Chapter 66

Fan Xing ate this meal absentmindedly, but he had to go along with it, forcing himself to sit quietly for a full two hours.

Lu Chi probably sensed his anxiety, so after dinner, he actively refused Xiao Yu’s offer to drive them back and instead chose to walk back with Fan Xing.

Xiao Yu seemed disappointed by this. Fan Xing noticed that they had walked quite far away, and Xiao Yu was still standing on the roadside, looking at them.

No, more precisely, he was looking at Lu Chi.

The feeling of longing and reluctance made Fan Xing suspect that Xiao Yu might become like a waiting stone.

On the other hand, Lu Chi’s attitude was completely different from when they were dining. While Lu Chi’s attitude towards Xiao Yu during the meal might not match Xiao Yu’s, overall, it was quite enthusiastic. Lu Chi’s eyes during the meal shimmered with ambiguous tenderness, as if they were in the honeymoon phase of a romantic relationship.

However, at this moment, Fan Xing couldn’t help but turn around and look at Xiao Yu. Xiao Yu remained unaffected, with a cold and disdainful expression, even tinged with mockery, as if the person who had just had dinner with Lu Chi wasn’t him.

Fan Xing felt even more uneasy. Lu Chi’s reactions were just too strange.

“Senior, you…”

“Is Xiao Yu still watching?” Lu Chi suddenly interrupted him with a seemingly nonsensical question.

Fan Xing turned to look, shook his head, and said, “He’s too far away, and there are too many people. I can’t see him.”

Only then did Lu Chi turn around and take a glance, confirming that Xiao Yu was out of sight. He instantly returned to his usual self, smiling at Fan Xing and asking, “So, did I seem unfamiliar just now? Did I look like someone else?”

Fan Xing stared at him blankly, couldn’t help but sigh, and said, “So, Senior, were you playing the role of his first love?”

“Yeah, doesn’t he think I look like her? Then I should make the resemblance even more convincing. What do you think?” Lu Chi’s tone was light, but it carried a hint of gossip.

Fan Xing couldn’t help but sigh. This idea had crossed his mind when he observed Lu Chi’s strange behavior at the restaurant. However, at that time, he didn’t want to believe it. He didn’t want Lu Chi to resort to such methods for revenge, and he couldn’t fathom how Lu Chi could resemble the past lover so closely.

Fan Xing had never seen Xiao Yu’s first love, and he didn’t even know her name. He only knew of her existence through He Qingmo’s words, and even He Qingmo didn’t remember her name; he just knew there was someone from the past.

So when Fan Xing shared this information with Lu Chi, he briefly mentioned Xiao Yu’s past love. Lu Chi might have thought of playing the role, but he couldn’t fully portray her.

But now, judging by Xiao Yu’s evident fascination, Lu Chi seemed to have played the role perfectly.

“Senior, how did you know what kind of person she was?” Fan Xing couldn’t help asking.

Lu Chi grinned triumphantly. “Xiao Xing, you’re silly. I’m a computer science student; hacking into a computer is a piece of cake.”

“You hacked Xiao Yu’s computer?” Fan Xing was surprised. “Even if you did, what could you find in there after so many years, especially since Xiao Yu’s past love has already passed away?”

Lu Chi snorted. “Originally, I didn’t expect to find anything useful in his computer. But the results were unexpected. His computer had almost all the information about that person. From childhood to adulthood, even knowing about her broken arm at the age of six. Not only about her, but also about her family for generations. He even kept all the evidence of their interactions, chat records, and even photographed the tickets from when they watched movies. The most disgusting part is that he took photos of every condom they used. What’s even more terrifying is that he keeps a diary every day, and without exception, all the content is conversations with Chu Jiawen, as if Chu Jiawen never died.”

Lu Chi paused and turned to Fan Xing with a brilliant smile. “Do you think he’s a lunatic? But that’s even better. The more obsessed he is, the easier it is for me to succeed. You see, as long as I follow the information in his computer and make a slight effort, he takes the bait. He knows I’m fake, but what does it matter? My existence gives his twisted feelings a place to cling to. He is willing to deceive himself and treat me as the real Chu Jiawen.”

Lu Chi spoke more and more excitedly, with a gleam in his eyes.

Fan Xing stared at the photo for a long time before returning the phone. He looked at Lu Chi with a worried expression and said, “Senior, I know you are unwilling. Indeed, Xiao Yu is a scumbag who deserves retribution, but didn’t you promise me to gather evidence and sue him?”

However, Lu Chi seemed as if he hadn’t heard his words, and he coldly chuckled, “You all think I should see a psychologist. In fact, the one who needs psychological treatment the most is that scumbag. If I hadn’t hacked into his computer, I wouldn’t have believed that there could be such a perverted person in this world. His computer had detailed information about Chu Jiawen, from childhood to adulthood, even knowing about her broken arm at the age of six. Not only Chu Jiawen, but also information about her family for generations. He preserved all the evidence of their interactions, chat records, even photographed movie tickets. The most disgusting part is that he took pictures of every condom they used. What’s even more terrifying is that he keeps a diary every day, and without exception, all the content is conversations with Chu Jiawen, as if Chu Jiawen never died.”

Lu Chi paused and turned to Fan Xing with a brilliant smile. “Do you think he’s a lunatic? But that’s even better. The more obsessed he is, the easier it is for me to succeed. You see, as long as I follow the information in his computer and make a slight effort, he takes the bait. He knows I’m fake, but what does it matter? My existence gives his twisted feelings a place to cling to. He is willing to deceive himself and treat me as the real Chu Jiawen.”

Lu Chi spoke more and more excitedly, with a gleam in his eyes.

However, the more Fan Xing listened, the more he felt a chill in his heart. Lu Chi clearly had prepared extensively to take revenge on Xiao Yu in his own way.

“So, Senior, are you retaliating tit for tat? He deceived your feelings, so now you want to use the same method to retaliate against him?”

Lu Chi looked at him with a gentle smile, but his tone was resolute, “Yes! I want him to taste deception, to be played like a monkey. Isn’t that fair?”

“But Senior, what’s the meaning of doing this? In the process of revenge, you’ll have to force yourself to be with him, and even… be intimate. You clearly dislike him and hate him, why force yourself to that extent? You have better options…”

“I don’t need it!”

Lu Chi interrupted him, his expression still gentle but his tone decisive.

This was the first time Lu Chi expressed his revenge attitude so clearly after his suicide.

“Senior…”

“Fan Xing!” Lu Chi interrupted him again, his expression now serious, even using his full name. “I know you mean well. Everything you’ve done during this time is to help me face this issue more rationally, to help me get over it quickly. I appreciate it, truly. But Fan Xing, to be honest with you, I can’t do it! I have to resolve this in my own way, or I’ll never be able to move on. So, don’t try to persuade me anymore.”

“But…”

“Fan Xing, I could have kept this from you, right? I could have not let you come today and not tell you all this. You wouldn’t have known my plans. The reason I didn’t hide it from you is because… I don’t want to deceive someone who sincerely wants to help me. But I also want to make it clear to you, there’s no need to try to persuade me, it’s useless. And don’t try to make a move from Xiao Yu’s side, it’s too late.”

“What do you mean?” Fan Xing subconsciously asked.

Lu Chi sneered disdainfully, “Xiao Yu, this scumbag, is simply trash. He knows about my suicide, feels immense pressure, and coupled with his twisted feelings for Chu Jiawen, do you think he still has sanity at a time like this? You saw his attitude towards me just now. I guarantee, no matter what methods you use, he won’t escape my grasp.”

Fan Xing looked at Lu Chi in astonishment. Although Lu Chi wasn’t playing the role of Chu Jiawen at the moment, he still seemed like another person. The vengeful expression he wore looked like he had already seen Xiao Yu’s miserable future.

This wasn’t the Lu Chi that Fan Xing knew.

The Lu Chi he knew was the kind of senior who, even if using him for a purpose, would still treat him sincerely and sincerely apologize afterwards. He was the type of person who, unable to let go of the person he liked, would get upset and drink heavily when he saw them with someone else. He was the foolish person who, even though his temperament occasionally fluctuated, remained a good senior.

How could he become like this?

Fan Xing felt a sharp pain and discomfort in his heart. His clear eyes were filled with a reluctant pity, but he didn’t know what to say.

He always thought he understood Lu Chi’s feelings. He always did things he thought were good for Lu Chi, thinking he knew what was best for him. It wasn’t until now, hearing Lu Chi’s words, that he realized he couldn’t understand. No one could understand because no one had personally experienced it. Therefore, no one knew how painful Lu Chi, who had made the decisive choice to commit dual suicide, felt. This kind of pain had to find an outlet for release.

Perhaps this outlet for release wasn’t right, but Fan Xing couldn’t bring himself to speak up and stop Lu Chi.

Seeing Fan Xing’s silence, Lu Chi thought he didn’t believe him and continued, “Don’t you believe me? Fine, starting now, I won’t contact Xiao Yu. Within three days, he will definitely appear in front of me on his own. Just watch.”

Fan Xing looked at him, shook his head gently after a while, his expression low-spirited. “No, I don’t doubt you. It’s getting late, and I need to go back to school. I have an exam tomorrow.” With that, he waved and bid farewell to Lu Chi.

Lu Chi stood in place, watching Fan Xing gradually move away. His hands involuntarily clenched several times, seeming like he wanted to catch up, but he restrained himself. Only after Fan Xing took a taxi and left did Lu Chi finally turn and walk away.

On the taxi back, Fan Xing called He Qingmo and informed him of Lu Chi’s intentions, then hung up without saying anything more.

As for what He Qingmo would do, he didn’t know, and he didn’t want to know.

In fact, Fan Xing rarely had these moments of not knowing what to do, not knowing whether he should do something or not.

When he got off the taxi, he felt a rush of cold wind that seemed to clear his mind a bit.

Standing at the school gate, he looked up at the night sky, took a deep breath, and then smiled with a raised corner of his mouth.

It’s okay. How Lu Chi chooses to act is Lu Chi’s business. How he chooses to act is his business. If Lu Chi chooses to retaliate against Xiao Yu tit for tat, he can continue to help Lu Chi in his own way.

Dr. Yang had said that Lu Chi trusted him a lot. So, he believed that he could help Lu Chi!

On the third day of winter vacation, he tried to contact Lu Chi for a follow-up visit, but he couldn’t reach him.

Fan Xing couldn’t do anything but go to the house Lu Chi rented. However, upon arriving, he learned that Lu Chi had already terminated the lease this morning.

The landlord told him that Lu Chi left in a hurry, didn’t take anything, and didn’t even ask for the deposit.

After hearing this, Fan Xing stood still for a long time without moving. It wasn’t until the landlord carried a pile of waste paper from Lu Chi’s desk and threw it away that he came back to his senses. He quickly went over to help, saying he could assist with the disposal.

The landlord was familiar with him, considering him half a regular, and since Fan Xing was offering help, he naturally didn’t refuse. After expressing his thanks, the landlord handed over the things in his hands to Fan Xing and went to the bedroom to continue packing.

Fan Xing took the things and immediately spread them out, checking each sheet one by one. Most of it was waste paper, and there were some initial drafts of papers, but there was more related to Chu Jiawen.

Fan Xing turned over everything related to Chu Jiawen, preparing to examine it carefully. Suddenly, a sentence stabbed his eyes—Chu Jiawen passed away on January 21, 2012, cause of death: car accident.

January 21st?

Today was January 21st, wasn’t it?

 

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