Sheng Huai thought he had drunk too much and was hallucinating. But the pain in his body made him realize that everything that had just happened was real.
Yu Yan stood to the side watching Jiang Yichen, her arms crossed over her chest as she let out a mocking laugh. Playing the devoted lover, are we?
Jiang Yichen’s tone was heavy, and Sheng Huai and Xu Che didn’t dare make a sound.
Had the sun started rising from the west today?
Jiang Yichen glanced at Sheng Huai, then pulled Xing Luo away with him.
“Yichen, slow down.” Ji Yan called out from behind, her voice thick with drunkenness.
Perhaps because she hadn’t heard Jiang Yichen say he loved Xing Luo today, she was happy.
The wine intoxicated her, and she intoxicated herself. She swayed forward a step, watching the two figures retreat, laughing quietly to herself.
Jiang Yichen and Xing Luo got into the car.
The driver drove while the two sat in the back seat.
“Take me back,” Xing Luo said. She didn’t want to go to Jiang Yichen’s villa today.
Jiang Yichen’s expression suddenly darkened. “Still saying you’re not angry?”
Jiang Yichen placed his hand on Xing Luo’s leg, furrowing his brow, his tone cold. “You know I’m not good at expressing my feelings.”
“That question was too tricky.” He leaned back, his voice lazy.
What was the name of the person you truly loved?
In Jiang Yichen’s eyes, it was a very tricky question.
So tricky that even with his girlfriend right beside him, he couldn’t say it.
“Yes,” Xing Luo said, taking Jiang Yichen’s hand from her leg. “I think it was a bit tricky too.”
Her tone was light, floating like a feather.
She couldn’t keep “acting jealous.” When Sheng Huai had asked Jiang Yichen to take Ji Yan home earlier, she had already shown her “jealousy.” If she kept it up, the man would grow annoyed.
“Let’s not play that game anymore.” Xing Luo smiled obediently. “It’s boring.”
It truly was boring.
Jiang Yichen ruffled Xing Luo’s hair and pulled her into his shoulder.
“Alright, I’ll make it up to you tonight.” His voice was slightly hoarse.
The driver in the front seat revealed a faint smile.
Xing Luo knew what Jiang Yichen meant by “making it up,” but she didn’t want to tonight.
“Take me back.”
“Still angry?” Jiang Yichen asked impatiently.
“No.” Xing Luo curled her lips into a light smile. “I have an assignment at the station tomorrow. I need to go back and get my computer.”
Xing Luo made up a casual excuse.
“Then I’ll wait for you downstairs. Come down after you get it.” Jiang Yichen spoke in a commanding tone.
“It’s too late tonight.” Xing Luo glanced at her watch. “It’s 2 AM. Let’s do it another day.”
After she finished speaking, she placed a light kiss on Jiang Yichen’s lips.
“You’re tired too.” Xing Luo smiled. “You drank quite a bit tonight. Your performance won’t be at its best.”
Men didn’t want to be at a disadvantage in that regard. Drinking did indeed affect performance.
Since his girlfriend was being so considerate, there was no reason for him to insist.
“Fine, I’ll listen to you.” Jiang Yichen rubbed Xing Luo’s fingertips.
The car pulled up to the building where Xing Luo rented her apartment.
“Good night.”
“Good night.”
Xing Luo got out of the car and closed the door, and the car immediately sped away.
All she ever saw was his back.
By the time Xing Luo got home, a message from Yu Yan had already arrived.
Yu Yan: [Are you home?]
Xing Luo: [Mm, just got in.]
Yu Yan: [When are you going to break up with Jiang Yichen? I know you worked hard to chase him back then, but he’s really not right for you.]
Xing Luo stared at the message for a long time, suddenly remembering something from a year ago.
At that time, she had just been bound by the System, and she wasn’t yet Jiang Yichen’s girlfriend.
The System had given her three months to pursue Jiang Yichen. After winning him over, she had to maintain the relationship for one year, and then she could extend her life.
Jiang Yichen was someone that none of the socialites in the capital’s elite circles could even hope to reach.
Over the years, there had never been any rumors about Jiang Yichen with anyone.
Nor had there ever been word of Jiang Yichen dating anyone.
The only person by his side was his childhood friend, Ji Yan.
The difficulty of pursuing Jiang Yichen was no less than climbing to the top of a sheer cliff without any protective gear to pluck the most beautiful flower blooming there.
Xing Luo understood that this was about extending her life, so the task would certainly not be easy.
She accepted the task.
She used every means to get close to Jiang Yichen—pretending to run into him by chance at every occasion, finding out his birthday, and sending him birthday gifts.
Daily messages of care and concern, cooking meals and delivering them to his office.
But Jiang Yichen never seemed to look at her directly.
In the end, she even considered climbing into his bed.
But she was thrown out by Jiang Yichen.
She understood then—some people’s hearts could never be warmed.
That day, there were still five days left of the three months. Xing Luo knew she would never have another chance.
She gave up.
She should have given up long ago. She still remembered what Sheng Huai had once told her: “If you can’t fit into a circle, don’t force yourself.”
Xing Luo had no parents, wasn’t a socialite, and naturally “wasn’t worthy” of Jiang Yichen.
For the remaining five days, she stopped contacting Jiang Yichen. She wanted to spend her last moments taking in the world.
She spent all her money buying things she liked to please herself—no longer trying to please a man.
On the final night, she drank too much and passed out in Yu Yan’s bar.
She didn’t want to stay awake waiting to die.
She vaguely remembered someone picking her up, and then she collapsed onto a soft, large bed.
In her haze, she heard a man’s voice by her ear.
“Girlfriend, next time you drink, remember to bring me along.”
Xing Luo thought she was dreaming, so she didn’t pay it any mind and just smiled foolishly.
She laughed for a long, long time.
In the middle of the night, she felt nauseous and woke up. She glanced at her phone—it was 1 a.m.
She was still alive. How could she still be alive? She touched her heart and suddenly felt her blood running hot through her veins.
She looked at the unfamiliar surroundings, her gaze drifting to Jiang Yichen, who was sitting on a chair.
Jiang Yichen looked at her, his tone calm, but a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
“Don’t drink so much next time. It’s hard to watch.”
Xing Luo snapped out of her memories and typed two words on her phone.
[Almost there.]
It was almost over.
[Do you love him?] Yu Yan asked again.
It wasn’t unreasonable for Yu Yan to ask. Xing Luo had indeed shown every sign of loving Jiang Yichen deeply in every aspect.
She never made a fuss or caused trouble. Whatever Jiang Yichen said, went.
She hadn’t even made things difficult for Ji Yan before.
She had truly loved Jiang Yichen.
No one could help but fall for someone so wealthy, handsome, and considerate.
But Jiang Yichen’s patience with Xing Luo seemed to last only a few months.
He began to ignore Xing Luo’s feelings, disregard her needs, and even get close to Ji Yan right in front of her.
So it turned out that a man’s feelings were so fragile—so fragile they were like foam, bursting at the slightest breath.
Xing Luo gradually pulled herself out of that relationship.
She could love Jiang Yichen deeply, but only if Jiang Yichen loved her.
She could also walk away from that relationship quickly, because Jiang Yichen wasn’t worth it.
She never dragged her feet in matters of love. Once she didn’t love, she didn’t love.
Xing Luo typed two more words on her phone.
[Loved before.]
Yu Yan: [And now?]
Xing Luo: [No longer.]
A moth flying into the flame once was enough.
It hurt too much.