Follow me, the price is up to you.
Lu Zizheng had known Jiang Huaixi for six years. In those six years, Jiang Huaixi had given her a lot of care and warmth. But Lu Zizheng also remembered vividly one of the most humiliating moments of her life, which was caused by Jiang Huaixi.
Their first meeting wasn’t the instant, heartfelt connection often described in novels.
It was shortly after the start of the university semester, a little over a week since the welcome party. The sun set late in September evenings, and when Lu Zizheng left the library, the sun was still hanging obliquely on the mountainside, painting the sky crimson. The evening breeze was rare and comfortable.
Descending the tall steps of the library, she saw a striking red Lamborghini parked by the roadside. Next to it stood a tall woman in a navy blue three-quarter sleeve sweater and black skinny pants. Her presence was striking, and the twilight glow bathed her in a cinematic light.
Lu Zizheng couldn’t help but silently admire her. She thought how fortunate one must be to have both wealth and beauty.
As she passed the woman, Lu Zizheng took a closer look. The woman’s jet-black hair cascaded like a waterfall, her skin was pale to the point of illness, and her face was exquisite and cold. She was classical and noble. Over the years, no one’s beauty had ever matched Lian Xuan’s in Lu Zizheng’s eyes, but this woman was an exception. She was ethereal, devoid of earthly traces.
But Lu Zizheng merely admired her in passing, her steps steady and unwavering as she walked by the car and the woman…
However, unexpectedly, the woman grabbed her wrist forcefully…
Before Lu Zizheng could cry out in surprise, she heard a clear and cold voice arrogantly say in her ear, “Follow me, the price is up to you.”
For a moment, Lu Zizheng was both amused and irritated. She turned around, stood straight, and looked directly at the woman with cold eyes. She said in a frosty voice, “Let go.”
The woman sneered, “Whatever you want, I can afford it. You’re already notorious, so why pretend to be coy with me now? One month, and this car as a down payment, is that enough?”
People coming out of the library stood at the entrance, watching the scene unfold, pointing and whispering. Lu Zizheng felt her head buzzing with pain, a sense of confusion overlapping with some memories. She wobbled, and the woman holding her wrist steadied her with a firm grip.
After regaining her balance, Lu Zizheng bit her lip, shook off the woman’s hand harshly, and took a tissue from her bag. She stood there, meticulously wiping her wrist as if it was covered in filth.
Jiang Huaixi was stunned for a moment by Lu Zizheng’s daze.
After wiping her hands, Lu Zizheng looked at the crowd behind her and then at the now motionless woman beside her. She coldly smiled, turned around, and left.
The rare good mood she had earlier was completely gone.
On her way back to the dormitory, she almost cried several times. She bit her lip and told herself, “Lu Zizheng, what’s the use of crying? Don’t you know how malicious this world can be?” So she forced the tears back.
Later, the story spread and became more and more exaggerated, with no version close to the truth. Her hand hurt for three days, but even after the red marks disappeared, the wounds in her heart couldn’t heal, just like her increasingly bad reputation.
Eventually, she learned that the woman was Jiang Huaixi, the daughter of a wealthy man who donated the library.
So, just because she was rich, did she think she could trample on her dignity?
Did wealth give her the license to act so presumptuously?
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Lu Zizheng didn’t understand. Lian Xuan, who was once gentle and pure, was like this, and now Jiang Huaixi, who was beautiful and noble, was the same.
Lu Zizheng suddenly asked Jiang Huaixi, “Why were you so… ridiculous when we first met?”
Jiang Huaixi didn’t answer immediately.
The car was silent, and after driving for a while, Jiang Huaixi finally replied blandly, “Because I am rich and willful.”
For a moment, Lu Zizheng wanted to slap her!
Sometimes, talking to Jiang Huaixi was impossible because she could never understand her thoughts.
The car soon arrived at Lu Zizheng’s mother’s place. Jiang Huaixi, familiar with the routine, parked the car, opened the trunk, and took out bags of fruits and vegetables. She handed two bags to Lu Zizheng, saying, “No work, no food.”
Lu Zizheng silently took the bags without arguing.
Every time Jiang Huaixi came, she brought a lot of things. Occasionally, when she went home, she would hear her mother say, “The rice cooker isn’t working well. Can you buy me a new one?” The next day, Jiang Huaixi brought one over. In life, Jiang Huaixi had helped her a lot. Every time she went on a business trip, her mother would say, “Don’t worry, Zhengzheng. Huaixi said she’ll come by often. If anything happens, I can count on her.”
The cold and sharp-tongued Jiang Huaixi was unexpectedly well-behaved and considerate in front of her mother. Jiang Huaixi would say, “Your mother is much more adorable and easy-going than you. Plus, she cooks well. Can you? If not, don’t ask why I treat you differently.”
Lu Zizheng had no response to that.
Jiang Huaixi’s stamina was clearly lacking. It was only a short distance from the parking lot to building B, but after carrying a few bags, Lu Zizheng could hear her panting. She took two more bags from her and teased, “How long has it been since you exercised? You’re out of breath after just a few steps.”
Jiang Huaixi unexpectedly retorted, “I think you shouldn’t walk so upright.”
Lu Zizheng was puzzled, “Why?”
Jiang Huaixi smiled, “How long has it been since you exercised? Standing so straight, I can see your little belly, layers of fat.”
For a moment, Lu Zizheng wanted to hit her to death with the bags she was carrying.
Finally arriving at the doorstep, Lu Zizheng had just inserted the key into the keyhole when her mother swiftly opened the door. The moment she saw Lu Zizheng and Jiang Huaixi, Mother Lu beamed, her eyes crinkling with joy. She reached out to take the bags from Jiang Huaixi’s hands, and warmly chided, “Huaixi, come on in. Oh my, you always bring so much with you. Auntie feel bad having you over for meals anymore.”
As Jiang Huaixi changed her shoes, she replied, “Auntie, I come here to freeload every time. If I don’t bring something with me, how can I feel at ease?”
Standing at the doorway, Lu Zizheng watched Jiang Huaixi change her shoes. She couldn’t help but notice the delicate, fair hands marked by circles of red imprints, and her heart felt a little heavy with emotion.
After entering the house, Jiang Huaixi immediately busied herself by heading to the bathroom. Lu Zizheng followed her mother into the kitchen, helping her with the vegetables and savoring the rare, warm moments spent together.
Originally from Juzhou City in this province, the Lu family was small and didn’t have many relatives. When Lu Zizheng was in middle school, her father passed away unexpectedly, leaving just her and her mother to depend on each other. When Lu Zizheng went to university in Linzhou, her mother bought an apartment there during her sophomore year to take better care of her. They moved to Linzhou, and Mother Lu opened a breakfast shop. Life wasn’t particularly affluent, but it was stable. After Lu Zizheng graduated, her job was too far from home, so Mother Lu suggested she rent an apartment nearby and come home for meals on the weekends when she had time.
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As Mother Lu chopped vegetables, they chatted about everyday matters. Inevitably, given Lu Zizheng’s age, the topic shifted to her personal life. “Zhengzheng, what kind of person are you looking for? You haven’t introduced anyone to me in all these years.”
Lu Zizheng organized the fruits Jiang Huaixi had bought, placing them in the fridge. She washed a small basket of grapes, set them on the counter, peeled one, and popped it into her mother’s mouth to keep her from talking. “Mom, didn’t you always say you weren’t in a hurry and that I should just do what makes me happy?”
Mother Lu smiled. “That’s true, but I’m worried your standards are too high, and you might miss out on some great opportunities right in front of you.”
Lu Zizheng carefully caught the grape seeds her mother spat out, smiled, and said, “Don’t worry, I’m paying attention. Here, have another one.” She handed another grape to her mother.
Jiang Huaixi walked into the kitchen, took a grape, and held it out to Lu Zizheng, signaling her to peel it.
Lu Zizheng pretended not to see.
Mother Lu noticed and instructed, “Zhengzheng, peel some grapes for Huaixi.”
Lu Zizheng: “…”
Jiang Huaixi contentedly ate the grape that Lu Zizheng had peeled for her. She then took an apron from the side and stood next to Mother Lu, saying sweetly, “Auntie, let me help you. Since Zizheng just fed me a grape, let’s cook her favorite dish, fish-flavored chicken drumsticks.”
Mother Lu chuckled, “Alright, let me see if your cooking skills have improved, Huaixi.”
Jiang Huaixi tied up her long, straight hair, rolled up her sleeves to reveal her jade-like arms, and a rare, faint smile appeared on her lips, making her extraordinarily beautiful and hard to look away from.
Lu Zizheng, however, pouted and poured cold water on her enthusiasm, “You sure know how to put on a show.”
As Jiang Huaixi washed the pot, she retorted without looking back, “You better not eat it later, then.”
After not seeing her for a few days, Lu Zizheng had to admit that Jiang Huaixi was now skilled and adept in the kitchen. It was hard to believe that just a few years ago, when Jiang Huaixi first entered the kitchen, she had pointed at the oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar, asking curiously what each one was.
Seeing Jiang Huaixi diligently cooking, Lu Zizheng peeled a few more grapes and handed them to her mouth. But why were there no seeds?
“Mom, the grapes you just ate had seeds, right? Why don’t the ones Huaixi is eating have seeds?”
Mother Lu nodded, “Yes, they had seeds.”
Jiang Huaixi answered calmly, “Oh, I swallowed them. Spitting them out would look too unsightly.”
“Mom, she just said that the way you spit out the seeds looked unsightly!” Lu Zizheng seized the opportunity to smear Jiang Huaixi in front of her mother, pulling up a small stool to sit behind her.
Jiang Huaixi’s voice turned cold, “Say one more word, and you won’t get to eat any of the dishes I cook.”
Lu Zizheng grumbled, “It’s just a couple of dishes. Look at how smug you are…”
Mother Lu patted Lu Zizheng’s head and laughed, “Don’t be so ungrateful. Huaixi is indeed better than you. If you think you can do better, why don’t you get up and cook a couple of dishes yourself?”
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Lu Zizheng blinked her eyes and fell silent.
During dinner, Lu Zizheng ate an extra half bowl of rice, practically finishing all the dishes, especially the ones Jiang Huaixi made. After eating, she leaned back in her chair, too full to move.
Jiang Huaixi looked at her with amusement, then got up to help clear the table. Mother Lu, feeling a bit embarrassed, said, “Huaixi, I’m sure at home your parents wouldn’t let you lift a finger. Every time you come here, Zhengzheng is lazy and makes you help with the cleaning.”
Carrying the dishes to the kitchen, Jiang Huaixi replied, “It’s nothing, Auntie. I should thank you for giving me the chance to experience life. Otherwise, I’d be a complete domestic idiot.”
Lu Zizheng leaned back in her chair, eyes half-closed, watching the old and young pair in the kitchen washing dishes and chatting happily. A warm feeling rose in her heart, but it also brought a sense of loneliness.
Love is like a bubble. When you blow it, you’re amazed by its beauty and the dreamlike quality under the sunlight. But once it’s blown, you realize that the brighter the sunlight and the stronger the wind, the more beautiful the bubble, and the quicker it bursts. All the beauty disappears in an instant.
So, if you don’t want the bubble to disappear, hold the bubble’s water in your hand and don’t blow it.
LP: Re-translated on June 22, 2024