Treading slowly towards the staircase, she indeed saw the black-clad youth standing by.
He exuded an aura of aloofness, making him stand out in the crowd.
Upon seeing him, Wen Tingxue instinctively quickened her pace, but remembering she had just lied to him, she slowed down guiltily.
Yu Wenli, however, said nothing, giving her plenty of face throughout. Not a hint of displeasure showed on his features.
He acted like the considerate boyfriend picking up his girlfriend.
"What's going on?" Xu Kexin, who knew the situation, whispered, "Does he know or not?"
Wen Tingxue secretly hugged her arm and pouted, "Can I sleep in your dorm tonight?"
"Oh," Xu Kexin understood instantly, "caught red-handed?"
Wen Tingxue: "..."
"Xinxin," the young girl clutched her sleeve pleadingly, "only you can help me now."
Such a pathetic look was irresistible.
"..."
Xu Kexin hesitated, glancing at the youth, who glowed like jade under the light.
The moment their eyes met, Xu Kexin decisively pulled her friend's hand away and said, "You're on your own."
Wen Tingxue: "..."
What happened to sisterly love?!
Hmph!
She was mid-grumble when she met Yu Wenli's almost indifferent gaze, and Wen Tingxue's courage faltered.
Alright.
She couldn't blame her sister for being heartless.
By the roadside.
After seeing Xu Kexin and Qiao Hui off in their car, Wen Tingxue had no more excuses to delay. She could only brace herself and edge towards Yu Wenli.
With a look of desperate resignation, and a hint of subtle submission.
"Um..."
The carefully rehearsed words had just reached her lips when a taxi pulled up in front of them.
The young girl bit her lip dejectedly. In the dim light, her features were ethereally beautiful.
Before she could say more, Yu Wenli cast her an inscrutable glance, then coldly opened the rear door and gestured for her to get in.
Wen Tingxue: "..."
Well.
He was truly angry.
He wouldn't even talk to her.
If she had known she'd be found out, she wouldn't have lied to him!
It wasn't worth it!
Just as Wen Tingxue was drowning in regret, a warm, well-defined palm protectively shielded her head, preventing her from bumping it.
"!"
The young girl's heart instantly brightened.
He still had the presence of mind to look after her, so perhaps he wasn't *that* angry?
There must still be a chance to salvage the situation!
Delighted, the young girl made ample space for him to sit, fawningly making way.
Then, she watched with adoring eyes as the youth bent to get in, her bright eyes seeming to await some praise.
Yu Wenli acted as if he saw nothing, looking straight ahead, maintaining his composure like a saint.
"..." Wen Tingxue was speechless.
The driver glanced at the rearview mirror and asked, "Did you have a fight?"
No one replied.
Fine.
They must have had a fight.
The driver didn't press the issue and cleared his throat, asking, "Where to?"
Wen Tingxue wanted to go back to school, but in this situation, it was better for her to remain silent.
She secretly glanced at the youth beside her, hoping he would say something.
Even if the address he gave wasn't what she wanted to hear.
But he remained silent.
His pale eyelids were lowered, and the lights from outside cast shadows across his face, a play of light and dark, yet revealing no emotion.
Wen Tingxue nervously picked at her fingers, and proactively said, "Ning'an Apartment."
This was already an attempt to appease him.
But he still showed no reaction.
Alas.
The young girl couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
It was over.
She was really in for it this time.
Since they met, he had never been this cold. She really had asked for it.
The silence continued all the way home. Yu Wenli opened the door, and the young girl followed him nervously.
The door closed.
Yu Wenli bent down to get her slippers, then helped her take off her coat, and finally hung it up with his own on the coat rack.
He was as thoughtful and attentive as ever, except for his silence.
Wen Tingxue had never seen him like this. She didn't dare to make a sound and followed him into the living room.
The outside lights cast a shadow through the floor-to-ceiling windows, forming a rough shape on the sofa.
Yu Wenli sat right in the middle of the large sofa, in the part where the light was blocked.
Wen Tingxue stood beside him, like she was being punished.
Her eyes kept darting to his face, but she dared not speak.
More accurately, she didn't know what to say.
In the car, she had deliberately tugged at his sleeve, but he ignored her.
She had tried to talk to him, and he hadn't embarrassed her; he had responded.
But it was just a simple "mm."
He had even hummed it.
Now, she truly didn't know what to say.
Finally, it was Yu Wenli who broke the silence.
"Come here."
He patted his thigh.
His voice, having been silent for so long, was a little hoarse. In the context of the environment, it sounded like a royal decree to Wen Tingxue.
She quickly took a step forward and was about to sit on his lap when he suddenly reached out and pulled her in. With a few simple movements, she was sitting facing him, her legs spread apart, kneeling on either side of him on the sofa.
It was, to put it mildly, a rather precarious position.
Before Wen Tingxue could ponder the precariousness, Yu Wenli raised his hand and smoothed the stray hairs by her cheek, saying in an even tone, "Come on, tell me, how do you plan to argue your way out of this?"
Wen Tingxue: "..."
How could one talk about "arguing one's way out" in a couple's dispute?
It was clearly...
Yu Wenli's legs spread slightly further apart.
In that moment, Wen Tingxue instantly understood the danger of this position!
It was her!
She was facing him, and when he spread his legs, her bottom would be suspended!
It was over!
She couldn't avoid a spanking after all?
The thought had barely formed when a slap landed on her bottom.
A muffled sound exploded in the room.
Wen Tingxue's head buzzed.
She just didn't understand.
Even through a pair of underwear and jeans, how could it hurt so much?!
"I, I, I, I was wrong, don't... don't hit me." Feeling his hand rub against her buttocks, and knowing another strike could come at any moment, the young girl began to stammer.
"Mm, so the fine arts studio has moved to a hot pot restaurant?"
His voice, still cold, indicated he hadn't calmed down.
Wen Tingxue's head ached as she tried to explain, "This, this can't all be blamed on me. You have an issue with Senior Song. If I had told you, you would have been unhappy, so I..." I was thinking of you, too.
"So you deliberately disobeyed?" Yu Wenli interrupted with a cold laugh.
"..."
"Speak."
His tone wasn't harsh, but the young girl flinched fearfully, "Don't be fierce..."
She tried to act cute.
Yu Wenli's tone softened, "With such little courage, you dare to lie?"
"..." The young girl pouted rebelliously, "It's not that I wanted to lie, it's that you didn't trust me first. Senior Song and I are innocent. If you really believed me, why would you show up at the hot pot restaurant without a word?"
Wen Tingxue hadn't wanted to say this.
But his sarcastic tone was unbearable.
The moment the words left her mouth, Wen Tingxue felt a little cowardly.
But she also felt she was right.
She just didn't dare to look at him.
Naturally, she didn't know his expression, and judging by his tone alone, there was no fluctuation.
"Do you know who messaged me?"
"?" The young girl subconsciously looked up.
Yu Wenli stared into her eyes and said, word by word, "Kang Wei."
The implication was that he had come today not out of jealousy, but out of concern for her safety.
"..."
Wen Tingxue's embarrassed face turned bright red.
Afraid he would hold her accountable, the young girl, forgetting her shyness, tried to cajole him, "I had classes all day, I'm so tired. Please, pity me."
She hugged his neck playfully and snuggled into his embrace.
Trying to distract him this way.
But Yu Wenli wasn't having it. He looked at her coldly and said, "I can make you hurt right now."
As he spoke, his hand around her waist loosened slightly, looking as if he was about to settle accounts.
Wen Tingxue remembered his previous threat and feared he wouldn't let it go.
Quickly, she pulled out her trump card, "I'm going on a sketching trip soon, for a whole month! Can't you be nice to me?"
Yu Wenli's actions paused slightly as he asked, "When?"
"Beginning of sophomore year."
Yu Wenli, having just taken a cold shower, impatiently swatted her away and asked, "Have you packed your bags?"
"Mm," speaking of this, she immediately felt sleepy, "almost. I'll just organize them a bit more tomorrow morning."
She murmured and drifted off to sleep.
Yu Wenli sighed helplessly.
He leaned down and picked up the tablet from her arms, along with a paintbrush that was precariously dangling from her fingers.
After putting the items away, Yu Wenli checked her suitcase again.
A month-long outdoor sketching trip, and to a remote mountain area.
Yu Wenli was worried and insisted on checking everything.
As expected.
She hadn't brought any insect repellent.
Silly girl.
Yu Wenli placed the spray, repellent patches, and various ointments he had prepared in the suitcase.
He even thoughtfully wrote down how to use them, along with the pros and cons of each item, ensuring she would use them comfortably.
-
Lingxi, Xing'an Village.
By a picturesque, babbling stream, a row of easels was set up.
Outdoor light changed rapidly; the longer it took, the more different the scenery became.
Everyone, afraid of falling behind, painted with colors, occasionally chatting about gossip.
Wen Tingxue had always been fast at her work. After completing today's task, she didn't talk to her classmates.
She was engrossed in texting on her phone.
Lu Youran teased her, "Only a few days out here, and you've lost your ambition?"
"No ambition, I just miss him!" The young girl said it with conviction.
Lu Youran's mind instantly went to Fu Ran, and she paused her brush for a few seconds.
"What are you guys talking about? How can you not get tired of it after so long?" Lu Youran forced herself to shift her focus.
As she leaned in, Yu Wenli happened to send a photo.
It was of sweet and sour fish.
"Wow, who made this? It's beautiful!" Lu Youran exclaimed, zooming in on the picture.
Wen Tingxue proudly lifted her chin, "My boyfriend."
"Who?!" Lu Youran's eyes widened in disbelief, "Yu Wenli can cook too?!"
"Yes!" The young girl was immensely proud, "He can stew soup, stir-fry, compose lyrics, and write music, he can do it all!"
Lu Youran: "..."
Suddenly felt a bit sick.
"Can you?" She looked at the photo, then at Wen Tingxue's delicate hands that never touched household chores, and was skeptical.
"Uh, I can cook instant noodles."
Lu Youran instantly shed tears of envy, "This is a sure sign he's spoiling you! When will I find such a good boyfriend?"
"I heard from Senior Song that Fu Ran can also cook," Wen Tingxue said with a sly glint in her eye.
Lu Youran: "..."
Fine.
All her efforts were in vain.
Her mind was once again filled with him.
-
Apartment.
After exchanging sweet nothings with the young girl for a bit, Yu Wenli's smile slightly faded as he opened an overseas email that had just arrived.
He hadn't read two lines when an anonymous call came in.
He answered, and the other party got straight to the point, "Lan Shuo is returning to the country soon. When do you plan to make your move?"