Chapter 92 - Let Down (1/2)
Zhiyuan roared in anger, snapping Shuang out of her stupor. ”Don't keep quiet Shuang! If you love him, then this doesn't make all the more sense.”
Shuang jolted and looked back at him, her eyes stinging in tears as she recalled that memory. Xiaosi didn't want him to know the truth. She clenched her fist.
”I only did what I thought to be the best solution in that case.”
He looked at her blankly. ”And you think not telling me was the best solution?”
”Dad was already against your relationship with Caihong. He didn't want you to know about it so he took that chance to break you two forever. And after that night, Caihong didn't want anything to do with you either. Everything just...fell into place.”
He grabbed her arms and shook her hard. ”Yeah right. Even if something so terrible happened, all your family could think of was to separate Caihong and me, instead of punishing Xiaosi!”
Shuang shook herself off and shouted. ”Shut up! Nobody wanted this Zhiyuan! Nobody... wanted that night to ever occur! But it did and all because of yo-”
She shut her eyes and took a deep breath.
”Anyway, I got nothing to say to you. I am sorry for hiding this from you even though I knew you wanted to know everything. But I had no choice.”
---
As Shuang dragged her tired body back to her home, she found Yunru already seated at the couch with a slightly grave expression on his face.
He observed her and frowned. ”Where were you at this time?”
She shrugged. ”Nothing. Just out for a walk.”
”And why are your eyes slightly red if you just came from a walk?”
Shuang fiddled with the keys in her hand and said, ”The air was too salty today.”
”We don't live near a beach.”
”The salty air might have traveled from some beach up to my spot.”
”You suck at giving excuses.”
Silence.
”Did you go to meet Xiaosi?”
”No.”
Well, at least she wasn't lying this time.
”Then?”
”Nobody. I said I was out for a walk,” and she said with such finality that gave Yunru his cue not to ask anything further about it.
Shuang freshened up and brought a cup of coffee. She sat beside him and switched on the TV.
”You had forgotten your phone at home,” Yunru said while scrolling through his own phone. He wasn't looking at her but his question was obviously for her.
”I see. It happens in a rush.”
”No worries.”
Silence.
Shuang took a sip and she switched the channel.
”While you were away for your walk, there came a call from Xiaosi.”
Shuang paused her movement in the air. She felt slightly panicked, but she didn't show it in her expression.
Did he accidentally say something, not knowing it wasn't me?
”What did he say?” She remained neutral.
”That he will be at your office by nine for the collaboration.”
She silently let out her breath.
So it is about the games.
”Oh okay.”
Yunru still wasn't looking at her. ”I wonder why he didn't just drop a message.”
”Maybe he dropped one, but I didn't respond. I forgot my phone, remember?”
”There was no unread message on your phone.”
Shuang kept the cup on the table and turned to look at him. ”What do you want to ask? Just ask it straightaway, Yunru.”
Yunru finally lifted his gaze from his phone and looked back at her. ”Are you and Xiaosi working together for something?”
”There was some hacking problem in my games so I needed his help. His company works for all kinds of digital security.”
”So you two will be working together from now on?”
”...Yes.”
”Did you consider what sis's reaction would be? She is coming tomorrow, right? As your artist? She wouldn't be too thrilled.”
She pursed her lips. ”I didn't get the time to tell Xinyi. But I won't force her now that Xiaosi would be working too. She can walk away if she wants.”
”You didn't tell me either.”
Shuang blinked her eyes. ”It's just about my work.”
”It's not just about your work. It's about you working with the man you hold feelings for.”
Silence.
”I am being very direct about this because I don't want to cause an unnecessary fuss.”