Chapter 18: CH 15

To lift or to carry?

“Does it feel good to be labelled as a third party under the noses of the whole school?”

Wen Le only felt a burst of indignation rush straight to her scalp when she heard those words. What kind of shit this is?!

TN: ngl it made me angry translating that line too, what a pompous bitch!!

Wen Le took a deep breath and repeated in her heart: there is no such thing as a free lunch in the world; even if you just used him as a shield, you have to pay a price.

“I understand you feel like you’ve been trampled on, and I also know that most people who are in love don’t think with their brains,” Wen Le said with a serene expression on her face. “But I’d like to clear up a few misunderstandings you seem to be having.”

“First and foremost, I have always been single, and I have no intention of developing a relationship with Zhou Kao beyond that of classmates.”

“Secondly, I double-checked with Zhou Kao, who denied having a fiancee. Of course, he could have lied as well. However, in order to avoid future misunderstandings, I still recommend that if you are truly confident and not afraid of scrutiny, you make your relationship public.”

“Finally, if you still don’t believe me and insist on making a fuss, the three of us can sit down and have a good, open discussion, OK?”

TN: Wen Le 3, Zhenzhen 0 LOL

Wen Le’s eloquence was exceptional as a member of the school’s debate team. It was so intense that the opposition wouldn’t even have the chance to speak.

The other party did not respond even after Wen Le had finished speaking for a while, perhaps because she spoke too quickly.

Likely because the other party didn’t understand Wen Le’s words, she only caught the point that Zhou Kao didn’t acknowledge her as his fiancee, and so unable to control her emotions she began to yell, “who are you to him? Will he tell you everything? Don’t bother him; our parents have almost finalized our engagement. Do you not get the hint?”

Wen Le was reluctant to say anything else. She knew that if she were to continue to explain herself, she would be preaching to deaf ears.

Wen Le could probably guess this girl’s temperament and personality. The eldest lady, who had been spoiled since she was a child, had an impulsive and irritable temper, a straightforward personality, and was probably stubborn and knew what she liked and disliked.

Wen Le didn’t want to waste any more time with her, so she simply asked, “how did you get my phone number?”

The other party seemed a little proud, “why should I tell you?”

Wen Le: “……”

“I wish you a happy engagement,” Wen Le stated. “I have nothing to do with him. If you don’t believe me, you can ask him. Please don’t bother me again.”

“These are your own words,” the other party replied. “I’ll have someone check on you. If you break your word, I will publicize the fact that you are a third party who is ruining other people’s relationships on the Internet.”

Wen Le hung up the phone and saw her three roommates all staring at her. Cheng Hui broke the silence first, “what’s going on?”

“I believe it is the Zhenzhen that Sun Youmei mentioned earlier,” Wen Le said. “According to her, she and Zhou Kao have a soon-to-be-engaged-but-still-not-yet-engaged relationship.”

“It appears that this is the third situation,” Bao Xiaofan responded. “Neither she nor Zhou Kao told a lie. But before the engagement has been officialized, she’s already acting on her status as a fiancee. If the engagement falls through, tsk tsk, isn’t she afraid of getting slapped in the face?

“Well, I’m glad she showed up now to cause trouble,” Wen Le said.

It would have been more embarrassing if she had done this in the future.

Man Qingxuan suddenly interrupted, “Lele, do you really think Zhou Kao is the kind of person who obviously has a fiancee but is still ambiguous with other girls?”

Wen Le was taken aback when she heard the words. That’s right, why would she think the worst of others?

It seems that she had some anger resulting from this farce and hasn’t vented it out.

“In fact, although the matter of you and Zhou Kao was discussed on the campus network for two days, you and Zhou Kao appeared separately after that,” Chen Hui said. “Now there is basically no other news, and the previous posts have also been buried by other news.”

“That’s right, in the past two days, it was the online celebrity who competed with Zhou Kao for the school hunk that has more explosive news. He was exposed for being a cheater by a direct source. How can someone outside the school know about you two when there aren’t many people paying attention to you two in school?” Man Qingxuam chimed in.

“Not only did she know about this, but she also found your phone number and called you directly,” said Bao Xiaofan. “No matter what I think about it, this sounds like the work of a certain white-eyed wolf.”

“She also told me, ‘I will find someone to check on you,’ Wen Le shrugged.

“She’s not coming back tonight, is she?” she asked, looking at Sun Youmei’s bed.

“She said she’s coming back,” Cheng Hui clarified. “In fact, her family is quite strict with her. She dates and flirts with her boyfriend behind her parents’ backs. She also blocks her relatives and old classmates on social media. She should be terrified that her parents will be notified by the school counselor.”

“Her parents continue to believe that their daughter is diligently studying at school and that she is surviving on the meagre living expenses that they provide her on a monthly basis.”

“Forget it, let’s not talk about such unpleasant things anymore, lest it affects our mood,” Wen Le said. “What do you have planned for the weekend after tomorrow?”

“Oh, you don’t know how difficult it is to teach that child, ahhh!” sighed Man Qingxuan as she lay down on the bed. “The only reason I’m keeping my part-time job now is that I’ll be able to finally get the nintendo switch I’ve wanted for a long time after I get my salary this month.”

“Come on, you can do it,” Bao Xiaofan held her cheeks. “I haven’t made any plans yet. If there’s really no plans, I’ll go home for a meal. I kind of miss the braised pork made by my mother.”

“Our club has a volunteering activity,” Cheng Hui said. “Do you want to come? You can get a certificate for volunteering.”

Bao Xiaofan raised her hand. “I’ll go, I haven’t got my driver’s license. This volunteer certificate just nicely makes up for one innovation credit.”

“The timing of this event doesn’t conflict with my part-time job, right?” Asked Man Qingxuan. “I’d like to go as well.”

“It’s just for Sunday. Don’t you work part-time on Friday and Saturday afternoons? It shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Then I will go too,” Wen Le said

“Don’t you already have a volunteer certificate, why would you still go?”

Wen Le only said, “Isn’t the point of going to university just collecting various certificates?”

Man Qingxuan spun a pillow and threw it over, “You’re a pervert*!”

*TN: MQX is calling Wen Le a pervert as sort of a Chinese slang for saying that she’s weird for being obsessed about going through all the trouble to collect various certificates when normally people wouldn’t.

They spent some more time joking and enjoying each other’s company. Later, Ai Fei returned from the library. Because it was late, a few of them turned in for the night. Sun Youmei only came back when it was nearly past curfew.

Wen Le was lying in bed, reading a book on her kindle. Suddenly, the phone vibrated, and she glanced at it. It was a message from Cheng Hui.

[She got a new bag.]

Wen Le knew that she was talking about Sun Youmei.

Wen Le hadn’t responded when she received another photo from Cheng Hui.

[I scanned the photo on Taobao*, and it costs almost 100,000RMB.]

*Taobao is an online shopping platform and mobile shopping app in China. 100,000RMB is roughly 14,400 USD.

[She had gushed over a bag that Zhenzhen had purchased. She also mentioned that it was too expensive for her.]

[Also, I doubt she’d be so stupid as to buy the same bag as Zhenzhen.]

No girl likes having others imitate them.

Having said that, Wen Le understood that this bag had been given to her by ZhenZhen.

And why Zhenzhen would suddenly give her such an expensive bag, thinking of tonight’s call, Wen Le seemed to have found the reason.

Thinking over the call she had with Zhenzhen, Wen Le pieced together the reason why Zhenzhen would give such an expensive bag to someone.

Sending bags was probably her way of rewarding loyalty and winning people’s hearts.

Tsk tsk, someone sure is generous.

Wen Le gradually had more and more things going on over the next two weeks.

The debate team had to prepare for the competition, and she had to lead the juniors in preparing for the student union’s activities. The school curriculum was also picking up pace and piling on homework, so Wen Le was forced to take a break to write some manuscripts for pocket money.

After almost two weeks of such a busy schedule, Wen Le returned to the dormitory every night even later than Ai Fei. Finally, the debate competition, the Student Union activities and even the submission of manuscripts were done. Wen Le breathed a sigh of relief. She was no longer so busy that she didn’t even have time to eat.

In the past half a month, Wen Le had not seen Zhou Kao. It seemed that Zhou Kao had withdrawn from her life again. However, sometimes Sun Youmei’s actions would reveal some information about him.

Sun Youymei had been in a foul mood for several days. She didn’t even carry the 100,000RMB bag out again, most likely because she was affected by Zhenzhen’s bad mood.

Bao Xiaofan’s words seemed to come true, and Zhenzhen was unable to get officially engaged as she had wished.

But this had nothing to do with Wen Le anymore.

Wen Le had no intention of paying any more attention to this matter.

That night, Wen Le was studying in the library. Suddenly, she received a message on her phone from the editor, stating that there was something wrong with the manuscript and that she needed to revise it. Wen Le didn’t have her computer with her, but seeing as the editor was rushing, she decided to pack her belongings and return to the dormitory.

Wen Le chose the quickest route back as she was pressed for time.

This shortcut passed through a small garden. It was a common dating spot for couples, and lovebirds cuddling together could be seen everywhere. Wen Le was afraid of feeling embarrassed and normally avoided taking this path.

Unfortunately, today she met something more embarrassing than seeing a couple making out.

Right at the entrance of this path, Wen Le bumped into Zhou Kao with a girl.

The two of them were not making out. On the contrary, they were almost a meter apart, and the atmosphere was a bit tense.

Wen Le’s steps became more deliberate. She was debating whether she should take a long detour and walk away, or simply pass by without hesitation

But the girl discovered Wen Le before she could make a decision.

It was a little beauty, with exquisite makeup and well-dressed clothes, and an air of arrogance on her face. Her eyes were red, and she appeared to have a sad look in her eye.

When she saw Wen Le, the girl became very agitated. “I was wondering how I managed to get you to meet me at this time,” she said to Zhou Kao, pointing to Wen Le. “It turns out you aren’t here to see me; instead, you were going on a date with her. You’re insufferable!”

After the girl finished speaking, she ran away crying. She passed by Wen Le, pushed against her roughly, and ran away sobbing.

Wen Le wanted to explain that it was a misunderstanding, but was pushed back and twisted her foot.

Wen Le hissed in pain and broke out in a cold sweat.

Zhou Kao hurriedly stepped forward to help Wen Le.

Wen Le pushed Zhou Kao away, endured the pain, stood with one foot firmly planted, and asked, “what do you think you are doing? Don’t you feel embarrassed?”

“Oh, I’ve been in such situations thrice. Maybe I’ve gotten used to it?” Zhou Kao remarked lightly.

*TN: HAHAHAH I really love the snarky comments made by Zhou Kao.

“You’re not going after her?” Wen Le asked.

“The first three times I saw you being confessed to, I didn’t see you chasing after them,” Zhou Kao asked Wen Le rhetorically with a puzzled expression marring his face.

“But isn’t this your fiancee Su Zhenzhen?” Wen Le asked.

Wen Le had seen Su Zhenzhen’s face on Sun Youmei’s social media.

Zhou Kao looked a little displeased and looked like he didn’t want to elaborate on the matter. But after a while, he didn’t hold back and said, “What century do you think we are in? My family had clearly refused.”

Zhou Kao looked a little irritable, but Wen Le also noticed a trace of grievance from him.

Then Zhou Kao said coldly, “I will carry you to the infirmary on my back.”

That had to be her hearing things, Wen Le reasoned.

“Look at my skirt. Do you think piggy-backing me is possible?” Wen Le asked, pointing to the long red figure-hugging skirt that could only stretch to a point where she could take small steps.

“Oh, let’s do a lift then,” Zhou Kao said, giving her a quick glance.

Wen Le:……

Wen Le stretched out her hand, “This gentleman, please do a princess carry instead.”

Zhou Kao pondered for a while, “The infirmary is far from here.”

Wen Le made an ok gesture, “Alright, this old lady shall walk on her own to the infirmary, is that alright?”

Zhou Kao’s eyes lit up with a smile, and he strode forward, horizontally picking up Wen Le.

It was a standard princess carry.

TN: hahahha the last convo got me LOL. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and Merry Christmas!