Chapter 68

Wang Bai saw Teacher Xu leave in a huff, his ears burning and his heart tightening. He immediately realized that his words and actions had been very hurtful. Without much thought, he quickly followed her to catch up.

Xu Wushuang ran and cried, the委屈 (grievance) in her heart turning into tears that kept overflowing. Yet, she stubbornly covered her mouth, refusing to let out a sound. The pent-up frustration had nowhere to go, and the tears only flowed more uncontrollably.

She ran down the long street, not pausing at the street corner, and unconsciously rushed forward. At that moment, the red light was on! Cars were speeding across the crossroad. At the critical moment, Wang Bai finally caught up with her, grabbed her hand, and pulled her back to his side with great force.

"Screech!" A truck stopped just inches away from them. The driver leaned out of the window and shouted, "Do you want to die?" Then he muttered something and drove off.

Wang Bai was also in a bad mood. He pulled Xu Wushuang back to the roadside and shouted at her, just like the driver, "Do you want to die?"

"Slap!" A sharp sound echoed as Wang Bai's head turned to the side. Xu Wushuang broke free from his grip and slapped him hard, then fiercely shouted back, "Stop bothering me! Take care of yourself!"

Wang Bai gritted his teeth and grabbed her hand again, growling, "Fine, if you don't want me to care for you. From now on, you are you, and I am I. Starting today, I will never meddle in your affairs again! If you want to live or die, it's up to you. Don't come to bother me, and don't come to me for anything. You can rest assured, next semester, no matter what class I choose, I won't stay in Class 7. I won't be your student anymore, and I will disappear from your sight completely!"

After saying this, he let her go and turned to leave angrily. Xu Wushuang, hearing these words, felt that he was truly determined to leave her. This boy, who once had a crush on her and claimed to like her, was now abandoning her. This made her feel abandoned again. The pain in her heart burst out uncontrollably, and she let out a heart-wrenching cry, collapsing to the ground in tears.

She cried and shouted, "Go away! Go far away! I never want to see you again!"

At this moment, she was utterly devastated, muttering, "Ugh... bastard... unfaithful man... why do you treat me like this... why especially after I fell in love with you... ugh..."

Often, men make you feel they love you, but they really don't; and women make you feel they can't possibly love you, but they secretly do.

Wang Bai didn't hear her muttering. He was drunk, his mind full of impulsive thoughts. He couldn't help but lash out at her after being hit by her. After saving her life, he was slapped, which he couldn't bear. Her hysterical behavior finally triggered his pent-up frustration, leading him to say those heartless words.

Although he felt a bit regretful the moment he turned to leave, he didn't try to make amends. He felt that his entanglement with Xu Wushuang was a serious mistake. If it continued, it might spiral out of control, and the one who would ultimately be hurt was that strong-on-the-outside, fragile-on-the-inside woman. Due to the difference in their status and age, he couldn't promise her a lifetime.

Ending it this way might be better for everyone. He thought this, despite the pain in his heart, and stubbornly moved forward without looking back.

As he walked, tears streamed down his face, running down to his chin. He took a deep breath, lifted his head, and tried to hold back the tears, muttering, "Why... why is it always my teacher..."

Perhaps because of that past, I am destined to be an abnormal person, falling in love with women I shouldn't.

He suddenly lowered his head, and a cold face appeared before him. Lu Lu had somehow walked in front of him. She smelled the strong alcohol on him, saw his flushed face, and the clear tear marks. A hint of worry flashed in her eyes, and she asked calmly, "Where have you been? Auntie called me, saying you didn't come home and didn't call. I searched the school and came out to look for you. Do you know how worried the family is..."

Lu Lu's words were interrupted. Wang Bai suddenly hugged her, leaning his head on her shoulder and sobbing softly. She was surprised but then slowly extended her hand, gently hugging his back, as if embracing him in return.

Her small hand moved slowly on his broad back, "It's okay, no matter what happens, let it go..."

Lu Lu didn't know what Wang Bai had just experienced that made him so vulnerable at this moment, but she took on the responsibility of comforting him without hesitation, just like a wife who, facing a husband burdened with troubles, would unhesitatingly extend her hands and open her warm embrace to give him comfort and encouragement.

After sobbing for a while, Wang Bai sniffed and released her, looking into her eyes and saying, "Are you willing to listen to a story?"

She nodded calmly, sensing that Wang Bai was about to tell her the truth about something she had always wanted to know. This was something he had promised to tell her after the mid-term exams, and now his answer was to reveal a secret he had never wanted to mention, in exchange for a condition she must follow.

"If I tell you this story, you must follow one condition," he paused, then continued, "The condition is that only you and I know about this story, and you must never tell a third person about it."

This condition was unexpected but also reasonable. Without much thought, she nodded, and Wang Bai took her and started walking, telling the story as they went, or rather, recounting that memory.

The incident happened three years ago when Wang Bai was in the second year of junior high at Baihe Middle School. One day in May, a substitute teacher came to the class to teach Chinese. She was a college student doing an internship. She wasn't very beautiful, but she looked very gentle, with long hair and a preference for pretty dresses. She often struggled with students' off-topic questions, and if the mischievous boys in the class asked about her dating experiences, she would blush and remain silent.

She was more like a big sister in the neighborhood, taking care of a group of unruly children, working hard to complete the tasks assigned by their parents.

In such a situation, there would always be one or two sensible and well-behaved children. Wang Bai was one of them. He was the class monitor, excelling in all aspects, and the students respected him. With his help, she was finally able to teach the class properly and gradually establish herself in the class.

She naturally noticed Wang Bai's help and was very kind to him. Perhaps it was gratitude, or perhaps there was something else. In any case, she gradually became more affectionate towards him, often giving him small things, mostly stationery, as rewards for outstanding homework. Everyone could sense that the substitute teacher treated the class monitor differently, and rumors began to spread.

Wang Bai also noticed this. At that time, he was not yet fifteen, at the age when love blossoms. In his naivety, he thought it might be love.

He began to lose focus in class. When he looked at her while she was teaching, his eyes would soften, and when he spoke to her, he would blush for no reason. The substitute teacher saw all this but never said anything. She would call him to her dormitory every evening and, one-on-one, go over the day's lessons, not allowing him to be distracted.

At that time, rumors were rampant, and the school began to investigate. However, with the testimony of her dormitory mates, the investigation was eventually dropped.

The substitute teacher's dormitory was behind a cinema near the school, a two-story building with six rooms. One day in June, it was a rest day, and the school organized all the teachers to go to a water park to cool off. She claimed to be unwell and stayed behind.

Then, she called Wang Bai and asked him to come to her dormitory for a make-up class. He went, and she pushed him onto the bed. She undressed and told him not to move, then taught him many things that were not in the textbooks.

They had physical intimacy, doing something forbidden, but it was not what Wang Bai wanted. He felt only fear and tension, not pleasure, especially when he saw the blood on her. He was terrified.

She smiled and comforted him, saying it wasn't what he thought, and pointed to the sanitary pad on her underwear, saying he would understand when he grew up.

"Please forgive my selfishness. My first love took my virginity, but I wasn't his first woman... Now, I am making up for that regret with you. I hope you don't blame me... Because, to be honest, I like you. I did this because I like you... But I hope you can forget all this. I don't want you to be like me, with regrets... I'm sorry, I still hurt you. Next week, I will return to school. Consider this as your last favor to your teacher, and don't tell anyone, okay?"

He left the teacher's dormitory in a daze, went home, and locked himself in his room, not eating or drinking for a whole day. The next day, he fell seriously ill and spent the night in the hospital on an IV drip. When he returned to school, the teacher was already gone, leaving no contact information behind.

Thus, his first woman took his first time and his first love, leaving him with an unforgettable regret and a twisted heart.

"I don't believe what she told me. Even if it's true, the 'like' she spoke of is certainly different from mine," Wang Bai said softly, his voice hoarse.

Lu Lu listened quietly, even though she was shocked, she didn't show it on her face. This story was close to the rumors but also very different. To others, Wang Bai seemed to have great fortune, but to him, it was a tragedy, a painful memory that a young boy couldn't bear.

The teacher's vengeful act shattered his love and left a lifelong regret.

Lu Lu didn't understand his inner thoughts but felt immense pain hearing this story. The person she liked had been struggling with this painful memory, and she felt the same struggle. If possible, she would willingly take on his pain.

It turned out that the blank slate she had once expected was so richly colored. Wang Bai's experience was too complex for her. But knowing the truth, she felt only compassion, not a hint of disgust.

She wanted to be a repairer, to mend Wang Bai's wounded heart and make him forget the past.

"Wang Bai, do you want to make up for that regret?" she asked gently.

"What do you mean?" He turned to look at her, seeing a hint of determination in her eyes.

Lu Lu pursed her lips and mustered the courage to say, "You can be my first man."

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