I spat out everything on my mind in one breath. As soon as I finished, I felt a flicker of regret. That slightly hostile, "rich-hating" tone was definitely something I shouldn't have let slip.
Luo Fei's face instantly darkened, looking incredibly angry. I felt exasperated. Why is this guy such a persistent pain in the neck?
"That's not what I mean," his voice was low. "Xiaoyu is just not suitable to be around you."
I was truly speechless. How can a person be like this?
"How is it unsuitable? I'm not speaking ill of Xiaoyu; he's a good person and has treated me very well. But you, however, are terrible," I looked at him coldly. "You think I'm associating with him because he's rich? The truth is, I never knew anything about Xiaoyu's family, only that they were well-off enough to buy me a phone."
I pulled out the new phone. "If your issue is with this phone, take it back. You can probably still return it."
His expression flickered, unpredictable. He said softly, "That's nothing. I just worry you have inappropriate thoughts about him."
The fire in my chest grew, and I completely ignored the chill in his gaze, speaking coldly. "What thoughts could I possibly have about him? Am I after his family's money? If so, I would have been sucking up to him long ago, not waiting until the second year of high school. But given Xiaoyu's temper, he probably wouldn't even look at me. You should know his strange personality better than I do."
Seeing him remain silent, I continued, "What other thoughts could I have about him? He's a guy. What thoughts can I have? I'm not gay."
I finished, pouted, and turned away, done with looking at him.
"You said what?" He suddenly seemed to snap to attention.
"What did I say? Didn't you hear?"
"I said I'm not gay." I seriously wanted to curse him out. If Luo Fei didn't look so menacing, I would have already done it.
"Ah, I see..." His expression changed instantly, like a switch from a thunderstorm to a clear sky. It was visibly better.
I found this completely bewildering.
He studied me intently, looking me up and down as if trying to see right through me, then confirmed, "You really don't have any ideas about him?"
His look sent an instantaneous shiver of disgust down my spine. I shuddered and couldn't help but ask, "Are you gay?"
This absurd thought popped into my mind. It made me wonder if there was something wrong with his whole family. Liu Xiaoyu's overly intimate relationship with his mother made it hard not to let my imagination run wild.
And this bodyguard-like figure constantly questioning me with this attitude made me seriously doubt what Liu Xiaoyu's family situation was truly like.
"Get lost," Luo Fei shot me an annoyed look. "You're the gay one. I'm a real, certified tough guy."
"Then why do you keep asking? If he were a girl, I might make a move. But a guy? Does he need to be treasured this much?" I was utterly exasperated. We were both boys, so why was the difference so huge? I was out here getting chased and stabbed, while Liu Xiaoyu cries at the slightest scratch. The key is, people actually pamper him for it. I was genuinely envious and jealous. It's absolutely maddening how people compare!
I wanted to lecture him on his family's upbringing, suggesting they should stop letting Liu Xiaoyu act so feminine and encourage him to be more manly. But seeing how much Nangong Feng doted on him, I decided against it. They wouldn't listen, so why bother? Moreover, I, a fat person, hadn't completely overcome my own insecurities. Who was I to lecture others?
Luo Fei was momentarily stunned, then seemed to realize something and nodded slightly. "So that's it."
"What is?"
I was confused. Luo Fei was acting like he wasn't mentally stable, jumping from one realization to the next. What was he trying to achieve?
He didn't answer my question but reached out to pick up the two bank cards on the table. I watched him take them, my eyes wide. "You're just going to take them?"
"What's wrong?" Luo Fei sneered. "Didn't you say you didn't want them?"
"Want them? Why wouldn't I want them? How much money is in there?" I asked curiously.
"Hmph hmph..." Luo Fei glanced at me and chuckled. "I'll tell you: one card has fifty thousand. I won't tell you about the other, but guess for yourself—it's more. The Madam gave them to you, but since you refused, I'll just return them to her."
"What?" I looked at him. He didn't seem to be joking. I quickly said, "Who said I didn't want them? Of course, I want them!"
"No way!" Luo Fei raised his head high, looking exceptionally smug, staring at me with a half-smile. "You yourself said you didn't want them. Not bad, kid. I admire you. It's quite something for a boy your age to be completely unmoved by money."
I reluctantly pouted, the bitter taste of regret filling my mouth. My previous outburst was fueled by indignation at his attitude.
But what was done was done. I didn't have an intense craving for money right now; I had enough from what my mother left me.
However, that was just me comforting myself.
In reality, I wanted to cry. So much money! I could have done so many things. And I just refused it.
Seeing me speechless and defeated, he smiled broadly and tucked the two cards into his pocket. He was no longer the angry, threatening figure from before; he was like an old fox. I strongly suspected Luo Fei was engaging in a form of entrapment, trying to make me voluntarily forfeit the compensation. Poor me, chased and stabbed, yet I didn't get any emotional damages.
I channeled my grief and indignation into my appetite, wolfing down the dishes in front of me, eating one large bite after another.
Luo Fei then sat on the adjacent stool, watching me eat with a look of melancholy, finding it oddly amusing. He asked, "By the way, if you had known that person was coming for Xiaoyu, would you have abandoned him and run away?"
His strange question stumped me. I pondered for a moment, put down my chopsticks, and said softly, "You can ask that, but I can't think that way. There are no 'ifs.' The incident already happened. I was stabbed. Will saying 'if' or 'what if' make my wounds disappear?"
He was visibly taken aback, seemingly not expecting such a philosophical answer. He fell into contemplation.
"If it were like that, I probably would have carried him and run anyway, because my upbringing taught me never to stand by and watch someone die," I paused, suddenly remembering my strict mother. It had been a long time since I saw her. Did she ever think of me?
Feeling a sudden melancholy, my voice dropped slightly. "Anyway, I'm tough. I'll be fine. But that Liu Xiaoyu kid is delicate. He cries if you barely touch him. He's a rich kid, different from me."
Luo Fei was silent, lost in thought. I didn't expect him to say anything. I quickly finished my meal, tidied the table, and threw the containers into the nearby trash can.
He suddenly spoke up, as if making a difficult decision after long consideration. "Tell you what, I'll give you this card. It has five hundred dollars on it. Consider it your mental compensation."
I rolled my eyes. "Who are you looking down on? You're trying to send me away with five hundred dollars? You thought about that for this long?"
This Luo Fei was truly a shrewd businessman. Fifty thousand, one hundred thousand, down to five hundred. What kind of profiteer is this? Five hundred dollars wasn't a small sum to me, but compared to the injuries on my body, it really was nothing.
"Take it or leave it," he said.
He pulled a card from his pocket and threw it onto my table.
"Does being rich make you a big shot?" I immediately became angry.
"Then you don't get the five hundred, either." Luo Fei reached to take it back. I quickly snatched it. "Five hundred is still love!"
"Hahahaha..."
He burst into laughter. "I thought you really didn't want it."
"Who throws away money?"
I held the card, examining it carefully. It looked different, a sleek, black design. It looked high-class, but I didn't know how it differed from the cards I usually used.
"You look healthy and lively, kid. I guess you don't need anyone looking after you anymore," Luo Fei said, preparing to leave.
"Hey, wait," I quickly called him back, holding the card.
"What's wrong?" Luo Fei stopped, smiling wryly. "Miss me already?"
"Who misses you?" I felt exasperated, looked at him, and asked, "What's the password?"
He finally understood but didn't give a direct answer. Instead, he smiled mysteriously. "Didn't you already know?"
"What?" I was bewildered, looking at him confusedly. "How would I know? Did you tell me?"
"You think about it carefully," Luo Fei turned and walked away.
"Hey... you!" I panicked. What good was a card without a password? Was I supposed to use it as a ruler substitute when I forgot my actual ruler?
He paused only at the doorway, turned to look at me, and chuckled. "A final hint, out of goodwill: My Xiaoyu told you once. Think about it."
With that, he walked out and closed the door.
I was instantly lost in thought, pondering his words.
Liu Xiaoyu told me his bank card password? That was ridiculous! I never asked, and he certainly never told me.
After thinking for a while, I still couldn't figure it out. I'd have to ask Liu Xiaoyu next time I saw him. He'd surely tell me.
I spent the next period alone in the hospital, bored. Besides playing on my phone, there was nothing to do.
Teacher Li Yue's side was a completely different scene. People came and went continuously. According to conversations with the doctor, her condition had improved significantly, and she should wake up soon.
In the evening, Luo Fei returned once more, again to deliver my dinner. He handed it to me and left immediately, not giving me time to ask any questions.
After dinner, I got up to go to the toilet. This was pure agony in my current state. Since I had also been cut on my buttock, sitting on the toilet was incredibly difficult and painful. By the time I finished and walked out, I was drenched in cold sweat.
As I emerged, I saw an unexpected person. He was wearing jeans and a plaid shirt, with short, ear-length hair and fair skin.
It was Liu Xiaoyu. I hadn't expected him to return. I thought I'd made him cry, and he wouldn't speak to me again.
Liu Xiaoyu must have showered. He had not only changed clothes but also smelled faintly of fresh milk.