Finally Being Snatched Away at My Wedding by My Ex-Boyfriend - Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Lovesickness Becomes an Illness

As soon as he stepped off the plane, Pei Xing sat in the back seat of the car and continued handling work on his laptop, while Sya gave reports from the passenger seat.

The documents requiring signatures and the emails from the past few days hadn’t been delayed, but the string of postponed meetings and roadshows now filled his schedule like Tetris blocks at the end of a game.

“Send Yao Xing to the roadshow; as the CTO, he’s just as persuasive.”

Pei Xing had no fondness for roadshows that required maintaining a smile throughout. In the past, it was only to gain more exposure standing in a higher place so he could be seen. Although he hadn’t succeeded then, his goal had been achieved now, making such efforts meaningless.

The elevator reached his floor. Mary stood at the elevator doors holding documents, placing those requiring signatures into his hands the moment he stepped out.

“Sign the bottom left for the first three, and the bottom right for the subsequent six. Xing heard you’re arranging for him to go to the roadshow again; he’s currently in your office trying to express his rage by drinking all your coffee.”

Pei Xing raised an eyebrow. “So, you didn’t stop him because you’re getting engaged next month?”

Mary nodded seriously. “Aside from that, I can’t think of any other reason, can I?”

Pei Xing entered the office. The L-shaped floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of the Bay Area. He still remembered when HB broke the Western monopoly on medical technology as a dark horse; he had said to everyone on the team

“We are creating history.”

Yao Xing sat in a black leather chair, holding a coffee cup. “President Pei, is your ‘history’ just being AWOL for a week?!”

“Move.”

“Right away.” Yao Xing stood up nimbly.

Pei Xing sat down, his fingers tapping on the keyboard. “I don’t need you to stay here and breathe for me.”

Yao Xing clicked his tongue and sat opposite the desk, sighing, “It’s not that I can’t do the roadshow—who told me to be so understanding? Back during military training, the moment Su Yuan walked toward you, I knew you’d never escape his grasp in this lifetime.”

Pei Xing’s fingertips paused. “What are you trying to say?”

Yao Xing “pulled out” a “detector” from his pocket, making “beep beep” sounds, and moved his hand (clutching thin air) toward Pei Xing. “Warning: detected a ‘love-brain’.”

Pei Xing hit the Enter key with force.

Yao Xing raised his hands in surrender. “I was just worried you’d actually dump the company on me and return to Huaicheng recklessly.”

“I won’t.”

“That’s good.”

“I will move the company back to Huaicheng.”

“…”

Yao Xing laughed out of sheer frustration. “Pei, the great genius, what kind of potion did Su Yuan give you? No, it’s been two years and the aftereffects are still this strong? Being pretty, I can’t put food on the table!”

Pei Xing turned a deaf ear.

Yao Xing got up and paced around, then slapped the desk. “Then why did you even come back? Staying in Huaicheng would’ve been better!”

“He is currently somewhat resistant to contact with me,” Pei Xing checked his inbox and picked up his phone. “Give him some space.”

“Well, obviously. He even went and got mar” Yao Xing fell silent under Pei Xing’s glare.

Pei Xing’s voice deepened. “He has his difficulties. I don’t blame him.”

“…”

Yao Xing surrendered. To find excuses for someone like this… he was truly beyond saving.

After Yao Xing left, Pei Xing clicked on the video sent by Zhou Wei:

“Su Yuan, you come and scold him a bit too!”

On the screen, Su Yuan’s eyes were wide. He glanced at the camera, raised his hand, and began to scold very earnestly: “You… bastard!”

Pei Xing smiled, dragged the progress bar to watch it several more times, and called Melanie.

“Did he rub his neck this morning? If he’s uncomfortable, the mattress needs adjusting.”

“That didn’t happen. He looked in good spirits when he got up, and he ate breakfast well. But he ran to look at the tree in the backyard halfway through and didn’t eat any more when he came back.”

“It’s fine. Once his eating speed slows down, it means he doesn’t want to eat anymore and his mind starts to wander. The portion sizes must be controlled, otherwise eating becomes stressful for him.”

Pei Xing looked at the photo on the screen. “And lunch?”

“He didn’t eat lunch at home,” Melanie paused. “His mood wasn’t great when he got home in the evening. He lay on the new sofa for a long time. You can ask Mr. Zhou for details; they came back together.”

Pei Xing’s gaze froze for a moment. “Okay, I understand. Also, regarding some of his lifestyle habits, you must be clear with your team.”

“Understood. The environment must be quiet; no sudden noises. Don’t knock; send a message if he’s in his room. Don’t call him from behind; if you need to talk, walk in front of him and make eye contact first. Our phones must be on silent during working hours.”

After a few more instructions, Pei Xing hung up and called Zhou Wei to ask about the details of their outing.

The situation Zhou Wei reported was mostly consistent with the earlier texts and photos. His mood was good while looking at furniture after resigning. If there was anything to note, it was when they discussed that topic.

“I asked him if he had thought about asking you for help. He didn’t answer, then said he was tired and wanted to go home and rest.”

“Okay, I see.”

Pei Xing rubbed the bridge of his nose. “For now, don’t bring up topics related to me. He’s very sensitive about it. Tell him not to worry about anything both he and his father will be well taken care of.”

Finally, he added: “Remember to bring the little calico back when its quarantine ends. He’ll feel lonely being home alone. Take him out for a walk these next few days, if he’s willing.”

The call ended, and the office fell back into silence.

Pei Xing picked up the small ibis on the desk, repeating the action he had performed countless times over the past two years.

There was no sound; it was broken.

In two years, he hadn’t heard Su Yuan say “I miss you” once.

Two years later, he still didn’t dare get too close. Su Yuan was very repelled by him; just bringing him home had required a long time of coaxing. He had originally thought it would be smooth after all, they were together for four years, and he wasn’t the one who initiated the breakup. Su Yuan shouldn’t have too many reservations.

But it was only when Pei Xing helplessly moved out for the summer that Su Yuan agreed to live in that villa, only allowing a relationship between them as friends.

Four years of feelings made Su Yuan avoid him like the plague, as if he were a man-eating beast.

Pei Xing set the little ibis upright on the desk and spoke seriously, “Am I that scary?”

The pink-and-white ibis, wearing a little outfit with white pearl buttons and staring with large eyes made of black buttons, met his gaze.

“You didn’t know to find me when something happened? You didn’t know to find me when you had no money? Hmm? Silly Su Xinxin.”

The little ibis went plop and fell over.

“…”

Pei Xing propped the ibis up again. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have been mean to you.”

This time, the little ibis sat steadily and didn’t fall.

Su Yuan’s little ibis was just as delicate as he was. Like a rabbit, it would sniffle and get red-eyed if it heard something it didn’t like. Su Yuan was the person in the whole world who could least bear being wronged, and the person who should least be wronged. So how did he survive this past year?

Pei Xing felt a sharp pang of pain in his stomach.

Memories of Su Yuan were always frozen at the two days when Su Yuan broke up with him. Carrying the resentment of being a useless person who couldn’t pay for Su Yuan’s heart surgery, and the hope that Su Yuan would live better after leaving him, he had left Huaicheng for California. He began to resist learning about Su Yuan’s life after the breakup.

Because Su Yuan would surely live well; he was just an anonymous one among many admirers.

Perhaps Su Yuan had already fallen in love with someone better, married in his favorite autumn, and lived a happy life.

Pei Xing would hate Su Yuan for a lifetime.

But he also so desperately hoped that Su Yuan was exactly like that.

Su Yuan was born to lead a happy and beautiful life.

…

The night was thick.

Mt. Hongshan and the lake were soaked in moonlight, varying in depth. Like waves attacking from left and right, they merged unknowingly on the beach, the boundaries indistinguishable.

Su Yuan sat cross-legged on the bedroom floor, hugging the kitten Pei Xing had caught for him. Sleepiness spread, and his brain felt a bit muddy, as if the fine sand stirred by the moonlit waves was swirling inside.

He picked up his phone and dialed Pei Xing’s number.

No answer.

Su Yuan felt a sense of relief. A second after he made the call, his sense of morality struck. The more violent tide almost drowned him, trapping him in this bedroom. One bed, one person, and one cat.

He carried the cat downstairs and slept on the sofa.

The sofa that temporarily belonged to him.

Melanie walked over with her phone, her voice kept very low as she answered.

“Yes, he came to the living room with the kitten an hour ago.” … “Already asleep, the blanket is already on him.” … “No, his mood was quite good today.”

Melanie checked Su Yuan’s temperature again with a thermal gun and stated that the constant temperature and humidity of the villa wouldn’t affect someone sleeping in the living room.

“Percy, you should relax a bit. Perhaps he only called to thank you for bringing the kitten. I checked the bedroom; nothing unexpected happened.”

Pei Xing, who had missed Su Yuan’s call, was quiet for a few seconds. He left a “take good care of him” and hung up.

…

The day was bright.

The light on his eyelids and the kitten’s paws on his chest made Su Yuan open his eyes with a smile.

He rubbed the kitten’s face. “I almost forgot, you must be eager to play since you just got home.”

After washing up, Su Yuan led the kitten to the backyard and gently placed it on the grass covered with fallen leaves. The kitten turned its watery big eyes toward him and meowed softly.

Su Yuan gave it a demonstration, stepping on the fallen leaves. The dry leaves made a crisp sound. “Stepping on leaves is fun, Xiao Hua, you try.”

Xiao Hua understood, following him onto the leaves, but because it was too small and light, there was almost no sound.

Su Yuan was amused. He hopped forward a little and tilted his head. Xiao Hua imitated him by pouncing forward; this time there was a sound, and it soon dived into the pile of leaves, meowing and playing.

Su Yuan sat with his knees hugged, quietly watching Xiao Hua playing happily, looking like a cat that was just as well-behaved.

Melanie walked toward him. Su Yuan looked at the messy leaf pile and was about to speak when Melanie preceded him: “Don’t worry about the leaves in the courtyard; they were prepared for you.”

Su Yuan tilted his head. Melanie then told him that Zhou Wei had arrived.

Zhou Wei came to deliver things for the kitten. Daily necessities were delivered yesterday; today mostly consisted of interactive toys for the kitten, which felt more like they were bought for Su Yuan.

The kitten was still small and couldn’t press the elevator, making it inconvenient to live upstairs. Su Yuan had them put the kitten’s things in a room near the backyard.

This was the first time he had gone into another room in the villa, only to find it was a pet room, even equipped with a small pet door leading directly to the backyard.

Su Yuan was stunned.

Zhou Wei knelt down to greet Xiao Hua. Su Yuan recalled what Zhou Wei said yesterday: the kitten was caught before Pei Xing returned to America and was sent to the pet hospital for vaccines, deworming, and quarantine, which is why it was delayed for a few days.

“How did he know about this little calico?” Su Yuan lowered his eyelids halfway. “Did he… send you to follow me for a long time?”

Su Yuan thought of the pet park that day; Zhou Wei’s appearance was so timely that it couldn’t possibly be a chance encounter.

Zhou Wei scratched his head and admitted that Pei Xing didn’t feel at ease about him.

Su Yuan didn’t know what to say. He nodded and carried the kitten to eat breakfast. Suddenly, he stopped again. “Please help me pass on a ‘thank you.’ I called him last night to thank him, but he didn’t answer.”

“The boss doesn’t have his phone with him when he’s busy,” Zhou Wei hurriedly explained for the person on the other side of the ocean. “It definitely wasn’t intentional!”

Su Yuan hummed, not showing much reaction. “So I’m afraid of disturbing him again; please just pass it on for me.”

After eating, Su Yuan picked up a few dry leaves from the yard, took out a marker from his bag, and sat on the terrace to start drawing on the leaves.

Xiao Hua lay beside him, its little paws constantly pouncing at the tip of the pen.

Su Yuan made a flower out of the leaves and placed it in front of the kitten. Xiao Hua began playing with the flower, and he finished drawing on the remaining leaves. Having no frames, Su Yuan arranged the leaves on the terrace rug.

He picked up his phone and found that the SMS notifications had folded into a small mountain.

[Pei Xing: Did something happen?] [Pei Xing: I was in a meeting just now and didn’t get the call.] [Pei Xing: It was too late on your end, so I didn’t call back.] [Pei Xing: I looked at the furniture list you bought; you didn’t buy anything for the master bedroom. You don’t need to have any reservations.] [Pei Xing: You can buy another sofa.] [Pei Xing: I didn’t mean anything else; I was just worried something happened to you when you suddenly called me.] [Pei Xing: No need to reply.] [Pei Xing: If you don’t want to.]

You said it yourself.

Su Yuan put down his phone.

Xiao Hua bit a leaf and stared at him motionlessly.

“You can’t eat this.” Su Yuan picked it up and took the leaf out of its mouth. “Are your teeth uncomfortable? Shall I find you a teething toy?”

Su Yuan took Xiao Hua to the room. Zhou Wei was standing in the hallway with his phone waiting for him, clicking on a voice message:

“Su Xinxin, I said you didn’t have to reply and you really didn’t, huh?”

Su Yuan blinked. Xiao Hua in his arms seemed to recognize the voice and looked up at him.

Su Yuan pursed his lips and leaned toward the phone. “You didn’t keep your word. You said I didn’t have to reply.”

Zhou Wei continued to click:

“So obedient to me? Then I’m telling you to call me right now.”

“No.”

“Heh, selective obedience, is it?”

Zhou Wei couldn’t help but speak up, “Su Yuan, how about the two of you just chat over a call?”

“…”

Su Yuan shook his head. “No, no. And don’t let me listen anymore.”

Su Yuan lowered his head and walked forward. Behind him, Pei Xing’s voice came from the phone again: “Su Xinxin, don’t just turn around and leave.”

“I’m not listening,” Su Yuan turned back. “Come here yourself if you’re so capable.”

That night, Pei Xing appeared in the living room.

Su Yuan sat on the rug, his head buried very low, wishing he could turn into a lop-eared rabbit so his ears could droop down and cover his face.

“Su Xinxin,” Pei Xing stood before him. “Do you have anything to say?”

Under the crystal chandelier, Su Yuan looked up at the man once, then quickly lowered his head again.

Pei Xing reached out his hand. “Stand up.”

Su Yuan propped himself up on the sofa behind him and slowly rose. At Pei Xing’s head-tilt signal, he turned in a circle, then voluntarily spread his hands and shook them, and even grabbed the hem of his light pink pajama pants, tilted his leg, and presented it to Pei Xing.

“Any discomfort anywhere?”

“No.”

Su Yuan was not unfamiliar with this reaction from Pei Xing.

There was once a time when Pei Xing missed his call, and it happened that his heart condition flared up and he went to the hospital. Since then, Pei Xing was extremely nervous about his calls, especially missed ones. Even if he said it was nothing, Pei Xing would immediately return from outside or confirm with him via video.

However, they were broken up now, and Pei Xing had a girlfriend. Such a reaction was unreasonable.

Thinking of this, Su Yuan turned around.

He knew he was being a bit much. Pei Xing provided him with the best living environment he had since the bankruptcy, paid for his father’s expensive medical bills, and hadn’t even made any unreasonable demands. He even worried about him being bored at home alone and sent over the kitten.

But Pei Xing having a girlfriend was a fact like a water-soaked towel, tightly covering his face and making it impossible to breathe. Especially when he thought of Pei Xing—and even more so now that Pei Xing was standing right in front of him.

But his impolite behavior didn’t anger the person who had traveled thousands of miles to see him.

Pei Xing could always tolerate everything about Su Yuan.

Pei Xing looked him over from head to toe, and after confirming there was nothing abnormal, he turned to Zhou Wei, who was standing aside holding the kitten, and frowned. “It’s 8 PM. Why are you still here?”

Zhou Wei put down the yowling kitten and picked up a hammer. “Su Yuan made a small cat climbing frame himself; I came to lend a hand.”

Pei Xing walked over, took the hammer, and told him to get off work.

After the sound of the front door closing, the villa fell into silence again.

Pei Xing’s suit jacket was tossed aside, shirt sleeves rolled up, and he soon finished setting up the cat climbing frame. He walked toward Su Yuan and reached out. Su Yuan glanced at him, then handed the kitten into his hands.

Xiao Hua was placed on the climbing frame and soon began to play.

Su Yuan looked at Pei Xing’s back. “Are you… staying here tonight?”

Pei Xing glanced back. “No, just passing through.”

“Oh?”

“There’s a meeting,” Pei Xing picked up the suit from the floor. “I’m leaving.”

Su Yuan stood still. Seeing Pei Xing’s footsteps pause after opening the door, he realized and took the kitten to the door. “Thank you for giving it to me.”

Pei Xing didn’t speak, looking down at him.

Su Yuan remembered something he had said, grabbed Xiao Hua’s paw, and waved it. “No puppy ears, only kitten paws. Bye-bye.”

Pei Xing was silent for a moment, then reached out to hold the kitten’s paw. “Mm. Rest early.”

Their fingertips touched for a fleeting second on the furry cat paw just one short second, yet it made Su Yuan take a shallow breath. Pei Xing’s expression was calm. After letting go, he clenched his fingers and turned to leave.

Su Yuan stood there with the kitten and a numb finger.

The doorbell rang faintly.

Su Yuan immediately reached out and opened the door. Zhou Wei appeared outside.

“I forgot my phone.”

“Ah, oh.”

Su Yuan stayed by the door, his gaze crossing the low courtyard wall. He saw Pei Xing sitting in the back seat as the driver opened the door. The car window wasn’t rolled up; he could see Pei Xing’s side profile. Under the night sky, it wasn’t clear, as blurred as a dream.

“Got it,” Zhou Wei appeared before him. “I’m off.”

“Wait,” Su Yuan suddenly spoke up to stop Zhou Wei. “Pei Xing said he has a meeting. You don’t need to go with him?”

Zhou Wei thought for a moment. “Seems like there’s a tech conference in Jiangcheng,” he looked back at the passenger seat of the luxury car nearby. “See, Sister Mary is here. She’s accompanying the boss.”

Su Yuan’s eyelashes trembled. He tilted his head slightly to look at the passenger seat and indeed saw an elegant, sophisticated Caucasian woman.

So, the girlfriend was right outside. Pei Xing’s girlfriend also knew he was here… What was this? Was a kind and generous lady giving her tacit approval to her boyfriend taking in his ex?

“Su, Su Yuan, why are your eyes red?”

Zhou Wei leaned down, pointing at his eyes. “Did sand get in?”

Su Yuan shook his head, his voice so soft it was almost inaudible. “That… is Mary Pei Xing’s… is she also his assistant? Does this count as an office romance?”