Young Brave Hearts – CH 062

Chapter 62

A very high-sounding question.

If they were long-lost friends reunited, there would be some meaning in asking such a question.

But they were not.

They were a couple who had once loved each other deeply, whose separation was like a knife twisting in their bones, a pain as sharp as bone.

From anyone’s perspective, it was Lu Rangchen who was hurt.

Zhu Yunque was the perpetrator, yet after committing the crime, she came back and hypocritically asked him if he was in pain.

It was truly ironic and laughable.

But at that moment, she just wanted to ask, desperately wanted to ask.

Lu Rangchen hadn’t expected her to ask.

Actually, whether it was good or bad was quite obvious to outsiders. She might have heard back then that he had been depressed for a long time because of her and hadn’t played tennis anymore.

His relationship with the Cheng family had also gradually become distant.

He insisted on starting his own business, and the beginnings were very difficult, but he gritted his teeth and persevered.

But he didn’t want to talk about these things.

He was even less willing to express them in front of her.

After regaining his composure, he just chuckled lightly, as if relieved yet indifferent, and said nonchalantly, “Of course it’s good.”

His long eyelashes lowered, concealing his inscrutable emotions, and Lu Rangchen casually tossed the empty IV drip bottle into the trash can.

“…”

Indeed, what could be bad about him?

He was a chosen one, the center of attention, able to easily obtain any life he desired and get any woman he wanted. What was she compared to him? What was so insurmountable?

Her fingertips curled slightly.

Zhu Yunque lowered her eyes, remaining silent.

Lu Rangchen looked up, scrutinizing her with a meaningful gaze, before throwing the question back at her.

He said, “How are you doing?”

But he regretted asking as soon as the question left his lips. He knew her answer; she was so adept at embellishing her story. Even if she wasn’t doing well, she wouldn’t tell the truth.

Sure enough, Zhu Yunque didn’t even look Lu Rangchen in the eye. She simply lowered her gaze, rubbing the needle mark on the back of her hand, and said, “I’m fine.”

Her voice was light and airy.

But it struck her heart like a sudden downpour.

Silence spread between them like a water stain. Just then, Lu Rangchen noticed Zhu Yunque’s bare feet on the floor.

Her toes were still clean, white, and rounded, with a hint of baby-like pink.

His Adam’s apple bobbed inexplicably.

Suppressing some emotion, Lu Rangchen looked away, then glanced at the cream-colored slippers beside him. He paused, then bent down, picked them up, and placed them in front of her feet.

Zhu Yunque caught a glimpse of them out of the corner of her eye, hesitated for a moment, then looked up at him.

Lu Rangchen avoided her gaze, tossing out two sentences: “Let’s eat. The food is ready.”

Two simple dishes.

Steamed fish and stir-fried lettuce, served with a bowl of white rice and a pair of long chopsticks, were placed on the clean white table, exuding an indescribable sense of coldness.

Zhu Yunque sat at the dining table, looking up at Lu Rangchen, and said, “What about yours?”

Lu Rangchen glanced at her.

Seemingly struggling with the thought, yet resigned, he went to the kitchen and took an extra set of chopsticks and a bowl, sitting down opposite her, watching as Zhu Yunque took a small bite of fish.

Lu Rangchen asked her, “Is it alright?”

Zhu Yunque shook her head, saying, “The taste hasn’t changed.”

Hearing this, Lu Rangchen’s brows furrowed slightly, and he finally picked up his chopsticks and took a bite.

His eating manners were still so refined.

Refined when he needed to be, casual when he needed to be.

Even the clenched teeth and the rising Adam’s apple were exactly as she remembered.

Zhu Yunque felt a strange sense of disorientation.

She truly hadn’t imagined that the two of them would end up like this.

Sniffing, Zhu Yunque’s eyes welled up with tears. She lowered her gaze and said, “I can’t finish; you eat more.”

Lu Rangchen wanted to say he had no appetite.

But when he looked up, he saw the pink tips of Zhu Yunque’s nose and the corners of her eyes.

Like someone who couldn’t fight back, Lu Rangchen suddenly chuckled helplessly.

He slightly raised his chin and said, “Look at the time.”

“…”

Zhu Yunque then slowly looked up at the clock on the wall. Three in the afternoon.

At this time, Lu Rangchen must have already eaten.

Even so, he was still willing to sit down and eat with her for a while.

Just thinking about this made Zhu Yunque’s heart pound. As if suddenly struck by a realization, she said, “Don’t you have to go to work today?”

Lu Rangchen lowered his gaze to pick the bones from a good piece of fish. After removing the bones, he casually tossed it into her bowl and said indifferently, “I’m the boss.”

His words were casual, unpretentious, yet undeniably captivating, his tone languid and alluring—uniquely his own.

Zhu Yunque stared at the piece of fish, momentarily lost in thought.

Lu Rangchen, observing her, asked, “You’ve taken the past two days off?”

Zhu Yunque looked away, nodded, and said, “The school gave me leave; I was worried I’d get too sick.”

The mention of the word “sick” made Lu Rangchen frown.

Her health had never been good; she was prone to catching colds. For her to be this sick was indeed quite serious. He recalled the conversation he’d overheard between Xu Linda and her at the wonton shop, where she had mentioned a serious illness she’d suffered.

He didn’t know what kind of illness it was.

He didn’t feel justified in asking.

So the words remained unspoken. Lu Rangchen’s gaze lingered on her for a moment, then he said casually, “You are so sick; why didn’t that man come to take care of you last time?”

After speaking, he didn’t look away, his gaze fixed on her, as if waiting for an answer.

Zhu Yunque’s heart skipped a beat under his gaze, and she said, “I don’t have that kind of relationship with him.”

Upon hearing this, Lu Rangchen leaned back slightly without changing his expression, neither confirming nor denying his belief.

Zhu Yunque pursed her lips and said, “He’s the landlord of this house and also a colleague at the school.”

Lu Rangchen’s expression relaxed slightly, then he casually asked, “Is he also a teacher of Deng Jiao?”

“No.”

Zhu Yunque said, “He teaches math in another class.”

She paused, thinking, “How did you know I was sick?”

Zhu Yunque looked directly at Lu Rangchen.

As if she absolutely needed an answer.

Lu Rangchen didn’t mince words, saying, “It’s normal for people living upstairs and downstairs to know a little something.”

“…”

“Didn’t you also find out I was sick from Deng Jiao?”

At this point, there was no point in hiding anything.

There was no need to lay everything bare; both of them understood the undercurrents of emotion and the subtle glances they exchanged. For now, it seems this was the only way for them to go.

Zhu Yunque wasn’t sure if he genuinely couldn’t bear to part with her or if it was just a response to her small act of kindness.

They were like two people separated by a barrier, seemingly open yet neither able to get closer.

Just then, Lu Rangchen received a phone call.

Lu Rangchen answered it casually and was immediately subjected to a barrage of insults.

The tone was as arrogant and domineering as it had been years ago, filled with resentment and rage. Zhu Yunque recognized Lin Zhi immediately.

Being close, Zhu Yunque heard everything Lin Zhi said clearly.

She asked Lu Rangchen where he was, whether he had gone to see that woman, and pressed him to admit he had forgotten his mother’s past. She called him heartless, ungrateful, and unable to distinguish between a human and a dog.

The more vile Lin Zhi’s insults were, the more tightly Lu Rangchen’s brows furrowed.

Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore and yelled back, “Lin Zhi, are you fucking done yet? Didn’t I say I’d be back right away?”

This shout silenced Lin Zhi.

It also silenced the person on the other end.

The call ended.

Lu Rangchen looked at Zhu Yunque with deep eyes.

The girl remained quiet and gentle, her eyes lowered as she fiddled with the fish and rice in her bowl, looking frail, as if she could be crushed at any moment.

Lu Rangchen was silent for two seconds, then said, “I’m going back.”

Zhu Yunque nodded in agreement.

Lu Rangchen’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He stood up, his gaze lingering on her but not looking away.

But in the end, Zhu Yunque didn’t look at him again.

She simply silently picked up two green leaves with her chopsticks and brought them to her pale, almost bloodless lips.

Lin Zhi was supposed to return to the capital that day.

But because of Zhu Yunque, she suddenly decided not to leave.

When Lu Rangchen returned home, she was sitting on the sofa, legs crossed, arms folded, watching TV. Seeing him return, she gave him a cold glance and said sarcastically, “So you know how to come back, huh? I thought you two rekindled your old flame and went to bed together today.”

Lu Rangchen took a bottle of water from the refrigerator, unscrewed it, and took a sip expressionlessly.

He slammed the bottle on the table, his eyes like knives, and glared at Lin Zhi, scoffing, “I’m not marrying you; what’s the rush?”

These words were truly harsh.

But they were also true.

For the past few years, the Cheng family had still wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Lin family, but unfortunately, Lu Rangchen, through his own strength, had long since broken free from the Cheng family’s control.

Lin Zhi had no choice. Lacking ability, she could only obey her family to ensure a high quality of life in the future.

She had initially thought marrying Lu Rangchen would be fine; at least she knew his background.

But with this turn of events, if the Lin and Lu families were to form an alliance through marriage, she would only be able to be with her good-for-nothing cousin, Lu Rangchen.

Lin Zhi was very unhappy, but for the time being, she had no other option.

Regarding Lu Rangchen, on one hand, she wanted what was best for him and for Cheng Liru; on the other hand, she genuinely felt he was a good choice. Therefore, when she learned that he had rekindled his affair with Zhu Yunque, she lost her temper and became somewhat excessively angry.

But Lu Rangchen’s words, like a bucket of cold water, sobered her up a bit.

Lin Zhi rolled her eyes, then glared at Lu Rangchen, saying, “Can you please stop rubbing salt into my wounds? I’m still your sister, after all.”

Lu Rangchen chuckled, “You did not?”

“That’s not the same thing. I’m doing this for your own good.”

Lin Zhi’s voice rose, “Besides, you want to get back together, but do you think she wants to? Have you forgotten how ruthless she was back then? And even if you two get together, what then? Can you get my godmother’s approval? If my godmother doesn’t approve, you two will still have to break up in disgrace.”

Every word was like a needle, each one pricking painfully.

Lu Rangchen was genuinely amused by her words.

The two stared at each other like needles at each other for a few seconds. Lu Rangchen’s eyes were icy, and he uttered a single sentence.

He said, “I never expected my mother to approve back then.”

The words fell.

Lin Zhi was instantly stunned.

This was the first time in so many years that she had heard these words from him.

She had thought that their relationship back then was just a naive one, something that would fall apart if it couldn’t be resolved through some trials. But now, it seemed that things weren’t as those people said at all.

Lu Rangchen had never cared about those worldly shackles.

The person he wanted to hold onto had backed away.

Lin Zhi’s throat tightened. “So, what do you mean now? You really want to get back together with her regardless of the consequences?” she asked.

She really didn’t understand.

If Lu Rangchen truly had those feelings, he wouldn’t have come back so readily after her outburst. Yet, he returned so readily.

Lu Rangchen didn’t answer immediately.

Just as he sat down on the sofa, the fat cat came over, jumped onto his lap, and started kneading and purring.

Lu Rangchen looked down at it, stroking its head, and suddenly realized that Zhu Yunque was actually very much like a cat.

The moment you approach, she dodges away, but when you ignore her, she comes crawling back.

Always leaving you wanting more.

His eyes glazed over for two seconds.

Lu Rangchen shook his head with a slight chuckle, saying, “It isn’t that easy.”

“So many years, such a long time, it can’t be forgiven in just a few words.”

“I, Lu Rangchen, am not that casual.”

“She beckons, and I go for it, only to get hurt badly.”

As he spoke, he tugged at the corner of his mouth and said, “But if I say I’ve truly let go, I’ll tell you the truth: I cannot.”

Because he couldn’t let go, he couldn’t help but get closer to her.

He couldn’t help but let her get closer.

But you couldn’t just indulge Zhu Yunque like that.

She would take advantage of his favor, she would become lawless, and then she would tell you to leave or stay as she pleases.

That’s not what Lu Rangchen wanted.

Lin Zhi had never seen Lu Rangchen speak so frankly and openly before. Her emotions were churning, her mouth agape, unsure what to say.

After thinking for a moment, she could only say, “So you do know what’s going on. I thought you did not.”

“…”

Lu Rangchen glanced at her.

Lin Zhi pouted and said, “Anyway, you’ve thought it through yourself. Don’t end up getting hurt and ending up in the hospital.”

Lu Rangchen’s eyes remained calm as he said, “I’ve thought it through.”

“I thought it through when I went to see her today.”

“?” Lin Zhi raised an eyebrow. “What did you think?”

Lu Rangchen lowered his gaze, stroking his catlike chin. After a few seconds of silence, he said, “Either we don’t reconcile and never see each other again in this lifetime, as if she never existed.”

“Or, we are locked in for life.”

Lu Rangchen chuckled, his tone both indifferent and stubborn, and said, “Even if she dies, you’d better bury her somewhere.”

–

After Lu Rangchen left that day.

Zhu Yunque ate that meal alone.

Whether it was the medication or the meal, Zhu Yunque felt much better afterward. She had spoken with the school leader and said she would go back to work the next day.

The leader was quite worried about her and asked if this was okay.

Zhu Yunque told him on the phone that she was fine.

Anyway, she was bored staying home alone and would overthink things.

For example, that night, even though she had taken her medication, lying in bed, she kept tossing and turning, thinking about many things and people from the past.

She thought about her first meeting with Cheng Liru.

She thought about Lin Zhi, who had specifically come to the school to find her and try to match her with Lu Rangchen.

She thought about her mother, who had been beaten and cried bitterly because she was a mistress.

She also thought about Ye Tian, ​​who had fought with someone to protect Feng Yanlai.

Looking back, the hardest time wasn’t the inability to contact Lu Rangchen, but everything that happened during his absence.

Feng Yanlai was cyberbullied, the abuse spreading from the internet to her real life. Various people came to watch the spectacle, to vent their frustrations; there were rumors at school, and Ye Tian needed to be bribed out.

Zhu Yunque felt helpless, lost, and at a loss.

She had never told anyone.

That was the day she met the Cheng family.

The head of the Cheng Group, Cheng Liru’s father, Lu Rangchen’s maternal grandfather, Cheng Fusen.

The elderly man, over seventy years old, sat in a black luxury car, dressed in a dark-patterned Zhongshan suit, sprightly and seemingly gentle, yet his aura was icy and oppressive. The heroic spirit between his brows reminded her of Lu Rangchen.

The car suddenly blocked Zhu Yunque’s path.

The car window rolled down, and he smiled, saying, “Xiao Yunque, I’m Rangchen’s grandfather.”

“…”

“If you have time, would you like to chat with this old man?”