Chapter 41

Lin Shu did not expect the last part of Liu Xuhui’s speech at all.

In relationships, sincerity begets sincerity. She genuinely wanted to help Liu Xuhui, and he appreciated her goodwill. Besides working hard, he also tried to reciprocate in any way possible.

The celebration of Rong University was very grand. Thanks to Liu Xuhui’s words, Lin Shu suddenly became the focus of attention. Many renowned alumni from Rong University and law school juniors rushed to connect with her. Even if they spoke just a few words each, Lin Shu found herself talking until her throat was dry.

Liu Xuhui timed his remarks perfectly; not only did it promote Tianhao, but it also opened the door for Lin Shu within the alumni network of Rong University.

However, most situations come with their pros and cons. While the potential for networking arose, it also brought some side effects.

Lin Shu had a demanding work schedule last week, and this weekend, she couldn’t rest properly because of the celebration. Now surrounded by people, she had to maintain a polite smile while socializing, and she was starting to feel weary.

Especially with the few men in front of her, their initial intentions for connecting were clearly not work-related. Their motives were less than pure, and Lin Shu just wanted to wrap it up quickly. Despite politely declining several times, they seemed to act as if they didn’t hear her and persisted in their advances.

“Excuse me, everyone, please step aside. My boss has official duties to attend to. If you need anything, you can add my contact information. I’m basically her assistant, and I’ll pass along any messages.”

Just as Lin Shu began to frown and open her mouth to refuse again, a deep male voice interrupted the endless conversation. Xu Shijia pushed through the crowd and stood in front of Lin Shu.

For the first time, Lin Shu had a direct impression of Xu Shijia’s height—when he stood in front of her, she couldn’t even see the faces of the men ahead. The sunlight was completely blocked by his tall figure. His broad shoulders shielded her, and she found herself hidden in the shadows. Finally, she didn’t have to maintain those polite smiles anymore; her smile fell, and she felt relieved.

Normally, Xu Shijia was laid-back and disheveled, but he was always dependable at crucial moments.

As his classmate Jin Yi had said, he now had a strong physique and didn’t look at all like the frail person who had been sick for five years.

Lin Shu looked at Xu Shijia’s broad back, feeling a bit dazed.

Was this tall man really the annoying junior Wang Yanzhi from back then?

During high school, Lin Shu had been so busy with her studies and part-time jobs that she rarely gossiped with her classmates, but she had indeed heard rumors that Wang Yanzhi was older than his peers.

Now, recalling the way Xu Shijia had looked at her when they first met, Lin Shu finally grasped the intense atmosphere of an adversarial reunion…

Perhaps Xu Shijia had known all along.

That’s why he remained so calm when he heard she graduated from Rong City No. 3 High School.

What did he really want?

Why hadn’t he said a word about it?

But if it was about revenge, Xu Shijia didn’t seem to have done anything extreme.

In this whirlwind of emotions, Lin Shu was led out of the crowd by Xu Shijia, escaping the entrapment.

By the time she regained her senses, she found herself back on the quiet, sparsely populated Wutong Tree Avenue.

Xu Shijia had his hands in his pockets, walking beside Lin Shu with a calm expression, showing no intention of seeking recognition for his actions.

His behavior seemed to protect Lin Shu.

Lin Shu felt he shouldn’t have any hostility towards her.

So she glanced at Xu Shijia and tentatively said, “I didn’t expect we graduated from the same high school; I’m still your proper senior.”

Xu Shijia appeared composed, and Lin Shu realized she had only shared the campus with him for a year, so he might have forgotten her little incident as his senior…

“Actually, if your friend hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have remembered at all.” Lin Shu smiled softly, hinting delicately, “I was under a lot of pressure in my senior year and also responsible for the tardiness discipline at school. I wasn’t very flexible at that time, and I caught quite a few people; maybe I caught you too.”

Xu Shijia raised an eyebrow ominously, his voice rising in irritation, his expression darkening as he replied, “You mean you might have caught me?”

It seems he hasn’t forgotten…

Lin Shu steeled herself and pretended not to hear, continuing, “But that’s all in the past. When we’re young, we’re full of passion and often stick to the rules. Now it’s quite a coincidence—we’re not only high school alumni but also part of the same law firm team. Since you’re my dear junior, I’ll have to take good care of you from now on. I was too young back then, and as your senior, I didn’t look after you enough…”

Lin Shu had already prepared her words, thinking Xu Shijia seemed less concerned. She intended to play the card of youthful impulsiveness, implying a polite apology as her boss; that should be enough to give him face. After all, Xu Shijia was an adult now, so he would surely understand how to gracefully step down.

Sure enough, as soon as Lin Shu finished speaking, Xu Shijia turned to look at her. His pupils were very dark and large, and when he quietly gazed at someone, there was a focused, tranquil quality to him—somewhat mysterious and somewhat enticing.

After a moment, Xu Shijia broke into a radiant smile. “Then let me thank you in advance.”

Lin Shu sighed with relief; Xu Shijia was someone who understood the situation.

Just as she was about to continue encouraging him in her dual role as both senior and boss, Xu Shijia continued, “However, you took care of me quite a bit during high school, covering every aspect.”

Lin Shu: “…”

Xu Shijia’s voice turned chilly: “Excluding winter and summer breaks and weekends, there are about 200 school days in a year, and you caught me being late around 100 times, right?”

“Let’s set aside the fact that you caught me late. Every time after school, just when I wanted to go out and play with my classmates, you’d sell my whereabouts to the bodyguard my dad hired.”

“If I got caught going out the main school gate, I could accept that, but I got caught climbing over the wall too. Each time I was caught, I would always see you smiling at me, as if you were relishing the thrill of a criminal returning to the scene of the crime. Honestly, it was pretty creepy.”

How could he remember all of this…

So many years had passed; why remember these things? To be honest, even I, this “criminal,” had almost forgotten…

“…” Under Xu Shijia’s intense gaze, Lin Shu awkwardly averted her eyes. She tried to change the subject, saying, “I was young and naïve back then… So many years have passed; to be honest, I’ve forgotten a lot…”

But saying that only seemed to make things worse. Xu Shijia’s tone turned more sarcastic: “You were young and forgetful, but don’t you remember? I took a five-year break from school. Maybe because I’m five years older than you, I’m already no longer young and naïve. As one ages, many memories become clearer, so I still remember my freshman year vividly.”

Lin Shu thought quickly: “People have limited memory capacity; you should allocate it to more precious things. Didn’t you have a first love in high school? Your friend mentioned something about a confession wall, and you even confessed there. You should think more about that; those youthful times won’t come back. No matter how many relationships you have later, that first innocent and pure feeling can’t be replicated…”

“First love?” Unfortunately, Xu Shijia’s expression darkened further at the mention of love. “What love have I had?”

“In three years of high school, at least one could experience a youthful romance, but what about me? I didn’t even have time for extracurricular activities; I was sold out by you! The moment class ended, I was dragged back home; I barely had time to eat my wontons. When would I have time to date?”

Lin Shu desperately hinted, “Didn’t you have a first love?”

“First love? That wasn’t even a relationship; can it really be called first love?” Xu Shijia’s expression was strange, his tone sarcastic. “If I had been able to have a normal relationship during my three years of high school, would I have fallen for that girl and been tricked by her?”

Oh right, he was referring to the woman who had taken his first time but never gave him a first love…

Lin Shu still remembered that story.

Xu Shijia hadn’t finished his thought, but the disapproval in his gaze conveyed everything he wanted to express—wasn’t this all because of you, Lin Shu?!

“It’s a day off today, so I won’t call you boss.” Xu Shijia smiled, and before Lin Shu could react, his tall figure moved closer to her. He bent down and mischievously leaned in, whispering into her ear, “If we’re going to talk about it, shouldn’t I be seeking compensation from you, Senior?”

That warm breath brushed against Lin Shu’s ear, and Xu Shijia deliberately elongated the word “Senior,” infusing it with a complex and suggestive tone that seemed ill-intentioned. Caught off guard, Lin Shu instinctively wanted to back away.

Xu Shijia was too close; he had crossed the safety line.

In her mind, the memory of that kiss from the night when she was drunk came back unbidden, and she instinctively took a few steps back, her face flushed and wary as she tried to create physical distance between herself and Xu Shijia.

Lin Shu admitted that she had indeed targeted Xu Shijia a bit during her senior year, but did he really have to blame her for not successfully dating throughout high school?

“Xu Shijia, to be fair, I was only in the same school as you for one year. Even if I was selling your whereabouts during your freshman year, after I graduated, you had two years left. You could have dated, couldn’t you?”

“Even if we’re talking about compensation, I can only be responsible for you not dating during your freshman year. You didn’t date in your sophomore and junior years either; do you want me to compensate you for that? Isn’t that just unreasonable and making a mountain out of a molehill? You study law; don’t you know that people are responsible for their own expanded losses?”

Lin Shu made her point clear, but the subtext was equally explicit—

If you didn’t succeed in dating during those last two years, then that’s your own problem!

“I’m the one expanding losses?!” Xu Shijia refused to back down. He glared at Lin Shu through gritted teeth, enunciating each word, “You staring at me gave me PTSD; isn’t that your fault? Let me be clear, Lin Shu: my inability to date during high school, and even into college, is indeed all your fault.”

His firm declaration made Lin Shu feel a bit guilty.

Because Rong City No. 3 High School was a prestigious school with high academic pressure, many students transferred out each year due to the stress. If Xu Shijia was saying this, did it mean that the girl he liked transferred out in the second year, leaving him with only that short time in freshman year with her?

If that’s the case…

No wonder he blamed it all on Lin Shu…

Thinking back to what Xu Shijia had said, that his first love never happened, but he lost his virginity, combined with his current accusations…

However, how could he even blame Lin Shu for not being able to date in college?

What did his inability to get over the psychological trauma of his first love and lost virginity have to do with Lin Shu?

But bringing this up made Lin Shu curious: “What exactly happened with the confession wall incident?”

“It’s nothing. It’s pointless to talk about it now.” This time, it was Xu Shijia who averted his gaze. He cleared his throat and finally stopped harping on the topic of compensation, actively changing the subject. “Today, Hui Ge really stole the show. Seeing him so spirited now, I’m genuinely happy for him.”

The complicated relationship between Lin Shu and Xu Shijia wasn’t something akin to a family reunion.

Since Xu Shijia was no longer interested in continuing the fight, Lin Shu was even more eager to change the subject.

“I’m also very happy for Liu Xuhui.” When it came to Liu Xuhui, Lin Shu was sincere. “I’ve been waiting for this moment.”

“Although others may not believe it, I would rather see my team members standing in the spotlight and receiving that recognition and praise than being up there myself.”

Lin Shu’s words indeed elicited a somewhat skeptical look from Xu Shijia, as if he was questioning the authenticity of her sentiment.

Lin Shu didn’t feel annoyed; she calmly replied, “I know it sounds a bit naive, especially since this doesn’t seem like something a partner should say.”

She smiled slightly, pressing her lips together. “But I’ve been poor before, struggling and having to give up many things. I’ve lost a lot, so I don’t want to see anyone else in the same situation as I was.”

Lin Shu glanced at Xu Shijia. “Of course, I’m not doing charity. I hope everyone in the team excels, so we can achieve more results, and I can also have the hope of becoming a senior partner and earning more money.”

“But aside from the very practical factor of making money, wanting to become a senior partner is also an emotional attachment.” Lin Shu’s gaze drifted towards the seemingly endless plane trees along the avenue of Rong Da, as if recalling a distant past. “Since you’re my junior and we were in the same school for a year, I have nothing to hide.”

“I was quite ugly in junior and senior high school, wearing thick glasses, old clothes, cutting my own hair when I couldn’t afford it, often having messy hairstyles. I couldn’t afford meals, couldn’t participate in school trips, and just paying for tuition and living expenses left me struggling. I felt like my entire life was as gray as my circumstances.”

“I’m not lying to you. Since you remember me, you should know I’m telling the truth.”

Now that Lin Shu recalled those times, she still felt a twinge of bitterness and melancholy: “Everyone’s adolescence is precious and filled with beautiful memories, but mine wasn’t like that.”

“To be honest, when I first entered Tianhao and was tasked with leading your team, it’s impossible that I didn’t have any thoughts. You, Wang Tie Niu, and Liu Xuhui all have your issues. No one had high hopes for any of you, and other partners in the firm didn’t want to take in a team that was left over after being picked apart.”

“But I was also not looked highly upon by the other partners at Tianhao,” Lin Shu said, looking up at the sky and smiling slightly. “A good horse deserves a good saddle. Because the other partners didn’t see my potential, I was able to meet you and your team. So instead of disliking each other, we should join hands to achieve something together.”

“I was the ugly duckling that the world saw as hopeless, but I proved myself time and again. Now I stand here as the youngest female partner at Tianhao, not someone else.”

“You, Wang Tie Niu, and Liu Xuhui are all rough gems. I will carefully sculpt each of you into flawless jade.”

When Lin Shu said this, her tone was calm, lacking any fervor or inspiring rhetoric, as if she were merely stating a fact.

She shared this not expecting Xu Shijia to fully believe her; after all, actions speak louder than words.

However, her words likely had some impact on Xu Shijia, as he was unusually silent at this moment, seemingly lost in thought.

Often, the most important thing is to seize fleeting opportunities.

Taking advantage of the moment, Lin Shu added, “Of course, the sculpting process will inevitably involve some growing pains. But without chiseling, jade cannot become a vessel. I hope you all understand that my intention in asking everyone to work harder is positive. If we run into communication issues during this process, I hope you can be forgiving of me. The most important thing is that we trust each other, right?”

Unfortunately, after Lin Shu said all this, Xu Shijia still seemed immersed in some contemplative problem, clearly not paying attention to what she was saying.

Lin Shu felt a bit puzzled: “Xu Shijia, do you have a problem?”

Xu Shijia glanced at Lin Shu, his expression not looking too good. “Hmm.”

“What’s the problem? Feel free to ask.”

Lin Shu had gone to great lengths to express her stance, and what she said was sincere—she had almost bared her soul—and she couldn’t understand why Xu Shijia’s expression suddenly turned sour.

Did this guy still think she treated Liu Xuhui much better than him and felt imbalanced about it?

Lin Shu gently encouraged Xu Shijia, “Go ahead and ask. Communication between people can indeed lead to misunderstandings. It’s normal for you to have doubts.”

After a moment of silence, Xu Shijia finally spoke. His dark eyes fixed on Lin Shu, as if determined to find an answer: “Didn’t you have any good memories during your adolescence?”

Huh?

“I don’t believe it; how could there be none at all?” His tone was somewhat aggressive when he asked, but after finishing, Xu Shijia turned away, appearing somewhat casual and nonchalant. “Adolescence is such a long time; there must have been some good memories. It’s impossible that there wasn’t anything or anyone that made you feel good…”

Lin Shu was taken aback for a moment but quickly realized. After all, she and Xu Shijia were high school alumni, and now they stood together in his university campus. It wasn’t unusual for him to reminisce about the past.

Talking about memories from puberty can indeed bring people closer together.

Initially, Lin Shu didn’t think much of it, but when Xu Shijia asked, she realized that it wasn’t entirely absent.

Lin Shu smiled and said, “I once had a vague crush on Tao Lei. Although the outcome wasn’t satisfactory, that feeling of being a young girl in puberty is probably my only pure and beautiful memory.”

Unfortunately, after Xu Shijia heard this, her already unpleasant expression became even worse. “Tao Lei? How could a guy like that be a beautiful memory? Your beautiful memory of youth is just him? Don’t you have anything else? Can’t you think of other memories?”

“Of course, I know now that Tao Lei isn’t a perfect person, but at that time, even someone like him felt like a ray of light in my life,” Lin Shu glanced at Xu Shijia, “Actually, we’re quite similar. Not only are we high school alumni, but we also both have a failed first love that never came to fruition.”

“My first love, Tao Lei, as you’ve seen, isn’t the perfect person from my memories. In fact, your first love might be similar…”

Lin Shu was trying to use this topic to draw closer to Xu Shijia, but unfortunately, before she could finish her sentence, Xu Shijia interrupted her with a stern face.

“My first love is different from Tao Lei. She was okay, but Tao Lei is just a low-quality person.”

A question mark slowly rose over Lin Shu’s head: “Didn’t you say before that your first love was a bad woman?”

Xu Shijia replied irritably, “She was nice to others, just not to me. Tao Lei treats everyone indifferently; he’s a hypocritical man who seeks fame. Using Tao Lei to compare with my first love is somewhat demeaning to her.”

After saying this, Xu Shijia shot Lin Shu a glance, pressed her lips together, and turned to leave.

This was really baffling!

Clearly, she was very concerned about her first love but just wouldn’t talk about it.

The more Xu Shijia kept her first love a secret, the more curious Lin Shu became.

So what exactly happened with the confession wall incident back then?

Lin Shu picked up her phone and began searching for “Wang Yanzhi Confession Wall.” Although several years had passed, the internet would likely still have some traces. Lin Shu was prepared to piece together the truth with her information retrieval skills; however, to her surprise, she found nothing under that keyword—it was clearly cleaned up.

After searching for a long time, she only found a few ambiguous replies in the forum of Rong City No. 3 High School.

“You think you’re Wang Yanzhi? You lost your first night? Do you look like him? If you lost your first night, you should be grateful that the other person didn’t mind how unattractive you are and still wanted to be with you, and you’re complaining about losing it? They’re the ones who should feel pain! You’re practically ugly!”

“The most passionate handsome guy I’ve ever seen is Senior Wang Yanzhi. He’s so good-looking and so pure, and he cares deeply for his first love. When will I meet a guy like that?”

…

Lin Shu was just whimsically searching for information. If she found even a few random pieces of information, she might have lost her curiosity, but the more it felt like a deep secret, the more Lin Shu cared.

A male classmate she had in high school seemed to be the administrator of the confession wall and forum at Rong City No. 3 High School. Lin Shu rummaged through her high school classmates’ group and quickly found his contact information.

“Wang Yanzhi? Why are you suddenly curious about this?” Fortunately, contacting this classmate went smoothly. As soon as Lin Shu mentioned Xu Shijia’s former name, he laughed heartily. “This matter left a deep impression on me. I still have backups of what he posted on the confession wall. His brother came to find me back then, and I signed a confidentiality agreement. But why would you need this?”

Lin Shu vaguely said, “I’m a lawyer now, and there are some things related to due diligence. If there’s a confidentiality agreement, it might not be convenient to share, right?”

“It’s convenient! Wang Yanzhi originally wanted to buy it out for a lifetime because he felt embarrassed and had his brother talk for him. I quoted a high price, but his brother wouldn’t accept it, thinking this little incident wasn’t worth that much. In the end, after some haggling, they only bought out five years. For those five years, I kept quiet, but now that the period has expired, and his brother hasn’t come to renew the contract, you’re my old classmate. For work purposes, what’s inconvenient about me sharing this?”

“Besides, this is just old news. Wang Yanzhi is a guy; it’s been so many years, he shouldn’t still be thinking about it.”

Once entering society, the bonds from high school make things easier. This classmate quickly sent Lin Shu the backup content from Xu Shijia’s confession wall.

Lin Shu originally didn’t understand why Xu Shijia was so secretive about it, but when she opened the content, even she couldn’t help but fall silent.

The post on the confession wall was published under Xu Shijia’s name as Wang Yanzhi:

“Last night, you slept with me. Are you even human? What did I do wrong that you just left without a word? I’m just a simple high school boy, always law-abiding, moral, and protecting my virginity for so many years, which was supposed to be given to my future wife. Yet I was tricked by you for your own pleasure. Do you think I’m some cheap hooker? You didn’t even pay for the hotel! I didn’t sleep all night, and then I had to pay for the room the next day?!”

“Was it intentional? Did you treat me this way on purpose in school, and then took advantage of me when I drank a little and lost control, only to dump me afterward?”

Lin Shu’s classmate saved the confession wall post very thoroughly, preserving not only Xu Shijia’s drunken rants but also the responses below:

“Wang Yanzhi? The one graduating this year from senior year? You’re still a virgin? You’re so popular, and so many girls pursue you, I thought you’d long lost your virginity… Quite surprising!”

“I used to think well of you, but you slept with someone else. How can you blame the girl for using tricks? Shouldn’t you blame yourself for lacking self-control and getting drunk? The illusion is shattered. I used to think you were so pure. She kicked you the next day; maybe it’s because your skills were too poor. You know what skills I’m talking about, right?”

“The best dowry for a man is his chastity, Wang Yanzhi, you’re ruining your future!”

“Ah~ It seems that no matter how handsome you are, not everyone will like you. Seeing you get dumped makes me feel a lot better.”

“So even a handsome guy like him can be heartbroken? Wang Yanzhi usually looks so cold and noble; I never thought he had so much inner drama.”

…

Such posts have always been more about the spectacle than genuine sympathy.

Unfortunately, Xu Shijia seemed indifferent to what others were saying. It was clear that his mental state when he posted wasn’t very good, as he had previously been accusing the girl on the confession wall, and now he started to confess his feelings:

“I’ve always liked her so much; she’s so beautiful and charming in my eyes. I really love the way she scolds me.”

“Seeing her again felt like a dream. She smiled at me for the first time, and when she smiled, she looked so pretty, her face flushed. Her dress didn’t fit well and was a bit small, but her figure is truly great. I want to buy her a lot of beautiful, fitting dresses in the future.”

“At first, she was with someone else, but I drove that person away, and then she walked over to me. Suddenly she stumbled into my chest, her eyes sparkling, just looking up at me for a moment, and I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. I originally planned to just take her to her room and leave, but she kept hugging me, kissed me, said she liked me, and pushed me into the room… I thought she really liked me, so I did everything I should and shouldn’t have.”

…

After reading the content from the confession wall, Lin Shu finally understood why Xu Shijia had to change his name.

The severity of social death really had reached the point where a fresh start was necessary.

Many years had passed since Xu Shijia’s senior year in high school, but as Lin Shu read, she still felt a sense of disorientation as if she had returned to her high school days.

So Xu Shijia had once had such intense feelings of love.

Such an arrogant and self-satisfied person could actually feel so humble, willing to crawl in front of someone they truly liked.

Lin Shu was sure that the Xu Shijia of that year must have been so depressed that he drank a lot to vent, which led to such reckless and uncontrolled posts, thinking that since he was anonymous, he could freely express his true feelings.

Just how much did he like that girl?

What a dazzling girl she must have been to make Xu Shijia yearn for her for so many years?

Lin Shu thought about her own obscure and obscure high school years and couldn’t help but feel a pang of bitterness and frustration. It had been possible to reconcile with that time as long as she didn’t think about it, but now, swept up in Xu Shijia’s overwhelming love, she was forced back into the past.

She graduated before Xu Shijia, not knowing which female junior was in his heart, not knowing the other person’s name or appearance, yet subconsciously, she was sketching out the contours of that girl in her mind—she must be a sweet, innocent, radiant, and confident girl, someone who stood in the light, while Lin Shu? Lin Shu was the one who could only stand in the shadows, nameless and dark.

To elaborate, Lin Shu’s first night was actually quite similar to Xu Shijia’s, and if she calculated carefully, even the timing was about the same.

She had deliberately hinted to herself to forget that night due to drunkenness, severe myopia, and the panic and fear afterward, even not knowing the other person’s appearance, not wanting to mention it. Luckily, the alcohol had muddled her memory, causing Lin Shu to lose many details.

But no matter what, Lin Shu knew she couldn’t compare her first love to Xu Shijia’s.

After all, she didn’t have the charm or capability of Xu Shijia’s first love that made him unable to forget her.

Perhaps the similarity was simply because all first nights are somewhat alike.

The only thing that made Lin Shu feel a bit better about herself was that at least she had left some money for the hotel for Xu Shijia’s first love. In her nervousness and panic, she hadn’t counted how much it was, but she took out all the cash she had on her and left it all for the other person.

It should have been quite a bit, right? After all, it was her entire savings at that time.

But even if the other person didn’t pay for the hotel, what did it matter? Xu Shijia loved her so much…

Suddenly, Lin Shu understood Xu Shijia’s contradictory feelings—clearly harboring resentment towards that person yet not allowing Lin Shu to criticize them. It was like a strange form of protecting one’s loved one; I can insult the one I love, but no one else can.

No wonder Xu Shijia didn’t drink anymore.

Lin Shu felt very complicated, as if a sun shower had fallen—half humid and half scorching.

Inevitably, she thought about Xu Shijia’s behavior after that drinking incident.

This was a memory that Lin Shu had intentionally avoided and had tacitly regarded as if nothing had happened due to Xu Shijia’s silence. However, after reading the confession wall, Lin Shu felt a slight discomfort.

What was this?

Was Xu Shijia really so uncontrollable after drinking?

In senior year, he not only lost his virginity when drunk but also created such a scene on the confession wall. Years later, he hadn’t progressed at all; he was no longer just harming himself but had also dragged Lin Shu into it.

Lin Shu recalled that time when Xu Shijia had pushed her against the wall and kissed her forcefully, making her feel uneasy and slightly embarrassed.

That wasn’t just a fleeting kiss; it was…

Lin Shu felt like she was transported back to that night, Xu Shijia’s lips gently stirring on her tongue…

Stop!

Lin Shu shook her head vigorously; she couldn’t think any further.

Now that Liu Xuhui was regaining momentum, she should focus her time on work and generating income.

It was all that damned Xu Shijia’s fault for distracting her.

Clearly, she had someone she liked so much, yet when drunk, she still wouldn’t recognize him. If she hadn’t been with Lin Shu that night, would he have still kissed someone else like that?

If someone who knew his identity had gotten involved, wouldn’t Xu Shijia have casually slept with someone and possibly been forced to take responsibility?

Thinking this way, Lin Shu felt no sympathy for Xu Shijia at all. She was a bit angry and thought he truly deserved to be dumped by his first love.

She didn’t know how many times he had gotten this drunk before or if there were other victims like Lin Shu.

No wonder Xu Shijia seemed so calm at work the next day; it looked like he was already experienced in dealing with such situations.

No wonder she had found Xu Shijia, the junior, annoying back in their senior year of high school; it was all predetermined by genetics.

Lin Shu even felt a bit regretful that she hadn’t “looked after” Xu Shijia enough back then.