It turned out to be a one-sided arrow.
Only yesterday, Qiao Mengdi had promised Yao Chiyue that she would never mention Yi Hongzhou in front of her again. Yet, in the blink of an eye, the situation of “treating Yi Hongzhou to dinner” had occurred. What would Yao Chiyue think?
As Yi Hongzhou had said, the outcome was the same: she was treating him to dinner. Whether he had asked her or she had invited him voluntarily, the current predicament remained unchanged.
Qiao Mengdi felt a sense of utter despair toward herself.
Initially, she thought it was a simple matter of returning a favor—he had caught her when she fainted. Who could have imagined that Yi Hongzhou had so many twists and schemes?
But what made Qiao Mengdi feel even more desperate than the incident itself was that, in this moment, she actually hoped Yao Chiyue would find them. She felt that if she did, it would prove that Yao Chiyue cared about her.
Qiao Mengdi was nearly dying of anger at her own thoughts.
At that moment, Yi Hongzhou returned from washing his hands.
He looked so perfect, like the brightest star in the night sky that everyone would naturally love. Before this, Qiao Mengdi had never realized that behind the brightest star in the sky lay a vast, boundless darkness.
“Little beauty, don’t frown. It makes one’s heart ache.”
If anyone else had said such words, they would have sounded greasy; but when Yi Hongzhou said them, Qiao Mengdi instinctively tried to smooth her brow as he suggested.
When it came to beauty, she felt that Yao Chiyue and Yi Hongzhou belonged to the same category. They were both the focus of ten thousand gazes, shining like stars, and they would undoubtedly be the most outstanding presence in any room. However, they also appeared equally lonely, making it difficult for anyone to truly get close to them.
Despite Yi Hongzhou’s constant smiles, Qiao Mengdi now understood that it was merely his accustomed camouflage. As for Yao Chiyue, her camouflage was absolute indifference. Both an overly beautiful smile and absolute coldness could create a sense of distance.
“If you’re worried that A-Yue won’t find you, we can give her a hint.”
“No need. I’m not afraid of losing.” Qiao Mengdi pulled herself together. In a gamble like this, winning or losing didn’t matter much to her. Whether Yao Chiyue found her or not couldn’t truly prove the expectations in her heart.
She didn’t truly crave the obligations of a legal partner.
Besides, what kind of split personality was Yi Hongzhou displaying by acting as both the thief and the guard? Since he wanted Yao Chiyue to search for them, his intention was clearly to toy with her. Yet, he spoke of “giving her a hint”—Qiao Mengdi couldn’t fathom what he stood to gain from that.
“Is that so?” Yi Hongzhou sat down, his expression settling. “Then why is your heart breaking?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Not afraid to lose, really? What if you win?”
“What exactly are you trying to do?”
“Eat. What else?”
Yi Hongzhou’s expression was serious. It was a seriousness Qiao Mengdi had seen on Yao Chiyue’s face before; she had to admit, there were many similarities between these cousins.
“If you don’t like it, tell A-Yue not to come.” Yi Hongzhou returned the phone to Qiao Mengdi.
“You’re the one who called her. If you want to say it, say it yourself.”
“I’m hungry.”
Yi Hongzhou spoke no more. He was very quiet while eating, his movements so elegant that just watching him could make one feel full.
Qiao Mengdi hesitated to pick up her chopsticks. Yi Hongzhou ignored her, continuing to eat quietly and calmly on his own.
What on earth was going on? Qiao Mengdi felt her head throbbing. She had been inside this book for nearly ten days, but the events occurring were mostly plots that hadn’t existed in the original novel. Had the details of the story been rewritten?
Yi Hongzhou looked up. “Aren’t you hungry?”
“I have no appetite.”
“Then watch me eat.”
Qiao Mengdi suddenly had the urge to punch him. Qiao Mengyang was right; with some people, language is useless—you have to speak with your fists.
She regretted her choices and wanted to contact Yao Chiyue, but a sense of shame stopped her. Out of boredom, she even wanted to ask if his offer to tell her “stories about A-Yue” still stood. But when he had asked her earlier, she had refused without hesitation. Therefore, she felt he certainly wouldn’t bring it up again.
Forget it. Yao Chiyue and he were clearly at odds, so Qiao Mengdi naturally wouldn’t stay neutral. She was firmly on Yao Chiyue’s side.
According to Yao Chiyue’s explanation yesterday, Yi Hongzhou hadn’t originally believed there was any affection between them. He hadn’t been able to prove it at Qiao Mengyang’s school, which was why he went to see Yao Chiyue yesterday.
Yao Chiyue had said “He’s wavering again,” meaning that before Qiao Mengdi had reached the rooftop, Yi Hongzhou had already confirmed they were in a marriage of convenience. However, because of her sudden appearance, he was questioning it again.
So, the reason he told Yao Chiyue they were eating together was to prove whether they were a marriage of interest or a pair truly in love. Was this really that important to him?
Qiao Mengdi was dying of curiosity.
“Cousin Yi, what exactly do you want?” Her voice was soft and delicate, the kind that would melt most people’s hearts.
“I’m not telling you.” Yi Hongzhou glanced at her with a look that could make anyone with a weak will surrender instantly.
“If there’s something you want to know, just ask me.”
“I don’t want to ask you.” Yi Hongzhou put down his soup spoon and wiped his mouth. “Disappointing. I was merciful enough to give A-Yue an hour. Perhaps she doesn’t care at all that you’re out to dinner with me.”
As he spoke, he kept his eyes fixed on Qiao Mengdi.
She remained calm on the surface. Although she felt offended by his words, she didn’t bother to argue. In her view, whatever happened between her and Yao Chiyue had nothing to do with him. After this meal, she only wanted to draw a clear line between herself and Yi Hongzhou.
Just as Qiao Mengdi and Yi Hongzhou were leaving the restaurant, Yao Chiyue rushed into the lobby. Seeing them walking toward her, she stopped abruptly, breathing slightly heavily. It wasn’t hard to see how much she had been racing against time.
The always composed, elegant, and perfectly groomed Yao Chiyue had hair that was slightly disheveled from running. Only her phoenix-like eyes remained shrouded in a thin layer of coldness.
Seeing Yao Chiyue being manipulated like this by Yi Hongzhou, Qiao Mengdi felt a pang of pain in her heart.
“Sister Yao, I—”
Yao Chiyue didn’t look at Qiao Mengdi. She instantly adjusted her breathing, walked up to Yi Hongzhou, raised her left hand to check her watch, and then silently held her hand out in front of him.
“Now, not only do I want to get married, but I also want to fall in love,” Yi Hongzhou said with a smile, appearing to be in high spirits.
Yao Chiyue didn’t respond, nor did she show any intention of attacking him.
Qiao Mengdi looked at the thin layer of sweat on Yao Chiyue’s forehead and then at the poised Yi Hongzhou. At that moment, Yi Hongzhou withdrew his gaze from Yao Chiyue and turned toward Qiao Mengdi on his left.
“Little cutie, how do you think I compare to your Sister Yao?”
As he spoke, his peach-blossom eyes blinked, and a clear, gentle breeze seemed to ripple from the corners of his mouth. His appearance was enough to captivate the world, yet Qiao Mengdi felt her hair stand on end.
“No matter how good you are, it has nothing to do with me. In my eyes, you are not even one ten-thousandth of her!”
Qiao Mengdi’s tone was absolute. She had never been so ruthless in striking down anyone before. But facing Yi Hongzhou—the man who was clearly toying with Yao Chiyue—she was so angry that she left no room for future civility.
“Is that so?” Yi Hongzhou’s expression remained unchanged. “Ah! Now I know. So it really is a one-sided arrow. I just don’t know if my cousin will accept it. From what I know—”
“I ask you to stop right there!” Yao Chiyue issued a heavy warning, interrupting Yi Hongzhou. her already cold voice was now cold enough to cause frostbite.
Yi Hongzhou let out a sigh and said, “Then… we’ll stop here for now. It’s been a long time since I’ve had such fun.”
With that, he walked away on his own.
“Sister Yao, I—”
Qiao Mengdi’s voice grew involuntarily smaller, like a child caught doing something wrong.
“Let’s go back.”
The current Yao Chiyue looked weary and defeated, making Qiao Mengdi’s heart tighten. She couldn’t even worry about her own heart being torn open by Yi Hongzhou, or how Yao Chiyue would view her “one-sided arrow.” At this moment, her entire heart was filled with confusion and worry about why Yao Chiyue allowed herself to be manipulated by him.
Since it certainly wasn’t because of her, it was likely that Yi Hongzhou held some sort of leverage over Yao Chiyue.
Qiao Mengdi followed Yao Chiyue, determined to find out the truth.