Chapter 282: Could you reply with just one sentence?

Okay, I won't say more, don't cry.

Xu Yanfeng felt guilty, lowered his eyelashes, raised his hand, and his fingertips lightly brushed Xia Xi's eye corner, helping her wipe away tears.

He really should die; he obviously wanted to reconcile with her, but instead made things worse and made her cry. She rarely cried before.

Xia Xi also didn't want to cry in front of him, feeling embarrassed, but she couldn't help it.

After a few sniffles, Xia Xi gradually stopped crying, pulling away from Xu Yanfeng's embrace. He didn't want to let go, but her eyes showed a chill, his heart twitched, he dared not upset her further, so he obediently lowered his hand.

Xia Xi tidied the hair by her ears and slowly said, "I want to calm down for a moment."

She turned sideways to press the elevator button; Xu Yanfeng was anxious and grabbed her arm.

"Don't make me say it again." Xia Xi lowered her wet eyelashes and pried open his hand.

The elevator arrived, the doors opened, and Xia Xi walked in.

Xu Yanfeng wanted to follow her in, but her gaze forced him back; he had to stay outside the elevator, watching the doors close, the red numbers beside him ticking down.

He walked back to the ward in a dejected manner, took off the hospital gown he had been wearing for the act, and put back on his own shirt and suit.

Xu Yanfeng left the hospital; chilly winds blew, his mood extremely gloomy. While waiting for the driver to bring the car, he called Tang Yizhou.

Tang Yizhou had arranged to meet Fu Li and a few others, they were drinking somewhere; seeing Xu Yanfeng's incoming call, he deliberately went to a quiet corner to answer, his spirits high: "How's it going, brother? Does Xia Xi care for you immensely? Held in hand fearing to drop, held in mouth fearing to melt—your relationship has progressed even further than before."

Hearing him talk as if doing crosstalk, Xu Yanfeng couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.

"Ha. Let's break off relations; from now on, don't say you're my friend in public."

"No, what do you mean?" Tang Yizhou stared, his tone turning more serious, "Does this trick not work on Xia Xi?"

Before Xu Yanfeng could answer, Teacher Tang went on his own analysis: "You're done, Xu Er, the problem is serious. If even the bitter-sweet ploy doesn't work, it only shows Xia Xi no longer cares about you."

Xu Yanfeng said lightly: "She discovered the car accident was fake, and I made her cry out of anger."

Tang Yizhou: "?"

How could this be.

"Isn't it because your acting is too poor, Xu Er? How could you be exposed? I've already greeted my cousin's side." Tang Yizhou found it funny and felt a bit sympathetic toward Xu Yanfeng's predicament: "Xia Xi is already crying angrily—what should we do?"

That woman Xia Xi seems invulnerable to blades and fire; Tang Yizhou has never seen her cry. This is now tricky.

"You're asking me?" Xu Yanfeng really wanted to give him a good scolding.

He had exhausted all his efforts, finally managing to draw a little closer to Xia Xi; now it's all gone, overnight back to square one, all his hard work for nothing.

"Tsk, can this be blamed on me? I was just trying to help." Tang Yizhou seemed innocent, thought a while, then had an idea: "How about this, I'll give you another suggestion, you..."

Before Tang Yizhou could finish, Xu Yanfeng hung up.

He firmly resolved not to trust him anymore, nonsense after nonsense.

Xia Xi hailed a taxi at the hospital entrance and told the driver to go to Lanting Bay Residential Area.

The sky darkened, lights began to glow; Xia Xi got out of the car, the early spring evening wind brushed her face, cool and fresh, she inhaled lightly, composed her mood, and went upstairs.

It was already past dinner time; Xia Yue heard she hadn't eaten, so she cooked her a bowl of noodles with lots of beef inside.

Xia Xi sat at the dining table, picked up her chopsticks, lifted a few strands of noodles, blew on them, and ate them.

"How's the taste?" Xia Yue looked at her from across the table, smiling gently.

The family's concern made Xia Xi's nose feel sour; today she seemed especially emotional, she swallowed the noodles and said, "It's delicious."

"As long as you like it."

As soon as she entered, Xia Yue noticed her complexion wasn't good, seeming very tired. Not knowing if it was work-related, she couldn't help much, only able to offer some comfort in other ways.

After a few seconds of silence, Xia Yue softly asked her: "Will you go back to Xu Yanfeng's place tonight?"

Xia Xi shook her head, her tone slow and low: "No, I'll stay here tonight."

After a pause, she added: "From now on, I'll stay here."

Regardless of any agreement, she doesn't want to keep it; can Xu Yanfeng still force her?

Xia Yue hesitated slightly, thinking of a possibility; Xia Xi's state shouldn't be due to work troubles, she chose her words carefully and asked: "You and Xu Yanfeng... did you two have an argument?"

Youyou occasionally comes back to stay; she heard from the little girl that Xia Xi and Xu Yanfeng get along quite well.

She thus knew they still had feelings for each other, not something easily let go.

Even facing her own older sister, Xia Xi couldn't quite articulate today's thoughts; she blinked wearily: "It's not really an argument, just a little anger at him."

Using the car accident matter to deceive her—just thinking about it makes one furious; what normal person would do such a thing?

Xia Yue saw the annoyance between Xia Xi's brows and eyes, her lips curling slightly.

Xia Xi caught sight of her smiling, blinked: "Sis, what are you laughing at?"

After a moment's thought, Xia Yue hit the nail on the head: "Being angry at that person shows you still care about him. Truly not caring would only bring disappointment."

Xia Xi didn't want to admit it, nor could she refute, silently sipping her soup.

After she finished eating, Xia Yue cleared the bowls and chopsticks, and patted her shoulder: "Rest early."

Xia Xi, unusually not thinking about work, lay down early, didn't check her phone, fell asleep, naturally unaware that Xu Yanfeng had sent her dozens of apology messages.

The next morning, Xia Xi woke before the alarm rang, grabbed her phone to check the time; the WeChat unread messages were terrifyingly many, all from the same person.

Xu Yanfeng: "Sorry, please forgive me?"

Xu Yanfeng: "I was wrong."

Xu Yanfeng: "I shouldn't have deceived you."

Xu Yanfeng: "It was a momentary lapse; I promise I won't do it again."

Xu Yanfeng: "Believe me."

Xu Yanfeng: "Every word I said to you is true."

Xu Yanfeng: "Even if you don't forgive me now, could you reply with just one sentence?"

……

Back and forth, it's just those few sentences; he doesn't mind the trouble, repeating them over and over.

Xia Xi set down her phone, got out of bed, and went to the bathroom to wash up.

There was movement in the living room outside; it might be Su Jinru or Xia Yue waking up.

Xia Xi opened the bedroom door, saw no one in the living room, glanced into the kitchen, where Xia Yue was cooking century-egg and lean pork congee, the steamer holding the dumplings and shaomai she herself had wrapped, steam venting from the holes in the lid.

"Is there anything I can help with?" Xia Xi turned around, at a loss.

"You don't need to help here; I can handle it." Xia Yue smiled and pushed her, "Go wake Zi Heng and Youyou."

"They have an alarm in their room; I don't need to wake them, they'll get up on their own when it goes off."

"Then help clear the dishes."

"That works."

Xia Xi took five bowls and rinsed them under the faucet.

Just then the doorbell rang; Xia Yue nudged Xia Xi's arm: "I'll get it, you open the door."

Xia Xi dried her hands with a towel, left the kitchen, headed for the foyer, and pulled open the main door.

The man outside had raised his hand to press the doorbell again, but the door suddenly opened; his hand remained suspended in midair, he blinked slightly, looking at Xia Xi inside, pressed his lips, and spoke in a slightly lower voice: "Xia Xi."

It was Xu Yanfeng.

He took a step forward: "I—"

Before he could finish, Xia Xi's eyelid twitched and she slammed the door.

With a bang, the door shut in his face; if Xu Yanfeng hadn't reacted quickly and stepped back in time, the door might have broken his nose.

Xia Yue set the pot of congee on the table, looked toward the foyer, saw Xia Xi standing there blankly, and asked: "Who is it? Coming to knock on the door so early."

Xia Xi's expression was flat, her tone even: "Just a delivery person."

Xia Yue had no doubt, she said: "Where's the delivery?"

Xia Xi: "Wrong address."

Outside, hearing her speak, Xu Yanfeng: "……"