Chapter 227 Yao Yao, please don't be so biased.
Jiang Xingyao was unwilling to respond to Jin Qingyu's words, so Jin Qingyu directly put his hand in front of her and blocked her way: "Yaoyao, I heard everything you just said. Don't you have anything to say to me?"
"What should I say to you?" Jiang Xingyao said. "Get out of my way."
Jin Qingyu was also a bit relentless: "You knew all along that he was the one who tampered with the food, but you still chose to save face for him and didn't bring it up on the spot. Yaoyao, your heart is really biased to no end."
He half-covered the door of the private room, his head slightly lowered, his eyes filled with a strange smile as he stared at Jiang Xingyao.
Jiang Xingyao's voice was stiff: "Jin Qingyu, get this straight, it was never me who sent you here."
"Is this your reason for favoring Qin Jiangnan? Jiang Xingyao, he's just a greenhorn, impulsive and incompetent. Is that what you like?" Jin Qingyu questioned.
He bent down even lower, his gaze fixed on Jiang Xingyao, trying to discern the emotions in her eyes.
After a long silence, all he could see were Jiang Xingyao's cold, mocking eyes. Jin Qingyu gave in first and said, "Yaoyao, you can't be so biased. I was wrong, and I want to apologize to you, but you can't just cut off all my paths from the very beginning."
Even criminals have a chance to reform, I…”
"Jin Qingyu," Jiang Xingyao finally spoke, interrupting Jin Qingyu, "We have no feelings for each other. Letting go is better for both of us. Why be so persistent?"
"Who says there are no feelings? Yao Yao, I like you." Jin Qingyu placed his hand on Jiang Xingyao's shoulder. His voice was unusually firm at this moment. Before Jiang Xingyao could reply, he repeated to himself, "Yao Yao, I was confused. I couldn't recognize my own feelings. I couldn't distinguish between possessiveness and liking."
I know it's too late to say all this now, but Yaoyao, I really can't live without you. During the time you've been gone, I've thought of you every single moment.
Yao Yao, I hurt you in the past, and I don't dare ask for your immediate forgiveness. I just want you to loosen your grip, even just a little, to leave me a place to stand by your side, to give me a chance to prove my sincerity, okay?
The person who had always disdained to even explain himself to her suddenly lowered his stance, his speech filled with panic and nervousness.
Jiang Xingyao's mind was in turmoil. She felt that everything in front of her was utterly absurd, and even Jin Qingyu was so unfamiliar that she hardly recognized him.
"You say you like me?" Jiang Xingyao asked. "Don't you find it ridiculous? Jin Qingyu, have you forgotten how heartless and ungrateful you are? When my child was lost, you didn't care at all. Is this your idea of liking someone? That's just too pale and laughable."
I don't care what your motives are, or how you try to flatter me, but I don't believe a single word you've said today.
like?
Jiang Xingyao's heart felt somewhat numb.
A person who has never chosen her, a person who would belittle Jiang Cancan at any time to protect her, a person who doesn't even care about his own flesh and blood—who would believe he likes her?
Jiang Xingyao even felt that rather than believing Jin Qingyu's claim of liking her, she would rather believe that Jiang Yuncheng could turn over a new leaf.
The woman's icy gaze was like a knife hidden within, slowly stabbing at Jin Qingyu's heart. What was more terrifying than resisting or arguing was that he was telling the truth, and she refused to believe it.
"Jin Qingyu, is this why you're clinging to me like this? Is it Grandpa's doing? What did Grandpa promise you?" Jiang Xingyao asked again.
When she divorced Jin Qingyu, it was the old man who made the decision, but Jiang Xingyao always knew that the old man was never really willing to do so.
Jiang Xingyao couldn't think of any other reason why Jin Qingyu was appearing in front of her so frequently, except that the old man had promised him some benefits again.
After all, even their marriage back then was lured by the old man with the promise of being an heir and shares.
Jin Qingyu and Jiang Xingyao stood very close, close enough for him to see Jiang Xingyao's long, distinct eyelashes and, beneath them, her eyes that were colder than cold.
An unprecedented sense of defeat enveloped him, and his face grew increasingly grim. He wanted to retort sharply, but then worried that he might frighten the person in front of him and make the situation worse. He took a deep breath and softened his voice considerably: "Yaoyao, it has nothing to do with Grandpa. The only reason I came here is because I love you and can't live without you. That's all."
His voice carried a hint of self-mockery. The fog in his heart dissipated, and his hidden thoughts gradually began to see the light of day. He suddenly realized that liking and possessiveness are truly different.
Previously, he only cared about whether Jiang Xingyao was by his side and whether there were other people around her. He stubbornly piled all the good things he thought he had in front of Jiang Xingyao, thinking that he was a perfect husband.
At that time, he never thought to care about Jiang Xingyao's thoughts.
As long as she's still by his side, he doesn't care whether she's happy or sad.
Even regarding his affair with Jiang Cancan, he believed he was innocent and didn't care what Jiang Xingyao thought.
It wasn't until Jiang Xingyao completely left him that he repeatedly recalled his time with her. Those arguments that he once thought were Jiang Xingyao being unreasonable and irrational, when they resurfaced and stirred up a bitter feeling in his heart, when he began to feel sorry for Jiang Xingyao and reflect on himself, that he finally realized belatedly that his feelings for Jiang Xingyao had changed, and he had fallen for her.
Every grievance Jiang Xingyao suffered because of him in the past seemed to take root in his heart. Whenever he thought about it, it felt like his heart was being squeezed, and even his breathing became difficult.
Jin Qingyu's hand rose uncontrollably, his fingertips curling slightly, reaching towards Jiang Xingyao's cheek. But before he could touch her skin, she hurriedly took a step back to avoid him.
“But I don’t like you,” Jiang Xingyao said. “Jin Qingyu, stop acting, it’s really boring.”
Her voice remained calm and even, without any hint of hostility, yet it still made Jin Qingyu's heart clench. She still didn't believe him.
Even someone as shrewd as Jin Qingyu felt utterly helpless in front of Jiang Xingyao.
Jiang Xingyao glanced at the stunned Jin Qingyu, then reached out and pushed him aside, opening the door to the private room.
Fila and Qin Jiangnan had become fast friends. When Jiang Xingyao came in, the two were still chatting enthusiastically about something until they heard the door open, at which point they both shut up.
Jiang Xingyao sat down next to Fila and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Fila, I haven't been a good host and you must have found it embarrassing."
Fila had come all this way and was delayed for so long; she hadn't even had a proper meal yet, which made Jiang Xingyao feel quite guilty.
“Why are we sisters being so polite? Don’t say things like that again. I think today was quite interesting,” Fila said.
Her gaze kept shifting between Qin Jiangnan and the doorway of the private room, her eyes gleaming, making her look like a weasel in a melon patch.
Qin Jiangnan asked, "He's gone?"
"I don't know," Jiang Xingyao said. She didn't know if her cold attitude had hurt her arrogant ex-husband.
However, since his legs are his own, Jiang Xingyao really couldn't control his whereabouts.
Qin Jiangnan still muttered unconvinced, "Is he a piece of chewing gum? Once he's stuck to you, you can't get rid of him. Isn't that disgusting?"
Jiang Xingyao, can you please stop being so soft-hearted towards him? You've forgotten…”
"I haven't forgotten, Qin Jiangnan. Please don't remind me of those less-than-pleasant past events." Jiang Xingyao's voice hardened.
Those memories that almost pierced her to the bone, she didn't know how much effort she had to barely suppress them, but every time she woke up in the middle of the night, she would still think of Jiang Cancan who lived in Wangshan Manor, the overwhelming insults on the Internet, and her child.
That was the pain Jin Qingyu had caused her, and she would never forget it.
No one wants to tear their wounds open again and again, even if she knows Qin Jiangnan didn't mean it.
Qin Jiangnan looked embarrassed and belatedly realized that he had said the wrong thing.
He looked at Jiang Xingyao with guilt, his dark pupils filled with helplessness.
The waiter bringing in the dishes finally broke the somewhat awkward atmosphere.
Once all the dishes were served, Jin Qingyu slowly walked in.
He didn't compete with Qin Jiangnan for the seat next to Jiang Xingyao, but quietly sat down opposite Jiang Xingyao, still carrying a faint smell of tobacco.
Perhaps influenced by Jiang Xingyao's previous attitude, the meal was surprisingly peaceful. Both Qin Jiangnan and Jin Qingyu seemed to have reached a tacit consensus at this moment, and no one bothered Jiang Xingyao anymore.
After a long delay, we finally finished our meal in a somewhat tense atmosphere.
By the time they returned to the villa, it was already dark, and Madam Rongyue had also returned.
Fila greeted her excitedly, but Madam Rongyue's attention was already focused on Jin Qingyu. She directly questioned, "Why are you here?"
"I've come to see Yao Yao," Jin Qingyu said.
Madam Rongyue glanced at Jiang Xingyao with some concern, then said to Jin Qingyu, "Come with me, I have something to tell you."
In the backyard of the villa, there is a rose garden. Although it is not yet the season for roses to bloom, there should be new buds and leaves in the rose bushes. Right now, all the branches are bare, and the moonlight shines through the thorns onto the wall, making it look like a ferocious beast with its fangs bared.
Madam Rongyue cut to the chase: "You promised me you wouldn't interfere with Yaoyao before the competition, so why did you have to appear in front of her?"
"You overestimate me. I've never been able to influence her." Jin Qingyu's voice was hoarse, and his self-deprecation became increasingly obvious.
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