Desperate Pretense At Being Poor

Chapter 12 – Lu Kechen

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Three years ago.

The sky was overcast and it was raining continuously.

“Lu Kechen, you have to tell me what happened that afternoon after school.”

Wen Ruan frowned slightly and that beautiful face looked very serious at this moment.  Every word she spoke was dynamic and firm.

“You have to tell the truth before I can help you.”

After receiving the case, Wen Ruan immediately questioned and investigated Lu Kechen’s classmates and teachers.

~ Lu Kechen has a very good temper and won’t feel angry even when scolded by others.

~ He is a very smart kid.  He is usually very considerate and always helps the teachers.

~ To be honest, Lu Kechen doesn’t look like he would bully his classmates.  On the contrary, he is always being teased by the group of boys in the class and they make fun of him for looking like a pretty and shy girl.

~ I’m really surprised that this happened.  Lu Kechen is a very, very well-behaved child, but who would have known……..

~ He and Qin Wan have a very good relationship.  I didn’t expect things to turn out like this……

“”

Qin Wan was the girl who was indirectly killed by school bullying.

After investigating the people around Lu Kechen, Wen Ruan found that the child did not seem to be a violent perpetrator.

But……

“I’m not hiding anything.  After being bullied for a long time, of course, I don’t want to be treated like that.  So to join the group of boys and not be isolated, I went along with them to bully Qin Wan.”

Lu Kechen lowered his head then took a deep breath and his voice shook.

“That day, they wanted me to snatch something from Qin Wan so I went obediently.  But the girl’s reaction was very strong and she kept retreating and accidentally fell into the water.  I didn’t mean it, I didn’t want to kill her!”

Whether it was evidence or confession, there did not seem to be any doubts in this matter.

However, Wen Ruan could vaguely feel that Lu Kechen was not telling the truth at that time.

Unexpectedly, he came to look for her three years later.

Wen Ruan sat down in front of Lu Kechen, placed her clasped hands with her fingers interlocked on her knees, and said calmly.

“I heard you have been looking for me all these years.”

Although his body was shaking slightly, it was not very noticeable.  After a long time, he took a deep breath and showed a helpless smile.

“That’s right…….I have always felt sorry towards you……after all, you were the only person who helped me.”

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“I am not the one you should apologize to.”

Wen Ruan sighed and said lightly.  “Tell me……..why are you looking for me?”

Lu Kechen lowered his eyes and then a little while later, he slowly pulled out an envelope from his schoolbag.

“This is what I hid from you back then.”

Wen Ruan was taken aback.  She reached out to take the envelope and opened it.…….

Inside were photos of Lu Kechen.

They were extremely private photos.

Judging from the lights and angles of the photos, it did not seem like they were taken by professionals.  The pixels were very low but Lu Kechen’s face could still be seen clearly.

“Three years ago, the group of boys in my class forced me to take these photos and then threatened me to do their biddings.”

When Lu Kechen spoke, his voice trembled and he took a deep breath before continuing.

“……The accident in which Qin Wan fell into the water…….it was also them who forced me to bully her.  Later they threatened me with the photos and told me not to mention their names in the statement.”

Wen Ruan’s eyelids quivered and she put the photos back into the envelope.

“The verdict for this case was handed down three years ago.  Why are you suddenly telling me this?”

“I want to sue that group of people…….they should be punished by the law.”

He did not speak for a long time.  When he finally raised his eyes again, they were already red and his voice was choked up as he said.

“Ever since the day of the accident, I have been alienated by my friends and hated by my parents.  You were the only person who believed that I was hiding the truth.  So now, I am seeking your help.  All these years, I have been repeatedly threatened by them to do many wrong things because of these photos and I’m almost about to give up living……..”

 

After sending Lu Kechen away, Wen Ruan sat on the sofa for a long time without saying a word and looked at the envelope on the coffee table in a daze.

“He has left?”  Professor Su knocked on the door and asked while standing behind it.

“Mm……”  Wen Ruan stood up to open the door and then smiled helplessly.  “Unexpectedly, the first person to look for me after my return would be him.”

Professor Su laughed.  “Then what about you?  Are you prepared to help?”

Wen Ruan turned her head to look at the coffee table and a while later, she walked towards it.

She bent down and stretched out her hand to pick up the envelope again.  After a moment’s thought, she asked.

“Professor Su, has Lu Kechen been looking for me all these years?”

Professor Su thought for a while and then nodded.

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“Yes……he asked me about you many times.”

Wen Ruan frowned.

She had a strange feeling about this.

***☆☆☆***

The boy’s clothes fluttered in the wind.

At this moment, the sun was scorching hot.  The surrounding area was like a huge furnace that was grilling the people.

The sidewalks were filled with people rushing around in a hurry while Lu Kechen was standing in the crowd like a point that could not be more mediocre and ordinary.

He lifted his hand to pull out the earphones from the pocket of his school uniform and stuffed them into his ears.  Although his eyes were still red, the expression on his face was surprisingly calm.

From the earphones, the prelude of a solemn and sad piano piece was playing repeatedly…….

……..Who Killed Cock Robin – Sadnessperades…….

Lu Kechen pursed his lips and raised his head to look up at the scorching sunlight.  Then he lifted his hand to place it on his forehead and laughed to himself.

It has already been three years…….

***☆☆☆***

“Are you still staying at that prosecutor’s house?”

“Yes, and I slept on the sofa all night.”

Qin Sushan has been working as an intern under Professor Su for almost a year and her result has always been good.  She is preparing to take the lawyer’s license exam soon and if nothing goes wrong, she should officially be a licensed lawyer by this year.

When Wen Ruan left the office, it was lunchtime.

So the two sisters quickly met up and rushed to the western restaurant downstairs to celebrate a heartwarming reunion.

“So last night did anything happen between you and that pretty boy whose dandruff can even ooze hormones?”

Stirring the cup of milk tea with a spoon with one hand and supporting her chin with the other hand, Qin Sushan asked lazily.

“After spending so much energy, it’s impossible for you not to even make a slight breakthrough at all, right?”

When she was asked in such a way, Wen Ruan was stunned for a moment.  After racking her brain and thinking for a while, she lowered her head and said guiltily.

“Breakthrough…….actually there’s a breakthrough………”

Qin Sushan suddenly became spirited and straightened up.  The expression on her face seemed to display the word ~ ‘eagerness’

“What breakthrough?  Is it something off-limits to minors?”

Wen Ruan gestured with a finger and her sound was not very confident.

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“…….I slapped him……”

Qin Sushan was silent for a while and then shrunk her neck.

“…….Treat it as I didn’t ask.”

Perhaps it was due to Qin Sushan’s scornful tone that Wen Ruan’s self-esteem was aroused and she replied with indignation.

“It’s only a few days.  A genuine relationship must be cultivated over a long period and I will use actions to show him my valuable qualities.”

“Actions?”  Qin Sushan became interested.  “What actions?”

“It is written in the books that an accidental touch is the most useful in stimulating emotions.  I purposely bought Britney’s latest perfume and the scent is fresh but not strong.  Just think about it.  We’re staying together and there’ll be an abundance of opportunities that can be created for accidental touches.”

Wen Ruan spoke with conviction.

“For example, while pouring water during a meal, I can accidentally touch his shoulders and arms and then pretend to be shy and apologize in a soft voice.  With the additional use of Britney’s perfume, I can surely seduce him quietly without him being aware and make him helplessly captivated.”

“Bill please!”

Just after Wen Ruan finished speaking this part, a very familiar male voice sounded from behind them.

The tone was devoid of warmth and the tone of each word was slightly lowered but it sounded very attractive.

Wen Ruan’s back stiffened instantly.

“Ai, damn it!”

Qin Sushan raised her head and looked up as if something had caught her eye.  Then she immediately lowered her head excitedly and gushed out in one breath.

“Just now I was not aware but now I notice that the little brother sitting behind you is very handsome.  Turn your head around and take a look!  I guarantee you’d be moved!”

Wen Ruan:  “……I don’t really want to turn around and look.”

“Take a look!  Take a look!  You won’t be able to imagine how handsome he is!”

Now Qin Sushan looks like she is forcefully promoting her idol to her friend and her enthusiasm was increasing.

“It’s the type you like!  Every strand of his hair is oozing with hormones!  Maybe he is even more handsome than your handsome brother.”

“……”

“”

Wen Ruan fell into silence.

She can imagine how handsome he is!

“I’m going over to pay the bill.”

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Wen Ruan gritted her teeth and only hoped that Fu Zhihuan could not recognize her voice at all.  She quickly stood up and walked toward the counter with the intention to flee the scene after settling the bill.

“The total is one hundred and fifty-eight.”  The lady at the cashier’s counter smiled sweetly.

Wen Ruan was still immersed in the pain of ~ ‘how she got caught on the spot gossiping’ as she numbly pulled out her phone.  When she tried to turn on the phone, she found that the battery was dead and it had shut down.

The smile on the cashier’s face froze and she immediately straightened up vigilantly to repeat her words.

“A total of one hundred and fifty-eight.  You can also pay in cash, Miss.”

“…….”

This is embarrassing!

Just as Wen Ruan was wondering whether she should return to the scene of the crime to pull Qin Sushan over to pay, she suddenly heard a cold male voice beside her…….

“I’ll pay for her.”

Instantly, the chords in Wen Ruan’s head tightened and her back straightened up.  She dared not turn her head as if she was afraid to look at the person next to her.

But out of the corner of her eyes, she could see Fu Zhihuan’s side profile.

“Okay, all is done…….  Here is your bill, Miss.”

Wen Ruan came back to her senses and hurriedly reached out to take it and then……

She accidentally bumped against Fu Zhihuan’s hand which was about to withdraw after making the payment.

Their skin touched and the spot where they touched started to heat up as if scorched by fire.

She quickly retracted her hand and apologized in a panic.

“Sorry!”

Fu Zhihuan did not speak immediately and just lowered his eyes to look at the back of his hand.  Then he suddenly laughed.

“Accidentally touching?”

She instantly choked.  “I…….”

“Seduce quietly?”

“……”

“Helplessly captivated?”

“……!……”

This man’s memory is excellent!