Chapter 50 Chapter 50 I want to take you somewhere.
In the stairwell, time seemed to be stuck by the dim emergency light, flowing extremely slowly.
The dust particles in the air were suspended in stillness after Yu Sixie said another heavy "I'm sorry".
His eyes were fixed on Xitong, and the pain and desire surging in them almost drowned her.
The distance between the two was so close that they could feel the heat of each other's breath, and the smell mixed with alcohol completely enveloped Xitong.
"Forgive me, Xitong."
Yu Sixie pleaded in a low voice, his voice incredibly hoarse, with a tenderness that was almost broken, "Give me another chance... please."
His fingertips finally stopped hesitating and gently stroked her cheek with a barely perceptible tremor.
The touch was warm and slightly rough, like a weak electric current, instantly penetrating all of Xitong's disguises.
She closed her eyes, her long eyelashes trembled violently, and a hot tear broke free without warning, sliding down her pale cheek and wetting his fingertips.
The tear seemed to burn him.
Yu Sixie's Adam's apple rolled violently, and he leaned down, his movements as slow as a slow motion in a movie, and kissed Xi Tong's lips with an almost pious cherishment.
The four lips pressed together extremely gently, warm and soft, with the refreshing smell of alcohol in the man's breath and the slightly salty taste of the woman's tears.
A tentative, apologetic, pleading kiss, as light as a feather brush, yet heavy enough to shake the soul.
The moment their lips touched, some deliberately sealed fragments suddenly popped into his mind - it was the ridiculous caressing and kneading between the two in the private cinema of Baishuizhou Park; it was the lingering and moist morning kiss exchanged in the hotel on a lazy morning after a long separation.
The warmth in those memories and the slight coolness between the lips at this moment intertwined. The huge grievance and the still surging love broke through Xitong's last dam like a tsunami.
More tears burst out and continued to slide down their cheeks.
She suddenly opened her lips, not to respond, but with a sense of resentment and venting, and bit down hard and fiercely!
"Um……"
Yu Sixie groaned, his body tensed instantly, but he did not retreat at all.
A sharp sting came from my lower lip, and the tip of my tongue immediately tasted the distinct taste of rust.
Xitong bit very hard, as if she wanted to return all the cold war, suspicion, uneasiness and heartache of the past few days to him through this wound.
Her teeth sank into his soft lips, and she could feel the tenseness of his muscles and the suppressed groan of pain.
But he just endured it like that, and even at the moment when she bit down, the hand that was originally caressing her cheek slid to the back of her neck, holding her gently but firmly, pressing her closer to himself, as if silently encouraging her to continue venting.
His other hand wrapped around her waist, holding her trembling body tightly in his arms, leaving no gap...
Xitong didn't loosen her teeth until she had tasted enough of the fishy-sweet flavor and until her strength was exhausted. Her body was trembling slightly with excitement and crying. Her forehead rested weakly on Yu Sixie's shoulder, and she sobbed softly and suppressedly.
He slowly loosened his grip on her bitten lip, leaving a clear, bloody tooth mark on his lower lip.
He didn't wipe it, but just gently rested his chin on Xitong's head, tightened his arms around her, and repeated in her ear over and over again in a low voice: "I'm sorry... It's my fault... It's all my fault..."
…
The next morning, sunlight filtered through the gaps in the heavy curtains, casting a narrow strip of light on the carpet.
The atmosphere in the restaurant was still subtly stagnant, but compared to the previous icy cold war, at least the air was no longer so suffocating.
Yu Sixie put down the coffee cup in his hand, and the porcelain and tray made a crisp sound.
He raised his eyes and his gaze fell on Xi Tong who was eating quietly across from him. After the brief confrontation in the stairwell last night, which was a mixture of pain and blood, the coldness and alienation in his eyes faded a lot, replaced by a cautious temptation.
"today……"
Yu Sixie spoke, his voice still carrying a hint of hoarseness from last night, especially the tiny scab on his lower lip, which added a rare touch of... vulnerability to his stern expression.
"If you don't have any urgent plans this morning, I'd like to take you somewhere."
Xitong paused slightly while cutting the fried egg, and looked up at him with a calm and questioning look.
"It's about the foundation... The female college student you mentioned is also a recipient of funding from this foundation."
Yu Sixie added, trying to keep his tone steady and businesslike, but his fingertips unconsciously stroked the handle of the cup: "I think... maybe you should know more. Let's go to Beijing University, it's one of the schools we focus on supporting."
Xitong was silent for a few seconds.
Grandma’s words are still ringing in my ears, and the taste of blood on his lips last night is still lingering in my memory.
She nodded gently: "Okay."
The car drove out of the city and headed towards Beijing University.
The car was still quiet, but it was no longer the kind of silence that could freeze a person. Instead, it was a buffer between everyone's own thoughts and the lack of appropriate words.
The gate of Kyoto University is simple and solemn, exuding the tranquil atmosphere of a century-old institution.
Although it is the weekend, there are still many students walking hurriedly on campus with books in their arms. Their youthful faces are filled with thirst for knowledge and longing for the future.
Yu Sixie did not alarm the school, but just took Xitong for a stroll around the campus like an ordinary visitor.
The boulevard is winding, with tall plane trees on both sides with lush branches and leaves. The sunlight is filtered into tiny spots of light and sprinkled on the asphalt road.
The air was filled with the fresh smell of grass and books.
They passed by the library. The huge glass curtain wall sparkled in the sun, and they could see the quiet figures of students studying hard inside.
Yu Sixie's eyes swept over there and he introduced it in a calm voice.
"The foundation has set up special scholarships and book purchase funds to ensure that the best students are not buried due to financial reasons and can access the latest academic resources."
Crossing a central lawn, you will see several brand new laboratory buildings standing not far away.
Yu Sixie pointed over there and said, "There's a state-of-the-art molecular biology laboratory built with donations. We hope that the children receiving this funding will not only be able to complete their studies, but also pursue their academic dreams from a higher platform."
His introduction remained objective and calm throughout, without a trace of showing off or patronizing. It was more like a presentation of a rigorously advanced project.
Xitong listened quietly, his eyes sweeping over the energetic young faces and the buildings and facilities that were built with the support of the foundation.
She saw the list of applicants for the "Future Plan" scholarship posted on the bulletin board, and saw students walking by with brand new equipment emblazoned with the foundation's logo...
All this was completely different from the vague and dark imagination she had previously had about the girl in the white dress named "Xueying".
This is not his personal canary cage, but a huge, systematic and truly public welfare system that is intended to support the future.
Yu Sixie stopped and stood under a huge ginkgo tree, with mottled light and shadow falling on his shoulders.
He turned around and faced Xi Tong, his eyes becoming extremely serious.
"The foundation's affairs have always been run by a professional team with a strict review and oversight process."
He looked at her and said solemnly, "I admit that I may not have done well enough in some aspects, which has caused you to misunderstand and feel uneasy."
He didn't mention the girl's name, but they both knew it.
"But I hope you know," he continued, his voice low but clear, "that the foundation's original intention and every step of the process are to provide a ladder as fairly as possible for those children who truly need opportunities. That's all."
Xitong stood opposite Yu Sixie, looking at the man in front of her.
He was no longer the fragile and apologetic boyfriend in the stairwell last night, but had turned back into the strategic, rigorous and pragmatic helmsman.
But he showed it all to her at this moment, clumsily but trying hard to explain it, just to remove the thorn in her heart.
The wind blew, and the ginkgo leaves rustled.
"Xitong, I believe no one knows the importance of this grant better than you."
"Actually," the man's voice trembled slightly, "it all happened because of you."
"I wanted to help that girl who was still in college and was too busy studying and working to enjoy her youth, but time would never give me that opportunity."
"'Future Plan', remember that name? You came up with it during our junior year."
Dust-forgotten memories flooded into my mind.
The sun is warm and the campus is quiet.
The last bit of stubborn doubt in Xitong's heart finally began to truly and slowly melt away in the face of this heavy, concrete result, after hearing her grandmother's words and the bloody kiss last night.
She took a deep breath, and the fresh air on campus rushed into her lungs.
"I see."
Xitong said softly, his eyes falling on the hopeful campus scenery in the distance.
…
Just as Xi Tong and Yu Sixie were strolling on the famous "Ginkgo Avenue" of Peking University, the school received the news.
Several school leaders and college heads hurried over with smiles of surprise and fear on their faces.
"Boss Yu! Why didn't you notify us in advance so we could prepare to receive you?"
The leading vice-president extended his hand enthusiastically and spoke in a respectful tone.
Yu Sixie obviously didn't like this kind of mobilization, and frowned slightly, but due to etiquette, he resumed his elite and aloof appearance and shook hands with everyone.
"Principal Wang, you're welcome. I'm just taking my partner for a walk this weekend to see how our 'future plans' are progressing. I don't want to disrupt the normal school work."
"Oh my, this... Mr. Yu's partner is here too! What a perfect match, welcome!"
Several leaders immediately turned their admiring glances towards Xi Tong.
After a few pleasantries, the Dean of the School of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, a vigorous, gray-haired old professor, looked at Xitong and suddenly seemed to remember something. He smiled and said to Xitong:
"Come to think of it, President Yu is not only our sponsor of Beijing University, he is also half of our alumnus!"
Xi Tong was slightly startled and looked at Yu Sixie. She had never heard him mention it before.
Yu Sixie's expression seemed unnatural for a moment. He coughed lightly, trying to stop the old dean from continuing: "Dean Chen, that happened many years ago..."
"Hey, how can this be a trivial matter?"
Dean Chen was so engrossed in his conversation that he didn't even register Yu Sixie's hint. Instead, he smiled at Xi Tong and said, "President Yu actually completed a part-time master's degree in applied psychology at our School of Psychology and Cognitive Science. I even presided over his thesis defense, and he passed with flying colors!"
Applied Psychology? Master's?
Xi Tong was completely stunned, her eyes full of surprise and confusion.
How could he, who studied financial management and capital operations, go to study psychology?
This means he needs to squeeze out a lot of time from his busy schedule.
Dean Chen didn't notice the subtle atmosphere between the two and continued with emotion, "I was curious at the time and asked President Yu, why did you suddenly want to delve into our field when you are so busy with all sorts of things?"
The old professor imitated the tone of the time and said with a smile, "But Mr. Yu answered very seriously. He said..."
Yu Sixie suddenly opened his mouth, trying to interrupt: "Dean Chen——"
But the old professor had already spoken: "-He said, 'I want to understand a person better. The way she thinks, her emotional reactions, the logic behind her behavior. I hope... to be closer to her world.'"
After the old dean finished speaking, he added with a smile, "At the time, we all wondered which lucky lady could have made President Yu take such pains to understand her! Now that I've met you today, I finally understand!"
The air suddenly became quiet.
Xi Tong suddenly turned her head and looked at Yu Sixie.
The man's face was tilted to the side, his jawline slightly tense, and a very faint, almost imperceptible blush seemed to appear at the base of his ears. He looked somewhat unnaturally at the ginkgo tree crowns in the distance, as if... a little embarrassed.
He actually... secretly studied for a master's degree in psychology for her?
Those times when she complained that he was too rational, didn't have empathy, and couldn't understand her emotional side; those nights when she was angry and disappointed with his clumsy comfort or wrong response...
It turned out that he was not indifferent. He used the most clumsy but hardcore way to try to enter her world and understand all her emotions and logic that he could not naturally empathize with.
An indescribable, scalding warmth suddenly rushed into Xitong's heart, a mixture of sourness and sweetness, making her nose sore and her eyes hot.
She suddenly remembered that when their relationship was still good, he would occasionally come up with one or two extremely accurate psychological terms to analyze her project team management issues. At that time, she just thought it was because of his wide range of knowledge and never thought deeply about it...
Yu Sixie finally turned around and met her watery eyes filled with complex emotions.
His eyes flickered, with a hint of embarrassment at having his secret exposed, but more of a deep tenderness that needed no further words.
He said nothing, but in the golden rain of ginkgo leaves, he held her hand gently and naturally.
This time, Xitong did not break free.
Her fingertips trembled slightly in his warm palm, then she slowly and firmly held his hand back.
The school leaders around them seemed to have noticed the special atmosphere between the couple. They smiled at each other, slowed down their pace tacitly, and kept a distance from them.
The sunlight shone through the gaps between the golden ginkgo leaves, dancing on their clasped hands.
In the ancient and bookish campus, they were like an ordinary pair of campus lovers, walking side by side on the fallen leaves.
All the cold wars, suspicions and hurts seemed to have been quietly melted away at this moment by the golden sunshine and this belated and shocking secret.
understand.
It turned out that he had been learning how to love her better in his own way, silently and arduously.
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