Chapter 9 When You Are Hurt (Part One)

When Cornelia returned to her dormitory, she was still a little angry. But after thinking for a while, she was not so angry. She had such confidence in Marshall. She believed that no matter what he said or whether it was pleasant to hear, he would not have any malice.

This feeling was actually very comforting. Unlike Hilda, no matter how beautiful her words are, you will tremble in your heart.

Cornelia went to the dormitory of Rowena. Rowena was reading a book on the bed. Cornelia told her the good news, thinking that she would be very happy. But her reaction was not as good as what Cornelia had expected.

She was stunned for a while, and then smiled, but it was a little forced, like the winter sunshine, barely warm, but she always felt that it was not enough. She said, "Okay, then it's not difficult to wait for the bus." Closing the book in her hand, she asked, "By the way, does Marshall know that?"

Cornelia nodded and said, "When I just came back, I told him not to pick me up every time."

"You are so kind." Smiling, Rowena shook her head and said, "If Marshall doesn't go there, you may regret."

The word was too familiar to be heard. Without much reaction, Cornelia blurted out, "Rowena, did you say that you would bet that I won't regret it?"

"If I bet that you regret, will you regret?"

Cornelia said nothing.

Rowena said, "That's it. Cornelia, if you really regret, I will admit defeat for bet."

Looking at her, Cornelia smiled and said, "Admit defeat for bet? Rowena, the more you said, the more ridiculous it is. What you have learned from the counselor?"

"You are just bullying Marshall." Rowena said with a smile.

"What do you mean?" Cornelia asked.

Rowena just smiled and said nothing. Unlike Lettie, she seldom talked. Sometimes she would suddenly say something. If you really asked her, she might not be willing to tell you the truth.

To be honest, Cornelia didn't like that.

However, Cornelia was used to it, so she didn't ask too much.

In the following week, as expected, Marshall didn't pick up Cornelia anymore. He hadn't been in the History Department for a while. Thinking of this, Cornelia felt a little disappointed.

During this period of time, the director of Publicity Department of the student union, who Zoe admired for more than a semester, broke up with his girlfriend. Her admiration for him turned into love. It was getting more and more difficult for Jayne to maintain the relationship with her long-distance boyfriend, but she still refused the pursuer of the Chinese Department of the Peking University. That boy was very cute. It was said that after being refused, he was so depressed that he ran around the Weiming Lake every day. Lettie was still obsessed with her cousin, a boy at Grade 1999 of Civil Engineering Institute of Tsinghua University. Rowena was still calm and melancholy. Elena was still so noisy.

In fact, there were not so many drastic changes in life, but these quietly changed were the most irresistible. Spring, summer, autumn and winter, when they grew up, youth, age, strangeness, familiarity, intimacy, alienation, everything was quietly happening.

Although it was mid April, the rain was still so cold. Cornelia got off the bus and walked towards the school with a sky blue steel umbrella. At the same time, the other hand subconsciously pulled up the zipper of her coat.

The coat was very thin, but at least it could stop the wind.

She lowered her head to look at her feet. It was not until she was very close that she saw Marshall.

He stood under the locust tree on the roadside without an umbrella. His hair was a little messy because of the rain, and strands of hair stuck to his forehead.

Looking at him, Cornelia frowned. Then she moved the umbrella over him and said, "What's wrong with you? Why are you standing here?"

Marshall didn't answer but asked, "I told you not to work part-time. Why do you have to go? It's raining. Why do you have to go to work?"

"Why are you standing here in the rain?" Cornelia choked back.

Marshall couldn't answer, but smiled and said, "I'll put on the fire. It's cool."

The cheeky grin on his face was very familiar to Cornelia. Cornelia glared at him and said sourly, "Let's go. I'll send you back to your dormitory."

Marshall frowned as if he had been insulted, "What do you mean? Ask the girl to send me back. If I tell others, do I still want to stay?"

Cornelia burst into laughter. "Then you send me downstairs and take my umbrella to walk. Okay?"

"Okay, okay." Marshall nodded. "But the umbrella is so small. Can't you get closer to me?"

Cornelia took a look and found that it was true. Her left shoulder was exposed to the rain outside the umbrella. She had a good relationship with Marshall, but she seldom had close contact with him. But now Marshall mentioned it. If she had to keep a distance, it would be too hypocritical.

So she moved closer to Marshall, but she felt a little awkward.

Marshall seemed to be satisfied. He followed her to the school. As he shook his body like this, his arm kept rubbing against Cornelia's shoulder. Cornelia squinted at him and didn't say anything. She just said in her heart, "There are still a lot of things to deal with. I shouldn't have cared about you."

Not knowing why, Cornelia always felt that something was wrong. It was not until she walked to the entrance of the school that she realized that Marshall's left hand was in the pocket of the coat. In order to accommodate the small space under the umbrella, he specially pressed his arm tightly against his body. This posture made him look a little aggrieved.

At the thought of this, Cornelia felt that something was wrong with him since he never put his hand in the pocket.

At this moment, a car came over. There happened to be a puddle on the road. The two people failed to dodge and were splashed by the water brought by the wheels.

Cornelia hated mud and water splashing on her body the most. She could not help but frown slightly. "Damn it!" Marshall said. Seeing that the car didn't make any response and went straight away. Then he turned to Cornelia and asked, "Are you okay?"

In fact, Marshall was more miserable. He walked on the outer side of the road, and his trousers and coat were splashed.

He was already half wet, but it was different from being splashed.

Cornelia lowered her head to look at the trouser legs and said, "It doesn't matter. Anyway, I have to go back to wash my clothes."

It happened to be under a street lamp at that time. A wisp of Cornelia's hair was scattered on the side of her face. Marshall was in a daze. He wanted to tuck her hair behind, but he didn't dare. It was not until Cornelia called his name that he suddenly woke up. Noticing that half of her body was exposed outside the umbrella, he reached out and pulled her. "Come here."

Only then did he realize something and quickly put his hand back into his pocket. But Cornelia still saw it. In the dim light, she saw the ferocious wound, the black flesh, and the dark purple blood condensed.

Astonished, Cornelia grabbed the scarred hand all of a sudden.

"What happened?" Cornelia's voice trembled in the dark and miserable air.

Marshall tried to withdraw his hand. But Cornelia hold him tightly. Marshall didn't want to draw it too hard, so he struggled a few times and stopped. The two of them just froze there.