Chapter 032

Facing the empty bed, Lu Jin was stunned.

From the time Lu Jin walked out of the bathroom to when he stood in the guest room, he quietly processed what he saw.

Suddenly, Lu Jin looked at the desk. His black backpack was there, but it had shifted positions, and a bottle of mineral water was next to it.

He rushed over to the desk. The zipper of the backpack was open, and a box of items was lying on top. Her cell phone and ID card were missing, but her sunscreen was still there since it wasn’t needed for the trip.

A chill ran down Lu Jin’s spine. He grabbed his phone, took the room card, and called her as he walked.

There was only a beep on the line. Just as he reached the elevator, thinking she wouldn’t answer, the call connected.

His heart raced. Lu Jin tried to sound calm: “He Ye, where are you?”

He didn’t realize his voice was shaking.

On the other end, He Ye was crying: “Lu Jin, I want to go home.” 

She had come to a big, famous city with her boyfriend, but everything felt strange to her.

She wanted to leave on her own but couldn’t stop her tears. People passing by looked at her in surprise, and her hands shook so much that she couldn’t even wave down a taxi.

Lu Jin could be unkind, just like a taxi driver might be. 

What about taking a bus? 

Where was the bus station? She couldn’t see it and didn’t know where to look.

He Ye could usually handle this situation, but not now.

So, she answered Lu Jin’s call, hoping he would be the classmate she knew and help her.

“Okay, I’ll take you home. Where are you now?”

Lu Jin stepped back from the elevator button and hurried toward the guest room.

“I’m outside the hotel.”

“Got it. Wait three minutes. I’ll pack my things and come down.”

After hanging up, Lu Jin swiped his card to enter the room.

There was nothing to pack. All his personal belongings were untouched in the backpack. He grabbed the box and threw it in the trash, feeling grim as he left.

He was a beast, and she was scared and crying.

The elevator sped down and stopped halfway at the seventh floor.

Waiting there were a couple—a well-dressed man and a woman with nice makeup. They were laughing and chatting until they turned around and saw Lu Jin, who looked both handsome and intimidating.

He seemed to have just showered, with wet hair still dripping.

His cold, narrow eyes glanced over them, making the couple shift uneasily to the other side of the elevator. 

When the elevator reached the first floor, Lu Jin quickly stepped out, rushing to the front desk. He slammed the two room cards onto the marble counter and bolted outside.

The four receptionists exchanged glances.

“Are these the two who just checked in?”

“Yes, the woman left a while ago.”

“Wow, they must be wealthy. Staying in a room that costs 3,500 yuan for just an hour.”

“Let’s wait a bit. He might come back. I’ll ask the cleaning lady to check the room.”

Outside, Lu Jin spotted He Ye right away. 

She had walked quite a distance and was standing by the roadside, easy for him to find. 

People who had been hiding from the sun with umbrellas now seemed indifferent to it.

Were they really not afraid?

Perhaps they were consumed by their own feelings.

Seeing her small figure under the blazing sun made Lu Jin feel worse than hearing her cry on the phone.

He took out an umbrella and hurried to her side, holding it over her head like he did before.

He Ye lowered her gaze. 

She noticed she was still wearing the same beautiful dress, but now it felt foolish.

Maybe he had planned this day when he insisted on giving her that gift.

“I’m sorry, I…”

“Take a taxi, I want to go home,” she interrupted, tired of hearing his apologies.

Her voice was soft, almost like she was calmly talking to her boyfriend.

Lu Jin loved listening to her voice. He had sat behind her in class for a year, watching her focus on her homework and patiently help classmates.

She didn’t realize how pale and tense she looked, resisting him.

If they were in Ancheng, she would definitely leave alone and not give him a chance to follow her.

Understanding her need to vent, Lu Jin decided to hold off on his apology. He took out his phone to call a taxi.

Three minutes later, a white car pulled up.

Lu Jin walked to the back seat, but He Ye left the umbrella and got into the front seat.

He paused, then joined her in the back.

He saw her on her phone, and after putting away his backpack, he lowered his head to type a message.

He deleted and revised it several times.

Team leader: [He Ye, I know I was wrong this time. I shouldn’t have treated you that way just because I wanted to. I shouldn’t have planned this trip with bad intentions, scared you, or made you cry. I admit I was wrong, and you’re right to be angry. I promise to listen to you in the future. If you don’t want to meet, I won’t push you. If you don’t want to kiss, I can respect that. I won’t pressure you again.]

Until you feel calm, happy, and ready to forgive me.

After sending the message, Lu Jin looked at He Ye in front of him.

She leaned back in her seat, head against it, her hands still in her lap, ignoring her phone.

He noticed her hair was still messy.

Lu Jin opened his backpack, where he had a comb ready.

That morning at Jiaotong University, Lu Jin remembered when he secretly took out a comb to comb He Ye’s hair before taking a photo. She looked up at him in surprise, her face innocent and bright, making Lu Jin regret his actions even more.

He handed the comb to her through the gap on the right side of the front passenger seat, but she didn’t move. Lu Jin lightly touched her arm with the comb’s teeth.

He Ye was resting with her eyes closed, having turned her phone to silent mode after buying their train tickets. When she felt an itch on her arm, she turned to look but didn’t want to pay attention to him. However, thinking about taking the high-speed train soon, she took the comb.

The driver glanced over at them. He Ye lowered her eyes and focused on combing her hair. After she finished, Lu Jin offered her a pack of portable wet wipes, placing it in her slender, pale palm.

He Ye hesitated but accepted it, wiping her face carefully. “Give it to me; I’ll throw it away with the other garbage,” Lu Jin said.

She didn’t give it to him. After getting off the bus, she found a trash can and threw it away.

As they walked together, Lu Jin checked the high-speed train information: “There’s one at 5:44; it might be rushed to walk there. Should we buy the 6 o’clock one?” 

He Ye replied, “I’ve already bought it; you can buy yours.”

Lu Jin paused in surprise. 

He Ye walked ahead without looking back. 

“Okay, what time did you buy it?” he asked calmly.

Since they came together, He Ye felt she could be a little kinder. “Six twenty-eight,” she replied. 

She was very careful with her money and didn’t want to waste it by buying tickets too early, considering possible traffic jams and delays.

Lu Jin quickly checked the bus and confirmed the time before ordering his ticket.

Once inside the high-speed rail station, He Ye headed straight to the bathroom, staying there until almost time for ticket inspection. 

Lu Jin waited not far from the bathroom. 

He Ye didn’t care what seat Lu Jin booked, and he didn’t ask either, just following her.

Her seat was at the innermost part of a row of three seats. 

Lu Jin stood silently in the back, watching her.

Like last time when they had a fight, He Ye ignored him, so he decided not to bother her either, just keeping his distance.

An hour passed quickly, and they both got off the train.

He Ye took a taxi, glancing back at Lu Jin, who stood behind her silently. She said nothing, allowing him to follow.

When they neared the community, He Ye told the driver, “Sir, please go to the south gate first.” 

“Okay,” he replied.

When the taxi stopped at the South Gate, He Ye finally looked at Lu Jin, who had parked his bicycle there.

He got out of the car without saying anything.

The taxi started again, heading for the East Gate drop-off point that He Ye had booked.

The night was foggy, and Lu Jin stood alone on the sidewalk, watching the taxi carrying his upset girlfriend drive away quickly.

After getting out of the taxi, He Ye went to the supermarket first.

He Yong, her father, barely recognized her: “Is that new clothes you bought in Shanghai?” 

He Ye smiled, saying, “I bought it last time when I was out with Zhu Qing and the others, but I haven’t worn it yet.”

He Yong understood that other girls might show off their new clothes to their mothers, but his daughter was not that lively.

“Have you eaten yet?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’ve eaten,” she replied.

“Then go home and rest. You must be tired after playing all day.”

“Yeah, by the way, Dad, I might be asleep when you get back.”

“Go to sleep; I don’t need you to wait.”

He Ye walked out of the supermarket smiling. The night in Ancheng at the end of August was finally a bit cooler.

However, she stopped smiling and quickened her pace.

When she went around to the east gate, she saw Lu Jin on his bike, his hair, which had been wet when he left the hotel, now dried.

He Ye just glanced at him and looked away, not wanting to get into his car.

She didn’t look back even once until Lu Jin’s figure disappeared from sight.

After entering her house, He Ye immediately changed out of her dress, took off her necklace, and tossed it on the table before heading to the bathroom to shower.

As she washed herself, she stopped when she got to her lower abdomen, remembering it was the last place Lu Jin kissed before taking a shower.

If she hadn’t left in time, would he have hugged her and kissed her again, coaxing her with his gentle tone to agree?

He Ye disliked that. She had clearly told him not to do that.

Why did he have to act like this? Can’t they just have a simple date?

He also said he would go with her to the library to read books on weekends. Maybe he would, but now that he dared to book a room, he would likely coax her into booking a hotel room in the future, right? Reading during the day and doing other things at night, according to his plan, wouldn’t interrupt her studies.

She came back from miles away just to get a room.

This is not the love that He Ye wants.

After showering, the air conditioner in her bedroom made the room cool and refreshing, calming her heart.

He Ye sat on her bed with half-wet hair, looking at the skirt on the floor and the necklace on the table.

Finally, she turned on her phone.

After reading all the messages from Lu Jin, He Ye replied: [Let’s break up. I don’t want to date you anymore.]

[I’ll return the necklace to you, but I can’t return the skirt. I will transfer the money to you, and please return all my photos.]

[If there are other dating expenses you think we should share equally, please make a list, and I will pay you.] 

Of course, Lu Jin couldn’t ask her for the 3,500 yuan for the room.