Chapter 44: Falling Out
Hou Guanglue's ability to take action was impressive. After officially issuing his challenge to Fu Jinting, he showed up that very night to crash a lecture in Kong Yiyue's department.
The school had invited a famous young actress to give a lecture to the performing arts students. The large auditorium was completely packed.
What confused Kong Yiyue was why Hou Guanglue was sitting in the row ahead of her. Hou Guanglue was quite skilled at crashing classes—he grinned at her and said, “I've been a fan of this actress for ages. I came just to see her in person.”
Kong Yiyue stared at him, saying with half-belief, “Is that so?”
“Of course! Not only is she beautiful, her acting is top-notch!”
“Mm.” Kong Yiyue turned her gaze away from him. The lecture hadn't started yet, and luckily she'd brought an extracurricular book with her.
She'd just flipped through two pages when Hou Guanglue turned around again. “Kong Yiyue, what book are you reading? Tell me about it!”
Kong Yiyue closed the book and looked at him critically. “Don't you think you're being a bit noisy?”
“Noisy? Why don't I think so?” Hou Guanglue smiled sincerely. “But this is my first time coming to a lecture for your performing arts department—I see your department really does produce a lot of beauties!”
It was a profession where looks mattered—how could they not be good-looking? Kong Yiyue said, “Anyone catch your eye?”
“Yep!” Hou Guanglue looked at her with an ambiguous smile.
Kong Yiyue frowned at him—why did that smile seem off somehow?
Thankfully, the host announced that the lecture was about to begin, bringing their conversation to an end.
Jiang Manxin watched the two of them talk from the side, then smiled slowly to herself. If Hou Guanglue really had no interest in Kong Yiyue at all, she'd actually find that strange.
After the lecture ended, Hou Guanglue invited Kong Yiyue to get a late-night snack. When she politely declined, he said, “Kong Yiyue, why do you always rush to turn me down? I was going to tell you about Fu Jinting over dinner, but now that you've refused, I'm not sure if I should tell you anymore…”
His tone was so dramatic that Kong Yiyue immediately sensed something was wrong.
“Can't you tell me now?”
Hou Guanglue lazily yawned. “Are you sure you want to talk here? Besides, the lecture just ended, and there are so many students around. Wouldn't it be better if fewer people knew what we're talking about?”
As soon as Kong Yiyue started thinking it over, Hou Guanglue pressed his advantage. “Come on, Kong Yiyue.”
Kong Yiyue looked back at Jiang Manxin, who was a few steps behind them, then turned to face Hou Guanglue directly. “I think I'll have to decline. Fu Jinting and I will handle our own matters ourselves. Even if something is going on, I'll ask him myself.”
“Kong Yiyue, you're not stupid. Even if a man loves you with all his heart, he won't tell you the truth about everything. Besides, anyone with eyes can see that Fu Jinting isn't really paying attention to you. Do you think if you ask him, ‘Were you talking to a girl at the school gate for a long time today?' he'll tell you the truth? Kong Yiyue, why can't you see through Fu Jinting?”
“Even if I can't, please stop meddling! Hou Guanglue, why do you keep harassing me like this!”
“Because harassing you is interesting!”
“What do you take me for?”
“Someone I like!” The words blurted out of Hou Guanglue's mouth without thinking. The moment he said them, Kong Yiyue clearly noticed the light footsteps approaching her suddenly stop—Jiang Manxin had frozen in place. Despite the surrounding noise, she'd heard every word clearly. Had Hou Guanglue just confessed to Kong Yiyue out of the blue?
Jiang Manxin looked with a hint of amusement at Kong Yiyue, whose face was calm as ever, wondering how she'd respond to this sudden confession.
As expected, Kong Yiyue's attitude remained firm: “Hou Guanglue, thank you, but I can't and won't accept your feelings. I have someone I like, and I have no interest in anyone else.”
“Is that so?” Hou Guanglue laughed bitterly. “Kong Yiyue, you're not stupid—so why do you have to like him? You know full well that if you ask him that question, he'll just brush you off. Why do you choose the one you love over the one who loves you? Clearly, only the latter can give you happiness!”
Kong Yiyue's voice was heavy. “Hou Guanglue, I don't think we need to discuss this. I never thought you liked me, and you saying this out of nowhere will only make me want to stay away from you in the future. That would just make things awkward for both of us.”
“Heh heh.” Hou Guanglue barely managed to keep his smile. “Fu Jinting was talking to a very beautiful girl at the school gate for a long time. They looked like they've known each other for years. Do you know her, Kong Yiyue?”
……
Hou Guanglue's words echoed in Kong Yiyue's mind long after he'd said them.
You know full well that if you ask him that question, he'll just brush you off. Why do you choose the one you love over the one who loves you?
Fu Jinting was talking to a very beautiful girl at the school gate for a long time.
Kong Yiyue's first instinct was—it must be Nie Lingwei. No evidence, just a woman's intuition.
She returned to the dormitory distracted. Jiang Manxin had heard their conversation and looked at her with a sense of regret. What was so good about that guy anyway?
“Kong Yiyue, if you're not sure of the answer, why not just call him?”
Kong Yiyue did want to call him, but…
Jiang Manxin knew what she was worried about and tried to reason with her. “If he's not being genuine with you, why waste your youth on him?”
“Kong Yiyue, can't you find the determination you had before you met him?” Jiang Manxin truly felt that she'd slowly lost herself.
“Jiang Manxin, I understand.” Kong Yiyue was silent for a moment before saying, “Maybe I've been asking for too much.”
“……”
Kong Yiyue stood on the balcony, looking at the distant stars and moon. She clutched her phone tightly and dialed that number.
The moment it connected, Kong Yiyue felt her heart beating more frantically than ever before. She forced down her nervousness and was about to speak when a familiar female voice came from the other end: “Hello? Hello?”
“……” Kong Yiyue's lips trembled slightly. Again… it was Nie Lingwei?!
“Hello? Hello?” The voice was slightly amused.
Kong Yiyue's eyes reddened. She swallowed down the discomfort in her throat and said steadily, “Nie Lingwei, where's Fu Jinting?”
Nie Lingwei sounded surprised. “Oh? Are you… Kong Yiyue? I'm sorry, he doesn't have your name saved in his phone, so I…”
“Tell him to come to the phone!” Kong Yiyue's tone was firm.
“Why are you getting so angry? He's not available right now… hey…” After a burst of static on the line, Kong Yiyue finally heard his voice—cold, steady, and slightly deep, completely unflustered as he asked, “What's the matter?”
“Heh heh! Fu Jinting, how can you ask me that so casually! Don't you think you should explain first why you're still with her so late at night? Why is it always her answering the phone whenever I call you! Did you give me her number or your own private number! Fu Jinting, do you think you can treat me like this just because you know I can't live without you! Fu Jinting, the thing I hate most is unfaithful men! Hou Guanglue was right—I mean absolutely nothing to you!”
After finishing her outburst, Kong Yiyue slammed the phone down!
Fu Jinting held the phone in his hand. After his first question, he hadn't said a single word during the entire call.
Nie Lingwei clasped her hands tightly together, trying to read the meaning behind his expression. But she had no way of knowing what he and Kong Yiyue had said, or what his attitude would be after hanging up.
The grip of Fu Jinting's fingers on the phone tightened significantly. He took a deep breath, not even looking at Nie Lingwei as he spat out a single word through gritted teeth: “Get out!”
His cold, resolute tone stunned Nie Lingwei. “Jinting, the ginseng your mother sent over needs to be… I…”
In the end, she didn't have the courage to finish her excuse under his increasingly dark and oppressive gaze.
“Nie Lingwei, you'd better never set foot in my place again!” Fu Jinting walked to the front door and flung it open. Cold air rushed in from outside, and his voice was as cold as the night itself, endless in its chill: “Get out!”
“……” Tears streamed down Nie Lingwei's cheeks like broken beads.
The moment she stepped through the door, Fu Jinting slammed it shut behind her. His face was so dark it was frightening.
He pulled out his phone and called the number back. The first time, it was rejected immediately. The second time, Kong Yiyue simply turned her phone off.
Fu Jinting's eyes darkened, coldness radiating from him.
Gritting his teeth, he muttered to himself: “Kong Yiyue, are you trying to break up with me now?!
…
…
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