Chapter 28：How times change (1/2)
Xinyi said, ”I don't tolerate her. I understand her. We were good friends but she equally liked Caihong. Everybody thought they were perfect...even myself. But then suddenly it was me by Zhiyuan's side. Not Caihong that everybody expected to see,” she gave an empty smile.
”So, in her place, anybody else would be angry too. Yunru. Things are already strained in between us. I don't want to make it any more tense. Grandpa is enough for me to handle. Zizi only hates me because she cares about Zhiyuan as his sister and you know how he was...those years back in his depression. She hates and blames me for that which is right.”
She clutched her dress. ”If it had been Caihong with him, Zhiyuan wouldn't have had to go through all that.”
Yunru snorted. ”Oh please. Stop speaking like you broke them apart like some man-snatcher that she calls you. You could never do that.”
Xinyi sighed. ”Please Yunru. I want to mend things with her, but it will be impossible if you force her to do things against her will when she already hates me.”
”I am not gonna promise anything.”
She smiled. ”That is still enough.”
Then she said, ”You never told me about your girlfriend.”
”Well, it's complicated.”
She frowned. ”Since how long have you two been together?”
”Seven…”
”Oh, I see. Seven months-”
”Years.”
She widened her eyes. ”Huh? Seven years! And you didn't tell me or Dad until now?”
”It's complicated.”
Xinyi felt she had so many things to say but…
”What is complicated? Maybe I can help you. Seriously, you didn't share anything with me,” she pursed her lips in disappointment.
Yunru smiled. ”You don't share things either, sis.”
Her brow slightly twitched. ”What?”
”Don't pretend. I know there is something you are keeping in your heart. I don't know what but it's painful. Sometimes, you look...lost and empty. You smile even though you don't mean it. You are also hiding things from me, sis. You are doing just the same as me.”
Xinyi felt anxious. ”No, I…”
Yunru patted her cheeks. ”It's alright. I understand. It's fine if you don't want to talk about it. Honestly, I don't want to talk about my relationship either. Just know that I am all ears whenever you need me.”
Xinyi hugged him. ”Yunru. When you feel you are ready to tell me about her, just call me, okay?”
He pecked her forehead. ”Yup, sis.”
---
Zhu villa.
Xiaosi was lazily resting on the couch and swirling the wine glass in his hand when he got a call.
”What?”
”Sir. Han Zhiyuan is doing his best to find out about you. It doesn't seem he would give up until he gets his hand on Young mistress's details.”
He narrowed his eyes and chuckled. ”I didn't expect anything less from him. He is a stubborn and annoying man. Until he gets his answers, he won't step back.”
”What should I do?”
”Let him do whatever he wants. I won't let him know about me until I want it.”
Xiaosi tilted the glass and the wine spilled on the floor.
”It's not for long anyway. Because we are going to meet again very soon.”
---
Inside her room, Caihong finally called her father after thinking for a long time.