My Ex Told Me She’s Still In Love With Me - Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Liar

Cheng Yi’s gaze moved from the glass in her hand to the stage. The woman up there was strikingly beautiful, carrying an air of indolence as she stood with eyes closed, singing softly.

In the chilly rain and cold wind How much prosperity is but a dream Looking back suddenly Love is like smoke and clouds The years flow away like water Leaving no trace behind…

Tears instantly slid down Cheng Yi’s face, dripping into her glass and adding a hint of bitterness to the alcohol.

I see myself through the glint of tears Powerless to hold onto anything Only in the trance of drunkenness Are there still some old dreams… These scattered blossoms have already fallen The deep affection of the past has long turned to void…

Cheng Yi lowered her head, losing all strength. She slumped against the bar, her shoulders beginning to shake.

“Miss? Are you alright?” The bartender had noticed her the moment she sat down, drinking gloomily by herself.

Cheng Yi didn’t respond. She only felt that her heart hurt so, so much. Even now, she didn’t even have the right to step forward and ask for comfort.

…

As Meng Qingwu finished her song and stepped off the stage, she suddenly stumbled. Fortunately, Jin Le and the others reacted quickly and caught her, preventing her from falling flat on her face in public.

“I told you not to drink so much. Look at you, making a scene,” Jin Le grumbled, giving Meng Qingwu’s waist a tiny pinch as she helped her back to the booth.

Meng Qingwu frowned. “I’m not drunk.”

She felt clear-headed; she had just tripped. Why pinch her?

Jin Le didn’t want to embarrass her in public, so she irritably helped her back to the booth, then pinched her cheek and said through gritted teeth, “Then why don’t you look in a mirror and see what you look like right now?”

Meng Qingwu looked up at her blankly, and the hazy mist in her eyes suddenly spilled over.

…

“I feel so bad… Cheng Yi, Cheng Yi, where are you~”

Meng Qingwu lay on the bed, twisting uncomfortably. Her face was flushed, and she felt unbearably hot.

“Don’t move, be good.” Cheng Yi came out of the bathroom with a basin of water. Seeing the woman trying to pull off her clothes, she quickly held her down.

“I’m hot~” After drinking, Meng Qingwu’s voice was even softer than usual. Every word sounded like she was acting spoiled, stepping right on someone’s heartstrings.

“Be good. I’ll help you wash up, and then you can change into pajamas and have a good sleep, okay?” Cheng Yi soothed her warmly. Looking at the person clinging to her like an octopus, she felt both helpless and amused.

“Then you help me.” Meng Qingwu rubbed her burning cheek against Cheng Yi’s neck.

Cheng Yi tilted her head back and rubbed Meng Qingwu’s head. “You’re such a little drunkard now. If I don’t do it, can you do it yourself?”

Meng Qingwu suddenly let out a silly giggle and hugged Cheng Yi tighter. When drunk, she was exceptionally clingy. After much effort, Cheng Yi managed to wipe down her upper body, only to find Meng Qingwu staring at her intently.

“What is it?” Cheng Yi leaned down to kiss her flushed cheek, her eyes full of warmth. She hadn’t realized Meng Qingwu turned so red when drinking—like a little cooked crab, squirming restlessly.

Meng Qingwu pouted. “I’m like this, and you don’t have a single inappropriate thought?” She even puffed out her chest slightly.

Cheng Yi was stunned, then burst out laughing. When drunk, this woman was not only clingy but also much more uninhibited. If Meng Qingwu didn’t look so unfit for photos right now, Cheng Yi would have loved to record her so she could see how she acted once she sobered up.

Cheng Yi grabbed a pair of pajamas to pull over her. “In the future, when you drink, I must be by your side. If I’m not there, you aren’t allowed to drink, okay?” She didn’t dare leave this version of Meng Qingwu to anyone else.

“Mmph—”

As the pajama top brushed over her face, Meng Qingwu looked huffy. She poked Cheng Yi’s chest and grumbled, “You blockhead!” Then, feeling that wasn’t enough, she added, “You have no sense of romance!”

The amusement in Cheng Yi’s eyes deepened. She leaned down to kiss the grumbling mouth and held the finger pressed against her chest. “Romance isn’t for when you’re drunk.”

Even though this version of Meng Qingwu made her heart race, she wanted their intimacy to happen when they were both fully conscious. (Unless, of course, it was agreed upon while sober—that was a different story.)

Meng Qingwu made a soft sound and kissed the corner of Cheng Yi’s mouth. Her voice was soft. “Cheng Yi, I’m sleepy.”

“Then sleep. I’ll finish wiping you down,” Cheng Yi whispered. She was attentive and meticulous to the extreme, treating Meng Qingwu like a precious treasure held in her palms.

…

Meng Qingwu suddenly felt that heart-wrenching pain again.

Looking back suddenly Love is like smoke and clouds…

In the end, everything had been like the flower in the mirror or the moon in the water—so illusory that she could only watch it vanish.

“You…” Jin Le was speechless. She stared blankly as Meng Qingwu silently wept, wondering what exactly had triggered her.

Liar. That bastard Cheng Yi is a liar! What “steady happiness”? The dream she built was all shattered…

Jin Le pulled a tissue to gently wipe her tears and gestured for the other two to get some water. It took a long time for Meng Qingwu to recover. She felt pathetic. She thought she had let go, yet a single song today had plucked that fragile nerve, causing her to lose her composure like this.

Jin Le and the others didn’t pry. They only asked, “Are you hungry? Want to eat something?” In the past, after Meng Qingwu cried, she always wanted to have a big meal.

Meng Qingwu’s nose was still a bit red, and her eyes were watery and clear. She looked a bit pitiful. She nodded. Seeing her nod, the other two immediately got to work—one peeling shrimp, one cracking crab. Once they were done, they placed a small bowl in front of her.

Seeing this, Meng Qingwu sighed. “Only at times like this do you guys act a little bit like human beings.” They knew to take care of her now; usually, they were the ones bossing her around.

They giggled and eagerly served her food like loyal lackeys. Even though they were all capable professional women in the outside world, when they gathered, it felt like they were back in their carefree, simple, and happy university days.

…

“Miss? Are you really okay?”

The bartender cautiously tapped the shoulder of the woman slumped on the bar. She had been in that exact position for far too long.

Cheng Yi’s body was stiff. She looked up at the bartender with a wooden expression. She stared for so long the bartender grew nervous.

“Thank you,” Cheng Yi finally said.

“No, no problem.” The bartender waved his hands and retreated, not daring to meddle further.

Cheng Yi lowered her eyes to compose herself. Checking the time, she got up and returned to the booth. Inside, her students had finished eating. Some were quite drunk, but others were keeping them in check.

“Everyone finished? Then we’re done for the night,” Cheng Yi said.

After paying the bill, she arranged for cars and people to escort the students back to campus. Only after everything was handled did she finally feel a sense of relief. She cast one last look toward Meng Qingwu’s booth, a bitter smile on her face, and turned to leave.

Things have come to this. If I keep hovering, it will only increase her annoyance, won’t it?

…

“Should we go back and keep drinking?” Jin Le suggested. She was afraid these drunks would pass out right here; she couldn’t carry three people by herself.

“Sure! My place is big enough for everyone to stay!” Meng Qingwu’s voice was a bit loud.

Jin Le knew this was a bad sign. She quickly pulled the other two and prepared to take them home. After calling a designated driver, she started coaxing the now slightly rowdy Meng Qingwu.

“Okay, we’re going to your place. Where do you live?”

Meng Qingwu narrowed her eyes and looked closely at the person in front of her. Recognizing Jin Le, she said clearly, “Qiushui Bay!”

Jin Le gave her a look and told the other two to watch her while she coordinated with the driver.

The three in the back had all drunk quite a bit. They began talking loudly without realizing it, making the driver glance back several times. Jin Le pressed her hand to her forehead, feeling embarrassed.

When they finally got into the house, Jin Le felt a chill in her heart just looking at it. It was far too cold and desolate. There were very few belongings, making the space feel exceptionally empty.

“Should we rest?” Jin Le asked.

“No!” Meng Qingwu shook her head. “Keep drinking! Let’s order late-night snacks!”

“Yeah! Drink! Snacks!” the other two chimed in.

Jin Le: “…” Fine. Since it’s our first reunion in years, let them have their fun.

She ordered a pile of snacks, then went to the kitchen and opened the fridge. As expected, it was stocked full of alcohol. Her mood dampened. She looked back at Meng Qingwu, who was messing around in the living room, and sighed softly.

“How did you end up in a bank?! Didn’t you say banks were boring!” Meng Qingwu’s voice went up an octave.

Yuan Junjun chuckled. “I was young and foolish back then. Now I understand the beauty of banks.”

“Qingwu, if you need anything in the future, you can go to her. She’s technically an official now,” Jia Yu added, throwing an arm around Yuan Junjun’s shoulder.

“Hey, I have principles, okay?” Yuan Junjun grumbled.

“Right, right, principles,” Jia Yu nodded dismissively. Based on Meng Qingwu’s company situation, any materials she submitted would surely be legal and formal; they just needed to make sure no one intentionally blocked her.

“Here, you drunkards.” Jin Le placed the opened bottles in front of them, feeling like she was paying off a debt in a past life by knowing these three. In university, she was the oldest and the dorm head, so taking care of them was natural. But even now, she had to act like a nagging mother.

After a night of revelry, the direct consequence the next morning was feeling like the soul was leaving the body.

Meng Qingwu opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. She felt something heavy on her stomach. Looking up, she saw Jia Yu’s leg draped over her waist. All four of them were sprawled across the large bed, still deep in sleep.

Meng Qingwu sighed. At least the bed was big enough. She reached for her phone to check the time and saw a reply to the message she had sent the office building owner the previous night.

Refused.

Meng Qingwu: “…”

They won’t even negotiate? And the owner’s schedule is absolute hell. The message had been sent at 3:00 AM. To Meng Qingwu, whose head was currently splitting, seeing that timestamp caused a reflex headache. Our biological clocks aren’t even on the same frequency. Can we even talk?