After Breaking Off the Engagement, The Young Lady Deeply Regretted It - Chapter 36

Jing Xiao was escorted out by several people. Their expressions and mannerisms were full of respect for her. Jing Xiao hadn’t expected outsiders’ attitudes to change so quickly, and she responded to each person with the answers they seemed to want.

Fan Qingyu tactfully walked into the depths of the alley. The cold wind slipped under her pants, brushing against her ankles. She shifted her legs, waiting for the crowd to disperse. Only then did Jing Xiao say goodbye to the driver and step out from the darkness.

Jing Xiao pulled out her phone. “I’ve made a reservation at a restaurant. Shall we go now?”

Fan Qingyu paused. Jing Xiao had chosen a Western-style cold meal, but perhaps influenced by her, Fan Qingyu suddenly felt like eating something warm and familiar. Coincidentally, a snack street was just around the corner. Walking there was perfectly fine. She pointed toward the snack street. “I want to go there and just have a casual bite. Is that okay?”

Jing Xiao was surprised. On one hand, she realized she still instinctively considered Fan Qingyu’s usual preferences; on the other hand, Fan Qingyu was also making a change for her.

She canceled the restaurant reservation. The night wind was cool, and strolling through the bustling snack street was just right to warm up.

They crossed the street just as the green light ended, and Fan Qingyu and Jing Xiao shared a smile. Even though it was just a simple, ordinary act, they both felt like treasure hunters completing a challenge.

The snack street was brightly lit, with large red lanterns hanging high. Vendors called out continuously, and the air was filled with the aroma of various foods.

The variety of specialties was dizzying. Fan Qingyu didn’t know what to choose—too greasy, too heavy, she couldn’t eat them. She wandered aimlessly with Jing Xiao for several rounds, while Jing Xiao’s hands were already full with purchases, but Fan Qingyu hadn’t bought anything.

Jing Xiao frowned and said a bit discontentedly, “Actually, I can eat whatever you like. There’s no need to go out of your way to accommodate me.”

“No, I really wanted to come here,” Fan Qingyu said, and to prove it, she immediately bought a skewer of lamb from a nearby stall.

Jing Xiao, experienced and at ease, ordered teppanyaki and takoyaki from the next stall.

They were supposed to sit on the small red plastic stools outside to eat, but Jing Xiao’s eye-catching outfit and Fan Qingyu’s presence, along with the recently concluded press conference, meant they needed to avoid attention for a while.

They found the most inconspicuous diner they could, and Jing Xiao, too lazy to check the menu, simply asked the owner for a few signature dishes.

The private room looked greasy all around. Fan Qingyu covered her nose and carefully wiped the table and chairs before sitting down. The steam from the skewers fogged the entire plastic bag. Fan Qingyu lost her appetite.

Jing Xiao sighed, her calm tone carrying infinite concern: “Actually, I brought you out today because I hope you eat more. You really don’t need to choose something you don’t like just to please me.”

“Actually, it’s not for you. I really did want to come here just now,” Fan Qingyu said, though even she didn’t believe her own words. She had only bought a skewer, which didn’t seem like someone intent on exploring the snack street.

Jing Xiao worried that Fan Qingyu might go hungry and thought carefully before finally deciding, “How about this? I’ll take you to the restaurant I booked earlier. Don’t push yourself.”

“I’m really not forcing myself,” Fan Qingyu said, taking small bites of her lamb skewer. The meat was firm, the seasoning just right—not as bad as she had imagined.

Jing Xiao looked around and saw there was no place to hang their clothes, so she draped her vest over her lap and unpacked the rough takoyaki. “Is the lamb skewer good?”

Fan Qingyu took a second one. “It’s okay.”

Fan Qingyu finally ate something, and Jing Xiao’s anxieties eased slightly.

The fried pork, pickled chicken feet, and other dishes arrived. Jing Xiao started to eat.

Fan Qingyu finished the whole skewer at her own pace. Jing Xiao had only eaten a third of her meal, so she didn’t fuss over the less-than-delicate dishes, tasting each one.

However, the diner’s food was heavy on oil and salt. Not only could Fan Qingyu not eat much, but Jing Xiao also struggled. She understood why business here was poor. Using tissues from her bag, she wiped her mouth and put on her vest again.

Fan Qingyu couldn’t force herself any longer. Fighting the urge to vomit, she waved her hand. “I really can’t eat anymore.”

“Me neither,” Jing Xiao said. After a long silence, the fun of wandering outside vanished. She suggested, “Let’s go to my place. I’ll cook for you.”

Fan Qingyu initially didn’t respond, then remembered Jing Xiao had a villa on the outskirts. It was late, so going to her house wasn’t wise.

Jing Xiao called a car in advance. After paying the bill, she and Fan Qingyu waited by the roadside.

The diner was in a remote area, surrounded by darkness, with only faint outlines of distant hills and buildings visible through the haze. The scene was quiet and desolate.

Fan Qingyu had a bad premonition. She took a deep breath and pleaded, “Xiao Xiao, can I go back with you tonight?”

Jing Xiao had just been about to say the same. She tucked her hair behind her ear, her wrist brushing the earrings with a soft jingle. “I have to return to the company tomorrow. I’ll see you home tonight. Is that okay?”

Fan Qingyu’s shoulders slumped, hair covering her face. Countless words turned into a single sigh. She tugged at Jing Xiao’s clothes with two fingers. “I don’t want to go back.”

“You should go home for a few days first. Staying secretly at my place isn’t a long-term solution. Besides, you know the situation at home,” Jing Xiao’s heart ached as she stared at Fan Qingyu’s gradually thinning shoulders beneath the sweatshirt, and her slightly prominent cheekbones caused by all sorts of things. She couldn’t bear to watch any longer. Her voice was gentle yet firm: “Take care of yourself. Don’t let me worry.”

Fan Qingyu didn’t reply. Her eyes were moist, rims red, tears flickering and sliding down the delicate curves of her face.

Jing Xiao’s heart ached, making it hard to breathe. She couldn’t show panic. She gave Fan Qingyu the remaining tissues and half-hugged her shoulder, gently asking, “Why are you crying? Because you’ll miss me?”

What was originally a joking attempt to lighten the mood was taken seriously. Fan Qingyu nodded, her lashes wet and clumped, voice hoarse and raw: “Can you promise me one thing?”

Jing Xiao’s heart twisted. Without the strength to resist, she said recklessly, “I promise. Tell me, what is it?”

Fan Qingyu pouted slightly, seemingly embarrassed to voice her request. She changed the topic first: “When can we see each other again?”

“Sorry, I can’t give you a definite answer. There’s too much holding me back right now,” Jing Xiao softened. She wanted to hold Fan Qingyu to comfort her, to tell her that she still liked her.

Fan Qingyu pressed on, “Can’t you at least give me a rough idea?”

Only a shred of reason restrained Jing Xiao’s emotions. She seemed to be telling Fan Qingyu, and reminding herself, that her next words would hit hard: “After all, we don’t have a relationship right now.”

Fan Qingyu’s breath caught. She smiled bitterly. “Then does what you just promised me still count?”

Jing Xiao hesitated, then spoke with difficulty: “It counts. You tell me.”

Fan Qingyu finally couldn’t hold back. Tears fell like broken pearls, some staining her clothes, others hitting the ground. She held Jing Xiao’s hand: “I don’t have the right to make this request now.”

Jing Xiao gently squeezed back: “Then tell me.”

During her stay at Jing Xiao’s, Fan Qingyu had not been asked to leave. Tonight, after hearing Jing Xiao scold unscrupulous reporters and reveal her true feelings, she had hoped for a future together. But the earlier sentence, ‘After all, we don’t have a relationship right now,’ shattered that hope.

Fan Qingyu didn’t dare look at her and asked cautiously, “When I’m not there, can you not get close to anyone else?”

Jing Xiao didn’t catch it at first. Incredulous, she asked, “Say that again.”

Fan Qingyu braved it: “When I’m not around, you can’t get close to anyone else.”

“I said, I need time,” Jing Xiao said with a gentle smile. “Not a new love.”

Fan Qingyu’s tears stopped. She forced out a standard eight-tooth smile. “You mean you’re willing to promise me, right?”

Jing Xiao nodded firmly. “Of course. Trust me.”

Jing Xiao wanted to let go of her hand, but Fan Qingyu couldn’t. She tightened her grip, trying to hold onto Jing Xiao’s warmth.

Jing Xiao flinched. “A little painful.”

Fan Qingyu opened her mouth but eventually let go.

Recalling Jing Xiao’s past harsh words, Fan Qingyu was confused, unable to tell whether her words were a promise or just temporary comfort.

Greedy for more answers, she asked, “Xiao Xiao, when you say you need time now, is that different from what you said before, that if something better comes along, you should try it? Which one is true?”

Jing Xiao clearly leaned toward the former. Fan Qingyu refused to use tissues. Tears smeared her face. She carefully took out a tissue and slowly wiped the tears from Jing Xiao’s face, joking: “Fan Qingyu, you’ve never cried like this before.”

Fan Qingyu stepped back, dodging Jing Xiao’s hand, showing disapproval in a self-assumed stern tone: “Don’t make fun of me.”

Jing Xiao threw the tissue into the trash. “Okay, I won’t make fun of you.”

A taxi light flashed in the distance, stopping beside them. As usual, Jing Xiao got in first. She rolled down the window slightly. The cool night air blew in. Fan Qingyu breathed easier, but tears still fell, one by one.

They drove to the busiest intersection, bustling with people. Many were still rushing for their livelihoods.

Blending into the crowd, Fan Qingyu was momentarily lost in thought. She suddenly felt some confidence. She leaned closer to Jing Xiao and asked, “Can you give me an answer?”

“What answer?”

Fan Qingyu persisted: “The answer you gave just now.”

Jing Xiao smiled helplessly. Without holding back or being cruel, she cupped Fan Qingyu’s face and brushed her nose against her forehead: “I can tell you clearly—the truth is, I need time, and continuing to be with you is what’s real.”

Fan Qingyu’s tears stopped. Surprised, she urgently asked, “Really?”

Jing Xiao nodded.

Fan Qingyu instantly smiled like a blooming flower. Though others were around, her mind was already planning a rosy future: “Then let’s get married immediately when the time comes, okay?”

Her tears struck Jing Xiao’s heart, melting it. She was about to answer when the SMS notification—unrelated to the system—rang again.

Jing Xiao’s heart jolted. She looked at the message and knew she could no longer promise Fan Qingyu’s wish.

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