After Breaking Off the Engagement, The Young Lady Deeply Regretted It - Chapter 18

What exactly it was, she herself didn’t know.

Jing Xiao was always cautious. Until she figured things out, she would never relax prematurely. She tactfully refused:

“Ancheng is too far. You’re so busy with work every day—let’s wait a few months and I’ll take you there myself.”

Fan Qingyu thought for a moment. “That works. I could use a break by then anyway.”

Jing Xiao was a little incredulous. “You want to vacation in a log cabin?”

The corners of Fan Qingyu’s lips curved into a faint smile, her eyes brimming with longing. “You said there’s a big elm tree in front of the cabin, shading it from the summer sun. And in the yard there’s a wisteria trellis—when it blooms, butterflies flock to it. I really want to see that.”

Jing Xiao had already formed a fixed impression of Fan Qingyu. In her eyes, the places Fan Qingyu ought to go were private islands or breathtaking off-season resorts—not some ordinary log cabin.

At last Jing Xiao found the right word to describe Fan Qingyu—she was becoming more and more down-to-earth.

“Actually, there aren’t many butterflies in April and May. But the wisteria really is beautiful.” Jing Xiao recalled in detail. Her former school had a huge wisteria trellis. She never remembered seeing butterflies there, but the mass of blossoms—lush, clustered, radiant in the sun—was a scenery all its own.

“You said the cabin holds many unforgettable memories, so I just want to see it.” Fan Qingyu’s eyes were clear and utterly sincere. “I want to visit the place that once made you happy.”

Jing Xiao’s heart softened. Drawing from memory, she described:

“It’s a place shaded by willows. The yard was full of flowers, and for some reason little dogs always liked to play there.”

Fan Qingyu cupped her face in her hands. The shrewdness and calculation usually in her expression had retreated; her face was slack, relaxed.

“Xiao Xiao, I messed up today.”

She regretted it. She shouldn’t have come to the party, much less dragged Jing Xiao along. Rubbing at her temples, she silently vowed that next time she mustn’t let profit cloud her eyes.

Seeing her pale expression, Jing Xiao asked with concern, “What’s wrong? You don’t feel well?”

Fan Qingyu sighed. “It’s nothing, just tired.”

Fan Qingyu could work ten hours straight without complaint, yet now at this party she said she was tired. Jing Xiao guessed her weariness came from psychological strain. Not wanting to mess up her hairstyle, she instead slid an arm around her slender shoulders.

“Xiao Yu, if I minded, I wouldn’t have come today. I just want you to be well.”

Fan Qingyu’s nose stung, her voice breaking into a sob. “I feel so sorry to you.”

Jing Xiao soothed patiently. “Don’t say that. Nobody’s perfect.”

Fan Qingyu sniffled. She seemed to really take those words in. A smile gradually bloomed across her face. She couldn’t put together words of praise, but she leaned a little closer to Jing Xiao.

Lowering her gaze, Jing Xiao took in the upturned nose, the long curled lashes, the lids still bearing traces of tearstains from her earlier grievance. This fragile look of hers was rare—without doubt, she was showing her most vulnerable side. It tugged at the heart.

Jing Xiao wanted to snap a picture of her, then print a hundred copies and frame them.

She didn’t add any more words, nor did she want to overwhelm her with fiery gestures of comfort. Instead, she simply lifted her hand, covered Fan Qingyu’s eyes, and dropped a feather-light kiss on her forehead.

Fan Qingyu hadn’t expected that. Her whole body trembled, suddenly at a loss.

Jing Xiao’s lips tonight were soft—softer, more touching than their usual fiery kisses. That kiss seemed magical, sweeping away every worry. Fan Qingyu relaxed, carefully savoring the tender sensation.

But Jing Xiao didn’t pull back. She drew her tightly into her arms, one hand circling her waist, murmuring in a gentle voice:

“I’m not a petty person. I don’t have many goals. I only hope you’ll be happy.”

For some reason, those words brushed a delicate, tender nerve in Fan Qingyu. Her eyes fluttered, and tears spilled out unbidden.

Feeling the dampness against her palm, Jing Xiao immediately released her hand, alarmed.

“Why are you crying? Did I say something wrong?”

“No, Xiao Xiao.” Fan Qingyu shook her head slightly. She bit her lip, trying to stop the tears, but it was useless. Brokenly she said, “I don’t know… I don’t know why I’m crying.”

Jing Xiao cupped Fan Qingyu’s face with great care, as if holding the world’s most precious treasure. With her thumb, she wiped away the tears.

“You’re not a machine. You’re alive. You’re supposed to have joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness. I like the living, breathing Fan Qingyu.”

She took her hand, her eyes red from crying, lips trembling.

“If you don’t mind, why don’t we head back early and rest?” Jing Xiao glanced around. Fan Qingyu had only brought her to the drinks area to idle away time. The music pounded so loud it made her head throb—she longed to find somewhere quieter. Though the place wasn’t crowded, she didn’t want others to witness more intimate moments.

Overcome with guilt, Fan Qingyu whispered: “Xiao Xiao, let’s grab a bite first, then head straight back to our room.”

“Okay.”

The cruise party lasted two days and one night. The Jiang family had given every guest a room card in advance. Indoors, it wasn’t a hotel-style corridor but a gallery of various boutiques—even luxury brand shops and mini-bars.

The hall split into two wings. Looking down the other one, there was actually a fully-equipped open-air water park. A few scattered people were splashing around, the place quiet.

Fan Qingyu was drawn to it. She tugged Jing Xiao toward the water park before suddenly remembering her promise to rest. Embarrassed, she asked:

“The water park looks nice. Should we play there tomorrow?”

“Sure. Do you want to go now?”

Fan Qingyu frowned. Her mind tended to wander—something about the water park at night looked eerily like a nightmare scene. So she gave another excuse:

“It’s too late now.”

The ship’s soundproofing was excellent, yet from one of the bars came raucous shouts of revelry. Colored lights blazed as the cruise glided into the remote stretches of the river—the decadent night had officially begun.

In her former world, Jing Xiao had enjoyed amusement, but most of her focus had always been on business and national affairs. Rarely did she ever rent out entire entertainment venues. This was indeed a spectacle she’d never seen before.

At the center of the main hall, staff clambered up ladders, shouting. At the set time, one of them struck open a giant balloon overhead with a stick, and a cascade of red banknotes fluttered down, some even whisked away by the breeze.

Jing Xiao was momentarily speechless. This display of extravagance again upended her sense of reality. Her lips moved soundlessly for a long time until Fan Qingyu nudged her arm.

“Xiao Xiao, want to go browse around?”

Jing Xiao was exhausted and meant to decline, but then out of the corner of her eye she caught a dim glow at the end of the corridor. Stepping closer, she found it was a wine shop.

From the outside, it was plain, even lacking any decoration. Inside, however, the furnishings were all rosewood. Drawn in, Jing Xiao said, “I want to take a look.”

Fan Qingyu didn’t know her destination. Passing the luxury counters, she pointed inside. “Do you want a gift? Let’s take a look.”

Jing Xiao shook her head—she had no interest in luxury goods. She explained, “I want to check out that wine shop.”

Fan Qingyu fell silent, obediently following at her side.

The wine shop’s proprietor was an elderly man, dozing in a recliner. At the sound of the door, he slowly sat up, yawning. “Have a look around.”

Inside, Jing Xiao took in the understated décor. The owner made no effort to be attentive, which for some reason, she liked.

Circling the shop, she found several old, valuable vintages displayed. The owner glanced once in that direction and said flatly: “Not for sale.”

Jing Xiao’s hand drew back. She forced a smile. “Got it.”

She moved elsewhere, pointing at another shelf of bottles, about to speak—when the old man cleared his throat. “Those aren’t for sale either.”

Fan Qingyu asked curiously: “If you don’t sell them, why put them out?”

The shopkeeper grinned. “To show off.”

“Well, alright then.” Jing Xiao could only head to the clearly priced section. “These are for sale?”

“Of course.”

Fan Qingyu leaned close. “Xiao Xiao, since when do you like wine?”

Jing Xiao scanned the rows. They were all recent, mass-produced bottles—lacking any depth or heritage. Picking one at random, she replied:

“I don’t really know… I just want to drink it with you.”

Fan Qingyu worried. Drinking on an empty stomach would hurt the stomach. She wasn’t hungry herself, but she considered Jing Xiao’s tastes. “I’m afraid it’ll upset your stomach. Do you feel like eating something?”

For a moment Jing Xiao’s mind went blank, then two dishes popped up—sweet-and-sour pork and stir-fried pork with green peppers. She said them aloud, then named a few more homestyle dishes.

Fan Qingyu tapped the bottle. “Still want this?”

“Of course.” Jing Xiao was about to pay when the shopkeeper stopped her.

Instantly, Jing Xiao’s imagination took off. She pictured the owner, touched that she would pair wine with homestyle dishes, seeing a kindred spirit, and waiving the bill.

Reality was far simpler. He wagged a finger. “The expenses are on Young Master Jiang. Just take it.”

Jing Xiao pressed her lips in embarrassment. “Alright.”

Fan Qingyu had no real interest in wine, but she could tell the bottle was no rarity. “What a funny shopkeeper—opening a store just to show off.”

Jing Xiao chuckled. “True, it’s kind of my style.”

Fan Qingyu mused aloud: “But I think you’re actually quite low-key.”

Suspicious, Jing Xiao asked: “How so?”

Fan Qingyu teased, “Your girlfriend’s this gorgeous, and I haven’t seen you flaunt it.”

Jing Xiao laughed out loud. “Don’t slander me. I treasure you plenty.”

On this ship, there were no homestyle restaurants. After two full laps of joking around, Jing Xiao gave up and stopped before a western restaurant.

“Forget it. Let’s just have some western food to fill up. Wine goes better with that anyway.”

“But what you want is homestyle dishes.” Fan Qingyu’s tone was firm. “Actually, I’d love to try wine with homestyle food. There’s a Chinese restaurant up ahead—want to try our luck?”

Naturally, any Chinese restaurant on a luxury cruise was exceptional, serving state-banquet caliber cuisine. Fan Qingyu recited the dishes Jing Xiao had mentioned.

The waiter froze. “Miss, are you joking?”

It wasn’t that he looked down on simple dishes, but in a restaurant of this class, ordering them seemed mismatched—almost a waste.

Fan Qingyu remained calm. “I’m not joking. My… lover wants to eat them.”

Saying that, a flush rose to her cheeks. She glanced at Jing Xiao across from her. Jing Xiao smiled, telling the waiter:

“Please open this bottle of wine for us.”

The waiter was stunned again, but kept professional. “Miss, this is a Chinese restaurant. We recommend pairing it with soup or—”

Before he could finish, Fan Qingyu cut him off. “It’s fine. Just do as we asked.”

The waiter fell silent.

Rich people’s tastes really were strange.

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