Chased by My Heartless Ex - Chapter 14

At exactly two in the afternoon, Xu You pulled open the passenger door of the Porsche and slid inside.

Zhou Siyu didn’t start the engine immediately after getting in. With the air conditioning and seat warmers on, she rested her hands on the steering wheel, her entire demeanor betraying an unmistakable weariness.

Xu You pulled the seatbelt across but didn’t click it into place just yet. She glanced at Zhou Siyu’s sharply defined profile and said, “How about I drive instead?”

“Sure.”

Zhou Siyu didn’t stand on ceremony. Unbuckling her seatbelt, she opened the door and stepped out, then walked around to the passenger side and tapped on the window.

Xu You, caught off guard by how quickly the other woman had moved, released her grip and pushed the door open from the inside. She intended to walk around to the driver’s side, but her path forward was blocked by the metal door, and Zhou Siyu stood in the way of the other route. Just as she hesitated, a tingling sensation spread through her palm.

Was she… sending her a signal?

Xu You swallowed nervously, her throat tight. There was no way they could do this here…

“What are you thinking?” Zhou Siyu saw right through her. Her hand, which had brushed against Xu You’s palm, now pressed against the doorframe, clearing a path for her.

Xu You didn’t respond. This woman always knew how to tease her.

Sliding quickly into the driver’s seat, she braced one hand behind her and shot a questioning look at Zhou Siyu, who was still standing by the door. “Aren’t you getting in? What are you trying to do?”

“You.” Zhou Siyu slipped smoothly into the passenger seat, a mischievous smirk playing on her lips.

Pull the handbrake, shift into gear, and start driving.

Xu You’s earlobes flushed a deep, almost bleeding red. When it came to flirtatious banter, she was truly no match for Zhou Siyu. She admitted defeat and kept her mouth shut.

The black Porsche passed smoothly through the community’s barrier gate. The security guard at the entrance gave a half-hearted salute. Thanks to the car’s tinted windows, Xu You felt at ease stepping on the accelerator as they merged into the main road.

They drove along the straight road for a while until the traffic light ahead turned from yellow to red. Xu You gently pressed the brake, bringing the car to a smooth stop.

Warm air streamed steadily from the air vents, raising the temperature inside the car. A thin layer of condensation formed on the windows.

The hum of the engine was soft. Xu You’s gaze drifted furtively to the right, where Zhou Siyu sat with her eyes closed, breathing evenly. She blinked, realizing Zhou Siyu was more exhausted than she had imagined.

When the light turned green, Xu You drove the rest of the way with extra caution.

Zhou Siyu was awakened by the insistent ringing of her phone. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she reached into her pocket for her phone while glancing out the window.

They were parked in front of a familiar standalone villa. Aunt Zhang was sweeping fallen leaves in the yard. Clearly, they had already arrived home.

“Why didn’t you wake me?” Zhou Siyu frowned as she looked at the caller ID displayed prominently on the screen.

Xu You averted her gaze, which had been fixed on Zhou Siyu, and told a small lie. “We just got here. I was about to wake you.”

Zhou Siyu hummed in acknowledgment and pressed the answer button. A robust male voice came through the speaker, loud enough for Xu You to hear.

“Old Zhou, what are you up to? Want to hang out tonight?”

Lu Ang.

Xu You was surprised she could match the voice to the person in just one second. Perhaps it was because his previous actions had left such a deep impression on her. As her thoughts drifted back to that night, a wave of disgust washed over her, raising goosebumps all over her body.

“Same bar as last time. They said you left too early last time and didn’t get to drink enough, so they asked me to set up another gathering. Oh, and bring your little canary along too. She’s quite amusing.”

Canary. Quite amusing.

Hearing Lu Ang’s description of her, Xu You felt a creeping numbness in her scalp.

She lowered her head, her hands twisting together on the steering wheel. Her blunt nails traced over the skin between her fingers again and again. Anxiety coiled tightly within her. She didn’t want to go to their gathering. She didn’t want to endure that kind of humiliation again. But if Zhou Siyu insisted, she would find it hard to refuse.

Zhou Siyu remained silent, and the car was plunged into utter stillness.

The air seemed to have expanded from excessive heat, leaving less and less oxygen. Just before the suffocating sensation could swallow her whole, Xu You rolled down the window, letting in the cold air to rescue her muddled mind.

No, she resolved firmly, this time she would refuse seriously.

The temperature in the car plummeted rapidly, and with every breath she drew into her lungs, she could clearly trace its path.

“I’m not going.” Zhou Siyu never offered explanations when rejecting someone.

Xu You released her fingers, which were already red from rubbing, and the corners of her lips unconsciously curled upward.

Lu Ang continued to persuade her, “Come on, it’s so boring at home. Two people hanging out can’t compare to a group. Besides, the old man is thinking of sending me abroad. If he really does, would you be okay with not seeing me for so long?”

“I would.” Zhou Siyu was completely unmoved. After her cold reply, she hung up directly, cutting off the noise on the other end of the line.

Xu You suppressed the joy bubbling inside her. “Is that really okay?”

Some people needed constant social interaction to build and maintain relationships, but Zhou Siyu was definitely not one of them. She never worried about whether she still had a place in her social circle, nor did she care if others held grudges after being rejected.

Since childhood, she had never learned to actively cater to others. She had always been the one others clung to.

“What’s wrong with it? You should learn to be more assertive too.” She slipped her phone back into her pocket, her fingertips brushing against the plastic case.

Xu You tilted her head and asked softly, “What about with you? Should I be more assertive too?”

“What do you think?”

“I think yes!”

Xu You laughed, then playfully opened the car door and dashed toward the house. Her leather shoes splashed through a puddle, sending murky droplets flying. Before Aunt Zhang could even greet her, she had already disappeared through the doorway.

Zhou Siyu smiled helplessly, returned to the driver’s seat, restarted the car, and parked it in the garage. Then, carrying her small canvas bag, she entered the house.

“Ms. Zhou.” Aunt Zhang had already tidied the front yard and was now wiping the dirt splashed onto Xu You’s shoes. Seeing Zhou Siyu holding Xu You’s bag, she guessed they had returned together and was overjoyed.

During the days Zhou Siyu was away, Xu You had shut herself in the art studio at home, eating very little. Aunt Zhang had watched her grow visibly thinner and felt heartbroken, but as someone hired only for cleaning and cooking, she had no right to interfere with her employer’s affairs.

“Hmm.” Zhou Siyu placed the lipstick back into Xu You’s bag. “Where is she?”

“Miss Xu has gone upstairs.”

Zhou Siyu didn’t respond. She handed Xu You’s bag to Aunt Zhang and, in her slippers, went straight upstairs to their shared bedroom.

It had been too long since she’d been back. Seeing the room filled with traces of their life together, her heart felt equally full.

Xu You emerged from the bathroom. Her coat was hung back in the closet, her shirt sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and the top two buttons of her collar were undone, revealing flawless, fair skin. The marks Zhou Siyu had left on her before had completely faded.

“You’re here. I’ve drawn a bath for you. Go soak quickly.”

Xu You reached out, waiting for Zhou Siyu to hand over her coat. Instead, her hand was pulled firmly, and she fell into an embrace that wasn’t particularly warm.

“Together?” Zhou Siyu coaxed her.

“No way.” Xu You knew she was only joking. Though she refused verbally, she didn’t struggle.

Zhou Siyu held her tightly, her arms gradually tightening their grip as she greedily inhaled the sweet scent that clung to Xu You. Her waist was squeezed so tightly it began to hurt, and Xu You poked at one of Zhou Siyu’s secret sensitive spots.

Her mind went blank for a moment. Zhou Siyu released Xu You, gritting her teeth as she said, “Just you wait.”

Xu You grinned slyly. “Alright.”