Unfortunately, Yuan Xiaoya wasn't stupid. She noticed that Yang He's gaze towards Chen Dongze was strange and immediately became wary, which led to her being rude to Yang He earlier.
“Song Zhiqing, please remember, I don’t want to repeat myself. From now on, it’s better if you call me Chen Zhiqing.”
Chen Dongze snapped out of his reverie, his gaze on Song Jiaojiao becoming indifferent and distant. He spoke expressionlessly, but seeing that Song Jiaojiao remained silent, only looking at him with a wronged expression, he shifted his gaze away and said to Yuan Xiaoya, Yang He, and the other two male educated youths, "Go ahead and buy whatever you want. I'll just wander around town."
In reality, he wanted to wait for Song Lan to come out.
At this moment, Chen Dongze completely forgot what he had said to Song Lan when he said goodbye at the Qin family home that day.
"Brother Dongze!"
Tears welled up in Song Jiaojiao's eyes as she looked at Chen Dongze with a pitiful expression.
Before Chen Dongze could speak, Yuan Xiaoya glared at him and said, "Are you deaf? Didn't you hear my brother Dongze say that you should call him Chen Zhiqing from now on?!"
"you……"
Song Jiaojiao was so angry at Yuan Xiaoya's meddling that her lips trembled, and she didn't say anything for a long time.
"Don't all that 'you, you, me, me' in front of me, Song Jiaojiao. You need to know your place, or you'll only humiliate yourself!" Yuan Xiaoya said with a mocking look, then shifted her gaze to Chen Dongze: "Brother Dongze, don't you want to buy anything?"
Chen Dongze shook his head.
Yuan Xiaoya: "Then I don't need to buy anything." She wanted to stay by Chen Dongze's side, but Chen Dongze said: "You said you wanted a few pairs of cotton gloves on the way here, go buy them quickly, I might need them when I start work."
Hearing from the old educated youth that it was easy to get blisters on the palms when they first started working, Yuan Xiaoya, in order to avoid suffering her own hands, kept telling Chen Dongze before leaving Shisong Village that she had to buy cotton gloves, and that she should buy several sets as spares.
"I'll go in and buy it right away. You wait for me outside. I'll keep you company, and we can wander around the town together."
Yuan Xiaoya made the suggestion.
Chen Dongze: "No need, I'll just take a walk around the neighborhood." Not expecting Yuan Xiaoya to be nearby, Chen Dongze turned and walked away.
Watching her retreating figure, Yuan Xiaoya's eyes showed a hint of grievance, but she quickly regained her composure.
She knew very well that although Chen Dongze seemed gentle and refined, he was actually cold-hearted. It would not be easy to get into his heart. Therefore, she could not rush and had to gradually win him over!
With her thoughts wandering to this point, Yuan Xiaoya withdrew her gaze. Without even glancing at Song Jiaojiao and Yang He, she stepped onto the steps in front of the supply and marketing cooperative.
"Xiaoya, wait for me!"
Yang He bit her lip and hurriedly chased after him.
"Lackey!"
Not a single tear could be seen on Song Jiaojiao's face at this moment. She glared at Yang He's back, muttered something disdainfully, and then went up the steps into the supply and marketing cooperative.
Once on the train, she suddenly realized she hadn't brought any toiletries. She had come to town specifically to buy them at the supply and marketing cooperative, so she naturally wouldn't chase after Chen Dongze and delay going to the cooperative to buy the daily necessities she needed.
Chen Dongze stood not far away, watching Song Jiaojiao and the others enter the supply and marketing cooperative. He then returned the way he came, his eyes filled with melancholy as he stared intently at the entrance of the cooperative.
"Have we bought everything? Are you sure you haven't forgotten anything?"
As Song Lan left the supply and marketing cooperative, she asked Qin Boyan.
"No."
Qin Boyan nodded affirmatively.
"That's good, otherwise we would have to make another trip home."
As Song Lan spoke, she descended the steps and her eyes met Chen Dongze's. However, she did not say anything, just as she had said when Chen Dongze came to the Qin family that day: if they met again, they would be strangers.
Chen Dongze watched Song Lan walk past him, a sense of unease rising in his heart. He followed behind Song Lan, asking, "Do you have to hurt me like this?"
After securing the items to the bicycle, Song Lan unlocked it, gripped the handlebars, lightly kicked the kickstand, and beckoned Qin Boyan to follow. The two then pushed the bicycle and prepared to leave.
"Lanlan, can you please stop ignoring me like this? It's making me feel really bad!"
Chen Dongze's eyes were filled with pain.
"You're being ridiculous!"
Signaling Qin Boyan to wait ahead, Song Lan gripped the handlebars and stared at Chen Dongze: "I remember I made it very clear that day that we would be strangers from now on, and you agreed with that. So why are you bothering me now?"
With a cold tone and a distant gaze, Song Lan said, "Besides, I am already a married woman. Your continued harassment will not only cause me trouble, but also affect my reputation. I don't want to be misunderstood by my family, especially my husband. Do you understand what I mean now?"
Chen Dongze: "But I... but I can't let you go, Lanlan. Please get a divorce. I... I'll marry you. Let's live a good life together from now on, okay?"
Song Lan: "You believe that? If you really cared about me, you wouldn't have failed to show up when I needed you; if you really cared about me, why didn't you show up when I got married? It's clear that you're not like what you say, unable to let go of me and wanting to get back together with me. If that's the case, why deceive yourself?"
Besides, marriage is not a game. I care deeply about my marriage and my husband. How could I possibly do anything to betray him?
"I was wrong before, I was a fool, I shouldn't have thought too much, which led to... which led to you marrying someone else. Now that I know I was wrong, can't you give me a chance to correct it?"
Chen Dongze's gaze was intense, and his words were earnest: "I promise I will treat you well, Lanlan. Please give me a chance to make amends."
"A broken mirror is hard to mend; even if it is glued together, the cracks will remain."
Song Lan's expression remained unchanged, and her tone was still cold: "But the most crucial thing between us is that I have long regarded you as a stranger. In other words, I have no feelings for you anymore."
After glancing at where Qin Boyan was standing, Song Lan spoke again: "That's all I have to say. If we meet again, please don't let things turn out like they did today!" Before Chen Dongze could react, Song Lan had already pushed her bicycle away.
How unwilling I am! My gaze was fixed on Song Lan's back as she and Qin Boyan rode away into the distance. Chen Dongze felt an emptiness in his heart, and his eyes were filled with sorrow.
"Sister-in-law, what did he say to you?"
After hesitating for two or three minutes, Qin Boyan asked Song Lan.
"You know him?"
Song Lan asked casually.
Qin Boyan: "I saw you two walking together before you married my older brother."
Song Lan: "I used to date him, but when rumors about me started circulating, he unilaterally cut off contact with me. I knew this was a breakup, but I didn't resent it. I can only say that we were not meant to be, and he had the right to break up with me."
As a result, he suddenly became inexplicably crazy and expressed regret to me, hoping I would give him another chance. But I have already made it clear to him that I am now a married woman, I care about my family and husband, and there is no possibility between us anymore.
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