Chapter 30: Why don't you wait until tomorrow morning to come down?

Su Jinru glanced again at the door mirror, turned her head and said to Xia Xi, "Looks like someone from the residents' committee."

They had just moved in not long ago, the residents' committee came to register, several people came, that outside person seemed to be one of them, short hair, slightly plump, about fifty years old, quite amiable, Su Jinru had a slight impression.

"Is anyone home?"

After a long time without opening the door, the person outside shouted.

Su Jinru hurriedly opened the door.

The person outside froze for a moment, then laughed, saying, "I thought no one was inside, still wondering why the lights were on."

"Come in and have a seat." Su Jinru said while stepping aside to make room, asking, "Is there something you need?"

"I won't go in." The short-haired middle-aged woman waved her hand, standing still, "I came to this building to deliver something for someone, entrusted to call Xia Xi at 1003, are you Xia Xi?"

Su Jinru shook her head with a puzzled expression, saying, "Xia Xi is my daughter."

"Oh, that's right. Please tell your daughter that someone is waiting for her downstairs."

"Who?"

"I'm not sure about that." The short-haired woman said mysteriously, "It's a young guy, wearing a shirt and tie, tall, quite handsome, even drives a sports car—could he be your daughter's boyfriend? Did the lovebirds have a tiff?"

Xia Xi had no boyfriend. Su Jinru didn't know how to respond, gave a dry laugh twice.

"Alright, I've delivered the message, I'm leaving now." The short-haired woman said and walked toward the elevator.

Out of politeness, Su Jinru went out to see her off; the short-haired woman turned back, flicked her fingers outward, saying, "You can go back inside, no need to see me out."

Only then did Su Jinru stop, waited for the person to enter the elevator, then turned back inside and closed the door behind her.

The conversation at the door, Xia Xi heard every word, no need for Su Jinru to repeat it.

Su Jinru walked over, saw her put the last dumpling from the plate into her mouth, stood up, and leisurely cleared the empty plate and dipping dish, placing them in the sink.

"Why don't you go down and see? Maybe it's your coworker."

Xia Xi squeezed out two pumps of dish soap, turned on the faucet, water gushed down with a splashing sound, the sink filled with white foam, she plunged her hands in, scrubbing the dishes: "My coworkers have my contact information; they wouldn't have someone deliver a message to me late at night."

Su Jinru: "Do you know who it is?"

Xia Xi neither said she knew nor said she didn't: "You should rest early, it's almost ten."

Su Jinru's gaze shifted across her face a few times, seeing nothing, she nodded, saying that talking about rest she really felt sleepy, yawned, and went back to her room to sleep.

Xia Xi placed the washed dishes upside down on the drying rack, took a towel to wipe the water droplets from her hands, walked lightly to the floor-to-ceiling window, took a deep breath to steady herself, and gently lifted the curtain.

Through that narrow gap, Xia Xi made out the scene below.

A silver-gray sports car was parked under the streetlamp, a man leaned against the car, his shadow elongated, apparently smoking, a tiny red ember flickered between his fingers, the whole figure seemed forlorn.

It was Xu Yanfeng.

She hadn't guessed wrong.

So, she hadn't revealed it to her mother just now.

Xia Xi lowered her eyes, guessing he had come because of what happened tonight at Penglai Fandian, though she didn't know whether he was concerned for her or speaking up for his close brother.

Now, she truly had no confidence in how much weight she still held in his heart.

She silently stared at that silhouette for a while, Xia Xi released her hand, the curtain slid from her fingertips back to its original position, blocking her view. She ultimately didn't go downstairs, returned to her room, after washing up changed into a set of white silk long-sleeve pajamas, and sat at the vanity to tend to her skin.

As she patted toner onto her face, Xia Xi's gaze unintentionally flicked toward the window.

"If he can't wait for her, Xu Yanfeng will leave, right?"

He was never a very patient person. After Xia Xi finished her skincare routine, before getting into bed, she still couldn't resist and went to the window for a glance.

That person was still there.

Xia Xi furrowed her brows; she clearly knew what she should do—avoid seeing him, reduce contact, gradually drift apart until they became complete strangers, which was the correct choice.

Six years ago she left cleanly and decisively, never looking back; there's no reason she should become indecisive six years later.

Xia Xi lay numb on the bed, turned off the light, closed her eyes, tried to hypnotize herself by thinking of other things, thereby ignoring the waiting figure downstairs.

*Xu Yanfeng stubbed out his cigarette, then lifted his head to look up; all the lights on the tenth floor had already gone out.

He gave a self-mocking laugh.

This woman really is as ruthless as ever.

The one who once poured effort into flirting with him was her; later, without a word left, the one who abandoned him was also her.

Perhaps he never truly understood Xia Xi.

Xu Yanfeng opened the car door, bowed to get inside, pressed the start button; not knowing what he thought of, he turned the engine off again, his gaze heavy as he stared at the tightly closed unit door.

As if competing with himself, he decided to wait here today to see when Xia Xi would come out.

"Tomorrow morning?"

"Not necessarily; tomorrow is Saturday, no work."

Xu Yanfeng here was spiting himself, while Xia Xi there tossed and turned unable to sleep; she even tried to picture engineering diagrams in her mind but couldn't successfully hypnotize herself, always at some moment thinking of Xu Yanfeng, wondering if he was still waiting downstairs.

"Xia Xi, Xia Xi, how are you not even as good as your former self from six years ago."

"When they were most in love, she withdrew; or after having hurt him badly, it's easy to imagine how much Xu Yanfeng would be struck, whether he would spend night after night waiting downstairs at her building, hoping she'd appear to give him an explanation."

"Back then she left resolutely, without even glancing at him; how could the long passage of time have passed, and now she finds herself unable to bear it?"

"Is it because of guilt?"

Xia Xi realized she was once again involuntarily thinking of Xu Yanfeng; finally, in a resigned manner, she sat up, turned on the room light, barefoot got out of bed, walked to the window to look down.

The car was still parked there, no sign of Xu Yanfeng's figure; probably he was inside the car.

Xia Xi casually grabbed a coat from the closet, slipped it on, quietly went out, she pulled the collar together, fingers clenched tight, telling herself in her heart: I'm just going down to clear things up with him, nothing more.

In the sports car, the top-tier sound system played a soothing English song; Xu Yanfeng half-closed his eyes, chewing a refreshing mint candy, diluting the tobacco taste he didn't like.

"Squeak."

Suddenly, a jarring sound rang out, exceptionally clear in the quiet night, overpowering the low music.

Xu Yanfeng's eyelids twitched slightly, he slowly lifted them, looking through the windshield ahead, a slender figure emerged from the door, descended the steps, went around two slopes, and walked to his car.

Their eyes met, and Xu Yanfeng stayed seated, unmoving.

Helpless, Xia Xi went around to the driver's side and tapped the window twice with her finger.

Xu Yanfeng turned off the stereo, the window slowly lowered, and her gorgeous face became clearer.

"What do you want from me?" Xia Xi said the words she had prepared beforehand, her tone just right—she revealed no excess emotion, spoke formally, like reporting to a boss, in no way like facing an ex-boyfriend she once loved.

Her aloof demeanor provoked Xu Yanfeng; he narrowed his eyes and spoke in a cool tone: "Why don't you wait until tomorrow morning to come down?"

Xia Xi: '?'

Xu Er, how are you talking? If you don't want your mouth, we suggest you donate it (￣_，￣) (End of chapter).