I will protect myself, even if it's for you. Even if this is a lie, it only deceives myself.

After staying at Le Chengyu's residence for a few days and confirming that there was nothing wrong with his injuries, Lu Aicao finally persuaded Le Chengyu to return to school.
In fact, it was not inconvenient. After all, the house belonged to Le Chengyu, and no one would come to disturb them. However, after all, the relationship between the two was unclear, and they were alone, so Lu Aicao felt that she should be sensible. So she hurried back to school under the pretext of the upcoming final exam.
Although I was away from home for only a few days, it seemed as if the surroundings had changed drastically. The school was full of students reviewing with books in hand. When I returned to the dormitory, I saw many students starting to pack their luggage.
Lv Aicao, who didn't know what was going on, asked the monitor and realized that he hadn't checked the recent group emails. It turned out that there was a problem with the dormitory building in the new campus of the school, so the winter vacation was brought forward this semester, and the final exams were naturally brought forward.
So that's how it is. Lu Aicao stared at the computer screen in a daze.
The newly formed scabs on the wounds on his arms were a little itchy, and the scratches on his left face had not completely subsided. After reading the news over and over again, something seemed to be fermenting in Ai Cao's mind.
Just then, someone called her at the door. She turned around subconsciously and saw Yang Xingxue, who was holding a book and looking like she was going out to review.
Lu Aicao looked at her with some surprise, and she also looked at Lu Aicao with some surprise.
The red marks on her face had not completely faded, and her eye sockets were a little swollen. It was easy for Yang Xingxue to tell what she had been through.
"I heard from your class that you took a few days off. What happened? Are you sick?"
Lu Aicao looked at her and her eyes suddenly felt a little sore.
Today, Yang Xingxue wore a pink coat, carried the most popular bag of the season, and wore a pair of black leather boots. She looked energetic and stylish. No matter when and where, Yang Xingxue was always so shining, always like a princess high above.
Lu Aicao suddenly felt a little embarrassed. She was wearing the same casual clothes that she wore all year round. Her face was red and swollen, like a light bulb covered with dust.
The only thing I have more of than her is probably the injuries on my body.
These injuries were inflicted by her mother, one punch after another.
At this moment, the bright Yang Xingxue has become the source of her pain in Lv Aicao's eyes. The man she loves killed her mother, and her father who doted on her too much ruined her and her mother's lifelong happiness. As for her mother, she is like an executioner holding a knife, cutting her heart one by one.
The resentment that had accumulated in her heart for a long time, like mold, burst out without reservation at this moment. A second before the tears fell, Lu Aicao turned her head and dug her nails into her flesh.
"Aicao, are you okay?" Yang Xingxue mistook these for grievances and became more concerned. He simply walked over and held her hand.
"What on earth have you been through? Can you tell me? I know you don't have many friends around you. Even if you don't consider me a friend, you can still tell me about it..."
At this moment, the things fermenting in her mind finally took shape. Lu Aicao held back the tears that were about to flow out, and said with a hint of request: "Xingxue, I have nowhere to go during the winter vacation."
"What do you mean?" The other party raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"I originally rented a house so I could have a place to go back to during holidays. But that area is too unsafe. A few days ago, I was stopped by a few men when I was going home from get off work, and then it became like this."
Rolling up his sleeves, Lu Aicao showed her the wound on his hand: "If it weren't for the help of others, I might have been dragged away by force."
There have been too many cases of trafficking of girls recently. Yang Xingxue was frightened after hearing her description, and the scars and bruises made her heart beat faster.
"Don't live in that place anymore!"
"I thought so too. I have to find a new place to stay. I can live in the dormitory recently, but when the winter vacation comes, I will...can you help me find a house?" Lu Aicao held her hand, "You are the only friend I can trust."
Hearing the word "friend", Yang Xingxue's eyes lit up and she said cheerfully, "Of course, I'll go with you to find one after the exam, or you can just move in with me!"
"Together? That's not a good idea. Auntie will be angry." Lu Aicao retreated to advance.
"We don't live with her. My dad has another house. I live there during winter and summer vacations. You can come over and keep me company. Okay?"
Yang Xingxue looked very happy.
"If Auntie doesn't mind..."
"Don't worry, I won't let her know." Yang Xingxue patted her chest and promised, "Just come over without worry."
"Okay, thank you, Xingxue." Lu Aicao finally smiled.
"That's what friends do!"
Friend?
hehe.
The exam will be held in half a month.
Lv Aicao's major has many subjects, so the exam time is relatively longer than other majors. Perhaps because she devoted herself to reviewing her lessons, she felt for the first time that the world was so peaceful, even more peaceful than the first half of her life when she studied hard with her mother by her side.
No need to worry about going hungry with my mother.
Don’t worry about not being able to get into your ideal university.
There is no need to worry about being expelled for not being able to pay tuition.
You don’t have to worry about being scolded by your boss because the sudden test will delay your original working time.
She didn't have to worry about anything. She only had to worry about whether she could remember all the key points in the book.
At the end of the exam week, the city was covered in snow.
Lu Aicao, who had wrapped herself up like a dumpling because of a slight cold, was surprised by the heavy snow as soon as she left the examination building. It's not that she has never seen snow before, but she couldn't help but stop to look at this wonderful and precious sight.
It was at this time that she saw Le Chengyu standing not far away.
He was wearing a military green coat, his thin chin was covered by the collar, and he grinned, giving her a particularly handsome smile.
She was stunned for a moment, then pulled her thin hands out of her thick cotton pocket and waved at him. She wanted to laugh, but surprisingly couldn't. It was just that in this icy and snowy weather, her cheeks felt inexplicably hot.
Lu Aicao didn’t know how moved Le Chengyu was when he saw her rosy cheeks waving her little hands at him in the snow.
"I've wanted to bring you to this restaurant for a long time. It's delicious, trust me."
“Will it be very expensive?”
"It's expensive. I can't afford it. You should eat less."
…
The two were walking on the snow-covered road. Le Chengyu gently held Lu Aicao's hand and chatted with her with a smile.
Lu Aicao did not escape this time, but felt that she was shocked by the sudden happiness. After all, when she laid all unbearable truths in front of him, how could such an excellent boy like her?
Of course, she would not say this idea. She did not want to see his smug look.
It was not until she ate that the awkwardness and reserve of a young girl in her heart faded away. Because of the hunger brought by the cold, she ate a big meal of Le Chengyu.
Le Chengyu became even happier when he saw her like this, and the two of them chatted about random things like a normal couple in love.
He didn't know if it was his illusion, but after revealing everything, Lv Aicao quickly took off her cold disguise and became an ordinary girl in front of him who could act coquettishly, make jokes, and even have awkward emotions. He suddenly felt that Lv Aicao could also be a normal person.
"I'll have a holiday after the exam."
"Ok, I know."
"I don't plan to go home during the winter break."
"Then where are you going to live?" As he said that, Le Chengyu put another large piece of fish into her bowl.
"I want to live with Yang Xingxue."
Le Chengyu stopped picking up food with his chopsticks, and his expression froze: "Are you going to continue with your plan?"
"Hmm." Lu Aicao buried his head in eating and uttered a single syllable through his nose.
Le Chengyu put down his chopsticks with a heavy heart and said nothing more. He turned his head and looked out the window. The snow on the road had become thicker.
The meal ended on a somewhat unhappy note. Both of them knew why, but neither wanted to say it out loud.
But to be honest, this was Lu Aicao's first date in her life.
She hid in the warm bed with the book in her hands, and suddenly felt that it was unreal. But when she recalled his deep face when they left, her heart was suddenly weighed down by a heavy cloud again.
At this moment, the cell phone rang. It was a text message, and the sender was the person that Lu Aicao secretly complained about.
"No matter what, be sure to stay safe. I will always be by your side."
Looking at those short words, Lu Aicao felt inexplicably warm in her heart and could no longer hold back and smiled.
"Okay, I will protect myself, even if it's just for you."
After editing the message, Lv Aicao hesitated for a long time before sending it. The moment it was successfully sent, she could no longer bear it, covered her burning face with the book, and crawled into the quilt.
It turns out that I, who have always been indifferent, can have such a corny day.
After another tough week, the two-week exam week is finally over.
To celebrate the end of the exam, Lv Aicao's roommate suggested that everyone go eat hot pot together. But just as the group was about to leave, Yang Xingxue, who was dressed like a beautiful and noble heroine in a Japanese drama, stopped Lv Aicao. Although everyone was not very welcoming to this little princess from a different world, they didn't say anything and happily left Lv Aicao behind and left first.
"Don't go eat, Dad and the driver are waiting for us at the door."
"What do you mean? Leaving today?" Lu Aicao never expected that she would come to pick her up right after the exam.
"Of course. After my dad heard about your situation, he asked you to come live with us. It's winter now, and it gets dark so early. Neither of us can rest assured that you'll be outside alone."
As he spoke, Yang Xingxue rolled up his sleeves and helped her carry the bag.
Lu Aicao was stunned for a moment and began to pack her luggage.
The weather in December is even colder.
Rows of lights were on on the roadside, a hazy moon hung in the dark night sky, and the voices of two girls and the sound of suitcase wheels rolling across the ground could be clearly heard in the empty school corridor.
Yang Xingxue felt the pure winter in this city and seemed a little excited, chattering non-stop. However, Lu Aicao was filled with anxiety. After all, what was waiting for her ahead was not only her father Yang Jianye, but also a longer and more dangerous tug-of-war.
Seeing Lv Aicao, Yang Jianye was as happy as expected. After they got in the car, it drove directly to a villa on the other side of the city.
Along the way, Yang Jianye showed concern for Lv Aicao. This made Lv Aicao feel more confident. No matter what, as long as Yang Jianye trusted her, everything would be easy.
Although it is a small villa, the decoration and comfort inside are in no way inferior to that of a real home.
Lu Aicao looked around and suddenly felt that this place felt more like home.
Yang Jianye called the nanny to come and pack the two girls' luggage. Only then did Lu Aicao realize that dinner had already been set on the table.
Yang Xingxue took Lv Aicao to eat without hesitation, and Yang Jianye took the initiative to help them add more rice. Without Shen Ping, Yang Jianye treated her like a father.
Lu Aicao took the fish he picked up and said "thank you" softly.
"Don't be shy when you come here. Spend this winter vacation with Xingxue." Yang Jianye was very happy and gave her the biggest abalone on the plate.
"Thank you, uncle. If it weren't for you, I really don't know where to go."
"What are you thanking me for? You coming to keep me company saves me from being bored! Le You hasn't asked me to play with him for a long time. He probably has forgotten about me." Yang Xingxue pouted.
"Aunt Shen..." Lu Aicao looked worried.
Yang Jianye immediately explained: "Don't worry, she doesn't come to this house often. I sometimes work here. You can live here with peace of mind, without any worries. Treat this place as your own home!"
"Yes, treat this place as your own home and don't be so restrained!" Yang Xingxue agreed.
"Okay." Lu Aicao smiled and ate peacefully.
After dinner, Lu Aicao carried her luggage and moved into the room on the second floor.
Following Yang Jianye's instructions, the nanny arranged Lu Aicao's bedroom next to Yang Xingxue's room.
Although it was a guest bedroom, the decoration and furnishings inside were no different from those in the master bedroom. It seemed that it was used to receive distinguished guests. The cabinets were already filled with daily necessities, so there was nothing to worry about.
Lv Aicao sat on the bed, took a long breath, and gently stroked the photo of her mother on her phone. She wondered if her mother would be happy or sad if she saw this scene.
With moving into Yang's house, the first winter vacation of college began.
Yang Xingxue was very excited and often took Lv Aicao out shopping early. Lv Aicao was really a little bored with these things, but in order to implement her plan, she still had to make her happy.
"Ever since Zhuoran decided not to go abroad, he has been forced by his family to go to work in the company, and he even has less time to spend with me. But now that I have Ai Cao, I wouldn't switch with anyone else." Xingxue's smile was like a ray of sunshine in winter, shining on Lu Ai Cao.
Lu Aicao looked down at the hand that was around his arm, and after a moment of silence, he raised his hand and patted it.
Is Jing Zhuoran busy? The text message he sent to me was still lying in my phone, even if there was no response, he did not give up.
But she didn't want to say it. She just raised her head and smiled: "I'm not familiar with him, so I don't know these things. But it's my duty to accompany you. If it weren't for you, I don't know where I would be during this winter vacation."
She always knew how to coax people, but she was just too lazy to do it.
"Don't say that. I can't help but want to get closer to you when I see you. This winter vacation is a good opportunity for us to deepen our relationship. Even Dad is envious."
Yes, even Yang Jianye got involved. The nanny said that Yang Jianye, who didn't live here often, always came here. Lv Aicao knew why, but she just smiled and didn't answer. From the dishes prepared by the nanny every day, she knew how important she was in Yang Jianye's heart. His daughter was standing in front of him, but he couldn't recognize her, so he could only make up for it in other ways.
On the weekend, Yang Xingxue was called back by Shen Ping, leaving Lv Aicao alone at home. Yang Jianye, who was supposed to be on a business trip, unexpectedly returned here. He looked exhausted and solemn. Although he entered the house, he still did not put down the phone in his hand. He did not have time to say anything to Lv Aicao, and he hurried into the study with his assistant, as if he had encountered some trouble in business.
Lu Aicao filled two bowls of the freshly made noodles with scallion oil, placed one bowl on the entrance to his study, and took the other bowl into the bedroom to eat herself.
Noodles with scallion oil is my mother’s specialty. Lu Aicao makes this not only because it tastes good, but also because this noodle is Yang Jianye’s favorite.
I learned all this from my mother's diary.
As she expected, as soon as the assistant left, Yang Jianye called her to his study.
When she entered, although it was only a moment, Lu Aicao saw at a glance that Yang Jianye put a stack of documents in the secret compartment of the cabinet behind him. When Yang Jianye turned around, she pretended that her attention was attracted by the empty bowl on the table.
"The noodles are delicious!" Yang Jianye praised sincerely and invited her in. "You don't know how long it has been since I had such delicious noodles." There was a different emotion flashing in his eyes.
Lu Aicao knew that he finally thought of his mother.
"My mother taught me this." Lu Aicao sat down in front of him.
Hearing this, Yang Jianye's expression was obviously stunned. How could he not know? There were countless nights when there was always someone who lit a lamp and waited for him to come home with scallion oil noodles...
"Ai Cao, did your mother raise you alone?"
"Yes." Lv Aicao looked at Yang Jianye innocently, "She suffered a lot alone, but I didn't have time to let her enjoy the happiness, so she..."
In the silent night, only Ai Cao was talking. She felt that she must be crazy, otherwise why would she sit here and talk to the executioner about her mother? But she couldn't control her mouth. She was eager to let Yang Jianye know how much she and her daughter had suffered in a place where he couldn't see.
"People have called me a bastard since I was a kid, just because I don't have a father. When I was young, I went home and told my mother about it. She held me in her arms with tears in her eyes and comforted me softly. But she was really having a hard time. She had to pay for my tuition and our family's living expenses... She was so young, but she looked more than ten years older than the others."
Seeing the look of the man in front of her suddenly become gloomy, she felt very happy. The sufferings that had tortured her and her daughter had now become the sharp blade that she couldn't wait to pick up and pierced into Yang Jianye's heart.
"We had no money and we didn't even dare to get sick. There was no heating in the winter, so my mother held me in her arms and wrapped me in the only old quilt to keep warm. But it was still very cold, and the chill that penetrated through the bones was unstoppable. We simply turned on the table lamp and held it in our arms, pretending that it was a heater. You see, my good mother didn't have the chance to enjoy even one day of a happy life, and then..."
The original acting turned into a true expression of her feelings, and her resentment reached its peak. She looked at the man in front of her and asked word by word: "Uncle, do you believe in karma in this world? Do you believe in reincarnation?"
Yang Jianye took a deep breath and said, "Aicao, don't think too much. Your mother is gone... She can only rest assured if you live well. Where is she buried? Is she buried in the cemetery here?"
"No, I sent her ashes back to my hometown." Lu Aicao pretended to be confused, "Uncle, why are you so concerned about my mother? Do you know her?" How could she let him know where her mother's grave was? She was afraid of polluting her mother's final resting place.
"She and I..." Yang Jianye frowned and paused for a moment, "Your mother and I were actually high school classmates, otherwise I wouldn't take care of you just because you are Xingxue's friend."
"So that's how it is!" Lu Aicao looked as if he had suddenly realized something, but he was sneering in his heart.
"Yeah, that's right." Yang Jianye relaxed and said with a smile, "I also discovered it not long ago, so you can rest assured this time and live here well."
After that, Yang Jianye took out an exquisite box from the cabinet. He opened the box and revealed a watch with a black leather strap. Lu Aicao recognized the watch. It was a very popular fashion watch, simple and elegant, and not expensive.
Yang Jianye pushed it in front of Lu Aicao: "The gifts your uncle brought you before were indeed a bit expensive, so it's normal for you not to accept them, but this watch, you really have no reason to refuse it. Girls must have a watch."
"Uncle, you..."
"Uncle said he would take good care of you." Yang Jianye looked at her lovingly.
Lv Aicao did not refuse this time. After all, this watch was not like the bags and jewelry that cost tens of thousands of yuan before. She took it silently and said "thank you" softly.
There was a dim light in her eyes, and the lingering sadness came over her again.
It would be nice if you were just my father.
Lu Aicao had a dream.
In the dream, there was a vast ocean, and my mother was sitting on a dilapidated boat, with strong winds and waves hitting her, while I stood there helpless. Someone called me from behind, and when I turned around, it was the person I should call dad. Lv Aicao couldn't help but take a few steps back, but a huge wave came rushing in. The boat could no longer withstand the wind and waves, and sank to the bottom of the sea with my mother.
Lu Aicao suddenly woke up from her dream and opened her eyes. The morning light covered the ground. She raised her eyes slightly and saw the black wristband watch lying quietly on the cabinet beside the bed.
She sat up in a daze, with beads of sweat oozing from her forehead.
After a long silence, she heard a voice in her head saying to her: Don't be soft-hearted, never.
The weekend is the nanny's day off, and Yang Xingxue went out with Jing Zhuoran and hasn't come back for a few days. Lu Aicao didn't know when Yang Jianye left. But she knew that this day was undoubtedly a rare opportunity for her.
After confirming that there was no surveillance in every corner of the villa, Lu Aicao took a miniature camera and entered Yang Jianye's study.
Last night, Yang Jianye seemed very angry and spoke very loudly. Even though there was a door between them, she could still hear him talking about falsifying accounts. This incident aroused Lu Aicao's curiosity.
When she opened the door, Lu Aicao smelled a faint scent of sandalwood, which was her mother's favorite smell when she was alive.
She walked gently to the cabinet and pressed the inconspicuous switch next to it according to her memory. With a crisp sound of gears biting together, the secret compartment opened in front of her, and a stack of documents lay quietly inside.
Lv Aicao quickly took them out and took pictures of every page with her camera. She didn't know what was wrong with these documents, but her intuition told her that the documents carefully stored in the secret compartment were definitely not ordinary documents.
After making sure she had taken the photo, she put the file away and put it back where it was. Even if she was usually calm, she couldn't help but feel a little flustered when doing this, and her palms were sweating.
She calmed down, walked out, and gently closed the door. However, to her surprise, at the corner of the corridor, Shen Ping was with two people, looking at her coldly.
Lu Aicao's steps suddenly stopped, and her heart suddenly contracted because of this completely unexpected scene. She looked at the person who came with a stiff expression and said nothing.
"I told you, you're here alone, you can't be idle." Shen Ping walked in front of her in eight-centimeter high heels. The clacking sound was like stepping on Lu Aicao's heart.
I never expected that she would know I was here and rush here so quickly.
"Don't guess. My precious daughter told me. She is so naive and even begged me to tolerate you." Shen Ping's charming red lips pulled open a sarcastic smile, "I said yes, I brought a few friends to see you today and get together. Who knew I would see you sneaking around here."
Lu Aicao's heart was beating like a drum, but she remained calm on the surface. Fortunately, her coat had a secret pocket, and before she came out, she put her small camera in the secret pocket.
No flaws can be revealed, otherwise all efforts will fail.
"Xiao Qiu, Xiao Ling." Shen Ping called the two female employees behind her. Although they were female employees, they didn't look easy to mess with. "Help me see if she has anything from our family."
"What are you going to do!" Lv Aicao looked at the two men's aggressive expressions and knew that they were going to search her. She retreated without saying anything, but there was a dead end behind her, and the two women quickly blocked her in the corner.
"Shen Ping, what you are doing is illegal. I will sue you! Don't think I don't know that you hired the person who beat me last time!" She said to distract the two people, picked up a bottle of red wine from the cabinet next to her, and slammed it against the cabinet. The bottle immediately shattered, and the red wine spilled all over the floor.
The two women were stunned, one of them had her arm scratched by the debris and was bleeding. They stopped and looked at Lv Aicao with a horrified look on their faces.
It seems that these two female employees are bluffing! Lu Aicao sneered in his heart, and his chances of winning increased.
"What are you standing there for? Come on!" Shen Ping was anxious.
"Boss, she--" The two of them looked embarrassed.
"She took the chairman's documents. If you don't find them out for me, I think you don't want to do this anymore!" Shen Ping shouted angrily, but she didn't dare to step forward. In her heart, she was actually a little afraid of Lu Aicao. This feeling had been buried in her subconscious. From the first time this little girl appeared in front of her, she didn't like her, and even feared her.
Maybe it's because there's always a desperate look in her eyes.
Maybe it's because she can remain surprisingly calm no matter what she faces.
If she had not been on the opposite side of me, I might have liked her very much and even decided to train her.
However, she chose the most dangerous path.
I can't keep her, I absolutely can't!
"Shen Ping, first you hired someone to beat me up, then you falsely accused me of stealing documents, and now you want to have someone search me? Based on these charges, I can call the police! If you come over again, I will be acting in self-defense, so don't blame me for being rude then!" Lu Aicao spoke sternly and frightened the two people in front of him at once.
Shen Ping was so angry that she threw away her bag and rushed towards Lu Aicao. However, she didn't expect that Le Chengyu, who happened to be there, rushed over and pulled her back.
Shen Ping screamed in fear, and Le You, who rushed over, grabbed the hair of one of the two female employees and kicked the other one hard, acting like a complete gangster, scaring the two people so much that they screamed.
Seeing that they were the ones coming, Lu Aicao breathed a sigh of relief. Only then did she realize that her wrist had been cut by the glass, and the bright red blood had dripped onto her white skirt.
Seeing this, Le Chengyu was very excited. He stopped Shen Ping tightly and asked respectfully but seriously, "Auntie, didn't you just say that we were going to have a meal together? Why is there such a big fuss?"
Shen Ping angrily arranged her clothes and said unhappily, "How would I know that someone stole our things?"
"Watch your mouth!"
Lu Aicao and Le You said in unison.
Le You had long been fed up with Shen Ping. When she played with Yang Xingxue before, Shen Ping always mocked her, fearing that Yang Xingxue would learn bad things from her. Le You had long wanted to do this, but because of the good relationship between the two families, she could not do it. But this time, with her brother in charge, Le You was not afraid.
"Aunt Shen, if you continue to behave like this, don't blame me for bringing out the evidence of you hiring someone to hurt someone. We'll see you in court then."
"You——" Shen Ping was so angry that she could only glare at Lv Aicao fiercely. She had never expected that Lv Aicao had such a protective umbrella, which was what she least wanted to see.
"Aicao, you shouldn't live here anymore. I think it's not any safer here than outside." Le You pulled Lu Aicao out.
Lu Aicao looked at Shen Ping with a gloomy expression, and that look made Shen Ping's heart tremble.
"I think we really don't need to live here anymore." Le Chengyu glanced at Le You, "Take her to my car and wait for me. I'll help her pack her luggage."
Le You nodded, and Lu Aicao followed her downstairs.
Shen Ping snorted coldly: "Goodbye, I won't say goodbye to you. Don't even think about stepping into my house again in your life."
Le Chengyu blocked her gaze from looking at Lu Aicao's back and said in a warning tone: "Auntie, please be careful. Because my father and Uncle Yang are comrades-in-arms, I won't tell them about what happened today. But if it happens again, you will bear the consequences yourself."
After saying this, he turned around and left without waiting for Shen Ping to react.
Shen Ping kept her head held high and sneered, but her lips were trembling with extreme anger.