CHAPTER 384: 383, DO YOU THINK I... HAVE REALLY FALLEN IN LOVE WITH HER?

"Ladies and gentlemen, our plane has entered the taxiing phase and we will take off shortly. Please check your seat belts one last time..."

The voice of the crew member came through the speakers.

Zhongli Wuzhi returned to his seat, and with a slight tilt of his head, he saw Song Lili fishing out a thin chain from around her neck, from which hung a plain ring.

She reached behind her neck with both hands to remove the chain, and the plain ring slid into the palm of one hand.

Zhongli Wuzhi looked at her,

"What ring is this?"

"The day after I married Ah Nian four years ago, he gave it to me. It’s sort of a wedding ring..."

Zhongli Wuzhi extended his hand towards her, curious to have a closer look. Song Lili was not stingy and handed him the ring. Zhongli Wuzhi examined it thoroughly and couldn’t help but criticize,

"He’s the President, and he gave you such a shabby ring?"

After saying that, he disdainfully returned the ring to Song Lili.

Song Lili smiled and slipped the ring onto the ring finger of her right hand.

Zhongli Wuzhi glanced at her again and asked offhandedly, "Have you explained things to Ah Nian?"

"I’ve explained most of it."

"Did he... let you go?"

"He probably didn’t want to, in his heart."

"Of course he didn’t want to! No man would ever let his pregnant wife go into battle!"

Zhongli Wuzhi declared decisively.

Song Lili propped her face, tilted her head to look at him, and smiled slightly, "That’s why Wen Nian is the President, and you’re just the big young master of the Zhongli family."

"..."

"Just kidding, don’t take it seriously."

Zhongli Wuzhi could see that Song Lili was in good spirits right now, and he himself felt a constant tension, so tight that he was having trouble catching his breath. Now was not a good time to be silent.

"How did you and Xiaoer become so close? I always feel that your relationships with other women are complicated."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Isn’t there a saying, ’Beware of fire, theft, and best friends’?"

"..."

Song Lili blinked, "Where did you hear such unreliable opinions?"

Zhongli Wuzhi raised an eyebrow,

"What if I said I’ve actually seen sisters turn against each other over a man and heard stories of supposed best friends who stab each other in the back?"

Song Lili took a deep breath and looked out the window,

"That’s other people, Xiaoer is different."

"... Why is Lu Xiaoer different?"

"Zhongli, don’t you have close brothers?"

"..."

"Having a trustworthy friend is something to be happy about, something fortunate. Why do you seem to believe that true friendship doesn’t exist?"

Song Lili looked at him.

"Coming from you, that sounds really strange. After all the trouble you and Wen Nian have been through, aren’t you just someone who flat-out refuses to believe in love?"

Zhongli Wuzhi’s retort was spot-on, leaving Song Lili momentarily speechless.

He changed the subject and suddenly asked in a very quiet voice,

"You just said... Little Ear helped you when she was pregnant, regardless of anything. What was that about?"

"... Did I say that?"

Song Lili blinked and began to play dumb.

"You did say it."

Zhongli Wuzhi looked determined.

"You must have heard wrong."

Song Lili waved her hand dismissively, refusing to acknowledge the claim.

"I definitely didn’t hear wrong; that’s exactly what you said."

"What I said was... if the person trapped under Angus Church was me, Lu Xiaoer would do everything possible to save me, even if she was heavily pregnant. No matter how little she could help, she would do her best!"

Song Lili enunciated each word.

Zhongli furrowed his brows, but by the time Song Lili had finished speaking, her gaze had already drifted to the airplane cabin window.

He pursed his lips; although today had been a huge shock for him, it didn’t mean he would mishear something Song Lili said.

Behind him, the atmosphere was heavy. Looking through the window, Song Lili could see Zhongli Wuzhi, deep in thought with furrowed brows...

"Really, you heard wrong. Do you think Little Ear could have been pregnant and carried a big belly to rescue me? You’ve spent more time with Little Ear these past few years than I have. Little Ear was only twenty years old before I went to join the army."

"Song Lili, to be honest, both you and Lu Xiaoer are very confusing."

"..."

"Lu Xiaoer likes women, and you toward Wen—"

"Excuse me?"

Song Lili quickly raised her hand to stop Zhongli Wuzhi mid-sentence, one eyebrow higher than the other, looking at him in utter astonishment, "What did you just say? Say it again?"

Zhongli Wuzhi repeated it very calmly,

"Lu Xiaoer likes women, and besides, the person she likes is you."

"...Who told you that?"

Zhongli Wuzhi took a deep breath, "Lu Xiaoer told me herself, right in front of me, looking straight into my eyes."

Watching the unwavering certainty on Zhongli Wuzhi’s face, Song Lili felt an urge to laugh that she could scarcely contain. She struggled to hold it back as she continued to press him,

"So... when and under what circumstances did she tell you this?"

Zhongli Wuzhi really didn’t want to recall the conversation he had that evening with Lu Xiaoer. Every time he thought of it, it was like the sky was falling.

However, judging by Song Lili’s appearance, it was clear that the woman was oblivious.

"The day you helped Lu Xiaoer move, do you remember? Later, I took her to the Side Courtyard where I lived, in her room, and she seriously told me these words."

Zhongli Wuzhi’s gaze was fixed on something in the distance, disheartened and despondent.

His long legs were crossed, his hands intertwined tightly and unnaturally,

"She has no reason to lie to me. I’ve known her for several years, and there’s never been anything romantic between us. There couldn’t possibly be a problem with my charm; she... really doesn’t like me, I can feel it."

Zhongli Wuzhi stated calmly and serenely that there was no way there was a problem with his charm.

Song Lili’s almond-shaped eyes widened in astonishment, looking at Zhongli Wuzhi, who sported a look of dejection...

How self-absorbed does one have to be to possess such supreme confidence?

Song Lili pursed her lips tightly, barely able to contain her laughter!

In her previous life, she’d had little interaction with Zhongli Wuzhi and didn’t know him well; her only connection to him was through Lu Xiaoer.

Other than knowing about his pre-marital reputation and some gossip about him and Xiaoer, she really knew little about this major heir of the Zhongli Family.

She hadn’t expected...

That he was this sort of person.

"But you see, even knowing she’s a lesbian, acknowledging she has issues, I was still terribly worried when she got in trouble..."

Zhongli Wuzhi turned to look at Song Lili,

"Do you think... I might truly be in love with her?"

His normally half-closed, fox-like eyes were slightly open, revealing his clear, attractive pupils...

After a brief moment of surprise, Song Lili laughed softly,

"Lu Xiaoer, that’s very normal."