After Breaking Off the Engagement, The Young Lady Deeply Regretted It - Chapter 48

It seemed that Fan Qingyu had already anticipated that this would be her answer. She closed the refrigerator and led Jing Xiao to the shoe cabinet, opening a small door on one side. “Change into a pair of slippers first.”

Jing Xiao followed the instructions and returned to the kitchen. Temporarily ignoring the storage of items, she selected a few ingredients, washed and chopped them. Her movements were extremely skilled, so much so that by the time Fan Qingyu had organized the remaining ingredients, she was already ready to start cooking.

Fan Qingyu stopped her, pointing at the two aprons hanging on the wall and casually picking one down. “Pick one to wear. Don’t get your clothes dirty.”

Jing Xiao quickly slipped it on. There were two aprons in Fan Qingyu’s home—one plain black and white, the other pink with a small dog print. Recently, it seemed she had been learning to cook herself, and the dog-print apron had a few oil stains, while the plain one was spotless.

“You’re so biased,” Jing Xiao joked, examining both aprons. “Looks like you usually only wear this one.”

Fan Qingyu cleared her throat. “This one is cuter.”

“Now it’s my turn.” Jing Xiao shrugged smugly and continued preparing the ingredients. “Tie it for me.”

The two ties hung loosely in front. Fan Qingyu went behind her, wrapping her arms around Jing Xiao’s waist, pulling the ties to the back, carefully observing the soft curve of her waist. Her cheeks flushed, and she hastened her movements.

Jing Xiao asked for her opinion, “Do you want some cola chicken wings?”

Fan Qingyu made a request: “Yes, but don’t add extra sugar this time.”

Jing Xiao’s phone was set aside. Fan Qingyu wanted to check the time but found it unresponsive. “Is your phone broken?”

Jing Xiao paused mid-motion, pretending casually, “No, it’s just turned off.”

“Why turn it off?” Fan Qingyu instinctively tried to turn it on but then realized it wasn’t appropriate to touch her phone in their current relationship. She turned it over and put it aside. “I didn’t look.”

Jing Xiao changed the topic, suddenly bringing up a serious matter: “Your position is indeed hard to recover. See if there’s someone who can help you bridge the gap. It would make things much easier.”

Fan Qingyu reviewed all the faces in the Fan family, racking her brains but unable to think of anyone willing to help her. “You know my family struggles are intense. Grandpa used to help me secretly, support me. Now that I’ve lost his backing, naturally I can’t find anyone like you mentioned.”

“I know, that’s why it’s difficult. Even a clever housewife can’t cook without rice,” Jing Xiao said as she added seasonings to the pan.

Fan Qingyu joked, “But you, clever housewife, do have rice.”

“Idiot.” Jing Xiao covered the pan with a lid and suggested, “You shouldn’t just stay cooped up at home. Since your work is light, why not go out, see friends, do some shopping or get a beauty treatment? It’ll help distract you.”

Fan Qingyu was momentarily stunned. Previously, pursued by many, her pride left her little time for socializing. Her interactions were mostly with Jing Xiao. Now that Jing Xiao’s life had returned to normal and she had fallen from her pedestal, she realized she had no one to confide in.

Seeing her dazed, Jing Xiao asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she replied.

Jing Xiao grabbed two bottles of high-alcohol fruit liquor, added the chopped fruits, then scooped two big spoonfuls of ice from the fridge. The fruits were colorful, and the alcohol was diluted perfectly by the ice, giving a refreshing summer-like feel.

Fan Qingyu wanted to stop her. “Ice in this weather?”

“Oh, I’m used to it,” Jing Xiao tapped her head, regretful. “Why don’t you turn on the dining room heater?”

Fan Qingyu smiled, “It’s already on.”

At this moment, Jing Xiao’s phone had just been turned on, immediately flooding with message notifications, followed by the ringing of a call. Jing Xiao initially didn’t want to answer, but Fan Qingyu saw the screen. “Ouyang Fei.”

She picked up the call. Even before she could respond, Ouyang Fei’s exaggerated voice came through: “Sis, my one and only sister, you’re really something now!”

Both Fan Qingyu and Jing Xiao heard it simultaneously.

Fan Qingyu pursed her lips, chuckling quietly, while Jing Xiao leaned against the stove, massaging her sore temple from the noise. “Be normal.”

Ouyang Fei continued, “Seeing your recent success, I wanted to build a connection. What’s going on with you and Xu Jia? Are you two together?”

Fan Qingyu felt a chill in her heart; her smile faded, as if a dark cloud had gathered above her, leaving her disappointed and low.

Jing Xiao quickly denied it. “No such relationship. I’m not interested in someone like that.”

“Alright then.” After that, Ouyang Fei cleared her throat and awkwardly said, “Xiao, I want to confess something to you.”

“What could you confess to me?” Jing Xiao said casually, flipping several chicken wings in the pan.

Ouyang Fei swallowed nervously, and even over the call, Jing Xiao could see her guilty smile. “Well, uh… I’m with Pei Lu now. Sometimes things happen beyond our control, you know.”

Fan Qingyu and Jing Xiao exchanged glances, both shocked, and simultaneously “Ah!”

Ouyang Fei immediately became cautious. “Wait, is there someone next to you?”

Jing Xiao answered truthfully, “Cough… Fan Qingyu.”

Ouyang Fei felt embarrassed. “Alright then.”

After hanging up, Fan Qingyu, still surprised, asked softly, “How did they end up together?”

Jing Xiao, feeling guilty, replied, “I don’t know.”

Fan Qingyu stared at Jing Xiao, frowning slightly. She wasn’t naive and didn’t believe it was coincidental that Jing Xiao’s friend and her former rival could end up together. But she had no energy to dwell on it now. She reminded, “Looks like the chicken wings are done.”

She then took the drinks and walked out.

With limited time, Jing Xiao only prepared cola chicken wings and fried rice. Fan Qingyu’s dining table wasn’t adjacent to the kitchen, but positioned near the window. The weather was slightly cool, so she didn’t turn on the heater. After a few sips of fruit wine, she felt fine and opened the window.

The gentle evening breeze accompanied by moonlight poured in. The pure white light perfectly showcased the colors and aroma of the dishes. Jing Xiao picked the largest chicken wing and placed it in Fan Qingyu’s bowl. “Eat more.”

Fan Qingyu nodded, taking small bites of her meal. The chicken wings were salty and sweet, easily coming off the bone. Together with the fluffy fried rice, her appetite was fully satisfied.

Jing Xiao leaned on her hand, staring out the window. Tonight’s moon was large and round, so clear that one could see the patterns on its surface. The silver-white light poured in, dazzling yet pure.

Fan Qingyu sipped the fruit wine, lightly touching Jing Xiao’s hand. “You should eat more.”

Jing Xiao moved the scallions and ginger aside, deftly deboning the remaining wings. “You eat. I’m really not hungry.”

Fan Qingyu’s eyes curved with a smile. No longer refusing, she said, “Alright, then I won’t hold back.”

Jing Xiao softly said, “No need to be polite with me.”

Her hair fell loosely over her shoulders as usual. Jing Xiao suddenly thought, “I want to straighten my hair. What do you think?”

Fan Qingyu swallowed her food, answering seriously, “I said before that straight hair suits your features better. But your hair is hard to manage. You’ll need regular care. We can go together when we have time.”

Being with someone like her, everything had a response, everything was settled. Jing Xiao was satisfied. “The moon looks really beautiful tonight.”

Fan Qingyu cupped her face with both hands, also looking out the window. “You’ve said that many times tonight.”

Jing Xiao teased, “Yes, I talk too much.”

“Oh, the music box you gave me.” Fan Qingyu clapped her hands and ran to the coffee table, holding the small, exquisite music box as if it were a treasure.

“Listen,” Jing Xiao said.

Fan Qingyu’s eyes shone as she turned the key. “I really like it.”

The soft, slow music flowed like a clear spring in May, giving a sense of peace that was hard to describe. Fan Qingyu said, “This melody is familiar. I think I’ve heard it somewhere.”

Jing Xiao recalled after a moment. “At the dinner we went to, the band played this song.”

Fan Qingyu covered her mouth and smiled. “Exactly.”

Jing Xiao placed the music box back on the table. “So, eat more today.”

Fan Qingyu usually ate slowly. By the time she finished, the night had become poetic and picturesque. The music box continued to play. Fan Qingyu remarked, “Feels like the moon is really high tonight.”

“Yes, higher than usual,” Jing Xiao smiled brightly. “Do you have any mooncakes at home?”

Fan Qingyu shook her head. “I never thought about Mid-Autumn, didn’t buy any.”

Jing Xiao lowered her eyes. She didn’t particularly like mooncakes either, but when Mid-Autumn arrived and there were none, it felt like something was missing. “Now, do you want to celebrate Mid-Autumn?”

“Since someone’s with me, I do.”

Jing Xiao felt the same way.

The distant moon is in the sky, the person in front is in the heart.

Even in silence, one could sense their hearts beating faster, gradually merging as one, inseparable.

The clock in the living room struck midnight. Fan Qingyu, feeling the effect of the fruit wine, flushed cheeks and moist lips, slightly tipsy, asked, “When will you come to see me tonight?”

Jing Xiao, worried she might fall, half-pushed her, half-supporting: “Shouldn’t it be tomorrow?”

“It’s already midnight.” Fan Qingyu yawned, ignoring bathing, and opened the bedroom door. “I’m going to sleep. So tired.”

The bedroom was small, only basic furnishings. Fan Qingyu changed into her pajamas and fell asleep almost as soon as her head touched the pillow. Jing Xiao quietly pulled out the chair beside the bed and silently watched.

How long could such peaceful days last?

Hearing the steady, long breaths, Jing Xiao confirmed that Fan Qingyu was asleep before taking out her phone. Many messages were Mid-Autumn greetings from partners and some small transfers. She replied to each one.

To her surprise, Xu Jia was unusually quiet today. Apart from the few threatening messages sent earlier, there had been no further updates.

Jing Xiao’s expression darkened. The quieter it was, the more uneasy she felt. From recent interactions, she suspected Xu Jia was plotting a major upheaval.

The moon became obscured by layers of clouds, dimming its light. Stars appeared densely in the sky. Just then, Fan Qingyu’s phone suddenly vibrated repeatedly.

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