Star-Crossed Lovers: The Ex-Convict and the White Rabbit - Chapter 16

Chapter 16 – Gossip 

Gossip was like a virus, spreading wildly in an invisible, hidden world. 

Lu Yin felt frustrated. When she walked out of the plant, it was as if she had been released from a cage. Only then did the prickles down her back dissipate slightly. 

Not even a few steps out, she heard someone rush to her from behind her and then, she was called. 

Lu Yin paused in her steps, turned back and laughed, “Chen Rui.” 

Chen Rui jogged a few steps and arrived next to her. The two mixed in the crowd and walked out of the factory gate. He glanced at her wordlessly. 

After walking for a while, Lu Yin raised her head and said goodbye to him, “I’m going to the front to wait for the bus. Goodbye.” 

“Wait.” Chen Rui stopped her.
 

“What’s wrong?” 

He tugged his short hair back and paused for a moment before saying, “Sorry about today.” 

Lu Yin laughed, “You did nothing wrong, there’s no need to apologize.” 

Seeing her laugh, Chen Rui relaxed a little, “Honestly, you don’t have to care about what they said. They don’t have ill intentions, they’re just idle and bored, that’s why they love gossiping so much. 

“I know.” 

“Don’t take it to heart.” 

Lu Yin said perfunctorily, “Ok.”
 

After another pause, he lowered his head to look at her and finally asked, “You two… are you two really not getting married?” 

Lu Yin frowned subconsciously, an unreasonable irritability surfacing, extremely dissatisfied by his asking this. Seeing her expression, Chen Rui anxiously explained, “I’m not asking for gossip. I’m not like them, it’s because I really…” 

He hadn’t finished saying “care about you”, Lu Yin interrupted him and said, “I don’t want to talk about it.” She glanced sideways, “The bus is here. I’m leaving.” 

Chen Rui attempted to call her back. Lu Yin didn’t hesitate as she got on the bus. 

The factory was half an hour away from the residential complex and the 655 line was direct. It was time to get off work so there were many people on the bus. Lu Yin went to the back and found a small area to stand on. There was no air conditioning in the vehicle, the air was humid and after standing for a little bit, the sweat on her cheeks dripped onto her neck. 

She grasped the bus-strap with one hand and wiped her sweat with the other. The bus drove on, wind from the outside poured in but it didn’t help much. The wind that she was faced with was still hot and humid. 

Lu Yin looked out, the people and the road outside the window flickered by, slightly dazzling. 

She sighed, suddenly feeling too tired to live. 

Sometimes, she also hated herself for being too sensitive and caring too much about what others thought. She was filled with misgivings and fears, not one moment had she ever lived for herself. Even now, in the face of heartbreak and betrayal, she still cared about how other people would talk behind her back. 

She continued her random thoughts the entire way home. 

She thought for a moment that she couldn’t stay in the factory, she should seriously consider leaving. At the same time, she couldn’t bear to thicken her skin and ask Old Du whether the Shanghai training opportunity was still available since it might be a good idea to leave temporarily. 

As she was pondering, her phone vibrated in her pocket. She released her hand to take a look; it was a notification from her bank. 

It showed that a sum of money had been transferred in, worth 138,500 yuan (around 20,000 USD). On the one hand, it wasn’t a lot, yet it wasn’t too little. 

Lu Yin bit her lip and couldn’t help but tremble. She violently squeezed her phone. After two seconds, it vibrated again. This time, it was a phone call. She glanced at it and immediately rejected it. 

After thinking about it, she responded with one word, “Received.” 

She didn’t receive any calls after. After a long time, a text message came in, “Ok.” 

Lu Yin looked at the screen, moving her fingers. Her phone buzzed again, “Yinyin, I’m sorry. Live well.” 

Those few years suddenly jumped into her line of sight. He used to be so affectionate, calling her Yinyin ever so softly. She would agree to his every whim, it seemed as if at that time, she only dreamt sweet dreams. In less than two weeks, though things remained the same, they had both changed. This time he called her like that, not only did her heart ache, she also felt an uncontrollable hatred and disgust. She was repulsed by all her memories with him. 

Lu Yin’s heart twitched suddenly as if an iron pole had pierced it. The pain extended to her neck and then to the back of her head. The scene outside the window blurred and turned into patches of color that wouldn’t focus. She looked up and widened her eyes desperately to restrain herself. 

When the bus stopped, Lu Yin got off while avoiding the crowd. She blinked, a teardrop landed on the ground. The world finally returned to its normal state. 

Their seven-year relationship had been able to withstand the test of time but failed to withstand the erosion of hardship. Everything they had built, completely disintegrated in the last moment. 

He wanted the house, she wanted money. They parted ways and were no longer associated with each other.