Chapter 7: All Sunk Costs

On the other side.

Mo Yuqing walking down the street attracted countless gazes.

Unlike Liang Zhirou, she wore different clothes every day. Even though it was raining outside, she was still wearing a light camel-colored, very fitted, half-high-necked knitted sweater with a black long skirt.

It perfectly showed off her near-perfect legs, and with her long straight black hair, she had a mysterious aura of a mature woman.

Even though her shoes were a little muddy, no one would look at her shoes because of her slender waist.

However, those who were more observant might have noticed that this young lady had not been caught in much rain and had not been out in the rain much.

Liu Yan, who was walking beside her, was wearing a thicker jacket and jeans, which did not hide her good looks, but because she was walking beside Mo Yuqing, no one had the time to notice her.

Mo Yuqing was a little nervous today.

She wanted to prove to Liu Yan that she could live well without Chen Lu.

But as soon as she entered the cafeteria, she frowned at the long lines.

Does Chen Lu have to wait in such a long line every time he buys me food?

Mo Yuqing didn’t think about it much. She didn’t really care about the extra money for ordering takeout every day, but she just wanted to compete, so she had to buy her own food in the cafeteria.

She also had to pick up her own deliveries, grab her own classes, and handle her own class affairs…

She felt a little ashamed when she listed her plans, because for others, it seemed like things they could do on their own.

Mo Yuqing wiped Liu Yan’s hair with a tissue while leading her out of the school gate.

If the cafeteria is crowded, we’ll just eat outside.

Liu Yan didn’t really feel anything. Mo Yuqing was already so resistant to waiting in line that she felt like she was going crazy.

It was unbearably crowded, with all sorts of noisy chatter, and there were many people playing loud, cheesy videos.

It hurt her ears.

Just as she was about to reach her usual restaurant, she suddenly saw Chen Lu.

But… he was sitting across from a girl.

A girl who was completely different from me.

She didn’t complain to Chen Lu about all the unpleasant things she had encountered, she just ate quietly by herself, and she would occasionally look up at Chen Lu.

Chen Lu was leaning on his chin, looking at her, and they didn’t say much, but…

Why do they look so good together?

Why is Chen Lu eating with a girl other than me?

He’s always been with me…

Mo Yuqing was stunned for a long time, feeling a dull ache in her heart.

She was angry and annoyed.

It should be me who is being looked at by Chen Lu like that!

His gentleness has always belonged to me alone!!

Liu Yan noticed a little later than Mo Yuqing, so when she wanted to pull Mo Yuqing back, Mo Yuqing had already walked over.

The girl was still eating with her head down, and Mo Yuqing just looked at Chen Lu.

“What are you doing?” she asked in a bad mood.

Chen Lu noticed that Liu Yan was looking at him with a “I tried my best to hold her back” expression.

Although Chen Lu thought it was completely unnecessary, he was still grateful for her efforts to help him.

Even if others’ intentions were wrong, things still had to be judged on their own merits.

“As you can see, what’s the problem?” Chen Lu asked, a little puzzled.

“Don’t you like me? Then why are you eating with another girl?

Is this your kind of like?”

Because they were outside, Mo Yuqing’s voice was very low, but you could still hear the anger in her tone.

“It’s true that I like you, but I also said when I confessed that I wouldn’t do it anymore.” Chen Lu’s voice was a little cold, even he himself didn’t expect it.

Usually, when he looked at Mo Yuqing so closely, it would make his heart race, but he didn’t feel it at all this time.

So this is what it feels like to be heartbroken…

“You rejected me, you only gave me two choices, either continue to be your dog, or don’t be friends.”

“As you can see, I chose the latter, because I’m tired.” Chen Lu said with a self-deprecating smile, “I’m not a saint, there’s no reason for me to be nice to you when I know it won’t work out.”

This cold tone immediately irritated her, making her inexplicably want to cry.

She didn’t understand why, but her vision suddenly became blurry, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Mo Yuqing wanted to hold back her tears and give a disdainful smile, but she had always been the kind of person who would release any emotion without hesitation and wait for others to coax her, so she messed up.

In the end, she could only pretend to be indifferent while shedding tears, “Okay, no problem. Even if you eat with ten girls, it has nothing to do with me, as long as you’re happy.”

Then she stretched out her slender fingers to brush the hair that was stuck to her cheek with tears, “Since you don’t answer my calls, don’t even think about getting through to me if you call me in the future.

I won’t answer a single one.”

“Okay, so, what’s your reason for criticizing me?” Chen Lu asked, tilting his head.

“You can’t even say it yourself, can you? We’re not even friends anymore, you’re being a little too nosy.”

Mo Yuqing was stunned by this series of words.

Suddenly, she felt that Chen Lu was so unfamiliar.

So unfamiliar that it was as if she had only met him for the first time.

From the moment Chen Lu gave her the first bouquet of flowers, to now, seven years have passed.

If we count from the time she first met Chen Lu, they have known each other for over a decade.

But no matter when she started to recall, Chen Lu had never shown her this kind of expression.

There wasn’t even a glimmer of light in his eyes when he looked at her.

Why? Why is he looking at me with this expression?

Where did the Chen Lu who would always smile and coax me no matter how angry I was go?

“You weren’t like this before…”

Before Mo Yuqing could realize it, the words had already slipped out of her mouth.

“Mo Yuqing, if you want to talk about the past, then let’s talk about it.”

Chen Lu looked at the girl he had loved for seven years, “What were you like before?”

“Back then, I said I would treat you to dinner, you agreed, and then that night I waited for three hours, until the restaurant closed, but I didn’t see you.

Later I asked you, you said you forgot.

Remember this?

You may not remember, but I remember the mocking looks those people gave me.”

“I used to be as humble as a dog, always trying to please you, what did I get in return? I only got two rejections.”

“I originally wanted to be your boyfriend, not your dog. Now… I don’t want anything anymore, I just want to keep my distance from you.”

Mo Yuqing may have been shocked by Chen Lu’s indifferent expression, or she may have been at a loss for words for a moment.

In any case, she didn’t say anything, she just wiped her tears.

Chen Lu didn’t move, he just sat there silently watching her.

Tears streaming down her face… It’s true that beautiful girls look like this when they cry.

Of course, it would be awkward for him to see the girl he had loved for seven years cry in front of him, but Chen Lu managed to hold back.

“Yan Yan, let’s not eat here, let’s go buy some sour fish.” Mo Yuqing said with a crying voice, turning her head away, her eyes red.

“Sour fish is in the East Cafeteria, we just came out from there…”

Liu Yan leaned close to Mo Yuqing’s ear, trying to keep her voice down.

“Then let’s go back!”

“Don’t rush, your favorite oden is nearby.”

Mo Yuqing was stunned.

Does Chen Lu always run back and forth like this to deliver food to me?

Liu Yan seemed to have guessed what Mo Yuqing was thinking, she just looked at her and shrugged.

Although Liu Yan guessed what was on Mo Yuqing’s mind,

But she didn’t expect that Chen Lu already had another girl by his side, and she also discovered a little bit of Chen Lu’s hardship, but she still didn’t take the initiative to lower her head.

Unexpectedly, Mo Yuqing still turned and left.

“You’re going the wrong way! We need to go east!”

Liu Yan stood there, looking at Chen Lu who didn’t move, and then at Mo Yuqing who was walking away angrily and in the wrong direction.

She sighed deeply, then quickly chased after her.

Chen Lu had seen this action before, it was the expression his mother would make when she saw the male and female leads in a drama pass each other by.

Looking at the girl who was wiping her tears and leaving, Chen Lu felt a mix of emotions.

This was the first time he had made Mo Yuqing cry.

So she still cries because of me?

But, it doesn’t matter anymore.

I want to let go…

After repeating this phrase in his mind many times, Chen Lu continued to play with his phone.

Except this time, he was randomly clicking into different apps and then exiting them.

After all, seven years is a long time, it’s not easy to let go.

Even if it will be painful, even if it will take another seven years to heal…

I don’t want to look back.

I really didn’t expect that all the youth I spent on you was just a sunk cost.