Chapter 57 The Snow Has Stopped The snow in her heart has stopped...
Qin You sought out Yu Kui because he held great hope that Yu Kui would listen to his explanation and give him another chance.
He firmly believed that even if Yu Kui went to school elsewhere and met more outstanding people, his place in Yu Kui's heart would still be special. Just like the countless times he had said those vicious words that left Yu Kui battered and bruised, whenever he needed help, Yu Kui would always stand by his side without hesitation.
Ask him what happened, show concern for his feelings, and lend him money...
But now, she rejected him with an extremely cold attitude.
Qin Youcai then realized that she no longer needed him.
Just as he had countless times before not needing her as a burden, she didn't need his presence either. Even when he said they could be lovers instead of friends, she didn't take it seriously.
Do I deserve it?
Qin You stood there, repeatedly proving to himself. Snowflakes covered his shoulders; the last snow of the year was even colder than the dead of winter.
His feet felt like cast iron, as if he had been forgotten, and he could only watch helplessly as Yu Kui left.
Just like that freezing winter night, he and Yu Kui broke up on their way home. He used the "essay competition" as an excuse to say those terrible things, and Yu Kui could only move forward, not daring to look back even once.
This time, she continued to move forward.
Whether he dislikes it or tries to keep it.
Yu Kui walked to the supermarket entrance, went inside and bought grapes and tangerines for her mother, who had said she wanted to eat these fruits that morning.
When she came out, the snow hadn't stopped, but she knew that the snow in her heart had already stopped.
On the way back, she even analyzed the real reason why Qin You came to find her.
He didn't really want to reconcile with her; he was still in a superior position, thinking that he could return to their original relationship with just a few words. But he forgot that they were no longer children, and she was no fool.
Perhaps it is only in the most difficult times that people remember the past they did not cherish.
He wanted to turn back, simply because he was unhappy and wanted to drag her down with him, just like when they were children.
Once he's settled down, who cares who she is?
Unfortunately, after experiencing so much, she no longer gives in to demands.
Yu Kui took out her key and opened the door. Her mother immediately looked over and asked, "What have you been doing? Are you cold?"
"No." Yu Kui washed the fruit in her hand in the kitchen and sat with her in the living room watching a variety show. "Mom, I went to see Qin You today."
Mrs. Yu was taken aback. "Really?"
“Yes,” Yu Kui didn’t intend to hide it from her family. “If they come looking for me again, I’ll just say I’m not here. I’ve explained everything to them.”
"Okay." A happy smile appeared on Yu's mother's face. She took her daughter's hand and said, "Whatever my darling says goes." She didn't bother to ask any further questions.
Before going to school, it was Sun Shuya's birthday, and several classmates made plans to go out and celebrate with her.
While Yu Kui was choosing a gift at the counter, she overheard the sales assistant next to her smiling and saying to a customer at the other end, "Do you need this set?"
"Hmm," the familiar voice made Yu Kui turn around and see Tao Jiang holding Zhou Xiao's hand. She lowered her eyes slightly and said with great familiarity, "Wrap up the other new products for me too."
"Okay, please wait a moment." The sales assistant smiled warmly and guided them to the checkout counter.
"Is there anything else I need to buy?" Zhou Xiao's voice sounded a little impatient. "Once you've bought it, don't bother me again this month. I'm very busy."
Tao Jiang's expression changed, but she held back her anger.
Her situation has become very bad since the fight at the hot pot restaurant.
After Qin You left the police station, he broke up with her. Although Zhou Xiao didn't say anything on the surface, his attitude towards her had obviously changed. His eyes were no longer patient and full of emotion, but instead, he would occasionally show disgust.
Tao Jiang often wanted to have a big fight with him like before, hoping he would admit his mistakes, but when she met his mocking eyes, she couldn't say anything.
She became afraid of losing Zhou Xiao.
He also lost his dominant position among the two.
She had begged Zhou Xiao for a long time before he finally agreed to go shopping with her. She didn't want to make things too awkward at this time, but she was extremely anxious and dissatisfied.
Seeing her listlessly lower her eyes, Zhou Xiao gave a cold smile. "I'm asking you a question."
Tao Jiang took a deep breath and forced a smile, "I still need to buy clothes, shoes, and jewelry..."
"You didn't tell me you were going to buy these before we left," Zhou Xiao said mockingly.
"You're the one who asked me," Tao Jiang said anxiously, "My clothes and shoes are all out of season. You don't want me to look out of fashion when I go out with you, do you?"
"I don't care what you wear," Zhou Xiao said dismissively. "Do you think I care about saving face?"
Tao Jiang's face stiffened as Zhou Xiao had already pulled his hand away from hers and paid the bill.
“I need to buy clothes,” Tao Jiang looked into his eyes. “You promised me before that you would try your best to meet my requests. You can’t go back on your word.”
"So you can cheat on me with other men behind my back?" Zhou Xiao looked at her flickering eyes, his voice devoid of any anger.
"You!" Tao Jiang's eyes changed slightly. She suppressed the anger rising in her heart and said coldly, "I have already explained to you that I had just transferred schools at that time. I was not adapting to the environment here. I just wanted to find someone to tutor me. I did not want to develop any other relationship with him. But you were not there for me when I needed you the most. You have no right to blame me."
She said this as if it were a matter of course, as if Zhou Xiao owed her something.
If Zhou Xiao were younger and hadn't gained experience in the company, he might have believed her and wondered if there was something wrong with him. But now, "Do you even believe what you're saying?"
He scoffed, looking at Tao Jiang as if she were an idiot. "You think you can shift the blame onto me with this excuse? Who gave you that confidence? Is it because you think I'm still interested in you?"
"You..." Zhou Xiao's tone made Tao Jiang feel guilty. She subconsciously looked at the passersby and lowered her voice, saying, "Do you really want to argue with me in the mall?"
“I didn’t argue with you,” Zhou Xiao said casually, “I just think some people are shameless.”
"Zhou Xiao!" Tao Jiang didn't expect him to say such harsh words, and her face changed instantly. "If you want to break up with me, just say so. You don't need to trample on my dignity like this. I'm not the kind of woman who can't live without you."
"Fine," the boy said casually, "then let's break up."
Tao Jiang's pupils contracted slightly as she looked at Zhou Xiao incredulously. She thought he had been holding back and had forgotten what happened at the hot pot restaurant, but she didn't expect him to be so indifferent as soon as they went out on a date.
“If you’re sure you want to break up, don’t come looking for me again,” Zhou Xiao said condescendingly. “My time is busy, and I don’t need to waste it on you.”
Tao Jiang took a deep breath, looked up into his eyes, her lips trembling, unable to utter the true words "break up".
Now it's her who needs Zhou Xiao, not the other way around.
"Do we have to do this?" she asked, her voice trembling with tears as she looked at the exquisite shopping bag the sales assistant brought. "Do you only feel happy when you make me suffer? You weren't like this before."
“Yes,” Zhou Xiao said without even blinking, “I’ll only be satisfied if you suffer more than I do.”
These were the harshest words he had ever said to her. Tao Jiang then realized that the past she thought she knew was not the past at all. There would always be a Qin You standing between them, a past she could not hide, and a source of shame for Zhou Xiao.
"If that's the case, then why are you still with me?" Tao Jiang closed her eyes in anguish. "You should have broken up with me before the New Year..."
Why did I still go shopping with her?
"Because I want to see you groveling and begging."
Zhou Xiao said unhurriedly, "Seeing you beg me to spend money on you, I realized you're just like everyone else."
Tao Jiang trembled slightly, and when she saw the shopping bag being handed to her by the saleswoman with a smile, she didn't take it.
"Miss, here's your gift box," the sales assistant said warmly, oblivious to the tense atmosphere between the two. "Welcome to come again next time, you and your boyfriend."
Tao Jiang slowly raised her hand to pick up the shopping bag, without looking at Zhou Xiao again, afraid that she would lose control and start arguing with him.
"Look at you, no matter how nice you talk, when it comes to asking for things, you wag your tail like a dog." Zhou Xiao smiled slightly. "You're not even as good as a dog. Even a dog knows loyalty and gratitude. What do you know?"
Tao Jiang felt her blood rush to her head and was about to throw the shopping bag on the ground when Zhou Xiao said lightly, "You spend my money and still dare to give me attitude? You don't deserve it!"
Tao Jiang froze, but Zhou Xiao had already strode out of the counter without waiting for her at all.
Tao Jiang stood there, surrounded by lively laughter and chatter, but all she could hear was Zhou Xiao's voice, which sounded like a curse.
"how so?"
She thought he no longer cared about Qin You, which was why he agreed to come out with her, but he didn't act that way.
What she thought was a sure victory has now become a joke. Witnessing all this, Yu Kui never expected Tao Jiang to be so humble now. She thought that even if things went wrong, Tao Jiang would still have the upper hand in the relationship. It seems everyone here is smart.
The only reasons Zhou Xiao still went out with her were that he couldn't forget their past relationship and they were tired of each other.
The same applies to the novel. Although Zhou Xiao likes her, he doesn't choose her in the end, so she has to settle for being with Qin You instead.
Now that Qin You's escape route is gone, and Zhou Xiao's feelings are gradually receding, what will Tao Jiang do?
Should she go back to Qin You and reconcile, ending up like in the novel, or continue to entangle with Zhou Xiao until the last trace of affection is gone?
Tao Jiang is a very intelligent person, and perhaps she had already made her choice long ago.
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