BXBX NOVEL Chapter 104 - Let’s go home together?
A crowd of students huddled at the school gate, their eyes filled with longing for the outside world. Cars flashed their chaotic yellow lights, and horns blared as parents called for their children to come out.
HuMing sat alone in the classroom, the clock on the wall ticking slowly, each "tick-tock" echoing in the silence. It would be a while before Li Yue\'s mother arrived, leaving him feeling rather bored.
He could estimate when she would show up, but he never expected such a heavy downpour in the afternoon.
It seemed that fate had already laid out its plans.
Pulling out his phone, HuMing checked the messages. One from Han LiTian asked if he needed a ride, given the downpour; after all, any matters could wait until tomorrow.
As he typed a reply on the virtual keyboard, a knock echoed from the door.
Li Yue stood at the entrance, their eyes locking in a moment that felt almost nostalgic.
Li Yue couldn\'t remember the last time she had been alone with HuMing. She had planned to take a car home, but when she passed by the classroom, she spotted him sitting there by himself.
HuMing rested his chin on his hand, gazing out at the torrential rain.
The relentless patter of rain against the window made Li Yue feel a sudden chill run through her.
"HuMing, do you want to go home together?" she asked, uttering a phrase she had repeated countless times before.
The scene was different, but the outcome felt all too familiar.
Perhaps she had known for a long time that HuMing didn\'t feel the same way about her. Yet she had clung to him, hoping for a result.
Now, Han ShuYi had taken that place in her life, so she found no need for an answer from HuMing anymore.
When HuMing turned to meet Li Yue\'s gaze, his tone was a stark contrast to the storm raging outside.
"No, you can go."
HuMing continued to sit in his seat, but Li Yue couldn\'t help stepping inside.
She walked right up to HuMing and poured out the thoughts that had been weighing on her heart.
"HuMing, do you hate me?"
"Not before, but now I do," HuMing replied candidly, expressing his true feelings.
Hearing this, Li Yue was first stunned, then fell silent.
"I understand you like Han ShuYi, but the day you publicly broke our engagement talks, you became a stranger to me. After that, when you came to me asking for forgiveness, I completely grew to dislike you."
These were HuMing\'s genuine sentiments.
In truth, discussing the relationship between the original HuMing and Li Yue was pointless. He wasn\'t the original; he wouldn\'t take on the burdens of the past. Who had nothing better to do to take on someone else\'s mistakes?
And even if the original didn\'t like Li Yue, so what? Who had the right to dictate whom one should like?
HuMing found such reasoning utterly ridiculous.
Yet, Li Yue\'s subsequent actions had indeed made him feel disdain.
So he wouldn\'t be concerned about the unfairness Li Yue might face in the future. There\'s no turning back after choosing the wrong path.
"Is this about the banquet? I can explain..."
"No need. No matter how many times you apologize, it\'s futile. Everyone has to pay the price for their actions."
HuMing\'s words cut off everything Li Yue wanted to say.
She fell silent, feeling as if a heavy weight was pressing down on her head, making it hard to breathe.
The sound of rain continued, growing louder and more relentless.
After a moment, Li Yue struggled to lift her head to meet HuMing\'s gaze, her expression tinged with bitterness.
"You\'re right; my demands were too much. I hurt you---how could I dare hope for your forgiveness?"
"However, it\'s too dangerous to go home in this rain. Let\'s go together."
Li Yue gazed at HuMing, but just then, a voice interrupted their solitude.
"Sorry, did I interrupt you both?"
They turned in unison to see Ye QiuXue standing at the doorway, arms crossed and looking at them.
Her expression was calm, yet behind her loomed the storm, as if she stood at the center of chaos.
HuMing picked up his backpack and stood, stepping past Li Yue to approach Ye QiuXue.
"Finished up?"
"Yeah, but I can\'t leave yet. So I\'ll stay a little longer."
"Sure."
Their conversation was casual, yet to Li Yue, the unspoken understanding between them was something she had never shared with HuMing.
Her face went pale as she lowered her head, walking past them.
HuMing wasn\'t waiting to go home alone; he had clearly been waiting for Ye QiuXue!
How foolish of her to suggest they go home together when he had never needed her from the start.
Li Yue felt her legs weaken as if she might collapse at any moment.
HuMing glanced at her but quickly turned back to find Ye QiuXue silently observing him, her expression unreadable.
But to HuMing, this was a dangerous sign!
He swallowed hard and forced a laugh.
"Uh, why haven\'t you left yet? I thought you\'d gone home."
"If I had gone home, how could I have witnessed such a dramatic scene?"
Ye QiuXue walked straight to HuMing\'s desk, sitting down where his test papers lay spread out.
She picked up a sheet and continued,
"It\'s raining so heavily I can\'t leave for a while. If I\'d known you were in the classroom, I would have come earlier."
They hadn\'t planned to go home together, but the previous moment was so natural that even HuMing almost believed it.
Ye QiuXue flipped through the test papers, her pencil circling the mistakes.
Outside, the rain showed no signs of letting up, forming an insurmountable barrier that kept them from heading home.
"By the way, why haven\'t you left? Didn\'t you have a driver drive you?"
"Just waiting for you."
"Tell the truth!"
"I have some things to take care of, so I\'ll leave later."
Hearing this, Ye QiuXue nodded and didn\'t press further.
Silence enveloped the classroom once more; aside from academic topics, it seemed they had little else to discuss.
HuMing propped his chin in his hand, watching Ye QiuXue.
She had put on her glasses at some point, intently focused on the test papers.
Her hair fell softly around her face, and her delicate lips moved slightly as she read out the solutions.
HuMing quietly enjoyed the scene before him.
There was something captivating about how someone became fully absorbed in what they were doing, especially someone as beautiful as Ye QiuXue.
As time flowed with the rhythm of the rain, she suddenly lifted her gaze to HuMing, startling him.
"Han HuMing. Let\'s go home together?"