Chapter 60: It Has Nothing to Do with Me.
As Chu Wantang had said, the financial district was more than twenty kilometers away from the Guangji Theater.
On her way to the Guangji Theater, she had felt that the air was sweet, the wind was light, and the sound of the rustling leaves was very pleasant. Now, dragging her shell back, she seemed to be unable to feel anything. She sat in the taxi for forty minutes in silence, and then quietly watched the elevator ascend, counting down twenty seconds in her heart.
In the end, she numbly entered the password, entered the door, changed her shoes, and washed her hands, until she sat down on the sofa facing the floor-to-ceiling window.
Only the floor lamp in the corner was on in the living room. The warm light reflected her calm expression, but the lingering factors in the air attached to her face, and you could taste a strong bitterness.
A few minutes later, she lowered her eyes and looked at “lucky” in her WeChat list.
She had successfully added Huai Xing on WeChat, not just Su Cheng. But why wasn’t she happy? Was it because of what Huai Xing had said tonight?
That… denial of all their past.
But the feelings of the past were so real, so true. She remembered everything.
She remembered her own reflection in Huai Xing’s eyes when she looked at her. She remembered that Huai Xing would blush and be shy, but would express her love with her actions. She remembered that during the Qingming Festival in 2020, Huai Xing was clearly coming back the next day, but because she had said she missed her, she had taken a red-eye flight and appeared in front of her with that spring letter after she woke up.
-“I want to bring a letter from spring to express the beauty of spring to Chu Chu.”
-“I hope that every day with you in the future will be like today.”
Now they were in the future, and this year’s spring had not yet passed, but everything had changed.
Actually, she understood. Huai Xing’s silent departure had already given their relationship enough face, right? Otherwise, if they were to really settle the score and argue, she would have no chance of winning. She was the one who had played with feelings first, and she was the one who had let Huai Xing down first.
But she didn’t want to win in the first place. She just wanted to apologize properly and then let Huai Xing come back to her side. Or, she could go to Huai Xing’s side.
Jingcheng and Haicheng were more than a thousand kilometers apart. If it was inconvenient for Huai Xing, she could go over.
But her apology had no effect. Instead, she heard hurtful words pierce her even deeper.
The past that had been denied by Huai Xing, she had recalled it many times at night. They had turned into nutrients that had nourished her for the past five years, rescuing her when she was besieged by loneliness, comforting her when she was tormented by longing, and advising her when she was tormented by guilt.
If it weren’t for the support of these memories, she would have long since perished in this world in the moments of her failed searches.
And now, these memories were still clear in her mind, but her vision was blurry. She turned on the speaker that Huai Xing had once given her and played the songs that Huai Xing used to love.
The more she listened, the more upset she became, and the more she couldn’t breathe.
She folded her legs and hugged her knees, curling herself up. She looked at her own silhouette on the floor-to-ceiling window, her long lashes wet.
After a long while, she wiped away her tears and unlocked her WeChat.
She opened her chat with lucky and sent: [I’m home.]
What about Huai Xing? Was she home now? Or was she having a late-night snack with Lu Zhenyue? She had no way of knowing.
She didn’t even know if Huai Xing would reply to her, but she looked at the red exclamation mark that was no longer displayed next to the bubble and felt that it was very strange.
Huai Xing was sitting in Lu Zhenyue’s passenger seat. The moment her phone screen lit up, she lowered her eyes and did not unlock it.
Instead, she put her phone face down on her lap and looked out the window.
“Are you going back the day after tomorrow, Xiao Xing?” Lu Zhenyue asked, holding the steering wheel in the driver’s seat.
Huai Xing nodded. “Yes. I’m having dinner with my friends tomorrow night, and I’ll be back in Haicheng the day after tomorrow.” She smiled. “It’s May Day tomorrow. They finally have time.”
“Then I’ll take you to the airport the day after tomorrow.”
“No need, Sister Suisui. You’re busy. I’ll just go with my team.”
Lu Zhenyue did not insist and instead said, “‘Mist’ will also be performed in Haicheng next month.”
A lot of information about “Mist” had been released online, and it had long been highly anticipated. And after tonight’s premiere, the online reviews were even more positive. Everyone was clamoring for a national tour, and a big city like Haicheng was already in the plans.
Hearing this, Huai Xing’s eyes curved. “Okay. Xianyue and I will pick you up then.”
“Alright, it’s a deal.”
They chatted all the way. More than ten minutes later, the car stopped on the side of the road, and Huai Xing got out of the passenger seat.
Lu Zhenyue rolled down the passenger window, leaned over a little, and waved to Huai Xing. “Thanks for treating me to a late-night snack tonight. See you next time, Xiao Xing.”
“Sister Suisui, see you next month.”
After saying goodbye, Huai Xing turned around and walked towards the hotel.
She was holding her phone in her left hand, and her right hand was open, trying to let the evening breeze blow away the burning sensation from that teardrop, but it didn’t seem to be of much use.
When she returned to her room, the first thing she did was to wash her hands. She squeezed out two pumps of laundry detergent and washed them very carefully and seriously. When the water had washed away all the foam, the feeling in her palm still hadn’t dissipated.
She looked up again and looked at herself in the mirror, her lips pressed together tightly.
The lights in the bathroom were bright, and her pupil color could be seen clearly. After a long while, she finally wiped her hands clean and went to get her pajamas to take a shower.
The light and fine water droplets danced on her body. She tilted her head back, and was so drenched that she closed her eyes, recalling the scene in the park tonight.
She had actually thought of this scene before, a long time ago. She had fantasized about it.
In her imagination, Chu Wantang would admit her mistake to her and say she was sorry. And she, as she had performed tonight, would say that she didn’t need all this. She would deny her feelings for Chu Wantang and just treat their past transgression as a consensual exchange of desire.
Perhaps because she knew Chu Wantang too well, the dialogue in her imagination was not very different from tonight’s. Perhaps the biggest difference was that Chu Wantang had said that she had wanted to start a relationship with her after she returned to Jingcheng.
Start…
What a ridiculous word to use between them.
She knew Chu Wantang’s arrogance and pride, and she knew Chu Wantang’s superiority in this relationship, so she had shattered it without hesitation. What “start”? It was just a “bestowal.” In the end, Chu Wantang had just thought that this little pet of hers was clingy and good in bed, and that she could keep her.
A little pet that came when called and went when shooed, and could also provide emotional value and quench her physical thirst. Why couldn’t she keep her?
The more she thought about it, the more ironic it became.
More than half an hour later, Huai Xing came out of the bathroom with a face mask on.
Lu Xianyue was a little quiet tonight and hadn’t sent many messages. Huai Xing replied to her other work WeChat messages before looking at the four words Chu Wantang had sent an hour ago.
Chu Wantang’s profile picture was a bouquet of withered flowers in an envelope.
Huai Xing did not open it, nor did she have any intention of opening the other’s Moments. Her entire face was covered by a white face mask, and no expression could be seen.
A few seconds later, she exited and then swiped the screen to hide this chat box.
Sooner or later, they would have to add Chu Wantang on WeChat because of the cooperation between the two companies.
But before that, she could pretend that this had never happened.
…
April 30th, Wednesday.
Most of the working people in the country were waiting for the end of the workday from the moment they opened their eyes. Huai Xing’s business trip had ended yesterday. Today, she let her subordinates wander around, and she herself took advantage of the lunch break to go to a coffee shop near “Lan Ling.”
In the past few years, she had also added Ren Jiao back as a friend.
Ren Jiao still hated working so much, and the messages she sent her were still the same. But what she said was one thing. In fact, this person not only had full attendance, but had also been promoted in the past five years. She was now the team lead of Marketing Team 2, and Gu Rufeng had become the director of the marketing department.
As for Fei Shutao, Ren Jiao said that she had resigned. The specific reason was unknown, but she often came to the company to pick up Gu Rufeng after work.
Hearing this, Huai Xing silently thought of the follow-up to the story of sleeping with a straight female colleague she liked.
The poster had said that she was already with her straight female colleague, but the other party still didn’t like office romances, and the gossip in the company would affect her work state, so she had resolutely resigned.
But Huai Xing did not tell this to Ren Jiao, this straight woman.
“Huai Xing!” Ren Jiao pushed open the door and waved excitedly when she saw Huai Xing.
Huai Xing collected her thoughts and smiled at her. “Jiaojiao.”
Ren Jiao jogged over and sat down opposite her, wailing as soon as she opened her mouth, “Heavens, is there any justice in this world? Why am I getting more and more haggard from working, while our Little President Huai is getting more and more beautiful?”
“You’re getting more and more exaggerated,” Huai Xing said, pushing the menu forward. “See what you want to eat.”
Ren Jiao: “I’m not exaggerating.” She rubbed her hands. “I won’t be polite.”
Huai Xing stirred the coffee in front of her. The seat was by the window, and the sun outside was warm.
She hadn’t slept well last night and was a little sleepy now.
After Ren Jiao finished ordering, she handed the menu to the waiter and said, “I ran into Director Gu when I came down. She asked me where I was going.” She looked at Huai Xing and laughed. “Hehe, I said I was coming to the coffee shop to see you.”
Huai Xing’s coffee-stirring motion paused, and she asked nonchalantly, “Then what did Team Lead Gu… Director Gu say?”
“She just asked me how you were doing. I said you were doing very well, becoming a president at such a young age.”
Huai Xing’s lips curled up, and she continued to chat with her lightly. Perhaps their relationship in the past was not very good, but it was true that they were quite compatible.
As they chatted, they would smile at each other.
When half of the dessert on Ren Jiao’s plate had been finished, there was a small commotion in the square outside the window.
A man in a beige suit came and stood in the center of a heart made of rose petals.
He was holding a giant confession balloon. It was unclear what was written on it from Huai Xing’s and the others’ angle. Next to him was a gift castle, a pile of boxes from luxury brands.
Some working people passed by and took a few more glances, and some passing delivery riders took pictures.
Two of the staff in the coffee shop also went out to join in the fun.
“Is this moral kidnapping again?” Huai Xing raised an eyebrow.
Ren Jiao forked a small piece of cake. “It’s nothing new.”
“Hmm?”
“This person is chasing President Chu, the former Director Chu of our company, who has now been promoted to vice president,” Ren Jiao said casually. “She’s already very beautiful, and she’s never been short of confessions. This is also one of them. It’s been going on for a while. He only didn’t show up a few days ago when President Chu went on a business trip, but it’s also made everyone here know about it.”
Hearing this, Huai Xing’s gaze lingered on the man for two more seconds.
She continued to stir her coffee and commented lightly, “Not very good.”
“I think so too. And President Chu has never once gone down…” Ren Jiao said, looking over. “Huh? Why is she coming down?”
Huai Xing didn’t look over and slowly forked the dessert in front of her.
“…It seems she’s coming to the coffee shop,” Ren Jiao said, retracting her gaze and sitting up straight. She was now a team lead and would often have meetings with people like Chu Wantang. Chu Wantang was also her leader.
Huai Xing couldn’t help but laugh. “Are you afraid of her?”
“A little.”
Ren Jiao’s voice became softer and softer. “When she was the director of the design department before, she couldn’t control our marketing department. But now she’s the vice president, and she’s been very aggressive these past two years. After she took over, she started reforms, and CEO Mei also let her be.”
“So ‘Lan Ling’ is about to firmly sit in the TOP1 position of domestic womenswear brands. The previous competitors have been left behind, and the gap will only get wider.”
“This is the scary part! I have a kind of innate awe for such a career-minded person.”
That was all about Chu Wantang.
Huai Xing lifted her eyelids and saw the coffee shop door being pushed open by Chu Wantang.
Chu Wantang was wearing a soft silk blouse today. The collar was simple, with two buttons undone, revealing a diamond and silver chain that was faintly visible on her collarbone. The straight lines of her suit pants extended along the outline of her slender legs, and the cuffs were just above her ankle bones. But her foot injury had not yet healed. Her left foot was wearing a proper low-heeled pointed leather shoe, and her right foot was wearing a breathable slipper.
Her slender waist was cinched with a designer belt, and her long curly hair was tied up with a shark clip, revealing her soft and boneless yet smooth neck.
When the main door was opened, it was as if a fragrance had followed her in.
Huai Xing’s gaze fell on Ren Jiao. She asked with a smile, “Jiaojiao, what do you do when you see a leader outside? Do you say hello?”
“I’ll wait until she finds me…” Ren Jiao buried her head a little lower. “Did she see me?”
Huai Xing was facing the main door. Her gaze moved over again, looking at Chu Wantang’s figure, and she answered, “No, she’s sitting with her back to us.”
Ren Jiao let out a breath. “Let’s meet somewhere else next time. I’m really scared.”
“Okay.”
The phone screen on the table lit up at this moment. Huai Xing pressed her temple and then unlocked it.
It wasn’t from Chu Wantang, but a work message.
After replying to the message, Huai Xing looked at the time again and then turned her head.
The suitor in the beige suit had already taken everything away. The square was sparsely populated. Under the blue sky and white clouds, it was as if nothing had happened.
Ren Jiao swallowed the last piece of dessert and clapped her hands. “Alright, that’s about it.”
She looked at Huai Xing, sighed deeply, and then smiled. “I don’t know when we’ll meet again, Huai Xing. I’m really happy for you, seeing you doing so well now.”
“I’m also happy for you.”
“Can you be happy for me when I get rich? Oh my god, I really want to resign. This crappy job…”
The two of them stood up and walked out together.
When they passed by Chu Wantang’s table, Ren Jiao straightened her back, but she still couldn’t ignore her and called out, “President Chu.”
Chu Wantang nodded. “Team Lead Ren.”
She seemed to be very restrained and didn’t look at Huai Xing much, just a glance, and no one noticed.
Huai Xing came outside and opened her parasol.
After hugging Ren Jiao, the two of them walked in their respective directions. But after a few steps, her WeChat call rang.
Huai Xing was under the umbrella. She thought for a moment, answered, but did not speak.
“It takes five minutes.”
“What?”
“It takes five minutes to get from the company to the coffee shop,” Chu Wantang said, holding her phone and looking at Huai Xing’s retreating back, her chest a little heavy.
The long five minutes of being devoured by longing were even longer than the 20 seconds of the elevator that Huai Xing had mentioned before.
Huai Xing “oh”-ed and said lightly, “It has nothing to do with me.”
With that, she hung up the call without hesitation.
