Chapter 7, Pitiful

Ruru Qiu: No, no, no, I speak too quickly. Have you two rekindled your romance and reignited the flames of passion?

You rascal, you return and don't even come home for a visit. I only found out from General Feng in your military camp.

The calm indifference intertwines with the surging desires

After all, the psychological assessment conducted upon his admission to the military academy indicated that his mental health was up to standard

Cherry: I believe this time it is of no use

I have been busy lately; I will return home in a few days

The bedroom is dim as night, with heavy curtains blocking all sunlight from entering, creating an atmosphere akin to a painted bedroom.

Cherry : ... ... ?

After Shen Yihuan learned about this matter, she expressed great admiration for Qiu Ruru's perspective, and the two inexplicably became friends

Lu Zhou's voice was deep and hoarse, resembling that of a bass speaker, leaving listeners weak in the knees

Shen Yihuan blinked and said with a smile that she was not the type of domineering girlfriend who interfered with her boyfriend's future

It is too far apart, and I cannot hear clearly

During the National Day holiday of her freshman year, upon seeing Lu Zhou, who had just come out of military school, her eyes turned red with grievance, feeling extremely wronged. She longed to ruffle his hair as she used to, but it was now prickly to the touch.

Shen Yihuan has a naturally passionate temperament, while Lu Zhou is accustomed to hiding all his emotions deep within.

Seeing the shocked expression on the girl's face, he quickly added, "Perhaps there will be a holiday in between, and I will come to find you"

Ruru Qiu: Hahaha, didn't you also act like this when you were studying, Brother Jun? You just had to act cute and Brother Jun would pay attention to you.

Shen Yihuan blinked in confusion, seeing Lu Zhou's gloomy expression, his voice colder: "Don't touch."

Hmm?

Then ... ... she seriously locked eyes with Lu Zhou

Lu Zhou leaned against the lamp post, his arms crossed as he looked at her, his face devoid of expression

His love is pathologically twisted, the more he loves, the hotter it becomes, yet the colder it feels

Gu Minghui! If you dare to stand me up one more time, just try it!" Shen Yihuan shouted at her phone

"You belong to the Dog zodiac, and you bit me..."

Shen Yihuan stood frozen in place, unable to make out the muffled male voice on the phone, and decisively hung up.

She finished speaking and turned to leave

The phone beside him was ringing. He glanced at it but did not pay it any mind, resting his elbow on his knee, his back hunched. After finishing a cigarette, he finally picked up the phone and swiped to answer.

In the dimly lit corridor, only the moonlight streaming in illuminated the scene. She saw two people entangled in the corner, with the one closer to the wall hidden in darkness, revealing only the profile of the person on the outside.

Cherry: Your military brother doesn't pay any attention to me at all, so incredibly aloof

She pouted, tightly gripping his sleeve, glaring at him with a mix of anger and grievance, accusing him of why he had not come out to play with her for such a long time

The commander's wife had just finished preparing herself, and the passage of time had not left deep marks on her face. She was elegantly and splendidly dressed, descending the stairs with a bag tucked under her arm: "You have arrived, I have something to attend to today."

Having spent a long time in Xinjiang, where the climate is variable, he has developed the habit of checking the weather forecast before going out, and sometimes he can even make accurate predictions himself

Darling, I told you before I left that this time I would be away for a month before we could meet. Have you forgotten?

As expected of the best friend, she can immediately guess even the most ambiguous statement. Shen Yihuan curled the corner of her lips and continued to reply

strikingly similar to

The academically outstanding and seemingly untouchable male idol, who is viewed as having limitless potential by everyone, was slapped by a girl with a very bad reputation, yet he remained completely unperturbed and effortlessly uttered the words "no ability".

At that time, she was even indifferent to breaking up with Lu Zhou

Lu Zhou's holidays are irregular; sometimes he is suddenly notified of a day off, yet he learns that Shen Yihuan has already been in another province for several days.

The commander's wife ignored him, put on her shoes, and patted Lu Zhou's shoulder: "Auntie is leaving first. Are you having dinner at home tonight? Shall we eat together?"

Say a few words

In three days, the holiday will end, and Lu Zhou will return to school.

She scolded him: "Lu Zhou, are you out of your mind! You hurt me! If you have the ability, break up with me!"

Even in the dim light, Qiu Ruru could see how intense Lu Zhou's kiss was, as he pinned Shen Yihuan's fair and glowing arm against the wall.

After regaining her freedom, Shen Yihuan learned that Shen Fu's company was suddenly facing suppression, with its stock price hitting the limit down for several consecutive days

He gently rubbed Shen Yihuan's hair and said softly, "You are not allowed to go to such places in the future, and don't drink so much alcohol, understand?"

Lu Zhou's obsession was something Shen Yihuan had always been aware of; she initially thought it was not serious

Oh my God

After the meal, Lu Youju inquired about the military camp in Xinjiang, but after a few exchanges, there was nothing more to discuss

As she reached the door, she suddenly remembered that she had not brought her math homework, so she went back to get it

Xu He is their senior in the first year of high school, a prominent figure in the class, and can often be seen playing with Shen Yihuan and their group of friends

Cherry: What attributes do you have? Do you not feel sorry for me but feel sorry for him?

The following six months were not very peaceful for her

Lu Zhou's eyes were narrow and elongated, and when he looked down at her, they conveyed an obscure and inexpressible meaning

After the college entrance examination, Lu Zhou told her that he might go to a military academy. She naively responded, "That sounds great," and then insisted that Lu Zhou show her in military uniform.

Lu Zhou knelt down in front of her, looking up at her while holding her hand

He went outside holding a cigarette

Commander Lu

Lu Zhou must have bitten her, and the next moment, Shen Yihuan let out a pained "hiss".

Today, Shen Yihuan saw Lu Zhou's shoulder insignia; he has already attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel

Thus, they began to have conflicts

Ruru Qiu: What the hell?! Is it beautiful?

Ru Ru Qiu: Who!? Lu Zhou!?

The man's gaze was too vacant, making her wonder if he was daydreaming, which in contrast made Shen Yihuan appear even more anxious

His voice was deep and his breathing was strained and hurried, like a sound from hell

She is not accustomed to this indifference; in the past, even when Lu Zhou was angry, he would not behave this way. After a two-second silence, her temper flared up

The carefree girl, forced to grow up quickly, calmly sent a breakup text to Lu Zhou on a quiet night, then turned off her phone and used her remaining money to buy a ticket to go abroad

At that time, the entire school was aware that Shen Yihuan was fervently pursuing Lu Zhou, yet everyone believed that Lu Zhou was completely indifferent to Shen Yihuan

"Hey, it's not like I stood you up; the flight was delayed, is that my fault?" he said, and then he should have said to the driver, "Sir, could you please drive a bit faster?"

The weather forecast indicates rain today, so he brushed his teeth, washed his face, grabbed an umbrella, and went out

Shen Yihuan shouted at him with conviction: "Lu Zhou! I no longer want to be with you!"

The car drove into the courtyard, he slammed the car door shut, his tall stature and long legs were very noticeable

When Lu Zhou just woke up, his head was pounding. A few days ago, after his back wound became inflamed, he also developed a low fever, which he did not pay much attention to. Now, his throat feels as if it is on fire

"What the hell are you busy with!" Lu Youju scolded, "Come home for lunch at noon!"

In high school, many people said that the two were completely incompatible, whether out of jealousy or disdain, their evaluations carried subjective connotations, yet they were not entirely wrong

Shen Yihuan sat on the swing chair of the balcony, fiddling with the camera in her hands, casually capturing the night view of the city

A female voice, soft and gentle, exuding a sense of arrogance and capriciousness, highly recognizable

The girl breathed lightly: "The rooftop, Xu He asked me to go up."

Is our military brother handsome

Qiu Ruru was astonished and covered her mouth; the person who was gripping someone's wrist and pressing it over their head turned out to be the class monitor

Cherry: It seems that the military brother already has a new girlfriend

He sat up, placed a cigarette between his lips, and the glow of the flame flickered in and out amidst the smoke

The sound came to an abrupt halt, and her outstretched hand was grasped by Lu Zhou, the warmth of his palm akin to pressing against a piece of glowing charcoal

Qiu Ruru was left speechless

Cherry: Yes, I have seen you three times in the past few days

Ruru Qiu: Is it really not possible?

But now

Count to five seconds, and after five seconds, he will approach without averting his gaze. She thought.

Five, four, three, two, one

The next day, she woke up to find herself imprisoned

Noticing the change in his gaze, Shen Yihuan was too familiar with this side of Lu Zhou, so familiar that her heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively took two steps back

Is this ... ... being disliked

It is. The tone is harsh and seems more like a superior-subordinate relationship than that of a father and son

With a word from her close friend, Shen Yihuan let out a "tch" sound, feeling quite annoyed, and chose not to respond any further, slipping into the quilt while wearing her slippers

Across the street, a young girl holds a mobile phone, one hand on her hip, her denim shorts hugging her attractive figure. Her cheeks are flushed from the sun, and with a slight furrow in her brow, she seems to be expressing some dissatisfaction.

The weather was sultry, and a layer of sweat formed on the back of Lu Zhou's neck

The next day, Qiu Ruru put all her possessions into the school's betting pool regarding whether Shen Yihuan could win over Lu Zhou, and at that time, almost no one was betting that he could.

He shifted his gaze from her lips to her eyes, a warning

I didn't expect that after chatting with Qiu Ruru, referring to him as "military brother" would come so easily, and it didn't seem that difficult to say anymore

Qiu Ruru shook her head, internally defining Shen Yihuan as a killer who toys with emotions

Lu Zhou grasped her slender, cool wrist, his palm sweating, his dark gaze fixated on her red lips

The last meeting before the breakup of the two individuals, Shen Yihuan had been drinking at a bar with someone until the early hours of the morning. When Lu Zhou pulled her back, she was already in a state of confusion, only remembering his cold, hard face at that moment, which seemed to be very angry

Ruru Qiu: What a fate you all have!

The bedroom door was modified by him, and could only be opened from the outside. No matter how much Shen Yihuan made a fuss, it was of no use; this time, she had truly angered Lu Zhou. Despite being well taken care of, she found herself unable to move an inch.

He pushed the door open and was greeted only by the guard. Lu Zhou casually exchanged pleasantries and took off his military boots, slipping into slippers: "I am back"

The friendship among girls is also quite remarkable

Lu Zhou grasped her shoulders and asked her earnestly if she could truly accept his decision to attend military school

So when will the next time be! When shall we meet next time

She and Shen Yihuan were originally people who had nothing in common, but one time during evening self-study at school, the power suddenly went out, and everyone cheered "School is over" and joyfully rushed out of the classroom

Lu Zhou pressed his lips together and said, "It might be New Year's Day"

She initially thought she could not endure such a torturous life, yet she managed to get through the first two years of university. During the time when Lu Zhou could not accompany her, she sought out friends to spend time with, taking her camera to travel everywhere.

Passing by the entrance of a KTV, his gaze shifted

It was only after realizing that she had not seen Lu Zhou for an entire month that she became bewildered

In fact, there is nothing to do at home; he grew up in a military compound and his concept of family is different from that of others

Lu Zhou once again grasped the hand that had slapped him, and gently kissed the palm.

In her pain, she became furious and raised her hand to slap Lu Zhou's face, resulting in a sharp "smack" sound

Cherry: Not bad, but not as good-looking as me

Shen Yihuan wanted to kill the version of herself that had made the decision to come over just a minute ago, but suddenly her gaze paused as she noticed the faint bandage peeking out from Lu Zhou's shoulder and neck.

Incapable

Ruru Qiu: It is always you who throws a tantrum and talks about breaking up, so what is there for you to feel heartbroken about

They are kissing

At that time, she did not feel anything when she learned that Lu Zhou was going to military school; she only knew that Lu Zhou's father was a general and had long prepared for him to take the entrance exam for military school

Qiu Ruru inadvertently spied on them; the scene was simply too shocking, and she did not know how to interrupt them with her voice

Cherry: I saw her hugging a girl.

Qiu Ruru threw the bag onto the bed and thought for a moment before replying

She inexplicably let out a sigh of relief and lifted her foot to walk across to the other side of the road

Implementing the behavioral guidelines of a femme fatale

The reasons for the breakup are also hasty; it is simply a feeling of annoyance

Having taken several unsatisfactory photos, I simply set the camera down, picked up my phone, and found Qiu Ruru's WeChat.

During that half year, Lu Zhou was always at the military academy, while she indulged even more than before in nightclubs and bars, using alcohol and heavy metal music to numb herself

He ignored all the classmates around him who were teasing him with laughter

Cherry: Ruru, I have seen him

The relationship between the two is not as tumultuous as that of a typical child with a stepmother, but it remains at the level of peaceful coexistence

The expression on Lu Zhou's face when he wanted to kiss her long ago

She is skilled at lying and immediately nodded obediently: "Understood"

Lu Zhou: "I have some matters to attend to this evening, so I will not be dining at home."

Shen Yihuan wanted to say more, hands on her hips and taking a deep breath, when she was startled by the man across the street with a heavy gaze, taking a step back in surprise

The scorching heat once again radiated from her wrist, and Lu Zhou grasped her hand again

Lu Zhou finally displayed a different expression, pursing his lips as he watched her approach. His brows furrowed briefly before returning to his usual handsome demeanor.

Shen Yihuan immediately pushed away and exclaimed, "If you don't want me to touch you, then you shouldn't touch me either!"

Where did you go during the self-study session this afternoon

Then, immediately after Lu Zhou left, I moved out of the apartment

When Shen Yihuan cried, he completely lost his rationality

She frowned and instinctively reached out, saying, "Here..."

Shen Yihuan bit her lower lip, her expression awkward, feeling a bit regretful for coming here: "... ... What are you doing here?"

That voice was loud and resonant; although it could be discerned as belonging to an older individual, it was remarkably clear and composed

Lu Youju reprimanded immediately: "What is it again! You seem to have nothing to do at home every day!"

When Lu Zhou is angry, he does not argue with her; more often than not, it is Shen Yihuan who argues unilaterally. Lu Zhou simply waits for her to tire of it, then holds her tightly, his grip so strong that it almost hurts her, repeatedly whispering in her ear: "You cannot leave me"

His mother died during childbirth, and later Lu Youju married this lady commander, who was only sixteen years older than Lu Zhou

It was only later that I realized that Lu Zhou's obsession and stubbornness were directed solely towards her

Shen Yihuan completely ignored him, crying both fiercely and coquettishly, which Lu Zhou found most unbearable

In the bedroom of the apartment they rented together

His gaze was very faint, and even when someone noticed him stealing a glance, he did not avert his eyes. His nose bridge was straight, and his eyes were so pale that they seemed untouched by any hue of desire, yet they still appeared sickly

Only through possession, piece by piece, can we delve deeper and offer each other our fragmented selves

Qiu Ruru had just returned to the hotel after a two-day business trip when she received a WeChat message from Shen Yihuan

Ruru Qiu: ...! ... Did I ask you this? I'm not saying this about you, but at that time, Lu Zhou's affection for you was truly unreciprocated, and it pained me to see it.

... ...

The two have been desk mates for three years. Although they have quarreled and even considered breaking up, this is the first time they are truly parting ways.

She was suffocated by Lu Zhou's controlling nature and overwhelmed by the pressures of life

After the college entrance examination, Lu Zhou did not choose a prestigious university, but instead went to a military academy, the top military academy, where graduation guarantees at least the rank of second lieutenant

Over the years, Shen Yihuan has deliberately avoided the name Lu Zhou; she is indeed afraid of and dislikes his controlling and possessive nature, yet she has genuinely liked him before