Green Tea Top Student Falls in Love with Me - Chapter 55

Wen Youren stood with her back to Shi Qin, her expression dark. She knew exactly what was on his mind, and she realized there was no longer any point in hiding it. She spoke directly, “You want Shi Wangui to marry the son of one of your friends, don’t you?”

Shi Qin’s face registered a flash of shock before he quickly regained his arrogant composure. “Since you’ve guessed it, then recognize your place. You are Yiyue’s child. Whether you want to study abroad or work at the company in the future, I can provide all of it—provided you stay far away from Shi Wangui.”

Wen Youren turned around. “The truth is, neither of you loves us. You only had children because you acted on your own desires.”

In the past, when people found out she was gay, some cursed her, some tried to persuade her otherwise, and others blamed her. But Shi Qin did neither. He treated Shi Wangui like a toy; he wouldn’t let her starve or break her, and he allowed her to have her own thoughts occasionally, but in the end, she had to follow his arrangements.

“Your mother told me before that you aren’t like other children your age,” Shi Qin said with a note of appreciation. “Shi Wangui pretends to be a tough character every day, but she collapses at the slightest touch. You feel different to me. You are very calculating.”

“I know I’m no match for you,” Wen Youren replied, “but when it comes to Shi Wangui, I will not let go.”

“I admire your courage, but you aren’t qualified to fight me.” Shi Qin laughed. “Your mother is preparing to handle your school transfer as your guardian. You’re going to No. 7 High School, the furthest one from No. 1 High. It’s a school for problem students. I believe you’ll fit right in.”

Wen Youren froze. It was true. Wen Yiyue was still her mother; transferring her was effortless. She could move her to No. 1 High to meet Shi Wangui, or she could move her to No. 7 High to keep them apart. Making a scene would accomplish nothing, as it would be dismissed as a mere family dispute.

Furthermore, Shi Qin wasn’t giving them a choice; he was simply issuing a notification. He was an entrepreneur; by the time he offered a choice, the decision had already been made for them.

Seeing that Shi Qin was talking too much to Wen Youren, Wen Yiyue said dismissively, “There’s no use talking to her. She’s mentally ill, just like that useless father of hers.”

Hearing Wen Yiyue insult her father, Wen Youren’s eyes reddened instantly. Her heart flared with a pain like an electric shock. The cold wind through the window stirred her hair. She turned abruptly and landed a punch squarely on Wen Yiyue’s face.

“Ah!” Wen Yiyue screamed. She clutched her face in disbelief and roared, “I am your mother! You dare hit your mother? You’re a waste of space. You should just die—go die with that useless father of yours!”

Shi Qin shoved Wen Youren back toward the coffee table. Her waist slammed into the glass top, sending a jolt of sharp pain through her. Hearing Wen Yiyue continue her verbal abuse, Wen Youren seemed to lose her mind, but Shi Qin kicked her down. A girl’s strength was no match for a grown man; the kick was heavy, and Wen Youren clutched her stomach, unable to stand.

Seeing this, Shi Qin simply took Wen Yiyue and left, leaving Wen Youren alone in the empty living room. Before leaving, he threw back one last sentence, “Your mother will handle the transfer paperwork. Since you’re sick, I think you can skip the remaining classes.”

In the silence of the room, even the sound of breathing was audible. Tears hit the floor with a soft patter. Wen Youren thought to herself that since Shi Wangui was at her aunt’s house, she at least had someone to rely on. She would protect Shi Wangui forever.

A moment later, Wen Youren’s phone rang. It was Shi Wangui. She wiped the tears from her face and answered in her calmest voice.

“Are you okay? Did they say anything?” Shi Wangui’s anxious voice came through.

Wen Youren spoke gently, “It’s nothing, Wangui. Study hard. Make sure you have the strength to leave one day.”

If possible…

Wen Youren spoke with total sincerity. There was nothing they could do now; they had no way to fight an entrepreneur, at least not yet.

“What do you mean? Are you planning something?”

“It’s nothing. They’ve arranged a transfer. I’ll come to see you often in the future. Don’t make a scene. Just study hard, and we’ll leave this place together after the exams.”

There was a long silence on the other end. “Okay.”

After hanging up, Wen Youren went to the balcony. She pulled a pack of cigarettes from her pocket and wordlessly vented her emotions to the moonlight. She didn’t know how long she stayed there; she only knew her mood was wretched and would not recover. When she finally went back inside, the trash can was full of crushed cigarette butts.

After hanging up, Shi Wangui also walked out onto her aunt’s balcony. She began to hate herself. She realized she was weak; every time she chose the most aggressive way to deal with Shi Qin, she ended up hurting herself and those around her. It was the most useless method, but she couldn’t break the habits of her childhood. She spoke of freedom every day, but her heart was filled with endless terror. Only when she was with Wen Youren did she feel secure.

“Drink some milk.” Her aunt walked over with a glass of hot milk and sighed.

She couldn’t imagine what these two children were facing. If Shi Qin truly intended to do something, there was little she could do to help.

“Auntie…” Shi Wangui let a single tear fall. “Auntie, I can’t live without Wen Youren.”

Her aunt stroked her head. “Silly child. No one in this world is truly inseparable from another. Do not fight your father. You are so young; how can you fight him? Even if I agreed to let you be with Wen Youren, both of you are just too young.”

The New Year’s bells chimed. A few houses remained lit, illuminating the paths of those yet to return home. Shi Wangui looked out the window at the bright moon and the drifting snowflakes. Fireworks exploded in the sky, but she was not watching them with Wen Youren.

“Auntie,” Shi Wangui called out as her aunt prepared to leave. “Where is Wen Youren now? And where are they?”

“She is at home. You two shouldn’t see each other for a while. Your father transferred her. In time… you’ll forget.”

Her aunt left after saying this, but Shi Wangui did not listen. Once she heard no more sound from outside, she shared her location with Wen Youren. Without waiting for a reply, she slipped out of the house.

She would never choose to forget.

The snow was falling harder. The city was quiet on New Year’s Eve, and she encountered almost no one on the road, with only the streetlights to guide her. Her aunt’s house was a long distance from her own; it usually took half an hour by car, and Shi Wangui had no vehicle and couldn’t find a taxi.

She could only run. She ran forward, snow landing on her body and the cold wind flushing her face red. She only hoped that she could spend the turn of the year with the person she loved.

Shi Wangui didn’t know how long she had been running when she suddenly stopped. Wen Youren had arrived on a motorcycle.

In the quiet night, the roar of the motorcycle was loud, cutting through the silence of the sky. In that moment, fireworks erupted in the distance. Wen Youren stopped, took off her helmet, and immediately stepped forward to hug Shi Wangui, brushing the snow off her.

Shi Wangui was still gasping for breath from the long run. She held Wen Youren tightly. “Let’s run away from home.”

“Then let’s run away for just tonight,” Wen Youren replied.

She couldn’t take Shi Wangui away for good. Shi Qin was Shi Wangui’s guardian, and Wen Yiyue was hers. If they left, the parents would just call the police and have them dragged back. She felt like a failure; she had no way to deal with their parents yet. She could only rely on improving herself to slowly break free.

Wen Youren had already thought it through. She would work harder from now on to give Shi Wangui a better life and take her wherever she wanted to go.

Shi Wangui looked up, her cheeks red from the cold. Leaning against Wen Youren’s shoulder, she asked, “Where are we going?”

“Where do you want to go?”

“Let’s go to the mountaintop to watch the fireworks and the sunrise, okay?”

Wen Youren nodded. “Okay.”

But since it was snowing, going to the mountain peak would be dangerous. Wen Youren took Shi Wangui back to their small apartment first. The others had gone home, leaving only Song Yulin. Song Yulin and her friend had been the ones to bring the motorcycle over before heading to their respective homes.

Shi Wangui had been here once before, so she felt less constrained this time. Song Yulin had already prepared ginger soup, knowing it would be hard to find a taxi and they would be freezing after a motorcycle ride.

Song Yulin served them each a bowl. “What do you plan to do now?”

Shi Wangui let the steam from the soup warm her face, her gaze fixed on Wen Youren, waiting for her answer.

Wen Youren sat on the sofa with her head in her hands. There was still some dried blood on her slender fingers. After a moment of thought, she said, “Submit for now. Find an opportunity later.”

Shi Wangui said nothing, but she would follow Wen Youren’s lead.

“You’re doing the right thing,” Song Yulin said. “You’re still young. Even riding that motorcycle right now is illegal. Besides, her father is a businessman. Businessmen value profit over emotion. Rather than being driven into a dead end, it’s better to feign obedience.”

“It’s late. You two should rest. Don’t you want to see the sunrise tomorrow?” Song Yulin stood up to leave.

Wen Youren drained her bowl of ginger soup and led Shi Wangui to the bedroom.

“I don’t want to be apart from you,” Shi Wangui said suddenly.

“We won’t be,” Wen Youren said with a smile. “We are only pretending to obey. You must study hard. We’ll apply for colleges far away. Once we’re adults, we can make our own decisions.”

Shi Wangui felt a whirlwind of emotions. She couldn’t understand how everything had been fine that morning only to end up like this. “Where did he transfer you? Will we still be able to see each other often?”

“No. 7 High,” Wen Youren said softly. “We will. I’ll come to see you every week.”

Shi Wangui hated Shi Qin with everything she had. No. 7 High was so far away that it required a long commute. He had done it on purpose.

“Then I’ll wait for you,” Shi Wangui accepted reluctantly. “Not being together won’t change how we feel, right?”

“It won’t. I’ll come to see you whenever I have time. We can stay in touch by phone, but it’s best if they don’t find out we’re still talking.”

Wen Youren always acted mature, but she was still not yet seventeen. It was only a lifetime of independence that had taught her to think through every move carefully.

Shi Wangui nodded. “Okay.”

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