163: Chapter 162 The Late-Night Invitation: Li Longyu's Decision

After school, Su Bai met with a few business friends, and when he returned home, the living room lights were off.

He changed his shoes, didn't turn on the lights, and walked toward his room in the dark.

He pushed open his bedroom door, walked in, closed it, didn't turn on the lights, and lay on the bed.

The curtains weren't drawn, and moonlight shone in through the window, painting a rectangle on the ceiling.

His phone vibrated.

He picked it up to look; it was a message from Li Longyu: "Su Bai, are you asleep?"

He replied with one word: "No."

After a while, it vibrated again.

"Can you... come out?"

Su Bai looked at the text, stared for a few seconds, and typed: "Now?"

Li Longyu replied with one word: "Yes."

Su Bai thought for a moment, sat up, grabbed his car keys, and walked out of the room.

The hallway was very dark; he lightened his footsteps and made no sound.

He went out the door, went downstairs, and got into the car.

The panamera drove out of the residential complex into the night, with streetlights receding one by one.

Li Longyu sent a location; it was a park by the river.

Su Bai drove for twenty minutes and arrived.

The park wasn't big; it had a lake, a pavilion, and a lawn. Many people came to stroll during the day, but no one was there at night.

The streetlights were on, casting an orange glow on the stone path.

Su Bai parked the car on the roadside and got out.

The night breeze blew over, a bit chilly, carrying the fishy scent of the river.

Li Longyu was sitting on a bench by the lake.

She was wearing a black jacket, dark jeans, and sneakers.

Her hair was loose, slightly messy from the wind.

Hearing footsteps, she looked up at Su Bai.

The streetlamp shone on her face; her face was very pale, her eyes were bright, and her lips were bloodless.

Su Bai walked over and sat down beside her.

There was a fist's distance between them.

"It's so late, why aren't you asleep?" Su Bai asked.

Li Longyu lowered her head, looking at her fingers.

Her fingers were tapping lightly on her knees, one after another.

"I can't sleep," she said.

Su Bai didn't speak.

Li Longyu's fingers paused for a moment, then continued tapping.

"Su Bai, I've made up my mind."

She looked up into his eyes.

"I've decided to become an entertainer."

Su Bai looked at her.

"You've decided?"

Li Longyu nodded.

"I've decided."

Su Bai didn't speak.

Li Longyu waited for a while, didn't get an answer, lowered her head, and her fingers started tapping again.

"Aren't you going to ask me why?" Her voice was very soft.

"Why?" Su Bai asked.

Li Longyu was silent for a moment.

"Because I want to rely on myself."

She paused, "I don't want to be looked down upon by others anymore, I don't want to be told 'You're just a worker, what are you pretending to be a rich girl for,' and I don't want someone to slam a card on the table and say 'I'll support you'."

Her voice got quieter and quieter, but every word was spoken very clearly.

Su Bai looked at her.

"Being an entertainer also means being looked down upon by others."

Li Longyu looked up at him.

"That's different."

She paused, "At least, it's something I chose myself."

Su Bai nodded.

"Alright, I'll talk to Shen Tian for you."

Li Longyu looked at him for a few seconds, then lowered her head.

"Thank you."

The two of them sat there, neither saying anything.

The wind blew across the lake, carrying the scent of water weeds.

The light from the streetlamp shattered into pieces on the water's surface, like a broken mirror.

"Su Bai," Li Longyu called out to him.

"Yeah."

"Actually, I've seen..."

Su Bai looked at her, confused.

Li Longyu didn't look at him, but at the lake.

"You and Mu Qing, in the school woods."

Su Bai's body tensed up.

He looked at Li Longyu's profile; her expression was very calm, as if she were talking about something very ordinary.

The streetlamp's light fell on her face, and her eyelashes cast a small shadow under her eyelids.

Her lips were pressed, pressed very tightly.

Su Bai didn't speak.

Li Longyu waited for a while, didn't get an answer, turned her head, and looked into his eyes.

Her eyes were very bright, containing the light of the streetlamp, her own reflection, and something else.

"What do you mean?" Su Bai asked.

Li Longyu bit her lip, lowered her head, and drew a circle on her knee with her finger, then drew another one.

"I can too."

Her voice was very soft, so soft it was almost scattered by the wind.

"As long as you help me."

Su Bai looked at her.

She kept her head down, her face very red, and her ears were red too, from the earlobes all the way to the tips.

Her finger drew circles on her knee, drawing very slowly and with great force.

"Do you know what you are saying?" Su Bai asked.

Li Longyu nodded without looking up.

Su Bai was silent for a while.

"You don't need to do this."

Li Longyu looked up into his eyes.

"I know I don't have to, but I..."

She paused, "I want to."

Su Bai looked at her.

Her eyes were bright, containing the light of the streetlamp, her own reflection, and something indescribable.

The wind blew, her hair fluttered, and she reached out to brush it aside.

"Are you thinking this way because of what happened with Mu Qing?" Su Bai asked.

Li Longyu shook her head.

"No."

She paused, "Before that, I already..."

She didn't finish.

Su Bai waited, but didn't get the rest.

Li Longyu lowered her head, drew a very large circle on her knee with her finger, and then stopped.

"You already what?" Su Bai asked.

Li Longyu didn't speak.

She stood up, walked to the lake, and turned her back to him.

The wind blew her hair, and her black jacket fluttered gently in the night breeze.

"Su Bai," she said without turning back.

"Do you know why I asked you to help me find a part-time job?"

Su Bai stood up and walked over to her side.

"Why?"

Li Longyu looked at the lake, where the streetlamp's light was shattered into pieces.

"Because I wanted to be closer to you."

Her voice was very soft.

"The place you helped me find was your company. I went there so I could see you. Although you didn't go every day, you went occasionally. When you went, you would pass by the front desk. When you passed by, you would glance at me."

She paused, "Just one glance, that was enough."

Su Bai didn't speak.

Li Longyu turned around and looked at him.

Her eyes were red, but no tears fell.

"Su Bai, I don't need you to be responsible for me. I just... want you to help me. I really can't hold on by myself anymore."

Her voice was trembling, but every word was spoken clearly.

Su Bai looked at her, reached out, and tucked the stray lock of hair on her face behind her ear.

Li Longyu didn't dodge; her body tensed for a moment, then slowly relaxed.

"Alright," Su Bai said.

Li Longyu looked up into his eyes.

Tears fell, welling up from her eyes and streaming down her cheeks.

She didn't wipe them, just looked at him like that.

Su Bai reached out and wiped the tears from her face with his thumb.

Li Longyu grabbed his hand, held it for a moment, then let go.

"Thank you," her voice was hoarse.

Su Bai didn't speak.

The two of them stood by the lake, the wind blowing, the streetlights shining.

The shattered light on the lake swayed back and forth, like countless eyes.

"Let's go, I'll take you back," Su Bai said.

Li Longyu nodded.

The two of them walked out of the park along the stone path.

Su Bai's car was parked on the side of the road; he opened the door, Li Longyu got into the passenger seat and fastened her seatbelt.

Su Bai sat in the driver's seat and started the engine.

The car drove out of the park and headed south along the river road.

Streetlights receded one by one, dragging bands of orange light across the car windows.

Li Longyu leaned against the seat back, looking out the window without speaking.

Su Bai didn't speak either.

The radio was off, and it was very quiet in the car, only the rustling sound of tires rolling over the road.

The car stopped downstairs at Li Longyu's home.

She didn't get out of the car immediately.

Sitting in the passenger seat, her hands on her knees, fingers intertwined, thumbs circling each other.

"Su Bai," she said, biting her lip, "whenever you want, tell, tell me."