Chapter 51

This was the first time Xia Weining received flowers from a man. One year before, she and a female friend exchanged flowers on Chinese Valentine's Day.

Even this isn't a rose.

In her understanding, red roses would only be given to people in that kind of relationship, and the meaning represented was also different. Sheng Huaizhou didn't know or gave it on purpose. What did it mean? Xia Weining now wanted to figure this out.

Sheng Huaizhou just smiled without saying anything. He stared at her for a while and said, "Eat."

Xia Weining: ...

This man really knows how to manipulate people's hearts and deliberately make people guess. She wants to know but he won't tell her, which makes her feel itchy inside, as if she's been scratched by a cat.

The two of them inexplicably felt like they were secretly competing with each other, to see who could last longer.

"Well, if you don't want to tell me, then don't tell me. I don't even want to know."

Xia Weining put the flowers aside and started eating.

She decided to tease Sheng Huaizhou and let him know how it felt.

When they had almost finished their meal, the waiter brought over a small cake. Sheng Huaizhou stood up and put the hat on her. "We can't eat too much just the two of us, so we chose a smaller cake. We can't miss out on the proper ceremony."

"Since it's my birthday, then you should sing birthday song for me."

Sheng Huaizhou turned his head to look at the other customers around him and said, "Okay."

Xia Weining thought he was embarrassed.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..."

Who knew that he sang so naturally and with such a loud voice, without any embarrassment at all, and was frank and generous, and his singing attracted a lot of attention.

The most important thing is that his eyes were always fixed on her while he was singing, with surging emotions in them. Xia Weining turned her head away after looking at him for a while, because if she looked at him for too long, she would be sucked in.

"Okay." After singing, Sheng Huaizhou handed her the knife and said, "Cut the cake."

Xia Weining couldn't help but think of the scene in the TV series. She was afraid that she would cut something out of the cake. She was a little nervous for a moment, and her hand holding the knife shook.

Sheng Huaizhou laughed, "Why are you shaking?"

"Which eye of yours saw me shaking?"

After saying that, she cut it with a knife. It turned out that she was overthinking it. There was only cream and cake base inside, and nothing that was not related to cake.

Her heart instantly relaxed, but it was also accompanied by a feeling of emptiness. She couldn't tell what it was. Maybe she had some expectations in her heart, but her expectations were dashed. She thought he would say something, but in the end he said nothing.

It was not until they finished their meal and left the restaurant that Xia Weining realized that he was really just treating her to a meal, but she felt that Sheng Huaizhou was keeping her hanging, which made her very depressed. When she realized what was going on, she regretted that she had thought too much and felt so embarrassed that she couldn't help but curse Sheng Huaizhou in her heart.

On the way back, she didn't look happy either. She walked with a blank expression, holding the flowers. Sheng Huaizhou even had to hurry to catch up with her, and was surprised, "So you walk so fast?"

Xia Weining was too lazy to pay attention to him and just walked forward.

"What’s wrong with you?"

"It's okay, thank you for celebrating my birthday."

"You're welcome." Sheng Huaizhou touched his head proudly, "Are you very happy?"

"Hehe...Happy."

Sheng Huaizhou: "...You don't look like it."

Xia Weining's expression instantly changed into a smile. "I'm very happy. I'll return it on your birthday."

"No, I'm not asking you to pay it back."

Sheng Huaizhou hurriedly explained that he couldn't figure out what went wrong and things seemed to be developing differently than he expected.

Xia Weining smiled and said nothing more. When they arrived at the community, they went back to their respective homes. Sheng Huaizhou felt something was strange, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

The next day.

Xia Weining slept until the afternoon. When she opened her eyes, the vacation was almost over. She felt inexplicably irritated. This is what vacation is like. She didn't do anything but time seemed to pass by so quickly. Before she knew it, she had to go back to work.

At night, there was a sudden knock on the door. When she opened the door, she saw Sheng Huaizhou standing outside holding flowers. Xia Weining took a step back and asked, "What's going on?"

Sheng Huaizhou stuffed her into her arms and said, "This is for you."

"Why send flowers again?"

Sheng Huaizhou followed her into the house and closed the door.

"Xia Weining, I have something to tell you."

"Just say it, why are you so serious?"

She felt a little panicked.

"Because what I want to tell you is something very serious."

"Okay, then go ahead."

The two sat facing each other on the sofas on either side of the coffee table, looking at each other. Xia Weining was the first to shift his gaze, "Just say whatever you want to say."

"I like you."

"Fuck, is it so direct?" Xia Weining thought to himself.

This sentence was like a depth charge that broke the tranquility in the room and set off huge waves. Xia Weining stared at him in amazement, her body stiff and unable to move. She even suspected that she had heard it wrongly.

"You mean you like me?"

"You can't feel it?"

Xia Weining smiled and shook her head, "I just thought you were joking."

"I'm not kidding, I'm serious."

Xia Weining pursed her lips, lowered her head and touched her nails. She was very conflicted and didn't know what to say.

After a long while, she finally raised her head, licked her lips, and spoke as if she had made up her mind: "Sheng Huaizhou, we are not children anymore. Many things need to be carefully considered. Don't act impulsively."

"Liking you isn't an impulse." He pointed to his heart. "Can't you feel it after all this time?"

Xia Weining laughed at himself, "There are many things I can feel, and there are also many things I can't feel, but these vague things are really not that easy to sense."

"I'm giving you a clear and definite answer now."

Xia Weining shook her head, "I'm sorry."

"Are you rejecting me?"

"Yes." Xia Weining answered firmly.

"Why?" He was very sad, like a wounded animal, desperately in need of a life-saving straw. "I can feel your feelings for me."

Xia Weining was silent. She was indeed attracted to him, but they really couldn't be together.

The dim light shone on the two of them, making them hazy and unclear, just like their current state of mind.

"Xia Weining, give me an answer." He laughed softly, "Do you know why I didn't say this in the Western restaurant?"

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to force you."

Xia Weining's eyes were a little sore, and she pursed her lips to hold it back, "I'm sorry, you are not in my life plan."

Sheng Huaizhou was deeply hurt, his figure swaying unsteadily, revealing a heart-wrenching smile, "So what are your plans?"

"I'm sorry, I can't tell you." Xia Weining walked past him, walked to the door and opened it, "Goodbye, I won't see you off."

Sheng Huaizhou did not move, but looked up at Xia Weining. The two of them confronted each other silently. Seeing her firmness and determination, he said nothing more and walked out with a dead heart.

The moment the two of them brushed past each other, Xia Weining could feel the dejection in him, and her heart ached.

Xia Weining kept the same posture as when she sent him out, and the door was still half-open when he left. Now she was the only one in the room, but she could feel his presence everywhere.

Time seemed to stand still, with only the sound of the clock ticking.

And the sound of her breathing.

Tangled! Contradictory! Hesitation! Dilemma! Struggle!

It was as if the body split into different people quarreling with each other.

Hurry! Catch up with him! Hold him!

Tell him you regret it!

A voice commanded her.

No! Don't go! Don't be impulsive!

Xia Weining, you did the right thing.

A voice that controlled her so much.

Both voices made some sense, and neither was willing to give in, so she was at a loss for a decision.

Xia Weining suddenly felt pain in her heart and slowly squatted down to relieve the discomfort in her body.

After calming down, she didn't choose to chase after him because she knew what she was doing.

She didn't dare to give Sheng Huaizhou an accurate answer, because she didn't know what her current situation was, whether she was dreaming or fantasizing. She was afraid that she would leave suddenly. Since they would be separated in the end, it would be better not to make a promise.

There will be no painful regrets if you don't start.

She looked at the time and it was already very late. She was not sleepy at all. She got dressed and went to the store downstairs to buy a lot of spicy strips and ice cream. She used to like to eat this kind of food. One year, she ate too much and developed stomachache. Later, she gave up.

Today she wants to indulge herself again.

Eating and watching TV at the same time is such a wonderful life. There are all kinds of variety shows on TV now, including some that will be popular for many years to come.

Xia Weining felt that her decision was so wise. Why hadn't she thought of doing this before?

Two hours had passed since he had eaten and drunk his fill. Tired of watching TV, Xia Weining stretched his body, stretched his neck, and prepared to go to bed.

“Knock, knock, knock…”

There was another rapid knock on the door. Xia Weining looked over alertly and asked carefully, "Who is it?"

"I!"

It’s Sheng Huaizhou.

"What is he doing here again?" Xia Weining made an excuse, "I'm already asleep. We can talk about it tomorrow if there's anything."

"Just two sentences, and then leave."

Xia Weining pursed her lips and thought for a while, "Is it something important?"

"It's very important." He said firmly.

"Okay then." Xia Weining opened the door. "What do you want to say?"

"I……"

As soon as he opened his mouth, Xia Weining frowned and covered her nose, "Have you been drinking?"

"a little."

"Is this the right time?" Xia Weining was very angry and didn't give him a good look. She pushed Sheng Huaizhou towards his room and said, "Go back and sober up first. This will make your body very uncomfortable."

"You care about me, don't you?"

Sheng Huaizhou suddenly grabbed her hand, like an uneasy child, his eyes full of panic, afraid of being abandoned, so he urgently needed her to give a definite answer.

"You care about me, don't you?"

"Don't be like this." Xia Weining pulled out his hand, suppressing the bitterness in his eyes, "You are drunk, I will take you home."

"I'm not drunk." His voice suddenly became low. "I just want an answer."

"Okay." Xia Weining raised her head, a glint in her eyes, and said firmly: "Then I will give you an answer."

Sheng Huaizhou stared at her motionlessly, his eyes full of anticipation, sparkling like stars.

Xia Weining was lost in his eyes, her resolve wavering. She pinched herself and said something against her will, "I'm sorry, you're not in my life plan."

With a bang, the stars in Sheng Huaizhou's eyes shattered to the ground, and the bright light became dim. He accepted the news in disbelief, and instantly went from being full of hope to being despaired.

Xia Weining felt heartbroken as well. She thought that this was the end of it all.

She turned her head to the side to avoid meeting his eyes.

Time passed silently. After a moment's silence, she finally remembered to move her numb legs.

"Go to bed early."

After saying that, he brushed past and returned to his room. As soon as his hand touched the door handle, he heard the plea from behind.

"Xia Weining, why are you so cruel to me?"

Xia Weining's steps suddenly stopped, and she kept exerting force on the door handle. She was struggling whether to push the door open or turn around and face him again.

She didn't make a decision for a while, and Sheng Huaizhou didn't force her anymore. He just waited quietly for her decision.

Xia Weining could feel the anxious gazes behind her, which made her feel uneasy.

She turned around and looked at the man in front of her, rejecting him with a condescending attitude. "I've made it very clear that you are not part of my life plan."

Sheng Huaizhou's whole person changed drastically. When he heard the same answer again, the tense string in his heart completely broke.

So, the usually unruly man was now humbly begging, "Can you include me in your life plan? Let me leave a mark in your life? I don't ask for much, just some land."

"sorry."

After saying this, Xia Weining rushed into the house. She was afraid that if she was a second late, she would not have the courage to leave. Her heart was already broken.

It is very painful to push away the person you like with your own hands.

It is also a very difficult choice.

A door separated the two people.

The person outside the door lowered his head and laughed at himself, with endless bitterness on his lips.

The person in the house leaned against the door and cried bitterly, tears welling up in his eyes.