LHKE Ch9

When Lu Changxu and the others returned, everyone had already packed up their luggage.

Shen Li ran into Lu Changting and, perhaps because of his own feelings, thought that Lu Changting seemed to be in a bad mood. Lu Changting only gave him a polite and distant nod before heading to his room to pack his things.

“Lu… Changting,” Shen Li called out to him, still not quite used to saying his name and pausing briefly before he could say it completely. “Thank you for taking me back to my room last night.”

Lu Changting turned his head towards him, seemingly waiting for more.

Shen Li fidgeted with his fingers, feeling uncomfortable. “Um, did I make a scene last night?”

Lu Changting was silent for a few seconds before replying in a calm tone, “…You don’t remember?”

“Did I really make a scene?” Shen Li’s eyes widened in disbelief, looking both embarrassed and astonished. He quickly began to apologize, “I’m sorry, I…”

“No,” Lu Changting interrupted him with a flat tone. “I just took you back to your room and left.”

Since Shen Li didn’t remember, he decided to think of it as a dream.

After closing his room door, Lu Changting touched his chest. He had imagined many scenarios for facing Shen Li, but he didn’t expect Shen Li to have completely forgotten what happened last night, forgetting all about it after bothering him.

So bad.

He thought to himself, how could this person be so bad.

On the way back, Shen Li didn’t ride in Lu Changting’s car.

Lu Changting directly took the luggage of Lu Changyin and Lu Changge to his car. Shen Li didn’t find anything odd, but he felt a bit down, repeatedly reminding himself to be content and not too greedy.

He got into Lu Changxu’s car, hardly speaking, just staring out the window in a daze.

Meanwhile, Lu Changxu, who had been planning to matchmake Lu Changting and Shen Li, felt very conflicted during the return journey.

Every time he thought of Lu Changting saying expressionlessly while climbing the mountain, “Brother, don’t meddle in matters of romance. I don’t have the feelings you think I have for him, and he doesn’t have them for me either,” Lu Changxu couldn’t help but sigh.

That tone wasn’t just asking him not to play matchmaker; it was clearly a warning.

He wondered what had happened last night…

Lu Changxu glanced back through the rearview mirror. Shen Li was sitting in the back seat, staring out the window, looking lost.

…

When they got home, Shen Li smelled the aroma of food as soon as he opened the password lock. He changed his shoes, put his backpack on the sofa, and walked towards the kitchen. “Mom?”

“Welcome back,” Cheng Zhao turned off the heat, put the cooked broccoli onto a plate, and wiped her fingers with the apron.

“Why are you back in the kitchen again?” Shen Li turned on the faucet to wash his hands and asked, “What other dishes do we have?”

“Nothing else, just some shredded potatoes and broccoli. I’ve stewed some pork ribs soup and am keeping it warm on low heat.”

“You should rest properly, you just got back this morning.”

“Rarely, when you’re not at home, I get to indulge in cooking a couple of dishes,” Cheng Zhao said with a smile as she took out chopsticks and bowls from the cupboard. “Did you have fun with your friends?”

“Quite a lot,” Shen Li said, taking a bowl and sitting down at the table.

It had been a long time since he had enjoyed a home-cooked meal. Cheng Zhao usually lived in a small apartment near the school, coming home only on weekends or holidays. Shen Li was the one who cooked at home, so being able to enjoy Cheng Zhao’s cooking once in a while gave him a sense of comfort, and all his fatigue disappeared.

Cheng Zhao smiled knowingly. “And that person, Lu Changting?”

She had learned his name during a casual chat before. She had a good impression of Lu Changting; he was well-mannered, graceful, and good-looking. She thought her son’s taste was good.

Shen Li responded with a dull “Hmm,” not wanting to talk much about Lu Changting, but he also didn’t want to deceive or hide things from Cheng Zhao.

Cheng Zhao smiled and served him some vegetables, not pressing for more information.

Instead, Shen Li couldn’t resist Cheng Zhao’s generosity and openness. He always felt he owed her a lot. Feeling a bit stifled, he talked about interesting experiences with Cheng Zhao.

Cheng Zhao shared some fun stories from her own time out with friends. The meal lasted for over half an hour. Shen Li cleaned up the dishes and went to the kitchen to wash them.

Cheng Zhao leaned against the kitchen door, watching him put the clean dishes back into the cupboard. She blinked, momentarily feeling like Shen Li was still in middle school, just starting to learn to cook—sometimes burning himself, cutting his fingers, or breaking dishes, making a mess in the kitchen.

But each time, Shen Li would secretly apply aloe to his burns, use bandages for his cuts, clean up broken dishes, and tidy up the kitchen, apologizing with his head down.

From childhood to now, Shen Li had always been very considerate.

In the end, if she had provided Shen Li with a stable family, her son could have grown up without worrying about life’s little struggles.

Cheng Zhao let out a barely audible sigh and suddenly said, “Mom is very happy.”

Shen Li looked up in confusion, and Cheng Zhao smiled at him. “Xiao Li, I’m very happy that you have someone you like.”

“I know, it seems like you had someone you liked a long time ago.” Cheng Zhao adjusted her scattered hair. “You never told me, and I never asked, but I know you’ve been struggling with it for many years.”

After depending on each other for so many years, Shen Li couldn’t hide something as obvious as a crush from her.

“I could only watch you suffer.” Cheng Zhao paused before continuing, “I’ve often wanted to ask who that jerk is, to give him a good beating, to ask him why he doesn’t like my wonderful son. Is he blind or just heartless?”

“I also wanted to beat you up, to make you let go of the past and cherish the person in front of you.”

Shen Li lowered his head and washed his hands.

Cheng Zhao thought for a moment but still couldn’t bring herself to say anything harsher. She simply wrapped up the topic, “Forget it, it’s all in the past… Your choice this time seems good.”

She rarely discussed such emotional topics with Shen Li, afraid of crying and ruining her makeup.

Perhaps it was indeed age that made her more sentimental recently. She was both happy that Shen Li finally had someone he liked again and sad that her son would eventually be with someone else. She would be left alone at home, feeling empty.

“Mom—” Shen Li called out to her, gathering his courage.

Seriously and solemnly, he said, “I have someone I like very much.”

“Since high school, a secret crush, for twelve years.” His tone was bitter, but he smiled, “He doesn’t know, and he doesn’t know me.”

“He hasn’t responded to my feelings, there’s been no ambiguity, no consumption, and no disappointment.” Shen Li spoke slowly, his twelve years of hidden affection occasionally needing to see the light and bask in the sun. “My liking him is not his fault.”

Cheng Zhao’s eyes slowly reddened, and she suddenly realized that perhaps she had misunderstood.

A false alarm.

Twelve years, how many twelve-year periods does one have in a lifetime?

Even though the person was completely unaware, Cheng Zhao couldn’t help but feel a bit of grievance.

Her lips moved, hesitantly asking, “Why didn’t you tell him?”

“He’s a straight guy.” Shen Li’s tone was calm, but only he knew how much he had struggled to maintain this calm. “I saw him not long ago. He’s grown taller, become more handsome, and matured.”

“He knows me now, we’re friends.” Shen Li said slowly, “I’m really happy.”

He was content.

Not asking for more.

“He’s named Lu Changting.” Shen Li smiled, his tone carrying a unique gentleness associated with Lu Changting. “I really, really like him.”

He didn’t want Cheng Zhao to misunderstand Lu Changting or to think there was a possibility between them, to avoid a false hope.

So, he spoke candidly.

Cheng Zhao looked at him for a long time before smiling and hugging him.

Before the tears could fall, she wiped them away with her hand, leaving no trace except for her reddened eyes.

“Since you like him so much, why not give it a try?” Cheng Zhao said with a choked voice, “My son is more outstanding than anyone. You deserve anyone, and you should be brave and try.”

Shen Li opened his mouth but ended up saying nothing.

How could he explain? Should he say he had once bravely pursued Lu Changting?

His one brave attempt was tying a red string to Lu Changting, but the other end of the string was not on him.

He didn’t want to experience the heartache of running to the convenience store for Lu Changting and then seeing Lu Changting laughing and chatting with others in the infirmary again.

If Lu Changting liked women, then he would watch from afar, see him marry and have children, and live a successful life with a full house.

It would be a peaceful ending for this lifetime.

“Give me some time,” he patted Cheng Zhao’s back.

To comfort Cheng Zhao and also himself.

Give me some time.

Maybe I can try to let him go.

Or perhaps… I can try again.