Chased by My Heartless Ex - Chapter 49

According to the original plan, Xu You and Xu Tian stayed in Shanghai for four days and set off north to go skiing in Northeast China on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year.

On the evening of the fifth day, Xu You suddenly began to look unwell, appearing sickly and lethargic. After packing her luggage, she went to bed early without even having their usual sisterly chat.

Xu Tian noticed something was wrong. On the morning of the sixth day, still drowsy, she saw her sister trapped in a nightmare, her smooth forehead exposed to the air beaded with sweat. The sight instantly jolted Xu Tian awake, and she hurriedly shook Xu You to rouse her.

“Sis, sis!” Her loose short-sleeved pajama top had slipped halfway off her shoulder, but she didn’t bother to adjust it as she reached out to shake Xu You’s body.

Xu You was deeply trapped in the nightmare, her straight eyebrows furrowed, and her cheeks flushed with an unnatural redness.

It felt as if she had fallen into an entirely red world, with no human forms around, only soft, bright red gelatinous masses surging from all directions, threatening to envelop and devour her. The pressure made her breathe rapidly, and a radiating pain shot through a certain part of her body. Just as she was about to be completely consumed, a beam of light sliced through the filth and shone in.

The light grew increasingly intense, driving back the nameless monsters. Only then did she slowly open her bleary eyes.

The first thing she saw was Xu Tian’s face, magnified several times and filled with anxiety.

“What’s wrong?” Her breathing was heavy, and her lips were pale.

Xu Tian breathed a sigh of relief, leaning back and slumping onto the bed. In her panic, a fine layer of sweat had formed on her forehead. As the tension subsided, she took several deep breaths, still shaken.

She had been genuinely terrified, if Xu You hadn’t woken up after a few more shakes, she would have called an ambulance.

As the red tide receded, the physical pain remained. It took Xu You a couple of seconds to react before she suddenly remembered something. Throwing off the covers, she slipped into her slippers and dashed into the bathroom attached to the bedroom.

Her thin frame was hidden under her nightgown, obscuring her slender waist. The middle of the silk nightgown was stained with a large, conspicuous patch of red.

The sound of running water echoed from the bathroom. Xu Tian got up, ordered painkillers for delivery, and stripped the soiled sheets and duvet cover to throw them away.

Soon, the water stopped, and Xu You emerged, enveloped in a cloud of steam.

Following the instructions, Xu Tian handed Xu You two white pills along with a glass of warm water. “Does this happen to you every time?”

Xu You didn’t answer. She tossed the painkillers into her mouth, took a sip of water, and swallowed them in one gulp. Whether it was psychological or not, as the warm liquid reached her stomach, she felt the pain immediately lessen.

Her health had suddenly deteriorated the year she was working overtime on projects as an intern. Before that, she had prided herself on being as strong as an ox, feeling no pain during her periods. But after a month of nonstop work, her first period after leaving Beijing for Australia sent her straight into an ambulance, giving her parents a scare.

Xu Tian had been away at school at the time and hadn’t witnessed the scene. Later, when Xu You went to Europe for her master’s degree, she took better care of herself, and her condition improved somewhat.

Due to her discomfort, the sisters stayed in Shanghai for two extra days. On the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, as the holiday ended, they flew back to Beijing together with the young couple.

Having accepted an invitation to an exhibition at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Professor Liu arranged to meet her at the school. Since she hadn’t been able to take on the teaching assistant role four years ago, he now asked her to help grade the winter assignments of the junior students and catch up on personal matters.

Xu You happily agreed. Before leaving home, under Xu Tian’s watchful eye, she took her painkillers.

She felt a sense of helplessness while taking the medicine, but when she ran into Zhou Siyu at the school and an even more awkward situation unfolded, she only regretted not having taken a couple more pills.

The rented car performed smoothly all the way from home to the campus. She found an empty spot in the school parking lot, parked neatly, and effortlessly located the department building before knocking on Professor Liu’s office door.

Classes hadn’t started yet, and the spacious office had only two occupied desks. Xu You guessed they were staff on duty. After greeting an unfamiliar female teacher, she pulled a chair to the short side of Professor Liu’s desk.

In this technological era, assignments were submitted electronically. Xu You opened the email Professor Liu had sent on her tablet, using a stylus to mark scores in the upper right corner of each sketch.

“I heard you did your graduate studies in France?” Professor Liu asked, practicing calligraphy with a fountain pen.

Without looking up, Xu You replied, “Yes, at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.”

After this brief exchange, the office returned to silence, punctuated only by the whirring of the cabinet air conditioner blowing lukewarm air, the clicking of the female teacher’s mouse, and the sounds of pen tips scratching paper and screen.

A long while later, the office door opened and closed, the mouse clicks ceased, and Professor Liu set down his pen.

“Xiao Xu, about Chu Yi…” Professor Liu hesitated, unsure how to begin. Xu You’s academic achievements during her undergraduate years were widely recognized in the department. The numerous awards she’d won had brought much honor to the university. The only aspect that had dissatisfied the department was her personal life.

Rumors had circulated in her class and even across the department about her allegedly immoral behavior, being a mistress supported by a nouveau riche. Without formal complaints, the school had chosen neither to interfere nor investigate, balancing institutional reputation against unsubstantiated gossip. Thus, the rumors remained confined to student circles without spreading further.

Four years ago, when she suddenly left and Zhou Siyu came looking for her, he had gained some understanding of their relationship. Zhou Siyu’s desperate pleas and annual New Year visits had involuntarily drawn him into their story. As a teacher, he genuinely wanted to show concern but found no appropriate way to broach the subject.

Just like now, having mentioned it, he feared causing her distress yet regretted his words too late.

Xu You’s knuckles whitened around her stylus. She wondered which version of the story Professor Liu had heard. Trusting his lack of prejudice toward her, she raised her downcast eyes, lashes fluttering.

“She was my former lover. Our separation was messy. We were young and didn’t know how to handle it, so I chose to escape the problem by leaving directly. I didn’t know she would bother you about it, I’m truly sorry. I’ve made things very clear to her, but she might still be holding on due to unresolved feelings. That’s probably why she became emotional when we met recently.”

The heart-wrenching story somehow came out easily in just a few words. Xu You curved her lips in a seemingly light and relieved smile, though the difficult memories remained vivid behind closed eyes, countless sleepless nights, and especially after encountering Zhou Siyu again.

Professor Liu opened the right drawer of his desk and took out a small box. “You’re a good kid,” he said, pushing the box toward her. “Good kids deserve better people. They should also persist in their passions and strive to shine.”

Puzzled, Xu You took the box and opened it. Inside was the department’s custom-made commemorative badge from their graduation. Her own badge had been reported lost by the class monitor when mailing the diploma, she never expected it to end up with Professor Liu.

She ran her finger over it, the hexagram’s sharp edges tracing her skin, deepening her resolve toward artistic passion and persistence.

Placing the box in her crossbody bag, she smiled and nodded.

“I will.”

Professor Liu truly hadn’t spared her when he said he’d put her to work, after grading thousands of sketch assignments, twenty per student, he sent over color composition works. Staring at the screen for hours on end, her eyes felt drained by the time she finally finished.

After packing and emailing everything back, she stretched with a big yawn.

Professor Liu glanced at her from the corner of his eye. The girl had grown older, but she remained as clear and pure as the freshman she’d been at seventeen or eighteen.

He averted his gaze, then suddenly remembered something and capped his fountain pen. “How are the preparations for the art exhibition going? The department meeting the other day mentioned that higher-ups have put considerable effort into it, and even the government is paying attention. It’s going to be a significant event. Prepare well… with your skills, you’re bound to stand out.”

Xu You smiled. “Aren’t you afraid I’m not as good as I used to be?”

“Then don’t tell anyone I taught you,” Professor Liu retorted, tapping his pen on the wooden desk in mock anger.

Xu You’s eyes crinkled with laughter. Before she could mention that she’d already held numerous exhibitions under the name Esme and wouldn’t disgrace him, the office door swung open.

“Professor Liu!” The female teacher on duty returned, calling out to him as she led someone into the office. “Let me introduce you to someone.”

The person followed her in, and the atmosphere in the room instantly chilled. Xu You’s unrestrained laughter froze on her face.

Zhou Siyu’s gaze swept in and immediately locked onto Xu You, clinging to her without shifting for a moment. Among the familiar faces in the room, only the uninformed female teacher continued introducing Zhou Siyu, while the other three were lost in their own thoughts.

“Liu, this is Xiao Zhou, Zhou Siyu, the founder of YUYOO. You might not be aware, but YUYOO is currently one of the top gaming companies in the country, responsible for several hit games. She’s here to inquire if there are any highly talented design students in your department she could meet. They’re looking to recruit a few for focused development.” As she spoke, Zhou Siyu followed her over to the two of them.

Zhou Siyu’s gaze was intense, looking down from above without any sense of pressure, only a pitiable plea for favor.

Xu You didn’t give her the satisfaction, rubbing her stiff face before lowering her head to look at her tablet, idly scrolling through it.

“The most talented student in our department?” Professor Liu’s impression of Zhou Siyu had just improved, but after what Xu You said, his favorability plummeted.” He tilted his chin toward Xu You. “Well, the most talented in twenty years is right here.”

“That’s perfect! Since she’s here, there’s no need to schedule a meeting. You can talk directly.” Unaware of the awkward tension, the female teacher continued, “Xiao Zhou, what do you think?”

“If she could join our company, that would be ideal,” Zhou Siyu said, her eyes fixed on the round, full back of Xu You’s head.

Her thick, dark hair was parted into two strands falling over her shoulders. Zhou Siyu still remembered its soft texture. Her hand lifted slightly, instinctively wanting to touch it, but she forced the impulse down, letting her hand fall back to her side.

She wondered, given their current strained relationship, whether Xu You would slap her if she actually reached out.

It might not be so bad if she did, it would give her another chance for physical contact.

The thought, bordering on crazy desire, took root in her heart, fueled by endless desire. She was like someone with a skin hunger, going mad for her alone, a pervert only for her.

The calm in her lower abdomen, undisturbed for so long, began to stir with Zhou Siyu’s arrival. Nerves pulled taut, Xu You pressed her palm against it, enduring without responding to Zhou Siyu.

“Classmate, since you’re at an age where you play a lot of games, you should know about YUYOO. Jobs are hard to come by these days, and there are fewer opportunities in fine arts than before. You might want to consider this, get some work experience at a company first, it’ll look good on your resume if you decide to pursue other paths later.”

She wasn’t lying. Everyone dreams of making it big through art, or at least getting a teaching certificate to become a teacher. But how many artists truly break through? How many actually gain fame by pouring money into it? Teaching positions have long been saturated. The employment challenges facing recent graduates are truly severe, and the pressure is unimaginably intense.

“I’m sorry, professor. I currently have a stable job overseas and don’t play many games, so I’m not familiar with YUYOO. I appreciate your kindness, but please leave this opportunity for someone more suitable and in greater need.” When called upon, Xu You politely looked up to respond.

Given the natural range of human vision, it was impossible for her not to see Zhou Siyu standing beside the female professor. She could read the disbelief on Zhou’s face, something the two professors in the office might not notice, but Xu You, with her deeply ingrained familiarity, understood perfectly.

The pain in her lower abdomen intensified with her shifting emotions. Zhou Siyu had become the embodiment of misfortune in her life. Before the awkwardness could escalate, she draped her coat over her arm, picked up her bag, and stood to leave.

“I’m not feeling well and won’t disturb your conversation any further,” she said, bowing slightly to Professor Liu. “Please feel free to contact me by phone or text if you need anything. I’ll be heading back now.”

“Take care on your way, and drive slowly,” Professor Liu advised in a paternal tone.

Xu You nodded to the female professor and strode out.

As she reached the door, she overheard a remark from behind.

“Professor Liu, that student of yours has quite the attitude.”

“I think it’s fine. A young woman without confidence is hardly impressive, and she has the credentials to back it up.”

The rest of the conversation was cut off as the door closed. Xu You smiled faintly, the feeling of being defended was wonderful, so much so that her stomachache seemed to ease a little.

Professor Liu’s office was on the third floor. With just a few dozen steps to descend, there was no need to take the elevator. She slipped on her coat and headed for the stairwell, descending slowly step by step. The throbbing pain persisted, making her slow her pace and focus on the act of going downstairs, counting each step silently in her mind.

Ninety-eight, ninety-nine.

Only a dozen steps remained to the first-floor exit when sudden, hurried footsteps echoed behind her. Even without looking, she could tell from the sound that the person was approaching aggressively.

Since the official semester hadn’t started yet, she recalled incidents from her student days, construction workers climbing walls to steal underwear, or idle troublemakers sneaking in to cause harm. Neither scenario was something she wanted to encounter.

Blood rushed from her head as her mind raced. Confrontation wasn’t an option. Spotting the exit door, she quickened her pace, sprinting toward it as fast as she could.

The faster she ran, the more fiercely the mysterious figure pursued.

The small door was within reach, just two more steps to the first-floor lobby, an area under surveillance and security.

Xu You pushed herself to run harder, almost at the exit, when a hand suddenly seized her swinging arm, yanking her back. Her momentum carried her forward, but she was held firmly in place, unable to move.

In that confined stairwell, the sounds of breathing and heartbeat amplified, echoing loudly.

“Xu You,” the mysterious figure spoke, it was none other than her old acquaintance, Zhou Siyu.

Xu You clenched her fist, wrenching her wrist free, and slapped Zhou across the face, the very slap she had “dreamed of” giving.

“Zhou Siyu, are you out of your mind?” she shouted in fury.

My heart nearly stopped. When I turned around and saw it was Zhou Siyu, I trembled with rage.

That slap of hers had used almost all her strength, landing squarely on Zhou Siyu’s delicate cheek, sending her head snapping to the side.

The mark of the slap surfaced almost instantly. Her lips parted slightly, sharp canines piercing the inner membrane of her mouth, crimson blood clinging to her teeth, lending her a twisted, haunting beauty.

Xu You braced herself against the wall, glaring at her without an ounce of pity or remorse, her eyes burning with fury.

Zhou Siyu pressed her tongue against the tender spot inside her cheek, coincidentally, the same place Yu Yao had wounded her earlier. A bitter smile tugged at her lips at their unspoken synchronization. Her fingers traced her cheek, savoring the lingering sensation.

Her hand was just as soft and delicate as she remembered.

She looked at Xu You.

“Did your hand hurt? You said you weren’t feeling well, did you go to the hospital?”