Chapter 241

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"Besides delivering the invitation, do you have any other business here?"

Lin Xiyu didn't want to argue with her any further, put on her coat, and made a gesture of seeing her off: "If not, then leave. I have to go out, and with no one home, I need to lock the door."

"On the wedding day, I hope to see you both in Shanghai."

Li Qing had no reason to stay any longer, got up with an embarrassed smile, and took her leave.

"I can't decide alone; it depends on whether Guben has time."

Lin Xiyu swiftly locked the door, rode her bicycle, and left the alley first.

Li Qing watched her departing figure in silence for a long while before reluctantly withdrawing her gaze, exiting the alley, and getting into her luxury car.

The driver followed instructions, started the engine, and drove directly onto the Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway, heading back to Shanghai.

——

Guben returned from buying vegetables at the Vegetable Market, saw the Door of the Small Courtyard was locked, no one was home, took out his Mobile phone in some surprise, and was just about to call his beloved wife when a message abruptly came in.

Lin Xiyu had already arrived at the Training Class by this time, and was venting to Wu Meng about what had just happened.

Wu Meng listened on one hand, and on the other secretly sent a message to Guben.

By the time Lin Xiyu finished venting, Guben had already arrived, appearing before her.

"You went to the Vegetable Market, how did you end up running over here?!"

Seeing him, Lin Xiyu thought of Li Qing's smug expression, and instantly got angry out of nowhere.

"Forgot the key."

Guben feigned ignorance of the inside story, smiled embarrassedly, and explained: "Thought you should be here, came over to find you."

"Your guess is really spot on......"

Lin Xiyu glanced over, her gaze drifting to a certain Best Friend, and was just about to needle him a few words when an old teacher who taught Olympiad Math at the Training Class hurried over, interrupting the three: "Mengmeng, sorry, something came up at home, I have to rush back, can you find someone to sub for my class temporarily?"

"Class is about to start......"

Wu Meng got anxious hearing this: "Where am I supposed to find a teacher?!"

"My Grandson has a fever."

That teacher looked troubled: "I know leaving at this time isn't good, but there's only his grandpa at home, he can't be looked after......"

"The child is important, you go back first."

Lin Xiyu gave Wu Meng a reassuring look, first soothed the teacher: "We'll handle the class matter, anything else you need, just say it, we can help take the child to the Hospital."

"No need to trouble you......"

The old teacher's eyes flashed with gratitude: "I'll go back and give the child some medicine first, whether to go to the Hospital, we'll wait for his parents to get off work and let them decide......"

"A child's illness is no small matter."

Lin Xiyu was thoughtful and considerate: "Don't stand on ceremony with us, if you need a car you can call us anytime."

"Okay okay, I got it, thank you, Teacher Lin......"

The teacher was worried about his Grandson's condition, thanked them again gratefully, and hurried off.

"You sure know how to play the good person......"

Seeing the person leave the Door, Wu Meng complained with a bitter face: "You let her go, where are we going to find a substitute teacher?!"

"Don't panic."

Lin Xiyu had a plan: "I dared let her go, so there's definitely a solution."

"You're not thinking of stepping in yourself, are you?"

Wu Meng didn't believe it: "Not that I look down on you, but Olympiad Math isn't English, without real skill, you genuinely can't teach it."

"I wouldn't be stupid enough to teach it myself......"

Lin Xiyu reached out, pointed at the person standing beside her: "You wanted an expert? Look here, far in the sky, close before your eyes."

"Ah?!"

Before her voice fell, two cries of surprise rang out simultaneously.

"Me?"

Guben looked at the slender jade finger pointing at his Nose, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"You're the omnipotent outstanding young talent......"

Lin Xiyu took the chance to vent her feelings, mimicking Li Qing's tone and said sourly: "Put you anywhere and you shine, what's so hard about teaching a primary schooler Olympiad Math?"

"Did I offend you?"

Guben felt the need to defend himself a bit: "This whole time I've been very proper, doing my duty as your backing, taking on all the housework, wholeheartedly supporting your Paper-cutting, doing what you like......."

"I've seen all that, and I admit, without your support, I couldn't have focused on my work without distraction, without worrying about daily necessities......"

Lin Xiyu changed tack and said: "But that doesn't mean I have no doubts in my heart, some things, I feel, we should still lay out in the open."

"Wife, the way you put it......."

Guben's eyes flickered slightly: "Sounds like I've hidden a lot from you......"

"Haven't you?"

Lin Xiyu gave him a sideways glance, half-smiling.

"Can you give a clear hint?"

Guben felt a bit flustered under her gaze.

"Fine."

Lin Xiyu didn't want to wrong herself any longer, and spoke the words she had wanted to ask for a long time: "What's going on between you and Li Qing? Why did she say you've already formed an alliance? When did it start? What exactly did the two of you agree to?"

—

Guben had indeed kept it from Lin Xiyu, never telling her that ten years ago, during the period right after his mother passed away, he had returned from the United States once after seeing the letter she sent him.

At the doorway of Huashi University's campus, he personally witnessed Wang Fan pursuing her in a sports car; their relationship had undergone a subtle change, hovering between mistress and friend, with words and actions quite intimate.

To this day he could not forget how much his heart ached when he saw that scene, his nails digging deep into his palm, piercing himself until he was covered in blood.

"Does it hurt? You just want to watch, eyes wide open, as the woman you love is snatched away by someone else? Falling into another's embrace?"

It was also then that Li Qing suddenly appeared by his side, looking at him with a gaze that was nearly cruel, yet sympathetic, tearing his heart apart bit by bit.

No!

He didn't want to!

He was unwilling!

He had promised to cooperate with her.

And this long-buried memory was a past event he found unbearable to recall, and most did not want her to know.

—

"Cough, cough."

As another person in the know present, Wu Meng coughed twice guiltily, intentionally speaking up for him: "Xiyu, now isn't the time to settle old scores. You said you'd let Guben cover the Olympiad math class, right? There are a few minutes left; let him quickly familiarize himself with the textbook and what's coming up next, don't delay the class..."

"You really want me to teach?"

Guben looked at her gratefully, then immediately put on a look of being very conflicted about teaching, and averted his gaze.

"If you don't teach, who will?"

Wu Meng pretended to be displeased: "The training class isn't run by me alone; Xiyu has a share too. Even for your wife's sake, you can't drop the ball at a critical moment."

"Fine, fine, fine, I'll substitute teach, okay..."

Guben readily agreed, took the textbook from her hand, and with his long legs, walked into the classroom in two or three steps.

"This guy, born in the year of the mule, won't budge unless pushed..."

Wu Meng chuckled, seeing him successfully extricate himself, and also wanted to slip away by rubbing oil on the soles of her feet.

"Mengmeng..."

Lin Xiyu grabbed her in one go: "You seem to owe me an explanation too."

"Me? Me?"

Wu Meng couldn't slip away, and sighed in annoyance.

"That's right, it's you."

Lin Xiyu smiled without smiling.

"What do I need to explain?"

Wu Meng's small gaze trembled, pretending not to understand her words.

"You still haven't told me..."

Lin Xiyu didn't beat around the bush with her, and asked pointedly: "What exactly is going on between you and Guben? When did you make contact? Why did you agree to him, to tip him off?"

"I already said, it's not that I've had dealings with him, it's Liangzi and them..."

Wu Meng still wanted to quibble, but was stared back by her gaze.

"Don't think you can fool me with that line again, I don't believe it."

"Ai ai..."

Wu Meng gave an awkward laugh, hummed a few times, and then said nothing more.

"Mengmeng, how much longer do you plan to hide it from me?"

Lin Xiyu laughed in anger: "Do you really think I can't tell? Before, I didn't ask because I felt it wasn't necessary. Now Li Qing has come knocking; if you don't explain things clearly now, you're harming me..."

"No, no, no..."

Wu Meng's heart trembled, and she hurriedly explained: "I never thought of harming you, not before, and not in the future either."

"Who can't say pretty words..."

Lin Xiyu had made up her mind to get to the bottom of it; how could she easily let her go: "What I want to hear isn't that, it's the truth. If you really mean well by me, don't hide it from me anymore. I don't want to be kept in the dark any longer, being a fool who knows nothing."

"Xiyu, don't say that..."

Wu Meng panicked inside and stammered a bit: "I didn't intentionally want to hide it from you. It's just that back then, in that situation, I really didn't know what to do. That was truly what was best for you..."

"Mengmeng, stop saying meaningless things. Hurry up and say it..."

Lin Xiyu no longer had the mood to keep waiting; she urgently wanted to know the answer.

"I'll tell you, but you absolutely must not be angry with me."

Wu Meng knew she couldn't escape this time, and glanced guiltily toward the classroom doorway.

"It seems..."

Lin Xiyu's heart sank: "What you're about to say will be a burden I cannot bear."

—

Guben and Li Qing conspired to obstruct Wang Fan's pursuit, needing someone to tip them off, and this inner support—the best candidate—was Wu Meng.

Back then, at the doorway of Suzhou University, when she first saw Guben, Wu Meng was indeed quite startled.

A person who had disappeared for nearly a year suddenly appearing before one's eyes—whoever saw it would find it unbelievable.

After understanding Guben's intentions, she agonized over it again.

After all, back then he was down on his luck; his complicated background was really not the best choice for her good friend.

Guben spoke earnestly, asking her to believe in him: before he achieved fame and success, he would not rashly return to disturb Lin Xiyu.

She only hoped to hear from her often, not wanting her to suffer so miserably alone in a foreign land.

Her heart softened.

At first she merely agreed reluctantly, but later, seeing how sincere and devoted he was, she was moved by his deep devotion and willingly became his informant.

The news that Wang Fan wanted to propose was also told to him by her.

It was also for this reason that Li Qing was able to return to Shanghai with her child before the proposal and appear before Lin Xiyu.

——

"When did he find you?"

Hearing that Guben had once returned from the United States, Lin Xiyu felt as if a heavy hammer had smashed her chest, the pain so intense she could barely breathe.

"March of '95, I remember it seemed to be......"

Wu Meng lowered her eyelids, not daring to look at her expression.

"95 years ago..."

Lin Xiyu's eyelids reddened, the corners of her mouth filled with bitterness: "He clearly came back, yet refused to tell me, letting me waste so many more years of my youth in vain, four years, a whole four years, spent in endless waiting, how cruel his heart, how cruel his heart......"

"Xiyu, don't cry......"

Wu Meng panicked, her heart full of guilt: "If you want to blame someone, blame me. Guben had no choice back then, he didn't want to implicate you......"

"I don't want to hear it......"

Lin Xiyu, emotions highly agitated, cut off her words: "What right does he have to presumptuously think for me? Saying it's for my own good — it's all fake. If he truly wanted what's best for me, would he have let me wait for him all those years?"

"Men and women think differently, after all......"

Wu Meng tried to soothe her emotions: "They all have pride, they don't want the person they like to see them at their most wretched."

"Him thinking that way feels even more ironic to me."

Lin Xiyu felt a heavy stifling in her heart: "Does he think I'm a woman who loves vanity? That I can only share sweetness but not bitterness?"

"No......"

Wu Meng was frantic, even stammering a bit: "That's not what I meant......"

"You don't need to say anymore......"

Lin Xiyu didn't want to listen further, turned and walked away: "I can't accept that, without my knowing anything, he would leave without a word once again."

"Xiyu, where are you going......"

Wu Meng ran out from behind the front desk, wanting to catch up, but Lin Xiyu walked too fast; in the blink of an eye she had already rushed out of the hall, mounted her bicycle, and left the alley.

"Ai ai, done in by Guben. Xiyu's really angry now, this is going to be trouble."

Wu Meng failed to catch up, watching her gradually receding figure, and sighed with incomparable resentment.

——

"You confessed everything?"

Forty minutes later, Guben finished class and came out of the classroom, nearly startled by a certain Meng's deeply aggrieved appearance.

"What else could I do if I didn't confess?"

Wu Meng wore a resentful wife's face: "Was I supposed to keep lying to her? We need to be clear — back then it was you who didn't want to see her, it has nothing to do with me."

Guben was quite speechless: "Is there any point in saying this now?"

"Of course there is!"

Wu Meng spoke with righteous confidence: "I must draw a clear line with you, so Xiyu won't blame me, only be angry at you."

"Where is she?"

Guben had no mood to bicker with her.

"Don't know."

Wu Meng shook her head, then gave him a helpless look.

"Which direction did she go?"

Guben rubbed his brow with a bit of a headache.

"East."

This time Wu Meng finally didn't disappoint him, extending her hand to point in the direction Lin Xiyu had left.

Guben glanced toward the Small Commodities Market, already having a rough idea in his mind, shoved the textbook into her hands, and strode out of the Training Class.

——

Qinglong Back Street.

"I don't want to see him, tell him to leave."

Once Lin Xiyu returned to her maternal grandmother's house, she locked herself in the Bedroom; when Guben came looking, she unsurprisingly gave him the cold shoulder.

"Everything was fine, what's all this fuss about now?"

Maternal Grandmother was old in years, wanting to persuade but unable to; looking at the tightly shut door, she sighed quite helplessly.