Chapter Thirty-Five: Hobby

“As for that post, I can explain it to you! I admit that when I first wrote it, I was upset and wanted to vent a little. Later, when people started cheering me on and giving me their support, I got a bit carried away and probably said more than I should have. Afterwards, I thought about deleting the post, but then I figured I’d leave it for a while and see what happens with Wang Yuluo and me next. If we got back together, I’d delete it and pretend nothing ever happened, just turn the page. But if she kept stringing me along and it all came to nothing, then I wouldn’t delete it. I’d just let it sit there for everyone to see. Even if just one person cursed her on my behalf, I’d feel better.”

After saying this, he hesitated, then hurried to add, “Also, since I’ve been so honest with you up to this point, there’s one more thing I need to clarify! Lately, there’s been a lot of dirt about her online—people saying she has a messy love life, that she’s had plastic surgery, that most of her body is fake, full of silicone and so on. But I had nothing to do with that! It wasn’t me! You have to believe me—it can’t all be blamed on me! Think about it, I want to get back with her, I want to marry her. I’d never smear her over her private life or accuse her of getting work done. If I did that and we got married, I’d be making myself into a cuckold! I’d never do something like that, really!”

Li Qiao’s words were so candid that they were almost contemptible, but Ning Shuyi wasn’t in the mood to judge him. Instead, she picked up on something new in what he’d just said. “So, you’re saying that besides you, there are others spreading rumors about Wang Yuluo online?”

“Listen to you!” Li Qiao pulled a wry face, “I don’t want to speak ill of the dead, but if you ask around, you’ll find out what kind of person Wang Yuluo was. She was spoiled by her family from a young age, always throwing her weight around, as if her money made her superior to everyone else. Who knows how many people she’s offended?”

“So, based on what you know, who might she have offended?” Ning Shuyi asked.

“It has to be someone from her little circle,” Li Qiao replied with a hint of disdain. “None of those people are quite normal, if you ask me. They all have some sort of psychological issue!”

He was, without a doubt, tarring a whole group with the same brush—especially considering that this was the same guy who had exaggerated Wang Yuluo’s faults online, tried to “replicate” her in a new girlfriend with identical qualities, and even stalked his ex several times before she’d agreed to reconcile. So, coming from Li Qiao, the phrase “they all have some sort of psychological issue” carried an extra layer of irony and mockery, rather than just being a biased generalization.

Li Qiao himself didn’t see it that way. He spoke with a straightforwardness that bordered on arrogance. “Normal people don’t have such a desperate need to perform! If you ask me, their lives are empty and that’s why they act out, dressing up in bizarre outfits and flaunting themselves everywhere! And if someone with that kind of need for attention gets overshadowed, do you think they’d take it well?”

“I don’t know if you’ve looked into it, but Wang Yuluo was very generous when it came to these things. Her father never tried to rein her in, and the money she poured into that crowd was like throwing it into a black hole. Still, she was definitely the wealthiest one in her circle. With all her showiness, it’s no wonder people hated her.”

“What was the name of the club Wang Yuluo joined? You followed her for a long time, you must know,” Ning Shuyi pressed.

“It was something with the word ‘Light’… ‘Extreme Light’ or something like that, with a weird character in the middle—I didn’t recognize it. Wang Yuluo used to be secretive about it because I disapproved. I only found out after doing my own digging; otherwise, I’d have been kept in the dark.”

“So, what you just said is all your own conjecture—you’re not actually clear about Wang Yuluo’s relationships in that club, am I right?” Ning Shuyi asked.

Li Qiao scratched his chin sheepishly. “Well… I wouldn’t call it conjecture, since I have my own judgment, you know? Saying ‘guess’ makes it sound like I’m just making things up. You could say I used logic to deduce it! The thing is, I wanted to learn more, but Wang Yuluo never gave me the chance. Because I objected before, even now, no matter how hard I try to please her, she still won’t let me meet her friends from that crowd. And she’s getting wilder and more reckless—she’s not interested in grad school or a proper job, just playing around all day. Besides cosplay, she’s started joining all sorts of other activities. Anything fun, she wants to try!”

“What other activities do you mean?” Huo Yan asked him.

Li Qiao was still a little afraid of Huo Yan. The moment he spoke, Li Qiao answered quickly, “I don’t know exactly. I once saw her post some photos on her social media—there were flyers, all with strange names, definitely not anything proper! Things like ‘Utopia,’ or ‘Truth or Dare Adventure Club’! I mean, just listen to those names—they’re either mysterious for no reason or completely nonsensical! She even said she needed to fill the emptiness inside her and find an outlet for all her excess energy. Is that something a woman in her late twenties should be saying? If she’s so empty and energetic, why not just work at her dad’s company?”

Ning Shuyi didn’t pay much attention to Li Qiao’s complaints. She recalled that when she’d visited Wang Yuluo’s house, she’d indeed seen those flyers among the clutter on her desk. But if they printed flyers, those must be legitimate venues. Clearly, what they were looking for wasn’t among those.

“Did Wang Yuluo really say online that she felt empty inside and needed an outlet for all her energy? In your opinion, did she actually feel that way?” Ning Shuyi asked.

Li Qiao shrugged, spreading his hands as if helpless. “How should I know? I have a normal mental state—I really can’t understand someone as neurotic, rich, and idle as Wang Yuluo!”