Chapter 112 Misunderstandings and Tears
"What's wrong?" Li Xin asked, noticing the cold expression on Yan Ruozhe's face. She had been perfectly fine moments ago. How could her mood have shifted so dramatically in just a few minutes?
"Nothing," Yan Ruozhe replied curtly. Seeing Li Xin's striking beauty, the thought that Shi Yunyang had been with this woman before ignited a sudden, inexplicable anger within her. She resented this captivating face that drew attention wherever it went. Even though those events were in the past and there was no point in dwelling on them, she couldn't shake her discomfort.
"She was just fine," Li Xin murmured to herself.
"I said nothing's wrong!" Yan Ruozhe snapped, her voice laced with annoyance, before immediately feeling a pang of regret. What was wrong with her?
"Oh," Li Xin responded quietly. Ruozhe clearly had something on her mind. It was rare for Ruozhe to lose her temper with people for no reason. What could be bothering her? But this woman was so private, always keeping her thoughts to herself. Li Xin knew she wouldn't be able to get any information out of her, leaving her with nothing but frustrating guesses and worries.
"You can keep trying on clothes. I need to step out for a bit. I'll be back in half an hour," Yan Ruozhe said, wanting some time alone to compose herself. She felt she shouldn't have lost her temper with Li Xin, especially since it was about something in the past. At the same time, she really disliked her current mood and wanted to get her emotions in check before facing Li Xin again.
"Oh, okay," Li Xin replied, feeling no desire to continue trying on clothes. She disliked being left alone by Yan Ruozhe. Fortunately, Yan Ruozhe was always punctual. If she said she'd be back in half an hour, she would definitely return within that time. Li Xin wondered what Yan Ruozhe could possibly need to do right now. She suddenly realized that apart from knowing Yan Ruozhe used to be Madam Qian, she knew nothing about Yan Ruozhe's family background.
As soon as Yan Ruozhe left, Li Xin seemed to wilt, her spirits completely dampened. She simply sat on a wooden chair in the mall, waiting for Yan Ruozhe.
Yan Ruozhe walked out of the mall and into a nearby park. A short walk around the park helped to calm her mood considerably. As she was about to head back to find Li Xin, she noticed a flower shop. She thought of the roses Li Xin had given her the previous day and remembered Li Xin's wish for her to reciprocate with flowers. After a moment's hesitation, she entered the shop.
"I'd like a bouquet of eleven red roses, please," Yan Ruozhe said. Romance was truly lost on her, and she had no idea what eleven roses symbolized. She was simply mirroring Li Xin's gesture, returning the same number and style.
"Eleven red roses signify true love!" the florist explained, wanting to make sure the buyer understood the meaning.
"True love?" Yan Ruozhe didn't know the language of flowers, but Li Xin certainly would. Did Li Xin mean to express true love by giving her eleven roses? The thought of those words made Yan Ruozhe feel much better.
"Yes, they're such romantic and beautiful roses. Any woman would be moved by them," the florist said admiringly.
Yan Ruozhe didn't find it particularly romantic. She saw assigning meaning to flowers as a clear marketing tactic, using symbolism to boost sales, much like businesses capitalizing on holidays like Christmas. The object itself didn't affect people; it was their perception of it that mattered. Yan Ruozhe's pragmatism often left people speechless.
"How much?" Yan Ruozhe asked, seeing that the florist had wrapped the bouquet. She took out her wallet to pay.
"168 yuan," the florist replied with a bright smile.
A potted cactus only cost ten yuan, yet a bouquet of flowers that would only last a few days cost over a hundred. Yan Ruozhe mused that beautiful things, like women, were always particularly expensive.
"Li Xin!" Yang Ting exclaimed in surprise, spotting Li Xin sitting on the wooden chair. She felt that her connection with Li Xin hadn't ended. After all, they had run into each other twice in just two short days since her return. This had to be a sign from heaven.
"It's you," Li Xin said with a smile, not expecting to see her again.
"Are you shopping alone?" Yang Ting walked over and sat down next to Li Xin.
"No, I came with someone. She just stepped away for a moment. I'm waiting for her," Li Xin answered truthfully.
"The person you love must be very happy. I, on the other hand, have lost my happiness." People only know to appreciate what they had after they've lost something that could have been theirs.
"You'll meet someone better, someone more suited for you," Li Xin said with a smile, genuinely hoping Yang Ting would find happiness.
"There won't be anyone else." There wouldn't be another lover better than Li Xin.
"If you let me go, you might find many good people around you. We really can't go back," Li Xin said, feeling some pressure from Yang Ting's behavior. It struck her that people's hearts could be cruel. When they were in love, they couldn't wait to give their whole heart to the other person. When the love was gone, it was simply gone, and they could never recapture that initial excitement.
"Can you kiss me one last time?" Yang Ting pleaded earnestly, her former confidence seemingly gone.
Li Xin shook her head. Her body and heart now belonged to Ruozhe, and she didn't want to do that.
"I know your body is the most honest. Unless you're afraid that you still have feelings for me," Yang Ting said stubbornly.
If this was what it would take for her to give up, Li Xin didn't mind kissing her one last time and bringing a definitive end to their past relationship. Besides, she wasn't good at rejecting someone she had once loved.
Li Xin slowly brought her lips to Yang Ting's. When their lips met, Yang Ting took the initiative, trying her best to seduce Li Xin. Li Xin remained unresponsive. No matter how Yang Ting tried to entice her, Li Xin simply didn't react. After a long moment, Yang Ting finally gave up and pulled away. She looked at Li Xin's calm face. Li Xin truly didn't love her anymore. She used to melt at her slightest touch, but now, Li Xin no longer belonged to her. Yang Ting felt she could finally let go.
Seeing Yang Ting's expression, Li Xin knew she had given up. But at that moment, she saw Yan Ruozhe not far behind Yang Ting, holding a bouquet of red roses and looking at her with cold eyes. Li Xin suddenly pushed Yang Ting away and stood up, wanting to explain to Yan Ruozhe that things weren't as they appeared. Li Xin was incredibly annoyed. Although she had hoped to make Ruozhe jealous, seeing Yan Ruozhe's icy gaze, Li Xin felt she had gone too far.
Yan Ruozhe threw the red roses she was holding into a nearby trash can, then turned and walked away. This woman really enjoyed flirting with others. It was ridiculous that she had believed Li Xin was her true love and had taken their relationship seriously. The thought of Li Xin actively kissing that strange woman filled Yan Ruozhe with betrayal and a sense of being deceived. Why had Li Xin initiated the kiss? Why did she feel jealous? In fact, when Li Xin had confessed her one-night stand with Shi Yunyang, she had already experienced this feeling, but at the time, she hadn't understood it and hadn't wanted to understand it. That's why she had taken the initiative to end her relationship with Li Xin – because she hated feeling out of control and hated being affected by Li Xin. Clearly, she didn't like anything about that woman, yet she had begun to influence her. Li Xin's words and actions were so affectionate, seeming so genuine, but in the blink of an eye, she was being intimate with another woman. Yan Ruozhe was furious.
"Ruozhe, let me explain! It's not what you think…" Li Xin didn't care about Yang Ting anymore and immediately ran after Yan Ruozhe.
Li Xin grabbed Yan Ruozhe's hand, preventing her from leaving.
"Let go!" Yan Ruozhe warned coldly.
"I won't," Li Xin said firmly, completely forgetting they were in a shopping mall. Although it wasn't a weekend, there were still some people passing by who glanced their way.
"Li Xin, I don't have time for your games," Yan Ruozhe said icily.
"I'm not playing any games! I'm very serious about you!" Li Xin said anxiously.
"A few days ago, you were in Shi Yunyang's bed, and now, just a few days later, you're making out with another woman. You're just a restless person. You can play around with whoever you want, but I can't afford to, and I don't want to play with you anymore," Yan Ruozhe blurted out, her words fueled by jealousy.
Li Xin's face instantly paled. She could endure Yan Ruozhe's indifference and coldness, but she couldn't bear her contempt.
"Yan Ruozhe, in your eyes, am I just some frivolous woman?" Li Xin asked, her lips barely moving as she forced the words out with difficulty.
"Isn't that the truth? Shi Yunyang just told me how passionate you were in her bed, and now, in the blink of an eye, you're being intimate with another woman. I really can't satisfy you…" Jealousy was a consuming force, and at that moment, Yan Ruozhe's mind was clouded by it.
Slap! The sound echoed loudly as Li Xin lost control and slapped Yan Ruozhe. Tears welled up in her eyes and streamed down her face, a sharp pain piercing her heart. If she hadn't been drunk and mistaken Shi Yunyang for her, how could she have ended up with Shi Yunyang? Heaven knew that at that time, her mind was filled with Yan Ruozhe. All her passion had been because she had seen Shi Yunyang as a substitute for Yan Ruozhe. But Yan Ruozhe had never asked for an explanation. Clearly, after such a thing happened, Li Xin was more heartbroken and worried than anyone, yet Yan Ruozhe had ended their relationship so casually. Even after Li Xin had swallowed her pride and begged for forgiveness, Yan Ruozhe had abandoned her without hesitation. Even the kiss just now… Li Xin admitted she had some ulterior motives. She had wondered if Yan Ruozhe would be jealous if she saw it. It seemed she had overestimated her importance after all.
When Yan Ruozhe saw Li Xin's tears, even though she felt she was in the right, why did Li Xin look like she had suffered a great injustice? Why had she said those things just now? The words didn't even sound like something she would say. What was going on? The world seemed to be spinning.
"Yan Ruozhe, I'll ask you one last time. Is that really how you see me?" Li Xin asked again, as if needing confirmation.
"That's for you to answer yourself," Yan Ruozhe replied, torn between believing Li Xin and believing what she had seen and heard. Her own heart was in turmoil.
"Yan Ruozhe, I'm very disappointed in you. I always thought you were different," Li Xin said sadly. If there wasn't even a little bit of trust, what was the point of explaining? In the end, Yan Ruozhe was no different from other women, only seeing the surface of things. Li Xin vaguely remembered what her first lover, who claimed to understand physiognomy, had said when they broke up: "Li Xin, your face shows promiscuity. I'm afraid you'll be restless in the future. I don't like your face. Let's break up." At the time, Li Xin had thought it was a ridiculous reason. Now, in Yan Ruozhe's eyes, she couldn't escape the label of promiscuity either. Sometimes Li Xin wondered if her love life would be easier if she didn't look the way she did. Li Xin felt incredibly pathetic. She had a face that suggested promiscuity but was actually a very devoted person. It would have been better if she had been heartless; at least she wouldn't be so heartbroken.
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