”We didn’t hear anything!” They spoke in unison, both blushing.
Yu Xiaoyan nodded in sudden understanding.
Song Chu understood what happened and looked at Lin Yichen, who had buried his head low.
“Let’s go, Nana!” Yu Xiaoyan said, pulling Qin Na.
“You can’t leave!” Geng Youyang interjected, grabbing her.
“Why?”
“Come meet my parents!”
Everyone was stunned, including Yu Xiaoyan. On the day Geng Qian Yu and Xuefuki Zhizi got engaged, a girlfriend must be brought home to avoid misfortune.
“Why me?” Yu Xiaoyan protested.
“Do you think I have a choice?” Geng Youyang glared at her, noticing she was the only single girl.
“I won’t go!”
“I don’t want to take you either!” Geng Youyang replied, sounding exasperated.
“Then let’s call it off!” Yu Xiaoyan retorted.
“Okay, okay!” Xi Lang pushed Yu Xiaoyan upstairs, whispering, “It’s just an act, help this poor guy who’s facing an arranged marriage.”
“Really?” Yu Xiaoyan asked Geng Youyang, who nodded firmly.
By the time they reached upstairs, Yu Xiaoyan realized that Geng Youyang and Xi Lang’s words could not be trusted.
※※※※※※※※※※
Geng Dinghang scrutinized the young couple before him. From appearance, they looked well-matched, but the girl, with her soft black hair, exuded a cold temperament. They had entered hand in hand. Geng Dinghang narrowed his eyes.
“Father, this is Yu Xiaoyan,” Geng Youyang said, shedding his usual wild demeanor.
“Hello, Uncle,” Yu Xiaoyan greeted politely.
“Yao’s marriage is not something he can decide for himself,” Geng Dingbang said with a sinister tone. Yu Xiaoyan glanced at Geng Youyang’s tense profile, tightening her grip on his hand.
“Father…” Geng Youyang began to explain.
“Miss Yu,” Geng Dingbang interrupted, “if I say that Yao will not get any property from me, would you still be willing to be with him?”
Geng Youyang nervously looked at Yu Xiaoyan, who didn’t glance at him.
“Uncle, I think you misunderstood.”
“I won’t give up on Yao, and I won’t let Yao give up on me,” Yu Xiaoyao paused, putting on a sincere expression. “We truly love each other, and money means nothing to us!” Adding a hint of tears, perfect!
Geng Yaoyang thought gloomily that she should have been an actress.
Geng Dingbang continued to watch, determined not to let them reveal their true selves.
“Hmm!” Geng Dingbang cleared his throat, “So… how far have you two progressed?”
Yu Xiaoyao felt a cold sweat break out. To be precise, they had only kissed, and each time it was forced.
“Father…” Geng Yaoyang pulled Yu Xiaoyao into his arms, leaving her dizzy.
Vaguely, she heard a voice say, “Actually, we’re already quite intimate…”
Yu Xiaoyao panicked; this didn’t sound like Geng Yaoyang’s voice. They had only kissed briefly!
Geng Dingbang’s eyes widened. “Good boy! Worthy of being my son!”
“Actually, no…” Yu Xiaoyao tried to break free from Geng Yaoyang’s embrace, only to be pressed back.
Oh, my reputation! “Father, Xiaoyao isn’t feeling well, I’ll take her downstairs.”
“Okay!” Dad Geng suddenly smiled.
You can go die, Geng Yaoyang.
Once outside, Yu Xiaoyao angrily shook off Geng Yaoyang’s hand and walked ahead alone, her stern expression signaling the calm before the storm.
“Don’t be angry,” Geng Yaoyang tried to appease her. “That was just a delaying tactic, when I said we were intimate…”
He stopped abruptly at Yu Xiaoyao’s murderous glare.
“What intimacy!” she exclaimed, gnashing her teeth. “We have nothing at all!”
“How can you say we have nothing? We’ve clearly kissed!” Geng Yaoyang retorted.
“That was you forcing me!” she yelled, her voice echoing in her ears.
“You can’t say you didn’t enjoy it at all!”
Yu Xiaoyao was furious and glanced down to see a room full of shocked onlookers.
Panicking, she shouted, “Geng Yaoyang, you’re talking nonsense!” and rushed to cover his mouth.
Too forceful…
Yu Xiaoyao quickly closed her eyes, expecting pain that didn’t come.
An enlarged handsome face appeared before her, mischievous eyes locked onto hers.
“So passionate…” someone remarked with a smile.
She blushed.
“Actually, you’re not at a disadvantage,” another voice chimed in. “I’m so handsome!”
“Go die, Geng Yaoyang!”
Yu Xiaoyao calmed down and composedly climbed off him, putting on a classic cold smile.
“From today onwards, I never want to see you again.”
She didn’t look at anyone else and walked out alone.
How embarrassing today!
Geng Yaoyang got up from the ground, smiling at the stunned people.
“Engagement party is over.”
Unexpectedly, Geng Yaoyang didn’t come to bother her these days. A rare good winter day, with warm sunlight shining on her, Yu Xiaoyao sat down on a familiar bench.
Her fingers caressed the photo, sliding over the childish faces. Jiran, do I still have the right to happiness now…
The scenery hasn’t changed: couples hurrying past, professors with black-rimmed glasses, and the tall basketball team.
Feeling a shadow cast over her, she opened her eyes and met a hesitant gaze.
Ruan Zheng.
“Ruan Zheng,” she said, smiling.
“I was considering whether to say hello,” he replied and sat beside her.
“What brings you here? The world is really small.”
“I’m with Nini; she came to meet a friend.”
“Is it him?” Ruan Zheng asked, looking at the photo in Yu Xiaoyao’s hand.
“Yes.”
Ruan Zheng took the photo, the sunlight making the view slightly blurry. Yu Xiaoyao breathed quietly, watching his eerily similar profile.
The light illuminated Ruan Zheng’s side, revealing his slightly trembling eyelashes.
“What are you spacing out about!” Geng Youyang approached and threw the photo frame into Yu Xiaoying’s arms. He had invested significant effort finding the photo, even turning the furniture factory upside down. When he found it, the frame was shattered, and the photo was damaged in several places. He compelled the city’s best photo restoration studio to complete it within a day, rubbing his sore hand afterward.
Let’s see how this woman thanks me, he thought.
Yu Xiaoying, suddenly attacked, fumbled to catch the flying “hidden weapon” – Ji Ran’s photo, the same photo that had been discarded!
She stared in shock at Geng Youyang’s triumphant face, a hot stream rushing to her eyes, blinking hard to hold back tears.
“How’s that! I…” Geng Youyang only then noticed another boy sitting in the chair.
He stared at Ruan Zheng’s face, finally shifting his gaze to the slightly smiling face in the photo frame.
Ruan Zheng noticed Geng Youyang’s changing expression and could only smile bitterly.
So similar, the two of them.
Geng Youyang found he couldn’t get angry, feeling a wave of sourness hit his heart, an unfamiliar emotion that made him panic.
Yu Xiaoying sensed something was wrong. “Geng Youyang…”
He turned and walked away silently, confused by his sudden panic.
Why couldn’t he look at that face? Why did he refuse to think about her looking at that boy with such focus?
Yu Xiaoying didn’t expect Geng Youyang to suddenly turn and leave, leaving her stunned.
Ruan Zheng gently placed the photo in Yu Xiaoying’s hand. “Go check on him.”
“Okay.”
“Alice, you’ll definitely find happiness. When I saw him…”
“Geng Youyang!” Yu Xiaoying called out, but he seemed to hear nothing, walking away quickly. Confused, his mind hadn’t processed what was happening, yet his feet moved uncontrollably.
Where was he going? Just walking aimlessly…
Yu Xiaoying slowly stopped. Why chase? What right did she have to stop him? Chasing might lead to mutual hurt.
She stood still, looking around, and found herself at the fountain square. Though there was no fountain, people leisurely walked around, enjoying the beautiful afternoon.
Yu Xiaoying collapsed onto a wooden chair, holding two photos of Ji Ran. The thin photo paper felt like an unbearable weight in her life.
