Chased by My Heartless Ex - Chapter 50

Xu You’s hand, which had just struck Zhou Siyu’s face, now came down on the back of Zhou’s hand as she reached out to touch her.

A loud smack echoed in the stairwell, and this time, even she felt the uncontrollable numbness in her fingertips from the force of the blow.

She never used to think Zhou Siyu was the type to resort to physical confrontations. Now, it was hard to say whether Zhou had hidden this side of herself well or if time had changed her so drastically, making her feel like a stranger.

“None of your business.”

After saying this, Xu You tucked her still-numb and stiff hand into her pocket, giving Zhou a cold, distant look before heading straight for the exit. She walked down the long corridor to the parking lot.

Xu Tian had once said that meeting Zhou Siyu was the beginning of her misfortune. Those words were true, the misfortune was multifaceted and profound.

As she got into the rented car and closed the door, the anger in her chest felt suffocating. It took several minutes of calming herself down before she confirmed she was in a stable enough state to drive. She inserted the key into the ignition, starting the car to let the engine warm up.

While waiting, a strange noise suddenly came from somewhere in the car. It lasted a few seconds, and the moment it stopped, the car’s operation ceased entirely. Attempts to restart it failed.

The car had broken down.

She called for a tow truck, explained the situation, and waited for roadside assistance.

After going through all the steps, Xu You sat in the cold car, her lower abdomen feeling increasingly uncomfortable. She cursed Zhou Siyu under her breath and slumped into the seat as she informed the rental company’s owner about the car’s breakdown.

It should have been a simple matter, the car had been in her possession for just over a week, and she had no record of reckless driving. They could have calmly discussed repairs at one of their partnered shops, sorted out the costs, and arranged for a replacement vehicle. But to her surprise, the owner flew into a rage upon hearing the car wasn’t working, calling to berate her as if she had committed some heinous crime.

Xu You didn’t hold back, firing back with sharp retorts. After cooling down, the owner proposed having the car repaired and delivering it to her the next day. But after this ordeal, she refused, fearing the replacement vehicle might have issues that could endanger her and her sister. The owner agreed, promising to refund her based on the liability outlined in the vehicle inspection report once it was available.

With no other options, Xu You agreed and continued waiting in the car for the tow truck.

The Spring Festival holiday had just ended, and after days of relaxation, everyone seemed to be in a daze at work. Road accidents were frequent, and the wait time was uncertain. The car grew colder the longer she sat, so she opened the door and stepped out, pacing back and forth in the open space to warm up.

She hadn’t walked more than the distance from a bedside to a bathroom when she spotted Zhou Siyu entering the parking lot from afar.

Zhou Siyu lowered her head as she bypassed the barrier and entered the parking lot. The cold wind whipped the edges of her clothes, making them flutter. She seemed lost in thought, staring at the ground as she walked a long distance before finally looking up to locate her car.

Her head lifted abruptly, and as her gaze shifted upward, she caught sight of a familiar figure who, as if sensing her stare, quickly ducked into a car.

Even from dozens of meters away, she could make out the car’s brand and the general appearance of its license plate. She was certain it was Xu You.

To go over would mean facing her anger and displeasure.

Not to go would leave her feeling unbearably restless, yearning desperately.

In the end, Zhou Siyu let out a self-mocking smile. Between Xu You and herself, she chose to spare Xu You, clenching her fists and pretending not to see her as she took a detour to her own car.

Her newly replaced SUV had elevated seats that offered a great view. Leaning back in the leather seat, she could clearly observe every movement in Xu You’s direction. She had no intention of leaving first, nor did she plan to follow her. She knew Xu You hated her stalking and excessive intrusiveness. At this moment, she simply wanted to stay in the same space as her for even a minute or a second longer.

Time flew by, and as the sun set, the temperature dropped rapidly.

Outside the two windows, Xu You remained motionless, her hands rubbing together repeatedly in front of her. Unable to hold back any longer, Zhou Siyu pushed open the car door and walked toward her.

She guessed Xu You had encountered a thorny problem, and no matter what role she played, she couldn’t stand by and do nothing.

Standing beside the driver’s door of Xu You’s car, her suspicions were confirmed. Xu You was slumped over the steering wheel, her face buried in the crook of her arm, her profile obscured by her hair, making it impossible to discern her expression. Yet her entire body trembled slightly, clearly in distress.

Seeing this, Zhou Siyu immediately bent her index finger and tapped lightly on the window, her movements cautious and deliberate.

Inside the car, Xu You, hearing the tapping, thought the tow truck had arrived. She lifted her head, but upon seeing Zhou Siyu, the tension in her dissipated. Ignoring her, she slumped back down, turning her head away as if Zhou Siyu were invisible.

The tinted window blurred Xu You’s complexion, and from the outside, everything appeared in shades of gray and black.

Without a clear response from Xu You, Zhou Siyu couldn’t bring herself to leave. She stood rooted to the spot, waiting for Xu You to take pity and offer a few words of reassurance or simply step on the gas and drive away.

A fierce wind, carrying the evening chill, roared past, howling in her ears. Zhou Siyu was already stiff from the cold, yet she merely stuffed her hands into her pockets, maintaining her posture, unblinkingly watching Xu You, separated only by a car door.

As she watched her, the corners of her lips inexplicably curled upward.

Being able to see her was the greatest blessing in the world.

The sun sank in the west, the moon rose above the branches, and the transition between day and night happened so swiftly that the sky changed colors in the blink of an eye.

Zhou Siyu had been standing in the open for half an hour when Xu You finally shifted her posture upon hearing her phone ring. She sat up straight and answered the call.

Her expression was gentle, and though her voice remained inside the car, Zhou Siyu vaguely pieced together what she was saying by reading her lips, secretly envying the unknown recipient of her tenderness.

She hadn’t forgotten… once, Xu You had been even gentler with her.

A flicker of pain flashed in her eyes. It was she who had pushed away the Xu You who had loved her so deeply.

After hanging up, Xu You stretched lazily to relieve the stiffness from sitting still for so long. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the person blocking her car door and was startled, her hands frozen above her head, forgotten.

Realizing that Zhou Siyu was resorting to self-inflicted suffering to gain her sympathy, she quickly lowered her hands and glared at her angrily. Under Zhou Siyu’s gaze, she sent a message to Xu Tian.

[Xu You: My car broke down, so I’ll be home late. If you’re hungry, order takeout first. If you can’t pay, transfer the money to me, and I’ll cover it for you.]

Xu Tian had always seemed to have plenty of free time, and her replies usually came within five seconds.

Sure enough, shortly after sending the message, she received Xu Tian’s response.

[X: Don’t worry about me! Yaoyao and the others are taking me to see the designer. I’ll have dinner with them and then head back!]

Just as Xu You typed “Okay,” Xu Tian, known for her rapid-fire texting, added another line.

After reading it, Xu You shook her head and pursed her lips.

[X: How did your car suddenly break down for no reason? You didn’t run into that jinx, did you?]

Xu You looked weary as she let out a sigh, typed “yes” in response to the “ok to delete” message, and the phone rang sharply inside the car. With quick reflexes, she answered and pressed the phone to her ear.

“Sis, did you really run into that Zhou girl?” Xu Tian’s voice was urgent, her worry evident.

“Yeah.” Xu You rubbed her temples. In a city as vast as Beicheng, running into her repeatedly was enough to make her question her life.

Xu Tian launched into a string of complaints, while Yu Yao chimed in, suggesting they hire a master to perform rituals to ward off the bad luck, if Eastern methods didn’t work, they’d try Western gods; if Western gods failed, they’d seek ancient powers. They were determined to rid Xu You’s life of the shadow that was Zhou Siyu.

Xu You just chuckled. Under the dim sky, a tow truck approached with its low beams on. Knowing it was roadside assistance, she mumbled a few excuses and hung up.

She pushed the car door open from the inside, but Zhou Siyu blocked her way. Without a word, Xu You squeezed through the narrow gap between Zhou Siyu and the car, waving at the tow truck.

The truck stopped in a suitable spot, and the driver stepped out, apologizing first. After explaining the situation and exchanging the auto shop owner’s details, the car was about to be towed away.

Xu You stood a few meters from her car when the tow truck driver called out to Zhou Siyu, “Ma’am over there, please move aside. It’s dangerous where you’re standing.”

The driver’s shout snapped Zhou Siyu out of her daze.

Only when Xu You got out and she saw the tow truck did Zhou Siyu realize that Xu You had also endured the cold for a long time. She could clearly see Xu You’s pale face, despite being in a heated car, her cheeks were drained of color, and her lips were ghostly white. The sight sent a flood of unease crashing through Zhou Siyu.

She glanced in Xu You’s direction. Approaching her would require permission, so she held back, stepping aside instead while furtively observing Xu You’s expression.

The wind howled fiercely, and Xu You shivered violently from the cold. Her eyes, glistening like the brightest stars in the night sky, were slightly widened, and the white mist from her breath undoubtedly carried a hint of her sweetness.

Her small frame was bundled in a thick down jacket, making her appear delicate and fragile, both adorable and endearing.

Zhou Siyu felt a strong urge to go over, pinch her cheeks, warm her hands in her own pockets, and then carry her home to keep her safe.

But she knew all too well, these were just delusions, impossible to act upon.

The tow truck driver was skilled, hoisting the small car up like a toy and swiftly loading it before driving off from the Central Academy of Fine Arts parking lot. The spot where the car had been was now empty. With the problem resolved, Xu You started trying to book a ride home online.

It was rush hour, and with the school not yet in session, ride-hailing options nearby were scarce. After two minutes of waiting, the app showed she’d have to wait over fifteen more minutes.

Xu You felt helpless. The persistent pain in her lower abdomen made it impossible to walk far to a busier area to hail a taxi. She simply crouched down, deciding to wait a bit longer. If she couldn’t find a ride, she’d ask Yu Yao to pick her up.

As she studied the cracked soil patterns between the bricks, Xu You heard Zhou Siyu’s voice. “Where are you headed? I can give you a lift.”

She looked up. Zhou Siyu’s outline was blurred by the darkness, her features indistinct, resembling a piece of seaweed swaying back and forth.

Her vision blurred. How could seaweed dance in the air? It should only sway in the sea.

With that thought, everything went white before Xu You’s eyes, and the crouching figure tumbled sideways like a large black ball.

Just before her vision blurred and consciousness faded, she vaguely saw Haicai sprinting frantically. The sight was so horrifying that her eyes rolled back, accelerating her collapse.

“Youyou!” Zhou Siyu screamed.

The moment she noticed Xu You acting strangely, her heart leaped into her throat. She dashed forward, arriving just as Xu You slumped sideways, limbs splayed, lying as still and serene as if in deep slumber, exactly like how she looked when asleep at night.

Suppressing her panic, Zhou Siyu slid one arm beneath Xu You’s neck and the other under her knees. With a firm grip, she tightened her core and pulled Xu You close, lifting her into her arms before rushing toward her car.

Xu You’s eyes remained shut, her breathing shallow and gentle, docile as a lamb.

Under normal circumstances, such a long-awaited scene would have melted her heart. But now, all she wanted was to race to the hospital, her only wish was for Xu You’s safety and health.

Zhou Siyu carefully settled Xu You into the passenger seat, propping her upright before shutting the door. She then got in, fastened both their seatbelts, cranked the heater to maximum, and slammed the accelerator to the floor.

Throughout the drive, she steered with her left hand while clutching Xu You’s hand tightly with her right. The black beast of a car tore through the darkness, speeding toward the nearest hospital.