Chapter 64: Can You Bear to Do It?

After packing a few clothes from Su Wanqing's room, Xu Jing offered to help, but was declined by Liang Jiyong.

This was because he had another mission: to take away the sensitive items!

Although Su Kui had said that this house would be left to Su Wanqing in the future, Liang Jiyong estimated that Su Wanqing would not live here for a short period of time.

Seeing the towel sealed inside a plastic bag, stained with a few red plum-like dots, Liang Jiyong could not help but smile. This was something worth cherishing...

Leaving the residential area of the Red Flag Factory, Liang Jiyong's mood improved considerably.

At least Su Kui truly was a talented salesman. When he first arrived, he had been full of resentment toward him, but upon leaving, he felt that Su Kui was actually a victim and a deeply sympathetic figure.

Loving a woman wholeheartedly for a full decade, only to fail at reclaiming her heart.

This agony was truly...

Then, extramarital affairs and infidelity suddenly seemed understandable!

Calculated this way, Su Kui was actually more noble than himself!

Wanqing loved him wholeheartedly and was even close to accepting Yutong, leaving him to enjoy the blessings of having multiple partners.

Yet he still had Jiang Lan...

If it could be said that Jiang Lan had initially plotted against him, later on, it was simply that he could not bear to part with Jiang Lan's alluring charm.

Furthermore, Liang Jiyong thought of Qingzhi.

Between him and Qingzhi, everything was pure and untainted, yet deep inside, there seemed to be a hidden affection that both of them understood.

A Platonic romance!

Sigh, he really was being a bit greedy, but could he let it go?

Exhaling deeply, he felt a surge of self-contempt before refusing to dwell on these tangled matters any longer!

Su Wanqing was waiting for Liang Jiyong at the dormitory. After packing the clothes, Liang Jiyong uttered a few kind words on behalf of Su Kui.

Since he could not mention the romantic complications between Lin Xiaoyu and Su Kui, Su Wanqing still harbored deep resentment toward Su Kui.

"Hmph! Have you been softened by a few sweet words from him? Now you've turned around and become his lobbyist. Why is your stance so easily swayed?"

Liang Jiyong chuckled. "My stance has always been utterly unwavering: I stand right behind you. Whatever your attitude is, I remain in complete alignment with you.

That being said, Uncle Kui's eloquence is truly undeniable. At least, I now believe that while he made mistakes, his starting point certainly wasn't to hurt you—of that much I am certain.

One thing, though: that Xu Jing is indeed a scheming woman. She accurately gauged Uncle Kui's inner thoughts and knew what he valued most. Without a sound, she got pregnant, and to top it off, it's a son.

Don't overthink it. Having a baby brother is just having a baby brother; you'll have one more sibling to look out for in the future when things settle down!"

"I don't want one!" Su Wanqing declared.

"We can talk about whether you want one later. Anyway, Uncle Kui is leaving in the next couple of days, and he probably won't be back for a year or a half. I told him about your academic results this time, and Uncle Kui was very happy!"

"Nosy," Su Wanqing muttered.

"Fine, I won't say anymore. Let's go get dinner. Shall we stay at Yalan Residence tonight?" Liang Jiyong asked.

Thinking of that night at Yalan Residence, Su Wanqing's face flushed slightly.

"N-no, let's just stay at the dormitory. You drove, so let's go out to eat. I don't have much appetite right now, we can just look around and decide when something catches our eye!"

"Alright, as you wish. Let's go, dress warmly—it's still quite cold today!"

"Mhm. Did you buy this down jacket in Changzhou? It looks really nice, right up my alley aesthetically!" Su Wanqing remarked.

Liang Jiyong smiled as well, though with a guilty conscience; Su Wanqing and Qingzhi seemed to share nearly identical tastes in aesthetics.

Once in the car, Su Wanqing took out her Walkman and put on some music.

Even though there were only two of them, she still pulled out the earphones, keeping one for herself and giving the other to Liang Jiyong.

*Für Elise*...

The moment the music played, Liang Jiyong immediately turned his head to look at Su Wanqing.

This had become the melody of their love.

However, Su Wanqing immediately blushed and pressed the button for the next track.

"No bad behavior allowed tonight!"

"I never do bad things. A person as kind as me only does good deeds!" Liang Jiyong retorted.

"Scoundrel. Let's go find Yutong; she's been taking exams these past few days and should still be in the dorm right now."

"Uh, it's our private world, do we really have to call her?" Liang Jiyong asked.

"Hmph, do we even have a private world? A world of three is probably what you really want!" Su Wanqing shot Liang Jiyong a sideways glance.

"I..."

"Think carefully before you answer. If you lie, you'll be in big trouble!"

Liang Jiyong smiled helplessly. "If I had a choice, I really would want a private world with just the two of us, forever!"

Su Wanqing leaned her head against Liang Jiyong's shoulder.

"I want that too. But neither of us can ignore Yutong's existence.

She's been so good to you, and since childhood, she's taken care of me like an older sister. In the past, I kept saying I didn't like you, that you belonged to her.

Yet now, I've monopolized you. How can I possibly say to her: 'Leave, Liang Jiyong belongs to me alone'? I really can't do it."

Liang Jiyong remained silent; he couldn't do it either!

"And yet, we don't live a hundred years ago, nor do we live in an idyllic paradise where we can act purely on our own whims. This is reality, and I truly don't know what we should do."

"Sigh, I don't know either. Sometimes, I really want to go live in seclusion in Red Leaf Valley, just the three of us. How wonderful that would be..."

"Why Red Leaf Valley? Is it closer to Jiang Lan? Why don't the four of us go into seclusion together instead?"

"Ugh, what wild thoughts are you having? Jiang Lan and I are just friends. I saved her once, so it's completely normal for her to treat me a bit better. Really, don't let your imagination run wild!"

"It's best if you don't. Aside from Yutong, if you dare to flirt with any other women, both Yutong and I will leave you, and we mean what we say!"

Liang Jiyong broke out in a cold sweat, feeling as if needles were pricking his back.

At that moment, the ethereal and heavenly tune of *Scarborough Fair* began to play.

Liang Jiyong had also grown to deeply love this song.

"It sounds so lovely, I love this song!" Su Wanqing said.

"Mm, me too," Liang Jiyong nodded.

"Have you run into that Qingzhi person again?" Su Wanqing glanced sideways at him.

"No!" Without a moment's hesitation, Liang Jiyong lied. Better to avoid extra trouble; there was nothing between him and Qingzhi anyway, so why invite needless vexation?

"Yunzhou is so huge, with millions of people. There are plenty of people you never cross paths with in a lifetime," Liang Jiyong said.

"Do you regret it?" Su Wanqing asked.

Liang Jiyong nodded. "A little bit. Just out of curiosity, wondering what her name is.

But if I actually found out, I might end up regretting it anyway. Meeting someone in passing is often better than getting to know them. Knowing that a girl named Qingzhi recommended a wonderful song is enough.

In life, there are bound to be many regrets. A life without regrets is an imperfect life!"

"Have you started studying philosophy?"

"Life is the most profound philosophy—the process from birth to death, and how to live that process to perfection!

When recalling past events, one should not regret wasting years, nor blush for past mediocrity; and upon the moment of death, one should be able to say:

'My entire life and all my energy have been dedicated to the most magnificent cause in the world—fighting for the happy life of classmate Wanqing!'"

"You rascal, you never take anything seriously. Stop thinking about these things; discussing this with me now is just wasting our youth.

At least before we graduate, marriage won't be a predicament. Perhaps time will offer the best solution!"

"Sigh, I hope Yutong can meet a guy who makes her heart flutter and sets our minds at ease," Liang Jiyong sighed.

"Can you bear to let her go?" Su Wanqing asked.

"Baring it has two meanings.

If such a person truly appears, Yutong's feelings for me will become a beautiful memory, she will find happiness, and we can enjoy our private world without any pressure!"

"That might be the best path, but I think the probability of that happening is infinitesimal, because our hearts are simply too small to accommodate a second person!

Actually, sometimes I can understand my father, because I know my mother's heart was never truly with him!"

Liang Jiyong looked at Su Wanqing in surprise.

"I didn't understand before, but when we were at her house, the way she looked at Uncle Zhou, those subtle micro-expressions, were things I had never seen before.

Perhaps this is for the best; at least both of them have found happiness of their own!"

"We will too!" Liang Jiyong said.

"Maybe. Happiness will be there, and so will trouble. Perhaps that is simply what life is!"

"Haha, look at you becoming a philosopher now!"

"Life is constantly shaping our character," Su Wanqing said as she leaned against Liang Jiyong's shoulder.

Liang Jiyong turned his head and gave Su Wanqing a quick kiss.

However, they quickly parted because he was driving.

"Don't get any ideas, you're driving!" Su Wanqing protested.

"That implies that if I weren't driving, I could get all the ideas I want!"

"You scoundrel, absolutely not. I'm going to call Yutong and tell her to come out!" Su Wanqing said.

"Don't bother calling her out, let's head straight to Yun University. The last time Yutong said she'd show me around their campus cafeteria, it got ruined by that bastard."

"Mm, does your arm still hurt?" Su Wanqing asked.

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"It's mostly better, the swelling has gone down. Give it another two or three days and it should be as good as new. That jerk is probably still wrapped up like a rice dumpling right now!"

"It would be even better if he became a mummy!" Su Wanqing said viciously.

"Right, we'll seal him straight into a coffin and stash him in a pyramid!"

"Alright, let's not talk about that disgusting creature, it ruins the appetite!" Su Wanqing said.

"Fine, no more talk about him. Oh, right, I remember there are some people I promised to treat to dinner, today's a great time."

"Who?" Su Wanqing asked.

"A guy named Zhang Tao, a junior in the Architecture Department. We chatted for a bit while waiting for Yutong the other day, we hit it off well. And also the head of security, Liu Zhao, a veteran. He's a good guy too!"

"Are you planning a grand banquet? Should we call Chen Puer and the others as well?"

"Sure, I think it's very meaningful. My safe return to Yun University isn't just my personal victory—it's the victory of fairness and justice under the law.

The triumph of the rule of law over the rule of men is a milestone victory, a victory worth commemorating..."

“You’re exaggerating way too much. If it weren't for Uncle Long, you might still be locked up inside right now!” Su Wanqing had learned the truth from Di Yutong.

"The process doesn't matter; what matters is the result. With this outcome of mine, it won't be so easy for them to run amok across the land of Yunzhou in the future.

Really, I didn't say that—comrade Zhou Jianguo did.

When I was taken to Changzhou, I was ready to resign myself to fate. A few days in detention would've been fine—it's quiet enough to read books in a detention center.

But Uncle Zhou said this wasn't a personal matter; the dignity of the law must be upheld. Just listen to that level of statesman-like height!"

"He is a man worthy of admiration. I saw my mother once, and she said that during that incident, Uncle Zhou bore immense pressure. Plenty of people tried to pull strings, but in the end, he still insisted on upholding the justice and fairness of the law.

When Mom talked about this, I could feel she was proud of Uncle Zhou. He truly is a man who can make a woman devote herself entirely to him!"

"So am I!" Liang Jiyong said.

"Right, there's one thing where Uncle Zhou definitely can't compare to you!" Su Wanqing said.

"What?" Liang Jiyong quickly asked.

"Your skin is way thicker than his!"

"Hahaha, wonderful, I'll take that as a compliment!"

...

The cafeteria at Yun University was truly impressive, easily rivaling the dining halls of some three-star hotels.

The first-floor lobby featured neat rows of tables and chairs, while the second floor offered exquisite stir-fries and specialty delicacies.

The third floor contained small private dining rooms, used when the school had hosting duties or when students celebrated birthdays and the like, avoiding any disruption to others.

Di Yutong and Chen Puer's dorm mates had all arrived, with the exception of Lu Bin and Zhang Li.

They wouldn't bother inviting someone like Lu Bin. As for Zhang Li, after breaking up with Lu Bin, she had swiftly found a new boyfriend.

Word had it that he was a senior second-generation rich kid who went off to play the moment exams finished, without staying in the dorm to review at all. She couldn't care less about how tomorrow's exams would go.

Zhang Li was fairly pretty and a college student to boot, so she had no worries about her future employment prospects.

Zhang Tao and his girlfriend were also there, and Liang Jiyong had invited Liu Zhao, but Liu Zhao didn't come because he was working and couldn't leave his post.

Jiang Lan had come as well, after receiving a proactive phone call from Su Wanqing.

A dozen people gathered in a single private room, surrounded by a massive spread of diverse food.

Since Liang Jiyong had to drive and didn't care for alcohol, and Chen Puer wasn't fond of it either, neither touched any.

None of the others drank either. In truth, very few people genuinely loved alcohol; going to social events often meant drinking out of sheer obligation.

Perhaps since none of them particularly enjoyed it, but nobody wanted to be the first to speak up, they ended up dragging each other along, forcing themselves to accommodate one another.

Sipping on soft drinks and tea actually allowed for much clearer thinking.

They chatted about everything under the sun.

Chen Puer and Liang Jiyong hadn't seen each other in several weeks, and their conversation naturally gravitated toward the most significant matter in Changjiang nowadays: enterprise restructuring.

"To be honest, in places like Zhejiang, Lingnan, and western Hubei, there's a massive amount of idle capital. Yet many people would rather hold onto it in their own hands than dare invest in the interior. You have to admit, that's a tragedy!"

"What's the reason?" Liang Jiyong asked.

"What do you think?" Chen Puer countered without answering directly.

"Nothing more than concerns over return on investment or capital safety!"

"That's why choosing law as my major was the right call," Liang Jiyong said.

"Indeed. Once you rise to power and govern a region in the future, I'll definitely come invest!" Chen Puer said.

Liang Jiyong laughed. "Then you'll have quite a long wait ahead of you. At least twenty years, I'd say!"

"I believe it won't take that long. Besides, twenty years isn't that long either; we'll still be very young, not even forty!"

"Hold on, you're still a minor. I've already turned twenty; back in the old days, you'd be called a 'toddler with tufted hair,' while I'm already a 'capped youth' coming of age!"

Chen Puer smiled helplessly; being just a few months younger somehow made him a toddler.

At that moment, Di Yutong chimed in, "Then what should beauty queens of our age group be called?"

"Dounian—the age of douchuan! Girls from the age of thirteen until they are married can be called douchuan maidens," Liang Jiyong explained.

Upon hearing this, Fang Zhan laughed and said, "Just hearing that tells you old Liang has really done his research on women!"

Zhao Guodong chuckled. "That sounds deeply ambiguous!"

"Does it?" Fang Zhan feigned innocence!

Liang Jiyong noticed the gaze Jiang Lan cast his way. Although it lasted only for a split second, he still understood it completely: this vixen wanted to devour him!

There was no hope for tonight.

As Liang Jiyong thought this, he suddenly realized that while he used to slightly resist being entangled with Jiang Lan, he now felt a hint of expectation. The mere thought of Jiang Lan's flawless alabaster skin and her alluring dancing posture made him feel...

Dinner wrapped up a little past eight o'clock. Su Wanqing was dragged off to the dorms by Di Yutong; it was Su Wanqing's first time visiting Yun University, and though she didn't plan on studying there in the future, she was still quite curious.

Liang Jiyong had zero interest in a university men's dormitory; aside from smelly socks, there was probably nothing memorable about it.

However, the women's dormitory was off-limits. Even though the dormitory matron had changed, it remained strictly forbidden territory for males.

When Su Wanqing left, she said she was just going up to take a look and would come right back down.

Yet a few minutes later, she locked herself in the restroom and called Liang Jiyong to say she wouldn't be coming back tonight.

It seemed some of the girls had teased her to the point where she was too embarrassed to say she was going back to the dorm with Liang Jiyong tonight. These girls were truly exasperated!

Feeling somewhat depressed, Liang Jiyong walked back to where his car was parked, ready to leave.

To his surprise, a familiar figure walked up to him.

"What are you doing here?" Liang Jiyong looked at Jiang Lan in surprise.

Jiang Lan rubbed her hands together, her shivering appearance making her look immensely pitiful!

"It's so freezing, are you going to just make me stand outside while we talk?" Jiang Lan complained pitifully.

Guilty as charged, Liang Jiyong glanced left and right furtively.

"Get in the car!"

Liang Jiyong pulled open the car door.

Though the car was still cold at the moment, it was vastly better than standing outside.

Without another word, Liang Jiyong started the engine and drove away from Yun University!

"I've missed you!"

Jiang Lan threw her arms around Liang Jiyong. If he hadn't been driving, she probably would have pounced on him right then and there.