Chapter 22 I Like You, You Idiot

Xin Qi left before Yu Yue could even call out to him.

The man and his two dogs stood there dumbfounded, not knowing what had happened.

A voice inside Yu Yue told her that once he left, he would never come back.

She just didn't understand why things had turned out this way.

She hadn't offended him, Yu Yue thought she was already quite calm. Faced with his mockery, she even kindly took him home to have a drink of water and rest before leaving.

As a result, he turned against her because of Gu Yunze.

What do you mean she has no heart? If she had no heart, would she even be human?!

Well, Yu Yue was really angry, and the more she thought about it, the angrier she got.

Is it really necessary for Xin Qi to hate the other person so much over that misunderstanding about the birthday gift? Whenever she mentions her and Gu Yunze, he turns dark and leaves angrily without even listening to her explanation.

Is it because he's unhappy that she's with someone he dislikes?

Is it because he felt he had done a lot for her that she thought he was heartless and ungrateful?

Yu Yue felt increasingly suffocated and wronged the more she thought about it.

He clearly has a crush on someone he can't have, so why does he care who she dates?!

They're just mortal enemies, not the protagonists of a romance novel. Can't they be less controlling?

Even if he gets a little closer to someone he dislikes, he shouldn't take it out on her and completely break off the relationship because of that.

Yu Yue returned home in a huff, not in the mood to play with the two dogs. She simply told them to go back to their beds to sleep and then went to the bathroom to take a shower and wash up.

When she came out in her pajamas, she hesitated about whether to take out her phone and explain things to the other person.

She knew that Xin Qi was about to catch a plane back to the film crew, and perhaps once he joined the crew again, he would completely disappear from her world.

Yu Yue thought about it and was still unwilling to give up. She didn't want it to end like this without any explanation.

She still remembers how he left without saying goodbye back then, let alone this time. Yu Yue believes that if she doesn't do something now, she will regret it for the rest of her life.

So after hesitating for a long time, she finally opened the chat app on her phone and clicked on the other person's profile picture.

Her lower lip was bitten so hard it was bright red, and you could even taste a hint of rust, but Yu Yue was completely unaware of it.

She was just struggling with how to explain it.

I spent ages typing in the chat box, writing and deleting, writing and deleting, it wasn't even as difficult as writing a college entrance exam essay.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the highway, in a taxi heading to the airport, Xin Qi sat alone in the back seat, silently lost in thought.

Inside the car, the driver was listening to the radio when a sentimental song started playing, about a young person's unrequited love that had no future—perfectly fitting for the occasion.

The driver was a sentimental person, and when he got excited, he couldn't help but sing a song. The song was melodious and poignant, making the already annoyed person's eyelids twitch.

Ten years ago, on Christmas Day, it was snowing just like today. He held a Christmas apple and a doll in his arms, waiting foolishly for her, only to see her leave with someone else.

He sat there blankly by the roadside, until his mother, who had rushed over in a panic, took him away.

He sat silently in the back seat of the car, just like today, his eyes red and lost in thought.

Of course, he's grown up now, and he won't cry for her anymore. Like a wronged child who can't get their favorite candy—so childish.

He poured all his frustrations into her, yet she knew nothing of it.

Whether he didn't know or was just pretending, Xin Qi didn't want to investigate any further.

From this day forward, from this very moment forward, he and she shall have no further connection.

He was really tired and didn't want to foolishly chase after her anymore.

All the stupid things he's done over the years have been for her.

Perhaps it was something I owed her in a past life, and I have to repay it in this one.

"Young man, you look like you've just broken up with your boyfriend." The driver really knew how to bring up a sore spot.

Seeing that the passengers in the back remained silent, the sentimental driver couldn't help but speak up to comfort them, "Think positively, there are plenty of fish in the sea. Look at you, tall and thin, girls these days only like cool guys like you, why worry about not finding someone you like?"

Xin Qi remained silent.

The person I like doesn't like me.

"Okay, Uncle will play you another song." Then another love song started playing in the car, a cheerful folk song about lovers.

Xin Qi's eyelids twitched; he didn't want to be tortured by this folk song. However, the driver was completely absorbed in his art, and since he couldn't jump out of the car, he had no choice but to give up.

The snow outside the window had turned into a light drizzle and ice shards, pelting the windshield and abruptly blending into the singing, making one feel annoyed.

After a long while, Xin Qi picked up her phone and made a decision.

From now on, he will have no further contact with her.

Since she disliked him, even hated him so much that even with a fever, she insisted on photoshopping an ugly picture of him to vent her anger, and labeled it 'big idiot'.

Then this big idiot should realize his mistake, stop bothering people, and stop appearing in front of her.

He likes her so much, perhaps he should let her have his way.

As for Xin Kaixin... it might be better for her to raise her than for her to stay with him. From now on, let's change her surname to Yu Kaixin.

Xin Qi opened the chat interface on her phone, intending to explain Kaixin's situation and then completely delete her contact information, just like ten years ago, to go far away, to a place where she could never find her.

When I opened the chat window, I saw a message saying "typing..." on the other end.

His heart skipped a beat, and he waited to see what the woman was planning to post.

After waiting for a long time, the input suggestions disappeared again.

Xin Qi sneered, and just as she was about to type, she saw that the status on the other end had changed to 'typing' again.

So he waited, and then it disappeared, then it appeared again. After this happened several times, he couldn't help but laugh in exasperation.

Sure enough, she was sent by God to punish him; she couldn't stand to see him doing well and wanted to find someone to teach him a lesson.

After a long back-and-forth struggle, just when Xin Qi thought she had no intention of sending the message at all, a new message caught her eye.

[You heartless little devil: I've thought about it and I still need to clarify something with you. Gu Yunze just gave me a ride back to Z City on his way. My mom saw us and misunderstood. I'm not with him, and I have no intention of being with him.]

Xin Qi's face darkened again when she saw the message.

If I had known, I shouldn't have waited for the other person to speak first. I should have just finished explaining about the dog and said goodbye.

So without saying a word, he directly typed in the chat box:

[Xiao Qi: It was that guy who brought you back. Are you planning to bring you back to S City after the New Year?]

[You heartless little thing: I haven't even agreed yet!]

[Xiao Qi: You still want to agree?]

The conversation died down again.

[You heartless little devil: Oh right, there's something I need to tell you. I found the Polaroid camera you gave me before. I heard you misunderstood? I didn't actually give it to anyone else; I kept it to return it to you.]

Xin Qi's hand froze as he typed, completely stunned. After a long pause, he finally replied:

[Xiaoqi: Did he tell you about this?]

[The Heartless One: Yeah, I think this matter is still somewhat related to me, so I wanted to explain. I hope you won't hold a grudge against Gu Yunze; I didn't give it to him.]

Ha, what do you mean he took his anger out on someone else? That bastard knew he was misunderstanding all along but didn't say anything. What else could it be but intentional? He used to consider him a brother…

[Xiaoqi: You don't need to return it. I don't take back what I give away. You can do whatever you want with it.]

Fearing she might insist, Xinqi quickly ended the conversation.

[Xiaoqi: Okay, I won't chat anymore. Kaixin will stay with you for a while longer. I'm getting ready to board the plane. We'll talk again later.]

"Young man, you and your girlfriend are back together." In the rearview mirror, the driver looked over with a gossipy expression. The young man in the back seat, who had been so serious, suddenly changed his demeanor after sending a few messages, and a smile still lingered in his eyes. "Listening to some love songs really does help, huh?"

"No." Seemingly in a better mood and more willing to talk, Xin Qi put down her phone and said casually, "She took the initiative to coax me. Whether we make up or not depends on my mood."

"..." Tsk, he's got his girlfriend wrapped around his little finger, the driver shook his head.

...

Inside Yu Yue's room, Kaixin and Meili were unusually excited today. Even though it was their usual bedtime, they were still jumping around and making a ruckus. It seemed they were especially happy to see someone they hadn't seen in a long time.

Helpless, Yu Yue could only bring their favorite toy balls from the living room, hoping they would stop playing before bed.

However, she did not expect that in just a short while, when she returned from the living room, she would see a complete mess.

Not to mention that the two dogs had knocked her pillows off the bed, they had also gotten a box from somewhere and were playing with it, biting it and tossing it around, leaving scraps of paper scattered all over the floor.

When Yu Yue finally looked closely and realized what it was, the sky seemed to have fallen.

The purple holographic paper still stuck in the dog's mouth, the things it was stepping on, and the chewed-out packaging box—this was clearly the Polaroid camera she had been holding, intending to return it to Xin Xiaoqi sometime!

Okay, now it's really over and I'm not going back.

She painstakingly preserved it for ten years. Apart from losing its original shine, the packaging was basically untouched, and even the wrapping paper had not been opened.

Now it's all ruined.

Yu Yue rushed over and snatched the tattered Polaroid camera box from the dog's mouth. Then, she angrily said to the two dogs, "Stop playing! Go to sleep!"

As she spoke, she locked the toy ball she had just brought back into the drawer in front of the two dogs.

Happiness and beauty instantly wilted, clearly realizing what this despicable human meant.

Because they made a mistake, they can't play with the ball anymore.

"Alright, go to sleep now, we can play again tomorrow." Yu Yue pointed to the doghouse in the corner and said, "Go to sleep, everyone."

Kaixin hesitated for a moment, but still reluctantly ran back to her nest and lay down, her eyes darting around as she pondered how to unlock the drawer.

Meili is much simpler. Seeing her friends go back to their nests, she followed them back, then plopped down on Kaixin's head and just kept laughing like an idiot, completely oblivious to any danger.

Sure enough, the next second, Kaixin slapped it on the head, sending it tumbling backward out of its nest.

Seeing the two little ones bickering, Yu Yue chuckled and helplessly began to clean up the mess on the floor.

Fortunately, she returned quickly. Although the Polaroid camera box was deformed and damaged, it was still intact, protecting the camera inside from being destroyed.

Yu Yue breathed a sigh of relief, then simply unpacked the damaged packaging, took out the Polaroid camera, and locked it in the drawer.

Then she began to sweep up the wrapping paper on the ground, picking up the purple fragments one by one. Just as she picked up the last piece of broken wrapping paper, she found a small card underneath.

Yu Yue picked it up subconsciously and found that it was still covered with an unknown liquid, which was obviously either saliva from being happy or beautiful.

The card was a standard happy birthday greeting card, probably included in the gift package by the shop. Yu Yue sighed and casually tossed it into the trash can.

The card slipped from her palm, flipped over during its free fall to reveal a line of small print on the back, and then lay quietly among a pile of discarded wrappers.

Yu Yue paused for a moment, then picked it up again.

On the back of the birthday card was a line of neat, small handwriting in black ink. Clearly, the writer was very meticulous; every stroke was deliberate and precise.

It says on it:

—I like you, you idiot.