Wu Yuewei said that she didn’t like this story, because their ties in this life actually surpassed that in the previous. In this life, while she might be able to get herself to accept seeing Xu Tingsheng and Xiang Ning get married one day, she was simply unable to imagine Xu Tingsheng being present one day as she got married to someone else.

  It was impossible for her now, at least. Just thinking about it, she found this scene unacceptable, even if Xu Tingsheng said that it was only a dream.

  Though she did not expressly say it, she had come today with the mindset of bidding farewell at the end of the day. Thus, she was more courageous and more talkative too.

  The two chatted for a long time, changing the topic around. Wu Yuewei spoke of many things of the past that Xu Tingsheng already no longer remembered. Xu Tingsheng too half-genuinely spoke of how the two had been later on in his previous life.

  On their way back, the sky had already turned dark.

  Looking at the distant excavation site, Wu Yuewei asked, “Do you think that really is Cao Cao’s mausoleum, senior?”


  “Probably,” Xu Tingsheng said.

  “Oh,” Wu Yuewei said, “Sometimes, I think: That’s Cao Cao’s mausoleum! A hero of the times……those stones form walls from the time of the Jin dynasty. The stones they lifted, the sweat that flowed……they probably would never have imagined that things would be like this a thousand years later.”


  “Say, senior, do you think Cao Cao really said ‘Better to let down all under the heavens than for all under the heavens to let me down?”


  Not knowing why she was suddenly asking about this, Xu Tingsheng thought about it and said, “It shouldn’t be in actual history. Luo Guanzhong spent quite a bit of effort tarnishing Cao Cao too. Yet, his work of fiction has so much more influence than actual history does.”


  “Right, but even if he really did say it, I’d actually still rather admire him,” Wu Yuewei suddenly smiled and said.

  Xu Tingsheng was puzzled, “Why?”


  “Isn’t it comfortable if one can really live authentically like that?” Wu Yuewei suddenly asked solemnly, “How many people are tied down, unable to live freely in having to satisfy others?”


  “I’m just like this. Because of my poor family background, I’ve always been taught to be thrifty and diligent, working hard in my studies in order to better be filial to my parents, changing my family’s fate. I’ve done very well, with outstanding results and conformist behaviour……aside from liking you so early on. This is the only thing I’ve done that strays from that. So, I’ve truly steeled my resolve, spent so much courage, harboured such great hopes, you know?”


  “.……” Xu Tingsheng nodded, not daring to respond.

  “But I’m still a very sensible child. Everyone says this, praising me, commending my parents like this too. I’ve slowly become used to it, used to acting in accordance with others’ expectations of me as if I’m living in order to be on their good side……it’s been like this even with senior.”


  “Huh?” Xu Tingsheng was rather astonished.

  “Isn’t that so?” Looking at Xu Tingsheng, Wu Yuewei asked, “Actually, it’s that I’ve always taken care of senior’s emotions and lived the way you hoped me to. You wanted me to work hard and get into Qingbei, and so I got into Qingbei. When you went to Yanzhou University yourself, I had actually decided to go to Yanzhou University too to properly fight for my own sake for once. But you came back and said that you hoped for me to go to Qingbei, said that everyone hoped for me to go to Qingbei, my parents, teachers……people I didn’t know……and so I went to Qingbei.”


  “Like that, senior felt very much at ease, right? Feeling that it was good for me.”


  “Actually, it was the same when senior bought me a laptop. Because of that, you were able to feel at ease. Yet, I actually really hated that laptop……because it was like a sort of compensation and exchange, telling me: Look, Wu Yuewei, senior is already so good. You should be sensible. I didn’t like it……but I should be sensible, should let you feel at ease. So, I accepted it.”


  “I……”


  “Is it that you don’t believe me, senior?”


  “.……”


  “Let me ask senior something then. You’ll know when I’ve done so,” Wu Yuewei seemed to want to say it all today as she asked, “Ever since Xiang Ning appeared in front of everyone, you have actually been carefully protecting her all along, right, senior?”


  “Yes,” Xu Tingsheng had no way of denying this.

  “So, senior was afraid of Miss Lu……afraid of her hurting Little Xiang Ning. So, you pushed her far away.”


  “.……”


  “Senior was afraid of senior Apple too, afraid of her hurting Little Xiang Ning. So, you were always standing between them.”


  “.……”


  “Yet, senior wasn’t afraid of me, wasn’t afraid of me hurting Little Xiang Ning……not even once. Why? Because I’m the most sensible, the most obedient, the most harmless. Senior felt that being too scheming and too domineering, Miss Lu would definitely exert all means to change the situation. So, you were afraid of her. Senior felt that senior Apple would feel unresigned in continuing to fight for you, so you were afraid of her too. As for me, though, senior knew that I would definitely accept it quietly, would definitely be kind and gentle……”


  “So, my being sensible……isn’t it pitiful?”


  Xu Tingsheng was rendered speechless.

  “It’s good now that I’ve said it. I……” Wu Yuewei suddenly leaned closer and kissed Xu Tingsheng lightly on the face, saying, “Have finally been insensible and rule-flouting for once. Relax, I’ll go back to being the sensible Wu Yuewei……because I know that senior’s actually also responsible and sensible, taking care of so many people’s feelings and happiness.”


  A cold wind blew past.

  “Let’s go back, senior.”


  “Alright.”


  The two walked in silence for a while. Looking up, Xu Tingsheng discovered that the excavation site which should be brightly lit even in the night was pitch black.

  He casually asked, “What happened?”


  “Don’t you know, senior?” Wu Yuewei asked, “We received a notification from above today. This whole area’s having a blackout. Professor Yan and the others cannot do anything about this too. They’ve put the electric generator in the storage room to supply electricity. The excavation site’s closed with work stopped for the time being.”


  “Oh, maybe they forget to notify me. As for security……”


  “It should be fine. Didn’t some special security guards come some time back? They’ve got guns. They’ll guard the entrances through the night.”


  “True,” Xu Tingsheng thought about it and laughed, “It looks like it’s more or less time I returned. This place doesn’t need me anymore.”
……

  “Old Liang, catch,” Hui Four raised something like a stone pillow above his head in the darkness.

  “Shh,” A hand came down from a hole above the mausoleum, receiving the object as the one called Old Liang said, “Your mother, be quiet! Don’t forget that your brother’s already in jail……”


  “You’re just wimpy. With the blackout today, everyone’s guarding the storage room and the entrances outside. Who could imagine that we’d get in and out from here?” Hui Four asked, “Really, my brother’s the smart one. This theft hole had a mere remaining one plus metre left intact……waiting for the archaeological team to help seek the way with none the wiser. Sadly, his reputation is too great, and that’s why we got this chance instead. Don’t you agree, Uncle He?”


  From his words, it sounded like there was still someone else up above.

  “Stop talking rubbish. Make it fast……the most recent newcomers guarding the mausoleum all have guns. Be careful or you’ll be eating bullets,” The person most up above said.

  “We have guns too! We can kill our way out at most……people die for money. What’s there to be afraid of? It’s just-are these things valuable?” Hui Four passed another two things up, saying a bit despondently, “Sadly, we were still a day late. That jade necklace was only discovered yesterday, it seems. I heard that that can easily be sold for over ten million anywhere.”


  “Relax, just this sword that you just dug out is so well preserved……I estimate that it’s worth at least a dozen of those jade pearls. So, we can be considered to have come in a timely manner. We’re more or less done. I’ll be going up first. Hurry up, the two of you.”


  “Oh……damn.”


  “What is it?”