Chapter 18 Innocence

In just one afternoon, Jia University's name "graced" the headlines.

A video of Lu Xun defending Lu Heyang was maliciously edited and uploaded to various social media platforms, with the sensational title: "Jia University Teacher Worse Than a Beast, Harasses Student and Resorts to Violence—Where's the Justice?"

In the video, both Lu Xun and Lu Heyang are completely exposed. Lu Xun stands protectively in front of Lu Heyang, pushing away the person holding the camera, his entire body radiating an icy fury. The camera shakes and spins amidst the chaos, capturing his tense jawline and the veins bulging on his hands, suggesting an act of violence is about to unfold, before the screen goes black amidst screams.

Lu Heyang hadn't anticipated the situation would escalate so quickly.

But in hindsight, it made sense. An overseas-returned professor, a prestigious university, a student-teacher relationship, violence—all these were the most attention-grabbing and sensational elements, converging in this one incident and setting the internet ablaze.

Countless WeChat messages, texts, and calls from unknown numbers flooded in. Some were from concerned parties, but the majority were insults. Apart from replying to Dean Wang's message approving his leave, Lu Heyang turned off his phone again and slumped back into his chair in exhaustion.

Lu Xun took the phone from him, and this time, Lu Heyang didn't resist.

"Losing faith in the world doesn't mean you stop eating steak. The media is always like this, don't let it get to you." Lu Xun resumed cutting his steak. "You're innocent; you'll be fine."

Lu Heyang said nothing, continuing to mechanically sip his soup, stuffing pieces of steak into his mouth one after the other, barely chewing before forcing the next bite in. Eventually, he began to choke, followed by silent retching.

"Drink some water..." Lu Xun quickly stood to hand him a glass.

Lu Heyang violently pushed him away and dashed to the restroom.

The sound of the faucet running was intense and relentless, with no sign of stopping. Lu Heyang gripped the sink's edge, staring at his dripping bangs and reddened eyes in the mirror, even his nose was red. His mouth tasted bitter and sour, and he kept rinsing with cold water until his lips turned pale and cold.

Innocent. What a joke.

From his relationship with his adoptive father, to the accusation of theft, and now the entanglement with Lu Xun—it was laughable. What innocence did he have left? He used to think that after ten years, once he had made a name for himself and returned, he could start over with dignity. But now he had earned a new reputation as a harasser of female students, and even dragged Lu Xun into the mess, making him a target of public outrage.

It seemed that he was just unlucky.

Ten years ago, at his parents' funeral, some relatives had said the same thing.

They whispered and pointed, saying he was their biological son, but they couldn't raise him right—he hadn't shed a single tear. They said he had a hard life, surviving ten years on his own after being abducted, only to return and bring misfortune by "cursing" his parents to death. The Lu family couple—they were such good people. They sighed. They had raised the adopted son, Lu Xun, so well, strong and tall, but still, they met a tragic end.

It was true, he didn't cry. But so what? It was all absurd. He'd only been back in the family for three years—he hadn't even had time to remember which teas Lu Bingwen liked, or eat enough of Su Mei's famous spicy chicken.

His own injuries hadn't even healed; his cast hadn't been removed. He still didn't understand how it had all happened. Why had that drunk truck driver been on the road? Why had everyone else in the car died, but he survived?

The media coverage had turned the tragedy into a story of parental love, and some reporters had dug up Lu Heyang's abduction story, pointing cameras at his vacant, emotionless eyes at the funeral, asking over and over about his feelings and thoughts, as if they were desperate to pry open his skull to see whether he felt the grief they expected, or if he could give them the answer they craved.

When it was all over and the crowds dispersed, he'd snuck away to a corner of the garden and started drinking. It was his first time drinking, and he'd brought ten beers, hoping to force himself to cry. But after just one bottle, he was already drunk, stumbling like a fool.

That summer night was so dark, stifling like the beer's bubbles, and that carbonation transferred into his body, swirling in his throat and pulsing through his veins. One leg in a cast, he tripped over someone's shoe and fell into a hot, slightly sweaty embrace that smelled of night wind and the summer heat.

Under the dim streetlight, he vaguely made out Lu Xun's inscrutable expression, his jaw clenched and brow furrowed.

Lu Heyang's interpretation of that look was disgust.

"Are you celebrating?" Lu Xun had pulled him away roughly, as if even a second of contact would cause his skin to burn. He didn't care whether Lu Heyang could stand, or if he would fall. "Are you happy? They died, and you're still alive."

"Yeah." Lu Heyang had smiled nonchalantly, lifting a bottle toward him, the motion carrying a breeze tinged with alcohol. "Want to join?"

Let's celebrate the severing of the last bond between us.

Let's celebrate going our separate ways.

Let's celebrate having nothing, and losing it all.

"Heartless!" Lu Xun had spat in frustration.

His life had been shattered, while Lu Heyang had remained detached, drinking and smiling lazily. Despite coming down to find him, Lu Xun's eyes had finally gone cold.

He had turned to walk away. But after several meters, he had paused, unable to shake the feeling that Lu Heyang was still tethered to him, like a string that wouldn't break.

And when he looked back, he saw Lu Heyang crouched on the ground, hugging his knees, shoulders trembling. The lamplight and shadows gently concealed his muffled sobs. Moths fluttered into the light, burning to ash.

"Lemon water."

Lu Xun handed him a glass, turning off the faucet as he did so.

"Thanks." Lu Heyang took it and drank in silence. The sour-sweet taste spread through his mouth, waking his senses and easing the nausea in his stomach.

"Shall we go?" Lu Xun reached out, attempting to drape an arm over his shoulder, but Lu Heyang sidestepped, adjusting his water-splattered sleeve, and walked out on his own.

They drove in silence. The shadows and lights outside the window flashed by, and Lu Heyang seemed like a different person. Lu Xun couldn't break the ice, nor could he even reach out to him.

It wasn't until they entered the apartment building that the soft jingle of keys broke the oppressive quiet between them, offering a brief respite from the tension.

"Wait." Lu Xun suddenly whispered, pulling Lu Heyang behind him.

"What is it?"

Lu Xun motioned for silence. He carefully turned the key in the lock. Inside, it was pitch black and eerily quiet.

He switched on his phone's flashlight, scanning the room. The shadows cast by the furniture seemed menacing, looming and shifting with the movement of the light, like vultures ready to strike.

Sweat dampened Lu Heyang's palms, a growing sense of unease gnawing at him.