Chased by My Heartless Ex - Chapter 79

Zhou Siyu emerged from her room and headed straight to the guest bathroom. The faucet gushed noisily as she cupped her hands under the stream, splashing the cold water onto her face. The early spring chill was washed away in an instant, but the water swirling down the drain carried traces of crimson, dripping rapidly from her chin before being swept away by the relentless flow.

She hadn’t thought her body had grown so useless with age, yet here she was, disgraced by a mere provocative scene that hadn’t even led to any real interaction.

Helpless, truly helpless.

But then again, it had been far too long since she’d last indulged. A physical and psychological instinct, hardly her fault.

Downstairs, Aunt Zhang, alerted by the noise, hurried up the steps with a series of heavy thuds. Her son was on leave for his wedding these past few days, and though she loved her son dearly, she also cherished her job. Over the years, caring for Xu You, she had come to regard both women as her own younger relatives. She had witnessed their intimacy blossom and then wither, watched Zhou Siyu sink into despondency, and it pained her deeply.

In her eyes, their relationship had been intense and passionate. When they parted, there was no point debating right or wrong, both were pitiable. To her, that pity was born of affection.

In recent years, Zhou Siyu’s health had weakened. The moment Aunt Zhang arrived, she had set a pot of chicken soup to simmer. She had briefly crossed paths with Zhou Siyu earlier and was pleasantly surprised to see a smile on her face, a rare sight. But before she could even feel glad, a loud crash sent her dashing upstairs, abandoning her tasks.

Aunt Zhang was not tall, nor particularly plump, but her frame was sturdy, and her footsteps landed with solid weight. Turning the corner onto the second floor, she scanned the hallway, trying to pinpoint the source of the commotion.

The study and guest bedroom doors stood wide open, curtains undrawn, allowing daylight to spill across part of the corridor floor. The sound of running water persisted. She moved cautiously toward it, yet somehow found herself inexplicably drawn to the tightly shut master bedroom door. She raised her hand and knocked.

“Coming.”

After just two or three light taps, a response came promptly from within. Decades of familiarity told her instantly that the voice did not belong to her employer, Zhou Siyu.

It was a woman, a young woman!

Her hand dropped to her side, and she began to wonder. She couldn’t imagine Zhou Siyu casually bringing someone home. Since Xu You moved out, this house had sunk into prolonged silence. Forget people, even living creatures seldom appeared at the doorstep.

Aunt Zhang was intensely curious about who had entered Zhou Siyu’s life and her bedroom, a space so private that even she was barred from cleaning it. The thick wooden door muffled any footsteps, leaving her unable to gauge how close the occupant was. Burning with curiosity, she straightened up and waited obediently.

“Aunt Zhang?”

Click.

The door before her swung open. Behind her, the sound of running water had ceased at some point, and Zhou Siyu’s call drifted over from the other end.

More attuned to Zhou Siyu’s voice, Aunt Zhang turned first toward the sound, only to find Zhou Siyu’s gaze sweeping past her, fixed on the bedroom doorway. She followed suit and looked over.

The master bedroom was dimly lit, the door cracked open just enough to reveal a faint, blurred silhouette. The person’s features remained shrouded in shadow.

The air seemed to slow. The faint friction of the door opening amplified in the stillness. From where Aunt Zhang stared, Xu You soon pulled the door wider, fully revealing her face to both of them.

“Miss Xu?” Aunt Zhang could hardly believe her eyes. She gasped, stumbling backward a step, bracing herself against the wall with one hand to keep from falling.

When Aunt Zhang knocked without making a sound, Xu You thought it was Zhou Siyu and kept her indifferent expression frozen on her face. But upon seeing Aunt Zhang, whom she hadn’t met in a long time, her expression instantly shifted into a smile. She warmly and generously gave her a hug.

At first sight, without a word, they embraced.

Zhou Siyu watched their intimate contact, her heart completely soaked in a vat of vinegar. She knew all too well how soft and wonderful Xu You was, and that was why she felt jealous, so jealous it made her feel wronged.

“You’re still here!” Xu You, afraid Aunt Zhang might dislike such closeness, only wrapped her arms lightly around her shoulders before letting go. Her hand was already enveloped in a warm, dry palm.

Both were surprised to see each other. Aunt Zhang couldn’t imagine a stranger approaching, let alone Xu You returning.

During the month before the storm, the month Zhou Siyu stayed in America, Aunt Zhang had only seen Xu You in the mornings. That month, her work hours shifted from the usual 7 p.m., after finishing dinner preparations, to 5 p.m., and then to leaving as soon as her tasks were done. She clearly sensed Xu You’s exhaustion, even as an outsider, she could tell something was wrong between them.

Xu You had left decisively, cutting ties cleanly. Now, standing before her, Aunt Zhang’s eyes reddened: “Yes, I’m here. Miss Xu, you’ve lost weight.”

As she spoke, Aunt Zhang’s hand gently held Xu You’s wrist bone. Her slender, unadorned wrist was bony, the bone protruding as if only a thin layer of skin covered the delicate frame. There was no flesh to speak of, she was even thinner than when she had left. Holding her wrist felt almost uncomfortable, evoking an involuntary pang of heartache.

Xu You smiled sweetly, glancing down at her admittedly thin figure and said helplessly, “Isn’t thin the trend for beauty nowadays? I worked hard to lose this weight.”

“That’s all nonsense. What’s good about being so thin? I think you’d be better off gaining another ten pounds or so,” Aunt Zhang frowned, shaking her head and sighing.

She didn’t understand the younger generation’s aesthetic. When her daughter-in-law nearly ended up in the hospital from dieting to fit into a beautiful wedding dress, she found it even more incomprehensible. Her daughter-in-law wasn’t as tall as Xu You, nor as thin, yet she was already weak. Seeing Xu You, who had been delicately raised, looking so frail, she felt utterly helpless.

Xu You continued to smile. Since the person in front of her genuinely cared, she couldn’t reveal the truth.

“Alright, alright, I won’t lose any more weight. Have you made breakfast yet? I’m a little hungry,” she cooed, skillfully changing the subject with an obedient and agreeable tone.

The first thing Aunt Zhang did upon entering the house was to prepare breakfast. Hearing that Xu You wanted to eat, she straightened her back, ready to introduce the menu, but her words were cut off by Zhou Siyu, who had been ignored.

Having been treated as invisible for a while, Zhou Siyu felt jealous even of Aunt Zhang. Without joining the conversation, she merely cleared her throat, reminding them of her presence.

“President Zhou, are you skipping breakfast again today? It’s still early. Why not eat something? Skipping breakfast regularly isn’t good for your stomach or gallbladder,” Aunt Zhang said, displaying her professional concern as she remembered her employer.

Zhou Siyu, caught off guard, coughed awkwardly twice: “I’ll eat.”

“That’s wonderful. I’ll go downstairs and fry two more eggs right away,” Aunt Zhang said cheerfully, releasing Xu You and hurrying downstairs.

After the brief commotion on the second floor, only Zhou Siyu and Xu You remained, facing each other in silence.

Xu You looked at Zhou Siyu for a long while but couldn’t muster any words. Finally, she took a step and strode toward the staircase.

The guest room was the closest to the stairs among all the rooms on the second floor. To go downstairs, Xu You had to pass by Zhou Siyu. They faced each other, Xu You brushing past her shoulder before disappearing from her sight.

Zhou Siyu’s heart was suddenly filled with the sorrow of parting. It felt as though Xu You wasn’t just leaving the second floor, but leaving her side entirely. She abruptly turned and moved closer, but Xu You paused at the staircase.

Without looking back, Xu You said calmly, “I’m waiting to hitch a ride to work with President Zhou. I’m not going anywhere. Perhaps you should tend to the bloodstains on your clothes first, so you don’t startle everyone at the office.”

They were transparent to each other. After thousands of days and nights together, they could easily discern what the other was thinking or planning without even looking.

Zhou Siyu felt no embarrassment at having her thoughts seen through; instead, she secretly delighted in Xu You’s concern. “Alright. If there’s anything you’d like to eat, just let Auntie Zhang know. If we don’t have it at home, I’ll order it and have it delivered to your desk in advance.”

Excessive concern only bred annoyance. Xu You pursed her lips and replied as she descended the stairs, “Don’t worry, I won’t stand on ceremony with you.”

The wooden staircase connecting the two floors had no turns. Zhou Siyu watched Xu You go down and round the corner, her small figure disappearing from view before she returned to her room to change out of the bloodstained clothes. She applied layers of makeup and carefully groomed herself.

When she reached the dining room, Xu You was leaning over one side of the marble table, holding a bowl in both hands, gently blowing on the hot chicken soup.

The free-range hen was rich in fat, and the carefully simmered broth was topped with a nearly golden layer of chicken oil. Steam rose in delicate wisps, enveloping her face and blurring her expression.

Auntie Zhang seemed to understand her thoughts and placed another porcelain bowl of chicken soup directly opposite Xu You’s seat. Zhou Siyu pulled out the chair and sat down.

“Is it good?” She held a pristine white porcelain spoon between her fingers, stirring gently. The rich aroma wafted toward her, and Zhou Siyu took a deep breath, catching not only the scent of the chicken soup but also a hint of sweetness from Xu You.

Xu You withdrew her puckered lips and glanced up at her. “It’s too hot, I haven’t tasted it yet. If you’re not afraid, why don’t you try it first?”

Zhou Siyu was taken aback, unsure how to respond. Just then, their dear Auntie Zhang emerged from the kitchen, carrying a lunch bag in one hand and steadily holding a tray in the other.

Standing by the dining table, Auntie Zhang set down her things and warmly urged them, “I was afraid you might not have enough, so I baked some toast and made a salad. Eat up.” She arranged the plates and pushed the lunch bag toward the middle of the table.

“It was quite a plump chicken, so I made a large pot of soup. It won’t taste as good by evening or tomorrow, so I took the liberty of packing a bowl for each of you. The thermos is tightly sealed and won’t spill. Why not take it to the office and have some at lunch?”

The lifeless house had only become lively again after four years. Auntie Zhang, overjoyed to have a reason to be happy, momentarily forgot her place and arranged lunch for her employer.

“Ah, yes, of course.” Seeing that Zhou Siyu remained silent, Xu You responded first. She patted the seat beside her. “You’ve made too much. We can’t finish it all. Please sit and eat with us.”

Xu You had always been this way, sincere and kind.

But today, her invitation for Auntie Zhang to join them for breakfast was mostly to avoid facing Zhou Siyu. Her gaze toward Auntie Zhang held a hint of pleading, but Auntie Zhang looked at Zhou Siyu, whose eyes held a clear threat.

“Miss Xu, I’ve already had breakfast. You two eat. I’ll go wash the dirty clothes.” Auntie Zhang smiled and tactfully withdrew to give the two some privacy.

In the dining room, Xu You and Zhou Siyu sat facing each other, each holding a bowl of chicken soup and sipping slowly. Zhou Siyu deliberately matched Xu You’s pace, and they set down their bowls at the same time.

After a long moment of hesitation, Xu You no longer held back or avoided Zhou Siyu’s gaze. She stood up confidently, picked up the cute lunchbox Aunt Zhang had prepared, and held it in her hand.

Rubbing her throbbing temples, she spoke before Zhou Siyu could express concern: “Let’s go. Our department has been quite busy lately. I’ll fill you in on the ‘Otherworld: Investiture of the Gods‘ project on the way.”

When discussing work, Xu You detached herself from all personal emotions. Facing the CEO of YUYOO, she was an employee of the design department, the mysterious artist Esme, anything but the Xu You entangled in complicated feelings with him.

Zhou Siyu nodded and chose a comfortable car for passengers in the garage.

Once they were seated and the car was on the road, Xu You got straight to the point without beating around the bush.

“I’d like to ask you to be the model for my character, Nüwa.”