu with one hand in his pocket. His phone was in his other hand, and he appeared to be looking at it. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.
Fang Zhu had committed Yan Huan’s face to memory. She could not help feeling there was something more to that smile. Little did she know that she had actually had a history with Yan Huan in her past life.
In Yan Huan’s previous life, Fang Zhu had mercilessly roasted Yan Huan with snarky remarks about her shameful family background and lack of education. This time around, she had not formally met Yan Huan, but Yan Huan was not the type to let go of past grievances.
Yan Huan scowled inwardly as she thought to herself, You looked down on me in my previous life, didn’t you? Well, I’ll be taking a different path this time around. I’ll climb to even greater heights, just you wait and see. And I’ll rub it in your face, you pretentious, self-proclaimed high-class intellectual!
Yan Huan turned and made her way to the vet with Little Bean. She did not see the strange look on Lu Yi’s face as he watched her retreating back…
“Lu Yi, did you see that? That woman was so rude. I’d like to give her parents a good talking to!” Fang Zhu complained as she smoothed her hair and carefully tucked every wayward strand back in place. She was still seething over Yan Huan’s “Auntie.”
Lu Yi did not answer. He exited the elevator and kept on walking. It was none of his business, and he wasn’t the type to spend his time speculating about other people’s parents.
Besides, he knew that he was in no position to criticize Yan Huan’s parents, not when his were still alive. Yan Huan no longer had either of her parents with her; he couldn’t even begin to imagine what that must be like for her.
Yan Huan was an orphan. She had nothing. All she had now was Yi Ling— and a sick cat.
“What is it?” Yan Huan asked the vet. Little Bean had seemed fine after her first visit to the vet, but soon after the cat had refused to move, eat, or drink.
She gently stroked Little Bean’s soft fur. The cat was extremely lethargic, her eyes, usually so lovely and bright, were now shut tight. Sometimes, she lay stiff as a board, as though dead. Not even her favorite canned fish could entice her to get up and eat.
“She’ll be okay.” The vet gave Little Bean an injection, and then dissolved a pill in some water for Yan Huan to feed Little Bean later. “It’s just indigestion. You’ve been overfeeding her. Cats are hardy creatures, she won’t die so easily. Cut back on her food portions over the next few days and she’ll be right as rain before you know it.”
Yan Huan picked Little Bean up and held her in her arms. The cat seemed to be in better spirits now, and proved it by rubbing her nose against Yan Huan’s fingers.
