CHAPTER 76: CHAPTER 76 TRAP 2_1

She sat alone by the small lake behind the cafeteria. Spring had given way to summer. The willows were lush and green, the scenery picturesque. But she wasn’t in the mood to appreciate it.

It was still early. Wan Donglin was probably still sleeping at home. She didn’t want to go back.

Her intuition told her Wan Donglin’s return this time didn’t bode well. He’d never been so drunk before. He’d never been as violent as he was last night.

What was there to say to a drunkard, anyway?

Unable to concentrate on her book, she aimlessly wandered around the campus.

She somehow managed to make it through the day. By afternoon, she collected her bag and prepared to go home.

She felt exceptionally low today, listless. Was it because Wan Donglin had kept her up all night, or because those dark, sorrowful memories from the past had resurfaced?

As she walked, she kicked small stones from the path. One flew into the lake with a THUD, sending ripples across the water that shattered the reflection of the weeping willows.

"Xixi..."

She lifted her head in disbelief. Her breath caught. For a moment, she could hardly breathe.

Huang Xiaojue stood opposite her, less than two meters away.

She instinctively rubbed her eyes. It felt like a dream.

Huang Xiaojue stared intently at her. He had noticed her from far away. Her hair was disheveled. She wore baggy jeans and an oversized T-shirt. Her hair veiled half her face, obscuring any hint of her beauty.

He suddenly remembered an autumn day many years ago. He had been here, too, and had seen a girl in jeans, her heart clearly heavy, kicking a small stone into the lake just like this.

He could never forget that moment: she had lifted her head, her hair blown aside by the wind, revealing a pair of unbelievably bright, large eyes.

It was as if yesterday had replayed itself. His breath hitched. He strode forward and grabbed her hand.

Her hand was icy cold, devoid of warmth.

Yan Xixi stammered, "Xiaojue... Xiaojue... Is it really you...?"

He exhaled deeply, the excitement in his voice palpable, "Xixi... I’ve been asking around for so long. So, you’re back at school studying..."

He had searched countless streets and asked innumerable people. And all this time, she’d been frequenting this place, so familiar to him, yet one he’d never imagined she’d be.

"I... Wan Donglin helped me get in..."

Huang Xiaojue’s grip slackened, and he dejectedly released her hand, stepping back awkwardly. A flicker of incredulous shock and anger crossed his eyes. But the anger quickly dissipated, his voice trembling slightly as he asked, "Xixi... are you okay?"

"I... I’m okay..."

Yan Xixi didn’t realize her own voice was trembling slightly, and she fidgeted, unsure where to put her hands or feet. After a long pause, she finally stammered, "You... Xiaojue, what about you? Are you okay?"

"I’m fine too..."

"Is your family okay?"

"They’re fine."

The air itself seemed to freeze. Their conversation felt stilted, awkward, utterly meaningless.

But apart from that, the two had nothing more to say. They both looked down, their gazes fixed on each other’s shoes.

After a while, Huang Xiaojue lifted his head and said softly, "I have to go."

"I... I should go too."

She turned and practically fled. After just a few steps, she stumbled over a small stone and nearly fell. She managed to steady herself, then ran off without daring to look back.

Huang Xiaojue watched her retreating figure until she vanished from sight. Before him, the sun was setting in the west, its reflection staining the lake water like blood.