stonecrandall Chapter 24 Intricate and Complex
Chapter 24 Intricate and Complex
Fa Zi said in a serious tone, "I think you should listen, Xiao Guo. You know what? Liu Guochen in our class also likes Qiao Shuang. He's a real catch. Not only is he handsome, but he's also good at studying and comes from a good family. You'd better be careful not to let someone beat you to it." Fa Zi's eyes revealed a hint of worry, as if he was really thinking about Hong Liguo.
Hong Liguo already knew that Liu Guochen liked Qiao Shuang. He gave a helpless bitter smile and said, "I've known about this for a long time. He's a real talent, we can't compare to him, what can we do?" Hong Liguo's voice was full of helplessness and frustration.
Fa Zi paused for a moment, then continued, "Do you know that there's another person in our class who also likes Qiao Shuang?"
Hong Liguo was taken aback by Fa Zi's words and asked with wide eyes, "Who? Who else likes Qiao Shuang?" He felt a pang of anxiety, not expecting that someone else would compete with him for Qiao Shuang.
"Zou Jianmin," Fa Zi said, enunciating each word clearly.
"Zou Jianmin?"
When Hong Liguo heard those three words, his heart sank. One was tall and handsome, the other beautiful and wealthy; with these two formidable rivals, what chance did he have? No wonder Qiao Shuang hadn't shown any interest in him. Damn it, these two bastards dared to like the same girl as him! He'd annihilate them! Hong Liguo cursed silently in his heart, flames of jealousy and anger burning within him.
Fa Zi looked at Hong Liguo with some doubt and said, "Xiao Guo, ever since we met Wang Yuxin on the way to the township middle school, I've always thought you liked her. I think you should like Wang Yuxin too; she's been so good to you. Besides, you two were very close in elementary school. You would bring sand fruit but not share it with others, and she would bring balloons but not share them with others, only letting you blow them up, haha... I feel like you two are a match made in heaven."
Hearing Fa Zi's words, Hong Liguo quickly retorted, "You're kidding! She nags like an old woman, all she talks about is studying, taking exams, working, city residency, it's so annoying. But Wang Yuxin is really a good person, kind-hearted and helpful. Apart from her tendency to lecture and nag, there's really nothing wrong with her." As Hong Liguo spoke, Wang Yuxin's image flashed through his mind, and he felt a mix of emotions.
"Come on, she's only happy to help you, she doesn't care about anyone else! Once someone asked her a question and she didn't even tell them. I see you don't ask others, but she's come to explain things to you many times, and she's quite patient. Do you think she might actually have feelings for you? I think Wang Yuxin is better than Qiao Shuang, she's approachable, unlike Qiao Shuang, who has a haughty and aloof expression that makes her hard to get close to."
Fa Zi's words made Hong Liguo fall into deep thought. He had to admit that there was some truth to what Fa Zi said. Wang Yuxin was definitely better to him than to other classmates. Many times when he couldn't solve a problem, she would take the opportunity to explain it to him, and she was very patient.
In truth, Hong Liguo knew perfectly well that Qiao Shuang was always aloof, and winning her heart would be no easy task. Besides, Qiao Shuang was the studious type, always engrossed in books, as if some mysterious force within them drew her in. At times like these, Hong Liguo would think to himself: "Damn, those books are so boring, what's so interesting about them? Looking at them every day is so tedious!" Yet, even so, he was still irresistibly drawn to Qiao Shuang; perhaps this was the magic of love!
Ever since the day Hong Liguo learned that both Liu Guochen and Zou Jianmin liked Qiao Shuang, he had harbored a deep-seated hatred for them, as if they were his mortal enemies. He secretly cursed them to die in a bicycle accident, choking on their food, drowning, or from a cold… he considered and cursed every possible way they could die. Hong Liguo knew this was childish, but his jealousy and anger made it impossible for him to control his emotions.
Unintentionally, Hong Liguo discovered something: Yu Deshui from their class had beaten up a boy from another class.
That day after school, as the setting sun cast its glow on the school playground, Hong Liguo saw Yu Deshui, his face contorted with rage, rush towards the boy. Without a word, he raised his fist and punched him. The reason? The boy had approached Wang Yuxin on the way home from school.
Yu Deshui and Wang Yuxin were from the same village and had known each other since childhood; they were childhood sweethearts.
Yu Deshui was naturally dark-skinned, his complexion so dark it rivaled that of Li Kui (a legendary black-skinned hero), Zhang Fei (a fierce warrior), Yuchi Jingde (a powerful figure), and even the soot from the bottom of a pot. However, he was relatively mature and steady, rarely causing trouble, unlike Hong Liguo and his ilk, who seemed to stir up trouble even without cause. Given Yu Deshui's personality, it's easy to imagine what he was thinking when he resorted to violence against someone.
From then on, almost every day on his way to and from school, Yu Deshui would walk with Wang Yuxin like a loyal protector, silently guarding her.
Only then did Hong Liguo realize that every time Wang Yuxin tried to talk to him, Yu Deshui was nowhere to be seen. He guessed that Wang Yuxin was deliberately avoiding Yu Deshui. Either Yu Deshui was on duty and came out late, or Wang Yuxin was deliberately waiting until he was far away before coming out to find him. Wang Yuxin's deliberate actions made Hong Liguo very uneasy. He felt as if he were caught in a complicated emotional vortex, not knowing what to do.
Meanwhile, Hong Liguo also noticed that Lin Menglong from their class often intentionally or unintentionally approached Wang Yuxin. From Yu Deshui's reaction, Hong Liguo could tell that Yu Deshui disliked Lin Menglong. In several conversations, Yu Deshui warned Lin Menglong to stay away from Wang Yuxin, his eyes seeming to hold the gaze of a cheetah ready to pounce on its prey at any moment.
Hong Liguo couldn't be bothered with their messy affairs. He even thought it would be better if one of them succeeded first, so that Wang Yuxin wouldn't keep nagging him like a mother controlling him. He tried to use this self-deceptive thought to escape his inner contradictions and struggles, but Hong Liguo knew that this was only temporary.
Ever since Hong Liguo secretly cursed Liu Guochen and Zou Jianmin, he had been constantly watching their every move, like a hunter lurking in the shadows, waiting for his prey to make a mistake. Gradually, Hong Liguo realized that his curses were useless; the two of them continued to appear before him as before, completely unaffected. At that moment, he clenched his fists, his anger burning even more fiercely. Hong Liguo decided to deal with them in his own way, to let them know that Qiao Shuang was the one he loved, and that no one could possibly have designs on her.