After finding a suitable place, Cen Xi moved.
It wasn’t too far from her original residential area. It was only at the residential area opposite. The environment, security and areas all seemed pretty well. The change in location and bed meant that her nightmares had also decreased.
After meeting Qiao Yanze in the Hong Kong restaurant that day, they had never met or contacted each other again.
However, she had received a message from Qing Yan. She explained that when she went out for a meal with Qiao Yanze, Qiao Yanze asked her about the dinner and dance’s prize, that both of them were only friends and for her to not to misunderstand.
With Qiao Yanze’s intelligence, he should already know that he had misunderstood her!
Although they had experienced life and death together, him abusing her for several hours that night was not a small thing that could be swept under the rug.
It would be a psychological trauma to her for the rest of her life. The pain she experienced then was not something a person on the outside could understand.
She wished that he would be good in the future, but she couldn’t forgive his mistakes so easily.
During the weekend, Cen Xi received a call from Bai Lin, who had returned to the Capital.
“There is a basketball competition in the Capital’s Sports Hall this afternoon and your favorite player, Parker, is playing. I happen to have two tickets, do you want to go and watch?”
Recently, Cen Xi had been rather depressed. Perhaps it was better if she didn’t just hole up at home while she found a suitable job. Since the player she liked had come to the Capital, she should go and watch the game, even if just to get some fresh air.
So she accepted Bai Lin’s invitation.
…
In the afternoon.
Bai Lin was standing at the entrance of the sports hall and saw Cen Xi, who had just parked her car, from afar.
She was wearing a red outfit today. Under her short jacket, she was wearing a white singlet. Although it was an exercise outfit, the cutting was fitting and highlighted her feminine curves.
With her hair tied up in a candy gourd-shaped high ponytail, it revealed her fair and clean forehead. Her facial features were cold and exquisite on her small face. She had put on a pale pink lipstick on her pretty lips and she looked completely youthful, cold and pretty.
Cen Xi approached Bai Lin and raised her hand to give him a hi-five. “Brother Bai Lin, it’s been a while. You look more handsome.”
“Alright, alright, stop suckling up. I went to Africa for a mission recently, so you probably want to say that I’m about to become as dark as charcoal, right?!”
When Cen Xi spent time with Bai Lin, she was rather unreserved. Bai Lin was a lot older than her and took good care of her emotions.
The both of them went into the hall. The seats were almost filled inside. There were many Parker fans, so there were several banners displayed in the hall.
When she saw one of the banners, Cen Xi froze slightly.
“Brother Bai Lin, did the Qiao Corporation sponsor this competition?”
Not only was the Qiao family considered a well-established nobility in the past, but they were also the leader and boss of the S Country’s shipbuilding and logistics transport industries. They had control of countless ports. Although they had fallen before, after Qiao Yanze had returned, he used his decisive ways and regained control of the ports, allowing the Qiao Corporation’s shipbuilding and logistics transport to return to the eyes of the people.
After Qiao Yanze had been removed from the Qiao family, all of the property had fallen into the hands of Old Madam Qiao and Qiao Yanxuan.
Bai Lin wasn’t too clear about what had happened within the Qiao family, but if Parker was able to come and compete, they must have invited him with a large sum of money.
Cen Xi and Bai Lin were seated in the sixth row. The front few rows were almost filled with the Qiao family elders and some of the higher executives from the company.
Parker came onto the court amongst the crowd’s supportive cheers.
The last to appear was the sponsor for this match, Qiao Yanxuan. Qiao Yanxuan was wearing a jersey and it looked as if he was going to play with Parker later.
Cen Xi’s gaze suddenly landed on the man following behind Qiao Yanxuan and widened imperceptibly.
Qiao Yanze!
He was carrying a ball bag, looking like he was a worthless follower.
Cen Xi’s eyes constricted slightly.
Bai Lin had also seen Qiao Yanze. Although Qiao Yanze was wearing an ordinary outfit and was also wearing a baseball cap, his tall figure and handsome appearance were easily recognizable. He was the most outstanding in the entire hall.
However, the way he looked following doggedly behind Qiao Yanxuan was completely different from the arrogant and domineering manner he had encapsulated before.
“Did something happen?” Bai Lin asked with confusion.
Cen Xi’s hands resting on her knees clenched slightly and she shook her head. “The person in front is his second brother. He gave everything to his second brother and is no longer part of the Qiao family.”
What? Bai Lin was shocked and wanted to ask more, but seeing that Cen Xi’s mood had fallen, he kept quiet.
After the match started, Qiao Yanze sat at the benches. He never noticed a pair of eyes from the audience being fixated on him.
Although Cen Xi liked the male player, Parker, it was clear that she wasn’t paying attention. From time to time, her eyes would fall on Qiao Yanze. When it was the intermission, he would open a bottle for Qiao Yanxuan and pass Qiao Yanxuan a towel.
All of this was nothing. The more annoying thing was when the first half was almost over, Qiao Yanxuan threw a basketball, ruthlessly, quickly and accurately at Qiao Yanze’s face, though it was unknown if he had done it on purpose.
There was a loud smack. Even Cen Xi, who was sitting further away, could feel how painful that impact was.
However, after Qiao Yanze’s left cheek was slightly swollen from the impact, not only was he not angry, he even picked up the ball and passed it to Qiao Yanxuan.
The low and inferior demeanor was seen by all of the Qiao Corporation’s higher executives and Qiao family’s elders. Someone had even pointed a middle finger at him.
It was a clear humiliation.
“Did something agitate him?” Bai Lin couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “He was such a prideful and emotional person in the past. Why is he such a coward now?”
“I’m not too sure.” Cen Xi bit her lip. “Brother Bai Lin, I’m going to the washroom.”
…
Cen Xi spent a long time in the washroom. It was only when that indescribable feeling in her heart slowly dissipated that she left the washroom.
The long corridor was empty as she looked down and walked slowly.
Even though they hadn’t contacted each other, and probably wouldn’t anymore, she still felt miserable seeing him humiliated and acting as if he was inferior to Qiao Yanxuan.
She continued walking until the end of the corridor. Just as she was about to turn and walk into the arena, she suddenly saw a tall and slender figure.
Qiao Yanze had left the arena as well. He was standing there, smoking. Even his back view looked extremely lonely and sad. His injured left cheek also looked terribly swollen.
Cen Xi’s fingernails sunk into her palms.
She stared blankly at him.
After that night, their relationship had fallen to an irreparable state and they had become a lot more cold and distant to each other.
She didn’t even have the courage to approach him and greet him at that moment.
“Yanze!”
Hearing Qing Yan’s voice, Cen Xi glanced outside.
Qing Yan was rushing over with a bag.
She took out an ice pack from her bag and glanced at Qiao Yanze’s swollen left cheek, looking terribly angry. “Your Second Brother is too mean! I bet he did it on purpose!”
Qiao Yanze remained unmoved as he let Qing Yan press the ice pack against his cheek. His narrow eyes glanced towards the end of the corridor slowly and Cen Xi did not have time to look away.
Just like that, their eyes met.
