Waterbound Love - Chapter 22

If life’s daily routine consisted solely of eating, sleeping, and playing without the stress of financial worries-with a bank account balance that remains virtually untouched no matter how much you spend; and mortgage and car loans that, though obligatory, are nonexistent and as good as imaginary. A day or two of such a life might be pleasant, but after over twenty years of the same, it becomes profoundly dull. Du Bai finds herself ensnared in this tedium. Occasionally, even she is bewildered by how her life, which should be a carefree one of an unburdened daughter of an official, resembles that of a nouveau riche’s offspring. Perhaps she should act more imperiously to add some excitement to her life and provide amusement to others?

Just joking. Even if she could bring herself to act that way, her grandfather would be the first to deal with her harshly.

“Get a job,” Tinna suggested, and Du Bai fell into contemplation.

Certain people, even when deciding to make a change, will opt for the most comfortable transformation, whether it’s gradual progress or remaining steady. They won’t seek an immediate solution. Life, much like coffee, only becomes rich and flavorful when brewed slowly. Incidentally, Du Bai is precisely this type of person.

Leveraging her status as a young artist, Du Bai easily secured a teaching position at E University. She was never one to keep a low profile. If something could make life easier, why hide it? She used to avoid revealing it to dodge inconvenience, but now that she can handle it, why not use it?

Originally, Du Bai was slated to be a full-time faculty member. However, after some “negotiation,” she now teaches just two hours every Wednesday afternoon. Naturally, this comes at the cost of a salary that wouldn’t even cover a single shoe, provided her footwear isn’t exorbitantly priced.

E University is a comprehensive institution, divided into two colleges: F College and L College. Amusingly, the combination of the letters “F” and “L” form an “E,” showcasing the founder’s unique ingenuity.

F College encompasses the departments of Fine Arts, Music, and other arts-related fields, whereas L College includes other practical social sciences. Students can choose their preferred major and then select electives, which may be from a different college than their major. Du Bai was reminded of an ancient saying that those who engage in the arts are often a bit eccentric, and it seemed accurate given this university’s setup.

The reason for this realization was simple: as soon as Du Bai arrived at the lecture hall and started talking about painting techniques in her characteristic free-spirited manner-after all, techniques are just techniques, and without infusing one’s own style, they are merely superficial-she worried she might be misleading the students. Less than thirty minutes into her lecture, a boldly dressed girl stood up. The reason she was considered bold was that removing her sheer top would essentially turn her appearance into a lingerie show. Du Bai shivered, glanced at her own thick coat, and thought maybe it was just her own sensitivity to temperature. However, seeing the girl calm and unaffected, she might as well award her the prize for robust health.

“Professor, do you like lace?” The girl asked with three different flirtatious gestures, fully embodying seduction. Du Bai had the sudden urge to howl, reminded of a celebrity known for her sultriness. Imagining the two of them competing on the same stage made Du Bai shudder. It was freezing, truly freezing!

These thoughts swirled in Du Bai’s mind, but she gave no hint of them on her face. She raised an eyebrow imperceptibly, closed the useless script on her desk, and nonchalantly moved to sit on the edge of it. Her actions were crisp and graceful, which drew audible gasps and whistles from the audience. Du Bai smacked her lips, “Indeed, it is a beautiful thing.” Du Bai, having lived for so many years in such an environment, had picked up some skills in dodging and deflecting effectively-just like practicing Tai Chi by watching others. Who wouldn’t? Better to neither confirm nor deny; it’s all in the way you play the game.

The girl seemed impatient. “Professor, can I be your girlfriend?” She flirted with a wink. Her abruptness and the commotion it caused in the class-jeers and whistles-filled the hall.

Du Bai lowered her gaze, making her thoughts unreadable. She propped her chin on her thumb, tapping her cheek thoughtfully with her index finger, as if pondering deeply. After a moment, she swept a confused glance at the audience. “But I simply can’t think of any flaws she has.”

Now it was the audience’s turn to be puzzled. “What do you mean?”

With a slight smile, Du Bai explained, “I mean, I can’t think of anything I dislike about the person I’m currently dating, so I see no reason to break up with them to be with you.” It’s “person” not “girlfriend,” Du Bai mused. You’re still too inexperienced to play games with me. “Okay, break’s over. Let’s continue with the class.” With that, she resumed her lecture. A few more students trickled in, dressed in what could only be described as “eccentric attire.” It was only eccentric to Du Bai because she was past her more flamboyant years. The most extravagant aspect of her current appearance was her strikingly golden hair. She thought about it with a bittersweet smile as she surveyed the room, noticing that many of the students’ eyes weren’t so much focused on the lesson as they were filled with anticipation and barely concealed excitement. Excitement? Du Bai smirked. It seemed today’s challenges were far from over.

Sure enough, a boy walked in. His upper outfit was quite dapper-a grey blazer with simple lines, adorned with a belt that cinched it diagonally, giving off a lazy yet elegant vibe. Du Bai smiled; the blazer looked somewhat familiar. As for his lower half, it was a different story. The tattered jeans he wore were artistically shredded in a way that even Du Bai in her younger, more rebellious years wouldn’t have praised. His shoes, however, were a fine pair, likely Dior and probably authentic. Du Bai mused that, in the eyes of someone unacquainted with fashion, his ensemble might render even genuine items unnoticeable.

His face was decent enough, but it was heavily masked by exaggerated smoky makeup. From what she could discern of his face shape, he likely had delicate features. His hairstyle was good, though overshadowed by its vibrant colors. The riot of hues almost made Du Bai chuckle, but she restrained herself, thinking she might burst from holding it in. The term “colorful” didn’t even begin to cover it.

The young man calmly walked up to the lectern, resting both hands on it, and in a voice only the two of them could hear, whispered, “What’s your name in English?”

They locked eyes for a long moment, the young man neither impatient nor annoyed, just quietly watching her. Finally, Du Bai softly replied, “Gossip. Though I prefer to be called Du Bai.” The young man was evidently surprised to realize that Du Bai was the young painter Gossip, who had recently gained fame in the art world for her controversial works. A fleeting look of astonishment crossed his face, puzzled why she would tell him this. Du Bai noticed his confusion. “You asked, I answered. I just don’t like deceit, that’s all.” She figured, if she didn’t tell him, they would find out anyway, so why not be upfront about it now?

A hint of amusement appeared on the young man’s lips. “Rumor.”

Du Bai raised an eyebrow and quietly waited for him to continue. “Don’t you think our names are quite coincidental? Because of this coincidence, how about I keep your secret?” He maintained a casual demeanor, yet the amusement in Rumor’s eyes grew. He picked up the microphone. “How about you and I date, beautiful?” He winked at Du Bai.

What Du Bai had assumed was the main course earlier turned out to just be an appetizer; the real feast was happening now. She smiled, thinking that life wasn’t going to be boring from here on out.

With a playful grin, Du Bai teasingly lifted Rumor’s chin, gently tilting his head from side to side as she examined him closely. Her voice, picked up clearly by the microphone, intrigued the audience. “Strange,” she said. As she expected, this piqued everyone’s curiosity, with Rumor showing no signs of haste and just letting her have her way. “Strange, why should I give up a sultry little beauty for someone whose gender I can’t even determine yet?” She then shook her head. “I misspoke. I should say a panda would be more fitting. Pandas are valuable, so if I were to make such a foolish decision, at least I wouldn’t feel like I lost too much.”

The audience erupted in laughter and jeers. It seemed Rumor was indeed a charismatic character, likely giving Du Bai a noticeable challenge today.

“A beautiful woman never gets the short end of the stick, huh? You’re a lesbian, I’m gay. Together, we’d make a carefree and liberated pair, wouldn’t we?”

Du Bai smiled, thinking to herself, So you’re waiting here for me, huh? They really underestimated her. Back when she started out, he was probably still at home watching cartoons. “Rumor, huh? Don’t you think it’s a bit early to be thinking about marriage? Whether you can even graduate is still up in the air.” With a sigh, she continued, “If you can’t graduate, even a sham marriage wouldn’t be that liberating.” She saw Rumor fall silent and knew she had won this round. However, she had underestimated him. Rumor gave a roguish smile. “I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you, teacher. You don’t have the power to prevent me from graduating.” He straightened up, looking Du Bai directly in the eyes with an air of defiance. A tense and oppressive atmosphere settled over them.

“Excuse me,” said a voice. A young boy ran over, catching Rumor’s attention. His eyes lit up, and he licked his lips, his Adam’s apple bobbing in a suggestively lecherous manner.

The boy bowed before Du Bai. “I’m sorry, teacher. I’m late.” Du Bai looked at the clean-cut youth before her, sighing to herself as she whispered softly, “Little Shui.” Rumor didn’t catch what she said, but the young man’s cheeks flushed, and he quickly gave Du Bai a brief, reprimanding glance before lowering his head, a fleeting moment Rumor didn’t miss, his eyes growing deeper and more contemplative.

It was indeed Little Shui, known formally as Wei Qingqian. They say fate works in mysterious ways. Wei Qingqian had been placed in the Economics Department by Wei Wen but chose to take an art class as an elective. Seeing one of the art department’s infamous troublemakers giving Du Bai a hard time, he decided to step in and help her out. His intentions were good, but Wei Qingqian had no idea what kind of situation he was about to thrust himself into. Many years later, he would still wonder, had he not intervened that day, letting Du Bai handle it herself, would he have avoided all the ensuing chaos? Would he have never met that person who now stood before him? It’s hard to say what would have been better or worse. Perhaps, as the saying goes, “One drinks water, knowing its warmth or coolness themselves.” These are musings for another time. No matter how much the world advances, some things remain inscrutable, just like the impossibility of combing through long hair in a single stroke.