Chapter 16: Returning the Clothes

Perhaps it was because she had never sought out a boy before, especially not in such a guilty state of mind. That day, the reason Sumu handed her his jacket to cover herself was definitely because he sensed something, and Kate was painfully aware of this fact. It embarrassed her deeply, and now, seeing Li Pingan walking toward her, she felt a surge of panic.

When a man learns a girl has a private secret she doesn’t wish others to know, there are usually two outcomes. One is that Kate distances herself from Sumu, simply because seeing him reminds her of that embarrassing incident—her subconscious would drive her away from him to comfort herself. The other is that the secret becomes a bridge, drawing them closer, fostering goodwill and intimacy between them.

Thankfully, Kate was a rather innocent girl of mixed heritage. Today, she had come to thank Sumu, believing he was a true gentleman. She wanted to express gratitude for the way he stepped in that day, saving her from humiliation in front of friends and neighbors. Having grown up in England, Kate was shaped by the local culture and naturally admired men of good character. She also thought Sumu’s considerate action on the school bus was genuinely cool.

If Sumu knew this, he would surely be pleased. However, if he also knew that Kate could barely remember what he looked like, his joy would likely fade. It was much like how Asians viewed Black people and thought they all looked alike, while Black and White people felt the same about Asians—faces seemed similar, indistinct. Walking through Chinatown every day, Kate couldn’t accurately distinguish who was who. She hadn’t known Sumu before; she was a grade below him and had no idea he had been secretly infatuated with her, otherwise perhaps she would recall him better.

At this point, Sumu was merely a stranger with a slight connection—a bond forged by a worthless jacket. Their fates began to intertwine from that moment.

Li Pingan jogged up to Kate, countless eyes following him. Some looked on in surprise, others with resentment or disdain. Men’s gazes are inevitably drawn to beautiful women; it is in their nature. After Kate arrived on the field, many had noticed her, and naturally witnessed her beckoning Li Pingan.

Adult emotions are tangled and complex, but young people are easily swayed by appearances. The attractive Kate had many admirers at school. Unaware he had caught anyone’s attention, Li Pingan grinned at Miss Kate and said, “Hello, it’s a pleasure. Is there something you need from me?”

His face bore a mischievous smile. Li Pingan wasn’t foolish; he and Kate had no connection, so her only reason for approaching him must be Sumu—he couldn’t imagine any other explanation. He couldn’t help but wonder what Sumu had said to Kate on the bus that day. He certainly didn’t buy Sumu’s story about “talking about studies”—that wouldn’t have brought Kate here to see him. He was surprised at Sumu’s charm. His earlier matchmaking efforts were merely to help his childhood friend give up; he knew Sumu had been infatuated with Kate for a long time, but believed this unrequited love would not end well.

Seeing Li Pingan’s odd expression, Kate felt even more flustered, suspecting Sumu had told him about her embarrassing incident. With a guilty conscience, everything seemed off to her. Trying to appear calm, she said, “I… I’m not here for you. I’d like you to give this jacket to your friend—the Chinese boy who sat next to you the day of the accident. He lent it to me, and I’ve washed it. I should have returned it sooner, but I was in Hollywood these past few days and only just came back to school. Please thank him for me, and thank you.”

After hearing this, Li Pingan’s expression grew even more ambiguous. Kate, already feeling guilty, became certain he knew something, and fled without looking back. Several meters away, she heard him call out, “I’ll return the jacket to him for you! But you have to thank him yourself—I won’t pass on your message!”

Kate didn’t turn around, only flashed an OK sign before leaving.

Having deliberately created an opportunity for Sumu and Kate to meet, Li Pingan left the field without bothering to continue playing soccer, ignoring the curious questions of his classmates. He headed straight for the library where Sumu was. He left behind a group of confused students, most thinking Kate had come for Li Pingan. A few senior boys who liked Kate were grinding their teeth in frustration, already plotting to teach him a lesson.

Sumu’s remark about “beauty being a curse” was not wrong. At this moment, Li Pingan, still unaware he had become the object of others’ resentment, was panting as he jogged into the library. With few students fond of studying, there was no need for security guards. He entered, sweaty and smelly, and searched the first-floor hall for Sumu, but didn’t find him, so he headed upstairs.

Entering the second floor, he immediately spotted Sumu at a table, surrounded by thick books and focused on writing an essay. Perhaps it was fate, but Li Pingan felt uncomfortable as soon as he stepped into the library. He hurried over and plopped down beside Sumu, giving him a firm pat on the shoulder.

Sumu was about to speak, but when he saw his own jacket in Li Pingan’s hands, his expression froze. Quickly piecing things together, he asked anxiously, “Kate gave it to you? Did she give it to you herself?”

Lily knew who Kate was. Pretty girls always claimed not to care about other pretty girls, but in truth, they did; Lily was no exception. She had known Kate for a while, though not closely—they attended the same ballet class and often met on weekends, but rarely interacted at school.

Showing affection for another girl in front of Lily was hardly something that would please her. The main issue was the stark contrast in Sumu’s behavior—he was so different talking to her just now compared to when Kate’s name was mentioned. It was enough for Lily to discern that Sumu liked Kate. It didn’t bother her much, after all, she barely knew Sumu and could hardly be called his friend—they’d only spoken a few times.

She buried herself further in her book, having little interest in Sumu to begin with, and now even less.

Li Pingan, with his arm around Sumu, threatened, “That’s right, she came to the field to find me, probably didn’t know you were here. One McDonald’s meal, with chicken wings—promise me and I’ll tell you exactly what she said…”