After Breaking Up With the Scheming Bad Woman 22

Chapter 22: The Marks on Her Body Were Fading Bit by Bit.

After showering, Huai Xing lay down on the unfamiliar bed.

Staying at the hotel wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. Her thoughts were in chaos, and she needed a relatively quiet, enclosed space to think things through. Obviously, the home she shared with Chu Wantang was not suitable.

She didn’t want to worry Wen Shiwei, so she had lied.

But she hadn’t expected to see a message from Wen Shiwei on her phone, asking where she was. She also said that Chu Wantang had come looking for her and had already left.

Huai Xing pressed her lips together but still explained seriously: [I’m at a hotel near the company. Don’t worry, Sister Shiwei.]

Wen Shiwei’s reply came quickly. She didn’t ask for details, only saying: [You can stay at my place next time. The guest room is reserved for you.]

[It’s not like I’ve been abroad for two or three years and we’ve grown apart, right?]

[How could that be?]

[Get some sleep.] Wen Shiwei had to work tomorrow.

After saying good night, Huai Xing lowered her lashes. When the phone screen went dark, she unlocked it again and opened her chat with Chu Wantang.

There was no new content. She stared at the “I miss you so much too” that Chu Wantang had sent. Last night, she had been planning to change the privacy settings of that post after she woke up. If they liked each other, why should she be so secretive?

But in reality, it was all a dream.

She was also well aware that Chu Wantang must be angry right now. Not only had she not sent her a message today, but she had also not come home without a word. And now, Chu Wantang’s search for her at Wen Shiwei’s had come up empty.

But…

Didn’t she have emotions too?

If Chu Wantang had made everything clear before they went to bed last night, they wouldn’t have had such a passionate night.

It wasn’t like now, where there was no going back.

After all, they were going to “satisfy each other’s physical needs” in the future. Thinking of those words, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of irony and let out a heavy breath.

She then thought of the scene she had seen in the shower just now. She looked down at her chest, her abdomen, the inside of her thighs…

The hickeys were eye-catching and prominent, making her feel dazed.

Every single one of them was a reminder that what had happened last night was a fact. They had had sex, more than once.

She exited the interface and scrolled through her Moments to distract herself.

Before long, she came across a post Chu Wantang had made a few hours ago. There was a vast golf course, and also a photo of her in white sportswear, her aura still exceptional, making it hard to look away.

Huai Xing closed her eyes, took the jade comb from the side, and turned off her phone.

…

Chu Wantang didn’t go home. She was sitting in Su Cheng’s studio.

She was annoyed, but her expression was calm. She had even opened a bottle of Su Cheng’s treasured red wine and was slowly pouring it into a glass and drinking it by the coffee table.

Su Cheng finished cutting the fabric and looked over. She walked over with her hands on her hips, very puzzled. “Did you just come to watch me work overtime in the middle of the night?”

“Can’t I?” Chu Wantang raised an eyebrow, her tone lazy. “Wan Yi was right. Seeing a friend suffer makes you feel much better about yourself.”

“I’m going to break up with you two.” Although she said that, Su Cheng sat down beside her. “Pour me a glass too.”

The wine fell to the bottom of the glass. The two of them clinked their glasses, making a crisp sound.

Su Cheng started to complain again. “This client is also crazy. He changed the design several times, and in the end, he said the first version was the best. If it weren’t for the money, would I be here at this hour?” She bumped her friend’s arm. “Are you even listening to me?”

“I’m listening.” Chu Wantang looked at the swirling wine in her glass, her expression light.

“Something’s wrong with you.”

“What could be wrong with me?”

“A gut feeling.”

Chu Wantang couldn’t help but laugh. “There’s nothing.”

She drained her glass.

Su Cheng looked at her suspiciously, but she knew that if she didn’t want to talk, even torture wouldn’t get it out of her.

After a while, Chu Wantang leaned back and closed her eyes.

The alcohol was starting to kick in. She didn’t know if she was asking herself or her friend as she parted her lips. “Why aren’t you home? When are you coming home?”

Huai Xing, when are you coming home?

Su Cheng leaned closer. “What are you saying?”

Chu Wantang’s brows furrowed slightly, and she continued to speak. “You got to sleep with the person you like. Did you lose out?”

Huai Xing, did you lose out?

Su Cheng: ?!

Help, what did I just hear?

…

Huai Xing had booked the hotel for more than one night.

But by Wednesday, she realized the disadvantage of being in the same company as Chu Wantang: it was hard to avoid each other even when they were fighting.

The only saving grace was that they weren’t on the same floor, so Chu Wantang wouldn’t come down specifically for her. But that didn’t stop Huai Xing from feeling anxious. What if Chu Wantang really did come down? How would she face her?

After a whole morning of anxiety without seeing Chu Wantang, Huai Xing finally relaxed a little.

The “LANLING LIFE” event was over, and she was back at her post. Her work buddy was once again Ren Jiao, who wanted to resign every day but had gotten full attendance last month.

Her workstation was by the window. It was mid-March, and the weather in Jingcheng had been better these past two days.

The sun was pouring in, making people drowsy.

After finishing a task, Huai Xing took her cup to the pantry for coffee. She really wanted to be rebellious and add ice cubes, but in the end, she stopped herself.

Cramps were no fun. Don’t torture yourself.

The pantry still smelled of rich coffee, and someone was napping on the sofa.

She pulled up a chair and sat down, sipping the bitter Americano, and then opened Weibo, casually scrolling through her feed to kill time.

Gu Rufeng and Fei Shutao also appeared at this time. Huai Xing looked up and called out, “Team Lead, Team Lead Fei.”

After greeting them, Gu Rufeng sat down, and Fei Shutao went to make coffee.

The pantry was relatively quiet. Everyone looked sleepy, and Huai Xing had no intention of chatting. She just scrolled through Weibo until she saw a post from a lesbian blogger she followed that had been released this morning: [Help, I slept with a straight female colleague I like. What should I do?]

Huai Xing had seen such posts no less than ten times in the past. Just as she was getting tired of them, she glanced at the first two lines and froze.

[I have the same position as my straight female colleague. She’s very cool, very famous in the company, and three years younger than me.]

[I’ve had a crush on this straight female colleague for a long time. On Valentine’s Day, I was afraid she wouldn’t accept my flowers, so I gave flowers to my own subordinate and one of her subordinates. When she goes to the pantry, I follow.]

…

[We just finished a project recently. After the company’s celebration, we both drank and decided to stay at a nearby hotel together.]

[And then we slept together…]

In the end, the poster was asking what to do, because the straight female colleague had clearly stated that she didn’t like office romances.

Everyone in the comments section was giving advice. After reading the post, Huai Xing silently turned off her phone.

She nonchalantly lifted her eyelids and looked at the two team leads sitting opposite her.

Just then, she saw Gu Rufeng pinch Fei Shutao’s arm and say with some blame, “It’s all your fault. My back is sore.”

Her voice was not loud, but Huai Xing could just hear it. She lowered her eyelids again and looked at the coffee in her cup.

This was too scary…

Fei Shutao rubbed the spot where Gu Rufeng had pinched her and laughed unrestrainedly. Seeing that her straight female colleague was about to get angry, she quickly grabbed the tool person opposite her to divert attention and called out, “Xiao Huai.”

Huai Xing looked over. “What is it, Team Lead Fei?”

“You did a great job on the runway that day. Team Lead Gu and I were secretly applauding you. Did you see?”

“I saw.” Huai Xing smiled faintly, feeling a little like she wanted to escape this place. She felt like she was the biggest third wheel at the moment.

And just as she was getting up, she heard Gu Rufeng ask Fei Shutao, “By the way, did you see Li Lin in the guest area just now?”

Huai Xing’s thoughts paused.

She was not unfamiliar with this name. It was the rich young master who had been pestering Chu Wantang before.

“I saw him.” Fei Shutao was in a good mood, her eyes curving into a smile. “I guess Director Chu made a move? That mole thought Director Chu was at the company, but she’s actually on a business trip. Now he’s waiting for nothing.”

Huai Xing was stunned. Chu Wantang was on a business trip again?

In the past, Chu Wantang had always told her in person. This time, she had to find out about Chu Wantang’s business trip from someone else.

This gap made her press her lips into a straight line. She stood up with her cup.

Her mood was as bitter as the swirling coffee in her cup.

That night, when she saw the location tag on Chu Wantang’s Moments post, her anxious heart finally settled.

In the past few years, they had rarely had such moments of cold war. Even last month, when she had hidden her employment at “Lan Ling” from Chu Wantang, they still had contact every day, just that Chu Wantang’s replies were a bit cold.

Now, their relationship had dropped to a freezing point.

Huai Xing had also thought about many things these past two days. She didn’t think she was at fault for the current situation. Or rather, her only fault was that her feelings for Chu Wantang had changed. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have reached this day.

What “satisfying each other’s physical needs”…

Weren’t they just friends with benefits? Friends with benefits under the guise of family.

The scene from that night replayed in her mind over and over again. In the end, she still insisted on not sending any messages to Chu Wantang.

There was no movement from Chu Wantang’s side either.

Days passed, and when Huai Xing showered, she also found that the marks on her body were fading bit by bit.

Until a week later, all the hickeys had disappeared. Only then did she feel the reality that she hadn’t seen Chu Wantang in a long time. Not only had she not seen her, but they had had no contact.

It was a lie to say that she wasn’t sad. The rising longing was like a rapidly growing vine, wrapping around her tightly at night, making it difficult for her to breathe, her heart almost stopping. Even holding the jade comb, it was hard to fall asleep.

On Wednesday night, Huai Xing ended her hotel life and returned home.

Auntie Chen would come to clean the house every other day, so everything was clean and spotless. At the same time, the traces of life had also disappeared.

No one had sat on the sofa by the floor-to-ceiling window for a long time. The dining table was also empty. And she was the only one standing in front of the full-length mirror that had been used for their hug photos.

The past replayed before her eyes.

Huai Xing closed her eyes and let the fine water droplets from the shower drown her.

But to her surprise, not long after she lay down in bed, she was scrolling through the photos of their hugs. The next second, the screen changed, and her phone vibrated at the same time.

Huai Xing stared at the caller ID, stunned, her thoughts in a knot, unable to react.

She lowered her eyes, hesitated for about ten seconds, and then answered.

But she didn’t speak first.

On the other end, Chu Wantang’s voice seemed to come from a very distant place. “You’re home?”

“…” Huai Xing didn’t answer, but she was puzzled. How did Chu Wantang know?

Chu Wantang seemed to know her confusion and confessed, “I installed a camera in the living room before I left.” Her tone was soft and gentle. “I’ve been watching every day.”

Huai Xing still didn’t say anything. She hadn’t noticed it.

Chu Wantang was not annoyed by her reaction and asked again, “Did you have cramps this time?”

Huai Xing’s period was always on time. She had just gotten her new period this morning.

She silently shook her head on her end of the phone, then remembered that she was on the phone and replied in a muffled voice, “No.”

Chu Wantang pondered, “I’m on a business trip in Liucheng. There are two conferences here, and the offline stores also have some things to take care of…” She paused. “I’m calling to tell you that I’ve been wronged here, Xiao Xing.”

Huai Xing’s breath caught. She gripped her phone tightly, memories flooding back.

-Jiejie, if you feel wronged in the future, you can tell me directly. I want to share some of your pressure.

Chu Wantang ignored her silence and talked about where she had been wronged. “There was a peer at the conference…”

Huai Xing listened quietly until the person on the other end finished.

In reality, she was far from calm. She really wanted to hug the Chu Wantang who had been ostracized by that peer, but her reason told her that she couldn’t even express her concern right now—

Even after a week, she still didn’t know what to do with this so-called abnormal relationship.

“Xiao Xing.”

Chu Wantang called her softly again, her tone disappointed. “You see, I told you about my grievances at work, and you can’t do anything. Then I won’t tell you anymore in the future.”

“Jiejie, you’re not at home right now. What can I do?” Huai Xing curled up her knees and buried her face in them. Her eyes were a little sore, and she tried to make her breath sound steady when she spoke.

She couldn’t just cut ties with Chu Wantang.

To be fair, Chu Wantang’s kindness to her was not fake. She had not only given her so much money, but had also taken care of her in every way.

“Is it too much to ask to hear you say you miss me?”

Before Huai Xing could answer, Chu Wantang took over the conversation. “I’ll be back tomorrow.”

She suppressed the urge to smile, her tone still the same. “But will I still be able to see you at home tomorrow, Xiao Xing?” She dragged out the sound, making her sound more pitiful. “Are you still going to abandon me and go stay at Wen Shiwei’s?”