Forbidden to Flirt and Run 32p2

Chapter 32 p2

In mid-October, Tang Gui, who had been busy with a project, finally had some free time and came to see Xu Qingtang excitedly. But her smile disappeared the moment she saw Xu Qingtang. She couldn’t believe her eyes. “Qingtang, what’s wrong with you? You’re so haggard.”

Xu Qingtang herself knew that she had not been in a good state recently. She smiled and said, “I’m just tired from rehearsals. I twisted my ankle a few days ago.”

“Then why didn’t you say so? You always keep it to yourself. You don’t say anything when I ask. You only confess when I see it and there’s no way to deny it,” Tang Gui nagged for a long time. “You’re so stubborn. One day, if something happens to you, I’ll definitely go and dance on your grave.”

Xu Qingtang was helpless and begged for mercy. “Alright, alright, I was wrong, I was wrong. Miss Tang, please spare me.”

“Alright. Since you’ve sincerely admitted your mistake, your sister will take you out to have fun today.”

Xu Qingtang asked, “Where are we going?”

Tang Gui said, “Jiang Wan’s bar.”

Xu Qingtang said, “Ah.”

“What ‘ah’? It’s Jiang Wan’s bar’s third anniversary. She told me to bring you along,” Tang Gui’s eyes were suspicious. “She said she told you in advance. She’s not tricking me, is she?”

Xu Qingtang’s voice dropped. “She did tell me.”

“Then that’s it. Let’s go, let’s go,” Tang Gui said. “I think you’re just too tense. You should relax.”

Jiang Wan…

Then Gu Yizhi will probably be there too.

They say time is the best medicine. In fact, it had been almost two months now, but Xu Qingtang still didn’t dare to see Gu Yizhi.

But she couldn’t resist her friend’s soft and hard tactics, so Xu Qingtang still went.

Tonight’s bar was more lively than usual. Tang Gui had originally wanted to sit at the bar, but Xu Qingtang pulled her to a corner.

Just as the waiter served the drinks, Teacher Qi called. It was the same old story. Xu Qingtang’s ears were about to grow calluses, but she still patiently coaxed her.

Tang Gui listened on the side and finally understood one thing. “Qingtang, is Auntie pressuring you to go on a blind date recently? Then… what about Gu Yizhi?”

Xu Qingtang downed her drink in one gulp, her throat feeling dry. “What ‘what about’? There was never anything between us.”

Tang Gui let out a long “ah.” “That’s not very nice of you. What’s our relationship? You’ve turned yourself into this ghost-like state, and you’re still spouting nonsense to me. Do you think I’m made of stone, that I won’t feel bad seeing and hearing this?”

Xu Qingtang looked at her friend in silence for a long time, then drank another glass of wine and told her about how Teacher Qi had been forcing her to get married recently. Then she said, “I feel bad just seeing those people myself. I can’t even imagine what Gu Yizhi would think if she knew.”

“I can’t say she loves me or likes me, but there must be some good feelings, right? Feelings have always been selfish and exclusive. If it were you, would you be willing to watch the person you like go around with other people and not be able to admit your own identity?”

“Instead of letting her suffer with me, it’s better to let her hate me, resent me, and get out early. Hate is always easier to let go of than like. Anyway, it’s not wrong. I’m just a trashy person who can’t take care of everything.”

Tang Gui’s heart ached after hearing this. She reached out and hugged Xu Qingtang’s shoulder, feeling a little guilty. “I’m sorry, Qingtang. I didn’t know, and I couldn’t help you.”

Xu Qingtang’s eyes grew a little hot as she spoke, and her throat was also very dry. “It’s fine, it’s nothing. It’s all in the past.”

Tang Gui couldn’t give her any better advice. She was also aware of Teacher Qi’s health. Coming out was a gamble with her life, and the odds were surprisingly low.

But she still couldn’t help but say, “Qingtang, I think you should still make things clear with Gu Yizhi. It doesn’t matter what the result is. Don’t leave people in the dark like this.”

Xu Qingtang didn’t answer.

She had thought about it, but she didn’t dare.

She simply didn’t have the courage to face Gu Yizhi, to tell her that between Teacher Qi and her, she was the one who had been given up.

After three rounds of drinks, Xu Qingtang staggered to the stage. After paying, she went on stage, picked up the microphone, and started to sing the song she was finally very familiar with.

The colorful lights flashed before her eyes. Xu Qingtang sang while scanning the audience. When she reached the line, “If you’re too tired, there’s no crime in saying goodbye in time,” she finally saw that face, so vivid and not as hazy and blurry as in her dreams.

Gu Yizhi was sitting there, the dim lights falling on her.

She didn’t look at the stage from beginning to end, occasionally talking to the person beside her. Xu Qingtang averted her gaze, finished the last line, and then staggered off the stage.

Perhaps it was the alcohol kicking in. Xu Qingtang felt a surge in her stomach. She staggered towards the restroom. She almost slipped and fell, but fortunately, someone passing by helped her up. Xu Qingtang said “thank you” in a low voice. When she looked up and saw the person’s face, she was stunned.

Even a familiar person can feel like a stranger after a long time apart.

Seeing Gu Yizhi in front of her, Xu Qingtang actually had a ghostly feeling of being in another world. Gu Yizhi still had that light and airy tone from before. “If you can’t hold your liquor, don’t drink so much.”

Xu Qingtang hummed in agreement.

Gu Yizhi said again, “I’ll take you home.”

Xu Qingtang said, “No need.”

Gu Yizhi let go of her hand and asked, “Miss Xu is so busy, you can’t even spare the time for me to take you home?”

Xu Qingtang’s expression was strained for a long time. “I didn’t come here to throw up…”

Seeing that Gu Yizhi didn’t speak, Xu Qingtang couldn’t bear it any longer. “I came here to use the restroom…”

*

Sitting in Gu Yizhi’s car, Xu Qingtang smelled the familiar cool perfume in the air. She leaned against the seat drowsily and closed her eyes to rest.

When the car started, Xu Qingtang heard Gu Yizhi’s voice in the sound of the wind and the rolling of the wheels. “Miss Xu, you’ve lost weight recently.”

Xu Qingtang felt the wind blowing. “Yes, I’ve lost weight. It’s better to be a little thinner.”

Xu Qingtang could no longer hear what Gu Yizhi said. She fell asleep in a daze. When she woke up, the car was parked downstairs from her home.

Gu Yizhi didn’t speak.

When Xu Qingtang looked up, her eyes met Gu Yizhi’s. When their gazes met, she could hear her heart beat violently.

Xu Qingtang remained silent. She got out of the car, and Gu Yizhi followed. She went upstairs, and Gu Yizhi followed.

The feeling of her nerves being numbed by alcohol was really unpleasant. Xu Qingtang felt dizzy all over. When she was opening the door, she swayed again and fell into Gu Yizhi’s arms.

She propped herself up on Gu Yizhi’s arm. In the darkness, she looked up at Gu Yizhi and, in the heat of the moment, kissed her.

The kiss was a familiar warm and soft feeling. Xu Qingtang felt she was about to drown in this gentle land named Gu Yizhi.

If it was a dream, she would rather not wake up.

But this could only be a dream.

Xu Qingtang pushed Gu Yizhi away.

Slap—

A crisp slap sounded in the darkness. Gu Yizhi turned on the light first. Xu Qingtang’s vision cleared. Her own hand was not weak. Besides the stinging pain on her face, she could vaguely see her instantly red and swollen cheek in the glass.

Xu Qingtang was silent for a moment, then only said to Gu Yizhi, “I’m sorry.”

When she met Gu Yizhi’s gaze, Xu Qingtang turned her head away and said, “Just pretend that nothing ever happened between us.”

“Why?”

Xu Qingtang forced a smile. “Didn’t I say it before? I’m straight. I was just curious before. Now that the novelty has worn off, of course, it’s time to turn the page.”

These words were against her will and also broke her heart. She didn’t even dare to look at Gu Yizhi’s expression. If she saw even a trace of sadness, Xu Qingtang suspected she wouldn’t be able to continue.

After a long silence, Gu Yizhi said, “Is that what you think? I thought we were just one confession away.”

Xu Qingtang’s throat was tight. After a few seconds, she smiled again. “Yes. What else could I think? If you took it seriously, then I’m sorry. But that’s all there is to it. I’m not interested in women.”

“You should go.”

“Let’s not see each other again.”

Xu Qingtang lowered her head to tidy her clothes, trying to hide the moisture in her eyes. Saying such decisive words was harder than she had thought.

What responded to her was another long silence. In her line of sight, Gu Yizhi moved slightly, her voice a little hoarse. “Xu Qingtang, do you really want me to go?”

Xu Qingtang opened her mouth, but couldn’t say anything. She only felt that the pain in her heart was much worse than the pain on her face.

Gu Yizhi walked to the fridge, took out an ice pack, returned to Xu Qingtang’s side, and placed it on her face. “You have the right to call a halt. I will listen. Don’t be so foolish.”

Gu Yizhi held her hand with the ice pack, then let go. “It was my presumption, my disturbance, my ignorance. It won’t happen again.”

“Goodbye.”

Gu Yizhi left after these two words.

Looking at the closed door, Xu Qingtang moved her body numbly. Her elbow hit the wall, and it hurt terribly. Tears finally couldn’t help but fall.