Dragon Raja; Chapter 24: Cassell’s Gate (22)

Dragon Raja

“I really didn’t expect to encounter this,” Lu Mingfei murmured.

“What thing? Getting slapped by the girl you secretly admire in front of everyone and then kicked to the corner?” Nono glanced at him.

“I mean being picked up by a hot girl driving a Ferrari in front of my classmates.”

“Damn it, but the girl driving the Ferrari has run out of gas,” Nono said.

The car suddenly slowed, veering off the elevated road into a deserted path. The engine cut off, and they stopped in front of a 24-hour pharmacy; the street was dimly lit, with only this store radiating a bit of light.

“Shit, I forgot to refuel,” Nono slapped the steering wheel. “Let’s wait; they’ll send a car to pick us up.” Nono opened the car door and jumped out.

“We could walk a bit to catch a taxi,” Lu Mingfei suggested.

“I don’t want to walk; I’m wearing high heels.” Nono rejected him with the simplest of reasons.

Lu Mingfei looked at Nono’s fitted skirt; indeed, she wore a pair of at least ten-centimeter Mary Jane heels. With those shoes, she instantly transformed from a sporty girl into a refined young lady.

Nono proudly stood next to Lu Mingfei, “See? Now I’m about as tall as you.”

“Don’t you think you might die if you don’t overshadow me?” Lu Mingfei sat down on the curb, wrapping his arms around his knees.

Nono didn’t care about her exquisite suit, sitting beside Lu Mingfei and pulling out her phone to send a text.

“Why are you all being so nice to me?” Lu Mingfei asked.

“It’s not ‘we’ being nice to you; it’s ‘I’ being nice to you. The college only cares about accepting students, not who you like,” Nono replied. “Consider it a favor in return; you bought ice cream for me, right?”

Lu Mingfei suddenly turned to look at Nono. “Hey, this isn’t some sort of scheme you all came up with, is it? Are you playing me? Why else would you be dressed like this? Are you the type to dress up just for fun?”

Nono made a funny face. “You’re so dull. Who would play you? I left the house in jeans and sneakers, knowing you were being played, so I drove to buy an outfit, changed into it, and ran in, sprinting the whole way.”

Lu Mingfei looked into her eyes and realized she wasn’t lying. He felt a bit emotional and almost cried but held it back.

“It’s not a big deal. If you agree to enroll, then you’ll be one of our brothers and sisters at Cassell College. Senior sisters need to be loyal to you,” Nono said.

“Is there still a chance?”

“You’re an exception; you can choose one last time. But think it through; once you choose, there’s no turning back,” Nono patted Lu Mingfei on the shoulder, a teasing smile on her face. “But it’s okay if you choose us now; after all, Chen Wenwen doesn’t like you. I guessed it right”

“Can you not keep bringing up old wounds?” Lu Mingfei turned his head away. “It’s not like she’s doing it on purpose; she just completely fails to notice I exist.”

“Alright, alright, Casanova. In your heart, Chen Wenwen is perfect. She has slapped you countless times, yet you still think she’s great,” Nono shrugged. “Does she not know you like her? If she did, why would she let you embarrass yourself like this?”

“I mean, why do you all want to recruit me? Don’t lie to me, just because of my parents? Can you clarify? Even if I’m jumping into a fire pit, I still need to know why I’m doing it.”

Nono slapped his forehead. “$36,000 a year in scholarships! Who wouldn’t jump into such a good fire pit? You really are precious.”

Lu Mingfei had no way to counter Nono. He saw the pattern; if he pushed back just a bit, Nono would be ten times more aggressive. He couldn’t force her; he had to be clever. He nudged Nono with his shoulder. “Can we be friends? Friends should share a little information.” He gestured with his hands, saying “just a bit” and added a pleasing tone, “Otherwise, I’ll be anxious about it.”

“I can only tell you that you’re very important to us. Your admission is not just Professor Guderian’s decision; it’s the principal’s. As for why the principal thinks so highly of you…” Nono’s eyes sparkled mischievously, “Come on! Call me ‘sister’!”

“Sister,” Lu Mingfei said, enunciating each word clearly.

“Good boy,” Nono said smugly, “but I don’t know why the principal insists on recruiting you.”

Lu Mingfei was left completely speechless. “Fine, I accept. What if I don’t accept? I haven’t even reviewed properly; I won’t get into a good school with my test scores. What will my classmates think of me after I made such a spectacle today?” He lowered his head. “If I don’t accept, what do I go back and say?”

He felt a bit sad. The Ferrari in front of him, this little princess-like Nono beside him, the $36,000 scholarship, and the distant Cassell College all felt like phantoms—suddenly appearing beside him, but also poised to disappear at any moment. He felt like the male version of Cinderella, with a fairy granting him a beautiful friend and a Ferrari, but at midnight, it would all expire, and he’d be sent back to his original state. What was Lu Mingfei really worth? He couldn’t even articulate it.

Nono looked at his drooping eyes, which clearly read “I’m quite sad.” Her heart softened a bit, and she suddenly reached out and ruffled his hair, exclaiming, “You look like the little white rabbit that the bear used to wipe his butt!”

Lu Mingfei was so annoyed he nearly hiccupped. “You’re the one who got wiped by a bear, your whole family has been wiped by a bear.”

“Is Chen Wenwen really that important to you?”

Lu Mingfei was silent for a while, “Not really, it’s just that when she’s around, it feels like there’s still hope in life.”

Nono wasn’t angry, instead opening her arms and tilting her head to look at him. “Come on, little rabbit, your Senior Sister will give you a hug!”

Lu Mingfei was shocked, feeling like thousands of deer were stampeding wildly in his heart. He looked Nono up and down in terror, unsure of what had gotten into his senior sister. No one would deny that Nono was a much better girl than Chen Wenwen. Chen Wenwen’s goodness was something you had to first recognize in her, only then did she seem so wonderful. You’d have to declare, “Out of all the beautiful women in the world, I love none but Chen Wenwen, this pond of spring water!” But Nono didn’t need that. Nono was that beautiful woman, her goodness was written all over her face and body. It’s just that she seemed too high and distant, the kind of goodness you could never reach. Until this moment, Lu Mingfei had never had any romantic thoughts about her—in fact, he was mostly afraid of her. But if you ignored her rather unique personality, she was undeniably the kind of girl that could stir one’s heart. Under the black gauze dress, her curves were soft like the ridges of spring hills, and she wasn’t on guard—she opened her arms.

To hide his sudden panic, Lu Mingfei hugged himself tightly. “What’s with you trying to take advantage of me?”

“Fine, don’t want a hug, whatever.” Nono shrugged. “Just trying to comfort you. What’s so special about Chen Wenwen? There are plenty of girls in the world better than her. One day you’ll meet someone better, and you’ll lose someone better too.”

Lu Mingfei hadn’t even had time to process the meaning of her words when Nono added, “With that scrawny body of yours, is there even any ‘tofu’ to grab? At most, you’re just a piece of dried tofu!”

“What’s wrong with dried tofu? It’s the essence of tofu,” Lu Mingfei blurted out, saying something nonsensical to cover up his inner chaos.

“Hey, have you made up your mind? Decide quickly. If you miss this opportunity, you’ll never get it again.” Nuonuo said as she took off her high heels, “My feet hurt.”

“I…” Lu Mingfei said, “I’ve thought about it. I accept it.”

Nono put the pair of purple-gold high heels aside and jumped onto the street wearing only socks, not afraid of getting dirty. “It’s comfortable now! Look how much sacrifice I have made for you! I hate wearing high heels the most.

“If you’ve made up your mind, give Professor Guderian a call. Talking to me won’t help—you have to tell him yourself to activate this hidden option,” Nono said, standing up.

“Hidden option?”

“We always say there’s another choice in life—it just depends on whether you want it,” Nono explained. “For most people, life’s choices are clearly laid out, but you’re not like most people. There’s a hidden option in your life. Once you make this call, that option will be activated. But think carefully, because when you choose it, all other options will disappear.”

What an obscure statement. Lu Mingfei didn’t really understand it.

At this moment, Lu Mingfei had already pulled out his phone and dialed Guderian’s number.

“I’m so thrilled to receive your call! Mingfei, have you made up your mind? Are you sure?” Guderian sounded both excited and nervous, as if Lu Mingfei were some peerless princess considering marrying him.

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