My Ex Told Me She’s Still In Love With Me - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Turning Oneself In

The air fell silent for a moment. Meng Qingwu tucked her phone away and said coldly, “Are you a mute? Can’t you ask?”

Cheng Yi opened her mouth, but in the end, no words came out.

Seeing that the car was still moving, Meng Qingwu glanced at her. “My place is at Qiushui Bay. That is definitely not in this direction.”

After speaking, Meng Qingwu felt she was being incredibly magnanimous for sitting down and talking to her ex-girlfriend like this. She glanced at Cheng Yi’s hand on the steering wheel, then pulled her gaze back, expressionless.

“I remember you used to really like the scenery on Cloud Mountain,” Cheng Yi said softly.

Meng Qingwu: “…So? You’re planning to take me mountain climbing in the middle of the night?”

“Cheng Yi, are you mentally ill, or have you just grown stupid over the years?”

Cheng Yi pursed her lips but still tried to explain: “It’s not climbing. Cars can drive all the way up now.”

Meng Qingwu remained stoic. “U-turn. Go back.”

“Qingwu, we’re almost there.” Cheng Yi’s voice held a note of pleading.

Meng Qingwu didn’t change her expression, but because of this gesture, memories of the past involuntarily flooded her mind.

“Are we really going climbing?”

Meng Qingwu held a backpack, her voice sounding a bit uncertain.

“Really. Don’t you want to?” Cheng Yi was putting two bottles of water into the pack.

“But… but your health…” Meng Qingwu hesitated.

“I’m fine.” Cheng Yi hugged her, patting her back and whispering in her ear, “Whether I’m fine or not—didn’t you find out last night?”

Those words made Meng Qingwu’s face turn bright red, and she gave Cheng Yi a reproachful glare. Cheng Yi just laughed, leaned down to kiss the corner of her mouth, and soothed: “It’s fine. Let’s go.”

“Just hold my hand when the time comes.”

“Don’t let go of me.”

Meng Qingwu’s face grew colder. In the end, Cheng Yi was the one who let go first.

“Qingwu…” Cheng Yi wasn’t giving up.

Hearing that pleading tone, Meng Qingwu grew irritable. She interrupted her and asked bluntly, “So? You take me there? To do what?”

Cheng Yi was at a loss for words. She pulled the car over to the curb and stopped. Her silence only made Meng Qingwu look at her with more disdain; the smile on her lips was mocking.

“You always had this pathetic, silent look back then. After all these years, you’re still as annoying as ever. Aside from using that mouth to hurt people, what else has it ever done?”

Cheng Yi turned pale. With every word Meng Qingwu spoke, the color drained further from her face, her lips trembling.

“Don’t waste my time. Either you turn around and drive back, or I get out of the car. You choose.”

Meng Qingwu realized that her patience for Cheng Yi had reached an absolute low. Cheng Yi didn’t move, so Meng Qingwu unbuckled her seatbelt to open the door.

Cheng Yi suddenly grabbed her wrist. Her head was slightly lowered, making her face look shadowed and suppressed in the dim light. She asked tensely, “Are you and my brother… for real?”

Meng Qingwu paused, turning back to look at her. She saw those dark eyes staring straight at her, as if trying to pull her in. She couldn’t help but laugh.

“Can’t you tell if it’s real or fake? And why do you care so much?”

“I want you to say it,” Cheng Yi emphasized. “In your own words.”

Meng Qingwu laughed and shook her head, prying Cheng Yi’s hand off. She said calmly, “It’s real. And I’ve already met your parents.”

Cheng Yi’s face went deathly pale. Her hand, which had been pried away, hung limply. She looked at Meng Qingwu’s calm face, speechless.

Looking at her, one would think she was the one who had been abandoned. A flash of irony crossed Meng Qingwu’s eyes, but she kept her voice level.

“Any more questions? If not, drive.”

Cheng Yi lowered her head and asked in a very soft voice, “Why?”

Why? Why him?

Meng Qingwu was amused by the question. After laughing, she used a tissue to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes, her voice still brimming with irrepressible amusement.

“Do you think your brother isn’t good? He has the looks, the body, and he’s considerate and thoughtful. Is that not enough?”

Cheng Yi’s lips moved. That wasn’t what she wanted to ask. She wanted to know why it had to be Cheng Zhan—why her own brother. She pressed her hand against her chest, struggling to keep her back straight. Her voice was weak. “I… I don’t think I can drive. You do it.”

The voice was so faint it seemed a breeze could blow it away. Meng Qingwu couldn’t help but look at her. Seeing that even her lips were white, she frowned.

“What’s wrong with you? Don’t act like it’s life or death.”

Her tone was harsh. She wasn’t the one making a scene, yet this person was starting. Cheng Yi shook her head, unbuckled her belt, and got out of the car, gesturing for Meng Qingwu to switch seats.

Meng Qingwu: “…”

Eventually, Meng Qingwu took the driver’s seat. She glanced at Cheng Yi’s pale face in the passenger seat, turned the car around, and drove.

Neither of them spoke the entire way. Meng Qingwu drove fast. When she finally pulled over, Cheng Yi looked up only to find they were at a police station.

Cheng Yi: “…”

She looked at Meng Qingwu in confusion. Does she still think I’m going to bury her body?

Meng Qingwu got out, and Cheng Yi followed. She watched as Meng Qingwu walked into the station.

“Hello, I want to turn myself in,” Meng Qingwu said.

The officer on duty looked up at the beautiful woman in front of him, then at the frail-looking woman behind her. He fell silent for a moment.

“What did you do?” The atmosphere between these two was getting weirder by the second.

Meng Qingwu said calmly, “I’m drunk driving.”

The officer stared at her. Cheng Yi also seemed to realize what was happening. Her eyes widened, and some color finally returned to her face, though it was only an embarrassed flush.

In the end, they tested Meng Qingwu’s blood alcohol content. It was 37mg/100ml, which indeed met the standard for drunk driving. Seeing that she was clearly sober, had turned herself in voluntarily, and the level wasn’t extremely high, the officer simply fined her 300 yuan and let them go.

Of course, she wasn’t allowed to drive anymore.

As they left the station, Meng Qingwu asked Cheng Yi, “Can you drive now?”

Cheng Yi: “…Yes.”

Meng Qingwu went straight to the passenger seat. Cheng Yi was a bit flustered by her attitude, but fearing she would provoke more cold glares if she lingered, she hurriedly got in.

By the time they reached Meng Qingwu’s residence, it was 1 AM. Meng Qingwu got out and slammed the door, leaving without even a polite goodbye. She couldn’t understand why she had wasted four hours on Cheng Yi.

Watching her walk away, a look of pain finally flickered across Cheng Yi’s brow.

…

Returning to her home, Meng Qingwu took off her shoes and walked barefoot on the floor, the coldness spreading from her soles. She tossed her shawl onto the sofa and went straight to wash up, her movements as quick as if a predator were chasing her.

Soaking in the bathtub, Meng Qingwu closed her eyes. Her phone rang. She opened her eyes and saw it was from Ms. Meng Shuyu. She pursed her lips, her mood dipping further.

Ms. Meng: How did things go tonight?

Meng Qingwu looked at the time. To be asked such a question so late was baffling.

Meng Qingwu: How else? Just like usual. Ms. Meng: How did you get along with his family? Meng Qingwu: … Meng Qingwu: Don’t act so desperate. I’m not worried about finding a partner.

Besides, both families were of equal status. There was no need to act like she was selling her daughter.

Ms. Meng: That Cheng boy is good.

Meng Qingwu was already in a bad mood, and this sentence pushed her over the edge.

Meng Qingwu: I’m also very good. There’s no need to act like I have to cling to him. Ms. Meng: …

This attitude clearly displeased Meng Shuyu. When her next message came, it was filled with an overbearing, dictatorial tone.

Ms. Meng: If you still like women, you’d better give up on that idea right now. The Cheng boy is decent-looking and the families are a match. Pick a time to settle things.

Meng Qingwu’s face darkened. Her hand holding the phone hesitated to type a reply. Taking a deep breath…

Meng Qingwu: This isn’t your era, where talking to someone means you have to be with them. You don’t need to worry about my affairs; we have our own considerations.

Meng Shuyu didn’t reply, but knowing her, Meng Qingwu knew she was likely livid right now.

Meng Qingwu: It’s late. You’re not young anymore; don’t work so late. Get some rest.

After sending that, she muted her phone and put it down, staring at the bright lights above. Her thoughts were a mess.

…

“Mom, why are you back?”

Meng Qingwu entered the house to find her mother, who was practically a work-robot, sitting on the sofa, her back a rigid, straight line.

Meng Shuyu opened her eyes to look at her. She saw a girl like a newly sprouted willow, still smelling of youth, but with an lingering sweetness in her brow.

“Sit.” Her voice was cold.

Meng Qingwu gave her a strange look but sat down in front of her as told, hands on her knees, behaving perfectly.

“Is there anything special happening at school?” Meng Shuyu took a sip of cold tea, asking casually.

Meng Qingwu looked confused and shook her head, indicating everything was normal. But instinctively, her heart began to panic.

“Then can you tell me what these are?” Meng Shuyu took a stack of photos from her bag and threw them in front of her.

Meng Qingwu looked down. Among the scattered photos, she saw herself and the person she had just parted from. Holding hands, hugging, and even a secret kiss—all were exposed in those photos. Her face changed instantly, and she grabbed them to look, her tone turning sharp: “Mom? Who gave these to you?”

She knew that as overbearing as Ms. Meng was, she wouldn’t send someone to spy on her. That meant she and Cheng Yi were being watched.

“Who gave them to me isn’t important. What matters is who that woman is, and what your relationship is!”

Meng Shuyu set her teacup down. The porcelain clinking against the saucer made a sharp sound, making Meng Qingwu’s heart tremble along with it.