Chased by My Heartless Ex - Chapter 52

Xu You had no intention of contacting Zhou Siyu on her own. She had already expressed her gratitude, if Lu Ang refused to pass along the message, that was his problem. With that thought, she turned off her phone screen and placed it face down on the quilt.

The single-patient room was almost as spacious as a standard hotel suite. With everyone gone and only her left, the bright overhead light illuminated her pale cheeks but failed to pierce the haze of her troubled thoughts.

Just a few minutes later, her phone vibrated twice against the quilt.

The faint tremors traveled through the cotton fabric to the skin of her chest where the phone rested. Lazily, Xu You flipped it over to check. It was a message from Lu Ang. The facial recognition sensor identified her features, automatically unlocking the screen and switching to the chat interface.

[LA: 188xxxxxxx, Old Zhou’s number. She hasn’t changed it, worried you might’ve forgotten.]

[LA: She’s never done anything to wrong you. These past few years have been really tough for her; we’ve all seen it. You love her so much, and she loves you just as deeply. Why not clear up the misunderstandings, reconcile, and have a happy ending for everyone?]

Reading the second message, Xu You let out a soft, derisive laugh. The reflection of the ceiling lights shimmered in her pupils, but her gaze gradually darkened, turning icy and detached.

[How could Old Zhou pick someone like her? no looks, no figure? If he wanted to have fun, there are plenty of better options out there. Who knows what kind of spell this woman cast on him?]

[Trying to force your way into a circle that doesn’t want you, isn’t that just pathetic?]

[How much is Zhou Siyu paying you? I’ll double it.]

[Zhou Siyu doesn’t like you. She never will.]

[Can you stop acting like a child? You’re exhausting me. I’m going on a business trip, stay home and think things over.]

These so-called elite young masters and misses all had remarkably selective memories. Did Lu Ang ever consider his own stance and past actions when defending Zhou Siyu? If he was so fond of putting himself in others’ shoes, why didn’t he think about how Zhou Siyu had treated her in front of them?

Trash defending trash, who wouldn’t find it laughable?

And leaving aside these “good friends,” had Zhou Siyu herself truly never hurt her?

Whatever hardship she was going through, she deserved it.

Xu You clenched her knuckles, her expression indifferent as she typed back a simple, “Oh.”

Just then, Xu Tian stepped into the room carrying takeout containers of nourishing congee. The first thing she noticed was her older sister staring blankly at some corner of the room.

Her sister had never been overweight, but the lingering baby fat on her cheeks gave her a youthful, almost childlike appearance. Not long after Xu Tian had left for Australia, her sister had gone on a study trip to New Zealand organized by her school. In less than a month, she had returned noticeably thinner. Only then did Xu Tian realize that her sister’s return wasn’t as simple as it seemed, it was the inevitable result of physical and emotional wounds.

Now, her sister still looked frail, her large, round eyes vacant and lifeless, like a robot whose programming had been wiped, beautiful, but devoid of vitality.

“Sis,” Xu Tian bit her lip, suppressing her worry and frustration as she forced a bright smile. “Have you been waiting so long that you’re starving out of your mind?”

Setting the food down first, Xu Tian moved to the head of the bed to adjust its height. Only when her figure entered Xu You’s line of sight did Xu You snap out of her daze, as if a soul had been poured back into her body.

“Yeah, I’m practically withering away from hunger.”

Xu Tian adjusted the bed to nearly ninety degrees, then turned away to rub her sore, tired eyes. Without another word, she began unpacking the insulated containers she had brought, arranging them neatly.

There were two bowls of congee, one light millet porridge and one sweet osmanthus congee, alongside steamed buns stuffed with greens and mushrooms, and a stir-fried seasonal vegetable dish.

The reddish-brown congee glistened temptingly, and Xu You’s cravings were instantly stirred. She scooped a spoonful into her mouth, the sweetness bursting forth and filling every corner of her palate.

No wonder they say sweets are the best comfort, after eating the sweet congee, her mood noticeably lifted.

“Are you full? Do you want to share some more with me?” Xu You unceremoniously picked up two leafy greens with her chopsticks and, before putting them in her mouth, asked Xu Tian.

Xu Tian sat down on her bed and shook her head.

Seeing this, Xu You didn’t press further and quietly savored her meal.

She ate slowly, taking small bites each time. Twenty minutes later, she set down her chopsticks, patted her stomach, and declared she was full. Xu Tian glanced over and saw that the food in the container was barely touched.

“You ate so little?” Xu Tian frowned and asked.

Xu You smiled. “I couldn’t fit any more even if I tried.”

Xu Tian fell silent again, sitting up straight to clean up, but Xu You stopped her.

In the past, she had felt that her younger sister had taken all their parents’ love. While that perception hadn’t changed, she was gradually realizing that having such close companionship wasn’t a bad thing.

Xu Tian had just turned eighteen, her features almost fully formed. Compared to her own eighteen-year-old self, their faces were nearly identical, though her younger self hadn’t been as bold, though she could match her in courage.

“Tell me why you’re so down.”

Xu Tian lowered her eyes, her thick, curly lashes hiding the worries of a young girl. In front of her sister, she was just a slightly willful but deeply dependent little girl.

“Nothing,” she mumbled.

Xu You had already changed into her full hospital gown. She lifted the blanket, sat cross-legged beside Xu Tian, and said, “If you don’t tell me, I’ll never know.”

“I don’t want you to be bothered by them anymore. Come back to Australia with me. We can leave a few days after you’re discharged. My vacation is still long, we can travel around Europe or Southeast Asia, or we can go back to Shanghai.” She blinked at Xu You, her eyes pleading with hopeful anticipation. “Sister Yaoyao said you don’t need to worry about things here. She can handle it.”

“So, come with me.”

Stay far away from those scumbags, she thought to herself.

Xu You gently stroked her sister’s slightly unruly hair. “Have you been neglecting your hair care? It’s almost as dry as straw.”

Xu Tian pouted, annoyed at the change of subject.

“Alright, I know you’re worried about me. With you and our parents not here, and my work not here either, how could I possibly stay?” Xu Tian’s mood brightened. Not detecting any insincerity in her sister’s expression, she finally relaxed and smiled. Xu You patted her head again. “But as I’ve told you, my teacher invited me to participate in an art exhibition. I have to repay the favor before I can leave.”

“How much longer do you have to stay here, then?” Xu Tian leaned in, rubbing her fluffy head against Xu You’s shoulder, her voice soft and coaxing.

“I’m not sure. I should be able to go back before winter ends.”

Xu You genuinely didn’t know. The art exhibition was still in the planning stages, and even Professor Liu at the academy couldn’t give her a definite date. Her painting supplies and works, left in Beicheng, were still at Zhou Siyu’s place. She had no intention of retrieving them or having them shipped from Australia. She decided to buy a new set and rediscover her original passion.

“Ah, which winter are you talking about? Summer isn’t even halfway over yet…”

Xu You sighed helplessly. “Of course, I mean the winter here!”

The single room had a family member’s accompanying bed. Xu Tian stubbornly insisted on staying at the hospital and refused to go home. Xu You had no choice but to ask a nurse for an extra blanket to use as a mattress for her.

When the nurse arrived, Xu Tian was in the bathroom. The young nurse, not much older herself, helped make the bed while chattering about how frantic Zhou Siyu had been when bringing Xu You in. She even asked if they were a couple. Though the nurse didn’t show it outright, Xu You could sense she was shipping them.

Xu You could easily picture Zhou Siyu’s anxious, flustered expression. Just as she was about to cut off the nurse’s prying with the words “ex-girlfriend,” the nurse mentioned how Zhou Siyu had been knocked down while escorting her upstairs and bled a lot. Xu You frowned slightly.

Once the bed was made, the young nurse reminded her to keep warm in the future. Before leaving, Xu You clarified that she and Zhou Siyu were not the kind of relationship the nurse imagined.

The room fell quiet. The sound of Xu Tian washing up was muffled behind the bathroom door. Aimlessly scrolling through her phone, Xu You’s finger accidentally pressed on the string of blue digits Lu Ang had sent her.

The cancel and call buttons were side by side. With her long nails, she tapped, and the screen instantly switched.

“Hello, who is this?”

Just as Xu You’s finger hovered over the red end-call button in the center of the screen, the call connected, and Zhou Siyu’s hoarse voice flowed through the receiver.

Hanging up now was too late. Xu You pressed the phone to her ear.

It was just a thank-you, showing gratitude was one of her finer qualities.

She cleared her throat. “It’s me, Xu You.”

A rustling sound came from the other end, like fabric shifting, likely Zhou Siyu sitting up in bed. Xu You bit her lip. She couldn’t forget; everything about that house remained unforgettable.

Zhou Siyu coughed twice before speaking. “Is something wrong?”

Stumped by the question, Xu You’s gaze wandered until it landed on the luxury shopping bag. She swallowed and replied, “Thank you for today. How much for the clothes and medical expenses? I’ll transfer the money to you.”

Silence lingered for a few seconds on the other end, followed again by coughing before a response.

“No need. I know you’re not short on money, and neither am I.” Suppressing the irritation in her throat, Zhou Siyu coughed violently, her voice growing even raspier. “Are you feeling alright?”

Xu You wanted to retort that she should worry more about herself, but just then, the bathroom door opened and Xu Tian stepped out, hair dripping, forgetting Zhou Siyu was on the line.

“Where’s the towel? How many times have I told you to dry your hair? If cold air gets in, you’ll get a headache.”

“I know, I-”

The voice of the woman speaking to Xu You traveled a long distance through the receiver, and Zhou Siyu could no longer make out who it was. But just imagining Xu You frowning with those beautiful brows, urging her with concern, felt like a sharp knife slowly slicing through her heart.

“Sit down, I’ll dry it for you. How can someone your age not even take care of their hair properly…”

Xu You’s voice grew increasingly distant. Zhou Siyu guessed she had set the phone down, as she could hear intermittent footsteps mingled with their conversation.

It hurt… an ache that seeped through her entire body.

The sweetness of the past was vivid in her mind, yet now she had become a dispensable presence.

Zhou Siyu didn’t realize she had such severe masochistic tendencies. She stopped speaking, like some kind of pervert, refusing to hang up. Eyes closed, she listened to every sound from Xu You’s side.

They joked around, and the whir of a hairdryer started up.

She immersed herself completely, imagining she was the one being cared for, a faint smile curling at the corners of her lips.

The call finally ended, Xu You’s phone ran out of battery and shut off automatically. All sounds ceased abruptly, and silence returned to her ears.

Zhou Siyu slowly opened her eyes, a single tear rolled from the corner of her eye, hidden by the darkness.

The dream had ended.

Xu You was still living happily, but her presence was no longer by her side.

…

The next day, Zhou Siyu returned to the company as usual. Before lunch, Zheng Ran entered her office to report on his work.

“Miss Xu has been discharged from the hospital. She transferred 100,000 yuan to your card.” The card used for transactions between Zhou Siyu and Xu You had always been under his care. After years of inactivity, a bank notification suddenly popped up, and he immediately verified the remitter’s information before informing Zhou Siyu.

Zheng Ran still didn’t know that Xu You had returned, thinking that Zhou Siyu would be pleased to hear the news. Seeing her expression remain unchanged, he awkwardly withdrew his smile.

“There’s one more thing. Esme’s overseas social media account updated a post. The IP address shows she’s still in Beicheng. Should we send someone to investigate her…” As he spoke, Zheng Ran handed Zhou Siyu a tablet displaying a screenshot.

He witnessed firsthand as Zhou Siyu stared at a particular spot in the photo, zooming in repeatedly.

Zhou Siyu’s heart tightened when she noticed the gift pile in the photo. After zooming in and examining it carefully, she reached a conclusion.

Xu You is Esme.