Falling into the rain

Shen Sihe knew the truth, of course, but how could she betray her best friend? She pretended to be clueless and asked in feigned surprise, "Does Tingyu have someone she likes? How come I didn't know!"

Wen Huaixu lifted his eyelids to look at her, and Shen Sihe subconsciously avoided his direct gaze.

He immediately understood that Shen Sihe was covering for Yu Tingyu, but he also knew that the two of them were in cahoots, and no matter how much he asked, he wouldn't get any answers.

He glanced at Zhao Xiao, seemingly trying to gauge the veracity of Shen Sihe's words.

Zhao Xiao was rubbing his sore lips when he suddenly met Wen Huaixu's gaze, and he was so startled that he subconsciously took half a step back.

Wen Huaixu hadn't held back at all with that punch; he was genuinely terrified. What was worse, he didn't even have the courage to retaliate. He could only hurriedly explain, "Brother Huaixu, I really haven't been dating Tingyu..."

"call back."

Wen Huaixu suddenly interrupted him, saying this in a calm and even tone.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xiao and Shen Sihe were both stunned, exchanging bewildered glances, unsure of how to react.

"No...no need." Zhao Xiao quickly shook his head. Even if he had a few extra lives, he wouldn't dare to fight Wen Huaixu. "...Just consider it a beating for Sihe."

Shen Sihe secretly glared at him.

Wen Huaixu narrowed his eyes: "You are—"

Yes, we're together.

"No! Just playing around."

The two interrupted Wen Huaixu at the same time, but their answers were completely different.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xiao's brows furrowed instantly. He looked at Shen Sihe, who was looking down guiltily, and demanded, "Explain yourself clearly. What do you mean by 'just playing around'?"

Shen Sihe pulled Zhao Xiao's coat closer to her shoulders, wiped her feet on the gravel, and said in a softer tone, "...It just means we haven't officially defined our relationship yet."

"When will it be confirmed?" Zhao Xiao pressed.

"We'll see." Shen Sihe glared at him. "Why do you ask so many questions?"

"I……"

Zhao Xiao had no words to express his suffering, only feeling that the punch Wen Huaixu had just thrown hurt even more.

"Brother Huaixu, he's tough and will be fine tomorrow. You should go and check on Tingyu."

Shen Sihe has been afraid of Wen Huaixu since she was a child. It can be said that among the children of her generation, only Yu Tingyu dares to challenge him. Everyone else is like a mouse in front of a cat.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine, it doesn't hurt at all," Zhao Xiao echoed.

"I'll arrange for a doctor to come to your room in a bit." Wen Huaixu gave them no room to refuse. His dark eyes fell on their faces, and his tone left no room for argument: "Go back to the hotel now."

He added, "Everyone go back to their own way."

Shen Sihe's face turned bright red. The thought of Wen Huaixu having overheard their kiss made her so embarrassed she wanted to bury herself in the sand. She hesitated before walking away and asked, "...Brother Huaixu, could you please not tell my parents?"

"Can."

Wen Huaixu didn't hesitate for a second.

Shen Sihe was delighted, but before she could thank him, she heard him say—

"But you have to answer my question first."

Shen Sihe's face fell again, and she suddenly lost all her vitality.

She glanced at Wen Huaixu as if she wanted to say something, but ultimately shook her head firmly.

"...Fine, anyway, Zhao Xiao and I will both get scolded."

What a joke! No matter how bad things are for you, you can't betray your best friend.

Wen Huaixu's eyes darkened.

He was just testing the waters, but judging from Shen Sihe's reaction, it seems that Xiaoyu really has a man she likes very much.

But he couldn't recall such a person existing. The men she usually had the most contact with were Zhao Xiao, Chu Lingyu, and Zhang Qi'an.

But these two people are about the same age as him, almost thirty years old. How could Xiaoyu possibly be interested in them?

Wen Huaixu walked back to the hotel with an unclear feeling. On the way, he called his secretary, Wang Hang, and asked him to investigate the men Yu Tingyu had been in contact with in recent years, ranging in age from eighteen to thirty-five. He wanted to include anyone who had been in close contact with her, and especially to thoroughly investigate the young lecturers and professors at the school.

He knew that this behavior was shameful, and if Yu Tingyu found out, she would probably throw a tantrum at him again.

But Wen Huaixu couldn't remain indifferent. The thought that she had such a deeply loved man in her heart was like a thorn stuck in his heart, which he couldn't pull out or let in. The dense pain blocked his chest, making him extremely uncomfortable.

But what made his heart clench even more was that he had misunderstood Yu Tingyu. It turned out that her insistence on moving out was not to live with any man. Perhaps, as she said, she was just too lazy to get up early every day and wanted to be closer to the school.

He had a huge argument with her about it that day, losing all his composure and causing Yu Tingyu to shed many tears.

Thinking of all this, Wen Huaixu quickened his pace. When he heard the receptionist announce Yu Tingyu's room number, he almost immediately turned around and entered the elevator.

-

Yu Tingyu spent the afternoon playing at the beach. The ultraviolet rays on the beach were too strong. Even though she applied sunscreen, her exposed skin was still red. She was currently applying a repairing face mask.

Hearing a knock at the door, she thought it was Shen Sihe returning.

"Wait a moment."

Yu Tingyu hadn't had time to change out of her swimsuit yet. She had planned to take a shower after applying a face mask, but the doorbell interrupted her. She hurriedly slipped on her slippers and headed for the door.

The next second, the door opened, and Yu Tingyu looked up, about to speak, but she froze the moment she saw who it was.

"Second...Second Brother?"

Her tone was full of disbelief.

She said she wouldn't come when we talked this morning, so how come she suddenly appeared in front of her?

It felt like a dream.

The moment the door opened, Wen Huaixu's gaze was instantly drawn to the bright blue, exactly the same as the one he had seen on his phone. That shade of blue suited her fair skin perfectly, and the blouse hugged her slender waist, making her figure appear even more graceful.

His eyes suddenly darkened, and after only a quick glance, he immediately looked away, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily.

Yu Tingyu belatedly realized what was happening, and her cheeks instantly burned.

She usually dresses conservatively at home, only letting loose a bit at the beach. But now she's facing not only familiar faces, but also the man she loves.

Yu Tingyu instinctively wanted to cover something, but nothing seemed right. She remained frozen for a few seconds before realizing she should let him in. She stepped aside to make room and asked casually, "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

Fortunately, she didn't tell me beforehand, otherwise I wouldn't have known that she wasn't dating Zhao Xiao.

He has someone else in his heart.

"The old man wants to see me about something." Wen Huaixu's voice was deep, though a little hoarse than usual.

This wasn't a lie. Before coming to Beidaihe, Liang Zheng had tried to persuade him for more than ten minutes, wanting him to come with him, but Wen Huaixu's attitude didn't waver at all.

Yu Tingyu's secret expectation vanished instantly.

"……oh."

She thought it was because of her.