Chapter 97
In the coffee shop, Xiao Peiyin placed the prepared coffee on the bar and smiled with satisfaction. Today was the weekend and she didn't have to go to the company, so she had time to do these things.
"Sister Pei Yin..., are you really not going to see her?" Cheng Sheng asked, frowning as he stood aside.
"When she sees me, she might turn around and walk away, and then she won't be able to drink the coffee I made for her. Give it to her on my behalf and say it was you who made it!" She didn't have the energy to stand in front of Gu Cunxi anymore. She didn't blame herself for the humiliation, but it hurt to hear it, especially when it came from the mouth of her lover. It was almost like being tortured to death.
All the thoughts she had for Gu Cunxi over the years were melted into the coffee she had brewed herself. As long as she could drink it...
There was a sigh in the room. Cheng Sheng stood aside, pouting angrily, not knowing what to say. Ever since they met, they had every opportunity to explain, but Sister Pei Yin had always kept silent about the past misunderstandings. And about that woman that day, the more Cheng Sheng thought about it, the more he couldn't help but want to ask for clarification: "Sister Pei Yin, why didn't you explain it clearly? It was clearly..."
"You obviously love her very much. You're not really going to let her go just because of that woman's one-sided words, are you?"
Xiao Peiyin was stunned. When she mentioned "love", she felt a sense of emptiness in her heart...
"She is living well now, that's enough..."
After that, she looked out the window, her eyes deep, and she kept stroking the middle finger of her left hand. Jiang Rao was right. In these years, he had left nothing for Cunxi except hurting her.
"What if Sister Cunxi still loves you?" Cheng Sheng suddenly asked with a sad look in his eyes.
"She won't, Jiang Rao is more suitable for her than me!" Xiao Peiyin shook her head with a bitter smile on her face. In fact, after what happened in the office that day, she understood that in Gu Cunxi's heart, the hurt and betrayal she had done to her were an unsolvable knot.
"You haven't asked yet, how do you know it won't happen?" Cheng Sheng asked relentlessly, slamming the table in front of him angrily. Xiao Peiyin avoided answering and picked up her coat to leave: "I'm leaving first. When she comes, I won't be able to leave."
"Sister Pei Yin!" Cheng Sheng grabbed her and said in an unhappy tone: "You are so cowardly"
Xiao Peiyin lowered her head and smiled bitterly. She tacitly agreed with Cheng Sheng's words. She was a coward, so she didn't dare to face Gu Cunxi, let alone bring up four years ago. Jiang Rao's words made her powerless to explain the past. The more she talked, the more hurt she would feel...
"I really can't stand you two!" Cheng Sheng pulled his hair and said, "Since you don't dare to ask, then I will ask for you. Whatever you don't dare to say, I will say it for you!"
After saying that, Cheng Sheng pulled her, ignoring Xiao Peiyin's struggle behind him, and walked to the second floor, blocking her in the lounge: "Sister Peiyin, since you are afraid to meet her, then hide here. I want you to hear it with your own ears, I want her to say it herself!"
"Cheng Sheng! No!!"
"Why not?" Cheng Sheng growled anxiously.
"She can now live a peaceful life. As long as I don't show up, she won't think about the past. Those bad things should be forgotten. Don't poke at her pain points anymore, okay?"
When she said this, she covered her face in pain and held back her tears.
"But do you want her to misunderstand you forever? Old, rotten wounds can only be healed if they are torn open and cleaned!" Cheng Sheng's tone was firm, and his breathing became rapid.
"Cheng Sheng!!"
The sound of wind chimes at the door downstairs interrupted their argument.
"Cheng Sheng, please, don't say anything! I don't want her to know that four years ago, it was because of me... If she knew, she would be more miserable than now, so I beg you, don't tell her!" Xiao Peiyin pleaded in a low voice, her voice choked with sobs.
In the afternoon, Gu Cunxi received a call from Cheng Sheng, saying that she had mixed a new cup of coffee and was going to launch it, and wanted him to come over and taste it for her, so she agreed.
"Cheng Sheng??"
Gu Cunxi looked around. There was no one in the cafe. It was very quiet. He only heard a sudden pause in the conversation when he pushed the door open. He didn't think much of it.
"Sister Cunxi, you're here." Cheng Sheng leaned against the stairs on the second floor and smiled at her.
"Well, the conference call just ended, so I was delayed a bit."
"Today is the weekend, and you don't even take a break. I haven't seen you for four years and you're becoming more and more like a workaholic..."
"I just made the coffee and was waiting for you." Cheng Sheng walked downstairs and pulled Gu Cunxi to sit in the seat where Xiao Peiyin had just sat.
There were two coffee cups on the table that had not been cleared away. Cheng Sheng looked panicked for a moment and hurriedly put them away: "Sister Cunxi, I'll get them for you!"
"Yeah," Gu Cunxi smiled and nodded.
Cheng Sheng walked to the bar, carefully picked up the cup of coffee called "Love", and placed it in front of Gu Cunxi.
"Help me taste it, how does it taste?"
"Your craftsmanship is definitely not bad!"
The coffee in front of me was different from the previous ones. It was light pink, with a heart shape made of milk foam on it. There was also a small letter X inside the heart, and it looked like it was sprinkled with rose powder.
"Cheng Sheng, this cup of coffee is not specially made for me, right?" Gu Cunxi asked with a puzzled look on his face.
“!”
As soon as the words fell, a trace of panic flashed across Cheng Sheng's face, and he chuckled awkwardly: "Nothing can escape your eyes."
"You guessed it right, it was specially tuned for you"
"Thank you, Boss Cheng."
The coffee in front of him was exquisitely made. Gu Cunxi couldn't wait to take a sip. It was completely different from the cups he had drunk before! There was no trace of bitterness. After drinking it, his mouth was filled with sweetness and a hint of salt from the sea salt, like tears flowing from the eyes of a lover.
"How is it?" Cheng Sheng asked expectantly.
"Hmm" Gu Cunxi pursed his lips and savored the taste: "It tastes good!"
"Really? Sister Cunxi isn't praising me on purpose, is she?"
"Of course not, it's really delicious, different from the coffee you've had before."
"Hmm?" Cheng Sheng asked again, speculatively, "What's the difference?"
"Although the coffee I had before tasted good, it was too bitter. And it seemed to have something else besides the bitterness of coffee!"
"Anything else?" Cheng Sheng raised his eyebrows and asked in confusion.
"The bitterness in my heart..." Gu Cunxi looked at the person opposite him, his eyes were deep, and there was a slight bitter smile on the corner of his mouth.
"Is that so? Sister Cunxi, do you like the old one? Or the new one?"
"I like them all!" Gu Cunxi smiled.
"No!" Cheng Sheng curled his lips and said dissatisfiedly: "I don't accept this answer!"
Seeing Cheng Sheng jumping in front of her like a child, Gu Cunxi thought of four years ago, and the corners of her mouth curled up unconsciously. She was still the same as four years ago, childish, simple and happy!
"Alright, alright," she waved her hand. "I like the current one better!"
In the private room on the second floor, Xiao Peiyin leaned against the door and smiled happily. However, she couldn't help crying as she smiled.
The coffee in front of him was almost finished, and his heart was filled with the sweetness of this cup of coffee. The sweetness made Gu Cunxi addicted. He was still not satisfied, so he shook the cup and asked, "Is there anything similar?"
Cheng Sheng uttered an "ah" and said with embarrassment: "No, making coffee also requires inspiration."
It’s not that she doesn’t know how to make it, it’s just that she can’t make the coffee that Gu Cunxi wants!
"How about this, Sister Cunxi, from now on, you can come and help me taste every new cup of coffee I make?"
"Okay," Gu Cunxi agreed readily.
"By the way, is the store closed today? Why did I see the sign on your door change to after hours?"
Cheng Sheng was stunned for a few seconds and explained: "Because you are here"
Gu Cunxi shook his head and chuckled, jokingly saying, "If I come here every day, won't you have to close the store every day?"
"If Sister Cunxi is willing to come every day, I would be more than happy to do so!" Cheng Sheng thought of the person hiding on the second floor, opened his mouth to say something, but didn't know where to start.
"Cheng Sheng, do you have anything to tell me?" Gu Cunxi took another sip of the coffee in front of him.
"No," Cheng Sheng denied, "Why do you ask?"
"You look like you're about to say something; it's written all over your face..."
"Is there...is there?" Cheng Sheng hurriedly turned his head away and touched his cheek.
"Well, if you have anything to say, you can just say it directly, no need to hide it."
Cheng Sheng's hands under the table tightened unconsciously, thinking of that bad woman that day. After thinking about it, he decided to test their relationship first: "Actually, this cup of coffee today is to bless Sister Cunxi!"
Gu Cunxi didn't understand. He tilted his head and looked at Cheng Sheng with a puzzled look on his face: "What are you blessing me for?"
"With that beautiful sister! Actually, I saw you the other day, in the western restaurant on Nanhai Road. I wanted to go say hello, but then I saw you guys talking and laughing so I didn't disturb you..." Cheng Sheng smiled awkwardly.
Gu Cunxi thought about it in her mind and realized that the beautiful sister Cheng Sheng was referring to was Jiang Rao. She lowered her head and smiled silently, looking helpless. She didn't know what was going on in Cheng Sheng's mind that he would associate her with Jiang Rao. Gu Cunxi decided to tease her.
"So?" She smiled, her lips red and teeth white, her face bright and beautiful.
"I wish you happiness..."
"Isn't she Sister Cunxi's girlfriend? I saw you two hugging each other that day," Cheng Sheng asked with a smirk on his face. His hands under the table were sweating from nervousness.
"Is that so..." Gu Cunxi nodded thoughtfully and said, "Thank you for your blessing!"
This answer made Cheng Sheng panic.
She didn't deny it. She felt that she had asked a very stupid question. She wondered if Sister Pei Yin, who was hiding upstairs, had heard it...
Seeing Cheng Sheng's annoyed look, Gu Cunxi felt indescribably strange. Not to mention that she and Jiang Rao were just friends, Cheng Sheng's expression didn't look like a sincere blessing at all. It was more like a test!
Gu Cunxi coughed lightly and explained: "You misunderstood, she is not my girlfriend!"
Relieved
Cheng Sheng heaved a sigh of relief and subconsciously glanced at the door upstairs. This action fell into Gu Cunxi's eyes, and the doubts in his heart gradually grew.
"You did it on purpose!" Cheng Sheng pouted.
"Is this what you've been hesitating about asking me?" Gu Cunxi frowned and asked seriously.
"Not really, I just thought you..."
"Just friends!" Gu Cunxi emphasized the word "friends".
"I've told you everything you wanted to know. I'm leaving now. I have a meeting with headquarters later. I love coffee, thank you!"
After that, she picked up her handbag and prepared to leave. Cheng Sheng saw her and grabbed her arm: "Sister Cunxi!"
Gu Cunxi was sure that Cheng Sheng was hesitant because he wanted to say something or ask something. She broke free and said bluntly, "Cheng Sheng, I don't like people who are secretive. If you have anything to say, just say it."
Cheng Sheng hesitated for a moment and took a deep breath. "Since Sister Cunxi doesn't like people who are secretive, then she won't be secretive from others either, right?"
Gu Cunxi did not answer, but looked straight into Cheng Sheng's eyes, full of inquiry.
"Sister Cunxi, you will answer me truthfully, right?" Cheng Sheng stood in front of her and asked word by word with a firm tone.
"What do you want to ask?" Gu Cunxi narrowed his eyes, his gaze sharp and warning. Cheng Sheng said bluntly: "Sister Pei Yin! Do you still love her?"
“!”
From the moment Cheng Sheng said this, the coffee shop returned to a dead silence, so silent that one could almost hear the other person's heartbeat.
"I still have a meeting! I'm leaving first..." Gu Cunxi walked around Cheng Sheng and wanted to leave, but his body seemed to have been drained of strength, and even his legs were shaking.
"Can I take Sister Cunxi's evasion as a tacit agreement?" Cheng Sheng strode over and blocked her way.
"Cheng Sheng!" Gu Cunxi turned around, glared at Cheng Sheng and growled. She didn't know whether it was out of anger or inner pain. For a moment, Gu Cunxi's heart seemed to be blown apart, bloody and messy, and every nerve in her body was in pain.
"Sister Cunxi, if you don't deny it, you admit it? You still love her!"
Facing Gu Cunxi's roar, Cheng Sheng did not flinch but pressed on step by step. She wanted to force the truth in her heart to the people upstairs!
"You misunderstood." She held onto the corner of the table next to her and said calmly, "I just hate hearing this person's name! That's all!"
Human language is the coldest weapon, and even colder than that is Gu Cunxi's voice at this moment. It carries a calmness that is powerful enough to pierce the heart, piercing the heart of the person hiding upstairs. Xiao Peiyin leaned against the door and raised her hand to clutch her chest. The tears that she had finally held back burst out again.
"Is Sister Cunxi hating you?"
"Cheng Sheng, if you hate her, you must remember her. She doesn't deserve it!!"
"This matter has nothing to do with you. Don't try to test me here! If you hadn't suddenly brought it up, I would have almost forgotten this person. I don't hate her. Why should I hate her? She's not worth it!"
"She...is not worth it!" Gu Cunxi became more and more angry as he spoke, and finally turned to whispering with a trembling voice.
It seemed that the word "not worth it" was not spoken to Cheng Sheng, but to herself. In these years, no one dared to mention the three words Xiao Peiyin in front of her. Everyone was tactful and did not mention it at all, so that she thought she could slowly get through it.
However, Cheng Sheng was like a sharp knife, standing in front of her, cutting open all the old scars on her body one by one, and asking her to face the old wounds that were oozing pus and blood by herself. It was too cruel!
"You are obviously lying! You are afraid to admit it!" Cheng Sheng rubbed his forehead and growled. She didn't understand why two people were still in love, but one was unwilling to explain and the other was unwilling to tell the truth. She really didn't want to see them still miss each other after four years.
"Yes...I lied!" Gu Cunxi nodded weakly.
Cheng Sheng's eyes flashed with joy. Gu Cunxi took off his suit, rolled up his sleeves calmly, and walked step by step to Cheng Sheng, holding up his hand: "I have never forgotten her in these years. She is like the scar on my right hand, eye-catching and glaring!!"
The hideous scar was exposed in an instant. The glaring suture scar occupied half of his arm. Cheng Sheng hurriedly turned his head away, not daring to look. Gu Cunxi continued angrily: "You said I still love her? What should I love about her? Love that she deceived me? Love that she is heartless?"
"Cheng Sheng, I can't forgive you for all this! You actually asked me if I still love her! Don't you think this question is ridiculous?" Gu Cunxi lowered his head and laughed dumbly, his voice dry and hoarse.
"Four years ago, I believed in her so much. I thought her heart was the same as mine, and I was willing to give her everything. But in the end, all I got was her saying she wanted to live a good life with Chen Feng. Cheng Sheng, please tell me, what have I meant to her in all these years?"
"You shouldn't be blaming me here. You should go ask Xiao Peiyin what she did four years ago!"
Cheng Sheng was speechless and stood there in a daze. She wanted to explain, but all she could think about was Pei Yin's whispered plea. She didn't want to hurt Gu Cunxi, but she also didn't want Pei Yin to be misunderstood like this...
"But Sister Cunxi, I heard everything that day!"
"What did you hear?"
"You called her name in your dream!"
As soon as the words fell, a deep, dumb laugh broke out in the room.
"So what?" Gu Cunxi asked with a sneer.
"This proves that you still have feelings for Sister Pei Yin!"
"No," she interrupted Cheng Sheng and denied it.
"You're blaming her, which means you still care!"
"Cheng Sheng! My patience has its limits..." Gu Cunxi turned around and glared at her, his eyes cold.
"You just don't dare to admit that you love her while hating her! I guess you only dare to secretly admit that you still like her and can't let her go when it's late at night and no one can see or hear you! Otherwise, why would you come back here!"
"Cheng Sheng! Don't force me with these words!"
"I didn't force you, you were the one forcing yourself. You pretended to be calm and indifferent just to disguise the fact that you still loved Sister Pei Yin!" Cheng Sheng poured out all the words in her heart. She turned her back, not wanting to look directly at Gu Cunxi's hurt and sad expression.
A dull crash sounded behind Cheng Sheng, accompanied by the crisp sound of broken glass.
"Sister Cunxi!" Cheng Sheng walked over quickly and supported Gu Cunxi, who was about to faint: "Are you okay?"
Cheng Sheng's words were like a knife piercing the softest part of her heart, making her breathless. Her vision went dark for a moment, and her right hand bumped against the corner of the table, accidentally knocking the coffee cup beside her down...
She was about to respond when she heard a door open violently behind her.
Xiao Peiyin was standing on the second floor, looking nervous.
“!”
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