Chapter 9: She Doesn't Love You

Ling Yan's eyelashes trembled, like a butterfly's wings wet with water, pitiful; she gripped the corner of Xu Yanfeng's clothing, her fingers turning white from the force: "A Feng..."

Xu Yanfeng didn't look at her again, his gaze fixed on Xia Xi, not giving her a chance to refuse, he pulled her to the table where he had been sitting.

Ling Yan watched helplessly as the corner of cloth slipped from her hand; she grabbed at it in vain, catching nothing but air, just as she could never catch Xu Yanfeng himself.

Back then it was the same: she watched him walk toward Xia Xi, she could only hide in the dark, masochistically peeking at their sweet moments together.

Ling Yan closed her eyes in despair, took a deep breath, and walked out of the restaurant.

She didn't leave by car, standing at the roadside with both hands gripping her bag's handles in front of her, she looked through the floor-to-ceiling glass at the two figures sitting opposite each other, unable to hear what they were saying; just watching them was enough.

In the restaurant, Xia Xi's expression was blank: 'What do you want to talk about?'

What needed to be said had already been made clear last time in the hotel.

Xu Yanfeng didn't speak, his gaze wandering over her face.

Gradually, Xia Xi found it hard to sit still; the man's gaze seemed to turn into a tangible thing, inch by inch stroking her skin.

'Xu Yanfeng, what exactly do you want to say?' Xia Xi stared into his eyes.

Xu Yanfeng gave a slight smile: 'Not calling me Mr. Xu anymore?'

Xia Xi was speechless.

To be honest, being caught in an embarrassing state by him today was quite embarrassing.

She also cared about face; being watched by others was fine, she wouldn't develop any extra emotions, but with Xu Yanfeng she was most unwilling to show her disheveled side before him.

Xu Yanfeng said slowly: 'Divorce, bringing two kids, what does that mean?'

Last time at the hotel he only saw that little girl; could she have another child? Xia Xi knew she couldn't avoid the topic, her tone calm: 'Literally.'

Xu Yanfeng's eyes turned cold, a sneer curling his lips: 'You make it seem like I owe you. When we were together, wasn't I good to you? Xia Xi.'

The question 'Wasn't I good to you?' made the usually strong Xia Xi's eyes sting badly; she pinched the flesh of her palm, forcing herself to stay calm, not wanting to show weakness before him.

There was nothing wrong with how he treated her; he was too good to her, to the point that everyone in the school knew of his favoritism.

On the contrary, it was she who let him down, abandoning him.

It was she who owed him.

Xia Xi felt she couldn't go on like this; she wasn't as strong as she thought, and would eventually break down. She stood up, suppressed the sob rising in her throat, and spoke calmly: 'I have something to do, I'm leaving first.'

She didn't say goodbye, hoping never to meet again.

She hurried, almost bumping into the glass of the revolving door; leaving the restaurant, a gust of wind blew, and her eyes finally wet. Turning her head, she caught sight of Ling Yan standing not far away, the wind lifting her soft long hair, a small face, slender figure, appearing fragile and pitiful.

Ling Yan was also looking at her, fingers hooking a strand of hair behind her ear, the emotion in her eyes impossible to hide: resentment.

Xia Xi had known back then that Ling Yan liked Xu Yanfeng; this gaze blamed her for appearing before Xu Yanfeng again.

*Ling Yan waited a long time before Xu Yanfeng walked out of the restaurant.

The man held a lit cigarette between his fingertips; wind blew, the ember glowed and faded. His eyes were dark, always making it hard to guess what he was thinking.

Since he hasn't forgotten Xia Xi, does he love that woman more, or hate her more?

Ling Yan didn't dare think too deeply, walked up to him: 'A Feng.'

Xu Yanfeng gave her a faint glance, his finger lightly tapping the ash, a bit falling, he frowned slightly: 'Why didn't you leave?'

Ling Yan forced a smile, her voice consistently gentle: 'Anyway, nothing's up, I'm waiting for you.'

The two walked toward the parking spot; Ling Yan casually brought up Xia Xi, trying to probe Xu Yanfeng's attitude toward her: 'What a coincidence, I didn't expect to run into Xia Xi here. She seems to be... on a blind date?'

Xu Yanfeng didn't respond, passing a trash can, he flicked the cigarette butt into the ashtray.

His steps were big and fast; Ling Yan, in her thin heels, struggled to keep up, looking like she was jogging after him, her breathing growing ragged. She steeled herself and dropped a bombshell: 'You're not with Zhou Du, are you?' Upon hearing Zhou Du's name, Xu Yanfeng halted abruptly, as if slamming the brakes on a highway. Ling Yan was startled by the sudden low pressure, her mind unsteady, she twisted her ankle, a piercing pain shooting up.

Xu Yanfeng gave her a cold look: 'What do you want to say?'

He can mention Zhou Du himself, but that doesn't mean others can bring him up in front of him.

Ling Yan bit her lip to endure the pain, feeling wronged and helpless, she simply gave up probing and laid it out: 'A Feng, I'm worried you'll be bewitched by her again; the way she treated you back then was pure manipulation. She doesn't love you.'

Xu Yanfeng suddenly chuckled, the smile not reaching his eyes.

Ling Yan looked bewildered, her heart thumping.

'What's he laughing at?' 'I'm an adult with my own judgment, not a three-year-old; I don't need others telling me what I can or cannot do.' Xu Yanfeng looked at her without warmth: 'Understand?'

Ling Yan's eyes finally reddened: 'And you? Do you still love her? Even if she betrayed you, slept with another man, and you caught them in the act, do you still love her?!'

She almost shouted those words.

She wanted to tear open Xu Yanfeng's old wound, sprinkle salt on it, make him remember the past pain so he wouldn't repeat the mistake.

Unfortunately, she didn't get an answer.

*Xia Xi was in a bad mood, couldn't drive for a while, she leaned on the steering wheel, closed her eyes to rest.

Her phone rang once; she didn't move, rang again, then she slowly sat up and took out her phone from her bag.

It was a message from her mother.

It asked how her chat with He Xiaofeng was going, and whether she had taken a liking to him.

Xia Xi felt exhausted, didn't reply.

She had few friends on WeChat; her fingertip rested on the screen, she scrolled up and down, found a name, and tapped into it.

Xia Xi typed a few characters and sent: 'What are you up to?'

Liang Yuan replied quickly: 'Just got off work, on the subway home. What's up?'

Liang Yuan grew up with her as close friends; neither of them are from Nancheng, they're from the neighboring province. Now Liang Yuan also works in Nancheng, as a salesperson at a luxury boutique.

Xia Xi: 'My mother tricked me into a blind date, I met a weird guy.'

She didn't mention Xu Yanfeng at all.

Liang Yuan perked up: 'Big sis, you're such a great beauty, do you still need a blind date? What's Aunt thinking? Hurry and tell me the details.'

Xia Xi couldn't be bothered to type, she sent a voice message summarizing tonight's events to her.

Liang Yuan got off the subway, also used voice, her emotions very excited: 'Holy shit, so shameless? You've run into a pretentious guy plus version, huh. Not just pretentious, but also sleazy!'

Xia Xi didn't get her meaning, so she asked her: "What kind of guy?"

"Puxin nan! A guy who's ordinary in every way but full of self-confidence." Liang Yuan finished explaining, then sighed, "You've been out of the domestic internet loop for too long—you don't even know this."

After a brief back-and-forth chat, Xia Xi felt much better and drove home.

As soon as she stepped inside, Su Jinru grabbed her: "How's it going? How's it going? Do you think it could work? Your Aunt Su can't stop praising that guy—she says she's close to me, specially saved him for my daughter, and hasn't introduced him to anyone else. Maybe it's because we both share the surname Su."

Xi Xi patted her mother's shoulder: "That Aunt Su..."

Su Jinru pressed urgently: "What's wrong?"

Xia Xi then said: "Let's not keep in touch anymore."

Su Jinru: "?"

Hahahaha... (End of chapter)