Chapter 599: Unsettling Encounters

What exactly felt off?

Lu Xin replayed the scene in his mind, struggling to pinpoint exactly what was strange.

There was no force involved.

It was simply a matter of a girl, deeply in love with a boy, boldly standing up for him and openly declaring her love. In the whole exchange, the girl even took a more active role, her feelings for him unmistakably deeper.

And there was no pretense.

Whether it was the girl confidently admitting her relationship upon seeing Little Meng, or her stepping in to help the boy when Little Meng ridiculed him, or even her mention of an impending marriage—each act was genuine, with no trace of acting.

Lu Xin was certain of all this.

Perhaps this was just the tale of a young boy and girl?

Even if they hardly seemed a match, does love really need a reason?

……

……

“Alright, Guoguo, there’s nothing to be upset about.”

While Lu Xin pondered the issue, Vice President Xiao was already laughing and patting Little Meng on the shoulder. “You’ve graduated from high school too, and honestly, you never struck me as very bright. Forget about college—just watch out so your parents don’t end up having a third child and snatch the family fortune from you and your sister.”

“All that lovey-dovey stuff shouldn’t be overthought. Trust me, as someone from a wealthy family, the first lesson in love is that no matter how rich or handsome you are, there’s always a girl who won’t fall for you…”

“……”

While they both felt a pang of pity for Little Meng, they couldn’t help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all.

Although Lu Xin had mentioned something about the oddity of the situation, witnessing what had just transpired quickly dispelled any doubts.

The earlier scene was indeed a little hard to fathom, yet it was also an everyday occurrence—especially considering that in the past days they’d even encountered a deranged assassin. This minor incident hardly warranted any serious contamination.

Among the group, only Gao Yan seemed slightly cautious.

He recalled a similar incident from his own past, when he had been almost possessed by an infatuation for a friend’s girlfriend.

Yet even he felt that what he had seen earlier was somehow different from his own experience.

…Back then, he had completely lost his senses, whereas that pair just now appeared perfectly normal.

……

While the others comforted Guoguo, Lu Xin subtly lifted his head.

Outside the cafeteria, a young man in a shabby down jacket was walking by.

As he passed the building, he glanced coldly back at Little Meng inside before quickly shifting his gaze and striding off.

From his direction, it seemed he was heading towards Chen Wei and her boyfriend from earlier.

That fleeting look into the cafeteria was nothing more than an instinctive, brief glance.

But Lu Xin picked up on it immediately, frowning slightly as he remarked, “Looks like you’re not the only one nursing a broken heart.”

Startled, Little Meng shot up and sniffed, “Who?”

Lu Xin peered out; the street was nearly empty. By the window they could clearly see a lone figure in the distance…

Not only was the street quiet, but the man’s attire also made him stand out on such a bustling avenue.

Little Meng frowned and examined him carefully. “That guy—he seems to be from our class…”

Others began to survey him too: “Which one? Which one?”

“The one in the blue down jacket…”

Little Meng continued, “His name is Zhang Weiyu. He dropped out two years ago. This kid is fierce—he even got into a fight that left someone with a broken head, which is why he dropped out. Back in school, he was reportedly pretty close with Chen Wei. It turns out their families were neighbors; they grew up together…”

“I was always impressed by him—wearing the same jacket for an entire year. Now it seems he’s working in a factory.”

“……”

Everyone exchanged puzzled looks, not quite sure what was unfolding.

Even Lu Xin couldn’t understand as he observed, “Seems like he’s been tailing us all the way, and he isn’t planning to stop…”

If they were old classmates, why would he follow them so persistently?

“Something’s not right. I need to follow him and see what’s up…”

Little Meng wiped his nose and immediately stood up.

“Sit down, sit down,” he ordered.

Vice President Xiao and the others quickly patted his shoulder. “Why are you following him? Aren’t you bored already?”

“I want to see what’s going on too,” Lu Xin declared as he stood up, still troubled by the strangeness of it all.

The rest of the group was momentarily taken aback before hastily rising. “Come on, let’s go! This is getting interesting…”

Leaving Vice President Xiao to settle the bill, the others quickly exited the cafeteria.

Only a few steps later, they spotted the young man in the blue down jacket from earlier.

He seemed wary of being noticed by Chen Wei and her crew, keeping his distance as he trailed behind.

Lu Xin and the others followed at a distance, careful not to be seen.

Fortunately, the young man’s focus was entirely on Chen Wei, completely oblivious to the people following him.

After walking for about four or five minutes, nearing the end of the street, the blue-jacketed youth suddenly halted.

Everyone else quickly found hiding spots, peeking out. Their faces froze in shock.

In the distance, Chen Wei and Cao Ye had arrived at the entrance of a hotel at the end of the street.

Cao Ye was pulling Chen Wei, seemingly intent on going in, while Chen Wei appeared visibly shy, shaking her head slightly.

Then, suddenly, Cao Ye became enraged. He abruptly shoved Chen Wei’s hand away and strode out.

Chen Wei dashed after him, and Cao Ye shouted at her, with one line barely audible: “You still don’t love me.”

Chen Wei hesitated noticeably, her face clouded with indecision, while Cao Ye’s expression hardened as he forcefully dragged her into the hotel.

……

“Oh my god…”

Beside him, Lu Xin growled both in grievance and sorrow, “What did I do to deserve this…”

“Why does fate punish me, forcing me to witness all of this?”

……

It was clear that Little Meng was at his wit’s end, almost on the brink of madness.

The others felt a tinge of sympathy, wondering if they should leave quickly.

But Lu Xin frowned and fixed his gaze on the blue-jacketed youth ahead.

Little Meng, already desperate, seemed to feel his pain magnified tenfold by the sight of that youth.

Even from a distance of over ten meters, Lu Xin could see the young man clench his fist tightly, his body trembling violently.

In the next moment, unable to contain himself any longer, he burst out from behind a parked car and sprinted toward the hotel.

Shouting nonstop, “Chen Wei! Chen Wei, are you out of your mind?”

“Don’t let him deceive you…”

“……”

Moments later, the hotel’s air was shattered by a cacophony of a man’s curses, a woman’s screams, and the crashing of objects.

“Something’s wrong…”

Lu Xin and the others hurriedly followed.

At the hotel entrance, they found the blue-jacketed youth grappling with Cao Ye. Clearly, the young man had the upper hand, pinning Cao Ye down and striking at him, while the girl—Chen Wei—was desperately trying to pull him away.

When the youth was separated from Chen Wei, his face contorted in pain and despair as he cried out, “Why? Why?”

In a frenzied state, he snatched a glass ornament from the hotel counter and hurled it at Cao Ye.

But then Chen Lu screamed and rushed in front of Cao Ye to block the projectile.

The young man was stunned, staggering back with a wounded, animalistic growl, “You’re still protecting him… you’re still protecting him…”

……

“Are you insane?” Chen Wei yelled furiously at the youth. “Just because you barge in doesn’t give you the right to beat people up!”

“You want to know why I’m hitting him?” the youth roared, waving his arms. “He’s been lying to you—don’t fall for it!”

“Lying to me? What does that have to do with you?” Chen Wei retorted loudly, steadfastly shielding Cao Ye.

“And what does that have to do with me?” the youth countered. With a pained expression, he pleaded, “Don’t you remember all I did for you?”

“I haven’t forgotten,” Chen Wei replied, her eyes burning with bitter resentment. “That’s why I despise you—I always have!”

“Y-yeah, that’s what you said…”

The youth staggered backward, the glass ornament clattering to the ground, and in a spasm he repeated a few incoherent words before suddenly yelling, then turning and dashing out of the hotel.

At a nearby intersection with streams of cars coming and going, he charged through the traffic. Several drivers slammed on their brakes, and furious shouts filled the air as they leaned out of their windows, cursing at his retreating back.

“What on earth is happening here?”

It all happened too quickly, and with such confusion, no one dared to intervene.

“Leave a couple behind to check if everything’s alright…”

Scanning the surroundings, Lu Xin murmured, then quickly made his way in the direction of the blue-jacketed youth.

Seeing this, Little Meng hesitated for a moment before stomping his foot in frustration and following Lu Xin.

……

After crossing the intersection and searching around, they soon found the blue-jacketed youth crouched at the mouth of an alley, sobbing uncontrollably with his hands covering his face, his shoulders shaking with despair.

Lu Xin, Little Meng, and Vice President Xiao’s entourage watched him silently.

“Is that Zhang Weiyu?”

At Lu Xin’s silent prompt, Little Meng hesitated before stepping forward and asking in a low voice.

SWOOSH!

The youth abruptly lifted his head, and upon seeing Little Meng, wiped away his tears and turned to leave.

“Ah, it really is you…”

Startled, Little Meng rushed to grab his arm. “What happened back there, brother…?”

“Get lost…” Zhang Weiyu snapped, flinging his arm hard. Unable to shake him off, his anger intensified and, in a sudden move, he swung a punch at Little Meng.

Little Meng let out a sharp cry as he sank to the ground. Gao Yan and the others were taken aback and hurried to pull him back; though Zhang Weiyu was slender, his strength was remarkable, and several of them struggled to hold him down until Gao Yan, taller and sturdier, managed to kick him to the ground.

“You bastard, let me go…” Zhang Weiyu shouted furiously, his eyes bloodshot with rage, as he was pinned down.

“You rich bastards are all the same…”

“……”

“This…”

The group, confused, received a torrent of curses, their expressions awkward.

Amid the chaos, Lu Xin found himself in the middle, oddly pleased to be called a bastard.

But as he recalled the ongoing home renovations, he sighed and stepped forward, asking, “We’re here on business—why did you just beat someone up?”

“And what does that have to do with that girl, Chen Wei?”