Chapter 53 Strawberry Cake Was she still longing for him as a person, or...?

The café they randomly entered was small, with narrow spaces between seats.

The two-person table was cramped and close to the shop's work counter, with the noise of coffee making filling the air.

Liang Yizhi sat there, feeling uncomfortable all over.

Zhao Ling ordered coffee at the front desk and then returned with her tray.

She placed the hot latte in front of Liang Yizhi and thoughtfully ordered a small strawberry cake.

Zhao Ling said, "I remember hearing before that you like this flavor."

As for who he heard it from, that goes without saying.

Such a cold expression is rarely seen on Liang Yizhi's face.

Zhao Ling ignored her and continued, "Xie Yun and I broke up not long after you two broke up."

"After leaving his previous company, he couldn't find a job and couldn't stay here, so he went back to his hometown."

She picked up her mug, took a sip, and put it down: "He was having financial difficulties at the time and asked me to lend him money, but I didn't want to support him, so we ended things."

"I heard that his parents found him a stable job in his hometown and arranged blind dates for him. He may get married next year."

Liang Yizhi listened in silence, but finally couldn't hold back any longer: "You seem to have made a mistake."

She crossed her arms and looked at her: "I didn't ask about the two of you."

"I don't care about his life, nor do I want to know. Whether he's doing well or badly is none of my business. If he's doing well, it's because he's lucky; if he's not doing well, it's just his fate."

"I'm sorry." Zhao Ling paused slightly, then smiled. "I was afraid you might still have feelings for him, so I told you about his current situation. He once said that you are a very sentimental person."

"Don't take it personally." Liang Yizhi was unmoved. "I value relationships, but only with those who are truly sincere."

Zhao Ling lowered her head.

"I was wrong before. I... I've known him for many years, I never expected you two to suddenly get together."

She recalled the first time she met Liang Yizhi.

Xie Yun brought her to a dinner party with his friends.

She was surprised that he had such a beautiful girlfriend, with an elegant demeanor and an exceptionally pure quality, like a spring, which aroused the curiosity of everyone present.

"Seeing how outstanding you are, I'm so jealous." Zhao Ling said with a self-deprecating smile. "Everyone revolves around you, and Xie Yun only has eyes for you. How can I describe that feeling... it's like something that belongs to me has been taken away."

In fact, Zhao Ling didn't quite understand her mindset at the time.

At first, she just wanted to test the waters and win back Xie Yun's attention, to make him pay more attention to her.

But later, things spiraled out of control. Their secret relationship gave them a huge thrill, and they went too far, crossing the line they were supposed to defend.

Zhao Ling looked at the person in front of her and said, "Actually, it's good that you two broke up. I know him better than you do. He's not good enough for you."

Liang Yizhi could only laugh: "Are you trying to flatter me by saying that?"

"There's no need for that. I just think you're lucky."

Liang Yizhi didn't want to listen anymore.

The noise from the coffee shop counter behind her was deafening, and the heating was so strong it was suffocating.

Liang Yizhi pulled her scarf down a little to get some fresh air.

Even though the person opposite her was the one who made the mistake, for some reason, she didn't want to continue talking about this topic with her.

Zhao Ling continued, "Since we happened to run into each other this time, I thought I should take this opportunity to apologize to you in person, so that I can feel better."

"I must have been out of my mind. If I could do it all over again, I definitely wouldn't have done it with my best friend—"

"Stop talking." Liang Yizhi interrupted her, her tongue dry, and she gently rubbed her sweaty palms. "If it's just an apology, I hear it, but I won't accept it."

"If you just want to feel better, find another way. Don't try to get forgiveness from others. You're not apologizing to me at all; you're just trying to free yourself."

Zhao Ling sat blankly at the table, speechless, struck by her words.

Liang Yizhi left the coffee shop.

Once outside the store, she wrapped her coat tighter and hurried along.

She rented a rehearsal room outside. She originally planned to go home, but after thinking about it, she turned back and came back here.

The rehearsal room was small, with musical instruments and sound equipment piled up everywhere.

Liang Yizhi sat for a while, then went to the piano, took a deep breath, and decided to familiarize herself with the piece she had been practicing these past few days a few more times.

These days, in addition to practicing the pieces she will be playing with Hoss, she is also practicing a piece she composed herself.

The melody of this piece isn't complex; she'd been writing it for several years, but had kept putting it off. These past few days, she'd taken the score out again and asked a talented arranger for help, and together they polished the entire piece.

The cello plays the main melody, accompanied by the piano. She finished recording the cello part a few days ago, and now all that's left is to add the piano accompaniment.

She sat down at the piano to practice.

Her mind was a mess, and she played the piece over and over again, as if she were stuck in a rut. She felt the melody was discordant, and the sound was strange; it just didn't sound right to her.

She meticulously studied every detail, practicing repeatedly and using her ears to discern the nuances. If she felt something was off, she would improvise changes on the score.

After several revisions, the original gentle and soothing melody became passionate and stirring, with its pitch rising and falling strangely, like a roller coaster. The entire piece was transformed into a hodgepodge.

She played until she was completely exhausted and her fingers ached. Pressing down the last few notes, Liang Yizhi finally lowered her hands from the keys.

What exactly is she doing?

She kept nitpicking and going over the same things repeatedly, completely changing the piece from beginning to end and ruining her original concept.

Liang Yizhi held her breath and slowly calmed down.

This song was one she planned to record as a birthday gift for Gu Yinyan.

Liang Yizhi knew he had been very busy lately, probably dealing with family matters, yet he had still managed to help her resolve Lin You's huge problem. He was too preoccupied with his own affairs to confide any of his troubles to them.

But she could sense his low spirits from that phone call.

That was his way of asking for help from the outside world.

Liang Yizhi thought that there was not much she could do, but she could try to comfort him through music, just as he comforted himself, to convey her feelings through music and help him relax.

But after meeting Zhao Ling, Liang Yizhi suddenly felt:

All of her actions were meaningless.

She originally thought that as long as she ignored Gu Yinyan's feelings and they continued to get along in the same way, he would give up.

She had clearly decided to be just friends with him, so why did she feel so awkward when she saw Gu Yinyan with someone else that night at the concert hall entrance?

She claimed that it wasn't jealousy or envy, but if it wasn't, then what was it?

She couldn't understand herself.

It wasn't until Zhao Ling's words today that she was awakened.

—So that inexplicable feeling she had was called possessiveness.

Seeing him, who always came to concerts alone, suddenly bring a female companion, it was as if an outsider had intruded into their space, which used to belong only to them.

Back home, she couldn't stop thinking about how they would judge her performance while they were watching from the audience. Would they tell her that the cellist on stage was his friend?

If he finds someone else, will he still be as accommodating as before?

Their relationship was so close that she had become accustomed to taking him, including his kindness, as her possession.

Once she truly realized that she was about to lose him, she began to feel anxious and insecure.

Liang Yizhi didn't want that.

So, what she truly misses about Gu Yin is the person himself, or his generosity and righteousness?

Wu You told her that she needed to learn not to treat her expectations of her friends as obligations to them. She had no reason to demand anything of him, no right to control who he associated with, and certainly no right to expect him to put her first as much as she valued him.

He has his own life, and he has people he wants to protect. But that person should be someone else, not her.

Liang Yizhi suddenly felt a bit tired of the relationship she had once cherished.

When a bond becomes a shackle, it is no longer a normal emotional state.

She needs to learn to accept changing relationships.

She calmed down and finished recording the piano accompaniment.

-

Two days later, one evening, Liang Yizhi came to HOOK.

She went inside, and He Xintu was standing behind the bar. He was leaning against the bar, his elbows resting on the counter behind him, chatting with other people.

Seemingly noticing a figure in his peripheral vision, He Xintu turned his head, saw her, paused for a few seconds, and then smiled.

Liang Yizhi walked towards him.

He Xintu leaned on the edge of the table: "You're here?"

"Um."

"Just got off work?"

"right."

"It's too noisy outside. I think we should go to a private room today. What do you think?"

Conversations between intelligent people need no further explanation. They both know exactly what they're talking about.

So Liang Yizhi followed He Xintu upstairs.

Turning into a corridor on the second floor, there's a whole row of private rooms at the back. Once you get here, the music and noise inside the restaurant are significantly reduced.

There seemed to be no one in these private rooms. Liang Yizhi followed He Xintu into one of them.

He Xintu closed the door, then turned around and took her hand.

He held her slender, pale wrist: "Have you thought about my answer?"

He leaned against the door, pulled her close, put his arm around her waist, and observed Liang Yizhi's face at extremely close range.

He wanted to move closer.

Liang Yizhi was startled by his actions and put her hand in front of his chest: "Wait, wait...you're not going to do this here, are you?"

Although she wanted to agree to his request, it wasn't something she had to do right now, especially in a place like this.

He Xintu explained, "Don't worry, the surveillance cameras aren't on here. Rest assured, no one will see you."

Liang Yizhi's heart was racing. Her back felt empty, with only one hand weakly roaming over her lower back. She felt very insecure.

She swallowed twice and said, "I...I'd like to have a drink first. Could you get me a few glasses of wine? Something with a higher alcohol content?"

He Xintu squinted his eyes, revealing neat, white teeth when he smiled.

Liang Yizhi had initially thought his smile was innocent and harmless, but today, for some reason, it seemed to have a deeper meaning.

He flicked Liang Yizhi's nose, and she flinched back.

He Xintu: "Want some courage? No problem. I just told you to try the new product."

He Xintu was quite considerate, asking her in advance, "Have you had dinner? You girls all like to skip dinner, but drinking on an empty stomach is bad for your stomach."

It has to be said, he understands women very well. Liang Yizhi had no appetite after work; she hadn't eaten anything since the afternoon.

She honestly replied, "I haven't eaten. If you'd like, could you give me something to eat to tide me over?"

"Okay. Wait for me here."

He Xintu went out and quickly brought up two glasses of wine and some fruit and snacks.

Liang Yizhi asked, "Is there anything else?"

He Xintu was surprised: "Not enough?"

"I want to drink a little more today." Liang Yizhi opened her shoulders, letting her shoulder blades relax, "to warm up."

He Xintu laughed when he heard this. It was the first time he had heard someone describe it like that, as if a fierce battle was about to take place.

He patted Liang Yizhi on the back of the head, his expression indulgent: "I'll go get it for you again."

Liang Yizhi remained alone in the private room.

She glanced at the two glasses of wine on the table. The room was dimly lit, and under the lamplight, a ring of shallow bubbles rose in the amber liquid, floating along the round glass like a school of small fish swimming around.

Liang Yizhi remembered the group of fish she had seen at Gu Yinyan's house.

She was horrified by this thought she had at that moment.

Liang Yizhi looked at it for a while and thought the lighting and the wine looked quite nice from this angle. She took out her phone and took a picture of the wine on the table.

She posted this picture on her WeChat Moments without any text.

He Xintu entered the room, brought over a few bottles of wine, and placed them on the table.

He sat down next to Liang Yizhi and placed his hand naturally on her back.

He Xintu asked, "Why do you want to drink so much? Are you in a bad mood?"

"Is there?"

You look very depressed.

Liang Yizhi's long hair hung down her back, and He Xintu placed his hand there, his fingers circling around her hair.

"It feels like you only come to me when you're in a bad mood." His tone sounded like he was complaining about her.

Liang Yizhi took a sip from her cup: "Doesn't this further demonstrate that you can bring comfort to people?"

He Xintu was quite satisfied with this answer.

But he said, "But I still prefer you when you're more cheerful and lively."

Liang Yizhi always maintained a proper posture, a habit she had cultivated since childhood. She sat upright at the table, holding a glass of wine.

He Xintu moved closer.

He brought his nose close to her hair and sniffed it twice: "It smells so good, did you wash your hair?"

"Yeah, I was afraid it would be too late if I got back, so I took a shower first."

Liang Yizhi turned her head away, not expecting that her lips would lightly brush against his.

In the brief moment she was distracted, He Xintu's kiss landed. The aroma of the wine mingled in their breaths, and Liang Yizhi felt a warmth rise in her chest, but she wasn't sure if it was from the kiss or the wine.

She heard her phone vibrate, but it could also be a hallucination.

He Xintu embraced her, pressing her body towards him, only to find that Liang Yizhi's body was extremely stiff. She had a great figure, so supple, yet she kept herself taut.

It looks like a piece of wood floating on the sea.

He Xintu assumed she was just shy.

After kissing for a while, he let go of her and said with a smile, "Don't be so nervous."

“No,” Liang Yizhi said.

"As I've said before, our relationship is very casual; anything goes."

“Besides,” He Xintu lifted her chin again, making her look him in the eye, “I don’t want you to come here looking so gloomy every time, do you understand?”

He Xintu said, "Or is my answer not yes?"

Liang Yizhi's cheeks flushed, and she gasped for breath: "I..."

Before she could finish speaking, she was abruptly interrupted.

—The door to the private room was suddenly knocked on.