My Ex Told Me She’s Still In Love With Me - Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Wind and Snow Cutting Flesh

The room fell quiet, neither of them speaking. A lingering sense of awkwardness began to spread between the mother and daughter; it seemed they had never discussed topics of such a nature before.

The moment she finished speaking, Meng Qingwu felt a wave of regret. She rolled over to lie flat on her back and tugged awkwardly at her blanket.

Meng Shuyu’s brows gradually knitted together. She spoke in a low, hollow tone: “So… back then, you had already tasted the flavor of desire?”

Meng Qingwu: “…”

I’ve really shot myself in the foot now.

“Mom, I was twenty then,” she said euphemistically.

Meng Shuyu didn’t respond, and the atmosphere sank further. Meng Qingwu pursed her lips, thinking to herself: At twenty, I was responsible for my own actions, wasn’t I? Even though it’s been years since the breakup with Cheng Yi, I still don’t regret that decision.

Meng Shuyu let out a soft, lingering sigh. “Even though you were twenty, in my eyes, you were still a child.”

Meng Qingwu smiled. The previous awkwardness vanished. She nudged closer to Meng Shuyu, closing the gap between them, and hugged her arm. “I know. In your eyes, I’ll always be a child.”

Meng Shuyu let out a noncommittal grunt through her nose.

“However, if I’m such a child, why were you so eager to marry me off?” Meng Qingwu teased. This person had just recently urged her to settle things with Cheng Zhan.

Meng Shuyu: “…”

“That was about settling down, not marrying off immediately.”

Meng Qingwu pouted. Is there really a difference?

But they didn’t continue the conversation. Meng Qingwu closed her eyes, and in the warmth of the bed, sleepiness finally took hold.

Meng Shuyu, however, remained wide awake. Her mind flipped between that “fox spirit” Lan Xining and Meng Qingwu’s words. She opened her eyes, feeling a surge of annoyance. I told myself not to waste thought on this, so why am I still thinking about it!

…

The next morning, Liang Siming sent a message saying he had arranged the meeting. Since the other party was busy in the afternoon, the time was set for the morning.

Seeing the time, Meng Qingwu smiled. What a coincidence; she was busy in the afternoon too.

She arrived at the location Liang Siming provided—a café. Recalling how the owner had repeatedly rejected her invitations before, Meng Qingwu guessed they weren’t the type to sit down for a full meal.

Entering the café, she scanned the room, and her brows instinctively furrowed. She never knew she and Cheng Yi would share such a persistent “fate.”

The person she had seen just last night was now sitting by the window, looking down at her phone. Meng Qingwu’s mood soured. In the past, she had been the one chasing Cheng Yi to create “chance encounters.” Now that she’d stopped, they were running into each other everywhere?

Only one phrase came to Meng Qingwu’s mind: Truly, what is delivered to the door is worthless.

But she had business to attend to and wasn’t in the mood for personal entanglements. “Hello, where is Table 17?” she asked a waiter.

The waiter led her with a smile to a table by the window. “Miss, it’s here.”

Meng Qingwu: “…”

She looked down and met Cheng Yi’s eyes. She was speechless; Cheng Yi was stunned.

“Thank you,” Meng Qingwu told the waiter.

She sat directly across from Cheng Yi. Looking at the woman before her, she let out a cold laugh. “It seems some fates are truly beyond words. Am I destined to be inextricably linked with your family?”

Cheng Yi’s face, already pale from surprise, turned even whiter. Thinking of the current “relationship” between Meng Qingwu and her brother Cheng Zhan, they were indeed inextricably linked.

“You’re the owner of that office building in the High-Tech Zone?” Meng Qingwu didn’t waste time and went straight to the point.

Cheng Yi remained silent for a moment, then nodded.

Meng Qingwu: “…”

Did I know too little about Cheng Yi, or has she changed that much in four years? Was the old Cheng Yi someone so lazy she wouldn’t even talk business? Then, thinking about the pacemaker project she intended to discuss, she fell silent.

How are these threads getting more and more tangled? But she really didn’t want to give up that office space.

Meng Qingwu ordered a coffee and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “Let’s talk. What will it take for you to lease that building?”

It wasn’t that she couldn’t buy land and build her own, but it would take too long for her current needs.

“Is it you who wants to lease it?” Cheng Yi asked softly.

“Yes.”

“Then… you can just use it. You don’t need to pay rent.” Cheng Yi actually wanted to say ‘I’ll give it to you,’ but looking at Meng Qingwu’s cold expression, she didn’t dare utter the words.

Meng Qingwu watched her in silence until Cheng Yi grew stiff with discomfort. “Business is business,” Meng Qingwu said hollowly. “We are neither kith nor kin; I wouldn’t dare take such an advantage.”

Cheng Yi’s expression froze. Because of those words—neither kith nor kin—a sharp, stinging pain flared in her chest. So, in Qingwu’s eyes, I’m already a stranger.

“If you’re willing to lease, I’ll sign a contract at market rate,” Meng Qingwu said.

Cheng Yi paused, then nodded.

Meng Qingwu breathed a sigh of relief. Although she didn’t want too much contact with Cheng Yi, having her as the landlord saved a lot of trouble. Since that was settled, Meng Qingwu shifted the topic. “Your professor should have mentioned the pacemaker project to you, right?”

Cheng Yi snapped her head up, looking at her in disbelief.

“Yes, it’s me.” Meng Qingwu took a sip of coffee. “Originally, we sought out your professor, but as you know, he hasn’t led a project in years. He recommended you.”

Cheng Yi was speechless. Her professor had mentioned it, but she had no idea the partner was Meng Qingwu.

“Why… why would you suddenly invest in this project?” Cheng Yi asked hesitantly.

“I’m a businesswoman; naturally, I look for profit,” Meng Qingwu smiled. “Our domestic market is monopolized by foreign companies. Don’t you think there’s a business opportunity there?”

Not just a monopoly, but the prices were absurd. Cheng Yi fell silent, lost in thought.

“Of course, whether you can take on this project depends on my evaluation of your capabilities,” Meng Qingwu added. She wasn’t one to favor someone just because of personal history.

Cheng Yi agreed to a time for Meng Qingwu to visit her lab.

With the major details settled, Meng Qingwu had Assistant Zhang bring over the lease agreement. She pushed it toward Cheng Yi. “See if there are any issues. If not, let’s finalize it.”

This was likely the first time a tenant had brought their own contract for a landlord to sign. Cheng Yi picked it up, appearing to read it, but she couldn’t process a single word. As she picked up the pen to sign, she suddenly asked: “The person who added me on WeChat… was that you?”

Meng Qingwu: “…Yes.”

Cheng Yi let out a soft laugh and briskly signed both copies, pushing them back. Her expression softened significantly. Four years ago, Meng Qingwu had deleted and blocked every way to reach her. Now, she finally had her contact information again.

Seeing that smile, Meng Qingwu felt a prickle of irritation. How can she still smile at me?

She said expressionlessly, “Since you’re here, I won’t bother asking your brother. What do your parents like? I shouldn’t go for a formal visit empty-handed.”

At the mention of Cheng Zhan, Cheng Yi’s face went deathly pale. All the previous traces of joy turned into a wind and snow that cut into her flesh.

“You…”

She couldn’t continue. Every word that followed felt like a cruelty. Her ex-girlfriend was asking about her parents’ preferences, only so she could attend as her brother’s girlfriend.

Cheng Yi wondered: Why must she be so cruel to me? It’s enough that I have to watch them be together, but she wants me to be the one who helps push them toward each other?

“I don’t know.” Cheng Yi turned her head away, her voice trembling with unshed tears.

“How could you not—” Meng Qingwu stopped. Looking at Cheng Yi’s profile in the winter sunlight, she saw a face so pale it was bloodless.

But the rims of her eyes were red.