Rose in No-Man's Land

30 Protect her

Lu Qiurui leaned against the wall by the flowerbed, smoking one cigarette after another, her posture of lighting the cigarettes incredibly proficient.

As the new cigarette was placed between her lips, the scarlet tip glowed brightly like a firefly on a summer night, then dimmed and darkened, turning into a faintly red candlelight wrapped in ash.

She lowered her head, brushing away the ash.

Tang Li stood beside her, letting out a heavy sigh, and asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Lu Qiurui replied, "Some things I've thought about for many years but still can't figure out."

Tang Li asked, "What things?"

"..." Lu Qiurui took another puff, then muttered vaguely to herself, "Am I... wrong..."

Tang Li knew very well what Lu Qiurui was pondering about.

"Perhaps you shouldn't have approached Miss Xia out of personal vendettas from the start. You shouldn't continue to do things that hurt her, especially when you obviously like her. All this will only push her further away."

Lu Qiurui glanced at Tang Li, displeased, "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Tang Li replied, "But it's the truth..."

Lu Qiurui said sternly, "I've said many times, that the only person I like is Tao Ye."

Noticing the hint of anger in Lu Qiurui's tone, Tang Li dared not say more.

Lu Qiurui seemed a bit irritated, no longer wanting to smoke, and extinguished the remaining half cigarette, throwing it away. She ordered, "Call Tao Ye down, and accompany me for drinks."

"Should we check if Miss Xia has finished her soup while we're at it..."

"She can drink or not drink as she pleases!" Lu Qiurui interrupted Tang Li angrily.

"Even if she dies tomorrow, it has nothing to do with me. Get Tao Ye down here, I won't say it a second time!"

Did it have nothing to do with her?

Remembering how Lu Qiurui had just stood at the registration desk, swiping her card to pay for Xia Xingmian's medical expenses, Tang Li sighed again.

Boss Lu had paid for the next three months of expenses, and even though they told her Xia Xingmian might be discharged in a week, she still impatiently urged them to process the payment.

Logically, since Lu Qiurui was so secretly in love with Xia Xingmian, Tang Li, being on Lu Qiurui's side, shouldn't hide the secrets between Xia Xingmian and Tao Ye from her.

But...

After all, Xia Xingmian and Tao Ye were also unfortunate individuals, weren't they?

One was genuinely liked by Lu Qiurui, yet being hurt in reality. The other, while seemingly spoiled, had long been reduced to a tool for Lu Qiurui to cover her true feelings and seek solace.

The emotions between these three people were too complex, outsiders would find it impossible to help them sort through it all. It was perhaps better to let things unfold naturally.

Tang Li was also curious about how the relationships between the three would develop in the future.

— —

Although Xia Xingmian had said "You're not allowed to accompany her," when Tang Li sought out Tao Ye, she hadn't said a word, keeping her head down, clutching the corners of her blanket, allowing Tao Ye to leave.