It's Not too Late to Love You for the First Time

Chapter 13 "Love is a bit sweet."

Although it is early spring, despite the city's proximity to the sea, the temperature is still relatively high and was already full of spring vibes. Flowers bloomed all over the castle estate, and there was even a glass greenhouse in the garden cultivating various colors of roses. The roses adorning the castle were the ones Ren Chu personally picked from the greenhouse.The car stopped outside the iron gate, still a considerable distance from the main building. Lu Wanwan asked, and the driver wouldn't go any further. Would they have to walk in themselves? What if they got lost?Lu Wanwan got out of the car and dialed Ren Chu's number on her phone.
Accompanying the dial tone were the steady sounds of hooves. Lu Wanwan looked towards the setting sun and saw a European-style carriage slowly approaching. When it reached her, the carriage came to a stop.
The call connected, and a voice came through, "I'm here."
At the same time, the carriage door opened, revealing a person in a white suit with a half-mask covering their face. They held a phone in their hand, walked steadily, and resembled a medieval prince.
"Ren Chu?" Lu Wanwan was pleasantly surprised.
Ren Chu walked up to Lu Wanwan, suddenly knelt down on one knee. Lu Wanwan, quick to react, grabbed Ren Chu's hand and said, "The road is uneven, be careful."
Ren Chu: "..."
"Have you been waiting long? I didn't expect it to be this far. And what's with the mask on your face?" Lu Wanwan poked the feather on Ren Chu's mask.
Just as he was about to speak, six people descended from a Lincoln, all holding phones and frantically taking pictures of themselves.
Ren Chu looked at them in astonishment and asked through gritted teeth, "How did you guys get here?"
After saving Ren Chu's awkward photos, Fan Yi said, "Lu Wanwan invited us. This place is really nice! Do you come here often? Why didn't you bring me?"
"Are you crazy?"
"I'm perfectly healthy."
"If your brain is healthy, how could you think I should bring you?"
Fan Yi was never good at arguing with Ren Chu.
Lu Wanwan poked Ren Chu's masked face again and asked, "What's wrong with your face?"
Ren Chu gritted his teeth and said, "Allergic reaction!"
"Oh, no wonder. I'll take a look later."
Wang Xinyu peeked out from behind Lu Wanwan and asked, "Cousin, is dinner ready? I'm hungry."
Ren Chu shot a glance at her, and Wang Xinyu shrunk back, whispering, "I forgot, I'm a dancer, I can't eat. I'm not hungry at all."
Lu Wanwan, still not understanding what was happening, felt hungry upon hearing Wang Xinyu's question. She turned to Ren Chu and said, "How about we have dinner first?"
"Yeah," Ren Chu agreed.
But a new problem arose—there was only one carriage, accommodating at most three people. They were eight in total. How would they manage?
"You two go ahead; we'll stroll over slowly," suggested Song Rongrong.
Ren Chu raised an eyebrow, giving Song Rongrong a friendly look. Song Rongrong patted her chest, thankful that she reacted quickly and didn't upset the tyrant. It was clear to anyone with eyes what was going on; they shouldn't have come today!
"Is it far?" Lu Wanwan asked Ren Chu.
"Not far, a ten-minute walk. Get in; I have something to tell you," Ren Chu said.
Ren Chu helped Lu Wanwan onto the carriage, and Meng Xibai, glancing at Wang Xinyu, who seemed to want to hang on herself, suddenly said, "It can fit three people. Bring Wang Xinyu; her leg isn't good."
"Sure!" Lu Wanwan agreed.
"I don't want to!" Wang Xinyu shouted, but her obvious opposition was ineffective. Lu Wanwan strongly invited her onto the carriage. Finally, under Ren Chu's intimidating gaze, Wang Xinyu got on the carriage. Due to the order in which the three people boarded, Wang Xinyu ended up sitting inconveniently in the middle of Lu Wanwan and Ren Chu. When the carriage door closed, a huge light bulb lit up.
Throughout the journey, Wang Xinyu felt uneasy, blaming her unreliable leg. She stole a glance at Ren Chu; her cousin's face was unbearable, too stinky. She quietly apologized, "I'm sorry, I was also forced!"
Ren Chu smiled at her sideways, and Wang Xinyu instantly felt a chill.
During the entire ride, Ren Chu didn't have much opportunity to talk to Lu Wanwan.
The carriage arrived a while later, and Fan Yi's group arrived at the entrance after some time. The butler at the service here opened the door for them. After the group entered, the door closed again, candles were lit, and the orchestra started playing. The dining table was set, exquisite tableware adorned with flowers, resembling the banquet scene from "Beauty and the Beast."
Lu Wanwan stared blankly at everything, realizing that she might have made a mistake. She whispered to Gu Qiao, "I think I and Ren Chu might have some differences in our thoughts."
"The senior's expression is a bit unfriendly. You quickly go and appease him; otherwise, we, the third wheels, might suffer. He has good relationships with several professors, and he won't hesitate to deduct our credits!" Gu Qiao nervously said.
Is it that serious? Lu Wanwan was skeptical.
"You guys sit first; I'll take Wanwan to change clothes," Ren Chu beckoned.
Lu Wanwan quickly stepped out of line, holding Ren Chu's hand.
"Do you need to change clothes? I bought this one today too." Lu Wanwan was puzzled, but she figured Ren Chu might have something to tell her, so she closed her mouth and followed him upstairs.
As they reached the corner of the staircase, Ren Chu suddenly stopped. Lu Wanwan, caught off guard, bumped into him. He swiftly wrapped his arm around her waist, turned her against the wall, and then his kiss descended.
This unexpected kiss made her feel dizzy. She cautiously responded, and after a long while, reluctantly ended the kiss. She was panting, her legs weak, but he remained composed. Lu Wanwan rubbed her nose and sneezed.
"Be careful," he said softly.
Lu Wanwan acknowledged with an "oh," but her eyes couldn't move away from his mask. She touched it with her hand and then removed the mask from his face, saying, "It's a bit itchy."
Ren Chu smiled, holding her hand, and continued upstairs.
"I seem to have ruined the atmosphere. I forgot to tell you; I invited some friends. Don't be mad at me," he said.
"Do I look like someone who enjoys getting angry?" When Ren Chu said this, he was very serious, showing no hint of joking. However, to Lu Wanwan's ears, it sounded like he was genuinely angry. Everyone at Z University knew that Ren Chu was not to be messed with, and he had a terrible temper!
"Uh..." Lu Wanwan pondered how to remedy the situation, but this question was a bit beyond her scope. She wasn't quite adept at solving it.
"Alright, you go change, and I'll wait for you at the door," Ren Chu said.
"Okay," Lu Wanwan had no choice but to agree and pushed open the door to the third floor to enter. For now, she could only go along with whatever he wanted.
The dress Ren Chu prepared for Lu Wanwan was a blue evening gown, with colors progressing in layers, and the skirt resembled a starry sky, dazzling and mysterious.
Having changed into her dress, Lu Wanwan descended the stairs. The six people downstairs happened to stand up, placing gifts on the table, and then said, "We've eaten and have something to attend to. We'll leave first!"
"What's going on? Today, there are no classes," Lu Wanwan hurriedly walked down, blocking their way.
"Don't be in a rush," Ren Chu slowly spoke, revealing a smile. He said, "There's no car available to take you back to the city tonight. We'll stay here together, and tomorrow we can return to school."
For some reason, everyone had a somewhat uneasy feeling.
At that moment, someone knocked on the door, revealing the castle's butler. He came in, saying, "A Mr. An is looking for Miss Lu."
"Since he's here, please come in," Ren Chu said.
Gu Qiao came over, pinching Lu Wanwan, "What are you doing? You really brought Mr. An here?"
Xiao Xiao also grumbled, "Are you out of your mind? Guan Ai and Mr. An are here. Aren't you afraid they'll end up fighting?"
Lu Wanwan felt wronged, "I didn't invite Mr. An. I didn't even tell him about this place. I was afraid Ren Chu wouldn't be happy."
Gu Qiao and Xiao Xiao were taken aback, "Then how did he come?"
"Wanwan, you go and sit with everyone. I'll bring out fresh dishes," Ren Chu pushed Lu Wanwan towards the table and stayed by the door, personally opening it for Mr. An.
Seeing Ren Chu, Mr. An hesitated for a moment, then nodded, "Senior."
"Wanna chat?" Although it sounded like a question, Ren Chu had already walked out, and Mr. An could only follow.
Ren Chu stopped with Mr. An in front of the flower house.
"Did you come from the school?" Ren Chu suddenly asked.
Mr. An nodded, "Yes, I used to spend Wanwan's birthday with her in the past few years."
"I heard from Gu Qiao that during high school, you and three others celebrated her birthday, along with your girlfriend, Liang Xia. Thank you for coming to celebrate her birthday today. Wanwan will be very happy," Ren Chu said.
Without giving Mr. An a chance to speak, Ren Chu continued, "Wanwan mentioned she liked you. You're a good person. Thank you for making soy milk for her. From now on, she only drinks the soy milk I make."
Ren Chu patted Mr. An's shoulder, "Go inside; they're waiting."
"Will you always be good to her?" Mr. An suddenly asked.
Ren Chu turned around and calmly said, "As Wanwan's good friend, I will answer your question. She's my ride or die, and I promise an everlasting commitment."
Mr. An's inner turmoil deepened once again. What was he thinking? Ren Chu was right—he was just Lu Wanwan's good friend. That liking had long become a thing of the past. Why couldn't he let go?
Lu Wanwan noticed that Ren Chu had taken Mr. An aside, and she became a bit nervous, lingering at the entrance for a while. Ren Chu returned first, and she cautiously asked, "What did you say to Mr. An?"
Ren Chu feigned mystery, "It's a secret. Let's go cut the cake."
After a while, she finally found an opportunity to quietly ask Mr. An, "What did Ren Chu say to you?"
In fact, she had some vague expectations that Ren Chu might speak disrespectfully or even physically confront her pseudo-ex, proving how jealous and concerned he was.
However, to her surprise, Mr. An just paused and said, "Ren Chu gave me a card."
"Huh?" Lu Wanwan looked puzzled.
"He said I'm a good person."
Lu Wanwan: "..."
Ren Chu was indeed clever, achieving his goal without any bloodshed!
The birthday cake didn't look large, only two layers—ten inches for the bottom layer and eight inches for the top. It didn't seem to meet the specifications for a banquet. It was a fondant cake with a turquoise base, adorned with flowers on the side. Silver sugar beads were sprinkled on top, and there were two cylindrical objects placed on the very top. The "Happy Birthday" on the chocolate plaque looked beautifully written, bold and forceful, unlike something written in chocolate.
"What's this, hahaha!" Fan Yi pointed at the two cylindrical objects on the cake and burst into laughter. Ren Chu shot a deadly gaze at him and then smiled, saying, "Speak nicely."
"This is... a house? Does it symbolize... building a love nest?" Gu Qiao hesitated to speak.
"I think it's a stone, symbolizing enduring love," Xiao Xiao tried to come up with an explanation.
Song Rongrong stroked his chin and said, "I also think it's a stone, but more like a boulder. Look, there are flowers blooming beside it. The entire meaning should be that, no matter how the seasons change, the boulder remains unmoved!"
Wang Xinyu cursed in her heart, why are you all so articulate, able to analyze so many meanings? The academic elites are indeed extraordinary. What should she say to her cousin? He seemed to be looking at her, and it seemed like there was no escape. Wang Xinyu cast a pleading look at Meng Xibai, who was holding a plate, contemplating how to cut the cake perfectly. She bit her lip and said, "I think..."
Just then, Lu Wanwan, who had finished talking with Mr. An, came over. After seeing the cake, she asked, "Did Ren Chu make this cake? Are these two figures supposed to represent us?"
Ren Chu happily nodded. However, looking at everyone's horrified expressions, who could have thought that someone would turn figurines into stone pedestals!
Lu Wanwan made a wish, blew out the candles, and cut the cake. Meng Xibai's knife skills were truly impressive, evenly distributing the cake.After cutting the cake, the dance party officially began. As Gu Qiao and Xiao Xiao didn't have dance partners, Ren Chu chose two estate stewards to accompany them. Both were six feet tall, possessed long legs, and were dressed in tuxedos, resembling excellent male models. Gu Qiao and Xiao Xiao were excited and ran over to Lu Wanwan, saying, "Ren Chu is such a good person! He's trustworthy!"Lu Wanwan responded with an "Hmm," implying that they didn't need to tell her. Holding a plate, she came out of the castle and stood on the balcony on the second floor, gazing into the distance. She took a bite of the cake; it was the first time she had eaten a cake made solely by Ren Chu, and it was slightly better than she had imagined.Ren Chu settled his classmates and came to Lu Wanwan's side, encircling her waist."You're quite talented. Learn a bit more from me, and you can open a shop," Lu Wanwan commented."Got some cake on your face, accidentally," Ren Chu turned Lu Wanwan's face towards him, hands resting on her shoulders."Where?" Lu Wanwan raised her hand to wipe it off but was stopped by Ren Chu, who said, "Right here, you can't see it. Let me help you."After saying that, he kissed her near the lips, his tongue brushing over the corner of her mouth, and then he said, "There, done."Lu Wanwan covered her chest, feeling her heart about to leap out. Her face was burning, and she fanned herself several times with her hand before saying, "Where did you learn this move? Have you been reading some love strategies recently?"Ren Chu raised an eyebrow but didn't answer that question. Instead, he continued to hold her in his arms, saying softly, "What wish did you make just now?""I made three wishes, all related to you. Do you want to hear them?" Lu Wanwan asked."I won't listen. If wishes are spoken, they won't come true, especially when your wishes are related to me," Ren Chu replied.Lu Wanwan felt a bit anxious and quickly pulled him, saying, "If I don't say them, they might not come true.""Could it be..." Ren Chu paused, thinking. If the third wish was related to their relationship, he was more than willing to fulfill it."The first wish is to be the top scorer in the final exams. Without you, how can I achieve that?" Lu Wanwan vigorously nodded her head, "Yes, please help me highlight the key points!"Ren Chu also nodded; he was already good at predicting the exam questions."The third wish..." Lu Wanwan paused for a long time. Ren Chu's lips curled up, and he coughed, covering up his nervousness. The third wish probably had something to do with their relationship, he thought."I hope..."
At this moment, Lu Wanwan's phone rang, showing that it was from Guan Ai. She had almost forgotten about Guan Ai; today's text was sent to multiple people. Lu Wanwan stuck out her tongue and said, "Let me take this call first."
It turned out that Guan Ai had arrived at the door but couldn't get in, so she called Lu Wanwan for help. After hearing this, Ren Chu instructed one of the estate stewards to welcome Guan Ai. Unexpectedly, not only Guan Ai but also her bodyguard Tang Luo came.
"I've never been here before, and Tang Luo knows the way, so he escorted me. Lu Wanwan, I hope you don't mind," Guan Ai said with a smile.
"Why would I mind? Thank you both for coming."
"Happy birthday, Lu Wanwan." Tang Luo presented a gift box, which Ren Chu took on behalf of Lu Wanwan and casually placed it on the table.
The addition of Guan Ai and Tang Luo made the previously harmonious atmosphere a bit strange. While others were playing and making noise, the atmosphere on this side, where the sofa was, became quiet. Sitting on the sofa were three people, including An Jiaxian. An Jiaxian glanced at Guan Ai; she couldn't integrate into this scene. Like himself, even though he had known Lu Wanwan for so long, he was not familiar with her friends. Perhaps he should leave; unwelcome people should leave.
"Why are you looking at me?" Guan Ai smiled.
"I think maybe the three of us can go back together since you invited me," Tang Luo said.
"Your feeling is wrong." Guan Ai stood up and walked toward the crowd, and after a while, Tang Luo walked away too. He picked up a glass of champagne and approached Lu Wanwan.
"Today is considered an official apology to you, Lu student," Tang Luo said, pointing to his head.
Lu Wanwan, who was singing with Song Rongrong, shook her head and said it was okay; she was still immersed in the singing.
"Let me toast you," Tang Luo said again.
In fact, Lu Wanwan had never taken the incident of being hit by a snowball to heart. Tang Luo repeatedly brought it up, making her a bit embarrassed. Wanting to quickly end this topic and continue singing, she found a glass of champagne and took a big sip.
At this moment, Guan Ai, who knows from where, accidentally bumped into Lu Wanwan's elbow, causing the champagne to flow all over her.
"I'm sorry, it was not intentional," Guan Ai apologized quickly.
"It's okay; I'll change into another outfit!" Lu Wanwan handed the microphone to Gu Qiao and said, "Sing on my behalf."
Gu Qiao's face turned green, saying, "Sing a duet with Song Rongrong? I don't know this song!"
Lu Wanwan climbed to the third floor, and she didn't want to change back into her own clothes because Ren Chu was still dressed like a prince. She needed to continue dressing like a princess to match him. Fortunately, Ren Chu had prepared many dresses for her, so she chose another one.
Ren Chu received a call from the company, went to the second floor, answered it in the study, and finished the call concisely. When he opened the door to come out, someone happened to push the door in. Unexpectedly, that person lost balance suddenly and fell directly towards Ren Chu. Swiftly, Ren Chu took a step back.
Lu Wanwan came out of the room on the third floor and happened to see this scene on the second floor. Guan Ai fell down clumsily. Lu Wanwan slowed down her pace, walking down the stairs slowly.
Guan Ai regretted making a fool of herself, quickly got up, straightened her clothes and hair, and smiled at Ren Chu, saying, "It's a bit noisy downstairs. I wanted to come up and get some fresh air. I didn't expect, Senior, you're here too."
Ren Chu lowered his eyes, speaking flatly, "This castle hotel belongs to my family. Of course, I'm here."
"Senior seems to have hostility towards me. I think there must be some misunderstanding between us."
"No misunderstanding."
Ren Chu's indifferent tone, if it were the usual, the proud Guan Ai would have surely erupted in anger. However, she lowered her head with a hint of sadness, gently tugging at the hem of Ren Chu's clothes. "Are you angry with me?" she asked softly.
"Hmm?"
"In fact, our first meeting was during the freshman orientation in our first year. You were the senior who showed me the way. Later, we were elected as the campus couple. I thought we were destined to be together, but my reserve and turning a blind eye made our distance grow. Senior, if there's a chance to start over, we wouldn't miss it, right?" Guan Ai's cheeks were flushed, probably from drinking. She lowered her head like a child who had done something wrong, appearing tranquil and beautiful, like a painting.
Ren Chu frowned slightly. Lu Wanwan, who was outside, couldn't see Ren Chu's expression at all, and his words were not clear either. She only heard Guan Ai's heartfelt confession. What happened between them? Lu Wanwan felt a bit of discomfort in her chest.
"I think there might indeed be a misunderstanding between us," Ren Chu suddenly said.
Guan Ai lifted her head in surprise, looking at Ren Chu with teary eyes.
He continued, "The biggest misunderstanding between us is that you think I know you."
Lu Wanwan approached, just in time to hear this sentence. Even as an outsider, she felt a heavy blow. Wasn't Guan Ai struck by lightning as the person involved?
Ren Chu glanced at Lu Wanwan, who was not far away, and called out to her, "Wanwan, aren't you bringing me downstairs?"
Lu Wanwan responded with an "Oh," and Guan Ai, suppressing her tears, pushed Lu Wanwan aside and went downstairs.
In that glance, Lu Wanwan saw the stubbornness and resentment in Guan Ai's eyes. Suddenly, she felt a bit chill. She patted her chest, and Ren Chu opened his mouth, about to explain.
"I actually...," Ren Chu began.
Lu Wanwan waved her hand, "Don't say it. I understand. She has bad judgment; she actually fell for you. How pitiful."
Ren Chu: "..."
She suddenly realized how miserable it was to have a crush on Ren Chu, the best student bully at Z University. Yet, being liked by this academically excellent bully was the happiest thing.
In the blink of an eye, half of this semester had passed, and many junior students were preparing for internships, especially those in the finance department, who had already started working in various companies in suits and leather shoes.
Since the internship recruitment began, there was an unspoken joy spreading across the entire campus. Everyone hoped and anticipated that the renowned academic overlord would go for an internship. They didn't know why they were afraid of Ren Chu, but someone concluded that people born at the finish line were not to be messed with.
Lu Wanwan and her clinical department had no worries or excitement about internships. They still had seven years of endurance ahead. Even before internships, their senior brother graduated. For a while, tears were shed secretly by the clinical department's junior brothers and sisters. It indirectly indicated that in the future, the only assistant teacher accompanying them would be the second senior brother, Meng Xibai.
However, after waiting for a while, Meng Xibai didn't scold anyone. Instead, he seemed to be in high spirits. After inquiring, Lu Wanwan learned that Meng Xibai was in love and publicly mentioned his girlfriend Wang Xinyu on Weibo.
When Lu Wanwan saw this Weibo post appear on her homepage, there were quite a few comments and reposts, mostly contributions from junior students. She took a cursory glance, and besides the blessings, there were also a few sour-toned comments. It was uncomfortable, like eating a fly. However, directly scolding them would lack grace. Lu Wanwan couldn't resist and replied to those few people with tactful words, hoping everyone could offer their blessings.
In the evening, when Ren Chu came to find her for dinner, Lu Wanwan was still immersed in a back-and-forth with those people. The library had changed several shifts of people, but only her keyboard was clattering away.
Ren Chu entered the library's gate, and all the junior brothers and sisters along the way were nervously directing him. He effortlessly found Lu Wanwan. He seemed quite exhausted, so his steps were a bit heavy. When he sat down beside her, he leaned on Lu Wanwan's shoulder, and his arm wrapped around her.
Perhaps because the library's temperature was very comfortable, in no time, he fell asleep. It wasn't until Lu Wanwan suddenly moved that Ren Chu woke up, realizing that she was still typing. He placed his hand on Lu Wanwan's hand, holding it, and said, "What's so interesting?"
"A war of words!"
Ren Chu glanced at the screen and found that she was arguing with a few people. The opponents were using vulgar language, while Lu Wanwan was citing classical references without a single dirty word, arguing with reason. "Let's go eat," he suggested.
"No, it's not over yet!"

Ren Chu looked at her earnest appearance, which was so cute. He ruffled Lu Wanwan's hair and said, "Leave the quarreling to me."
Ren Chu logged into his account and reported those people while also mentioning the soon-to-retire Student Union President, Fan Yi.
Lu Wanwan was stunned by this series of actions. "Isn't this a bit unfair?"
Ren Chu nodded and said, "Yes, it's a bit unfair. Fan Yi is about to retire; he shouldn't be involved in such things."
"Does Fan Yi often help you like this?"
"Why?"
Lu Wanwan thought for a moment and said, "In theory, if he always helps you with such things, his popularity should be very poor. How could he possibly be the Student Union President?"
Ren Chu smiled but didn't answer that question. "Let's go eat."
Later, out of curiosity, Lu Wanwan logged into the school forum and checked. She then realized that there were only two candidates each year, one was Fan Yi, and the other was Ren Chu. She seemed to understand why Fan Yi was re-elected. Given the choice between someone mediocre and someone terrifying, the result was obvious.
While Ren Chu went to buy food, Lu Wanwan sat at the table waiting for him, feeling bored. She started browsing Weibo, and indeed, those who had argued with her earlier had disappeared. Soon after, she received several private messages, all asking nervously: "Lu classmate, will Senior Ren Chu go for an internship? Can you help him go for an internship?"
"What are you looking at?" Ren Chu put down the food tray, asking Lu Wanwan, who was still grinning foolishly.
Lu Wanwan put away her phone, coughed, and asked seriously, "May I ask Senior Ren Chu, since it's the second semester of our junior year, should you find an internship in a company?"
"I do want to go for an internship, but I'm afraid others might think I'm an industrial spy." Ren Chu said casually. Lu Wanwan knocked her head secretly, realizing that she had forgotten that he was born at the finish line and already had his own company.
Ren Chu silently served the stone pot bibimbap and pushed it in front of Lu Wanwan, saying, "Who told you to ask?"
Lu Wanwan, feeling guilty, said, "Private messages on Weibo."
Ren Chu didn't get angry; instead, he looked indulgent and said, "Next time you answer a question, remember to set it as a paid mode."
Crafty businessman!
"Your classes start late next week. Come and accompany me for training."
"Swimming?" Lu Wanwan almost instinctively asked.
Ren Chu pursed his lips and smiled. "Table tennis."
"Oh..." She nodded and said, "Sure." Then continued eating.
"Do you prefer to watch me swim?"
She remembered the first time she went to the swimming pool to find him, how he floated on the water with the clear lines of his muscles exposed before her eyes. She felt a bit excited and quickly shook her head. "Table tennis!"
Ren Chu made a sound of agreement, and his lips curled slightly.
When the bold confession of Meng Xibai on the social platform was about to end, Wang Xinyu came to the anatomy laboratory of the clinical department in a grand manner. Surprisingly, Ren Chu was there too. After sitting down, the two stared intently at the screen, where the hands of the two people dissecting the organs were shown—one was Lu Wanwan, and the other was Meng Xibai.
"These hands are so beautiful; I wonder how they grew." Wang Xinyu's eyes turned into two peach hearts, occasionally throwing flirtatious glances at Meng Xibai, even though he kept a cold face and did not respond.
Lu Wanwan waved at them, and the knife in her hand almost flew out. Ren Chu blinked at her, laughing naturally and harmlessly.
Wang Xinyu rolled her eyes. "Public display of affection, shameless!"
"You are showing off too."
This made Wang Xinyu even angrier. She sat alone sulking, scrolling through the Weibo posts from the past few days. Many people came to her to scold her, but instead of getting upset, she was quite happy. When Lu Wanwan finished the anatomy lab class and came over, Wang Xinyu grabbed her and showed her those insulting messages.
"Are you okay?" Lu Wanwan looked puzzled. Wang Xinyu seemed delighted despite being scolded. What kind of thought process was this?
"You don't understand! People scold me because of Meng Xibai. It's because they're jealous that I can be with such a good guy. It indirectly proves that Meng Xibai is a great boyfriend!" Wang Xinyu said proudly. Lu Wanwan seemed to understand but couldn't agree.
"After you got together with my cousin, did anyone scold you?"
Lu Wanwan shook her head.
Wang Xinyu suspiciously touched her chin. "It shouldn't be like this. He has a lot of enemies. Anyway, be careful, and if you need help, find my cousin!"
Little did they expect that a casual joke would turn into reality.
Almost instantly, private photos of Guan Ai started appearing on various social media platforms. These were some daily life photos taken in her dorm, most of them in pajamas. It was evident that these photos were taken without her knowledge. As classmates marveled at how beautiful Guan Ai looked, even in stolen pictures, a question arose: who took these intimate dormitory photos, and who posted them?
As roommates, Lu Wanwan, Gu Qiao, and Xiao Xiao felt bewildered and decided not to stay in the dorm. They hid in Lu Wanwan's baking studio to strategize. New posts appeared online, analyzing that Gu Qiao and Xiao Xiao were unlikely to be the culprits, directing the blame directly at Lu Wanwan.
Moreover, according to reliable sources, there were intricate connections between Guan Ai and Lu Wanwan. Firstly, both had participated in the campus beauty pageant and were originally competitors. Secondly, Guan Ai and Lu Wanwan's current boyfriend, Ren Chu, had a close relationship, rumored to have been a couple. Thirdly, the new round of the campus beauty pageant had started, and Lu Wanwan's votes were lower than Guan Ai's.
The reliable source listed dozens of possibilities for Lu Wanwan being the culprit, and public opinion gradually shifted towards blaming Guan Ai. In the end, Lu Wanwan became the real perpetrator in this case. Soon, people began posting comments claiming to have seen Guan Ai in the dormitory building looking unhappy, often facing cold violence from new roommates. Some even disclosed that Lu Wanwan bullied Guan Ai.
This post appeared within half a day, and the three roommates suddenly found themselves the prime suspects.
Xiao Xiao, biting on a straw, asked, "Seems like I'm not involved. Do we still need to discuss countermeasures?"
Gu Qiao shook her head. "Probably not. There's nothing about me either. We can go back to sleep."
Lu Wanwan looked at the two of them plaintively, showing a bit of Ren Chu's charm.
"Dare to take a step to try!"
Gu Qiao chuckled. "I'm kidding. It's obviously a set-up. Let's quickly figure out a way to clear our names!"
"Check the IP. They say I leaked Guan Ai's photos. Show the evidence!" Lu Wanwan refused to accept it.
Xiao Xiao suddenly remembered, "Isn't Tang Luo quite close to you? He's a top student in our school's computer science department. You can ask him to help investigate."
Gu Qiao looked at Xiao Xiao disdainfully, threw away the straw in her mouth, and said, "Biting the straw has made you stupid. Tang Luo secretly admires Guan Ai; the whole school knows!"
Xiao Xiao sighed, "Well, then, should we ask Senior Ren Chu for help? He'll surely be able to resolve it."
"No need! This is a small matter; I can handle it myself. Senior Ren Chu still needs to train." Lu Wanwan said, and she really began to handle it on her own. She spent several days in the library, reading books on computer science, starting with C language, one book after another.
Even when she went to watch Ren Chu's training, she brought books and a laptop. She looked so focused, as if she would be able to write code on her own in no time.
Ren Chu played several matches, demonstrating stable performance and almost invincible skills against the entire team. During the breaks between games, Lu Wanwan would approach him with a towel and water, tiptoeing to wipe away his sweat and feeding him her homemade fruit-flavored soda.
Witnessing these heartwarming scenes, members of the table tennis team couldn't bear it anymore. They jokingly told her, "Junior, can you please stop coming? We've established the Single Dogs Care and Protection Association in our team. I'm afraid you might get beaten up."
At such moments, Lu Wanwan would take out the cookies she baked for everyone. The team's resistance would instantly dissipate, proving more effective than Ren Chu's overpowering presence.
Lu Wanwan never told Ren Chu about the online cyberbullying incident. He had heard about it from others, but he didn't directly approach Lu Wanwan to confirm it. They maintained a silent agreement, acting as if they were oblivious to the situation.
Lu Wanwan found a tutorial online and stumbled upon a technical post. She contacted the genius who wrote the post, and he generously shared the relevant techniques with her, even helping her discreetly.
In the end, with the joint efforts of Lu Wanwan and the genius, they traced the IP of the whistleblower, dismantled the proxy servers, and decrypted the encryption program. The truth came to light: Guan Ai had posted those pictures herself, and Tang Luo had helped her conceal her identity. Following the lead of Gu Qiao and Xiao Xiao, the girls from the same dormitory building came forward to support Lu Wanwan.
In an instant, Lu Wanwan's image took a positive turn. She was depicted as a helpful, excellent student, and a good Samaritan who often helped elderly people cross the road.
If it weren't for these online posts, Lu Wanwan wouldn't have realized how many good deeds she had done.
The IP addresses of the girls who had maligned Lu Wanwan were also exposed – they turned out to be Guan Ai's classmates. The person who had manipulated the IP address to frame Lu Wanwan was Tang Luo. Due to the negative impact, Tang Luo was stripped of his position as a forum administrator and received an official reprimand.
The incident caused a major stir, and Guan Ai had to move out of the dormitory and return to her original room. She left without saying a word to Lu Wanwan and her roommates, not even a glance.
Later that afternoon, someone knocked on their door.
"The environment is pretty nice here. I'm living here from now on."
"Song Rongrong!" Lu Wanwan exclaimed with joy. "Really? That's great!"
Xiao Xiao, feeling threatened, solemnly said, "There's a rule in the dormitory – no singing."
With the tricky situation resolved, Lu Wanwan's mood improved. She returned the borrowed textbooks and thanked the genius who had guided her. She also asked if she could continue seeking advice.
The genius replied promptly: "My fees are quite high. You better focus on your studies."
Perplexed, Lu Wanwan responded, "Last time you helped me, you didn't charge any fees." She then asked if someone had hired him to assist her.
The genius replied with a smiling emoji, without denying it.
She instantly knew who it was, sprinting all the way to the outside of the finance department building. There, she found the classroom where Ren Chu was. As the bell for the end of the class rang, Ren Chu leisurely walked out, and Lu Wanwan, disregarding the many people around, rushed through the crowd and embraced him.
Ren Chu was startled by Lu Wanwan's sudden appearance, but more than that, he was pleasantly surprised. Embracing her, he softly asked, "Have you been waiting for me?"
Lu Wanwan shook her head, "Just picking you up after class!"
"Every day from now on?" he inquired.
Lu Wanwan smiled, intentionally not answering, and circled around Ren Chu. "Why didn't you bring your textbooks?"
Ren Chu lazily replied, "I've memorized them. Can't skip Professor Liu's class."
He took Lu Wanwan's backpack, disregarding whether it matched his clothes or not. With one hand holding the bag and the other holding Lu Wanwan's hand, they walked towards the library.
The campus was filled with blooming flowers; summer had quietly arrived, and the summer vacation was approaching. Time passed quickly, and Lu Wanwan had already been at Z University for almost a year. She looked up at Ren Chu and suddenly said, "You'll be a senior when the new semester starts, right? Will you still stay on campus every day?"
"I don't want to continue into my senior year." Ren Chu said.
"Why?" Lu Wanwan recalled that Ren Chu had a history of considering dropping out during high school. She became nervous, "Is it because of the heavy workload or relationship issues? Why do you want to drop out? You can graduate with a finance degree in four years; you should persist. In clinical medicine, we have to study for eight years!"
Ren Chu, looking at her anxious appearance, couldn't help but laugh. He rubbed her hair and said, "I've mastered the courses, just thinking of skipping a level and going straight to graduate school. Don't worry; I won't drop out. My education level has to match yours."
Lu Wanwan breathed a sigh of relief, but then felt that Ren Chu was indeed an extraordinary academic achiever. He self-studied such difficult courses and even considered skipping a level! She couldn't help but envy him.
"Don't envy me. If you get first place in the next exam, there's a reward."
"Song Rongrong has been particularly diligent lately, so I have to study hard too. Let's go, go, go to the library, and study until dawn!"
Ren Chu was momentarily stunned. Why didn't she ask what the reward was? Was he looking for a fake girlfriend again?