The third ring of the phone sliced through the silence, finally drawing Gong Youqi from the bathroom. Feigning sleep, she heard him take the call out onto the balcony. A moment later, the warmth of his breath ghosted across her lips. He tucked the covers around her, a touch so light it barely ruffled the air, and then, he was gone, slipping out the door like a phantom.
She knew he was trustworthy, yet a sliver of unease, a serpent of doubt, coiled in her heart.
The sun was beginning to bleed into the sky when she arrived at Xin Yue. Yesterday, Chu Chu had confided that Aunt Xin, suddenly weary, intended to sell the nightclub. Seeing her friend's anguish, and determined to preserve Aunt Xin's life's work, Gong Youkai had swiftly stepped in. He'd acquired Xin Yue himself, with the plan of transferring it to Chu Chu's name. Thus, Xin Yue would be saved, and Chu Chu would have a purpose to keep her busy, to chase away the loneliness. Consequently, while renovations hummed during the day, the club continued to pulse with life each night.
As dusk settled, Su Yingran stood framed in the doorway, a vision in a creamy white cashmere coat. Her elegant form caught the eye of the workmen, who paused in their tasks, stealing glances at the woman who seemed to embody effortless grace.
"I asked him," she said, "and he told me you would be returning today."
Yu Xi knew exactly who "he" was, and understood that Gong Youqi had already met with her. Now that the conversation had taken place, the cards had been laid out. But what, then, was the purpose of this meeting? What game was Su Yingran playing?
The grand hall was empty. Yu Xi, as she had become accustomed to, poured a cup of hot cocoa for Su Yingran, and opted for plain water herself.
Su Yingran delicately sipped the fragrant, rich brew, her gaze fixed on the woman across from her. The woman who, stripped of her usual vibrant adornments, now appeared in simple, youthful attire. She could scarcely believe that Gong Youqi could abandon her for a woman like Yu Xi. Now, witnessing the other woman's unpretentious ease, she realized Yu Xi was her true competitor.
A whisper of remorse drifted in Yu Xi's heart for Su Yingran. Though she'd never desired to steal Gong Youqi, he'd chosen her over Su Yingran. This left Yu Xi feeling as though she had inadvertently wandered into a minefield, inheriting the curse of being the target.
"You won't withdraw, will you?" Su Yingran's voice, soft as a fallen leaf, broke the silence. Her gaze was fixed on the tabletop.
Yu Xi swirled her water, a silent affirmation.
"He waited for me, for two long years. And then, just as I returned, he fell in love with someone else again." The words held a thread of sorrow. "If he hadn't given me hope, I wouldn't have taken the gamble with him. When we were finally on the cusp of a new beginning, you, came and ruined everything."
She felt she should pity Su Yingran. If their positions were reversed, she might find herself consumed by similar anguish. But Yu Xi wasn't a saint. When Gong Youqi's feelings remained uncertain, she had refrained from interfering. She had even offered to help them reunite. But love, like a capricious wind, refuses to adhere to logic. There are no timelines, no rights to be claimed. Only the stark reality of love, or its absence. Now, he loved her. And, she, in turn, loved him. And in that, she saw no reason to sacrifice their bond.
"Perhaps you two missed your chance two years ago, and both of you refused to let go." Yu Xi had no desire to take sides, but as an observer, she saw the truth, "Miss Su, do you dare to say you felt nothing for Xue during those two years? He gave you time, he waited for you to accept him completely. He never pushed you to marry him. But if he had made that request during those two years, would you have rejected him because of Gong Youqi?"
Su Yingran was stunned. She'd never seriously considered that question. If Xue Han had proposed marriage earlier, she might not have had the courage to refuse. Perhaps, from the start, she'd felt she was destined for a family arranged marriage. In turn, she had instinctively recoiled from the suitors her parents had selected for her.
She didn't dislike Xue Han. She was, in fact, grateful for his consideration. If it hadn't been for Gong Youqi, perhaps she would have eventually fallen in love with Xue Han. But Gong Youqi was the most perfect encounter of her life, a living testament to her refusal to surrender to fate. For many, the unobtainable is always the most desirable.
Witnessing the hurt in Su Yingran's eyes, Yu Xi found her thoughts drifting to Xue Han, that reserved, gentle man. That time at Xin Yue when he had spoken of Gong Youqi and Su Yingran's impending marriage, his eyes had reflected a pain that was both restrained and profound. Yu Xi had felt a sense of shared loss, a camaraderie of the heartbroken, and, with Lu Renjie present, they had been forced to find solace by drowning their sorrows in iced water.
"You won't withdraw, will you?" Su Yingran's gaze locked onto Yu Xi, repeating the question.
Yu Xi sighed softly. "You must have spoken with him already. It isn't about me wanting to withdraw. Love involves two people. If Gong Youqi still loved you, there would be no room for me to enter their equation."
Annoyance sparked within her. She didn't want to meddle in Gong Youqi's mess. She privately cursed herself for falling for a man with a past. Men, as she understood, are fickle creatures. Perhaps Gong Youqi would fall for another woman one day. The thought crossed her mind, a desire to carve the words "heartbreaker" into his forehead with a knife. Then she would leave him, disappearing with a final, decisive step.
Su Yingran had indeed heard the words "I'm sorry" from Gong Youqi once more. He had promised to handle the matters of Su's company, but when it came to the question of their engagement, he had stated, without hesitation, that he could no longer hurt Yu Xi. But she wasn't resigned to losing. Maybe Yu Xi was right; she and Gong Youqi had missed their chance before they even started. She wanted to give herself and Gong Youqi another opportunity. She believed Gong Youqi would fall for her again.
She unconsciously touched her handbag, recalling her purpose for being there. Her tactics might be cruel, but she felt she had no other choice. She wanted to make another gamble, to see if the woman Gong Youqi loved would sacrifice herself for his reputation.
"The media already knows about our relationship." Su Yingran spoke calmly. "You're aware of the magazine, I imagine." She recalled Gong Youqi wiping away her tears in the morning, a scene captured by the lurking reporters. The intimate scene would be used for further scandal. With a wry smile, she continued. "His company is currently attracting considerable attention in the business world. He's working very hard to secure a crucial project."
Yu Xi raised an eyebrow. "Are you implying that rumors about us would affect his chances?"
"You are indeed clever," Su Yingran paused and nodded. "If my company supported him in the business community, it would make it much easier for him to succeed. The rumors of marriage would only work to his benefit. But if he were to clarify everything to the media, it would be met with condemnation. As you know, a person's reputation is very important."
"What does this have to do with his reputation?"
"I believe you understand that he gave me the 'Crystal Heart,' and that you know the significance of that diamond." Su Yingran, as a veteran of the business world, was more adept at the machinations of the game. "My cousin's jewelry store had an anniversary celebration a few days ago, and they borrowed the diamond for display. The story of that diamond is no longer a secret."
Yu Xi now understood Su Yingran's meaning. She hadn't followed the news lately, but she assumed the rumors about the two of them had been widely publicized. Coupled with the legend of the "Crystal Heart," Gong Youqi, that fool, had been christened as a man deeply in love with Su Yingran, and the media, for the most part, had even forgiven him for taking Su Yingran from Xue Han. The press had glorified their unwavering, heart-rending love. But if he clarified to the media that he wouldn't marry Su Yingran, the public's admiration would likely morph into condemnation, stripping him of his reputation, pushing him down into the mud.
A chill crept through her. She didn't know how much of the media attention had been orchestrated by Su Yingran, but it was clear Su Yingran was pleased by the exposure. Yu Xi didn't understand the inner workings of the business world. She didn't know the impact of the negative rumors. Or how important that project was to Gong Youqi.
She felt increasingly exasperated. From the beginning, she and Gong Youqi had been an unlikely pair. Her status wasn't equal to his. She couldn't help him with his work. She watched him running between his company and Youbang, often working late nights. No matter how talented he was, Gong Youqi was still a flesh-and-blood man with responsibilities. He had parents to consider, a company of thousands, a world of cutthroat business and scheming, duties he couldn't ignore. She knew all this, which was why she never wanted to add to his burdens. She had been staying at Youbang, obediently taking her medication, and making sure not to cause him any trouble.
She never wanted to become a burden to him, to sacrifice their relationship in the name of love. And yet, she was trapped. She couldn't release her feelings for him.
Su Yingran sensed Yu Xi's hesitation. If Yu Xi truly loved Gong Youqi, she wouldn't allow him to be condemned by public opinion. She pressed on, "Miss Yu, I think you understand his current situation. Perhaps he hasn't told you, because he doesn't want you to worry. But neither of us wants his reputation to be tarnished, to impact his company's future."
Yu Xi looked up, her clear eyes meeting Su Yingran's, and smiled wryly, "You might be disappointed. Perhaps he has to face many challenges, but since he hasn't given up, why shouldn't I choose to believe in him?" Even though she did grumble about Gong Youqi, a usually savvy man, having been fooled by Su Yingran, Yu Xi detested being threatened, and she didn't believe Gong Youqi was afraid of those public opinions.
Her blunt refusal hung in the air. Su Yingran's expression darkened.
"You won't withdraw, will you?" This was the third time she had asked the question that day.
Yu Xi looked at her, and said, very straightforwardly, "No."
Su Yingran's face went ashen. Her fingers clutched her handbag.
A workman entered the hall, announcing that they were finishing for the day and asking that someone go outside to inspect. Yu Xi answered in the affirmative and said, "Wait a moment" to Su Yingran, heading toward the door. As she reached the corridor, Su Yingran suddenly called out, "Wait."
Yu Xi turned and saw Su Yingran rushing toward her, a look of desperation etched on her face. She frantically opened her handbag.
The corridor was dimly lit. Yu Xi was unsure what Su Yingran intended, and then, in a flash of light, she understood. A sharp fruit knife was pulled from the bag. Yu Xi took a involuntary step backward, her voice tinged with alarm, "What are you doing?!"
Su Yingran trembled as she held the knife, her gaze fixed on Yu Xi with a chilling determination. No, she would not hurt Yu Xi, as that would only ensure Gong Youqi would lose his feelings. She slowly raised her wrist, aiming the blade at her own artery, her voice laced with desperation, "I don't want to force you! But I can't bear to lose him!"
Yu Xi, her lips pressed into a tight line, watched her, wondering if Su Yingran had lost her mind, resorting to self-harm to threaten her. She tried to sound calm. "Miss Su, this isn't a game. Please don't do anything foolish."
"Haven't I done enough foolish things already?" Su Yingran gave a bitter smile. "I don't know what is right and what is wrong. I just want to keep him." Was she wrong to love him so desperately? Even if she was wrong, she didn't care. She had already made so many mistakes. This time, she had to make a stand.
"Can you keep him by hurting yourself? Su Yingran, how can you be so foolish! You're putting him under so much pressure. Isn't what you're doing also hurting others? Think of your mother, think of Xue Han, think of Gong Youqi, and think of me. Do you think we'll be at peace knowing what happened?" Yu Xi felt both anxious and angry. Su Yingran's actions felt juvenile. Had love truly stolen her reason, driving her to madness?
A flicker of hesitation crossed Su Yingran's eyes, only to be replaced by a grim resolve. She pressed the sharp blade against her skin, a sad smile gracing her face, "Why should I care so much anymore?"
"Stop! Stop! Don't do anything impulsive!" Yu Xi feared that her trembling hand might slip, and the blade might cut. She reached out, desperately trying to get closer to her, only to have Su Yingran step back. Yu Xi stopped and dropped her arm, saying helplessly, "Fine, say what I must do to make you stop."
"I don't want to hurt you. I just want you to give him and me a chance." Su Yingran said urgently. "If you're willing to leave him, I believe he will return to me. And if he leaves me, I truly don't want to live anymore."
Yu Xi said nothing, watching her, wanting neither to comply with her coercive demands, nor for her to harm herself. She wondered how to calm her down. But Su Yingran, quick witted, saw her plan, and her eyes filled with tears. "I know you still won't agree, I don't have the right to steal your love, but..." Tears streamed down her face. "I have nothing left. I can't lose the only thing I want."
"Are you certain he'll return to you if I leave?" Yu Xi wearily touched her forehead and sighed, "Su Yingran, do you believe Gong Youqi is the type of man who'll fall in and out of love so easily?" If so, she wouldn't have allowed herself to love someone so changeable. Although he had a past, he was still relatively honest in his affections. If he was playing both sides, she wouldn't accept him, even if she loved him.
"If you leave, I'll find a way to make him fall in love with me again." Su Yingran thought, then her expression darkened. "If he still insists on going back to you, then I'll completely give up."
Yu Xi was silent, watching Su Yingran lean against the door, her eyes a mixture of determination and despair. Someone outside suddenly tried to enter. They pushed on the door, and Su Yingran gave a cry and stumbled. The knife she had been holding lost control and the sharp edge slipped into her delicate skin. Crimson blood rolled down the blade, dropping onto the marble floor.
Everything happened so fast. The worker that had been trying to enter was dumbfounded, along with the other two. Yu Xi saw the blood dripping from the tip of the knife onto the marble floor and finally screamed, reaching out and grabbing Su Yingran's hand, trying to get the knife. Su Yingran saw the blood and was even more emotional and dizzy. Her face was pale, and she was struggling to retreat, saying, "Don't come closer!"
Yu Xi grabbed Su Yingran's fingers with all her might, pressing on the artery to stop the bleeding, and yelled at the confused worker, "Help call for an ambulance!"
Su Yingran was in tears because of the pain, and was pulling her tightly and saying, "You can't go back on your word! You just promised me, right? Don't lie to me, or I won't go to the hospital!"
For some reason, Yu Xi's eyes were red. She bit her lip and nodded, her voice full of exhaustion, saying, "Yes, I promise. I'll leave."
When Gong Youqi opened the hospital room door, Su Yingran had been given a sedative and was asleep. A thick bandage was wrapped around her left wrist. The doctor was inserting a needle into her right hand, and dark red blood was flowing from a blood bag into her frail body. He paused for a moment, searching for another figure with his eyes. Yu Xi was sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, staring blankly at Su Yingran on the bed, the sleeves of her pale yellow cashmere sweater stained with blood.
He had a brief conversation with the doctor, ensuring that Su Yingran hadn't hit an artery and that she had only lost a little blood and was merely passed out. He walked towards Yu Xi and called her softly, "Xi Xi."
He had been forthright with Su Yingran that morning. He would help her handle the "Huantai" matter, but he couldn't accept the marriage. He didn't expect to be forgiven. He would rather bear Su Yingran's hatred for a lifetime than hurt Yu Xi again. He was truly shocked when he received the phone call. He didn't expect Su Yingran to go looking for Yu Xi and then attempt suicide.
Yu Xi turned her head, her smile pale. "You're here." She looked at Su Yingran, and said softly, "I didn't expect her to do this."
"It's not your fault," he wrapped his arms around her, and felt her trembling slightly. He tightened his grip, stroking her messy hair, and sighed softly, "You must be scared."
"She told me not to tell her mother, but to say she's going on a business trip for a few days." Yu Xi said, muffled, leaning against his chest.
"Yes, I will find someone to notify her," he pulled her hand up and wanted to comfort her with a few words. When he realized that she had a scratch on her finger, he was immediately worried, and asked, "Why haven't you bandaged it?" He cleaned and bandaged it for her, his eyes full of affection, "Does it hurt?"
Yu Xi looked at him, and then shifted her gaze to the bed, her tone a little bit sorrowful, "She's in more pain than I am."
Gong Youqi remained silent and then turned to look at the unconscious Su Yingran, his eyes filled with guilt, as he held her hand tightly, "Yingran will be fine."
They remained silent for a moment. Yu Xi slowly stood up, and took a deep breath, "I'm tired and want to go back first. You stay here and keep her company. She will want to see you first when she wakes up."
Gong Youqi vaguely felt that she was not herself and that she had become much more serious. He thought she was shocked. He wanted her to rest early, and said, "I will have someone send you back."
"I can take a taxi myself," she smiled, and then gently touched his jaw. "The doctor said she'll probably be in the hospital for three or four days. Take care of your health while you're with her." She started to walk towards the door.
"Xiao Xi." Gong Youqi caught up to her in two or three steps, hugged her tightly from behind, and felt a sudden wave of panic, "Are you really okay?"
Yu Xi slowly pulled his fingers apart, turned around, and laughed, "I'll be a lively little fishy when you come and see me in two days."
Gong Youqi was relieved when he saw her smile, and then kissed her forehead. He opened the door for her, "It's dark. Be careful on the road. I will make some time to see you tomorrow."
"You should still stay with her," Yu Xi nodded at the bed, and then pretended to be angry with him, "Clean up your mess before you come and see me." She tugged on his tie, cleared her throat, and teased, "The man I want must be clear and pure. Got it?"
Gong Youqi was a little bit at a loss, and held her hand lightly. Before she had left, he was already missing her. Yu Xi blinked, smiled, pulled her hand away, and then swaggered off with light footsteps.
He stood at the door, watching the slender figure walking away further and further away in the long corridor, like a wind that had wandered off in the sky, coming and going in a hurry. He always had the feeling that he wanted to chase after her and hug her. He was full of regret for a long time after, as to whether he should have chased after her at the time to stop her from leaving. Would a different life and happiness have happened in the future?
The five months in Shanghai were filled with the early signs of summer. The afternoon sun was bright but not scorching. It streamed through the lush green leaves of the camphor trees, casting dappled shadows. The temperature was just right. Yu Xi wore a long-sleeved, off-white Western-style dress, black boots that showed off her slender legs, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses that hid half her face, looking every bit like a celebrity taking a clandestine stroll. Her return was the topic of several international phone calls. First came a call from the head of her department, complaining that her students were unhappy with her replacement and regretting letting her take a week off. Then came a call from Yu Chen, her younger brother, nagging her as usual, and finally, a phone call from a blue-eyed handsome man who had a sincere desire to fly to Shanghai to meet her.
Ben was the brother of one of Yu Xi's female students. He came to China on business often and was a big fan of Chinese culture. He had once heard how interesting Yu Xi's lessons were from his sister and had gone to attend one. He was completely overjoyed and couldn't wait to meet her. A few days ago, he came and stood outside her apartment with a bouquet of roses, a megaphone, and announced he was going to pursue her. He was knocked unconscious by a slipper thrown from the second floor by Yu Chen who had returned late after working all night. For her, Yu Xi was filled with remorse and had to take the situation, for her own benefit. Therefore, blue-eyed Ben was as unyielding as glue, much like Lan Da's resolve. She was once again tormented by phone calls.
When she arrived back at Xin Yue, Chu Chu and Gong Youkai were not there. Yu Xi examined the completely renovated grand hall, and as she looked back on all the good memories she had left there, she couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia. There was a new receptionist, who didn't know her, but said politely, "I'm sorry, ma'am. We haven't opened yet."
Yu Xi smiled, "I'm looking for your boss, Xiao Chu Chu."
The receptionist seemed to know she wasn't an ordinary guest and asked her to wait while she went to inform someone. Within a minute, someone hurried out from the back.
"Hello, Liuli," she recognized the capable, classic woman, and greeted her warmly. Liuli's eyes held a hint of resentment. Resentment? Yu Xi was puzzled. Surely she hadn't done anything to offend her?
"Are you finally back?" Liuli had sent someone to report her arrival. Looking her up and down, she couldn't help but to hold back, greeting her politely, "Chu Chu and the boss have gone to check the venue."
Like everyone else, Liuli didn't know what had happened between Yu Xi and Gong Youqi, but she knew that since Yu Xi's disappearance, her name had become a taboo. Gong Youqi had become quiet and withdrawn. He immersed himself in company and gang affairs. He stopped attending social gatherings. Everyone knew it was related to Yu Xi, but Gong Youqi had issued the order: No one was allowed to look for her, no one was allowed to ask any questions about her... and no one was allowed to mention that name in front of him.
Yu Xi didn't understand Liuli's meaning. She only knew she wasn't very welcome. If it weren't for Chu Chu, why would she come back? And even if she came back, what did that have to do with him? They hadn't had anything to do with each other in over a year. Her heart had already developed a thick armor, impervious to any attack. She wouldn't entangle herself with him anymore, nor would she foolishly wait around to be hurt again.
This place belonged to Youbang. She didn't have a reason to stay even a second longer. She said thank you and told her she would come back tomorrow, and then turned and left Xin Yue. And there he was.
Yu Xi felt her ears ringing instantly. It couldn't be denied he was even more handsome, more mature, and more alluring. He stood straight as a tree, and his brow was less gentle and hesitant than before. His eyes were sharp and decisive. Only the pupils were as black as before. It seemed that as soon as you stared into them, you'd fall into a vortex from which there was no escape.
She was grateful she was wearing sunglasses. Half of her small face was covered. Her emotions were well hidden. She noticed his hands were stiff and by his side. Was he not happy to see her? She had no desire to see him any longer.
Yu Xi smiled distantly, "Hello." She walked past him slowly, sensing the tension in his body. She gritted her teeth, trying to keep calm, and walked smoothly and calmly, exhaling evenly and completing her sentence, "Goodbye."
"...Is that your final answer?"
His mechanical voice made her pause. She turned her head and looked at him, thinking, did he want her to come up with a passionate kiss, embrace, cry out her old feelings, and ask him to go back to the past? What did he think of her?
The day she left, she had still made a phone call to him, but it was Su Yingran who answered. Su Yingran, who was still recovering in the hospital, said in a grief-stricken tone, "This is your and my last gamble. We will both pray for his final decision. If I still can't get him back during this period, and if he goes to Australia to look for you, then I will willingly withdraw."
She had promised Su Yingran that if Yu Xi left, she would give them the final test, only to quietly wait for the final result. In fact, she was very confident at the time. She thought that if Su Yingran got better, he would definitely go to Australia. However, she waited day after day, for over four hundred days, until all her hopes had turned into despair. She finally forced herself to accept the fact that he had given up on her.
And now, did she cry and beg him to give them another chance? Her feelings weren't so cheap as to be used for self-respect.
His gaze was sharp, and his voice was suppressed. He asked again, "Hello, goodbye, hmm? Is that all you have to say?!"
"Should I say something else?" Yu Xi asked sarcastically. The phone in her pocket rang again, and she pressed the answer button, and blue-eyed Ben said in broken Chinese, "CiCi, I miss you!" Yu Xi's eyes moved slightly, and she looked away from Gong Youqi, turning her head and chatting sweetly on the phone as she walked away. She felt a sense of satisfaction. She wasn't unwanted. She didn't have to be pinned down by him.
Gong Youqi watched her leave, and his fists clenched tighter, as if his bones were about to break. He slammed one fist on the tempered glass of the Xin Yue door, and the dull sound of shattering glass was so similar to the sound of his heart breaking.
His vision slowly blurred. He ignored Liuli who came over to grab his injured hand and scream, and felt that the whole world was getting darker and darker. All of his patience, perseverance, and all his hopes, as if they were balloons that were floating up in the air, and as he thought they had finally reached the end, they suddenly exploded due to the merciless air pressure, and turned into nothingness.
Xiao Xi... Xiao Xi! After I had followed your instructions and remained silent and accepted your test to give you enough freedom to thoroughly think about yourself, and after I had spent so many days in agony waiting for you, "hello goodbye" were your final answers?!
In the empty white hospital room, the two people had been sitting quietly for a long time.
"You really won't accept me again, will you?" Su Yingran was silently crying, she had thought she could get closer to him again by getting him to be her caregiver. But he refused to touch her.
Gong Youqi was calm, "Yingran, I've already missed my chance. I don't want to make the same mistake. The only person I love in my life is her."
She closed her eyes and thought for a long time, before saying in a tired voice, "She left yesterday..." When she saw Gong Youqi stand up suddenly, Su Yingran called him back and said with a little cold smile, "She asked me to tell you something."
"What?" Gong Youqi tried his best to suppress his agitated emotions and almost couldn't control himself from immediately going to look for her.
"It was me who asked her to leave," Su Yingran didn't look at him, but a hint of cruelty flashed in her eyes. "I made an agreement with her, she left and we could give us another chance, and she could also give herself a chance."
Gong Youqi's voice turned cold, "Explain yourself clearly."
"You admitted that you were unfair to me, didn't you? Your lack of focus hurt two women, and she must have complained about it. And so," she looked out the window and laughed, "This is the punishment we set for you: you waited two years for me, and this time you will have to spend the same amount of time waiting for her. She hoped that in these two years, you wouldn't disturb her in any way, wouldn't try to find out any news about her, and that you would give her complete freedom to think about whether you were worthy of her love. In these two years, you aren't allowed to mention her to anyone, just like how you had been with me, and you have to be as forbearing as before. You and her aren't allowed to have any news. You're strangers, unless she returns to look for you early, and then it probably means that she already has her answer."
"Perhaps you'll spend two years waiting, and then find she has a new lover, then consider it fate using her hand to avenge me. If you can't persevere for two years and contact her or look for her, she'll never accept you again." Su Yingran slowly looked at him, and her expression was almost a distortion, and she laughed coldly, "Gong Youqi, do you dare to take this bet with us?"
His spine grew cold slowly, and he stood for a long time before asking slowly, "Did she really say that?"
Su Yingran smiled warmly, "You and I have known each other for two years, have I ever lied to you?"
Gong Youqi looked at the floor, and heard the sound of his heart beating, and thought about the bet of sin and punishment, but couldn't find any loopholes. With Su Yingran's enchanting smile, he heard his voice sounding a little bit old in an instant, "Fine, I will prove it to her."
She's back. The answer is obvious.
But how was he to accept it? She had clearly been connected to him, he thought he could just continue on forever. He also knew that she had always been so distant, her emotions had never been fully expressed. He'd never had complete certainty that he had been able to enter her heart.
In these long days of waiting, he had almost gone crazy. He couldn't have any news of her, but his longing for her grew every day. He felt as if he was always in a state of unknown fear, and he was afraid that she wouldn't come back. When he saw her again, she was as carefree, beautiful, and alluring as ever. He tried his best to suppress his heart from jumping out of his chest, and was trying to maintain his composure, and didn't want to scare her away. He was fully focused, waiting for her to throw herself into his arms, or to look at him with affection and say, "I'm back."
However, she said coldly, "Hello, goodbye." Then she chatted intimately with another man, and left him and walked away.
He wanted to rip his chest open and show her his broken heart, and what it had turned into. Why could she cut everything so easily?
Xi Xi, you're so cruel.
These two days, Yu Xi had been staying at the orphanage. She watched as Aunt Xin had finally lived next to Liang Shu, like a pair of hermits in the mountains. They were busy and content every day, surrounded by the sounds of children playing and laughing. She was suddenly so envious. Would she have to wait many years before she could find her happiness, and who would be by her side to grow old with her?
Chu Chu had come once and was glowing with happiness. And then she pulled her back but didn't mention Gong Youqi. She had complained that Gong Youqi had hurt Xiao Xi for the sake of Su Yingran, but what had happened between the two of them for them to really separate, and they didn't reveal anything and made people anxious. When she discussed with Gong Youkai, that man had just flung himself at her and said with heavy breathing, "Let's get married, Chu Chu. If they don't want to see us, then we will make them meet."
Yu Xi had been staying with Aunt Xin every night. Aunt Xin was like a mother. She patted her back slowly and allowed her to fall asleep. She had heard Chu Chu talk about Yu Xi and Gong Youqi's separation, and advised her gently, "Xi Xi, not everyone can spend their remaining life with the person they love after they've loved each other. There are so many uncertain dangers in life that will separate the two of you at any time. If you still know and love each other, you should try to enjoy it and not let go easily. There aren't so many people in this world who truly love you."
Yu Xi buried her face in her arms and sighed silently. In the end, who had let go first?
Gong Youkai and Xiao Chu Chu's wedding arrived as planned.
The hall that could accommodate almost a thousand people was crowded, and there were only three people on Chu Chu's side: Aunt Xin and Liang Shu as the families, and Yu Xi as the bridesmaid. Originally, Yu Chen was supposed to come too, but there were problems at his company, and he couldn't make it. He made a few phone calls and apologized to Chu Chu. The rest of the people were all for Gong Youkai, the boss of Youbang. There were many people from the underworld, the business world, the police, and the political world, and they were coming in and out, laughing, and praising the good looks of the groom and bride.
Yu Xi wore a simple and low-key bridesmaid's dress. Chu Chu was the main character today. She radiated with radiance and Yu Xi was just there to accompany her. Gong Youkai wore a pure white suit, concealing three points of his domineering aura, and he was a perfect match for Chu Chu. The two of them were receiving everyone's attention.
Yu Xi was in a daze and didn't dare to look at Gong Youkai, who was the best man. He wore a black suit. He looked handsome and was full of style. However, when their eyes met, his gaze became dark and frightening instantly. She was truly happy for Chu Chu, but she was also anxious. She had managed to participate carefully in the ceremony, and wanted to find a quiet place to rest.
She took a glass of wine and hid in the corner. She looked at the handsome men and beautiful women in the audience, but couldn't be bothered to appreciate them. Suddenly, she glanced at the black-suited figure and was a little stunned. A very pretty girl was intimately holding his arm. It seemed like she was proudly introducing him to the other beauties. He turned to look at the woman in his arms, and smiled with a rare, gentle gaze. He stroked her short hair.
Yu Xi was holding a glass but had forgotten to swallow, and choked on the strong wine. She started to cry instantly. She was pushed into the crowd, bumping into him as she walked from the beauties,
and said in a low voice,
"I'
End~