Chapter Ninety-Three: The Cost of Being Good Is Too High (1.2)

On the day she received the card from Long Fei, she still felt as if she were dreaming.

“If I remember correctly, there should be five hundred thousand in there. Oh, I may have spent a few thousand last time. I think it should be enough to save your father’s life. If it isn’t, you can call me. My number is...” Long Fei gave Meng Ling all five hundred thousand that Ye Wentian had handed him a few days earlier. Yet he found himself amused. He had always appeared to the world in the guise of a villain, and he had never imagined that trying to be good for once would cost so much. Good heavens, five hundred thousand. Even for someone with more money than sense, it was still a little hard to part with. And the key thing was, this was given away for nothing. He had not intended to ask for any reward at all.

“You’re really giving it to me?” Meng Ling had never held so much money in her life. Though it was only a bank card, she believed Long Fei would not lie to her, because he had no reason to.

Long Fei nodded and gave a wry smile. “To be honest, I’ve always been a bastard, and a pretty rotten one at that. I never do good deeds. I didn’t expect your story to move me today. Maybe you really are too good at making up stories. Looks like I’d better listen to fewer stories in the future, because I’m far too easy to be moved. And I’d better do fewer good deeds too. The cost is just too high.”

“I... I can slowly earn it back for you in the future.” Somehow, her face suddenly felt hot. Suppressing the thought in her heart, Meng Ling said, still grateful, “I...”

Long Fei froze. “What do you mean by that? I never expected you to repay me with anything. Don’t worry. I may be stingy with money, but this little bit means nothing to me. You don’t have to take it to heart. And if you still think you need to keep working at the Heaven on Earth club, you can go. I won’t stop you!”

“No, I’m not going. Believe it or not, I’ll never think about that sort of thing again. I told you, I’m not that kind of bad girl. And I won’t disappoint you. I’m true to my word. From today on, I’m yours. Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it!” As if she had steeled herself, Meng Ling said with rare firmness.

Long Fei felt like laughing. “Five hundred thousand to buy you?”

“You think it’s too expensive?” Meng Ling frowned. “I won’t let you feel it’s not worth it. Don’t worry. As long as you’re willing to give me a chance, I’m confident I can help you make money. And, and... if I stay with you in the future, you won’t need to support me!”

“Wait, let’s be clear. I never planned to support you. To be honest, I already have more women than I know what to do with. I’ve got a headache just dealing with them. If I took on another one, I could afford it, sure, but I’d probably be driven crazy by them every day. Take the money and use it. I’ll just pretend I played the Good Samaritan once in my life!” Long Fei hurriedly refused. It was not that he was especially proper; it was simply that he could not accept it this way. First, he did not like buying people with money. Second, Meng Ling did not love him. He did have a little liking for her, but liking was not the same as love. Besides, feelings required mutual consent. If Meng Ling insisted on staying only out of gratitude, then he truly could not accept it.

Meng Ling’s brow furrowed again, and disappointment flickered in her heart. “Then if I take your money, won’t I be unable to feel at ease for the rest of my life? I can’t accept money like this!”

Now Long Fei had a headache. Had Meng Ling bumped her head on a wall somewhere? Did she really have to go to Heaven on Earth and sell herself to some man before she could feel at peace with the money?

“Let me ask you something. Do you love me?” Long Fei suddenly said gravely.

Meng Ling shook her head and said carefully, “But I’ll try to fall in love with you, and I don’t want you to marry me!” Inwardly she sighed. On this point, Meng Ling was still clear-headed. How many kept women ever truly became someone else’s wife?

“That settles it. You don’t love me, and being with me would be meaningless. Even if you agreed, I wouldn’t agree!” Long Fei said, somewhat vexed.

Meng Ling frowned and thought for a moment before finally looking up. “How about this: I’ll sell you my first time. I only want two hundred thousand.”

Two hundred thousand. Two hundred thousand was also far too expensive. In Tianhai City, two thousand yuan could absolutely buy a virgin, though not one as beautiful as Meng Ling.

Long Fei did not know whether to laugh or cry. “Two hundred thousand? Can two hundred thousand save your father?”

“They also promised me one hundred thousand. I can borrow some more, and it should be enough!” Meng Ling was surprisingly good at calculations, and she truly cared about an even exchange. She was determined not to take advantage of Long Fei.

“Are you absolutely determined to pay with something before you’ll take the money?” Long Fei said irritably.

She nodded and said with some difficulty, “I don’t want to owe anyone kindness. That would make me unhappy for the rest of my life!”

Long Fei nodded. That view happened to coincide perfectly with his own. After thinking it over, he said, “All right. I think your first time is worth that much. Just think of it as me buying it at a premium. And don’t go back to Heaven on Earth anymore. As for the one hundred thousand they promised you, I doubt there’s much chance they’ll actually transfer it. Take this money and go home first to treat your father.”

“But this is too much money!” Meng Ling said stubbornly.

Long Fei was getting impatient. “Why are you so troublesome? If you keep this up, I’m going to get angry. It’s decided. Three months. If I haven’t come to find you within three months, then assume I’ve given up on you. Don’t wait for me anymore. For the next three months, you’d better keep yourself pure for me. Do you understand?!”

Seeing the impatience in Long Fei’s eyes, Meng Ling was touched, but she did not dare say anything else. After thinking it over, she realized he was simply giving her money in another way. By her estimate, Long Fei probably would not contact her much within the next three months anyway. Besides, he did not even know her phone number. How could he contact her?

Before Meng Ling could speak, Long Fei stood up and smiled. “I’m leaving first. Oh, and you pay for this one yourself, all right? Ha ha!”

He ran out almost as if escaping. Taking a breath of fresh air, Long Fei felt his mood improve a great deal.

So being a good person didn’t feel bad after all! Long Fei smiled, but the moment he thought of his five hundred thousand ending up in someone else’s hands, he frowned again.

Could it be that I really am an idiot with a capital I?

Just then, his phone rang. A text message.

“These are my phone number. Please be sure to find me within three months!”

The sender was Meng Ling.

What a stubborn woman. Crazy.

Long Fei muttered curses under his breath.

Military training was finally about to begin.

That morning, after arriving at school with Long Fei, Ye Qian had been somewhat gloomy. Thinking that Long Fei would be going to the camp and not returning to school for more than two weeks, she felt upset. And when she thought of Liu Ruoyi going along with Long Fei for the training, a faint sourness rose in her heart.

In truth, Ye Qian had not slept well the entire previous night. She had always believed that forcing Long Fei to be her boyfriend was merely so that she could torment him more conveniently, merely to ruin his plans to flirt with girls. But now she realized there was a trace of self-deception in that belief. If her feelings for Long Fei were not real, then why did her heart feel so empty whenever she thought of him leaving for military training? And when she thought of Liu Ruoyi, why did she herself feel sour and uncomfortable?

As for Long Fei, he did not notice Ye Qian’s expression at all. Instead, he was excitedly anticipating how he and Liu Ruoyi would spend this unforgettable half month. He did not think military training would be very hard. No matter how hard it was, it could not possibly be worse than the time he had spent in the world hunters’ training school, nor worse than the period he had lived among an African primitive tribe.

What Long Fei had never imagined, however, was that he had thought he would be grouped with Liu Ruoyi in the same company, only to be sorely disappointed. But then again, there was indeed a considerable difference in physical strength between boys and girls, so putting them together would not be convenient for training. Thinking this, Long Fei quickly let it go. In any case, they were in the same camp. He did not believe he would have no opportunity. As long as he put in a little more effort with Liu Ruoyi during the training, perhaps the day training ended would also be the day he completely won her over. At that thought, Long Fei felt a faint itch of excitement in his heart.

The parade ground was already filled with all the new students for the semester, more than a thousand in total. Because the music performance department had too few male students, the few of them were grouped together with some male students from the fine arts department into one company.

Fresh uniforms had already been issued. Yet once everyone put on these usually imposing military outfits, almost all the students could not help frowning. The clothes looked fine enough, but they were hot—no, they were like steamers. And looking up at the sun, which had only just risen but was already searingly fierce, all the students wore pained expressions.

Long Fei had originally planned to stand at the very back of the formation so he could take the opportunity to admire the girls’ backsides and figures in the other companies. Unfortunately, the instructor assigned him to the very front. This made Long Fei somewhat depressed. Still, seeing the young instructor standing before him, his body straight as a spear, Long Fei could not help finding it amusing. The kid stood in such a perfect position, with such a perfect posture. If one were to use Long Fei’s favorite leg technique against him, who knew what the result would be? Long Fei thought for a long time but could not figure it out. One thing, however, was certain: the instructor would most likely flare up at him. Considering that, Long Fei held back.

More than ten military trucks were parked in a corner of the parade ground. Each truck still had a soldier sitting behind the wheel, while at the front of each formation stood its instructor, likewise dressed in military uniform. Yet these instructors seemed entirely accustomed to the clothes. In the blazing heat, they hardly sweated at all, and even when they did, they did not seem particularly uncomfortable.

The speech on the platform was still continuing. First came the principal, then the dean, and then the commanding officer. What surprised Long Fei pleasantly was that he even saw Luo Hongli standing on the platform. The man now looked exceptionally solemn, utterly unlike the lecherous figure he had been last night at Heaven on Earth.