Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Jin Rongyan said, “You don’t actually have to stay at the dormitory. It’s so near from home.”
“I’ll come home after the contest. Saves me the hassle of traveling to and fro.”
Jin Rongyan remarked, “How lazy can you get? It’s such a short distance.”
“You don’t have a girlfriend right now, do you?” she asked at the thought of Li Xiaoxiao’s words.
“No, I’m too busy with work for a girlfriend.”
“Stop using work as an excuse. Ji Gui said that you’re carrying a torch for someone but you haven’t had the chance to confess to her yet. Is she your colleague?” asked Long Xiaoxi.
She could not think of anyone else apart from his colleagues. After all, he probably did not have the time to meet other girls.
“She’s a classmate of mine from university and she does work in the same hospital as me too. I’ve never had the chance to confess to her because she’s always had a boyfriend.”
Long Xiaoxi looked at him and asked, “Are you waiting for her to break up with her boyfriend before you’d be willing to confess?”
“I don’t know.”
“My friend said that she’s in love with you.”
Jin Rongyan said with a straight face, “Don’t you find her to be very superficial and casual?”
“Love at first sight does happen.”
“I don’t have a good impression of her.”
Long Xiaoxi shrugged her shoulders and said, “You’ll only get to know her better after interacting with her more often.”
“Well, I don’t feel like interacting with her.”
“…”
Jin Rongyan pulled over at an entertainment joint.
When she alighted from the car, she asked, “Is your brother here too?”
“Yeah.”
“…”
“From now on, I must ask you guys beforehand if he’s joining us.”
Jin Rongyan smiled and said, “He’s been very busy lately too. It’s rare for him to have the time to hang out with us. Since you can’t stand the sight of him at all, why don’t you just ignore his presence?”
Long Xiaoxi stuck her thumb up and said, “Good idea, I shall do just that.”
The two of them entered and walked toward a private room. Long Xiaoxi took a deep breath and opened the door.
To her surprise, there were other women inside whom she did not recognize.
She looked at Jin Rongyan and asked, “What’s going on? Why are there strangers?”
“You’ll have to ask Ji Gui. I have no idea.”
Long Xiaoxi shifted her gaze onto Ji Gui, who was walking toward her with a microphone in hand. He put his arm around her shoulder and said softly, “These girls are undergraduates I’ve invited. They’re fun-loving and bubbly. Don’t mind them, we’ll play and enjoy ourselves.”
Glaring daggers at him, Long Xiaoxi wished she could kill him with her gaze. Without another word, she took a seat on the couch beside Jin Rongyan. She subconsciously leaned back against the couch and took a casual glance at the spot opposite her, only to make eye contact with Jin Yiheng.
He was sitting on the couch with a cold and aloof expression on his face and a cigarette between his slender fingers. He kept his eyes fixed on her for a long time. Peeved by the way he was staring at her, Long Xiaoxi questioned, “What are you looking at?”
“You.”
“You’re nuts.” Long Xiaoxi looked away and gulped a large glass of beer, after which she instantly regretted her decision.
Her stomach could not tolerate cold foods because of her gastritis.
As expected, her stomach began churning the moment she downed the entire glass of beer and a sudden discomfort arose.
However, she managed to bear with it and the discomfort did not last for long.
They proceeded to sing, chat, and play with some cards.
After winning herself a large wad of cash, Long Xiaoxi smiled and said, “Seems like I didn’t come here for nothing.”
“Since when did you get so good at cards?” Ji Gui asked, feeling the pinch.
“I don’t know, maybe I just got lucky tonight. It’s getting late, I have to go home now. Rongyan, are you leaving too?”
“Let’s go, I have to go to work tomorrow morning.”
He stood up and put on his coat before exiting the room together with Long Xiaoxi. As soon as they left, Jin Yiheng followed suit.
Just as Long Xiaoxi was about to get inside Jin Rongyan’s car, Jin Yiheng grabbed her and tried to pull her away. However, he did not manage to do so successfully.
After exchanging blows for a while, Jin Yiheng realized that her martial arts skills had improved tremendously.
At last, Long Xiaoxi got inside Jin Rongyan’s car and left while Jin Yiheng drove closely behind.
Upon arriving at Wei Ni Estate, Jin Yiheng again stopped her from leaving. “Let’s have a chat.”
“There’s nothing for us to talk about.”
“There’s a lot for us to talk about.”
“I don’t want to talk to you. I’ve already made things clear to you previously. Didn’t you hear me?” she snapped, trying to push him away.
He grabbed her hand tightly and said, “Let’s get married.”
Long Xiaoxi felt that he was out of his mind.
“W… what?”
“Let’s get married.”
Long Xiaoxi rebuked, “Haven’t you had enough? Haven’t you toyed with my feelings enough yet? Do you still want to continue?”
“I won’t do so again from now on.”
“I don’t believe you. Stop pestering me, you’re making me feel so repulsed,” she said, staring at him.
However, her heart had wavered after hearing him initiate marriage.
She returned to her room, flabbergasted and emotional. She felt as if she was about to lose her mind.
After some thought, she decided to go to her parents’ room.
She informed them about what Jin Yiheng had said to her.
“What are your thoughts?” Long Tianze asked.
“Why should I let a loony play me like a fool?”
“Ever since you left for abroad, he really didn’t have another girlfriend. Your mother can vouch for that too. However, I don’t get it at all. Doesn’t he see you as his younger sister? That’s the reason he gave for canceling the engagement too. Yet he wants to marry you again. Which lunatic would marry his sister? Well, unless he doesn’t actually see you as his sister.”
Long Xiaoxi lay down on her parents’ bed and said, “This time, I’m not going to let him manipulate me anymore. I don’t know if he’s just proposing to me out of guilt or what, but I’m not going to let him have his way.”
Mei Yangyang smiled and said, “The decision lies with you. You have more options now. However, Xiaoxi, be honest with me. Do you really not fancy him anymore?”
“I don’t fancy him anymore!” she exclaimed angrily.
Mei Yangyang expressed assent and said, “Just reject him and cut him off from your life, then. It’s better that way. You two will marry different people in the future. No one can force you if you’re unwilling.”
Although Long Xiaoxi knew that her mother was right, she was stuck in a dilemma.
When she returned to her room, she decided to take a hot bath. As soon as she sat inside the bathtub, the lights went out all of a sudden.
Long Xiaoxi stood up and got out of the bathtub slowly. She fumbled around for her towel and walked out after grabbing it. The room was still warm although the heater had been switched off because of the power outage.
The moment she stepped foot out of the bathroom, she was hugged from behind.
