Chapter 55: Her Love

Lin Yiwei walked out of the fine arts building with her painting board, and a mixed-race teenager riding a mountain bike had been waiting downstairs for quite some time.

Leon, Lin Yiwei’s ardent pursuer, was a handsome young man with half Chinese and half Russian heritage. He had the deep features of a European, with pale skin and eyes as deep as obsidian. He sported black short hair and clear, attractive facial features, making him a head-turning mixed-race guy on the streets of China.

He had been earnestly pursuing Lin Yiwei for nearly half a year. No matter how many times she rejected him, he wouldn’t give up. He would show up at the art school every few days, pestering her to go out and play.

Even though she repeatedly turned down other suitors after listening to their confessions, with Leon, Lin Yiwei couldn’t help but burst out laughing when he finished his confession by saying his nickname was “Li Geda,” making her laugh so hard she almost drooled.

This made her smile whenever she saw Leon, even before he spoke.

Her willingness to smile at him was a huge encouragement for him.

So Leon felt confident he had a chance. Whenever he had time, he would wait for her outside the teaching building, believing that Lin Yiwei would agree to date him one day.

Despite Lin Yiwei’s repeated refusals, Leon was not discouraged. He would say, “A dead pig isn’t afraid of boiling water,” confident he would eventually win her over.In addition to his northeastern accent and nickname “Li Geda,” Leon also spoke in a folksy manner. Lin Yiwei found him incredibly amusing and often laughed uncontrollably because of him.

He would invite her to watch movies, go for walks, or sail on the Thames on weekends, and sometimes, she would actually go.

London was rainy, and Lin Yiwei often forgot her umbrella. Leon would always appear with an umbrella as soon as it started raining.

If Lin Yiwei were just an ordinary Chinese student abroad, without a romantic history or someone she cared for, maybe she would consider dating Leon. Because he always made her laugh, and laughter in her life was so rare.

But not now.

Lin Yiwei didn’t dare to provoke the person across the ocean.

“It’s your birthday today, Lin. Let’s have a meal together. I’ll treat you to pizza, or would you prefer hot pot? Although the hot pot in London has a distinct London taste, there’s nothing really delicious about it.”

Lin Yiwei took a few steps, looking at the teenager riding his bike at walking speed beside her.

“How do you know today is my birthday?”

“I saw it on your passport.”

“To be honest, today might not be my birthday.”

Lin Yiwei wanted to get rid of Leon quickly and wait at home for the arrival of that person.

“I grew up in an orphanage. I don’t even know exactly when my birthday is.”

“Then let’s go by the passport.” Leon shrugged. “The exact birthday doesn’t matter. What’s important is spending good times with you.”

“Leon, I’m begging you. I must have told you at least fifty thousand times—I can’t agree to be with you. Please stop coming to me.”

“Why? You smile at me, don’t you like that?”

“I smile because… because you’re funny, not because seeing you makes me happy.” She said helplessly.

“I don’t see the difference.”

“There is! There’s a big difference!” Lin Yiwei explained earnestly, “When you see someone you like, you can’t help but smile happily. Your kind of deliberately funny laughter to make people laugh is not love. These two are fundamentally different.”

“So, funny guys are destined not to find love?”

“Of course, you’re not just funny, you’re also handsome. There are plenty of girls at school who like you. Pick one you like, and you can have a sweet romance.”

“But I only like you. I just want your love.”

“But I don’t like you,” Lin Yiwei told him plainly. “I’m begging you, Leon, don’t waste your time on me. Even if you ask ten thousand times, the answer will still be no.”

“Do you have a boyfriend? Why can’t you try accepting me?”

“I do have a boyfriend.” Seeing that he wasn’t getting it, Lin Yiwei had to lie to him. “He’s in China, and I love him very much.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“It’s true!”

“Let me see your WeChat chat history. Just the ‘good morning’ and ‘good night’ check-ins will do. If I see them, I’ll give up.”

“…”

Well, now he wanted proof.

Seeing that Lin Yiwei couldn’t produce it, Leon smiled brightly, “Come on, come on. People with boyfriends don’t say ‘good morning’ and ‘good night’?”

“We don’t. We’re not that scripted.”

“You must have chat records. Let me see the last time you said ‘I love you’ to each other.”

“…”

Seeing Lin Yiwei couldn’t provide any evidence, he laughed, “You don’t have a boyfriend. You’re lying to me.”

Taking a deep breath, Lin Yiwei lowered her voice, “Leon, I live in a three-story villa on Oxford Street, but I’m not from a wealthy family. I grew up in an orphanage. Do you understand now?”

Leon shook his head blankly, “Understand what? Are you inviting me to your place?”

Lin Yiwei sighed and explained to him, “I’m someone else’s secret lover. I sold myself to study abroad. Do you understand now?”

She was really driven to speak by him.The smile faded from Leon’s face.

He stared at her for a moment before asking angrily, “I watched a movie called ‘Happy Treasure.’ Are you Miss Happy Treasure? Are you someone’s lover?”

He was young and had a temper, his voice full of anger.

“Is that old guy better than me? I have money too! As long as you say the word, I can…”

Before Lin Yiwei could speak, a cold voice cut through from behind, sharp and decisive—

“She is not Happy Treasure. She is not anyone’s lover.”

Lin Yiwei turned around and saw the man in a white shirt, holding a suit jacket, standing under the poplar tree at the school gate.

The sunlight was intense, and his figure was well-proportioned and upright, like a banana tree after rain, vibrant and bright, exuding the vigor of midsummer.

His dark eyes seemed to crush the sunlight.

At that moment, Lin Yiwei felt even the breeze was damp.

Her heart, too, was damp.

She knew he would come today, but she didn’t expect him to come to the school, appearing in such a beautiful golden sunset, bringing her such exuberant joy.

Yearning was like a typhoon in the equatorial summer, surging and overwhelming.

Lin Yiwei resisted the urge to throw herself into his arms.

“Are you her boyfriend?”

Leon had never seen Lin Yiwei look at anyone with such moist eyes and looked at Xie Bo with hostility.

Xie Bo walked over and stood beside Lin Yiwei.

“No.”

“Then what’s your relationship with her? Friends or lovers?”

“I just love her, like you do.”

“Then let’s compete fairly!”

Leon refused to back down and stepped forward assertively.

“Weiwei, will you have dinner with me or with him?”

Lin Yiwei had already taken Xie Bo’s sleeve. She couldn’t even hear Leon’s words anymore; her heart and eyes were full of the men around her.

“Master Bo.”

I miss you so much, Master Bo.

She softly called his name, gentle as a cat.

“……”

With a wounded heart, Leon left.

Watching his departing figure, Xie Bo smirked slightly and asked her, “Who is this amusing guy?”

At the moment he was about to hold her hand, Lin Yiwei sensibly let go of his sleeve.

“Is Master Bo just arriving, or is he about to leave?”

“Tonight’s flight.”

“Then… let’s have dinner together.”

Lin Yiwei kept her distance from him throughout, the two chatting as they walked out of the campus, just like any other ordinary students on campus.

From what he said over the phone, she thought tonight Xie Bo would really appear in her bedroom.

Everything was prepared, but he came to campus, picked her up after class, and awkwardly encountered Leon, this ardent pursuer.

“So, are we meeting at the restaurant?”

Xie Bo chuckled, ruffling her hair.

“Let’s fill your stomach first and then see if you’re hungry elsewhere.”

“What nonsense you’re talking, like a little rascal. Haven’t seen you for half a year, and I thought Master Bo had matured like on TV.”

“Do you like maturity?”

“What I like doesn’t matter. Master Bo, we’re not involved anymore.”

“Lin Yiwei, honestly, you’re as pretentious as Chi Xiyu. You think you can erase the absurd years we spent countless nights together by acting innocent now.”

“You call me pretentious, but who’s the one who, during interviews, acts like a perfect gentleman, spouting lofty words? So who does the scandal hurt more now? Doesn’t it weigh on your heart? The whole world knows about the engagement between the Xie and Chi families, and within a month, you fly to the UK to meet your ex-girlfriend. Your image and stock price both collapse!”

“Didn’t know you still care about me. Touching. Can I get a hug?” Xie Bo paused, wanting to put his arm around her shoulder.

Lin Yiwei yearned for his embrace but also sadly knew…That embrace belonged to another girl.

Swift as a rabbit, she dodged and pushed him away.

“Hug? Forget it, you scumbag.”

Xie Bo withdrew his hand.

“How’s Xie Jiayu?”

“Who’s Xie Jiayu?”

“My dog.”

“……” Lin Yiwei grinned. “You named it… Xie Jiayu.”

“Yes, didn’t I say?”

“No, you didn’t.”

She tiptoed, brushing maple leaves off his shoulder, a seemingly intimate gesture.

“Naming a dog with such a formal name! Aren’t they usually named things like Dou Dou, Qiu Qiu?”

“What’s wrong with ‘Jia’ in the name?”

“Naming a dog like this, are you mocking your two older brothers?”

“You’re the only one who constantly hits my sore spots.” Xie Bo wasn’t upset at all, tilting his chin and sharing his joy with her. “Xie Sizhao agreed, and I’ll change my name soon.”

“Xie Jiabo, it doesn’t sound good at all! Don’t change it; I still prefer Xie Bo.”

“A child knows nothing. This is about identity recognition. Changing my name will lead to further progress; I’ll get everything I want.” His eyes shimmered.

“Then let me congratulate Master Bo in advance.” Lin Yiwei refrained from mocking further.

He knew that this was something she had always wanted.

“Really, I’m happy for you.”

“Thank you.”

They were like old friends reuniting after a long time apart, completely at ease with each other. There was no need for small talk like “long time no see”; their conversation was filled with the familiarity of yesterday.

Walking along the maple leaf path, leaves often fell gently on their shoulders, and Lin Yiwei would casually brush them away for him.

It was the most restrained expression of her surging affection.

She hoped this path would never end.

To avoid prying eyes, Lin Yiwei deliberately chose a Japanese barbecue restaurant—quiet and elegant, with private booths that provided privacy.

The young girl happily ate her meat, noticing that Xie Bo wasn’t eating much, busy grilling for her instead. So she transferred some meat from her plate to his.

“Master Bo, what time is your flight tonight?”

“Nine o’clock.”

“Oh, that’s early.”

With the airport trip two hours in advance, they had to hurry after dinner, leaving no time to go to her bedroom.

Maybe… he really just came for a simple dinner with her.

Seeing through the young girl’s thoughts, Xie Bo smiled and said, “If you’re disappointed, we can head home now, resolve this quickly, or find a secluded place. You know how much I want that.”

“Who’s disappointed?”

Xie Bo raised an eyebrow and poured her a cup of sake.

“I’ve never touched Chi Xiyu, never done anything, never kissed.”

“I didn’t ask.”

“Since we met, you’ve always wanted to ask.”

“No, stop assuming things, Xie Bo!” She intentionally drew out his name.

Suddenly, Xie Bo handed her his phone, showing the memo interface.

He said, “Help me choose a character.”

“What character?”

“I don’t want this name ‘Bo’ anymore. Help me choose another one.”

Lin Yiwei saw several characters listed after ‘Jia’ in the memo—

“Yi, Hong, Jing, Wei, Yu…”

All were auspicious names like gold and jade.

Looking at these dozen characters, for some reason, Lin Yiwei felt a twinge of bitterness in her heart.

At that moment… she actually pitied Xie Bo a bit.

After plotting for so many years, he finally obtained this recognition of identity, changing that cautious, fragile name.

Yet his two elder brothers were born with this qualification.

The world was never fair.

“Can you pick one?” Xie Bo saw her earnestly selecting but still not deciding. “Are they all not good? Then, baby, help me think of one.”

Lin Yiwei pushed the phone back to him, suppressing the bitterness rising in her throat.

“For such an important matter, how can I choose? You decide it yourself.”

Xie Bo handed the phone back. “I want you to choose.”

“I’m not your mother. Why should I help you choose a name?”

“Lin Yiwei, let’s just enjoy our meal. Do you want to argue again?”

Lin Yiwei’s eyes reddened. “I won’t choose! I just like Xie Bo! Other names are not good! What’s so important about this ‘Jia’ character! It’s important, my foot! I’ll still call you Xie Bo even if you change your name.”

Xie Bo silently looked at her.She realized her loss of composure, grabbed a tissue, and vigorously rubbed her eyes.

“It doesn’t matter what name you choose; what kind of person you are is the most important. Xie Bo is not that fragile; I say it’s a name that builds up from accumulation. It’s a good name; why change it?”

After a while, the man across from her chuckled, twisted a tissue, and playfully pinched the girl’s reddened nose.

“You have so many dramas in your head.”

“…”

The girl felt a bit embarrassed and glared at him.

Xie Bo took back his phone, looking indulgently at her.

“Lin Yiwei, I feel that you love me now.”

“I don’t!”

“You care about me a lot.”

“I don’t, don’t, don’t! I’m just talking about the matter at hand!” Lin Yiwei’s eyes were moist, but she stubbornly said, “It has nothing to do with love.”

“Okay, okay.”

“Really, believe me!”

“I believe you.”

“You just don’t believe me!”

Xie Bo simply changed positions, sitting cross-legged beside her, vigorously rubbing her head.

“I believe you. Now, eat your meal obediently.”

Lin Yiwei pursed her lips.

“Then what name do you want to change to?”

“Let’s not change it for now.” Xie Bo put away his phone and tucked it into his bag. “After all, someone said she only likes Xie Bo.”

The young girl poked at the meat on her plate with her chopsticks and finally smiled, dimples appearing at the corners of her mouth.

“Look at you, always so easily swayed by others.”

“Others are others, and you are you.”

Lin Yiwei ignored his words and remembered the earlier situation.

“Why did you say those things to Leon?”

“What things?

“Saying that I’m not anyone’s lover.”

“Because you broke up with me.”

“But the implication in your phone call that day was clearly not…”

Xie Bo interrupted her. “One doesn’t know the pain until the knife falls on oneself. I also feel uncomfortable about it falling on you. I won’t let you become a gossip topic. Today is just a meeting to catch up, to see if you’ve gained or lost weight. As friends, you are free. Don’t talk about arrangements or anything like that in the future.”

Lin Yiwei deeply looked at him, feeling that Xie Bo had indeed matured a lot in the past half year.

“Can I date then?”

“…”

Taking advantage of the situation, huh?

“Can I, Master Bo?” She playfully elongated her tone. “I have quite a few suitors waiting in line, and their conditions are pretty good.”

“If you dare, give it a try.”

“Look at you, holding my hand like this but still talking about me being single.”

Xie Bo also felt conflicted, but there was no way around it.

He couldn’t tolerate anyone else having her. If he couldn’t have her, then no one could.

Lin Yiwei grilled a piece of pine board meat and handed it to his plate.

“You’ve lost weight, Master Bo. Make sure to eat well in the future.”

Even if she wasn’t there, he had to eat well.

…

After dinner, the two took a walk along the Thames, each carrying a can of beer, watching the sunset slant down, the river shimmering with light.

The distant booming of the clock struck eight times, reminding them it was time to say goodbye.

Lin Yiwei solemnly placed the Buddha stone bracelet from her wrist onto his wrist.

“Xie Bo, I wish you success in your career and that all your wishes come true, opening convenience stores all over the world.”

Caressing the Buddha stone bracelet, Xie Bo smiled gently.

“Isn’t this a coincidence?”

After speaking, he also took off a red ruby bracelet from his sleeve, pure in texture and blood-red in color, and placed it on the young girl’s wrist.

“Happy birthday, Lin Yiwei.”

“…”

Lin Yiwei intended to return the money he had given her in a different way but didn’t expect… that he had also prepared a gift.

This red ruby bracelet was probably much more expensive than the Buddha stone bracelet.

It seemed like he wanted her to owe him forever, never able to repay him.

She looked at the slender, white wrist and the ruby shining like blood upon it, accentuating her fair skin.

“This is too red, a bit intimidating.”

Xie Bo laughed. “It matches your temperament well.”

“What are you saying! Sometimes I can be very gentle, okay?”

“Sure.”

She also had very gentle moments, like now.

Lin Yiwei toyed with the ruby bracelet on her wrist, seeming to like it, but stubbornly said, “How about giving me another Yuesheng Fresh discount card? In the future, when I bring my baby to shop, I can tell my baby that this huge supermarket was opened by my good friend. It’ll be very impressive.”

The warm light of the setting sun fell on her delicate face, enveloping her in golden twilight, like a blurry veil covering her, elusive.

Xie Bo stared at her without turning away. “What’s your baby’s surname?”

“Definitely not surnamed Xie.”

“Is that so?”

Lin Yiwei thought for a moment and said, “It should be surnamed Lin.”

“Are you going to have a child by yourself?”

“In any case, you have no part in it.”

Xie Bo leaned his elbow on the railing by the river. “I used to think about having a beautiful kid with you, preferably a girl. If she were like you, I would love her very much.”

“Forget about it, Xie Bo, it’s never going to happen.”

Xie Bo tapped her beer can with his bottle.

“Then I wish Miss Lin a life without me, never having a child with me.”

“Xie Bo! You jerk!” Lin Yiwei pounded on him. “I will have it! I will have a very happy life!”

The two teased each other for a while, fortunately with no one around who understood their words.

Xie Bo held her wrist, unable to help but draw closer, unable to resist wanting to kiss her.

Lin Yiwei didn’t evade, leaning towards his thin lips, softly saying, “Master Bo, your car is here.”

The black sedan was waiting at the intersection from afar.

Xie Bo’s lips were just a few millimeters away from touching hers, struggling, yet enduring…Their breaths intertwined, warm and humid.

He said, “This winter, I’ll come back again and accompany you to see the winter snow.”