Bai Qingyue cukup puas dengan ketinjuan dan sikap proaktif Wu Qin. Seperti yang diduga, dia langsung memberi tahu Wu Qin begitu Bai Junfan kembali ke Beijing.
Saat itu sudah akhir Juni, dan luka-luka Wu Qin sebagian besar sudah pulih. Dia bersikeras kembali ke sekolah, mencurahkan seluruh tenaganya untuk belajar dan membenamkan diri dalam lautan soal latihan setiap hari.
Namun, Kakak Junfan jauh lebih penting dari segalanya. Begitu Wu Qin menerima kabar kepulangannya ke Beijing, dia merasa sangat gembira. Dia menyempatkan waktu setengah hari, mengeluarkan uang saku yang selama ini ditabungnya dan enggan ia gunakan, lalu mencegat taksi untuk bergegas ke Kediaman Bai demi menemui Kakak Junfan.
Ia melangkah masuk ke Kediaman Bai dengan hati yang berbunga-bunga, hanya untuk mendapati seluruh halaman diselimuti kabut kelam. Suasananya begitu mencekam. Semua orang di rumah memasang wajah muram dan tak ada yang mempedulikannya. Bahkan Bibi Qingyue, yang biasanya ramah dan lembut, hanya meliriknya sekilas sebelum menyuruh pelayan untuk menuangkan segelas air dan membawakan buah, permen, serta kue kering. Setelah itu, wanita itu berlalu dengan ekspresi gelap, seolah terbebani oleh suatu kekhawatiran yang besar.
Setelah menunggu cukup lama, Bai Junfan akhirnya keluar dari ruang kerja Tuan Bai. Ekspresinya bahkan lebih buruk daripada Bai Qingyue; begitu suram hingga nyaris mengerikan. Ia melangkah cepat menyusuri koridor dan langsung menuju ke halaman, ke arah sebuah pohon pengatua tua yang batangnya begitu besar hingga harus dipeluk oleh tiga orang. Ia menghantamkan tinjunya ke batang pohon itu. Wu Qin menjerit kaget dan buru-buru menghampiri. Menggenggam tangan Bai Junfan, ia melihat kepalan tangan pria itu lecet dan darah merembes keluar dari kulitnya.
Bai Junfan adalah tipe orang yang tahu cara menahan diri dan mengendalikan emosinya. Begitu melihat Wu Qin, ia sempat tertegun sejenak namun dengan cepat menguasai dirinya kembali. Ia membiarkan gadis itu bolak-balik untuk membalut lukanya, lalu dengan lembut menepuk kepala Wu Qin sambari tersenyum. "Sedang apa kamu di sini?" tanya suaminya pelan. "Jangan sampai pelajaranmu di sekolah tertinggal."
Jika mereka tidak sedang berada di pekarangan keluarga Bai, Wu Qin pasti sudah memeluk erat Bai Junfan. Hatinya dipenuhi oleh kegembiraan yang manis, namun juga terselip secercah kesedihan. Ia bisa melihat bahwa Bai Junfan sedang sangat tidak bahagia.
Pria yang dicintainya sedang bersedih, jadi tentu saja ia tidak memiliki alasan untuk merasa senang.
Dengan sikap malu-malu, Wu Qin menunduk dan berbisik, "Kakak Junfan, Xuanxuan merindukanmu, makanya aku datang. Xuanxuan tahu kenapa kamu sedang bad mood. Ini gara-gara rempah-rempah itu, kan? Jangan khawatir, aku sudah mengirim beberapa surat tercatat untuk mendesak mereka. Kali ini, mereka pasti bisa mendapatkan rempah-rempah dari keluarga Kakek Mo!"
Bai Junfan tertegun. Ia mengulurkan tangannya yang berbalut perban dan mengangkat dagu Wu Qin, membuat mata mereka saling menatap. Senyumannya menjadi semakin hangat, nada suaranya lembut, bahkan sedikit memanjakan. "Benarkah itu? Xuanxuan, jangan membuat Kakak Junfan berharap terlalu tinggi kalau hanya isapan jempol belaka!"
Tentu saja itu benar! Xuanxuan bisa berbohong kepada siapa saja, tapi tidak kepada Kakak Junfan!
"Mm, aku percaya padamu. Karena Xuanxuan kita adalah gadis yang paling manis, paling baik, dan paling hebat!"
"Bukan karena itu! Tapi karena Kakak Junfan adalah orang paling penting di dalam hati Xuanxuan! Kakak Junfan adalah kekasih Xuanxuan di kehidupan ini... tidak! Di setiap kehidupan! Xuanxuan akan mencintai Kakak Junfan selamanya! Demi Kakak Junfan, Xuanxuan rela melepaskan segalanya!"
"..." Bai Junfan menyipitkan matanya sedikit, memperhatikan wajah bundar dan penuh di hadapannya dengan campuran rasa tertarik dan perenungan. Wajah itu tampak seperti buah apel besar yang merona merah karena malu. *'Dengan kulitnya yang terawat dan lembut, harus diakui, aku benar-benar ingin mencicipinya dan melihat bagaimana rasanya.'*
Ia menundukkan kepalanya, dan saat pandangannya kembali bertemu dengan mata gadis itu yang penuh cinta, ada sesuatu yang terasa ganjil. *'Tunggu... kenapa matanya kelopak tunggal?'* Bayangan sepasang mata lain seketika melintas di benak Bai Junfan—sepasang mata yang berkilau indah, memesona entah saat marah atau senang, dan dipenuhi oleh kehangatan.
Jatungnya berdegup kencang. *'Itu adalah Yang Liu'er. Liu'er-ku!'*
Bai Junfan serta-merta melepaskan cengkeramannya. Ia memejamkan mata, mendongakkan kepalanya, menarik napas dalam-dalam, lalu berbalik dan melangkah pergi dengan cepat.
Wu Qin menyaksikan Bai Junfan mendekat dan terus mendekat, jantungnya berdebar kencang bagai tabuh genderang. Namun di saat yang krusial, pria itu justru melepaskannya, membuatnya hampir tersandung dan jatuh. Begitu ia berhasil menguasai keseimbangannya, Bai Junfan sudah pergi.
Bai Qingyue muncul di bawah koridor. Ia melirik dingin ke arah punggung Bai Junfan yang menjauh, lalu pandangannya beralih ke arah Wu Qin, sudut bibirnya terangkat membentuk sebuah cemoohan tipis. *'Aku sudah memberimu kesempatan. Siapa lagi yang bisa secara terang-terangan bermanja dengan tuan muda di kediaman keluarga Bai? Sudah merengek dan menyerahkan diri seperti itu, tapi kamu tetap saja tidak bisa mengendalikannya. Benar-benar tidak berguna!'*
Meski dalam hatinya ia mencemooh dengan jijik, wajah Bai Qingyue seketika merekah menjadi senyuman yang lembut dan ramah. Ia memberi isyarat dengan akrab kepada Wu Qin. *'Tuan Bai memerintahkan kami untuk memperlakukannya dengan baik,'* pikirnya. *'Gadis bodoh yang berpura-pura menjadi Gadis Keluarga Tang ini masih ada gunanya.'*
Bai Junfan mengambil kunci mobil dari sopir dan melesat pergi secepat angin, sambil merutuki dirinya sendiri sepanjang perjalanan. *'Aku harus pergi selambat-lambatnya lusa. Alih-alih bergegas mencari Liu'er, aku malah membuang-buang waktuku untuk Xuanxuan!'*
*'Apakah aku sampai hilang akal karena begitu marah? Rasanya aku melakukan segala sesuatu dengan linglung selama dua hari ini, tidak bisa menentukan prioritas dengan benar. Terutama pada hari saat aku menerima surat mutasi itu. Aku benar-benar syok, tidak mampu menahan amarahku. Aku bersikeras pergi menemui kepala departemen untuk meminta penjelasan, namun yang kudapat justru teguran keras dari atasanku. Pemimpin lain mencoba mengajakku berbicara panjang lebar, semacam
Bai Qingyue was quite satisfied with Wu Qin’s quick-wittedness and proactive attitude. As expected, she notified Wu Qin when Bai Junfan returned to Beijing.
It was now late June, and Wu Qin’s injuries had mostly healed. She insisted on returning to school, dedicating all her energy to studying and burying herself in a sea of practice questions every day.
But Brother Junfan was more important than anything. When Wu Qin received the news of his return to Beijing, she was ecstatic. She gave herself half a day, took out the pocket money she had been saving and was reluctant to use, and hailed a taxi to rush to the Bai Family’s home to see Brother Junfan.
She walked into the Bai Family home, her heart filled with joy, only to find the entire estate shrouded in a gloomy fog. The atmosphere was oppressive. Everyone at home had a long face and no one paid her any mind. Even Aunt Qingyue, who was usually kind and gentle, merely glanced at her before ordering a maid to pour her a glass of water and bring some fruit, candy, and pastries. Then, she walked away with a dark expression, as if weighed down by some worry.
After a long wait, Bai Junfan finally emerged from Mr. Bai’s study. His expression was even worse than Bai Qingyue’s; it was so grim it was almost terrifying. He strode down the corridor and rushed straight into the courtyard, toward an old locust tree so large it would take three people to encircle it. He slammed his fist into the trunk. Wu Qin cried out in alarm and hurried over. Taking Bai Junfan’s hand, she saw that his clenched fist was scraped raw, blood welling up from the skin.
Bai Junfan was someone who knew how to restrain himself and control his emotions. Seeing Wu Qin, he was momentarily taken aback but quickly composed himself. He allowed her to run back and forth to bandage his wound, then gently patted her head with a smile. "What are you doing here?" he asked softly. "Don’t fall behind on your schoolwork."
If they weren’t in the Bai Family courtyard, Wu Qin would have thrown herself into Bai Junfan’s arms. Her heart was filled with a sweet joy, but also a hint of sadness. She could tell that Bai Junfan was very unhappy.
The man she loved was unhappy, so of course, she had nothing to be happy about.
Wu Qin, with a bashful air, lowered her head and said softly, "Brother Junfan, Xuanxuan missed you, so I came. Xuanxuan knows why you’re in a bad mood. It’s because of the herbs, isn’t it? Don’t worry, I’ve already sent several registered letters to hurry them along. This time, they’ll definitely be able to get the herbs from Grandpa Mo’s family!"
Bai Junfan paused. He reached out with his bandaged hand and lifted Wu Qin’s chin, their eyes meeting. His smile grew warmer, his tone gentle, even a bit doting. "Is that true? Xuanxuan, don’t you go getting Brother Junfan’s hopes up for nothing!"
"Of course it’s true! Xuanxuan could lie to anyone, but never to Brother Junfan!"
"Mm, I believe you. Because our Xuanxuan is the cutest, kindest, best girl!"
"It’s not because of that! It’s because Brother Junfan is the most important person in Xuanxuan’s heart! Brother Junfan is Xuanxuan’s lover in this life... no! In every lifetime! Xuanxuan will love Brother Junfan forever! For Brother Junfan, Xuanxuan is willing to give up everything!"
"..." Bai Junfan narrowed his eyes slightly, studying the round, full face before him with a mixture of interest and contemplation. It looked like a big apple, flushed red with shyness. ’With her well-cared-for, delicate skin, I have to admit, I really want to take a bite and see how it tastes.’
He lowered his head, and as his gaze met her love-filled eyes again, something felt off. ’Wait... why does she have monolids?’ An image of another pair of eyes instantly flashed through Bai Junfan’s mind—a pair of shimmering, beautiful eyes, enchanting whether angry or pleased, and brimming with affection.
His heart trembled. ’That’s Yang Liu’er. My Liu’er!’
Bai Junfan abruptly let go of her. He closed his eyes, tilted his head back, took a deep breath, then turned and quickly walked away.
Wu Qin had watched as Bai Junfan leaned closer and closer, her heart pounding like a drum. But at the critical moment, he had let her go, causing her to nearly stumble and fall. By the time she regained her footing, Bai Junfan was already gone.
Bai Qingyue appeared under the corridor. She glanced coolly at Bai Junfan’s retreating back, then her gaze shifted to Wu Qin, a corner of her mouth twitching into a slight sneer. ’I gave you the opportunity. Who else gets to openly flirt with the young master in the Bai Family estate? All that cooing and throwing yourself at him, and you still couldn’t hold him down. Utterly useless!’
Though she was sneering with contempt in her heart, Bai Qingyue’s face bloomed into a gentle, kind smile. She beckoned intimately to Wu Qin. ’Mr. Bai ordered us to treat her well,’ she thought. ’This little girl pretending to be the Tang Family Girl is still useful.’
Bai Junfan got the car keys from the driver and drove off as fast as the wind, berating himself all the while. ’I have to leave the day after tomorrow at the latest. Instead of hurrying to find Liu’er, I wasted my time on Xuanxuan!’
’Was I so angry I lost my mind? I feel like I’ve been doing everything in a daze these past two days, unable to get my priorities straight. Especially on the day I got the transfer notice. I was utterly shocked, unable to suppress my rage. I insisted on going to my department head to demand an explanation, only to get a harsh reprimand from my superior. Another leader tried to have a long talk with me, some kind of "ideological work," but how could I listen? My mind was a mess of indignation and turmoil. I almost had a deviation during my Cultivation at night, which left me in a cold sweat!’
’Grandpa had personally planned out my entire path. With my previous achievements and seniority, I should have been welcomed into the unit like a treasured hero, crowned with glory. But who could have predicted this? As the time drew near, everything was twisted beyond recognition!’
’I was transferred to the Northwest Border Area, promoted to deputy captain, and sent to the absolute frontier!’
’And the one who took my place, transferred into the North unit to fill that position, was none other than the Gu family’s second son, Gu Shao Feng!’
’That was the captain position! The captain!’
No wonder Grandpa almost coughed up blood. At the time, Bai Junfan had wanted to go and fight Gu Shao Feng to the death.
He hit a red light. Bai Junfan slammed on the brakes and punched the steering wheel, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. ’The Gu family, is it? Well done! You want to play power games? With the Bai family? I’m afraid you’re no match for us!’
’Just you wait. What you stole from me, I’ll take back one day. And I’ll make you pay me back double!’
By the time Grandpa learned the truth, it was too late. For now, even he had no way to change the situation. As a member of the organization, Bai Junfan could only obey his orders for the time being.
The light turned green. Bai Junfan let out a long breath and started the car. It wasn’t the weekend, so figuring she’d be at school, he headed toward Yang Liu’er’s university.
After they had parted two months ago, Bai Junfan missed Liu’er more than after any of their previous separations. He tried calling the number for her small courtyard, but the line had been disconnected. When he called her company, whoever answered always said Yang Liu’er wasn’t there. Bai Junfan knew better. ’It’s not that she isn’t there. This time, she must be truly angry, steeling herself to give me the cold shoulder. Sigh... women. Especially a cherished woman. Once they decide to be stubborn, they’re such a handful.’
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