Chased by My Heartless Ex - Chapter 35.2

In moments of extreme pain, the body’s defense mechanisms silently take over. No sound could escape her, no tears would fall, it was as if her soul had been ripped out, leaving behind a puppet with no programming.

Xu You turned off the faucet, numbly returned the photo to its place, lifted the covers, and slipped back into the bed that still held a trace of warmth. As if nothing had happened, she lay down and closed her eyes.

“You’re so adorable,” “Would you consider being with me?” “Contact me anytime,” “Call me Jiejie.”

Zhou Siyu’s words played on a loop in her mind like a recording. Xu You suddenly opened her eyes, unlocked her phone, and tapped on the video Zhang Qin had sent.

“Siyu, let me take you home.” Zhou Siyu had taken off her jacket and was lying on the bed with her eyes closed, cheeks flushed red, completely unaware she was being filmed.

She let out a soft groan, her brows furrowed, and even through the screen, one could sense the alcohol on her breath. “No… I don’t want to go home. I don’t want to go back.”

“Siyu.” Zhang Qin zoomed in with the camera.

Zhou Siyu turned over, the top button of her shirt coming undone to reveal a glimpse of her collarbone. The camera shook slightly as it followed her movement.

The short video ended after just over ten seconds. After playing it for the third time, Xu You finally broke down, wrapping her arms around her knees and sobbing uncontrollably.

There was too much to cry about… her own foolishness, Zhou Siyu’s cruelty, the attitude of her colleagues.

All the grievances she had endured since coming to Beijing erupted at once, overwhelming the girl who was not yet twenty-two.

She didn’t reply to Zhang Qin’s message. The other party didn’t press further, simply sending an address and telling her to come by when she had time, hinting that she could reveal some truths.

It was too cruel, having to learn the truth from someone else.

It was too despicable, Zhou Siyu had buried everything deep inside.

In the latter half of the night, Xu You fell into an exhausted sleep, only to wake up not long after with swollen, red-rimmed eyes, chapped lips, and a voice hoarse like a duck’s.

At 8:30 a.m., Zhou Siyu still hadn’t returned home, but she had sent a message half an hour earlier.

Xu You’s eyes hurt so much that even the light from her phone made her blink rapidly. Fighting the discomfort, she finished reading the message, her fingers hovering over the keyboard, unsure how to respond.

[Zhou Zhou Jiejie: Sorry about last night. Work kept me late, and I didn’t get a chance to check my phone. I’m heading to the U.S. on a business trip today, it might take a while, but I’ll be back before the New Year. I’ll make it up to you by taking you to the movies then. Stay safe at home, and if you need anything, contact Zheng Ran. He’ll help you out.]

She was so busy she couldn’t even bother to craft a longer lie.

Her social media feed had already posted a notice a minute ago: departing soon, contact Zheng Ran for urgent matters.

Look, everyone connected to her could reach out to Zheng Ran. She wasn’t special, just one among many.

A new emotion washed over her… relief. Xu You switched screens and dialed the unknown number.

Zhang Qin answered after just a few seconds. The background noise was chaotic, announcements for passenger searches and flight information echoed one after another. Xu You’s heart clenched painfully, a dull ache spreading through her chest.

“Hey, Xu You.” Zhang Qin’s tone was no longer confrontational.

Xu You heard the announcement in the background: the flight to the U.S. would stop check-in in five minutes. She thought back to the time she had rushed to Beijing to find Zhou Siyu, when Yu Yao’s slow driving and traffic had nearly made her miss her flight. A bitter smile touched her lips.

She sniffled, her nose stuffy. “Let’s meet. This morning.”

Zhang Qin agreed without hesitation. “Okay, but I’m at the airport right now. It’ll take me about two hours to get there. I’ll contact you when I’m nearby.”

“Fine.” Xu You ended the call unilaterally.

Lately, she had been busy revising design drafts, but she had already completed her tasks and submitted them, so there was no rush to go to the office. Not wanting to face Zhang Qin looking disheveled, she booked an at-home skincare specialist to quickly reduce the swelling.

Money greatly improved efficiency. At double the price, the skincare specialist restored her complexion to its state from a day ago in half the usual time, rosy and radiant. Apart from the bloodshot eyes, no one could tell she had just gone through such an intense wave of sorrow.

The girl pushed open the door of the café, wearing oversized black sunglasses, and caught the attention of half the people inside. After scanning the room, her gaze locked onto a table by the window, and she walked straight toward it.

Zhang Qin had been stirring her coffee with a small metal spoon while staring at the entrance. It wasn’t until Xu You sat down that she realized this cool, striking girl was the same delicate Xu You they had met before.

Xu You sat down under Zhang Qin’s astonished gaze. “Go ahead,” she said.

“Would you like something to drink?”

“No need. Keep it short, I have to go to work soon.”

“You’re still going, even though Ayu isn’t there?” Zhang Qin asked.

Hearing Ayu’s name, Xu You couldn’t help but frown. “What does my going to work have to do with whether she’s there or not?”

“Oh, sorry, I don’t really understand your job.” Seeing Xu You resist for the first time, Zhang Qin felt a strong sense of pressure and unease. Steadying herself, she began again, “Last night, I told you Ayu would never fall in love with anyone…”

What Xu You heard at the table was a clichéd story.

Zhou Siyu had grown up with the girl next door, inseparable and deeply attached. During their adolescence, feelings beyond friendship had blossomed between them. Though they never confessed, their days were filled with sweetness, until one day, the girl next door became the “white moonlight” who vanished, just like in a novel. From then on, Zhou Siyu closed off her heart to love.

Xu You was merely a substitute for that white moonlight, chosen as a “golden canary” to be kept close because of her similar aura. When there’s a white moonlight, everyone else is just a compromise. Someone like Zhou Siyu knew the difference clearly, sooner or later, Xu You would be cast aside like a discarded plaything.

As Zhang Qin spoke, her heart pounded nervously. Half of Xu You’s face was hidden behind sunglasses, making it impossible to read her expression. The aura she exuded added an unpredictable variable to the situation.

Just as Zhang Qin finished speaking, the metal spoon in her hand clinked against the cup, splashing dark brown coffee droplets onto the table and her light-colored pants.

A server came over upon hearing the noise, cleaned the table, and handed over a few wet wipes. Xu You waited until the server left before pushing up her slightly slipping glasses.

“You understand, right? Ayu will never love you,” Zhang Qin said urgently. “She could tire of you at any moment.”

Xu You looked at the eager Zhang Qin from a position of superiority, how much credibility her words held was hard to say.

Zhang Qin added, her voice loud enough to draw glances from others around them, “If you don’t believe me, you can ask Lu Ang.”

Inquisitive eyes and speculative expressions turned their way.

“I’ve heard what you said. I’ll think it over carefully.”

Xu You glanced out the window. The Christmas decorations hadn’t been fully taken down yet, stickers and Christmas trees still attracted passersby to stop and take photos.

If the remnants of a holiday celebration could linger after it ended, how could she simply cut off a relationship of nearly four years?

Zhang Qin wanted to persuade her further, but Xu You withdrew her gaze, picked up the Hermès bag Yu Yao had given her, and left the café. She drove off toward the company.

As the car moved, rationality took over. But by the time she parked in the company’s underground garage, wild conjectures began to sprout in her mind.

Clichéd, dramatic stories like this were most likely to happen among wealthy families like theirs. The photo at home, Zhang Qin’s story, and certain attitudes of Zhou Siyu’s, when pieced together, it all seemed to fit.

Sitting in the car, she wrestled with her thoughts over and over, until finally, she sent that message to Lu Ang.

[YOYO-chan: Lu Ang, sorry to bother you, but can I ask you something? Did Zhou Siyu once like a girl who was very similar to me, not in appearance, but in the vibe she gave off?]

It was almost 11 a.m., and Lu Ang was likely still asleep. Xu You stared at the screen, waiting silently.

The reply came faster than expected, just a single question mark.

Thinking she hadn’t expressed herself clearly, Xu You started typing out another message.

The chat box showed “typing…” but Lu Ang still avoided the question directly, sending several messages asking who she was and what she had been told.

[YOYO-chan: Don’t make it hard for me, and I won’t make it hard for you. No matter who said what, I just want to know yes or no. I’m begging you, just answer yes or no.]

The screen froze, and even the “typing…” prompt disappeared.

After a long pause, Lu Ang sent a single word: “Yes.”

It was clear how difficult it had been for him. Xu You let out a bitter laugh upon getting the answer. Worried, Lu Ang quickly added:

[LA: No matter who told you about this, keep it to yourself. Don’t ask Old Zhou, and don’t tell anyone. Remember!!!]