28 Chapter 28
◎Your ex-girlfriend is more beautiful than in the photo◎
Sang Xinqi seemed listless throughout the morning, staring at the computer screen with a dazed look in her eyes, her fingers tapping the keyboard mechanically.
The lingering nightmare enveloped her like a thick haze. In the dream, Liao Yishen's eyes were bloodshot, and he stepped on the accelerator to the bottom and rushed towards her.
At the moment the car body collided, she clearly heard his hysterical roar, "Why did you abandon me?"
She could even feel the excruciating pain of broken bones when the black car ran over her body.
What a terrible dream!
The warm yellow light cast on the wooden table in the small restaurant. Sang Xinqi stirred the bowl of porridge in front of her and slowly told Chang Yisi about the heart-wrenching nightmare.
After hearing this, Chang Yisi blinked mischievously, "It seems some people can't do anything that's wrong."
Sang Xinqi curled her lips and tapped the rim of the cup with her fingertips. "Not only did you not comfort me, but you also laughed at me?"
Chang Yisi chuckled, his eyes suddenly brightening as he leaned closer and asked, "By the way, how's my cousin? Have you guys been chatting lately?"
"No," Sang Xinqi shook her head. "Besides... I don't think we're a good match. Just being friends is fine."
Chang Yisi puffed up his cheeks and glared at her with disapproval, "I see you just can't forget Liao Yishen!"
The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. "Just talking about it makes me furious. We were deskmates in high school for two years, and you were dating him and you hid it from me? I'm still upset about it!"
Sang Xinqi: “…”
When she thought about the days after the breakup, she felt like all her strength had been drained away and she was in a daze.
Chang Yisi forced her to go out for a walk, and seeing that she was not in a good state, he asked her repeatedly before finding out the truth. At that time, Chang Yisi was so angry that he stomped his feet. He was not angry about their breakup, but that she was secretly in love without telling him.
"Okay, don't be angry," Sang Xinqi patted her back ingratiatingly.
Chang Yisi slapped her hand away and said, "Don't try that on me!"
Sang Xinqi couldn't help laughing.
"Have you seen Liao Yishen recently?" Chang Yisi suddenly asked.
"I just saw it yesterday," Sang Xinqi sighed, "otherwise I wouldn't have had that kind of dream."
She paused and said helplessly, "My circle is too small. Jiang Xun always invites me, and he has a good relationship with Liao Yishen."
Chang Yisi said "tsk" meaningfully, "No need to explain."
Sang Xinqi: “…”
"Is he still single now?" Chang Yisi's eyes sparkled.
Sang Xinqi thought of what Jiang Xun said yesterday, and after a moment of silence, she said softly, "Yeah, I'm single."
Chang Yisi held his chin in his hand, his tone suddenly becoming serious, "Although I really want to bring you together with my cousin, if you still like Liao Yishen, go and get him back."
Sang Xinqi paused for a moment, her voice lowered a few degrees, "I was the one who gave up first... I didn't have the courage to look back."
"Life is only a little over 30,000 days long, why think so much?" Chang Yisi turned into a relationship expert, drawing a circle in the air with his finger. "It would be such a pity if I couldn't be with the one I love."
"You're right," Sang Xinqi smiled bitterly, "but I'm just a coward."
Chang Yisi slammed the table proudly, "The worst that can happen is being rejected! What are you afraid of?" She smiled slyly, "Don't worry, even if I'm rejected, I can still force my cousin to marry you."
Sang Xinqi finally couldn't hold back her laughter and said, "Get lost!"
Chang Yisi laughed heartily, his clear laughter emitting particularly bright light in the quiet cafe.
-
Late at night, Sang Xinqi tossed and turned in bed again. Chang Yisi's words, "What's wrong with giving it a try," circled in her mind like a spell, unable to be shaken off.
Yes, the worst outcome is just rejection, which won’t cost you anything. But if you don’t even have the courage to try, this regret will probably accompany you for the rest of your life.
Eight years passed like flowing water, which should have diluted all the youthful excitement. But when they met again, she found that time had made him more calm and reserved, but it did not reduce the familiar throbbing in her chest at all.
-
"Did you steal a chicken last night?" Jiang Xun asked with raised eyebrows, staring at Sang Xinqi, who had dark circles under her eyes.
Sang Xinqi took a sip of water slowly and said calmly, "I didn't steal the chicken, I stole the duck."
Jiang Xun: “…”
He tutted and leaned back in his chair. "Tell me, what do you want from me?"
Sang Xinqi tapped the cup lightly with her fingertips, hesitating to speak. "I'm thinking of moving to a new house recently."
Jiang Xun immediately let out an exaggerated "ow," "You want me to help you move?"
"Yes and no," she said, deliberately keeping the secret.
Jiang Xun narrowed his eyes, "What do you mean?"
Sang Xinqi cleared her throat and finally got straight to the point. "Please help me find out if there's anyone living across the street from Liao Yishen? It would be best if I could rent next door or across the street from him."
Jiang Xun's eyes widened, and then he smiled mischievously, "Oh, are you planning to pursue Brother Liao?"
Sang Xinqi's ears turned slightly red, but she said confidently, "Isn't it possible? Isn't he single?"
Jiang Xun smacked his lips, "I told you you would regret it."
Sang Xinqi: “…”
"Will you help?" She glared at him.
Jiang Xun slammed the table and stood up, "Help! Iron Gang!"
He leaned closer, "Who was it that said so confidently a few days ago that he 'didn't like it anymore'?"
Sang Xinqi slapped him on the shoulder and said, "Shut up."
The force was so light that it felt like a tickle, but Jiang Xun grimaced exaggeratedly, "Ouch! Murder!"
Sang Xinqi rolled her eyes and said, "Don't give me that."
Jiang Xun chuckled and finally said seriously, "What a coincidence, the apartment across from Liao Yishen is mine. We bought it together and it's been empty since the renovation."
Sang Xinqi raised her eyebrows, "So good? Then why don't you stay?"
Jiang Xun spread his hands, "See you at work and after get off work, there's no private space."
Sang Xinqi: “…”
"I'll ask someone to clean it up, and you can just move in with your bags," Jiang Xun said readily.
Sang Xinqi smiled and said, "Thank you. If we can get back together, I'll treat you to a feast."
Jiang Xun shook his head, his face full of emotion, "Alas, I've been really worried about you two."
-
Jiang Xun worked quickly and cleaned up the house in just a few days. When he called, Sang Xinqi was having dinner with Xu Jianian in the restaurant.
"So soon? Thank you!" Sang Xinqi smiled and spoke in a cheerful tone.
Jiang Xun on the other end of the phone said lazily, "It's a small matter."
The two chatted briefly and then hung up.
When she looked up, she found Xu Jianian looking at her thoughtfully.
"I'm planning to move," she explained casually.
"Do you need help with moving?" Xu Jianian put down the water cup and said in a gentle tone.
"No, no," Sang Xinqi waved her hands quickly, "Friends will come to help."
A hint of disappointment flashed across Xu Jianian's eyes, but he quickly returned to normal, "Is that so?"
"By the way," he took out two tickets from his suit pocket and gently pushed them in front of her, "There's an Impressionist exhibition on Saturday. Do you want to go together?"
Sang Xinqi thought for a moment—she really didn’t have any plans for this Saturday.
"Okay," she agreed readily.
Xu Jianian's lips curled up unconsciously, "Then I'll pick you up then?"
"Oh, no need," Sang Xinqi said with a smile, "I can drive there myself."
"Okay," he nodded, tapping his fingertips twice on the ticket.
"Oh, right," Sang Xinqi suddenly remembered something, "that reliable clothing factory you mentioned on the phone..."
"It's owned by a friend of mine," Xu Jianian immediately chimed in, pulling up information on his phone. "They specialize in high-end customization, and all their equipment is imported..."
He explained it in great detail, and Sang Xinqi listened carefully, nodding from time to time.
"Why don't you invite your friend over for dinner some other day and talk about it in detail?" she suggested.
Xu Jianian's eyes lit up, "I'll arrange it."
-
The weather on Saturday was exceptionally good, and the sunshine was like melted honey, warmly falling on my shoulders.
When Sang Xinqi drove to the art exhibition, she saw Xu Jianian waiting in the parking lot from afar, his slender figure particularly eye-catching in the sunlight.
She parked the car and walked over quickly. "Have you been waiting for a long time? Am I not late?"
Xu Jianian smiled and shook his head, the sunlight dancing on his glasses, "I just arrived not long ago."
The two walked side by side towards the exhibition hall, their intertwined shadows cast on the marble steps. The light in the exhibition hall was soft. Sang Xinqi was concentrating on appreciating a painting when she suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure in the reflection of the frame.
Liao Yishen was standing not far away, his black turtleneck sweater highlighting his outline. He was looking up slightly at the painting, and the lines of the back of his neck were particularly clear under the light.
Sang Xinqi unconsciously clenched the guidebook with her fingertips. At this moment, Xu Jianian suddenly leaned in and said, "Xinqi, look at this."
His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough to make the person in front of him turn his head.
The moment their eyes met, the air seemed to freeze for a second. Liao Yishen's gaze changed from surprise to calmness, and finally turned into a polite nod. Sang Xinqi also nodded slightly, and her throat suddenly tightened.
"Did you meet someone you know?" Xu Jianian stood beside her, his eyes moving back and forth between his two old lovers.
Of course he recognized Liao Yishen, the man who held hands with Sang Xinqi backstage at the design competition. He just didn't expect that after so many years, the subtle aura between them still existed.
Liao Yishen's gaze lingered on the two people standing side by side for a moment, a dark flash in his eyes, his jaw line slightly tensed, and he was about to turn around.
"Yi Shen," a gentle female voice came from behind.
Sang Xinqi looked in the direction of the voice and saw a woman in a white cashmere coat walking towards her. She had slightly curly hair, picturesque eyebrows and eyes, and her every move exuded intellectual elegance.
"Sorry, there's a traffic jam on the road," the woman stood beside Liao Yishen, her breathing a little unstable.
"It's okay," Liao Yishen said in a calm tone, but naturally took the bag from her hand.
This subtle movement was like a thorn, gently piercing Sang Xinqi's heart. She forced herself to look away and gave Xu Jianian a forced smile, "Let's continue to view the exhibition."
In the following time, Sang Xinqi's eyes kept wandering unconsciously. The shocking paintings became blurred in her eyes, and Xu Jianian's explanation in her ears seemed to be through a layer of frosted glass.
"Xinqi?" She suddenly came back to her senses when Xu Jianian called her for the third time.
"Sorry..." She hurriedly gathered her hair.
Xu Jianian's eyes behind the glasses were full of understanding, "What are you thinking about so intently?" There was a hint of temptation in his tone as he asked knowingly.
"Nothing," Sang Xinqi lowered her head to straighten her clothes which were not messy at all.
Fate seemed to be playing tricks on them. At lunchtime, they unexpectedly ran into the couple again in a French restaurant. Sang Xinqi's fingers turned slightly white as she held the menu.
"Do you want to change to another one?" Xu Jianian asked considerately.
Sang Xinqi shook her head and chose a place where she could see them but was not too conspicuous.
Not far away, a woman in white was elegantly cutting a steak and suddenly chuckled, "Your ex-girlfriend is even prettier than in the photo."
Liao Yishen paused, and the knife and fork made a slight sound on the porcelain plate.
"Senpai," he said with a warning in his voice.
"I'm being serious," the woman said, taking a sip of her wine. "She was quite clear-headed when she gave up on you for her dream." Seeing Liao Yishen's face darken, she added with a smile, "Although it was indeed cruel to you."
I don’t know what they talked about. The napkin in Sang Xinqi’s hand was deeply wrinkled. She looked at the woman’s smiling face, and her chest felt like a stone was pressing on it, making it difficult for her to breathe.
Xu Jianian took it all in and silently poured her a glass of warm water. The glass reflected the chandelier on the ceiling, which shattered into a dazzling patch of light, just like her shattered disguise at the moment.
Xu Jia was young, swirling his red wine glass. The deep red liquid shimmered under the light. He looked at Sang Xinqi, his voice gentle but meaningful. "Sometimes, when you miss someone, it might just be fate. If you keep dwelling on it, you'll only hurt yourself. Sometimes, the wisest choice is to open your heart and embrace new possibilities."
Sang Xinqi's fingers tightened slightly around the wine glass. She raised her eyes and smiled in feigned confusion, "What do you mean?"
Xu Jianian did not answer directly, but just raised his glass to gesture to her. The crisp sound when the glasses collided was like a silent sigh.
"Sang Xinqi," he stared at her with a faint smile on his lips, "You have always been very smart."
The red wine goes down your throat, leaving a slightly bitter aftertaste.
Sang Xinqi lowered her eyelashes and let the silence spread between the two of them.
The melodious violin music in the restaurant and the laughter of the surrounding guests have now become distant background noise.
The meal took an exceptionally long time, and every minute and every second, Sang Xinqi could clearly feel the familiar figure not far away.
Xu Jianian considerately said nothing more, but just added wine and food to her from time to time, but his eyes were always filled with gentle inquiry, as if he could see through all her disguises.
When the waiter brought the dessert, Sang Xinqi looked at Liao Yishen's table again. Coincidentally, he was also looking up, and their eyes met briefly in the air. The woman in white followed his gaze and smiled, a smile so bright that it was dazzling.
Sang Xinqi hastily looked away and found Xu Jianian pushing a piece of tiramisu in front of her.
"Try it," he whispered. "I heard sweets can make people feel better."
She forced a smile, but felt bitter in her mouth.
The moment the knife cuts across the cake and the cream collapses is like some kind of silent metaphor.
give up?
As soon as this thought flashed through her mind, she decisively suppressed it.
How could I give up?
As long as he was still single, she still had a chance.
Sang Xinqi gently stroked the wine glass, her eyes unconsciously following the tall figure not far away. The woman in white was approaching Liao Yishen and saying something. He nodded slightly, and the outline of his profile was particularly clear under the light.
Xu Jianian took in her expression and suddenly asked softly, "Is your ex-boyfriend so good? You still can't forget him?"
She retracted her gaze, a determined arc appeared on the corner of her lips, "Some things, you have to try to know the result."
The red wine swayed in the glass, reflecting her bright eyes. Eight years ago, she chose to leave in order to live up to her youth; now she decided to be brave in order to live up to her sincerity.
Even if the other party refuses, she will never let go easily this time.
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