Even with his terrible reputation and countless rumors, countless girls still fell for him.
Not just for his looks, but more for the charisma and presence in his every movement.
Just like now.
He stood tall and unrestrained under the yellow streetlight, shoulders broad and straight, his waist creating sharp angles in the wind, eyes downcast, corners of his mouth holding a casual smile, exuding an unruly and indulgent charm.
Zhou Wan stood in place, watching him for a while, then stepped forward, slowly approaching.
She didn’t raise her arms to hug him, and neither did he.
The movement was quite awkward. After two seconds, Zhou Wan raised her hands and very lightly hugged his waist.
Lu Xixiao laughed softly.
Zhou Wan immediately dropped her hands, stepping back: “I’m going in.”
“Oh.”
*
The house was very quiet. As Zhou Wan changed shoes in the entryway, her grandmother opened the door: “Wan Wan’s back.”
“Grandmother, why aren’t you asleep yet?”
“Napped too long in the afternoon, now I can’t sleep at night.”
Zhou Wan finished changing shoes and entered, putting her schoolbag on a chair: “We need to go to the hospital tomorrow.”
“Why go to the hospital again?”
“It’s nothing, just a physical examination. I talked with Dr. Chen a few days ago.”
“Didn’t we just have a check-up last month?” Grandmother said, “Wan-wan, I’m fine, don’t waste money on me.”
Zhou Wan smiled: “This check-up is different, there won’t be anymore after this.”
Of course, this check-up was different.
It was for the kidney transplant surgery.
*
Back in her bedroom, only the desk lamp was on.
Zhou Wan lay on the bed, her gaze suddenly falling on the peach butt plushie sitting on her desk with its embarrassed expression.
The one Lu Xixiao had won for her.
Zhou Wan looked at it for a while, suddenly tugging at the corner of her mouth in a light smile.
That’s when Guo Xiangling’s call came.
Zhou Wan looked at the caller ID, understanding that a storm was coming.
She got up to lock the door, hesitated for half a minute, then answered.
“Hello.”
She had barely spoken when Guo Xiangling’s voice overwhelmed her: “Zhou Wan! What exactly are you trying to do!”
Finally, no more pretentious “Wan-wan.”
Zhou Wan pressed her lips together.
Guo Xiangling’s lowered voice was full of fury and resentment: “You knew everything, didn’t you, Zhou Wan, I’m asking if you knew everything!”
Zhou Wan gave a self-mocking smile: “About you and Lu Xixiao’s father?”
“Zhou Wan!”
Her formerly obedient and quiet daughter showing her sharp claws for the first time left Guo Xiangling shocked and even more furious, anger nearly setting her ablaze.
“How do you know Lu Xixiao, what exactly is your relationship!?”
Earlier on the street, though initially surprised, Guo Xiangling had thought they might just be classmates—she could hardly imagine how her well-behaved Zhou Wan could be dating at this age.
But then she saw Lu Xixiao wrap his arm around her daughter’s shoulders, the gesture intimate and natural, holding her as they walked away.
Zhou Wan silently looked down at a pattern on her blanket, her eyes slowly filling with coldness and hatred.
Guo Xiangling continued venting: “Zhou Wan, you’ve been an ungrateful wretch since childhood! You only ever clung to your father then, what, now that your father’s dead, you want to force me to remain a widow for him!?”
“The biggest mistake of my life was marrying your father and having you! One useless coward, one heartless beast!”
Zhou Wan’s hands were ice cold, and her whole body trembling uncontrollably.
But when she spoke, she was extremely calm, truly like the heartless beast Guo Xiangling described.
“Mom.” She called very softly.
“Don’t call me mom.” Guo Xiangling said harshly, “I don’t deserve such an address.”
So Zhou Wan stopped calling her that, saying flatly: “My relationship with Lu Xixiao, can’t you see what it is?”
This time it was Guo Xiangling who fell silent.
Zhou Wan, taking advantage of Lu Xixiao’s earlier misleading gesture, smiled and said: “He likes me.”