Chapter 47: Is This Really Love?
After leaving the canteen, Lian Li and Xue Shufan said goodbye at the intersection.
Jing University after the snow was covered with snowmen, snow-piled Boya Pagoda, and snow-piled ducklings and teddy bears.
Lian Li took a few pictures of the snowmen with her mobile phone, selected satisfactory ones, edited them, and posted them to her Moments. After posting, she exited the chat page.
Messages were popping up wildly in the small group. Lian Li quickly scrolled through them and summarized three important pieces of information: Zhong Yang was brainstorming new ways to go horse riding in the capital suburbs on New Year’s Day; Jin Shi Yue was busy and couldn’t go; Wen Zhixing was bringing Meng Yi.
Lian Li lowered her eyes to look at her mobile phone, walking back to the dormitory along the road.
Suddenly, someone called her, “Lian Li.”
Lian Li looked up, following the sound.
Zhao Lizheng stood in front of a cool sports car, looking dispirited, his eyes leering at her.
Lian Li frowned, ignored him, and continued walking towards the dormitory building.
“I didn’t expect you to still be by the Young Master’s side. It seems I underestimated you.” Zhao Lizheng walked towards Lian Li, trying to block her path. Lian Li sidestepped and dodged him.
Zhao Lizheng gave a mischievous smile, his gaze appraising Lian Li’s waist-to-hip ratio, and said loudly, “You probably don’t know why Jin Yan Ting and Duan Shiqing broke up, do you?”
Upon hearing this, Lian Li slowly stopped.
She indeed didn’t know the reason for their breakup.
It seemed to be a taboo, and no one dared to mention it. She had no way to find out.
All sorts of methods had been used, but threats and enticements were useless against Lian Li. Seeing her stop, Zhao Lizheng thought he had her cornered and immediately made his demand: “Spend a night with me, and I’ll tell you.”
Lian Li felt disgusted, almost nauseous, and nearly spat out the meal she had just eaten. “Don’t you like boars? How about I give you seven of them, a different one each week.”
Zhao Lizheng’s expression changed drastically.
He liked princesses, not some boars.
Lian Li didn’t want to waste any more time on him and was about to leave when Zhao Lizheng spoke again.
“Ten years ago, the Jin Family and the Duan Family had conflicting stances. The Jin Family made Jin Yan Ting and Duan Shiqing break up. Jin Yan Ting was unwilling, even defying his family and nearly falling out with them.”
“Later, Duan Shiqing went abroad, and they broke up, leading to the Jin Yan Ting of today. Do you think he’s had no gossip surrounding him all these years because you were by his side? Lian Li, don’t be delusional. Jin Yan Ting was waiting for Duan Shiqing, waiting for her to return.”
“Now, the relationship between the Jin Family and the Duan Family is not as stiff as before, and Duan Shiqing has returned to the country. Which woman do you think can tolerate her man keeping a young and beautiful girl by his side? The Duan Family is not someone you can afford to offend.”
Zhao Lizheng spoke condescendingly, as if bestowing alms: “Lian Li, Jin Yan Ting cannot protect you. While I’m still interested in you, being with me is your best option.”
Lian Li raised her eyelashes, looking at him calmly, “Jin Yan Ting cannot protect me, but you think you can?”
Her tone was not mocking, yet Zhao Lizheng heard sarcasm.
The pain of the bone fracture from being kicked down still felt like it was yesterday.
He wasn’t drunk this time and wasn’t easily provoked. “Opposing me will bring you no benefit whatsoever.”
With Zhao Lizheng’s methods, he had many dirty ways to get Lian Li into his bed.
Lian Li knew that the self-defense techniques she had learned could only protect her from so much.
She acted cautiously, but if the other party forcibly abducted her, caution would be useless.
“Young Master Zhao, you seem to have a poor memory.” Lian Li’s beautiful face showed a faint smile, her gaze substantial, hiding sharp knives. “I have never opposed you. You see, whether I oppose you or not, there’s no benefit. Why should I waste my time doing something useless?”
Zhao Lizheng was furious. “Don’t refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a penalty!”
If Lian Li had shown fear or defiance, Zhao Lizheng wouldn’t have been angry.
But she looked at him with a smile, as if looking down on him, mocking his clown-like actions.
A mere canary, played by others, dared to look down on him like this!
“You’re mistaken.” Lian Li was composed, her tone slightly innocent. “I’m allergic to alcohol, so I don’t drink toasts or penalty drinks. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Brother Yan Ting.”
Her attitude was so friendly that no fault could be found.
At this moment, a girl in a short skirt and long boots ran over and hugged Zhao Lizheng.
“Mr. Zhao,” she said enviously.
Lian Li recognized this girl. She used to have a boyfriend, but then her boyfriend had an accident, and she was forced to go to Zhao Lizheng. Zhao Lizheng had said, “Break up with him, and I’ll help you.”
As for how they got together, Lian Li didn’t know and wasn’t interested.
She returned to the dormitory to pack her things and took a taxi home that evening.
In the taxi, Lian Li wore Bluetooth earphones and listened to music. During the long journey, she switched from one song to another.
“I saw through his heart, and the lingering figures of others, his memories were not cleared cleanly enough.”
“I saw his heart, playing only movies of him and her…”
The female voice in the earphones sang sad lyrics. Lian Li looked down at her phone screen, which displayed the song being played: 【 He Doesn’t Love Me 》.
Regarding Jin Yan Ting, Lian Li thought that the gap in class and personality meant their definitions of love were very different.
So she waited, patiently waiting.
But now she was unsure if this wait was a one-man show for her alone, or a tacit understanding between them.
Upon returning home, Lian Li bent down to change her shoes and noticed men’s slippers neatly placed there.
Jin Yan Ting’s action of taking time out of his busy schedule to find her was not fake.
Lian Li walked into the house, poured herself a glass of water, and saw the tea cup and utensils, cigarettes, and lighter that Jin Yan Ting had left…
The traces he left in her life were very clear.
Lian Li held the cup, her eyes focused on the small robotic cat next to the LCD television.
The gift he gave her, did the sentiment behind it truly represent love?
Lian Li couldn’t help but give a bitter smile.
She was thinking again about whether he liked her.
This vague and unclear feeling made Lian Li almost self-abusive.
She needed a definite answer.
To end this self-torturing suspicion.
Lian Li no longer waited; she booked the soonest flight ticket to New York.
Capital International Airport to Kennedy International Airport, a 15.5-hour flight.
Lian Li sent a message to Xue Shufan, informing her that she wouldn’t be going horse riding in the capital suburbs.
As for what she was going to do, she told no one.
*
New York in January, heavy snow covered the streets, parks, and bridges, exuding a bleak winter beauty, like a classic American movie.
At the Aman Hotel, a girl in a white dress and a black mask pushed a suitcase and walked in quickly.
The white receptionist at the front desk asked if she wanted to check in.
Lian Li couldn’t wait. She temporarily handed her suitcase to the staff and said rapidly in English, “I have something urgent to do first. I’ll come down to check in later. Please keep my luggage for me. Thank you!”
After speaking, she ran quickly to the elevator and took it directly to the top-floor presidential suite.
Lian Li had asked He Shu in advance which hotel and room Jin Yan Ting was staying in, and whether he was currently in the hotel.
The decision to go abroad to find Jin Yan Ting was sudden. Fortunately, the flight was long, giving her time to tidy herself up.
However, the hairstyle she had done on the plane was already a mess after rushing from the airport.
From the airport to the hotel, many passersby cast strange glances at her, their eyes basically conveying: “Are you rushing to reincarnate? Why are you running so fast?”
Lian Li didn’t care about others or her messy hairstyle. She quickly smoothed her long hair with her fingers, avoiding her head from being disheveled.
Lian Li exited the elevator, ran to the presidential suite, stopped, and without waiting to catch her breath, raised her hand to press the doorbell.
She was both expectant and apprehensive.
