Free Web NovelChapter 213: Chapter 213: Don’t Come Find Me
Su Li had wanted to focus on her classes, but she only had one on Friday morning, and then it was the weekend again.
A whole week passed just like that.
She was supposed to use the weekend to continue dealing with the renovation and buying bookshelves, but Su Li didn’t have the energy to run around, so she just rested at home for two days.
After several sleepless nights, Su Li basically slept through both days.
Her hand still hadn’t healed, so she couldn’t cook a proper meal. On Sunday, she slept until evening. When she got up, she decided to eat at the school cafeteria. Just as she was about to leave, there was a knock on the door.
"Who is it?" Su Li asked.
"It’s me." Wu Sheng’s voice came through the door. freeweɓnøvel.com
Su Li’s steps slowed. She fell silent for a moment before opening the door. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
The moment Wu Sheng saw Su Li, he sensed something was wrong, and the smile on his face faltered.
He looked Su Li up and down. "How did you get so thin?"
Su Li forced a smile. "Some things happened."
"What happened?" Wu Sheng’s expression turned serious. "I was away on business for a while, out of the Imperial City. It was a special situation, so I couldn’t tell you or say goodbye beforehand."
Wu Sheng had only just returned to the Imperial City this morning. After taking care of his affairs, washing up, and making himself presentable again, he came to find Su Li at the first opportunity.
He had wanted to give Su Li a surprise and explain why he had disappeared for a while, but...
Wu Sheng pulled his hands back, hiding the gift he had specially brought back for Su Li behind him.
Su Li kept her own left hand hidden behind her back, not wanting Wu Sheng to see the gauze. "I figured as much."
’Wu Sheng’s status is special, so this kind of thing is normal.’
She let out a breath. "I’m glad you weren’t here during this time."
Su Li stood at the doorway, with no intention of letting Wu Sheng in.
After a brief pause, she spoke again.
"Wu Sheng, for the time being, please don’t come looking for me."
The smile in Wu Sheng’s eyes faded. He asked softly, "Can you tell me why?"
Su Li shook her head. "It’s hard to explain, and I don’t want to talk about it."
’It’s too humiliating, too embarrassing, and too sad.’
She gave a bitter smile. "I want to sort things out with Tang Yuanxiao first. Until I’ve handled my relationship with him and publicly announced our divorce, please don’t come see me."
She didn’t want to drag Wu Sheng into this. She didn’t want to drag anyone into this.
The incident with the renovation worker was more than enough of a lesson for her.
Who knew when Mrs. Tang might suddenly show up again like she did this time. If she happened to run into Wu Sheng visiting, there was no telling what would happen.
Wu Sheng was skilled in a fight, so he obviously wouldn’t get hurt like the renovation worker did, but he couldn’t possibly raise a hand against Mrs. Tang either.
No matter what happened, the scene would surely be mortifying.
’How would Tang Yuanxiao and Wu Sheng be able to face anyone?’
Gossip and rumors are the most terrifying and hurtful things in the world. By that point, telling people she and Tang Yuanxiao were already divorced would be meaningless.
’I’ve been too relaxed lately. This is all my fault.’
Wu Sheng still didn’t know the details of what had happened to Su Li, but hearing this, he got the general idea.
He looked at Su Li’s gaunt face and her bone-deep exhaustion. Without saying or asking another word, he nodded immediately.
"Okay, I understand."
Su Li was stunned that he agreed so readily.
Wu Sheng desperately resisted the urge to pat Su Li’s head and comfort her.
"I was too rash before. It was my first time... I got a little carried away..." Wu Sheng gave Su Li a reassuring smile. "I’ll be more careful in the future."
Su Li nodded. "Mm."
"I’ll get going for today, then. Don’t overthink things, and don’t put too much pressure on yourself. There’s plenty of time ahead. I can wait, okay?"
Su Li nodded again.
Seeing Su Li’s expression, Wu Sheng didn’t say any more or linger. He turned and left. But after just two steps, he couldn’t help but turn back to remind her once more.
"Let things happen naturally. Don’t overthink it, and don’t put too much pressure on yourself."
That was what he was most worried about.
And just like that, Wu Sheng left, just as Su Li had wished, without asking a single extra question.
Su Li stood in the doorway for a long while.
By the time she snapped out of it, the sky had already grown dark.
Her plan to eat at the school cafeteria was ruined, so Su Li went downstairs and bought something to eat.
She had no idea that Wu Sheng was silently following her.
Wu Sheng had seen the gauze on her hand. He waited until he saw Su Li get home safely before leaving the residential complex.
Two hours later, Wu Sheng had found out basically everything that had happened to Su Li.
The veins on his hands bulged.
’No wonder Su Li told him not to look for her for the time being.’
He was furious with himself. Furious that he hadn’t been by her side when all this happened, that he hadn’t even been able to take care of her when she was sick.
He had never asked Su Li the reason for her divorce, simply assuming there must have been a good one.
’Thinking about it now, Su Li must have suffered a lot before.’
’No wonder she seemed so mature and full of worries at such a young age. And no wonder she wouldn’t let him walk her home when they first met...’
’How could anyone have the heart to treat a young woman like this...’
Su Li had said she was paying for her own education, which meant her parents didn’t support her. And of course, the mother-in-law she used to live with wouldn’t have supported her either.
’She dropped out of school to get married at a young age. To get into university through her own efforts under those circumstances, to pay for her own schooling, to build the life she has now... how incredibly difficult and arduous it must have been for her.’
’A young woman like her should have been doted on as she grew up, cherished like a princess, free from all worries... and yet...’
Wu Sheng took a deep breath, his heart aching with a sharp pain.
He felt so much heartache for Su Li.
’From now on, I have to be twice as good to Su Li, make her smile all the time, and make up for all the love she’s missed out on.’
Wu Sheng hadn’t rested properly for several days straight. In the past, he would have been dead to the world.
But that night, he didn’t sleep a wink.
When morning came, Wu Sheng seemed much more subdued, but his eyes held a new, stronger resolve.
His complexion was a bit dull, but he was full of vigor as he headed to work early in the morning.
After finishing his work that morning, he made a detour to find Ge Ba.
Ge Ba was two years younger than Wu Sheng and also unmarried. You could say they grew up together.
"Little Eight, how do you make soup? The nutritious kind."
The moment Wu Sheng asked the question, Ge Ba’s expression turned to one of sheer terror.
"Soup?" ’He must have heard me wrong, right?’
"Wipe that weird look off your face and spit it out!" Wu Sheng threatened, hooking an arm around Ge Ba’s neck.
Don’t be fooled by Ge Ba’s current deep tan and muscular build; his cooking skills were famously excellent.
As a child, Ge Ba had been small, skinny, and sickly, so he was often bullied by his peers. But Wu Sheng, sturdy and righteous even as a kid, fought for him and protected him until the bullying stopped.
When he grew up, he was refined and handsome—fair-skinned with double eyelids. To use a modern term, he was a "fresh-faced pretty boy."
But ever since Wu Sheng started his job, Ge Ba’s pretty-boy days were gone forever.
They were brothers for life, after all, so he followed Wu Sheng into the same line of work. Over the years, he had gotten more and more muscular, but thankfully, he hadn’t lost his cooking skills.
"What do you want to eat? I can make it when I have time," Ge Ba said, not daring to make another strange face while being threatened.
"Thanks, but this time I’m making it myself," Wu Sheng said, shaking his head.
Ge Ba was full of suspicion but still taught him carefully.
That day, when Su Li came back from class, she found a container of not-so-great-tasting soup by her door.
The intended effect was: "Drink this to gain weight and be in a good mood."
