Chapter 68 - Qi Chengzhi Hugged Her Before She Could Finish Her Sentence (1/2)

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Ruan Danchen, who was right beside Song Yu, asked curiously, “Song Yu, why’s your face so red?”

“The wind outside caused it,” Song Yu answered with a blank expression.

Qi Chengzhi was satisfied with what he said and before he said it out loud, he scrutinized his words repeatedly and anticipated Song Yu’s reaction.

He was quite pleased even though she did not respond any further.

…

…

Soon enough they reached Dynasty. To keep herself warm, Song Yu wore a ankle-length black dress paired with a fur shawl.

Although the banquet hall had air-conditioning, it was difficult to avoid feeling cold due to the weather outside.

“Look at Shu Li. She has the heart of a warrior. Qi Chengzhi made it so obvious but she’s still shamelessly trying to get close to him. You just can’t help praising these female celebrities for their incredible persistence,” Ruan Danchen whispered in Song Yu’s ear.

Upon hearing that, Song Yu looked over and saw Shu Li standing in front of Qi Chengzhi yet again. She laughed while talking to him.

Shu Li was giggling away engagingly, but Qi Chengzhi’s expression was the complete opposite. He listened to her unemotively and only said a few words here and there. Despite not knowing what he was saying, it was clear from his expression that he found her rather hard to deal with.

All of a sudden, Qi Chengzhi looked over and met Song Yu’s gaze.

He raised an eyebrow and curled the corner of his lips ever so slightly as if pleased that he caught her staring at him.

Song Yu’s face reddened; she froze and did not know what to do.

Turning her head away right then would make it seem like she was lacking in confidence.

Maintaining the gaze, however, felt somewhat too brazen.

Neither of them turned away and Qi Chengzhi continued looking at her as before, but his smile became progressively more obvious.

With champagne in hand, Jian Yi seemed to be the only one there who noticed the exchanging of glances and the small gestures between the two. His face turned sullen as he pressed his fingers so hard against the glass that his fingernails turned pale, almost white, because of the blood restriction.

Just as Song Yu was stuck in the gaze, she heard Guan Xiaolin’s voice. “Song Song.”

Song Yu’s gathered herself and saw Guan Xiaolin – whose appearance seemed faintly desolate – coming toward her.

Beside Song Yu, Ruan Danchen wondered how Song Yu managed to get acquainted with the Guan family’s elder daughter. Even more surprising was how evidently close they were based on how Guan Xiaolin addressed her.

Ruan Danchen left silently without asking her anything.

“Song Song, I know you’re mad at me. At that time, I wasn’t thinking straight . I fell for him, but hiding it from you wasn’t done on purpose,” Guan Xiaolin spoke pitifully and seemed to be on the verge of tears.

Song Yu shook her head. “Miss Guan, we’re in public. Please don’t insist on grabbing me. It’s unbecoming.”

“Song Song, you’re not willing to forgive me, are you?” Guan Xiaolin not only refused to release Song Song, she gripped even harder.

“This has nothing to do with forgiveness.” Her face remained impassive as she forcefully pulled her hand away. “Us no longer being able to remain friends has nothing to do with Jian Yi. But it has everything to do with your conduct, which has left me bitterly disappointed. I don’t know what else you’d be willing to do to me, and I’m afraid to trust you again. In the future, let’s just nod if we meet. Don’t ever greet me so intimately in the future.”

“Song Song, I was angry when I said all those words that day, I…”

Song Yu has had enough of it. If she did not hear those words the other day, she would never have found out what Gaun Xiaolin really thought of her; she would never have known that Guan Xiaolin treated her as competition and had such a tremendous opinion against her.

“I’m sorry, I have to go to the toilet. Excuse me,” Song Yu replied frostily. She could care less about Guan Xiaolin’s face as she turned her back and left.

She did actually go to the restroom, but not to do any business; she simply wanted to hide away from people and collect her thoughts.

It would have never occurred to her that attending a banquet could bring up so much heart-breaking things.

Song Yu sighed and massaged her temples, being careful not to ruin her makeup. She then left the restroom.

As soon as she opened the door, she ran into the embrace of a man.

“So…” Before she could finish uttering the word ‘sorry’, she lifted her head and her voice came to an abrupt halt.

“Song Song.” Jian Yi hugged her, pressed his lips against her hair, and mumbled.

A faint alcoholic scent was on him and Song Yu’s stiff body could not move. “You’re drunk. Let go of me.”

“I won’t let go. Song Song, don’t leave me, I beg you,” Jian Yi said in a low voice, “I hate it when I’m only able to see you from afar. I hate it when we drift apart. Song Song, I worked hard and climbed up just so I can be together with you. I never wanted to lie to you.”

“Jian Yi, aren’t you afraid that someone might come in the toilet, see you hugging me, and pass the word on to Qi Chengyue?” Song Yu said coldly.

Jian Yi froze for a moment and hesitated before slowly letting her go.

Song Yu sneered. “A mere mention of Qi Chengyue’s name and you’re already scared. And you want to be together with me when you’re like that? Your version of being together is wanting me to go around with you in secret? If I was really that important to you, how could you do that to me? If it’s like this, you’ll never be on par with me.”

“Don’t get involved with me anymore!” Song Yu said determinedly. “Don’t come to my house and look for my parents. Where did you get the audacity to meet them? You slander me in front of them like a coward, but to what end?”

“That day…you went back?” Jian Yi asked softly. His fist which hung beside his body tightened before relaxing.

“Yes. The second I heard your voice, I left. This is my attitude. Don’t make me hate you even more than I do now.” Song Yu stared at him scornfully and took two steps back. Once there was some distance between them, she walked right past him.

When she did so, she immediately walked along the other side of the corridor wall. It was the one further from him, since she felt disgusted if she was near him.

Jian Yi followed her with his gaze. He looked as she walked along the opposite wall, as if wanting to stay as far away from his as possible. Jian Yi’s eyes began tearing and balled his hands into fists.

If he wanted he could take one stride forward, extend his hand, and hold her.

However, he did not. With a hurt expression and an aching throat he looked at Song Yu with his eyes wide open. Every step she took, she became more and more distant.

…

…

Song Yu walked out of the restroom corridor and was about to enter the banquet hall, but she was obstructed at the entrance leading up to the hall.

Qi Chengyue, dressed in a Western-style gown that was far more expensive than the long dress that Song Yu wore, was standing proudly there.

Song Yu had no intention of crossing her path too often. Perhaps because of her status as the Qi family’s young lady, she was used to being pampered as a child, and in turn, it caused her to develop a crafty and unreasonable attitude.

Coupled with the incident at Shengyue, Song Yu’s unfavorable impression toward Qi Chengyue had peaked.