27 Chapter 27
◎What magic does she have that makes you fall in love with her again and again?◎
It was late at night and it was already ten o'clock when Sang Xinqi returned home. After washing up, she was ready to get into the warm bed. Just as she lifted the fluffy duvet, the phone on the bedside table rang.
The words "Jiang Xun" were jumping on the screen.
Sang Xinqi frowned and slid her fingertips across the answer button. "It's so late, what's the matter?" There was a hint of fatigue in her voice. As she spoke, she put her cold toes into the soft quilt.
Jiang Xun's slightly rapid breathing could be heard from the other end of the phone. The background was noisy and the electrical sound of the police walkie-talkie could be faintly heard.
"It's a long story..." He paused, his voice low, "Can you come to the police station? Now?"
Sang Xinqi: “…”
-
The police station was brightly lit late at night. When Sang Xinqi pushed the door open, a cold wind carrying the smell of disinfectant blew in her face.
Her gaze passed through the noisy hall and fell on Jiang Xun who was sitting on a bench in the corner. He was looking down at his phone, with his hair hanging down in front of his forehead, covering half of his face.
Sitting opposite was a woman with exquisite makeup, her black leather skirt outlining her hot body, she was sitting with her legs crossed and applying lipstick.
Sang Xinqi felt that the silhouette looked familiar. Before she could think about it, she heard Jiang Xun look up and call out, "Sangsang!"
This look up startled Sang Xinqi.
Under the light, Jiang Xun's face was covered in scratches from fingernails, some of which were still bleeding, like tree bark scratched by a wild cat. "Oh my god!" She rushed over in two steps. "What's wrong with your face?"
Her eyes flicked back and forth between the two of them, and Sang Xinqi crossed her arms. "What's going on?" The incandescent lights in the police station cast long shadows behind her.
"Just...a fight," Jiang Xun touched the wound on his nose and grimaced in pain.
"Fighting?" Sang Xinqi's voice rose an octave, pointing at the woman opposite, whose makeup was impeccably done. "With this...beautiful woman?"
"Ex-girlfriend," Jiang Xun added in a low voice. As soon as he finished speaking, the woman snapped the lid of her lipstick shut and sneered, "Jiang Xun, without 50,000 yuan, this matter is not over."
"I just slapped you!" Jiang Xun stood up suddenly, ripping open his collar to reveal the bruises on his shoulders. "Han Xuexue, look at my bruises. They're much worse than yours, okay?"
Sang Xinqi: “…”
The police officer made a fair assessment, "Ma'am, judging by the injuries, you were indeed the more severe one."
When the name "Han Xuexue" was called out, Sang Xinqi suddenly realized that after eight years, there was still such an entangled relationship between them. This fate was too dramatic.
Han Xuexue stamped her feet in anger, "Okay, very good! Jiang Xun, we'll see!"
As soon as she finished speaking, a burly man pushed the door open and walked in.
Seeing Han Xuexue, the man immediately rushed to her side, “Xuexue, who bullied you?”
Han Xuexue seemed to have grabbed a life-saving straw and pointed at Jiang Xun, "That's him!"
Jiang Xun: “…”
Sang Xinqi: “…”
The man was of average height but weighed about 180 kilograms. He stared at Jiang Xun fiercely, "Did you do this?"
Jiang Xun's mouth twitched, "It's me."
"You dare to touch Xuexue? Are you tired of living?" The man was about to attack, but the police stopped him. "You're fighting in the police station. Do you think we don't exist?"
The man immediately apologized with a smile, "Officer, you misunderstood me. I was just excited for a moment."
The police waved his hands and said, "Stop making a fuss here and disperse immediately."
The four of them walked out of the police station in disappointment.
Before leaving, the man did not forget to make a harsh remark, "If you dare to bully our Xuexue, just wait for me!" After that, he took Han Xuexue away.
Sang Xinqi rubbed her temples and said helplessly, "This play you two put on is really exciting."
"Who is that man to Han Xuexue?" She couldn't help but be curious.
Jiang Xun touched his burning cheek and said, "It is said that it is her cousin."
Sang Xinqi suddenly realized, "You scared me, I thought it was her boyfriend."
Jiang Xun smiled bitterly, "I had my doubts at first, but she insisted it was her cousin."
"That should be correct," Sang Xinqi nodded. "Han Xuexue is quite pretty, she probably wouldn't be interested in this type."
Jiang Xun responded vaguely.
Sang Xinqi looked at him carefully, "So what's going on between you two?"
Jiang Xun sighed, "Don't mention it."
Jiang Xun sighed, his eyes dimming. "A month ago, we ran into each other by chance and got back together. We were getting along pretty well, until last night... I went to her house and waited all night. She came back drunk at three in the morning, with a man hugging her and kissing her."
He clenched his fists. "I suppressed my anger and settled her down before leaving. The more I thought about it today, the angrier I got. I went to confront her again tonight, but she started swearing at me the moment she saw me, cursing my entire family..."
"I was so angry that I slapped her," Jiang Xun scratched his hair in frustration. "Then she rushed over and hit me, but I didn't fight back."
Sang Xinqi shook her head as she listened. "What kind of ill-fated relationship is this between you two? It's been over ten years and you're still entangled. I really don't understand. What magic does she have that keeps you trapped again and again?"
Jiang Xun looked into the distance blankly, "I don't know either..." After a moment of silence, he smiled bitterly, "But this time, I really saw her clearly."
Sang Xinqi looked at her watch. It was already one in the morning and the wind was biting cold.
She wrapped her down jacket tightly and said, "Okay, go back and rest first. We can talk about it tomorrow if there is anything."
Just as they walked a few steps toward the parking lot, Jiang Xun's phone suddenly rang. He pulled it out of his pocket, and the words "Brother Liao" were particularly eye-catching on the screen.
He subconsciously glanced at Sang Xinqi and picked up the phone, "Brother Liao."
"Where are you?" A deep male voice came from the other end of the phone.
"This side of the parking lot," Jiang Xun replied.
"I'm waiting at the police station door."
After hanging up the phone, Sang Xinqi raised an eyebrow and asked, "Liao Yishen is here?"
Jiang Xun explained a little embarrassedly, "I called him first, but no one answered. The police insisted that I find someone to come before letting me go, so..."
As he was speaking, a slender figure came walking quickly towards him.
Liao Yishen was wearing a black coat, casting a long shadow under the street light.
He nodded slightly when he saw Sang Xinqi, and the two of them kept their distance tacitly.
"What's going on?" Liao Yishen asked directly.
Jiang Xun had no choice but to tell the story again.
Liao Yishen sneered after hearing this, "Is this evil bond between you two unbreakable?"
He looked at Jiang Xun with sharp eyes. "When she called you in college, you ran over like crazy. You were a virgin when you left, but not when you came back. But she dumped you after a few days."
Sang Xinqi held her forehead as she listened, not knowing whether to praise him for his infatuation or scold him for being a jerk.
Jiang Xun scratched his hair in frustration, "I've really learned my lesson this time. I swear I'll never talk to her again."
"You said the same thing last time," Liao Yishen exposed him mercilessly.
Jiang Xun was speechless and could only laugh dryly, "This time is different..."
The night wind blew up the fallen leaves on the ground. The three of them stood in the empty parking lot, their shadows stretched very long.
"Then I'll go back first," Sang Xinqi gathered her hair that was messed up by the cold wind and looked up at the two of them.
Liao Yishen's gaze fell on her.
The night was dark in the early morning. Under the dim street lights, you could see her frail body shivering slightly in the cold wind, and the tips of her nose and ears were red from the cold.
Jiang Xun nodded and said, "Be careful on the road."
Sang Xinqi responded and turned to get in the car.
After the engine started, she rolled down the window and waved to the two of them, "Let's go."
The two of them didn't look away until the white car disappeared at the parking lot exit.
Liao Yishen took out his car keys and said, "I'll take you home."
Jiang Xun rubbed his temples and said, "My car is still parked in Han Xuexue's community."
"Let's get it tomorrow," Liao Yishen said in an unquestionable tone, "Go back and rest first."
-
Sang Xinqi returned home and sank into the soft bed. She closed her eyes, but couldn't fall asleep.
In the darkness, Liao Yishen's sharp face kept appearing in her mind. The way he looked at her was too calm, as if he was looking at an unrelated stranger.
He seemed to have really let it go completely.
This realization made her heart feel like it was being pricked by fine needles, causing waves of sourness. She tossed and turned in bed until the sky outside the window turned pale, and then she fell into a drowsy sleep.
However, not long after she fell asleep, she was awakened by the shrill alarm clock. Sang Xinqi had a splitting headache, but she still forced herself to get up and wash up.
She had just arrived at the company and the fabrics she had purchased a few days ago had arrived. She helped the master craftsman move the fabrics into the storage room of the studio. After finishing the inventory, she was so tired that she could not straighten her back.
After seeing the master off, Sang Xinqi returned to the office and forced herself to concentrate on revising the design drawings. The pencil rustled on the paper, and the whole morning passed quietly.
The studio team is not large, with only five people including Sang Xinqi, a young and lively assistant Xiao Zhang, two experienced tailors Brother Zhou and Sister Li, and the photographer A Xiao who is responsible for product photography.
At lunch, Xiao Zhang said excitedly while shoveling food into his mouth, "Boss, your design this time is really amazing! I haven't seen those pleats and lines in other brands."
Sang Xinqi smiled and tapped her lunch box lightly with her chopsticks, "Be low-key, be low-key, I'll get cocky if you praise me again," which made everyone laugh.
She turned to Brother Zhou, who was chewing slowly, and asked, "Brother Zhou, can the samples be out tomorrow?"
Brother Zhou put down his chopsticks and said confidently, "Don't worry, I will show you the finished product tomorrow."
"That's good," Sang Xinqi nodded. "The designs for this winter's new collection will almost be finished next week, and ideally, we'll have samples ready by the end of the month."
Photographer Axiao pushed up his glasses and suggested, "I think we can take advantage of this to do some social media promotion. Many niche designer brands are becoming popular thanks to short video platforms."
"That's exactly what I was planning," Sang Xinqi's eyes lit up. "Our newly established brand really needs more exposure. Xiao Zhang, spend the next couple of days researching promotional strategies on various platforms."
Everyone was having a lively discussion while eating, and a simple lunch turned out to be a brainstorming session.
After lunch, Sang Xinqi devoted herself to the design of the new season. She focused on outlining the lines, stopping from time to time to think, and completely forgot the passage of time. When she looked up again, the sky outside the window had darkened, and she was the only one left in the studio.
After packing up and leaving get off work, I looked at my phone while walking and saw a message from Jiang Xun: "Want to come to my house for dinner?"
She tapped her finger on the screen: "Are you done?"
The other party quickly replied: "You haven't said whether you will come or not!"
Thinking of the empty apartment, Sang Xinqi replied, "Come!"
When she passed by the fruit shop, she carefully selected some seasonal fruits. Jiang Xun's residence was not far from the studio, about half an hour's drive away.
Standing in front of the door, she straightened her wind-torn hair and rang the doorbell. When the door opened, her fingers gripping the fruit bag unconsciously tightened. It was Liao Yishen who opened the door.
"Why are you here? Where is Jiang Xun?" She regretted the moment she said it.
Liao Yishen's hand was still on the door handle, his deep gaze fell on her face, "I can't open the door?"
Sang Xinqi pursed her lips and said, "Of course."
The two of them were in a stalemate for a few seconds before Liao Yishen stepped aside to let her in. The sound of cooking could be heard from the kitchen. Jiang Xun, wearing an apron, poked his head out and said, "Ask Brother Liao to open the door for me. I'm busy!"
Sang Xinqi put the fruit on the coffee table and went into the kitchen.
She lowered her voice, "Why didn't you say he was there too?"
Jiang Xun was stirring the food in the pot and gave her a meaningful look. "I thought you wanted to see him."
"I don't want to," she blurted out.
"Brother Liao has always been single," Jiang Xun said suddenly, "He hasn't been in a relationship since you broke up."
Sang Xinqi's heart skipped a beat and she muttered softly, "Me too."
The roar of the range hood drowned out her voice.
On the table, four dishes and a soup were steaming.
Jiang Xun raised his teacup, "Thank you for saving me last night. I gave you tea instead of wine!"
Sang Xinqi clinked glasses with a smile, and out of the corner of her eye she noticed that Liao Yishen was just raising his glass.
After tasting the black pepper beef tenderloin, Sang Xinqi raised an eyebrow in surprise, "Your cooking skills are quite good. When did you learn this?"
"I've been practicing since graduation," Jiang Xun said proudly, "but I'm still far behind Brother Liao."
He regretted it the moment he said it. The table suddenly became quiet. Sang Xinqi lowered her head to eat, her eyelashes casting fine shadows under the light.
"Auntie Sang will be back soon, right?" Jiang Xun quickly changed the subject.
When Sang Xinqi went abroad, her mother also went with her due to work transfer.
"Yes, I'll be transferred back to headquarters at the end of the year," Sang Xinqi answered softly, her chopsticks unconsciously stirring the rice in the bowl.
Under the light, the shadows of three people intertwined on the wall and then separated.
After dinner, Liao Yishen silently stood up to clear the dishes. Just as Sang Xinqi was about to help, Jiang Xun dragged her into the living room.
"You two really don't want to consider starting over?" Jiang Xun lowered his voice, but his eyes were surprisingly bright.
Sang Xinqi's heart skipped a beat. "Mind your own business."
Jiang Xun persisted, "Do you know how many people Brother Liao has rejected over the years? I think he is..."
"It has nothing to do with me," Sang Xinqi interrupted him, but when she caught a glimpse of Liao Yishen approaching, she inexplicably changed her words, "...I can't explain it clearly."
When Liao Yishen came over with a fruit plate, he felt the subtle atmosphere in the air and asked, "What are you talking about?"
"Nothing," Sang Xinqi lowered her head to take the fruit, and her fingertips accidentally touched his, and she shrank back as if she had been electrocuted.
Jiang Xun was grinning like a cat stealing fish. The three of them chatted idly until around nine o'clock. Sang Xinqi was the first to stand up and say goodbye. Liao Yishen also stood up, "I'm going back too."
Jiang Xun sent the two people to the elevator and closed the door.
In the elevator, the small space made each other's breathing clearly audible.
Sang Xinqi stared at the constantly jumping floor numbers and felt that the time it took to go down was particularly long.
As soon as they arrived at the underground parking lot, Sang Xinqi quickly walked to the front of the car. When he was a fist away from her, she broke the silence, "I'm leaving!"
Liao Yishen's eyes fell on her. Seeing that she couldn't wait to leave, his expression dimmed for a moment, and he nodded slightly, "Be careful on the road."
【Author’s words】
Woo woo woo
Babies, please leave a message. [Let me know][Let me know]
Let me see you guys [burst crying][burst crying][burst crying]
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