From Broken Family to Life Winner: A Reborn Mother's Journey

A simple glass of water, but his gesture made it something more.

Su Li didn’t know whether to take it or not.

Wu Sheng smiled, stood up, and placed the glass in front of Su Li, giving her a playful wink.

”Wasn’t I cool just now? You were completely captivated.”

Su Li was truly exasperated. ”Wu Sheng, why are you always so confident? So confident it’s... arrogant?”

’Actually, she’d wanted to say narcissistic.’

Wu Sheng retorted, ”I’m not arrogant, I’m optimistic. Otherwise, I’d be worrying about every little thing all day.”

He smiled at the speechless Su Li, then his expression turned serious. ”Alright, I’ll stop teasing you. I understand what you’re trying to say.”

He propped his hands on the table, leaned forward, and looked into Su Li’s eyes.

”You said you’re not in the mood for a new relationship right now, and I get that. But I think ’not being in the mood’ just means you haven’t been swept off your feet yet, that you haven’t met the right person. If you did, that statement wouldn’t even apply anymore.”

Wu Sheng snapped his fingers. ”I’m going to break you out of this ’not in the mood’ state.”

Su Li shook her head. ”I’m just afraid of letting your feelings go to waste...”

Wu Sheng reached out and gently tapped Su Li on the forehead.

Su Li sucked in a breath and recoiled. ”What was that for?”

”Teaching you a lesson. What a silly thing to say. How can feelings of affection be wasted?”

Wu Sheng smiled, his eyes sparkling. ”The feeling of liking someone is wonderful. The only person who can waste it is the one feeling it.”

Su Li was at a loss for words.

Seeing Su Li’s stunned expression, Wu Sheng affectionately patted her head.

”Su Li, you’re great in every way, except you overthink things. You’re the one being pursued, yet you’re worrying so much, afraid of letting someone down.”

”Whether you’re the one who likes someone or the one who is liked, it’s a wonderful thing. You should just enjoy the feeling of being liked, of being cherished, instead of worrying about this and that.”

Wu Sheng’s eyes were full of sincerity, his voice almost bewitching:

”I never wanted my feelings for you to become a source of pressure. I just hope my affection is a good thing, and I hope it brings you happiness.”

”You really don’t need to feel any pressure, you know?”

Su Li stared into Wu Sheng’s eyes, forgetting to blink for a moment. After a long pause, she murmured, ”I just don’t want to hold you guys back...”

”’You guys’... so it seems I’m not the only one you’ve said this to.” Wu Sheng raised an eyebrow, his devil-may-care attitude returning.

”Let me put it this way, Su Li. Falling in love is a two-person affair—it takes two. But having a crush is a one-person affair.”

”In other words, liking you is my business. Pursuing you is also my business. I’m doing it because I want to, and you can’t put a price on that. I take full responsibility for my own choices.”

Wu Sheng stood up, looking down at Su Li with a spirited, almost cocky, confidence.

”No matter the outcome, I’ll be happy with it. No regrets. As for you, just relax and enjoy being pursued. Just follow your heart.”

When Su Li stood up, he started walking beside her and continued talking.

”It’s better when feelings are pure and simple. It doesn’t matter if you’re the one liking or being liked, the one pursuing or being pursued.”

”From now on, stop overthinking things. It’s really simple...”

Just as they were stepping out of the shop, Wu Sheng paused mid-sentence, let out a mischievous laugh, and suddenly leaned close to whisper in Su Li’s ear.

”If you like me, we get into bed. If you don’t like me, I’ll go get into bed with someone else. It’s that simple.”

’Get into bed? His words were just...’ Su Li froze on the spot, utterly speechless.

”That... That’s just too...” ’Too crude and direct!’

”Too what? I’m just telling the truth, even if it’s a little blunt.” Wu Sheng rubbed his chin.

”But you’re right, the thought of that really pisses me off. If that day ever actually comes, I’d have to beat that guy to a pulp. And even killing him wouldn’t be enough to vent my anger.”

Su Li was speechless.

Wu Sheng saw her expression and reassured her, ”Don’t be scared. Don’t worry, I wouldn’t hit you. I couldn’t bear to.”

Su Li was even more speechless.

Wu Sheng continued, ”And don’t you start feeling sorry for that hypothetical guy who may or may not exist. I’m a very fair and principled person. If you and I get into bed, he can beat me up in return—as long as he has the skills.”

Wu Sheng huffed. Just thinking about it made his blood boil.

He ran a hand through his hair, mentally gave that Tang guy a good thrashing, and then went on.

”Anyway, I’ll say it again: Su Li, you don’t need to overthink it. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself. It doesn’t matter how many guys are pursuing you or who you end up choosing. Just follow your heart.”

”Everything else is between the men. Whether we fight it out behind the scenes or whatever, you don’t need to worry about it.”

Listening to Wu Sheng’s words, Su Li looked at him with an incredibly complex expression.

A woman, especially a divorced woman, being pursued by more than one man at the same time—most people would say she was being unfaithful or was a flirt, leading men on.

Even in the more open-minded future, plenty of people would still think that way.

But here was Wu Sheng, saying something like this in this day and age.

’Those words... were so wonderful.’

Wu Sheng saw her expression, leaned in, and chuckled. ”What I said makes perfect sense, right?”

Su Li nodded, then shook her head.

Wu Sheng let out a laugh. ”Nodding and shaking your head... good thing I know what you mean.”

He watched her quietly for a moment, then poked the space between her habitually furrowed brows. ”You’re still young. Don’t act like you’re ninety, frowning and pondering the meaning of life all day.”

”You’re young. You should be living freely and doing as you please. Let go of all the self-imposed limits and just enjoy the present.”

”It’s the same with love. It’s really not that complicated. If you like someone, be with them. You really don’t need to overthink it.” Wu Sheng tapped his own chest. ”Just follow your heart.”

Su Li was speechless.

Wu Sheng gestured to Su Li. ”Let’s go.”

Su Li got on the back of his bicycle.

”I’ll take you for a ride to catch the breeze. The sun’s setting, so it’s the most comfortable time of day. I’ll take you home in a bit...”

”I was originally going to take you to a movie, but then I remembered you’re tired after a full day of military training. I was afraid you’d fall asleep in the theater and start drooling, so I decided against it.”

Su Li retorted, ”I don’t drool when I sleep.”

”Haha, and you’re even denying it! The more you deny it, the more clearly I can picture you drooling on my shoulder... Tsk tsk, like a waterfall cascading down a three-thousand-foot cliff...”

”Wu Sheng!” Su Li yelled, half laughing and half fuming.

’A waterfall cascading down a three-thousand-foot cliff! Seriously?’

”Wow, how am I so clever? Su Li, hurry up and praise me,” Wu Sheng said smugly.

Su Li gritted her teeth. ”I can’t bring myself to praise you! I can’t go against my conscience.”

”Not praising me would be going against *your* conscience.”

”Bull...” Su Li was so flustered she almost swore.

”Su Li, were you about to swear just now? Haha, want me to finish it for you?”

”Wu Sheng!” ’He’s so infuriating!’

Wu Sheng rode Su Li around the school twice on his bike. As the sky began to darken, he took her home.

”I’ll come see you again in a couple of days.”

Su Li, her face sore from laughing and her head spinning with exasperation from Wu Sheng’s words, could only manage a weak goodbye.