Chapter 347 I want you to compensate me with yourself
Even though she was prepared, Cui Xiao still subconsciously took a step back, avoiding his gaze, her voice tinged with apology, "I'm sorry, I might... not be ready yet."
Cui Xiao could feel Mo Ziqian's body stiffen slightly, and his burning gaze softened, replaced by a hint of disappointment.
After a moment, Mo Ziqian said softly, "I'm sorry, I was too hasty. It's not your fault, it's my own." Cui Xiao looked up and saw the dimness in his eyes, and felt a little guilty herself.
If you weren't prepared in the first place, you shouldn't have agreed to come upstairs for dinner. And now that you've gone back on your word, that's definitely not right.
Cui Xiao lowered her head. "Could you give me a little more time?"
Mo Ziqian remained silent for a few seconds, then slowly straightened up, his refined demeanor returning, but a hint of undisguised disappointment lingered in the half-smile.
His tone carried a hint of helplessness, but there was no coercion in it. "Okay, it's getting late, you should get some rest too."
Mo Ziqian deliberately changed the subject, easing the awkwardness in the air, but it also left her with a somewhat indescribable feeling.
Cui Xiao nodded, without trying to stop her.
Afterwards, when the two rode the elevator side by side, the air was so quiet that they could hear each other breathing.
As they approached the building entrance, the dim streetlights cast long shadows of the two of them. Cui Xiao stood on the steps, watching him open the passenger door and then walk around to the driver's side.
It wasn't until Mo Ziqian got into the car, his fingertips resting on the window control, that he slowly rolled down the glass. His eyes, appearing even deeper in the night, seemed to hold unspoken words as he gazed steadily at her. "Cui Xiao, I can wait." These words were like a small pebble, unexpectedly thrown into the calm lake of Cui Xiao's heart.
Her hand, hanging by her side, tightened suddenly, her nails almost digging into her palm, and she even paused for half a second.
But it was only for a moment. Cui Xiao quickly concealed the turmoil in her eyes, her voice as soft as cotton wool scattered by the wind, with a deliberately maintained indifference, "Be careful on the road."
Mo Ziqian looked at her tense profile, his Adam's apple bobbed, and finally he just said softly, "Goodnight."
He pressed the window button again, and the glass slowly rose, blocking their view of each other.
Mo Ziqian didn't start the car immediately. Instead, he looked at Cui Xiao through the car window for a few more seconds until she still didn't look up. Only then did he finally step on the gas, and the car slowly drove into the night.
Cui Xiao stood still, her gaze following the car as it drove away. When the taillights disappeared completely around the corner of the road, they were no longer visible.
Cui Xiao felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders, and she breathed a sigh of relief, her shoulders slumping slightly involuntarily.
The evening breeze ruffled the stray hairs on her forehead, revealing the weariness and melancholy hidden in her eyes.
Just as Cui Xiao was lowering her head and catching her breath, she heard hurried footsteps behind her, accompanied by a cold male voice that seemed to strike the air like ice, "He just left like that?"
Cui Xiao froze and turned around abruptly.
Under the streetlights, Zhou Mubin stood by a tree not far away. The collar of his black coat was slightly lifted by the wind. His usually unrestrained eyes were now filled with gloom. His gaze was fixed on her, then swept over the direction where the car disappeared. His jawline was taut, and his knuckles turned white from clenching his fists tightly.
In fact, Zhou Mubin had arrived long ago.
He was here before Mo Ziqian arrived.
Therefore, Zhou Mubin knew exactly when Mo Ziqian went in and how long he stayed.
Just now, Zhou Mubin also saw the scene of her watching Mo Ziqian leave.
From the moment the two walked downstairs side by side to the moment they looked at each other when the car window rolled down, every scene felt like a needle piercing his heart.
Cui Xiao subconsciously took half a step back, her voice trembling slightly. She hurriedly tucked a stray hair behind her ear, trying to hide her previous emotions. "How did you end up here?"
Zhou Mubin did not answer, but walked towards her step by step, his low pressure almost making it hard for her to breathe.
He stopped in front of her, looking down at her with a jealousy she had never seen before welling up in his eyes. "What, did I disturb you?"
Cui Xiao frowned; this tone was not what she wanted.
“Attorney Zhou, thank you for today, but that’s all. If there’s nothing else, I’ll go upstairs.”
The streetlights cast their light on Zhou Mubin's tense face, revealing the bloodshot veins in his eyes. Watching Cui Xiao turn away indifferently, his pent-up anger caused him to grab her uncontrollably.
Cui Xiao paused, her usually cold gaze now filled with panic. "Zhou Mubin, what are you going to do?"
Zhou Mubin stared at her, then raised his hand to check his watch. "If he hasn't come downstairs in ten minutes, I might have to go up and kill him."
This is the time Zhou Mubin gave Mo Ziqian: two hours. If he doesn't come downstairs within that time, he'll definitely go crazy.
"madman."
Cui Xiao's voice was low, and she looked directly into his eyes.
Hearing her cold voice, Zhou Mubin's jealousy intensified, and his tone became increasingly urgent, "I'm crazy, and that's all because of you. Cui Xiao, I said I'd marry you, why haven't you broken up with him yet?"
Slightly losing control of his emotions, Zhou Mubin unconsciously increased the pressure on his wrist, causing Cui Xiao to feel a sharp pain in her wrist.
"Zhou Mubin, let me go."
Cui Xiao struggled, her eyes growing colder. "I told you to let go, did you hear me? I made it very clear to you last time that I don't like you anymore, and my crush on you ended a long time ago. Stop bothering me."
Zhou Mubin gave a self-deprecating laugh, the pain in his eyes almost overflowing. "End? Did I agree to that? You think you can just have a crush on me like that? You think you can just leave whenever you want? Cui Xiao, what do you take me for? A monkey to be played with?"
Zhou Mubin's voice grew louder and louder, filled with long-suppressed anger, sounding particularly jarring in the quiet night.
Cui Xiao seemed to have been struck by those words, and she forced herself to remain calm while suppressing her emotions. "So, what does Attorney Zhou want? To sue me? To make me pay you for emotional distress?"
The indifferent tone, coupled with sarcastic remarks, was like a bucket of cold water, instantly igniting Zhou Mubin's anger.
His anger froze, the bloodshot veins in his eyes became more pronounced, and his clenched fist turned bluish-white.
Zhou Mubin opened his mouth, his voice low and hoarse, "I don't want you to compensate me for emotional distress, I want you to compensate me with yourself."
Cui Xiao sneered, "Utterly ridiculous."
Suddenly, she used all her strength to shake off his holding hand and walked forward without looking back.
Zhou Mubin frowned, his heart felt like it was being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, the pain almost making it hard for him to breathe.
He paused for half a second, then subconsciously took a step forward.
This time, Zhou Mubin's actions were even more forceful. He twisted her shoulder and kissed her forcefully without warning.
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