Chapter 51: Do You Believe or Not

“What is he doing?” Li Wanbai frowned, puzzled.

She didn’t really know Mu Sang, nor was she familiar with his social circles, so she dared not make assumptions—what if he and Quan Hao were actually close friends? Still, the chat records were filled with requests directed at Quan Hao, and she couldn’t help but voice her confusion.

Quan Hao shot her a sidelong glance, lips curved in a half-smile. “It seems Teacher Yu has been taking good care of you. Even something so simple and obvious escapes your understanding.”

Li Wanbai bristled like a startled cat. “Are you calling me stupid? You—”

Quan Hao sneered coldly and continued, “He’s asking me for a role to build up his own reputation, and fashion resources because he wants to make money. That’s why I asked if there was a rift between you two. If it was just about money, wouldn’t it be easier for him to ask you directly? And if you didn’t have it, you could go to Yu Baichuan for it.

Of course, if he was shameless and bold enough, he could just approach Yu Baichuan directly.”

A mistress brazenly riding roughshod over the wife!

Li Wanbai’s expression shifted dramatically. “Don’t say such nonsense!”

I haven’t found a mistress, and that woman would never dare to ask Yu Baichuan for money so blatantly—absolutely not!

Quan Hao snorted. “Nonsense? It’s not like it hasn’t happened before. That little brat waltzed into Yu Baichuan’s home with your business card. Poor Yu Baichuan had to hand over a hefty sum, looking all aggrieved. And when he saw her off, he even said, ‘If you run out of money, just ask me, but don’t bother her.’ To be driven to that point—it’s truly pathetic.”

“Quan Hao! No one will mistake you for a mute if you keep quiet!” Yu Baichuan’s face darkened.

Li Wanbai’s expression was even worse.

It was over—she felt the road to reconciliation had become indefinitely long.

She rubbed her nose. “Sorry.”

She wasn’t even sure what she was apologizing for, but it seemed best to offer an apology anyway.

Yu Baichuan replied coolly, “You don’t need to apologize to me. This will be over by next month at the latest.”

Li Wanbai looked bewildered.

Quan Hao burst out laughing. “So Teacher Yu has finally decided on a divorce? The paperwork will be done by next month?”

Yu Baichuan nodded, then realized something was off and glared at him. “What business is it of yours?”

Life had truly been hard for Yu Baichuan.

This was something that, after all this time, Li Wanbai had finally come to understand.

He really had it rough. Whether it was Su Chengzi or Quan Hao, the side of Yu Baichuan that he intentionally or unintentionally revealed always emphasized just how miserable he’d been during his time with Li Wanbai.

By rights, Li Wanbai ought to let go and allow Yu Baichuan to live his own life.

But she just found it unfair, unbearable.

It was as if someone had stolen ten years from her—ten years she had no memory of.

None of the pain or joy was hers.

All she knew was that Yu Baichuan had been the man who captured her heart in her youth. Before she boarded the plane, they’d been laughing together, only a thin veil of uncertainty between them. By the time she disembarked, not even that veil remained.

“No. I haven’t agreed to divorce you,” Li Wanbai said softly.

Yu Baichuan gave her a deep, searching look, then turned and walked away without a trace of hesitation.

Only Li Wanbai and Quan Hao were left. In the past, he would never have allowed the two of them to be alone together.

But everything had changed.

He no longer cared.

“Yu Bai…” Li Wanbai instinctively turned to chase after him, but suddenly a hand appeared before her. Quan Hao reached out, blocking her path. “Wait a second. You haven’t answered my question—did he come to me because you asked him to? Are you trying to do him a favor?”

“Whether to do him a favor is your choice. But as things stand, it doesn’t look like you want to.”

Quan Hao raised a brow. “And what makes you say that?”

“If you really wanted to help him, you wouldn’t be here asking me.” Li Wanbai forced a smile, clearly annoyed at being stopped when she wanted to go after Yu Baichuan.

Still, on this topic, her smile became more genuine as she gave Quan Hao a thumbs up. “Well done. Honestly, I’ve been fed up with him for ages.”

“Of course I wouldn’t help him—that’s obvious. Not this time, not ever!” Quan Hao grumbled. If he lost out to Yu Baichuan, he could accept it, but to Mu Sang? That was unbearable.

Strictly speaking, Quan Hao’s temper suited her—fiery and bold, just like Su Chengzi. If she had met him ten years ago, and nothing awkward had happened between them, perhaps by now, they might have been good friends.

Li Wanbai felt a pang of regret.

But now was not the time for such thoughts. She offered a perfunctory reply, eager to leave, but Quan Hao refused to let her go, grabbing her wrist.

“What are you doing?” Li Wanbai asked, puzzled. When she looked up, all she saw was a pair of sharp, penetrating eyes.

“I just feel something’s off about you. Are you still Li Wanbai? Could it be that a time traveler has taken over your body, or maybe there was a time traveler in your body before, and now the real you has returned?” The more Quan Hao spoke, the more convinced he became, lips pursed, on high alert.

Li Wanbai almost laughed. “Have you been reading too many novels? You can imagine body snatching and time travel, but can’t believe in science? Maybe I just lost my memory or something!”

Quan Hao froze, then involuntarily took a step back, eyes wide in shock. “What did you say? You lost your memory?!”

Looking at his incredulous expression, Li Wanbai could only sigh inwardly.

Here we go again—another one who won’t believe me.

Although, to be fair, only Quan Hao had reacted so dramatically.

Su Chengzi hadn’t believed her at first, but with women’s uncanny sixth sense, she eventually accepted the truth.

Yu Baichuan also doubted her initially, but quickly realized it didn’t matter. Whether or not she remembered, their fate was sealed—this decade and the next would both end in ruin.

He was tired; he no longer cared.

Perhaps only Quan Hao would keep muttering, “Impossible. How could you lose your memory? You must be lying! This must be some new way to get attention… It’s fake, absolutely fake!…”

He kept mumbling all the way to the bus. After that, he didn’t say another word for the entire return trip.

Not only Quan Hao—once the cameras were off, no one had the heart to keep up the cheerful façade. The bus was oppressively silent.

So silent that Li Wanbai tried to speak several times but couldn’t find the words. In the end, she could only watch Yu Baichuan leave, rubbing her stiff cheeks and sighing deeply.