Chapter 429: Wen Leyu

Li Ye was led by the hand by Wen Leyu, silently pursuing Mu Yunning not far away; on the snow-covered path beside the lake, not a single sound was made.

Li Ye observed closely and noticed that Wen Leyu stepped precisely into every footprint left ahead, and occasionally turned back to whisper a faint "shh."

Only then did Li Ye truly realize that Wen Leyu's year of bayonet training with him hadn't been wasted—once a thin, frail sprout, she'd needed his constant care and nourishment to regain her vitality.

But now, as she moved silently, her long legs had become remarkably supple, agile, and light, revealing a hidden talent for quickness.

Two minutes later, Mu Yunning suddenly stopped beneath a streetlamp, forming a tense standoff with the man following her.

Wen Leyu also halted, peered cautiously for a few seconds, then suddenly turned and leaned close to Li Ye's ear.

She was about to whisper something to Li Ye.

"Teacher Mu and that man have something going on—earlier, he kept trying to get close to her, but she kept resisting."

Li Ye nodded slowly in agreement.

He'd noticed it too—along the way, the man had kept trying to take Mu Yunning's hand, but she'd always refused, eventually shoving both hands into her coat pockets.

Then he'd tried to link arms with her, so she quickened her pace and stopped beneath the lamp.

In an open, well-lit place, any sordid intent would be laid bare.

Teacher Mu began speaking, but because they were too far away, Wen Leyu couldn't hear clearly.

Her small head immediately began to swivel, scanning left and right; she pulled Li Ye into a curved detour, using a cluster of withered trees and the night as cover, successfully closing the distance to just twenty meters.

Teacher Mu's voice finally became clear.

"The last time I went to the lighthouse, I already made it perfectly clear to you—we're over. We're no longer friends. So please don't pull or tug, and don't harbor any filthy thoughts."

"."

Mu Yunning's words stunned all three nearby, especially the man who'd been trying to hold her hand—he looked utterly incredulous.

"When I confessed to you by this lake six years ago, why didn't you say I had filthy thoughts? Now I just want to go back to how we were six years ago—why is that filthy?"

"Hmph~ Six years ago?" Mu Yunning sneered coldly. "The man who confessed to me six years ago was Yu Lichen. Who are you now? Jacken Yu?"

"Yunniang, you're being too extreme. I took an English name to fit in better with my friends—just like our colleagues back home are called Old Wang, Old Zhang."

Yu Lichen hurriedly defended himself: "Besides, whether I'm called Jacken or Lichen, I'm still the same person. I came back from the lighthouse specifically to find you."

"You came to find me?"

Mu Yunning's cold sneer deepened. "Then what have you been busy with these past days? If Xiao Juan hadn't exposed you today, I wouldn't have known you'd been back for half a month."

"."

Yu Lichen fell silent for several seconds, then spoke gravely: "I've been Benbo for our future these past days—several institutions offered me poor terms, and I've been fighting for better ones."

"Without solid material support and a bright future, how could your family ever agree to us being together? Four years ago when I left, your family already doubted us."

"."

Li Ye and Wen Leyu hid behind the dark bushes, listening to Yu Lichen's heartfelt confession beneath the lamp, feeling as if they were watching a play.

Yes, exactly a play.

Beneath the lamp, Yu Lichen recounted his past with Mu Yunning almost as if reciting poetry—speaking of how they'd once loved deeply, how her family had torn them apart, how he'd gone abroad to study and strive, then returned home for love, and so on.

With this level of performance, not to be on stage would be a waste.

At that moment, Wen Leyu leaned her head close to Li Ye's ear and whispered: "Do you think Yu Lichen is lying?"

Li Ye thought for a moment, then leaned close to her ear and asked: "If we were separated for years and I suddenly returned to China, do you think I could resist coming to see you for fifteen days?"

Wen Leyu looked at Li Ye, then smiled faintly after two seconds: "I don't know."

Li Ye smiled and asked again: "What if it were you? After being abroad for years, how many days could you resist coming to see me? Be honest!!!"

Li Ye's whisper against her ear made Wen Leyu's ear tingle, her cheeks flushing slightly—but she answered honestly: "I couldn't wait even one day."

Li Ye spread his hands, as if to say: "There you go—Yu Lichen's lying."

Yu Lichen returned to China and didn't contact Mu Yunning for half a month, only rushing around for jobs—yet now he claims it's all for their future? What nonsense.

Never mind that Teacher Mu has already clearly stated they have no relationship left.

Even if they did, any normal man, after being separated from his girlfriend for years, wouldn't first rush to embrace her, express his longing, and show his joy?

Yet you can endure half a month without seeing her? There must be something wrong with your mind.

Yu Lichen wasn't mentally ill—what came next between him and Mu Yunning opened Li Ye and Wen Leyu's eyes.

Mu Yunning waited silently until Yu Lichen finished his theatrical performance, then asked coldly: "Do you think saying this to me is fair to Heatherlyn?"

"."

Yu Lichen blinked, then said: "I broke up with Heatherlyn. Eastern and Western cultures differ too much—we always had fundamental disagreements. So being together with you is still the best choice."

Mu Yunning was stunned: "You lived with Heatherlyn, and you broke up so casually?"

"This—"

Yu Lichen twisted his face in discomfort for a moment, then said: "In the lighthouse, this is completely normal. Love is free—when love ends, ending it is the best choice for both people."

"Enough. I'm done playing guessing games with you."

Mu Yunning cut him off coldly: "You overstayed your government-sponsored study abroad period. When you returned, you must've faced some trouble—so you feel wronged when applying for jobs, right?"

"."

This time, Yu Lichen only paused for a second before speaking confidently: "But I came back, didn't I? When we first started sending students abroad, many doubted anyone would return—but didn't the top leaders say?"

"He believed the talents nurtured by the great Chinese nation were all flesh-and-blood patriots who would never stand idly by when the motherland faced crisis—even if some chose to stay abroad, we fully understood and respected their choices."

"And I didn't stay overseas—I came back. Why should I be doubted over trivial details?"

I didn't stay overseas—I came back. Why should I be suspected over trivial matters?

After Yu Lichen spoke, Mu Yunning was momentarily speechless.

Because when the government first decided to send students abroad, there had indeed been resistance—only after the enlightened leaders had made the final call.

Many of those enlightened elders had expected that even if only 20% returned, it would still be worth it—back then, sending students abroad was the fastest way to understand the world.

So later, when so many didn't return—even Shanghai's university, since 1979, sent 1,422 government-sponsored students, with only a 63% return rate—the top leaders had anticipated this outcome.

But anticipating it doesn't erase the fact: overstaying is overstaying. During screening, you'd already been labeled—and expecting the same treatment as those who returned on time? That's not easy.

Li Ye didn't understand why Yu Lichen had returned. Logically, someone like him should've stayed in the lighthouse and fought hard.

And with the intensity of mainlanders and four years of education at Beijing University, Yu Lichen could've easily found a job after his master's in the lighthouse—so why did he come back with his face in hand?

Mu Yunning looked at Yu Lichen's wounded expression and asked calmly: "Since you're dissatisfied with the job conditions here, are you planning to return to the lighthouse? This week's flight? Or next month's?"

"No. I'd rather serve my motherland—I just can't accept unfair treatment."

No, I'd rather serve my own country; I just can't accept unfair treatment.

After speaking, Yu Lichen stared at Mu Yunning, lips moving as if to say more.

Mu Yunning stared back coldly, as if waiting.

After a long silence, Yu Lichen finally blurted: "Actually, I've been deliberately obstructed—if someone would just say one word, this wouldn't be an issue at all."

Mu Yunning replied indifferently: "Who do you want to speak for you? My uncle?"

Yu Lichen opened his mouth, then smiled bitterly: "Yunniang, I'm not asking you to trouble your uncle—I just want a better future for us. If you won't help, I can endure all the hardships for you. I can bear it."

"No. You don't need to endure for me. Don't suffer for me either—because we have no relationship. I feel sick just seeing you."

No, you don't need to endure for me, and you shouldn't suffer any indignity for me, because I have nothing to do with you—I feel sick just seeing you!

After speaking, Mu Yunning turned and walked away.

But Yu Lichen quickly stepped in front of her.

"Yunniang, you're wronging me—you're really wronging me. I truly love you."

"Get out of my way!"

Mu Yunning shouted angrily and turned to walk back—but Yu Lichen ran ahead of her, arms wide open like an eagle swooping for a chick, reaching to embrace her.

Mu Yunning shouted in anger and turned to walk away, but Yu Lichen ran ahead of her, spreading his arms like an eagle snatching a chick, and lunged to hug her.

But how could he stop Yu Lichen's harassment without making Teacher Mu feel humiliated?

Li Ye quickly crouched down and began scooping snow, quickly rolling a firm snowball; Wen Leyu copied him, crouching and poking her little butt as she gathered snow.

Li Ye quickly crouched down and began scraping the ground, quickly rolling a firm snowball; Wen Leyu imitated him, crouching and puckering her little butt to gather snow.

Li Ye's aim was excellent—the snowball arced through the air and struck Yu Lichen squarely on the back of the head.

"Who? Who's there? Come out!"

Yu Lichen, already furious, roared into the dark trees after taking the solid hit.

But no sooner had he spoken than Wen Leyu's snowball flew in.

But no sooner had he spoken than Wen Leyu's snowball struck.

"Clang~"

Wen Leyu's aim was off—the snowball grazed Yu Lichen's shoulder and hit the lamp post, producing a metallic "clang."

The lamp post was metal, and the snowball contained a stone—of course it made a metallic sound.

The lamppost was metal, and the snowball contained a stone—wasn't the clash naturally a sound of metal and stone?

(End of chapter)