Chased by My Heartless Ex - Chapter 29

A strand of hair that didn’t belong to either of them appeared in Zhou Siyu’s private lounge. It was so sudden that Xu You couldn’t even muster any reaction to it.

She subconsciously pinched the strand between her fingers. The long silver hair was smooth and not frizzy, and when pulled, it had a noticeable elasticity. Near the follicle end, the root had a small section of dark brown, indicating it likely came from a young person, at least, most probably from someone young.

What kind of person had been here, and under what circumstances? What had they done?

Her thoughts gradually drifted, conjuring up many exaggerated and explicit scenes, like a silver-haired girl and Zhou Siyu doing what they usually did, or Zhou Siyu guiding another person the same way she had guided her.

What was terrifying wasn’t witnessing it firsthand; it was the boundless fantasies that had no limits.

Zhou Siyu saw the girl curled up on the sofa, staring blankly at something as soon as she entered. The sound of the door opening and closing snapped Xu You out of her daze. She rubbed her fingers and sat there with a silly grin.

“Waiting long?” Zhou Siyu approached and pinched her plump cheek.

Xu You let her squeeze the soft flesh between her fingers, shrugged her shoulders, and stretched lazily to suppress her emotions. “A little while. I’m already hungry.”

Zhou Siyu released her cheek and slipped her hands under Xu You’s arms, lifting her to kneel in front of her. “I had Zheng Ran book a French restaurant. If you’re not satisfied, I can have him change it now.”

How pitiful, Zheng Ran had to be on call for his boss even after work hours. Having recently joined the workforce herself, Xu You felt genuine sympathy for him. She didn’t make any demands and obediently said she’d eat anything.

Zhou Siyu studied her determined expression, confirming there was no reluctance, and was about to pull her up to leave when a little head suddenly buried itself in her chest.

Xu You pressed her face against Zhou Siyu’s chest, greedily inhaling the air that carried her scent.

She still wanted to believe that Zhou Siyu, a germaphobe who would even dislike herself, wouldn’t be involved with two people at the same time.

After clinging to Zhou Siyu for a few minutes, Zhou Siyu pinched her chin and teased, “You don’t look hungry. Do you want to do it first and then eat, or eat first and then do it?” Xu You immediately sprang up, put on her shoes, and made a show of leaving.

After a few days of keeping her distance, the two finally reconciled and welcomed a passionate night. After leaving the French restaurant, Zhou Siyu sped home, took a quick shower, and embarked on a long, intense night.

By Saturday morning, Xu You had returned to her usual state of mind. Seeing Zhou Siyu on the other side of the bed, she gazed at her dreamily until Zhou Siyu, annoyed by the staring, blindly reached out and covered her eyes.

As she moved her hand, her robe slipped to her elbows, revealing a large section of her pale, lotus-root-like skin. The back of her hand bore two faint bite marks. Their night of passion had been more intense than any before, Xu You had struggled to suppress the sounds rising from deep in her throat, biting down lightly to keep from filling the entire room with her moans.

“Sleep a little longer,” Zhou Siyu’s voice was husky, tinged with the satisfaction of being fully satiated.

The light filtered through the milky gauze curtains passed through her fingers and fell on Xu You’s eyelids. Xu You kept her limbs still, but her eyes continued to playfully blink.

The dense lashes brushing against her palm sent tingling waves through her, dissipating any lingering drowsiness. Zhou Siyu moved her hand under the covers, found Xu You’s hand, and held it.

“Will you come with me to see a friend after we get up?”

She didn’t specify which friend, and after a moment of waiting, the person beside her remained silent.

Zhou Siyu suddenly opened her eyes and saw Xu You biting her lip uneasily.

“Don’t want to go?” Zhou Siyu asked.

“No,” Xu You quickly explained. “I’ve made plans to meet with a grandmother I know every weekend morning. If it were in the afternoon, I could go with you to meet your friends.”

The grandmother was a reason she could openly mention and also served as an excuse to avoid those eccentric people. While she had slightly warmed up to Lu Ang, she still preferred to steer clear of Zhang Qin, Cheng Cheng, and the others.

Zhou Siyu recalled the flight information Qin Keyi had sent her. For a 2 p.m. international flight, she would need to arrive at the airport by 1 p.m. at the latest. The timing just didn’t work out this time, so meeting up would have to wait.

She pressed her lips together.

“Should I let the grandmother know?” Xu You cautiously watched her expression, secretly hoping for a refusal.

Zhou Siyu gently squeezed her soft hand. “I can go alone. Do you need a ride when you head out?”

Relieved, Xu You shook her head. “No need. The grandmother lives near the park. I can walk there quickly.”

Having reached an agreement, the two got up, got ready, went downstairs for breakfast, and headed out to their respective appointments.

In the afternoon, Xu You received a call from Zheng Ran.

The car Zhou Siyu had arranged for her had arrived. The security guard needed to register it and add the vehicle information as a permanent resident. Unable to reach Zhou Siyu, Zheng Ran had no choice but to contact Xu You.

Just the night before, Xu You had been thinking about not disturbing his rest time, but Zhou Siyu, the capitalist, had gone ahead and occupied his weekend with tasks. Feeling guilty, she quickly packed up, bid farewell to the grandmothers, and hurried home.

After everything was settled, she drove the niche German car, which suited her taste perfectly, into the garage. Just then, Zhou Siyu and Lu Ang, who had both been unreachable earlier, simultaneously sent her WeChat messages asking if she would join them for dinner that evening. She locked the car and the door, and before stepping inside, she declined both invitations.

Zhou Siyu ended the conversation immediately after receiving her reply, but Lu Ang sent another message.

[LA: Do you hate us?]

As she read this, Xu You’s thumb was pressed against the fingerprint scanner, and the electronic lock loudly announced that the door was unlocked.

A little awkward. Had she only shown her dislike for him, or had others noticed it too?

She typed “Who said that?” in the message box, then deleted it. Next, she typed “No,” and deleted that as well.

Xu You couldn’t bring herself to outright say “yes,” but she also felt that Lu Ang wouldn’t believe her if she insincerely said “no.”

While his friends were chatting and boasting together, Lu Ang leaned against the wall, fiddling with his phone. The “typing…” notification kept flashing at the top of the screen, but no message came through. His heart felt like it was being clawed at.

A minute later, the typing indicator stopped, and his phone performed a free fall in front of his good friends.

Xu You sent two memes in response: one of a panda head wearing sunglasses and holding a long stick, and another with the panda head alongside the text, “Some things are better left unasked.”

Everyone’s attention turned to him. The phone had landed screen-up, and afraid that someone might see the content, he quickly picked it up, squeezed between Zhou Siyu and Zhang Qin to separate them, and nonchalantly joined the group’s conversation.

Satisfied with her response, Xu You turned off her phone and pushed the door open to enter the house. A rich, savory aroma wafted from the pot on the stove. She sniffed the air, it seemed to be the pork rib soup she loved.

After changing her shoes, her phone suddenly rang. Thinking it was the annoying Lu Ang or her dear friend Yu Yao updating her on her relationship progress, she casually glanced at the screen. Immediately, without even putting down her art supplies, she dashed upstairs, leaving a flustered figure for Aunt Zhang, who had come out to check at the sound.

After closing the bedroom door, she repeatedly checked the caller’s profile picture and the notes she had written herself, hesitating whether to answer or hang up. Before she could decide, the call timed out.

Before she could even exhale, the screen changed, the person eagerly called again, forcing their information back into her view.

Knowing the other party’s stubbornness and refusal to give up until they achieved their goal, Xu You sighed, set down her bag, and pressed the answer button.

“YOYO, you’re so slow.”

Two faces appeared on the screen, strikingly similar, identical eyebrows and eyes, the same jawline curvature. The only differences were the other’s healthy, sun-kissed complexion and her bright yellow hair styled in exaggerated curls.

That was her younger sister, Xu Tian.

Xu Tian wasn’t genuinely annoyed. After complaining, she smiled and scrutinized Xu You from head to toe.

Her gaze lingered on Xu You’s face before she frowned. “YOYO, didn’t we install heating at home? Why are you still wearing such thick clothes indoors?”

“Ah, I just got home. Besides, even with the heating on, it won’t be as warm as where you are.” Mentioning home, made Xu You uneasy. She set down her phone and took off her coat.

When she picked up the phone again, she moved to a spot with better lighting and sat down. “Why did you suddenly call? How are Mom and Dad?”

Outside the dark window, wooden staircases and a massive crystal chandelier flashed by as the screen on the other end shifted rapidly. It finally stabilized just before Xu You’s eyes grew tired, revealing three people huddled together, with her own face squeezed into the upper left corner.

“Mom, Dad, it’s Youyou. Say hello to her.”

A middle-aged couple sat side by side on the sofa. Well-maintained, they looked considerably younger than their actual ages. Recognizing their eldest daughter on the screen, they eagerly leaned forward.

“Sweetheart, are you on break now?”

In front of her parents, Xu You nodded obediently. “Yes.”

“Then should Mom buy you a ticket to come see us? It’s been so long since we’ve seen you. Dad, Mom, and your sister miss you so much.” Speaking to her daughter, Xu You’s mother couldn’t help but slip into their hometown dialect.

“I miss you all too, but I’ve found an internship in Beicheng. It’s hard to take time off.” Xu You hadn’t spoken her hometown dialect in a long time, and though her tone remained soft and gentle, it sounded slightly off.

“That’s easy to solve! We can come back to see you. It’s been ages since we’ve been back to the country. We’ll visit you in Beicheng and do some sightseeing while we’re at it.” Xu Tian’s mind worked quickly, and before anyone else could react, she proposed her plan.

After their grandfather passed away, Xu You was the only one left in the country. They had originally planned to sell the house, dispose of everything, and bring Xu You to live with them after her college entrance exams. But during her final year of high school, something went awry. That year, Xu You suddenly refused to leave, and in the years that followed, she came up with various excuses to keep them from returning, never visiting them herself.

With the family separated across two places, Xu You rarely initiated calls or video chats, and they didn’t want to disturb her too often. Now, Xu Tian’s suggestion met with unanimous approval, and Xu’s mother had already opened her phone to book tickets.

“Don’t.” Xu You instinctively objected.

Only Yu Yao among their friends and relatives in Shanghai knew about her relationship with Zhou Siyu. Unsure if things would work out between them, and having kept it a secret for so many years, she didn’t want the carefully maintained rhythm of her life suddenly disrupted.

Just the thought of it made her temples throb with a dull ache.

“Why?”

The sound of a door opening and Xu Tian’s loud question echoed simultaneously. Frantically trying to come up with an excuse to brush them off, Xu You didn’t notice that the palm-sized screen was now crowded with a total of five people.

Petrified parents, a frantic younger sister, and an anxious her.

And then there was the last one, Zhou Siyu, perfectly composed.

“Xu You, who is she?” Xu Tian was so shocked she called her sister by her full name. Her face pressed close to the camera, as if she could crawl right through the screen and appear beside them if technology allowed.

Xu You froze, swallowing hard before turning to look at Zhou Siyu. Her thumb immediately hit the end call button, shutting her sister out.

That brief glance was enough for Zhou Siyu to take in everything on the screen, the sophisticated, elite-looking couple and the girl whose face bore a striking resemblance to Xu You’s. Clearly, they were family.

Four years, and this was the first time she had seen any of Xu You’s relatives.

“I thought you said you were at a gathering. How… how come you’re back so suddenly?” Xu You’s voice trembled with nervousness.

Zhou Siyu lowered her gaze. After sending Qin Keyi and the others off, they had planned to go drinking, but she found it dull and drove straight back. The moment she stepped inside, she walked into this scene.

“You don’t want me back?” she countered.

“No!” Xu You grabbed a corner of her coat. The chill from outside hadn’t yet dissipated, and the smooth fabric felt cold against her fingers.

She lowered her head, blinking rapidly before lifting it again. Before Zhou Siyu could ask, she confessed.

“What I said before about my grandfather passing away and me being alone here was true. They had my sister while working out of town, and with their busy schedules, they rarely came back to see us. Over time, we grew distant. The one who asked who you were is my sister. I didn’t know how to introduce you to them, so I hung up.”

“Your sister looks a lot like you,” Zhou Siyu said, tilting Xu You’s chin higher, her fingers tracing the soft curve of her brow and down the bridge of her nose. “But you have more charm.”

Xu You’s cheeks flushed pink.

Meanwhile, her family, far away in another city, had snapped out of their shock and began bombarding her with questions about the unfamiliar woman who had suddenly appeared. All three of them started messaging at once.

Xu You picked up the incessantly buzzing phone, her heart pounding.

“So… if they ask, can I tell them we’re a couple?”