Chapter 43: What If?

Listening to the discussions among the students nearby, Li Moxuan finally understood what kind of person An Benyue was. He was nothing more than a spoiled brat relying on his family background to throw his weight around. Even Li Moling looked at him with utter disdain, clearly despising such a character. Before she had even reached her dormitory, she had been targeted by a creep like this. Did he really take her for some naive, air-headed girl?

An Benyue stared coldly at Li Moxuan, boasting smugly, "Now you know who I am, right? It’s your family’s good fortune that I’ve taken an interest in your sister. If she obediently follows me, she’ll have pocket money and all the food and clothes she could want. If she rejects me, given my reputation at Wu University, I can make it impossible for her to continue her studies in a heartbeat. Do you understand?"

An Benyue held his head high, looking down his nose at Li Moxuan with an arrogant, threatening air. Li Moxuan scoffed. "Just you?" he retorted. "Since your family won't teach you how to behave, I will!"

*Smack!*

Without another word, Li Moxuan delivered a heavy slap across An Benyue’s face. He had brought his sister here to study, not to be a plaything for these pampered young masters. And the audacity to threaten him with her education? If this weren’t his own alma mater, and if he didn't want to save some face for the director, An Benyue would be a dead man today.

An Benyue tumbled to the ground, his handsome, sunny face swelling up, a streak of blood leaking from the corner of his mouth. The surrounding students were absolutely horrified.

"Wow... is that guy crazy? He actually dared to hit An Benyue?"
"It’s over, it’s over. An Benyue is petty and vengeful; this brother and sister are done for."
"Not only will they be kicked out of school, but that young girl will probably end up being..."
"Sigh, he's far too impulsive. Some people just can't be provoked."

An Benyue clutched his face, his vision swimming with stars from the pain. He pointed a trembling finger at Li Moxuan in disbelief. "You... you actually dared to hit me?"

For all his bravado, An Benyue was essentially a paper tiger. His body had been hollowed out by years of indulgence, and as luck would have it, he had no lackeys around. He knew he was no match for Li Moxuan. However, hearing the whispers of the crowd restored his confidence. Who was he, after all? If they knew his identity, they would be scared to death. They might even willingly deliver his sister to his bed.

"Let me tell you, I am from the An family of Wu City..."

*Smack!*
*Smack, smack!*

Li Moxuan had no intention of letting another word escape An Benyue’s lips. He grabbed him by the collar and began raining slaps on him, left and right, with a rhythmic, thunderous intensity.

An Benyue was driven into a hysterical rage by the assault, screaming, "You dare hit me? Just wait until I destroy you—"

"You want another one?" Li Moxuan laughed. "That’s the most ridiculous request I’ve ever heard. Fine, I’ll oblige!"

*Smack!*

Li Moxuan showed him absolutely no mercy. "If you don't want to die, get lost!" He gripped An Benyue’s collar, his deep, star-like eyes filled with bone-chilling killing intent. An Benyue was so terrified he nearly wet his pants. He had never been hit in his life, and certainly not in front of a crowd. Fear and hatred warred within him, but knowing when to fold, he scrambled to his feet and fled. Only after running a safe distance did he dare to turn back and shout his threats: "Just you wait! You’re dead!"

Li Moxuan watched him with utter disdain. "The only thing sharp about you is your tongue." He turned to his sister. "Ling'er, if you ever run into trash like that again, just use your talismans on them. If they die, that’s on me!"

Li Moling giggled, her beautiful eyes sparkling with adoration. "Okay! Big brother, you’re so mighty and domineering! I love it!" She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. Li Moxuan rubbed his nose, feeling a bit bashful. "It’s fine. Call me if anything happens!"

"I will!"

As Li Moling dragged her luggage into the dorm, Li Moxuan watched her with a warm smile. Only since his return had she been able to show the natural, carefree spirit of a girl her age. Before, crushed by the weight of life, she had been so silent and pessimistic. Now that her brother was back, he would ensure she lived the most perfect and happy life possible.

***

After seeing Li Moling off, Li Moxuan paid no more mind to a wretch like An Benyue. He wandered aimlessly through the campus, suddenly realizing that his own academic journey had been left unfinished. The old teaching buildings, the gymnasium, the small woods—every scene surfaced in his mind.

But, unfortunately, Lin Yitong was no longer the girl she once was. Gu Yaqing was no longer the simple, lovely girl from Peach Blossom Village. Everything had changed; the people were no longer the same. Perhaps his own student days had long since passed.

Walking through the familiar yet strange campus, he recalled bits and pieces of the past, mourning his lost youth. The cafeteria, once bustling, was now sparse. The food used to be so delicious. In those days, the cafeteria aunties never had shaky hands; they would always give them an extra chicken leg, afraid they wouldn't get enough to eat. Now, only students from poor families ate there. Those with better means chose to eat at restaurants outside, and if you ate in the cafeteria, you risked being mocked as a pauper by your peers.

Li Moxuan watched the passing students. The girls discussed which wealthy men they’d checked into hotels with, or what designer bags and cosmetics they’d been bought. The boys bragged about how many women they’d taken advantage of in bars or slept with. It seemed these things had become trophies to show off.

Li Moxuan shook his head helplessly. "Has the era changed, or have the hearts of people changed? This world... it doesn't seem like the one I once knew."

He walked into the dreary cafeteria. There were only a few students eating inside, mostly those wearing glasses, reading books while scarfing down the cheapest boxed meals. Li Moxuan bought one himself. It tasted just as it always had. It was a shame the students no longer seemed to need it.

The cafeteria lady stared at Li Moxuan’s face and suddenly spoke up: "Young man, I remember you!"

Li Moxuan was surprised. "Auntie, you remember me?"

"Yes, six years ago, you used to come to me for meals all the time." The crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes were deeper now, and her hair had turned much whiter.

Li Moxuan sighed with melancholy. "Auntie, the food still tastes the same. It's still delicious."

The woman also felt a wave of emotion. "It is, but times are changing. Those kids don't like these things anymore. They prefer food that matches their 'status.' These cheap meals aren't good enough for them."

"People change," Li Moxuan remarked.

The woman smiled kindly. "They do, but you haven't! You were good kids, and you always will be..."

Li Moxuan felt a sudden ache in his heart, his eyes growing moist. "It’s just that some people drift apart as they walk their separate paths."

The woman looked at him with maternal tenderness. "Child, I’m old, and I don't understand the thoughts of you young people. But everything is determined by human effort. As someone who has walked this path, I want to remind you: if you can, seize every opportunity. Even if the chance is one in ten thousand, as long as you don't leave yourself with regrets, that's what matters! I'm talking about the 'what if'—perhaps in this world, there really is a 'what if'..."

She patted his shoulder and slowly returned to the kitchen, leaving behind only a stooped silhouette. A single drop of water fell onto the boxed meal. It was salty—it was a tear.