Chapter 73 "I Love You"
These twelve short characters carry immense weight, like a thousand pounds falling on the heart.
Despite having imagined it countless times in my mind, hearing him say it in front of so many people still stirred a stronger feeling in me than I had imagined.
A moment of silence fell over the private room. It seemed that everything from learning of their breakup to their reconciliation, and now to his fiancée, had happened too quickly, and no one had been able to immediately come to their senses.
In the end, Yu Kaiqing was the first to react and led the applause, followed by wave after wave of cheers.
This cheering wasn't just about watching the fun; it was a genuine expression of well wishes.
Yu Jianshan raised his glass and lightly clinked it with Xu Shaoting's. "I've said thank you so many times, but this is the first time I've offered my blessings. I wish you both all the best in the future."
Compared to the younger generation around him, his tone carried a greater sense of solemnity, as if he had imagined what they had gone through, and therefore was particularly serious and appreciative.
Xu Shaoting had originally stood in front of Wen Jia, not intending to let her touch a drop of alcohol, but this time was an exception. He poured her a full glass, saying, "In recognition of that statement, shall we toast Director Yu?"
She looked up, her smile sweet: "Of course we should pay our respects."
Yu Jianshan was known for his enormous capacity for alcohol, so this small cup was nothing to him. But for some reason, looking at the couple beside him, his eyes began to well up with tears and turn slightly red.
Having stood at the top of the fame and fortune arena for so long, he has seen all kinds of love and grown accustomed to the pretense and the masks everyone wears. Yet, these two, the most adept at playing along and the ones most deserving to weigh the pros and cons, are the ones who, in full view of everyone, declare their ownership, while the other is willing to set aside all reservations and reach out to hold on tight.
Two people who don't easily develop feelings for each other came together, bowing down and yielding to one another.
Who could remain unmoved by this?
Wen Jia wasn't used to drinking baijiu, so she took a small sip, the spiciness burning her throat. But because of Yu Jianshan's blessing, she tilted her head back and drank it all in one gulp.
She closed her eyes, tilted her head to rest on Xu Shaoting's shoulder, looked up, and exhaled a breath of wine carrying a floral and fruity aroma, "It doesn't taste good at all..."
The man chuckled softly and kissed her forehead as if no one else was around. "I'm not drinking anymore, I'll drink for you."
He spoke at a volume that was neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for everyone in the private room to hear.
So the group of people who had just treated him like a sugar daddy stood up again, clinked glasses with him, and wished him success in winning the heart of his beloved.
Qin Jiawen hurriedly poured him wine. He always wore a refined and elegant smile, one hand steadily holding the person in his arms, the other holding a glass.
He drank one cup for himself and one for her, finishing them both in one gulp.
Wen Jia nestled against his chest, feeling safe and secure, and couldn't help but look up at him closely. His near-perfect profile captivated her.
He turned his head and pressed his forehead against hers, asking, "Have you looked enough?"
Under the gazes of those around her, she shyly bit her lip and turned her face away.
Yu Kaiqing looked at Wen Jia across half a table of people, seeing her pale pink cheeks flushed by the steam and her genuine smile.
She knew that a weight had been hanging over her heart, and that the weight had finally been lifted.
It was written on behalf of Wen Jialuo.
After the meal, Yu Jianshan was slightly drunk and refused to let them go, wanting to find a place to set off fireworks to celebrate New Year's Day.
His words carried so much weight that no one could refuse him. The group left the private room and went down to the first floor.
The evening breeze was unusually gentle tonight, not so biting, which just soothed the heat on Wenjia's cheeks.
The hotel is right next to the lake, and everyone gathered on the open grass, the chill of the winter night dampened by anticipation and excitement.
Yu Jianshan directed people to unload all sorts of fireworks from the trunk of the car. Long sparklers and sturdy, thick cylindrical sparklers were lined up in the open space, creating quite an impressive sight.
"Quick, quick! Find a good spot! Put this one, the biggest one, in the middle!"
Someone handed him a lighter, but Yu Jianshan turned around and shoved it into Xu Shaoting's hand, saying, "Chairman Xu, you light this first one! It'll bring good luck!"
Xu Shaoting chuckled and took it, then looked down at the person in his arms and asked, "Want to try? I'll go with you."
Wen Jia had an innate fear of such dangerous things, but because of his words "I'll stay with you," she nodded as if possessed.
Under the watchful eyes of those around them, the two walked together toward the enormous firework tube. He half-wrapped his arm around her, took her hand holding the lighter, leaned down, and lit the fuse, which hissed softly as sparks danced in the night.
"Run!" someone shouted.
Xu Shaoting had already put his arm around Wen Jia's waist and quickly retreated to a safe distance.
"Bang—!"
The first firework shot into the sky with a bright trail, exploding at the highest point of the inky night sky. The dazzling golden light, like a giant umbrella, instantly illuminated every upturned face on the lakeside.
A collective gasp of amazement filled the air.
More fireworks were lit. Yu Kaiqing also took a thin sparkler, which illuminated her relieved yet slightly envious smile.
She looked in the direction of Wen Jia and Xu Shaoting.
The two embraced in the flickering light, their figures illuminated again and again, only to disappear into darkness once more, yet they never parted.
Xu Shaoting remained calm and composed, standing behind her with his arms around her from behind, his chin gently resting on the top of her head.
She leaned against him completely relaxed, and with each explosion of fireworks, she would flinch slightly, only to be embraced even tighter by him.
Yu Kaiqing lit a new sparkler and, with great tact, handed it over.
Xu Shaoting took it, carefully placed it in Wen Jia's hand, and then gently wrapped it with his own palm.
Is this your first time playing with sparklers?
He casually hummed in agreement, but his mind wasn't on the sparklers; it was entirely on her.
His slightly lowered eyes were focused, fixed on her, as if he could see her as a young girl through her.
"Haven't you ever played with your younger sister?"
"No," he answered decisively. "I've only ever played with my fiancée."
His voice had a low, husky quality, as if it had been soaked in alcohol.
"You're drunk."
"No."
I don't believe it.
She glanced at his expression and noticed that he was not as restrained as usual; there was a kind of lazy nonchalance about him.
"Don't believe me? Try it and you'll see."
After saying that, he kissed her without waiting for a reply.
After their lips met, he released her and asked in a hoarse voice, "Am I drunk?"
"..."
He seemed quite drunk.
But she didn't answer, she just looked down and fiddled with the sparkler in her hand.
By the light of the fireworks, Xu Shaoting saw her dazed expression, as if she had something on her mind.
"What are you thinking about?"
Wen Jia brought her unfocused pupils back to focus. "I was thinking, if you hadn't come tonight, maybe this wouldn't have been New Year's Eve for me, but just a sad night. I wouldn't have wanted to go to Director Yu's dinner party, nor would I have wanted to come here to set off fireworks. I might have cried my eyes out alone in my room."
He merely curled his lips into a smile, but it wasn't a genuine laugh.
He wanted to say that he felt the same way. Seeing her bright and cheerful appearance, he would also think of Yu Kaiqing saying that she cried alone in her room, and how she struggled helplessly alone in her room.
A sharp pain suddenly shot through my chest.
“I’m so happy today,” she whispered in his ear as she turned her head.
"Why?"
"Because of you."
"I didn't hear you clearly, say it again."
"..."
"Did you hear me clearly!"
"Then say it again."
Wen Jia tiptoed again and leaned close to his ear.
Just as she was about to speak, Xu Shaoting suddenly turned his head and captured her lips, silencing her completely.
She blinked, then obediently closed her eyes in response.
Tonight, Xu Shaoting was so captivated by the sweet scent of wine in her breath that he couldn't help but want to kiss her. She, in turn, readily gave in and accepted his complete possession.
She was so engrossed in the kiss that she lost track of time, but he remembered it perfectly. He controlled the moment so precisely that the kiss ended just a second before the sparkler's flame disappeared.
Amidst the meaningful whispers around her, she lowered her head and kept burrowing into his arms.
There were still a lot of fireworks left, so the film crew wouldn't leave so early.
Xu Shaoting noticed that she seemed to be coughing, so he draped his coat over her, greeted Yu Jianshan, and took her hand before leaving.
She was a little reluctant and pleaded pitifully, "I want to play a little longer."
He wrapped his arms around her cold hands. "You'll catch a cold."
Wen Jia started to act a little coquettish and stood still, refusing to move.
Xu Shaoting didn't even need to pull her; he simply picked her up horizontally and gave her a meaningful look, "Didn't you just say you wanted it?"
Wen Jia: "..."
"Do you want fireworks or me?"
Wen Jia: "..."
"say."
I want you.
His coat was obviously a bit too big for her, covering her from her neck to her heels, her hair was fluffy, and under the streetlights, the golden fur edges were visible.
He couldn't resist giving him a kiss.
They kissed all the way to the suite door.
The washing just now didn't count as a real bath, so he carried her into the bathroom again.
She struggled to get down, asking, "Together?"
He held her tightly, refusing to let her go, and walked straight towards that misty place, saying, "It's not like we haven't been together before."
She panicked. "...I'm afraid you won't be able to control yourself!"
The consequence of her last time in the bathroom was that the next day her whole body felt like it had been disassembled and reassembled. Her waist and legs were so sore that she could hardly get out of bed. She saw red marks all over her body in the mirror, and her ears were burning hot.
She has to meet people tomorrow! And they're all from the industry. Everyone has a mouth, and if word gets out, it'll become a story about the female lead's romantic escapades on set!
Xu Shaoting said calmly, "You should worry about whether you can control yourself first."
"..."
It wasn't until she was submerged in the bathtub that she noticed a striking and fresh scar on his chest.
Her eyelids twitched suddenly. She couldn't bear to look, yet she had no choice but to. She gently touched it with her fingertip, "Does it hurt?"
"It doesn't hurt."
"How did you do that?"
"I had a minor accident while racing in Switzerland."
Wen Jia felt a little uncomfortable on the tip of her nose, and she pouted, a strange sense of grievance welling up inside her.
Xu Shaoting touched her cheek, a half-smile on his face, "Why that expression?"
"It hurts for you..." Her lips drooped even more.
“Don’t feel the pain for me, baby,” Xu Shaoting said in an extremely gentle tone, “I deliberately caused the accident.”
Why did she not quite understand what he was saying?
"…What's the meaning?"
"Literal meaning."
"I don't understand." She was on the verge of tears.
She doesn't want to understand.
"Thinking of you is making me feel terrible, so I'm trying to relieve it with other feelings."
He spoke so casually, yet it made her hold her breath for a long while.
All he remembered was that on Christmas Day, after she hung up the video call, he sat alone on the sofa in the villa for a very long time.
Perhaps he had figured it out, or perhaps he hadn't, he walked to the racetrack on the hill behind the Swiss villa.
At the foot of the mountain, the roar of racing car engines tore through the air.
The racetrack outside Zurich snaked through the mountains like a gray serpent. The red Ferrari entered another bend, and the man in the driver's seat slowed down once more. That familiar yet unfamiliar face, the one he had been longing for day and night, reappeared in his mind.
It was a pain that haunted his dreams but could never be obtained again, no less than any physical or psychological trauma he had ever suffered.
In the split second as the race car was about to graz the guardrail, he abruptly swerved the steering wheel. In the instant the car went out of control, the world was shattered by a sharp noise.
In the instant of the impact, a sharp pain exploded in my chest, like a raging fire sweeping across a grassland. Strangely enough, the images of her in my mind truly faded away.
It wasn't disappearance, but rather a temporary overwhelm by this more direct and savage pain. His body's instinctive reaction overwhelmed everything; amidst the pungent smell of the airbag, he breathed heavily, feeling an almost cruel sense of relief.
Even just listening to his calm description made Wen Jia feel waves of panic wash over her, and tears streamed down her face as they fell into the bathtub. "Why did you do such a foolish thing..."
Xu Shaoting breathed steadily as he wiped away her tears without saying a word.
"Have you thought about what I would do if something really happened to you?"
Xu Shaoting pondered for a long time, "Wen Jia, at that time, I had already given up hope that we could get back together."
She was caught off guard and slightly choked up, but still said confidently, "I told you to live a good life."
"I'm sorry, I won't do it again," he gently stroked her tear-filled eyes, "It's just that I really didn't know how I could live well without you back then."
Wen Jia lowered her eyes, unsure of what to say.
He seemed to need her more than she realized.
"What if we hadn't made up?" After asking the question, she immediately dismissed the thought, her tone unusually firm, "Forget it, there are no 'what ifs.' There should be no more 'what ifs' between us."
"Okay." He lowered his head and kissed away the tears at the corners of her eyes, his movements gentle and tender. "There are no ifs."
-
Wen Jia felt exceptionally relaxed and comfortable during the bath. However, because Xu Shaoting was there, the faint blush on her cheeks never faded.
An hour later, she stayed inside drying her hair while he came out of the bathroom first.
The humid, warm air was blocked by a glass door.
The suite was spacious but clean, and like the master bedroom in her villa, it had a light fragrance.
He could smell it; it was her floral and fruity scent, but it also seemed to be subtly mixed with his own unique woody fragrance.
The fact that he had regained everything he had lost tonight made him feel dazed and unreal. He lifted the corner of the blanket, leaned slowly against the headboard, closed his eyes, and felt everything filled with her presence.
My hand was casually resting there, but under the sheet on the side where she was lying, I touched something hard and cold.
He instinctively reached out to take a look.
It was the photo album Daniel gave her.
The plastic wrap was no longer as pristine as before; each sheet showed obvious signs of being handled, yet with a certain care. It must have been taken out repeatedly and then carefully put back.
When he's not by her side, does she miss him and look at his photos?
Xu Shaoting raised the corners of his lips in a smile of satisfaction.
The bedside reading lamp cast a soft, dim light, but it was just enough to illuminate the undulating outlines of the back of the photographic paper, which had been pressed sharply and forcefully.
It looks like handwriting.
He carefully traced the marks with his fingertips, and after confirming what kind of marks they were, he turned the photo over to look at it.
However, the smile froze completely the moment she saw the words on the back of the photo.
Even if you do get married and have children, I don't want you to forget me.
"If you get married someday, should I give it to your wife?"
After thinking about it for a long time, I decided to hide it.
But I don't want to think about how you would coax your wife if she found out. Maybe you would still be gentle and patient.
I'm petty and selfish; I have absolutely no desire to let you be with her.
But I had no choice but to comply.
"Xu Shaoting, these days I keep unconsciously imagining you marrying someone else. I dream about your wedding with someone else, and in the dream I feel so helpless. When I wake up, I don't feel happy, I just feel even more helpless. Being your girlfriend is wonderful, but being your wife might be even more wonderful."
"Xu Shaoting, I saw you in Zurich today. Although it was just a glimpse from afar, I was already content. I came to Zurich to forget you. I didn't want all my efforts to be in vain, so I'm sorry I couldn't meet you again. I hope you live a good life."
Xu Shaoting read it almost stroke by stroke.
His expression shifted from a faint smile to a frozen one, his eyes swirling with indescribable pain and pity. This was followed by deep confusion, before finally settling back into calm.
How could someone with such neat handwriting write such cruel words?
She wrote each stroke with great force, as if she were imagining him marrying someone else and having children while writing.
He could clearly see that every stroke of the pen was born of resentment, while the final stroke was a helpless compromise.
It turns out that she went to Zurich to say goodbye to him.
After saying goodbye, I sincerely hoped that he could live a good life.
He chuckled self-deprecatingly, then leisurely put the photos back in their place and strolled towards the bathroom.
I walked up behind her and took the hair dryer from her hand.
"Wenjia," he called softly, asking without revealing his true feelings:
"Before you went to Zurich, were there many things you didn't tell me?"
Wen Jia was taken aback, not understanding what was going on, and looked at his gaze in the mirror.
His eyes were dark and unclear, but not empty; it was as if some eddy of emotions was surging within them, making it impossible for her to understand.
"Why do you ask that..." She avoided his gaze, "It's all in the past."
“There is no past. You clearly don’t want me to be with someone else.” Xu Shaoting held his breath, calmly and composedly kissed her cheek, before asking the question he wanted to ask:
"Have you ever imagined me doing this kind of thing with other women countless times?"
Wen Jia froze completely as she played with her nails.
"What is it...?"
“I blow-dry other women’s hair, I flirt with other women,” Xu Shaoting raised his deep eyes and looked at her in the mirror, “Do you really want to see me marry someone else and have children?”
She began to feel nervous and bewildered, "...Why are you suddenly saying these things?"
"You don't want to let me be with someone else, so you're content just by writing on the back of my photo, is that it?"
Xu Shaoting's tone was extremely gentle, yet it carried a compelling force.
Wen Jia pursed her lips, her palms gradually becoming damp. She couldn't tell if it was from residual water droplets in her hair or from being forced to do so by his words.
"You don't want to let me be with someone else, so you're planning to hide my photos, right?"
She stammered, "You saw it all..."
"I'm asking you, when you imagine these things, do you feel uncomfortable?"
Wen Jia choked for a moment, seemingly aggrieved, then turned and hugged his waist, her ear pressed against his chest, "It hurts. But I force myself to think, I desperately try to let go, I can't help it..."
He lightly touched her forehead with his lips, an intimate gesture that sent shivers down her spine. "I clearly told you that in all the scenarios I imagined of marriage and having children, there was only you, no other woman."
"But we've already broken up... I don't dare to think about it."
"So you want me to be with other women."
Wen Jia buried her face deeply and stopped talking.
"When you decided to grant my wish, did you ever consider whether I wanted this kind of concession?"
"But you'll have a family sooner or later..." Her voice was already trembling with tears, barely audible.
"I've already made an exception for you once, but you've forgotten."
She looked up at him, as if suddenly realizing something.
He didn't say it, and she had almost forgotten. Before she came into his life, he was also about to marry someone else.
"If it's happened once, why can't it happen a second or third time?"
Wen Jia swallowed hard, her voice trembling violently, "You mean... without me, you wouldn't get married... and you wouldn't have a family with another woman..."
"It's not that I can't, it's that I can't." His gaze was like a deep pool, and he spoke each word with seriousness and certainty.
"Can you promise to watch me get married and have children?"
"I can... I will force myself to do it."
This tone carries a self-deceiving persistence.
"I don't believe it. I don't believe someone who would take my photo with him to Zurich could do that." He coldly commanded her.
"to be honest."
Wen Jia then looked away and honestly shook her head.
"I can't either, I can't even more than you, let you watch me marry someone else."
A line of salty and bitter liquid unceremoniously slid down her cheek.
"Tell me, how should I marry? How should I have children?"
The question was so blunt and insensitive that she didn't know how to answer. Her cheeks instantly flushed red.
"You want to do that kind of thing, right?"
"..."
Do you want me to do that kind of thing with other women?
"..."
Xu Shaoting lifted her chin. "Answer me."
"I don't want to at all." She finally broke down.
"So what are you thinking?"
"I... just want you to do it with me."
Xu Shaoting chuckled softly, finally ceasing his questioning, and pulled her into his arms.
"I'll grant your wish."
...
After a long, drawn-out exchange of breaths, the room suddenly fell silent. Outside the French windows, a cluster of new fireworks rose, illuminating Wen Jia's rosy nose and the corners of her eyes.
It's midnight, a new year has begun.
She tried to turn her head to look at the fireworks, but the man grabbed her chin almost domineeringly.
At times like these, he only allowed her to look at him.
Xu Shaoting also gazed intently at her, his slightly lowered eyebrows and eyes sharp and deep, not missing a single detail.
He stared at her for a good ten seconds.
Her body trembled for more than ten seconds before she finally gave way completely, her arms around his neck falling off him. But he caught them and kissed her fingertips and arms tenderly.
After the kiss, he leaned down and buried his face in her collarbone, sucking on the fair skin of her neck.
“I love you,” he said, trying to comfort her.
Three words, both light and heavy, tightly bound two passionate souls together.
He gently brushed aside her stray hairs damp with a light sheen of sweat, tenderly and lovingly pressed a kiss to her forehead, repeating the gesture once more:
"I love you."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
