Chapter 1 — Don't Run Anymore, Hua Tri Hoa

When I was seventeen years old, I used a virtual account to have an online relationship with a Shanghai young man. I said I was nineteen years old, lived in the city center, often went out to drink coffee to see exhibitions on weekends, my name was On Le. But my real name is Hua Tri Hoa, a 12th grade female student in a small town, munching on dumplings every day to study exam questions, her biggest expense is a two-yuan glass of soy milk in front of the school gate. The night he asked to meet, I deleted my account and ran to find someone, blocking all methods of communication. I thought this story would rot and sink in that rainy night before the university entrance exam. As a result, on the day of the graduation ceremony, while I was holding the certificate and walking out of the school gate, my phone suddenly vibrated. An unfamiliar number sent a sentence: 「Hua Tri Hoa, your escape was very clean and neat, wasn't it?」 My fingers stiffened, the corner of the certificate I squeezed until creases appeared. The second message immediately popped up: 「Across the street, black car, come here and explain to me.」 I raised my head and saw a car parked outside the crowd. Next to the car was a man standing there, white shirt, black pants, a watch in his hand emitting cold light. He was across a noisy street looking straight at me, the corners of his lips not moving at all, but his eyes seemed to want to pull me away from that virtual nick inch by inch. * 【Chapter 1】 The graduation ceremony ended, the school gate was filled with people. Parents held bouquets of flowers, classmates called each other's names hoarsely, the June sun scorched the cement road, the heat suffocated into their calves. I held my diploma, the hem of my sweaty sleeve sticking to my skin, the sound of cameras clicking in my ears. Tran Mat stuffed a bouquet of sunflowers into my arms, patted my shoulder and said: "Hua Tri Hoa, smile, the future valedictorian should not show such a face." I raised the corners of my mouth and was about to tell him to stop joking when the phone vibrated in my palm. A series of strange numbers appeared on the screen. 「Hua Tri Hoa, you ran away quickly and cleanly.」 My fingertips tightened, the corner of the diploma cut into my palm. The laughter around was still loud, the wind blew away the red banner in front of the school gate, the gilded letters on it were so dazzling that it hurt people's eyes. Tran Mat leaned closer: "Who is that?" I held the phone face down in front of my chest, my throat feeling like I had just swallowed an unchewed piece of ice. The second message popped up. 「Across the street, there's a black car, come here and explain to me.」 The two words "to you" were like needles, stabbing my wrists with numbness. I slowly raised my head. Opposite the school gate, there was a black sedan parked, its body so shiny that it could clearly reflect the shadows of the trees along the road. The driver stood next to the car door, wearing white gloves, his body straight as a nail. Leaning against the car body was a man. The white shirt sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, his wrist bones were cold white, and between his fingers he held a phone. He didn't urge, nor waved, just threw his gaze across the crowd, landing precisely on my face. There was a "bang" in my head. Luong Nghien Chu. The Shanghai young master I used a fake name to deceive for half a year, then deleted his account and ran away the night before we were supposed to meet in real life. Tran Mat followed my gaze, tube The milk tea in your mouth "drops" to the ground.

“Damn it, Hua Tri Hoa, don't tell me that's the creditor of your online love.”

I wanted to step back. As soon as my heel moved, Tran Mat grabbed my arm tightly.

“Don't run, the school gate is so crowded, if you keep running, you'll look even more like a fraudster.”

He's right. But if I don't run now, I might die even more miserably later. Luong Nghien Chu bowed his head and dialed the phone. My phone vibrated again. 「Ten seconds.」 I stared at those two words, the back of my shirt wet with cold sweat. Tran Mat lowered his voice: "What did you lie to him about? Age? Name? Photo? Family background? Money?" I pursed my lips tightly. He took a deep breath: "Are you completely fooled?" I didn't say a word. He held his forehead: "Hua Tri Hoa, you are really good. Being in 12th grade is a lot of pressure, you don't go jogging, don't listen to music, you deceive people's young master's feelings." I gritted my teeth: "I don't cheat money."

“You tricking people is even more expensive.”

This sentence made my legs become even weaker. On the opposite side, Luong Nghien Chu put away his phone and stood straight. The car door was opened by the driver, people passing by suddenly avoided that area, the noisy atmosphere in front of the school gate seemed to be cut off into a small silence. I wanted to pretend I didn't see, wanted to pull Tran Mat into the crowd, but Luong Nghien Chu had already crossed the road markings. His leather shoes stepped on the edge of the white line, the sound was swallowed by the traffic, but I could hear each beat clearly. Tran Mat cursed softly: "It's gone, he's over here." I hugged the bouquet of flowers tightly, the stem of the flower stabbed into my palm, causing pain. Luong Nghien Chu stopped in front of me, carrying a very faint scent of cedar wood, mixed with the hot summer wind, so uncomfortable that it made my breathing stop. He lowered his eyes to look at me, his eyes first stopped on my diploma, then moved to my face.

“Hua Tri Hoa?”

I nodded lightly. He used the tip of his tongue to push the inside of his cheek, his smile not reaching the bottom of his eyes.

“Where is On Le?”

My throat is tight: "Nick... deleted it."

“I asked you.”

“It's fake.”

He stared at me, slowly repeating: "It's fake." Tran Mat took a half step forward and stood next to me: "This gentleman, he just finished his university entrance exam, please say something." Luong Nghien Chu glanced at Tran Mat, didn't get angry, just turned the phone screen towards me. On the screen is a screenshot of the chat. I once used a virtual account to send a sentence. 「Brother, I'm the best at comforting people, do you want to try?」 Those words were clearly illuminated by the sunlight. Tran Mat took a deep breath of cold air, her toes clenched into her sandals. My eyes darkened and I reflexively raised my hand to grab the phone. Luong Nghien Chu raised his hand high, I missed it, the bouquet hit his chest, a few petals fell on his shirt. He lowered his head to look at me, his voice lowered.

“Do you now know how to rob again?”

My hand stopped in mid-air and was about to retreat when he caught my wrist. His palm wasn't hot, but the force was very steady, neither hurting me nor letting me get away.

“When I deleted me, I was very decisive.”

Previous Someone was looking at the school gate. I heard some classmates whispering, heard the camera shutter freeze, heard Tran Mat squashing the milk tea cup and making a cracking sound. I forced my voice to the lowest level: "Luong Nghien Chu, let's change places and talk." He stared at me, deep in his eyes there was finally some wavering.

“Still remember my real name.”

My fingernails pressed tightly into the flower wrapping paper. He let go of my wrist and tilted his head slightly toward the other side of the street.

“Get in the car.”

I immediately shook my head: "No."