Chapter 18: A photo of her and Bian Lin.
Chapter 18
She just received an email from the institute's administration responding to her resignation application, rejecting it on the grounds that the cases her team was currently handling had not yet been concluded.
But this makes no sense at all. She was just a nobody, and she wasn't in charge of anything crucial. Besides, she had already handed over her work before going to Shanghai. Her part wasn't even a crucial one. Anyone with a brain could tell that Jiang Zhiyan wouldn't approve her resignation.
"Wasn't I clear enough? What's wrong with Jiang Zhiyan this time?"
Xia Zhiyu turned to look at Fang Xinle, who shrugged and said, "He's a man, and a feudalistic one at that. It's not surprising that he'd do something like that."
Bian Lin awkwardly touched his nose and wisely remained silent.
No, didn't she and Jiang Zhiyan already reach a consensus on breaking up and leaving their jobs?
On what grounds should he refuse to approve her resignation?
It's simply unbelievable.
Xia Zhiyu opened WeChat, which she hadn't paid attention to for a while. The China Unicom signal was bad, and it took a while for the little circle to spin before seventeen or eighteen messages appeared.
New colleagues inquired about her work, while several familiar former colleagues asked why she had suddenly resigned. Xia Zhiyu replied to each of their inquiries.
My gaze fell on Jiang Zhiyan's chat box.
The glaring words "You haven't made enough trouble yet" reeked of a fatherly tone and a stern reprimand, easily igniting Xia Zhiyu's anger.
No, Jiang Zhiyan probably doesn't really think she's trying to get his attention by acting like this.
How can he be so confident?
Who gave him the confidence that his bank account balance was still just a pittance?
She asked him when he would be free to pack his luggage simply because the neighborhood needed the owner's signature for authorization to deliver goods to Lala's store. Although her name was on the property title, it was a house that Jiang Zhiyan had bought in full.
Jiang Zhiyan couldn't possibly mistakenly think she was yelling at him to scare him.
Xia Zhiyu sneered, then raised her eyes and smiled, suggesting, "Anyway, the three of us are free right now, why don't you two come with me to move?"
The night wind was chilly, lifting her long hair. Under the dim light, Xia Zhiyu's eyes shone brightly, as striking as a rose in a sketchbook, thickly painted and captivating.
Bian Lin stared at her intently, his eyes swirling with emotion.
With a "click," a bright white light suddenly appeared.
Xia Zhiyu was startled and turned her head. A messy head popped out from under the dark camera lens.
The girl, who looked like a college student, blushed with excitement. "I'm so sorry, sister. I'm a street photographer. That scene was so beautiful, and you and your boyfriend seemed to have such great chemistry. I couldn't resist taking a picture. If you mind, I'll delete it after I send you the photo."
The girl's eyes were bright and round, like a little red apple.
This made Xia Zhiyu involuntarily think of her former self.
"He's not my boyfriend, he's my friend's younger brother," Xia Zhiyu explained with a smile. "Are you studying photography?"
“Yes, portrait photography,” the girl hesitated for a moment before mustering her courage, “This photo is the best I’ve done in a while. If it’s okay, could I buy it?”
The girl's voice grew softer and softer, but her face turned redder and redder, just like when she was an intern.
“You don’t need to buy it,” Xia Zhiyu said gently. “If you hadn’t taken the picture, I wouldn’t have known I was so pretty. Thank you so much.”
After saying that, he added, "Did you bring the authorization agreement?"
The implication is that he agrees to authorize the girl's portrait rights.
The girl's eyes shone brightly, her face full of flattery. She hurriedly took out the agreement from her backpack, a joyful smile dancing across her face.
...
"Wow, our Attorney Xia is so kind!" As soon as the girl left, Fang Xinle teased Xia Zhiyu with a smile, "She can handle lawsuits and be a model. She doesn't even take money as a model and signs agreements voluntarily. Where can you find such a gentle and beautiful model sister?"
"Are your eyes damaged?" Xia Zhiyu rolled her eyes at her. "That girl is from the media school, didn't you see the school badge on her backpack?"
Fang Xinle raised an eyebrow: "Junior, why didn't you tell her?"
"Is being taken care of the same as being recognized because of one's own abilities?"
Xia Zhiyu finished the remaining half glass of wine in one gulp. "When I was her age, I dreamed every day of being recognized by others."
The "others" here refers to Jiang Zhiyan.
Unfortunately, until ten minutes ago, she had not received any recognition or respect.
-
As a couple who had lived together for five years, no one understood Jiang Zhiyan better than Xia Zhiyu.
Indeed, when Jiang Zhiyan returned home exhausted and was about to change clothes to attend another charity gala, he saw Xia Zhiyu's shoes lying at the door. He first breathed a sigh of relief, and then naturally thought something like, 'See, she was just throwing a tantrum.'
After all, no normal woman would want to break up with him. Who else could provide Xia Zhiyu with such a superior lifestyle after she left him?
As one of the top members of the Celestial Dragons, Jiang Zhiyan has an extremely clear understanding of his appearance and wealth, and is therefore exceptionally confident.
Is it really possible for Xia Zhiyu to break up with him after all this fuss? As long as Xia Zhiyu apologizes to him, he won't hold a grudge against her for all the petty arguments they had the other day.
Jiang Zhiyan suppressed his excitement and changed his shoes with restraint, disinfecting them and picking up the shoes that Xia Zhiyu had forgotten to put in the shoe cabinet, placing them next to his own shoes.
His black stilettos and matching leather shoes looked exceptionally good together.
If she doesn't want a bag, he'll order a few pairs of RV high heels for Xia Zhiyu next time. She has fair feet and beautiful arches, and she'll look very pleasing to the eye in pretty high heels.
A faint smile played on Jiang Zhiyan's lips.
She pushed open the door, entered the room, turned around, and in the next instant, her eyes met Bian Lin's.
As if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, Jiang Zhiyan was thoroughly chilled.
What are you doing in my house?
His voice was so cold it seemed to be frozen.
Bian Lin smiled like a victor, his arrogant words revealing a provocative tone, "I'm here to help Sister Xia move; it's not easy for her to carry her luggage alone."
His smile grew even brighter, radiating a rich aroma of tea. "Besides, it's not safe at night, right, Uncle Jiang?"
The phrase "Uncle Xiao Jiang" was used very deliberately, with a strong sense of sarcasm.
Jiang Zhiyan is young but holds a high position and has worked for a long time. He took over part of Huawan's work when Bian Lin was in high school and also collaborated with Bian Lin's father.
The two had met a few times at banquets before. When Bian Lin's father introduced them, he naturally assumed that Jiang Zhiyan was of the same generation as him and asked Bian Lin to call him "uncle".
Unexpectedly, this nickname has now become a tool used by Bian Lin to disgust him.
Xia Zhiyu is called "elder sister," but he is called "uncle."
So this is just something to disgust people, huh?
That's fucking interesting.
Jiang Zhiyan laughed in exasperation.
Just then, Xia Zhiyu's voice came from the bedroom, "Xiao Bian, Xiao Bian, could you help me bring that box in by the door?"
"Sister Xiaoyu is here."
Bian Linyang replied loudly, his eyes glancing at Jiang Zhiyan's dark face, a satisfied smile on his face.
The once neat and orderly room is now littered with takeout boxes, some sealed, others still open, containing Xia Zhiyu's trinkets.
She had lived in this house for almost five years, and although there weren't many odds and ends, she found that several large packing boxes couldn't fit them all when she was tidying up.
Xia Zhiyu needed to pack her things, Bian Lin hadn't gotten his driver's license yet, and there were no places to buy packing boxes in this upscale neighborhood, so Fang Xinle had to drive five kilometers to Metro to buy cardboard boxes.
I just happened to brush past Jiang Zhiyan.
A perfect missed opportunity.
Jiang Zhiyan practically squeezed out those three words through gritted teeth.
Xia Zhiyu looked up and met Jiang Zhiyan's eyes, which were burning with rage.
The usually proud man pursed his lips, his expression cold, and stared intently at Xia Zhiyu.
"You brought another man home?"
Seeing Jiang Zhiyan's deadpan expression, Xia Zhiyu knew he had misunderstood. A sense of vengeful pleasure welled up in her heart, and her smile became even brighter.
That's good. Jiang Zhiyan should really taste the bitterness that comes with a misunderstanding.
After all, how many times had she misunderstood him and Liu Miaoqi before? And he had never clarified or explained anything.
“It’s not our house,” Xia Zhiyu corrected him. “You and I have already broken up. As for Xiao Bian, we’re here to pack my things.”
“I asked your secretary this afternoon, and he said you’ll be busy all night. If we had known you were only working until 7 p.m., we would have come earlier to tidy up.”
Xia Zhiyu's smile was slightly distant, as if she felt awkward about meeting him.
Just a few days ago we were sleeping in the same bed, but today I kicked him away and want to crush his heart a few times.
And they keep referring to us?
How could she so naturally refer to herself and Bian Lin as "us"?
The Chinese language is profound and complex; a simple pronoun made Jiang Zhiyan feel like he had been kicked out of Xia Zhiyu's camp.
Packing your luggage?
Of all the people she could ask to pack her bags, she had to ask Bian Lin.
Xia Zhiyu knew that Bian Lin had feelings for her, yet she still went to see him. Wasn't this a blatant way of telling Bian Lin that she wanted to break up with him and that he could pursue her now?
The essence of a romantic relationship is cooperation. One person sends a signal, and the other receives it and responds. Rejection or agreement is just a matter of a single thought. Isn't her behavior a clear response to Bian Lin?
Jiang Zhiyan was so angry he almost ground his teeth to powder. He wished he could grab Bian Lin by the collar, throw him out the door, and then take Xia Zhiyu to an ophthalmologist to see what was wrong with her eyes. How could Bian Lin, that little chick, be even a fraction as good as him?
A bitter taste spread and anger swelled. If Jiang Zhiyan had ever browsed Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), he would have confirmed that he was breaking down in his defenses.
Unfortunately, Jiang Zhiyan didn't, and he never thought he would actually be dumped.
Jiang Zhiyan suddenly laughed, his smile full of sarcasm.
"Xia Zhiyu, you really know what's good for you. On one hand, you keep saying that you're not good enough for me and that we're not a good match, but on the other hand, you turn around and find a shorter tree to climb, right?"
"Trying to have your cake and eat it too, huh? You're really something else."
His tone was sharp and sarcastic, his words were direct and blunt, and his inherent arrogance and meanness were fully revealed.
The air suddenly froze, and Xia Zhiyu's hands stopped moving, like a robot whose spring had been unwound.
She almost thought she had misheard.
How could Jiang Zhiyan say such a thing about her?
Her long hair slipped down her shoulders, tickling her neck and making her itch terribly. Xia Zhiyu suddenly felt as if she had wasted the past five years of her life.
No, it's worse than feeding a dog.
My eyes are terribly dry, probably because I've been crying for too long; I can't even shed a single tear now.
Even if she fed the dog a piece of meat every day, five years would be enough time for the dog to remember what kind of person she was.
But Jiang Zhiyan, Jiang Zhiyan will never look down and see what kind of person she really is.
No matter how hard she tried, it was no use.
...
As soon as the words left his mouth, Jiang Zhiyan realized something was wrong.
But he was proud, and the words of regret lingered on his lips, but only two words came out.
His voice was dry and hoarse, with a barely perceptible stiffness.
With a "click," Xia Zhiyu lowered her head and, having learned from her previous experience, neatly removed the battery this time.
The precision gears got stuck, and the bird that had been ejected was frozen in place.
She tossed the battery and clock into the black trash bag with a swift and decisive motion, as if she were throwing away their love as garbage.
Xia Zhiyu's expression was as cold as if it were covered in ice, but the corners of her eyes were slightly red.
"Xiao Bian, could you please help pack these two boxes as well?"
"What about this one?"
Bian Lin looked at another slightly larger box at Xia Zhiyu's feet. It was filled with a lot of small trinkets: handmade porcelain, specimens, Disney keychains, water cups... all neatly separated by protective strips, with the cups even wrapped around several times.
It's obvious that Xia Zhiyu put a lot of effort into tidying up.
But so what? People like Jiang Zhiyan only know how to trample on other people's sincerity.
Bian Lin's smile grew even gentler, and the reminder in his tone was clear.
Xia Zhiyu glanced at the box with a nonchalant expression, feeling incredibly foolish that she had just had the thought of being reluctant to throw away these shared memories with Jiang Zhiyan.
As it turns out, it's impossible to warm the heart of someone like Jiang Zhiyan, who's practically a celestial being.
"It's okay, we don't need to pack this up. We can just throw it away in a bit," Xia Zhiyu said, picking up the box and tossing it into a trash bag. "I've asked an auntie to come and take out the trash."
The bedside table was empty, the shelves were bare, and Xia Zhiyu's traces in the room were dwindling. A crescent moon hung on the treetops outside the window, its cold light spilling into the room.
Jiang Zhiyan watched as she packed all her small belongings into a box, while all the gifts he had given her, regardless of their value, were left in the house.
It's ridiculous that the house he bought for Xia Zhiyu ended up becoming the tomb of their love.
That's ridiculous.
What's even more ridiculous is that Xia Zhiyu actually gave up on Bian Lin, a piece of trash.
The comments Xia Zhiyu left on Bian Lin's account flashed through Jiang Zhiyan's mind frame by frame. Those words praising the puppy's cuteness and sharing useful pet supplies gradually eroded Jiang Zhiyan's heart.
Even when Xia Zhiyu went to Shanghai, she was with Bian Lin.
Suspicion corroded love like sulfuric acid. Jiang Zhiyan watched Xia Zhiyu pack her things coldly, his throat tightening slightly, a metallic taste of blood filling his mouth.
Why don't you love him anymore?
Why don't you look at him anymore?
Why didn't everyone ultimately choose him?
His parents were like this when he was a child, and now even Xia Zhiyu, whom he thought loved him the most, has withdrawn her love for him.
In a daze, Jiang Zhiyan suddenly felt as if the world had split in two, and he was thrown alone into the icy wilderness.
His world no longer wanted him.
The phone screen lit up, and Xia Zhiyu smiled relaxedly, looking at Bian Lin with gentle eyes, while Bian Lin's eyes were full of adoration as he looked at her.
Feelings welled up like an undercurrent, and within just half an hour, the photo went viral on Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book). Xia Zhiyu's account was quickly unearthed, and the comments section was filled with heartfelt blessings for the couple.
Jiang Zhiyan was almost consumed by rage when she saw this photo ten minutes ago.
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