Ning Li shook her head. “It's okay.”

She paused and added, “I didn't take Pei Song's coat either.”

Lu Huaiyu looked at her. The feeling of frustration and suffocation that lingered in his chest faded a little.

He grinned and grunted softly.

“Let's go.”

Ning Li was stunned. 'That's it? No more questions?'

She had thought that Lu Huaiyu had been determined to get to the bottom of this.

“Second brother, you believe me? You believe that I am not in a relations.h.i.+p with Pei Song?”

Lu Huaiyu walked closer to her and patted her on the head.

“You wouldn't dare.”

Geng Haifan and Pei Song waited outside. They could not hear a word inside the doc.u.ment room.

A while later, the door opened.

Lu Huaiyu and Ning Li exited one after another.

Geng Haifan went up to the man with a serious look.

Lu Huaiyu smiled. “Mr. Geng, this is what happened: Lili had gone to Jingcheng because she had an argument with her family. She went to visit a friend there just to get away for the weekend. She was embarra.s.sed to tell you because it's a family matter.”

Geng Haifan felt something amiss but he also remembered Su Yuan's treatment of the girl, so he tried to be an understanding teacher.

He sighed and looked at Ning Li with a pitiful gaze.

“I see…”

It was not news that Ning Li had a difficult relations.h.i.+p with her mother and it was normal for them to have arguments in such a tense environment.

Moreover, since Ning Li was a teenager in her rebellious phase, it was understandable that she had behaved impulsively.

Lu Huaiyu nodded.

“She went there for a short getaway and even visited Xijing University.”

Geng Haifan's eyes sparkled.

“Really?”

“Yeah…” Ning Li said.

Geng Haifan felt relieved.

It was wrong for Ning Li to lie and run off to Jingcheng, but judging from the explanation, Ning Li was still focused on her studies.

She had even visited Xijing University during her getaway.

Could it mean that her university of choice was Xijing University?

Geng Haifan's worries were replaced by delight.

“Great, that's great.”

The situation was nothing more than a misunderstanding and it was understandable. Ning Li came from a complicated background and was also a little stubborn.

“If that's the case, things will be a lot easier to handle. I'll tell the school about what truly happened.”

Everything had been settled on a good note.

Geng Haifan then looked at Ning Li.

“Ning Li, if you are feeling down, there are many other ways for you to release your stress. Next time, try not to do something so impulsive. It will only cause more trouble and misunderstanding. It might even be dangerous. It will only cause those who love you to worry.”

“Thank you, Mr. Geng. I won't do it again.”

Geng Haifan sighed a breath of relief when Ning Li apologized so sincerely.

“It's okay, as long as we have cleared up all the misunderstandings.”

He took another glance at Ning Li before looking at Lu Huaiyu. He was impressed by the man's care of the girl.

“Thank you for coming over, Mr. Lu. If not for your trust in Ning Li which revealed the truth behind this incident, this situation would surely become more complicated.”

Usually, parents would be suspicious if they suspected that their children were involved in a relations.h.i.+p at such a young age. However, Lu Huaiyu undeniably trusted the girl and never doubted her for a second.

It was because of his trust that Ning Li had listened to him.

Lu Huaiyu nodded. “The final year in high school is important to them. I've talked to her about what she should focus on and what she should avoid. She has always been an obedient girl.

Geng Haifan was delighted.

“Yes, yes. Mr. Lu, you seem like someone who upholds strict house rules. With you watching over Ning Li, us teachers will have less to worry about.”

Geng Haifan strongly believed Su Yuan was hopeless. He made a note to only discuss matters involving Ning Li with Lu Huaiyu in future.

Lu Huaiyu raised a brow and smiled. “You're absolutely right.”

The bell rang and the cla.s.s was over.

Music then sounded through the broadcast. It was time for a P.E session.

Geng Haifan looked at the time and said, “We've used two cla.s.s periods for this discussion. Pei Song, Ning Li, you may both go back to cla.s.s.”

“Hold up.”

Lu Huaiyu walked up to Pei Song.

He held out his hand for a handshake. “I still haven't thanked you for looking after our Ning Li.”

The tone of his voice seemed as lazy and unconcerned as always, but every word was uttered clearly.

A handshake was an official sign of grat.i.tude.

Pei Song held out his hand.

The two of them shook hands.

Pei Song looked up into the man's eyes.

He had mysterious-looking eyes. They looked calm but when you looked closer, there was something unsettling inside the darkness.

For a moment, Pei Song got the feeling that Lu Huaiyu was a fierce beast and he felt as if he had accidentally trespa.s.sed onto the beast's territory. His gaze was a sign of warning.

Fortunately, that feeling only lasted for an instant. Lu Huaiyu pulled his hand away quickly.

He maintained his gentlemanly bearing throughout the handshake.

Pei Song said, “You don't have to thank me.”

Lu Huaiyu smiled. “I do. Lili is a stubborn girl and she doesn't like to be in someone's debt.

Pei Song felt slightly nervous, so he did not say a word.

Geng Haifan asked, “Mr. Lu, I'll see you out.”

“It's okay, Lili can do that.”

Geng Haifan a.s.sumed the two of them still had some unfinished business, so he nodded.

“Okay, see you later, Mr. Lu.”

During the P.E session, students came out of the cla.s.s and went to the field.

Ning Li and Lu Huaiyu came out from the teacher's office together.

Normally, Ning Li alone was capable of turning heads. Lu Huaiyu walking beside her was an even more intriguing sight.

A large number of students eyed them curiously, eager to find out what had happened.

“Is that Ning Li? I heard she was called to the teacher's office because she was suspected to be in a relations.h.i.+p with Pei Song. Who is that next to her? He's so handsome!”

“I think that's her brother. He used to pick her up after night self-learning cla.s.s, but it was too dark and too far for me to see clearly at the time. He's even more handsome than I thought!”

“Brother? As far I know, she doesn't have a brother, at least not an older one. I heard her mother does have a son but he is younger.”

“He's not her real brother but they are quite close. I remember he came for her during the parent-teacher meeting the other day.”

“So does it mean that the rumors are true? Is that why he was called here?”

“I'm not sure. If it was true, at the very least the school would announce it or post a notice. I saw Pei Song walking back to his cla.s.s alone and it didn't look like he had been charged with anything.”

The students were in a heated discussion.

Ning Li did not really care about the way other people looked at her. However, with Lu Huaiyu by her side, she felt bothered and anxious.

Lu Huaiyu had remained silent since he came out of the office.

She snuck a glance at him.

His handsome features showed only calmness, but his brows looked as frigid as ice which made him look distant.

She wanted to say something but did not know what was appropriate.

Lu Huaiyu looked at her and asked, “How's Jingcheng?”

Ning Li was caught off guard as she had not expected this question.

“What?”

Lu Huaiyu rephrased his words and said, “Compared to Lincheng, how was Jingcheng?”

Lincheng was a rural city while Jingcheng was the capital of this country.

“Second brother, I don't think you can compare both places with each other.”