Chapter 47

Li Muxue clutched the old Zhongjie popsicle that Xu Chen handed her; it was still as sweet as she remembered, the cool touch melting between her lips and teeth. The commercial street in her hometown was still the same, bustling with people. The Tianyitang Pharmacy on the corner had a slightly faded plaque, yet it still wafted over with the aroma of Chinese medicine.

Xu Chen's voice, carried on the summer breeze, was tinged with caution: "The last time I came to this pharmacy was last summer vacation. You said Uncle Li's high blood pressure had flared up again, so I came with you to get some Chinese medicine. How is he doing now?"

He was always so cautious whenever Li Muxue's parents were mentioned.

Li Muxue smiled and nodded: "Yes, I'm much better now. As long as my emotions are stable, everything will be fine. Don't worry..."

As soon as Li Muxue finished speaking, she heard a teasing voice from behind her: "Oh, isn't this Muxue? On vacation?"

She froze, and when she turned around, Shen Haoyu was already standing three steps away, his gaze sharp. Li Muxue subconsciously moved closer to Xu Chen, and Xu Chen naturally took half a step forward and gently grasped her wrist.

"Shen Haoyu?" Li Muxue's voice was a little dry: "What a coincidence."

Shen Haoyu's gaze, like a hook, first swept over Li Muxue, then landed on Xu Chen's hand gripping her wrist. A mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips: "Coincidence? I think it's quite unfortunate. Muxue, is this the Xu Chen you've been longing for? Your father told me about him a year ago, and because of him you didn't want to have any contact with me, and even left without saying goodbye to go back to the Foreign Languages ​​Institute? After seeing him today, he's nothing special."

"Shen Haoyu, watch your words." Xu Chen's voice was deep, but there was no anger in his tone. He knew that Li Muxue didn't want to make a big deal out of it, and he also knew that Shen Haoyu came from a wealthy family. If they really started arguing, it could be very troublesome.

"What am I paying attention to?" Shen Haoyu took a half step forward, deliberately raising his voice so that passersby could hear him: "Did I say something wrong? Xu Chen, look at your shabby appearance. You can't even afford to buy Mu Xue a decent cup of coffee. What do you have to offer her for happiness? You're overestimating yourself!"

"Shut up!" Li Muxue suddenly shouted, rarely losing her composure like this, her eyes even a little red: "Shen Haoyu, who I'm with is my business, it's none of your concern! Besides, Xu Chen is a hundred times, a thousand times better than you!"

Shen Haoyu seemed not to hear her words, staring only at Xu Chen, his eyes almost overflowing with jealousy: "Xu Chen, if you have any self-awareness, leave Mu Xue and don't hold her back. What can you give her? Squeeze into a rented room after graduation? Eat instant noodles? What I can give her, you can't earn in your whole life."

Xu Chen clenched his fists even tighter, his knuckles cracking. He looked at Shen Haoyu, his voice as cold as ice: "I can't give her luxury goods, but I can eat every meal with her, hold her when she's sad, and work hard for her. Do you have those?"

"Heh, anyone can be cheaply sentimental," Shen Haoyu scoffed. "Mu Xue, you're wasting your time with someone like this. Come with me, I'll take you to eat Japanese food..."

Li Muxue suddenly dodged backward, hiding behind Xu Chen, her voice trembling with tears: "Shen Haoyu, I've told you before that I don't like you, why are you still doing this? Can you please stop bothering me?"

Shen Haoyu's face instantly darkened. He looked at Li Muxue, who was hiding behind Xu Chen, and then at Xu Chen, who was protecting her. His resentment and jealousy surged into rage: "Fine, very well. Li Muxue, you'd rather be with trash than with me? Fine, I'll see how long you two can stay together!"

After saying that, he glared at Xu Chen, turned around and left. His black figure quickly disappeared into the crowd, leaving behind several curious gazes that pierced Li Muxue like needles.

Xu Chen gently patted her back, his voice soft: "Ignore him, he's doing it on purpose to provoke us."

Li Muxue lowered her head, tears falling onto Xu Chen's hand, burning his heart with pain. "I'm sorry," she choked out, "It's all my fault. If I had explained things to him more clearly back then, he wouldn't have..."

“It has nothing to do with you.” Xu Chen wiped away her tears with his thumb. “He made a fool of himself, it has nothing to do with you. Besides, I don’t care about what he said. I only care about what you think.”

Li Muxue sniffed, looking into Xu Chen's earnest eyes, and the grievances in her heart slowly dissipated: "I know you're the best." Li Muxue reached out and hugged Xu Chen's neck, burying her face in his shoulder, her voice muffled, "Let's not stay here, let's go sit on the bench in front for a while."

The two walked side by side. Xu Chen didn't mention Shen Haoyu again, but slowed his pace and told her about catching dragonflies in the old courtyard when he was a child, which made her laugh occasionally. The embarrassment and grievances from before were slowly dispelled by the summer breeze.

Back home, Li Muxue was in turmoil. Xu Chen's wounded yet feignedly strong eyes made her heart ache so much she could hardly breathe. Just then, her phone rang; it was several messages from Shen Haoyu:

"Muxue, I'm sorry, I was too impulsive today."

"I just... I just feel really bad seeing you with Xu Chen."

"Let's meet one last time, at the karaoke room in my house, and I'll make things clear to you. I promise, I swear, I will never bother you again."

The words "last time" and "make it clear" carried a certain allure. Although Li Muxue loathed Shen Haoyu, she genuinely wanted to end this troubling relationship once and for all. After much hesitation, she replied with a single word: "Okay."

At that moment, Shen Haoyu saw the word "okay" in the message, and a cold smile appeared on his lips. He turned and walked into the karaoke room, telling the receptionist, "Clear out room 311 on the third floor, and don't let anyone near it." The receptionist nodded, not daring to ask any more questions; they all knew their young boss's temper.

Shen Haoyu leaned against the door of 311, watching Li Muxue's figure getting closer and closer outside the window, his possessiveness seemingly about to engulf everything.

As evening fell, Li Muxue found the luxuriously decorated karaoke room according to the address. Reaching the door, she took a deep breath, pushed it open, and went inside. The receptionist pointed to the third floor: "Mr. Chen is waiting for you in room 311 on the third floor."

Li Muxue nodded and walked up the stairs. The stairwell was dark, with only the faint blue light of the emergency lights. Her unease grew heavier, and her steps slowed. But the thought that as long as she explained things to Shen Haoyu, she would never be bothered again, made her grit her teeth and continue walking.

Reaching the third floor, the door to room 311 was ajar, with soft music playing from inside. Li Muxue pushed the door open, about to speak, when it slammed shut. Shen Haoyu's figure blocked her way, the tenderness in his eyes long gone, replaced only by a frantic possessiveness.

"Shen Haoyu, what do you want to do?" Li Muxue took a step back, her voice trembling.

Shen Haoyu approached step by step, his smile growing colder: "What are you doing? Li Muxue, let me tell you, I, Shen Haoyu, have always been like this since I was a child. What I want, I must get! A year ago, I treated you to a lavish meal, bought you clothes and jewelry, and fawned over you with smiles. Wasn't that enough? You won't even look at me? Am I that annoying? Huh?!"

He grabbed Li Muxue's wrist with such force that she cried out in pain, continuing his manic rant: "You think you and that Xu Chen have a future? Let me tell you, it's impossible! Now that you're here, you're mine! Mine!!!"

"Let me go! Shen Haoyu, you bastard!" Li Muxue struggled desperately, but Shen Haoyu was too strong, and she couldn't break free at all. She tried to call for help on her phone, but Shen Haoyu snatched it away and threw it into a corner.

"Stop shouting," Shen Haoyu whispered coldly in her ear, "Mu Xue, just be good, I'll treat you well, a hundred times better than that Xu Chen..."

Looking at Shen Haoyu's face, distorted by an intense possessiveness, Li Muxue finally couldn't hold back her tears. She regretted it; she regretted trusting Shen Haoyu so easily, regretted coming here alone. Fear and despair washed over her like a tidal wave…

(To be continued)