Getting Caught Up In His Cycle Of Passionate Love - Chapter 22

“Liking the New and Disdaining the Old”

January 1st, New Year’s Day, overcast.

Lu Que had prepared the items he would need for today a long time ago. He said he wanted to be well-prepared, but it was really just a few things his grandmother had loved. Even so, Lu Que checked everything carefully one last time before he left.

With just three minutes left until his agreed-upon time with Xu Tao Yue, Lu Que waited for her at the door with a backpack on.

“Lu Que!”

Xu Tao Yue ran over, wiping the sweat from her forehead. “I’m so sorry, so sorry!”

She was breathing lightly and smiled apologetically at Lu Que. “I’m late. I got delayed. Shall we go now?”

Lu Que nodded slightly. “Let’s go.”

Xu Tao Yue looked at the sky, which was getting darker. She asked with some concern, “Is it going to rain today?”

“No,” Lu Que said as he turned off his phone.

Xu Tao Yue handed him the bunch of snow willows she was holding. “Hold this for me.”

Lu Que actually listened obediently. As he watched Xu Tao Yue carefully wrap another bouquet, he couldn’t help but ask, “Why are these snow willows?”

“This one is for you,” Xu Tao Yue said, shaking the other bouquet of lisianthus in her hand. “This one is for Grandma.”

Lu Que was confused and asked, “Then why is this one for me?”

“Do you know the meaning of the snow willow flower?”

Lu Que shook his head. “No.”

“Dead wood coming back to life in spring.”

“It’s an extraordinary and rare thing, therefore it’s a blessing.”

A blessing. You, for me, are precious and beautiful.

Xu Tao Yue stood a step away from Lu Que, quietly keeping him company.

Lu Que arranged the items in front of the tombstone one by one but didn’t say anything, just looked at them quietly. The wind blew, and the flower bouquets he had arranged swayed back and forth.

After ten minutes of silent waiting, Xu Tao Yue stepped forward. “Lu Que.”

“Hmm.”

It was obvious that Lu Que’s voice was a little hoarse. Xu Tao Yue looked down at the kind and amiable grandmother on the tombstone, and then snowflakes began to fall one by one.

“Lu Que,” Xu Tao Yue called him again.

“Hmm.”

Lu Que answered Xu Tao Yue patiently every time.

“It’s snowing.”

Lu Que looked up. A sheet of snowflakes poured out from the clouds and landed on his eyelashes. The snow melted, condensed into a tear, and fell.

Xu Tao Yue walked over, took his hand, and hugged him. Lu Que buried his red-rimmed eyes in the curve of Xu Tao Yue’s neck. Xu Tao Yue felt a dampness and held him even tighter.

“Lu Que, when the snow stops, let’s go see the school.”

Lu Que froze for a moment, then nodded. “Okay.”

It turned out that in front of the person you loved, all the grievances you had endured would be magnified.

In reality, the two of them didn’t wait for the snow to stop. By the time they got to the school, it was already evening. Lu Que’s mood had improved a lot.

Xu Tao Yue rubbed Lu Que’s face and gently covered his eyes with her hand. “Crybaby.”

Lu Que tilted his head back and flicked Xu Tao Yue’s forehead. “Rebelling?”

Xu Tao Yue giggled and handed him something. “Here.”

Lu Que turned to look, and a peach-flavored gummy candy appeared in her palm. “I’m treating you to candy. It’s peach-flavored.”

Lu Que reached out and took it. “Hmm.”

At this time, high school seniors were having their evening self-study. Xu Tao Yue and Lu Que had clearly planned this for a while. They put on their jackets and ran to their former teacher’s office.

“Lu Que, I feel like I’m a thief with a guilty conscience.”

Lu Que laughed. “Do you still remember the stuffed animal you had confiscated?”

At this, Xu Tao Yue suddenly remembered. There was indeed such an incident. It was a knowledge competition on the street, and the first-place prize was a stuffed animal. Xu Tao Yue immediately brought Lu Que out for the challenge.

“Please, please, please, I really, really like this one!”

They had just won a capybara from a claw machine. The first-place prize was obviously a larger version of the same capybara. Xu Tao Yue was determined to win it, and Lu Que, as the strongest brain, naturally became her first choice.

Lu Que: “…”

“I swear, this is the last time.”

Lu Que had no choice but to ask again, even though he knew there was no way it would be the last time. “Really the last time?”

Xu Tao Yue quickly nodded. “Really, really.”

In the end, with Lu Que’s brainpower, they did indeed get first place. Xu Tao Yue even started bringing that stuffed animal to class every day, but the final outcome was that their teacher, Xiang Baijie, confiscated it.

Xu Tao Yue was upset for several days, but this mood came and went quickly. Later, she was attracted by other things, and the matter was forgotten.

Xu Tao Yue now suddenly remembered and stared at Lu Que with wide eyes. “Lu Que…”

“Yes?”

“I have a bold idea.”

Lu Que raised an eyebrow. “Tell me.”

Xu Tao Yue’s eyes darted around. Since no one was around, she secretly leaned into Lu Que’s ear and whispered, “The things Xiang Baijie confiscated must be in this office. Help me get it back!”

Lu Que shook his head. “Ah… do you think that’s very important?”

Xu Tao Yue nodded. “Very important.”

Lu Que snorted. “You’re so fickle.”

Xu Tao Yue: “!!”

“When have I ever been fickle?”

Lu Que didn’t say anything, but still helped Xu Tao Yue look for the item for a long time.

“Why isn’t it here?” Xu Tao Yue was baffled. “This doesn’t make sense! Logically, all the things Xiang Baijie confiscated should be here.”

Lu Que looked down at Xu Tao Yue. “Xiang Baijie will be back soon.”

Xu Tao Yue straightened her back. “That’s right! Anyway, I’m not a student here anymore, so Xiang Baijie will definitely give it back to me.” Xu Tao Yue nodded to herself. The next second, the bell for the end of evening self-study rang.

Xiang Baijie’s signature high heels echoed in the hallway. Even though she wasn’t a student at this school anymore, Xu Tao Yue still had a conditioned reflex. Hearing the sound, she instantly straightened her back and stood still.

Xiang Baijie was startled when she entered the office and saw them. “You two…”

The two of them stood perfectly straight, just like when they used to be punished. It was Lu Que who stepped forward and broke the awkward silence. “Teacher Xiang.”

Xiang Baijie nodded and looked at Xu Tao Yue. “Long time no see. How did you two get in? It’s not going to be easy to get out.”

Xu Tao Yue giggled. “Teacher Xiang, I have something I want to ask you.”

Xiang Baijie placed her cup on the desk and leaned against the window sill. “Hmm?”

“That stuffed animal you confiscated from me before, could you give it back?”

Xiang Baijie was a little surprised. “A stuffed animal?”

Xu Tao Yue quickly gestured with her hands. “It was about this big. It was a capybara with a hat on its head. Could you help me look for it?”

Xiang Baijie carefully recalled Xu Tao Yue’s description and asked in confusion, “Didn’t you take that thing away?”

Xu Tao Yue was shocked. “?”

“I took it away?”

“When did I take it away? I don’t remember.”

In the end, they didn’t get the stuffed animal back. Xu Tao Yue was a little disappointed but had to give up. It was already late. Xiang Baijie still had another evening class to teach and couldn’t take them out of the school. Xu Tao Yue quickly waved her hands. “It’s okay, Teacher. We can get out ourselves.”

Xiang Baijie nodded, no longer concerned about them, and hurried back to her class to look after the current senior students.

For the two of them who had already gone to college, although they could enter through the front gate, getting out was incredibly difficult. Fortunately, when they were looking for a stray cat, Xu Tao Yue had discovered that the fence on the wall behind the school wasn’t very high. They could climb from the inside to the outside.

It was easy for Lu Que, as his long legs gave him an advantage. Xu Tao Yue watched him step onto the ledge on top of the fence and was immediately annoyed. She put her hands on her hips and stared at him. “Lu Que, did you forget something?”

How could Lu Que not know what Xu Tao Yue was talking about? But he pretended to be clueless to tease her. “I didn’t forget anything. Why aren’t you climbing up?”

Xu Tao Yue: “…” Fine, this time I’m really going to break up with him.

In Lu Que’s eyes, Xu Tao Yue now looked just like a pufferfish. A more apt metaphor was a little firecracker—one touch and she would explode. Thinking of this, Lu Que couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Seeing that his mood had improved, Xu Tao Yue decided not to be petty. She walked over and extended her hand to Lu Que. “Lu Que, give me a hand.”

Lu Que crouched down, took her hand firmly, and pulled. Xu Tao Yue easily got up onto the ledge. Looking at them, their posture was very awkward. Xu Tao Yue held onto Lu Que tightly and didn’t dare to let go. “Lu Que, what if you drop me?”

“I won’t drop you.”

Lu Que’s tone was firm, and it instantly soothed Xu Tao Yue’s fear. Lu Que went over the fence first and jumped down. Then Xu Tao Yue cried out, “Hey, go easy!”

Lu Que stood below and raised an eyebrow at Xu Tao Yue, who was calling out from above because she was scared. He then extended his hand. “Xu Tao Yue.”

Xu Tao Yue looked down and instantly understood Lu Que’s unspoken words. “Oh, then you’ll catch me.”

Lu Que nodded, waiting for Xu Tao Yue to jump down.

The next second, the school’s security guard, who had caught a whiff of their presence, ran over. “What are you two students doing over there! You’re trying to sneak out instead of going to class late at night?!”

Xu Tao Yue closed her eyes and jumped straight down, landing directly in Lu Que’s arms. In that instant, Lu Que’s warmth completely enveloped Xu Tao Yue, making her smile without realizing it.

After Xu Tao Yue was safe, Lu Que quickly pulled her and started running. The wind rushed past their ears. The ground was covered in a thin layer of snow, and their overlapping footprints were left behind as they passed.

Their hearts were beating fast, whether it was from the thrilling escape or because Lu Que was right there. They tried to calm down for a long time, but their quick heartbeats just wouldn’t slow down.

But that probably didn’t matter.

Let’s just chalk it all up to love.