Chased by My Heartless Ex - Chapter 64

Zhou Siyu stood between them.

Xu You’s furrowed brow suddenly relaxed. She couldn’t deny that Youyou was an adorable child, but with Zhou Siyu involved, she couldn’t help, and struggled to control the hostility she felt toward her.

Realizing her worsening state might lead to hurtful actions, she avoided Youyou’s expectant gaze and spoke coldly.

“You sneaked down here, didn’t you? I’ll take you back up.” As she spoke, she turned her head, her sharp eyes leaving no room for refusal. “Don’t come looking for me again. I don’t like kids, especially ones who share my name.”

I want to be unique, and I despise so-called emotional substitutes.

Xu You swallowed these words, staring expressionlessly at Youyou’s deer-like, panicked eyes after the rejection. “Let’s go.”

Youyou’s large eyes were already glistening with tears. Through the hazy mist, Xu You’s face began to blur. Grief surged from her heart, rising uncontrollably until it found an outlet, rolling down from the corners of her eyes.

Her tiny hands clenched into fists. Mom said to keep clean, but there were no handkerchiefs or tissues in her pockets. She could only use her not-so-clean sleeve to dab her damp cheeks.

So dirty. Crying was embarrassing, but being dirty felt worse.

Youyou hesitated, her tears halting mid-fall. Glimmering droplets clung to the tips of her lashes, trembling with her shudders.

Watching her indecision, her wrist hovering but unable to commit to wiping, Xu You felt a sudden urge to laugh.

The Virgos she knew were just as finicky: picky, arrogant, with impossibly high standards for cleanliness, even… Her amusement faded, and she pulled out a tissue, stuffing it into Youyou’s palm.

“Clean yourself up, then I’ll take you upstairs.” She resumed her aloof demeanor.

Youyou folded the tissue again and again until it was just the right size for her small hand, then gently pressed it to her face. Feeling less damp, she secretly lifted a corner to peek at Xu You’s expression.

Xu You leaned back in her office chair. Youyou looked up, but before even half an eye could be revealed, she was easily caught.

“Done?” Xu You’s tone was flat, the question curling at the end, matching her unreadable expression.

Youyou uncovered both eyes and nodded.

The next moment, Xu You leaned forward, casting a shadow over her. Lifting Youyou by the armpits, she set the small body upright, standing properly beside her desk.

Little Youyou stood straight, while tall Youyou rose to her feet.

As the newly appointed team leader, her colleagues were keenly observant of her every move. Seeing her stand out like a crane among chickens, all eyes turned to her with curiosity.

“Team Leader Xu, where are you off to?” Li Rui asked with a feigned smile, boldly probing into her privacy.

“President Zhou’s daughter wandered into the design department by mistake. I’m taking her back up. If you’re free, why don’t you take her?” Xu You lifted her eyelids, glancing over.

At this, everyone began scanning for Youyou’s figure. Hidden behind the meter-tall desks, they couldn’t even catch a glimpse of her hair.

Li Rui couldn’t go to the top floor. She had been warned multiple times: her relationship with him could only exist in the shadows. If she showed her face around Zhou Siyu and caused a scene, their arrangement would end immediately.

Her lips twitched several times before she twirled a strand of hair around her finger. “No, I’ve got things to do. You’d better take her yourself.”

No one else spoke besides her. Xu You swept her gaze around the room, her eyes carrying a questioning look as they passed over each person. Confirming they had no further questions, she stepped out, taking Youyou with her.

She walked on the inner side, sandwiching Youyou between herself and the wall. To get a clear view of them, one would have to twist into an awkward position. No matter how curious the other colleagues in the office were, they could only watch the two retreating figures, one large, one small, walk away.

In the elevator lobby, Xu You silently pressed the “up” buttons for several elevators.

As the numbers on the screens flickered and jumped, she felt a small presence press against her leg.

Looking down, she saw Youyou standing no more than five centimeters away from her.

Xu You did not accept her proximity and silently shifted to the other side, her eyes darting between the digital displays. The sound of the nearest elevator gradually steadied, and the metal doors slid open. She stepped inside first, paying no attention to the child.

Youyou, being small, couldn’t match her stride. She tried her best but entered slowly and clumsily. Xu You kept one hand pressed against the elevator door, waiting until the child was fully inside before lowering it to press the largest number on the panel.

As the elevator ascended, the sensation of weightlessness set in. Xu You noticed the intense gaze fixed on her from below but remained unmoved, listening to the mechanical hum of the steel cables.

The low whirring stopped, and the elevator doors slid open once again. She left a curt “follow me” and stepped out.

“Mommy! Daddy!”

Her peripheral vision had been fixed downward, so Xu You hadn’t noticed the two figures standing nearby. At the sound of the call, her gaze followed the trajectory of the little chubby figure as it “rolled” forward. Qin Keyi stood side by side with a burly man. The little one rushed over and wrapped her arms around their legs, rubbing her face against them affectionately.

The man bent down and effortlessly scooped her into his sturdy embrace, positioning her so that she faced the three of them.

In just half a day, the child had gone missing twice. Xu You had no idea how these people were managing parenthood.

She stood rooted to the spot. “Miss Qin, a child is not an object. You need to keep a closer eye on her.”

Qin Keyi opened her mouth but no sound came out. Coincidentally, Xu You had no desire to engage with them either. She turned and pressed the elevator button, widening the distance between them.

“Youyou is not Zhou Siyu’s daughter.”

Xu You and Qin Keyi sat facing each other in the first-floor café.

The conversation that hadn’t happened on the top floor had been forcibly brought here by Qin Keyi, along with Xu You herself. Xu You had tried to leave, but just as the elevator doors were about to close, Qin Keyi, with the child clinging to her husband, had rushed in at the last second. The motion sensor hadn’t even detected her presence, the doors didn’t reopen but clamped shut firmly. The program executed, and the “metal box” carrying the two of them descended.

Qin Keyi had successfully cornered Xu You, securing a face-to-face conversation.

“Let’s talk,” she said, not intruding into Xu You’s personal space but maintaining a respectful distance, extending a sincere invitation.

Xu You kept her gaze fixed straight ahead. “No need. I don’t think there’s anything for us to discuss.”

Though the elevator’s speed wasn’t slow, Xu You felt as if time had stretched. A suffocating sensation, rising from below, gradually enveloped her.

Her expression unchanged, she regulated her breathing, following her doctor’s advice to calm her mind and shift her focus.

“Yes, there is. We have many misunderstandings to clear up. You and Zhou shouldn’t have ended up like this.”

The floor number jumped from three to two. Among the row of circular buttons, the only illuminated one went dark as the number settled. The vertical movement shifted to horizontal. Qin Keyi bit her lip, waiting for Xu You’s response. Anticipating rejection, she swiftly stepped forward, pressing her finger against the “door close” button to halt the opening motion, while simultaneously pressing the button for the next floor.

“Let’s talk, just this once. I promise I won’t bother you again, no matter what you decide or choose.”

She had already positioned herself directly opposite Xu You.

Their toes nearly touching, Xu You could almost see the reflection of her own cold expression in those dark pupils.

“Aren’t you even curious about the truth from back then?”

Qin Keyi continued pressing forward relentlessly.

She cut off Xu You before she could voice her refusal.

“You do want to know.”

Qin Keyi was too determined. Even though Xu You told herself she had moved on, a voice deep inside screamed for closure.

She took a deep breath, her chest rising slightly with the intake.

She yielded, a warm sigh escaping through her nostrils, her proud head lowering almost imperceptibly.

Xu You’s slight concession gave Qin Keyi the opportunity to speak. Minutes later, they sat in a corner of the first-floor café, the coffee on the glass table appearing freshly made, the milk foam art still perfectly intact.

“Youyou is not Zhou Siyu’s daughter.” Qin Keyi repeated.

Her expression grew strained at a certain moment. She retrieved her phone from her pocket, unlocked it under Xu You’s gaze, placed it on the table, and slid it toward Xu You’s hand.

Xu You’s eyes shifted downward, suddenly meeting the gaze of the woman on the illuminated screen. Her fingers trembled uncontrollably, her heart raced, and the air before her nose felt thin.

These were signs of anxiety and avoidance.

The phone lay quietly on the table, neither of them reaching for it.

Outside the window, sparrows flew from the branches, causing the slender twigs to sway up and down, the tender leaves following the motion.

Her favorite spring had finally arrived.

Qin Keyi covered her cheeks with both hands, then after a few seconds, spoke slowly with red-rimmed eyes.

“This isn’t me. It’s my older sister, Qin Kexin. Our families have been close friends with the Zhou family for generations, going back two generations with strong ties. We inevitably grew up together, acting out cliché, melodramatic stories of unrequited love.”

Like a pebble dropped into calm water, the ripples spread from near to far, growing larger, with undercurrents stirring beneath and rocks tumbling in the chaos.

The photo on the phone instantly dragged Xu You back to that night four years ago. The enlarged version she had found by the window perfectly matched the features and background in this image, and the dull ache returned.

A cliché, melodramatic love story, one she was afraid to hear yet couldn’t tear herself away from, as if roots had taken hold.

Qin Keyi’s voice was low and hoarse.

“At fourteen, the age when feelings first blossom, Zhou Siyu and I were still slow to understand emotions, just kids who only knew how to have fun. But my sister, Qin Kexin, who had always been more mature than us, had already developed feelings beyond friendship for Zhou through their daily interactions. She kept her feelings hidden, even from me. It was also on a winter evening, at the home of Uncle Lu Ang’s son…”

The story wasn’t long, the emotions of youth pure, yet life as fleeting and brilliant as fireworks.

The girl named Qin Kexin in the photo, upon learning that the treasured son of Uncle Lu Ang’s family had taken an interest in Zhou Siyu, intensified her protective stance.

On that winter evening, the three of them were huddled at Zhou Siyu’s house doing homework. Zhou Siyu, who disliked studying, urged Qin Keyi to go to the game room to play video games. In his haste, he left his phone behind, right next to Qin Kexin.

The demon’s harassment was intercepted by the guardian angel. Qin Kexin went alone by car to confront the troublemaker, and she too lost her life on that road.

The taxi Qin Kexin was in smoothly entered the villa area where the Lu family lived. The cool evening breeze brushed by as she fantasized about resolving the situation and saving Zhou Siyu from turmoil. Just then, a giant mastiff dashed in front of the car, baring its fangs at them.

In those days, large dogs weren’t completely banned, and being from a powerful family, Qin Kexin immediately recognized the dog as belonging to the Mo family. It darted out from a blind spot, and the driver, startled and unable to react in time, swerved sharply while mistakenly mixing up the accelerator and brake in his panic. The car turned and accelerated, crashing into an ancient tree on the roadside so thick it would take two people to wrap their arms around it.

The taxi slowly caught fire after the impact. Qin Kexin, who was in the passenger seat, had slammed directly into the tree trunk, suffering multiple fractures and internal organ damage. Though she was pulled from the car before the medical team arrived, she had already bled to death.

One dead, one injured. The dog that had caused the accident was taken away, but its owner went on with his life as if nothing had happened.

Not long after, however, the dog mysteriously found its way back to its owner.

Qin Keyi discovered Qin Kexin’s affection unintentionally while sorting through her belongings. A thick diary, filled with sentences long and short, concealed the joys, sorrows, and fears of youth. When Zhou Siyu learned of it, she was deeply grateful to have been cherished so dearly. She also made her stance clear to Qin Keyi.

She had no feelings that crossed the line.

With the person in question gone, whether the affection was reciprocated no longer mattered. Qin Keyi understood, and together they saw her off on her final journey.

On the day of the funeral, the one responsible for the accident showed up as if it were nothing. Zhou Siyu repeatedly tried to rush over and punch him but was held back by her parents.

He was the only son in his family, protected by the entire clan. Since the driver was at fault, they couldn’t directly hold him accountable…

Rage burned, growing fiercer until, as they were leaving, she spotted the damned beast by his family’s car. Zhou Siyu no longer held back and beat him fiercely, her merciless fists landing indiscriminately on his limbs and torso. The dog, held back, barked wildly, and the man was beaten half to death.

Due to their cooperative relationship, the elders weighed the pros and cons, and both sides compromised.

The matter was inexplicably smoothed over, but the knot in Zhou Siyu’s heart remained tangled for a long time.

She was grateful that someone had given so much for her, even their life, and she cherished their friendship, preserving the most beautiful photo of her.

“Zhou Siyu never had feelings for my sister, let alone for me. You and my sister are completely different, you are you, and she is she. Youyou is my child with my husband, and Zhou is just her godmother.”

“The engagement and pregnancy were both rumors we spread. My husband and I hadn’t registered our marriage at that time. When I got pregnant, he didn’t take any action or make any promises. My hormones were out of whack, and I came up with this terrible idea to force him to take a step.”

“Zhou said you were very understanding and that she would tell you in advance, which made me feel at ease to act out that scene. I didn’t know you hadn’t communicated, and it ended up causing you so much pain. I’m sorry.”

“Zhou does love you… in fact, you’re the only one she has ever truly loved. If these misunderstandings were cleared, could you give her another chance?”

Xu You sat for a long while before finally lifting her hand, pinching the small spoon by the ceramic cup, and stirring it into her coffee.

The dark brown liquid blended with the light-colored milk foam, its color diluting and changing. Only when all the bubbles on the surface had burst did she release her fingers, the metal spoon clinking against the rim of the ceramic cup with a sharp sound.

She sobered up a little.

It was a misunderstanding, an excuse, and a concealment.

She lifted her gaze and said firmly, “No.”