Instead, he would sit quietly by my bed when I napped, stroking my hair and gently touching my lips. When I woke, he would retreat to a safe distance.
I once asked if our relationship felt awkward. He replied that it was good to see me every day, eat together, and chat, and I agreed.
Yet, I hoped these three years would pass quickly, yearning for him to truly belong to me alone.
Some people appear just when you’re about to forget them, asserting their existence.
On a calm afternoon after my class, Yu Yin called, expressing her desire to talk and asking me to meet her at the campus Starbucks. She added, “Don’t tell him. He doesn’t allow me to see you.”
“I understand.”
Compared to the Starbucks in the business district, the campus one was quiet, with fewer customers. Many students were quietly reading, browsing the internet, or writing reports.
Yu Yin and I ordered two lattes and chose a seat by the window. Her face bore a faint smile, her gaze on the watch strap on my wrist, neither happy nor sad.
Scenes of a girlfriend meeting her lover are common in romance novels, so I was no longer surprised. However, experiencing it myself left me feeling panicked and ashamed. I glanced down at my coffee, avoiding her eyes.
“I really admire him sometimes…” she said with genuine admiration. “He can control any type of woman in the palm of his hand.”
Her statement was absolute. If she weren’t saying it to me, I would have applauded.
It was ruthless, like an arrow piercing straight through the heart, leaving it wounded. I wanted to retort: I’m not sure how many women Ye Zhengchen could control because, when he was with me, he had no mind to control anyone else.
Given my status as a third party, I knew to keep a low profile. I lowered my eyes and said submissively, “I’m sorry, I’m foolish and didn’t know he had a fiancée.”
“Fiancée?” Yu Yin suddenly laughed. “Did he tell you that?”
I looked up, surprised. “Isn’t that right?”
Her mocking smile told me: Of course not.
I was confused. Could Ye Zhengchen have lied to me? No, he wouldn’t. Not this time.
