Chapter 889: Probing

Just at this moment, Hu Qiang, the Deputy Department Chief of the Academic Affairs Office, walked over. He caught sight of Ma Rui, shook his head helplessly, and lowered his voice: "Ma Rui, you kid, how could you beat someone like that? Do you know who he is?"

Ma Rui usually had a decent relationship with him, so he laughed and replied: "That grandson was hitting a female student from our class. I was acting in righteous defense. I didn't want to start a fight, but when some people tried to break it up, the guy actually ambushed me!"

Upon hearing this, Hu Qiang let out a bitter laugh: "That man's father is Sun Yong, the Director of the Film Bureau in charge of project approvals. You've offended him; do you think your family's future projects will still get approved?"

Ma Rui laughed and said dismissively: "I can't worry about all that. Anyway, my mom doesn't invest in films anymore, so the Film Bureau can't touch her."

Hu Qiang shook his head helplessly: "You kid, behave yourself at school from now on. Don't think that just because Deputy Director Liu has left, there's no one left to deal with you. I'm telling you, there are still a few people in school who are on good terms with Deputy Director Liu. Watch out for someone digging up dirt on you."

Ma Rui nodded: "Fine, I won't attend these dance parties anymore."

After saying this, he walked away. Hu Qiang stood where he was, watching his back, feeling both amused and frustrated.

Ma Rui walked out of the cafeteria and headed straight toward the company.

The sky had turned completely dark, and the streetlights stretched their shadows out long.

He hadn't walked many steps before he sensed someone following him.

He looked back and saw Liu Wei following right behind him, her pace neither fast nor slow, like a little tail.

Ma Rui frowned: "Liu Wei, it's already dark, why are you following me?"

Liu Wei bit her lip and said softly: "I want you to walk with me for a bit, is that okay?"

Ma Rui was stunned, then laughed: "You aren't planning to offer yourself to me because I helped you, are you? I'll tell you now, my family doesn't allow me to have two relationships at once; I'd be beaten to death if I did."

Liu Wei glared at him: "Don't talk nonsense. I just want you to help me decide something."

Ma Rui waved his hand: "I'm no 'friend to the ladies.' I don't understand women's affairs, and I can't help you make decisions."

Liu Wei fell silent, keeping her head down without a word, just walking by his side the whole time.

After walking for a while, Ma Rui sighed: "Fine, tell me, what is it?"

Liu Wei still didn't speak, just walking quietly beside him with a steady, unhurried pace.

The two reached a small stall by the side of the road. Ma Rui took out money to buy two bottles of soda, but Liu Wei reached out to stop him: "I want to drink beer."

"If you get drunk, I don't have the strength to carry you back to the dormitory," Ma Rui said.

"I don't need you to carry me," Liu Wei said very seriously.

Ma Rui glanced at her and didn't argue further. He bought two bottles of cold beer, opened the caps with an opener, and handed her one.

A fine layer of water droplets condensed on the bottle wall; when Liu Wei took it, it felt very cold.

The two walked slowly, shoulder to shoulder, neither speaking, as streetlights passed overhead one after another.

They had almost circled half of the Normal University when Liu Wei finally spoke, but it was about films.

"Ma Rui, have you seen *In the Heat of the Sun*?"

"It hasn't even been released yet, how would I have seen it?" Ma Rui said.

"Many classmates and I went to the film archive to watch it. It was filmed so well. Do you know? The male lead in it is very similar to you."

"Similar to me? Then someone else is going to be stealing my rice bowl!" Ma Rui joked.

"I mean his personality," Liu Wei said, turning her head to look at him.

Ma Rui saw the anxiety hidden in her eyes and asked: "Liu Wei, you're being quite dawdling today. My feet are even getting blisters, why haven't you gotten to the point? Is there something unspeakable that's hard to say?"

Liu Wei set the beer in her hand down on the road and sat on the curb, saying: "I went to audition for a film crew a while ago and ran into Wang Siwei, a senior from our department in the '89 class. Do you know him?"

"We live in the same building," Ma Rui snorted. "That guy is no good. He likes to drink, and when he's drunk, he yells and screams; he has no drinking etiquette. What did he do to you?"

"After I finished the audition with the crew, he invited me to dinner. That day... he wanted me to be his girlfriend."

Ma Rui subconsciously gripped the beer bottle in his hand, only letting go after a few seconds.

He couldn't explain it himself, but he felt as if something of his was about to be snatched away.

He had long since made it clear to Liu Wei that they couldn't be boyfriend and girlfriend, but hearing those words made his heart feel as if it had been fiercely pinched by something.

He took a deep breath, suppressed that inexplicable emotion, and tried to make his voice sound relaxed: "He's not really trying to date you; this is a 'hidden rule.' He just wants to use his position in the crew to help you get a role, toy with you, and then kick you out once the crew disbands."

"That can't be right, he said he had secretly liked me since school, and that we were freshmen then and he didn't want to interfere with my studies, so he didn't confess!" Liu Wei said earnestly.

"Liu Wei, I'm not trying to interfere with your dating. But I know Wang Siwei. We lived on the same floor for two years; how could I not know what he's like? He has a terrible temper. On the day he graduated, he smashed all the glass in every room on the sixth floor. Is that something a human does?"

Liu Wei opened her eyes wide, looking puzzled: "You never mentioned this... why on earth did he do that?"

Ma Rui sighed: "The night before, he invited several friends he knew from society to the dorm to play cards. He lost over five thousand, losing even his travel money home. In a fit of rage, he smashed all the doors. If I had been there at the time, I would have definitely taught him a lesson. What kind of person is this, damn it?"

After hearing this, a look of relief appeared on Liu Wei's face, and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly: "If he's like you say, then this guy really is no good."

"Who's to say he isn't?" Ma Rui saw her smile, and the discomfort in his heart dissipated. "His character is truly bad. If you were with him, you might even end up getting beaten."

Liu Wei suddenly blinked, her tone carrying a hint of teasing: "Honestly, I think you're quite violent too. You were really ruthless when you hit that person today."

Ma Rui ignored her and tilted his head to take a gulp of beer.

Liu Wei quickly said: "I'm sorry, I was just joking with you."

Ma Rui put down the beer bottle and said in a flat tone: "I've been learning Kung Fu from my eldest uncle since I was a child. The first thing he taught me was—don't rely on your Kung Fu to bully ordinary people, and especially don't bully women."

The night breeze blew over, gently lifting Liu Wei's hair, and she skillfully tied it into a ponytail.

"Ma Rui, tell me the truth, do you like me a little?" Liu Wei looked at Ma Rui with burning eyes.

Ma Rui nodded.

But just at this moment, Liu Wei's tears suddenly fell, one by one, streaming down her cheeks.

She said with a choked voice: "I really envy Yang Jing... for being able to coax your grandmother, grandfather, and eldest uncle so well..."

"You're wrong." Ma Rui looked at her, his tone suddenly becoming serious. "That wasn't Yang Jing coaxing them; it was her being genuinely good to them. My grandmother and grandfather are easy to fool, but my eldest uncle isn't—he's an old veteran of the world. The fact that he also likes Yang Jing shows that she is truly good."

Hearing this, the last bit of hope in Liu Wei's heart vanished. But she still couldn't help but want to probe one more time: "I heard your eldest uncle doesn't just have one wife... will you be like him in the future? You said it yourself, your eldest uncle said you are the most like him. In this regard... will you be like him too?"

Ma Rui shook his head vigorously: "His era was different from now."

Liu Wei suddenly giggled, her laughter scattering softly in the night breeze: "I can see you have no confidence when you say that."

"I do!" Ma Rui immediately defended himself, his voice rising a notch, though his face felt hot.

"You don't." Liu Wei tilted her head to look at him, tears still hanging in her eyes, but the corners of her mouth were curved upward. "Your face is red!"