I Love Her Because She’s Dim-Witted And Filthy Rich - Chapter 52

Late at night, Su Miao finished filming her scenes for the day. Her assistant, Xiao Song, informed her that her mother had returned to Beijing.

Su Miao breathed a private sigh of relief.

It was better that she had gone back to Beijing. Having her mother constantly watching over her, incessantly asking how things were going with Duan Bainian, and urging her to break up three times a day was incredibly irritating.

Xiao Song handed over some medicine. “Here is tonight’s dose.”

Su Miao swallowed the medicine with warm water and took her phone from Xiao Song. She discovered a WeChat message Duan Bainian had sent at noon, saying her mood had improved recently and that she would come to visit tomorrow.

Having been out of contact for so long, seeing that Duan Bainian wanted to visit made Su Miao leap with joy. Habitually, she started to grin.

Halfway through the smile, she stopped.

Duan Bainian didn’t care about her at all, so why was she coming to visit?

She was coming because she was in a good mood; what if she were in a bad mood?

As if acting out of spite, Su Miao replied, “No need. I’m very busy lately, so don’t come over.”

After sending the message, Su Miao stuffed her phone back into her bag and said to Xiao Song, “Let’s go, Xiao Song. Time for dinner.”

They had hotpot that night.

In the intervals while waiting for the food to cook, Su Miao checked her phone screen repeatedly, glancing at it for a second before putting it down again.

Xiao Song asked curiously, “Do you have something to do later? Why do you keep checking the time?”

Su Miao stammered, “No, nothing. I’m just looking casually.”

In reality, she was checking to see if a new WeChat message had arrived.

She felt a bit miserable.

Actually, she still wanted Duan Bainian to come see her.

If Duan Bainian would just coax her a little—even with a single sentence—she would have taken the opportunity to reconcile.

But why hadn’t there been a single word?

Half a month later, the filming at Hengdian officially wrapped up.

On the night of the wrap party, the crew organized one last dinner together.

Midway through the meal, Su Miao’s phone rang.

It was Duan Bainian.

Su Miao froze; they hadn’t been in contact for a very long time.

Su Miao stood up, left the private room, and walked to a corner. She took a deep breath and said, “Hello?”

The voice on the other end sounded vaguely unfamiliar. “Are you in Beijing lately?”

Su Miao hesitated. “I’m not, but I’m heading back to Beijing tomorrow… Why?”

“Then come to the apartment tomorrow to pick up the cat,” Duan Bainian paused before continuing, “That cat was originally a gift to you. It’s time for you to take it away.”

Su Miao sensed something was wrong. “Why should I take the cat away?”

“Since we’ve broken up, there’s no reason for the cat to stay with me. I’m going back to Gansu for a while in a couple of days, and I won’t have time to look after it.”

Su Miao felt as if her brain had stalled. “Broken up? When did we break up? Just because we haven’t been in touch for a few weeks? How does that lead to a breakup?”

There was a moment of silence on the other end. “Your mother is quite interesting. She came to see me twice, yet both times she didn’t tell her own daughter that we had already broken up.”

Su Miao said anxiously, “My mom went to see you again? Did she force you to break up? Don’t listen to her! Tell me about it, I’ll go talk to her.”

Duan Bainian’s voice remained flat. “Your mother didn’t force me; it was my own decision. Regardless, we have indeed broken up. I’ll wait for you at home tomorrow afternoon to pick up the cat. Goodbye.”

Hearing the click of the hung-up phone, Su Miao was completely stunned.

For the past half month, Su Miao hadn’t known how she survived the torment. Countless times she had wanted to take the initiative to contact Duan Bainian, but every time she had held herself back.

She felt she should have some backbone and must wait for Duan Bainian to seek her out first.

But she really had no backbone at all.

In the beginning, she thought that if Duan Bainian came to find her, she would maintain a cold expression and watch Duan Bainian try all sorts of ways to please her before slowly and deliberately agreeing to reconcile.

But as she waited, she realized she was becoming increasingly foolish to imagine that Duan Bainian would ever try to please her.

How could Duan Bainian possibly try to please her?

In fact, not only did Duan Bainian not try to please her, she didn’t even contact her.

So, Su Miao lowered her expectations: she didn’t need to be pleased, as long as Duan Bainian contacted her, that would be enough.

She had it all planned out—as long as Duan Bainian reached out, no matter what was said, she would obediently find a way to make peace and reconcile.

She waited and waited, but she never expected to receive a phone call like this.

After standing in the hallway corner for a long while, Su Miao finally regained her senses and called He Aizhi.

Hearing her daughter’s interrogation, He Aizhi said, “I didn’t force her. It was her own choice.”

It was exactly the same answer Duan Bainian had given.

Su Miao felt lost.

Where exactly did things go wrong?

How did it end up like this?

The following afternoon, Su Miao arrived at the apartment as agreed.

After standing before the door for a long time, Su Miao nervously reached out and knocked.

It seemed the person inside was also waiting; almost instantly, Su Miao heard the sound of footsteps approaching.

The person inside was wearing an ivory-white spaghetti-strap nightgown, her skin so pale it seemed to glow.

Not having seen her for a month, smelling the familiar scent on the person before her, Su Miao wished she could immediately rush into Duan Bainian’s arms.

She forcibly suppressed the urge. She looked down at the navy-blue carpet in front of the door. “I’ve come for the cat.”

Duan Bainian said softly, “Come in.”

Su Miao gave a small “mm” and followed her into the house.

Duan Bainian went to pick up the cat from the sofa, placed it in the pet carrier, and then brought the cat food and canned treats from the balcony.

“You can just take the cat back with you. As for the food and treats, I’ll call a local courier to deliver them to you later; they should arrive by tonight.”

Su Miao whispered, “Aren’t you going to drive me home? You always used to drive me home.”

Duan Bainian smiled. “It’s not very convenient today, so I won’t. Oh, by the way, that car you gave me—I drove it over and parked it at your door yesterday. Here are the keys.”

Su Miao stared silently at the floor, not reaching out to take them.

A year ago, Duan Bainian told her to take the driving test, but she didn’t. At the time, she thought that since Duan Bainian would always be there to drive her, why bother getting a license?

But now, Duan Bainian would no longer drive her.

Seeing that Su Miao wouldn’t take them, Duan Bainian placed the keys inside the pet carrier. “I put them in here. Remember to take them out when you get back.”

Su Miao continued to stare at the floor. “Will you miss Ergou in the future?”

Duan Bainian stroked the meowing cat. “I will. You are a good owner, and I believe you will take very good care of it.”

Su Miao’s tears fell silently. “But you aren’t a good owner.”

Duan Bainian didn’t understand why Su Miao would say that and turned her head to look at her in confusion.

Su Miao wiped away a tear. “On a whim, you brought it back from outside, but you never spent time with it. When you were in a good mood, you’d play with it; when you were in a bad mood, you ignored it. And now, you’re treating it like a burden and kicking it out of this home.”

Duan Bainian’s hand stopped stroking the cat, and she remained silent.

Su Miao sniffled. “Duan Bainian.”

Duan Bainian’s heart sank. “Yes?”

She heard the person on the sofa ask softly, “In your eyes… is there any difference between me and the cat?”

Duan Bainian’s heart felt a sharp sting, followed by an endless, aching swell. “Don’t talk nonsense.”

Su Miao quirked her lips, attempting to force a smile. “Fine. I’m taking it, and we’re leaving this home together. Neither of us will be a burden to you anymore.”

She stood up, lifted the pet carrier, and smiled at the person crouching on the floor.

“Duan Bainian, you’re free.”