The Beloved One Is Always Coveted - Chapter 21.1

Chapter 21.1

◎It Was Clearly Summer, But Both Their Hands Were Slowly Turning Cold, Until the Last Bit of Touching Skin Separated◎

Yu Li lowered her eyes. She truly had nothing to explain. Qi Xue’s grip on her hand was very tight, even trembling slightly. Although Yu Li was the one who had gotten a girlfriend outside, Qi Xue’s reaction was much more intense, afraid that Yu Li was going astray and would turn bad by associating with “unsavory” people.

Under Tang Xi’s watchful gaze, Yu Li let out a very soft breath. She kept her head down, slowly prying open Qi Xue’s fingers one by one.

It was clearly summer, but both their hands were slowly turning cold, until the last bit of touching skin separated.

Qi Xue’s hand dropped heavily. Even the anger in her eyes was slowly turning cold. Among the three of them, she felt like a joke.

“Qi Xue, I’m doing this voluntarily. The pressure of the final year of high school is pretty big. I want to relax a bit.”

Yu Li finally looked up, offering the most normal excuse. The pressure of the final year was indeed intense. One should find someone to share the burden, or they would go crazy if they studied all day.

She wanted Qi Xue to understand, saying that Tang Xi was actually a very good person, not as bad as she thought. “She doesn’t smoke, doesn’t drink, and doesn’t fight. She’s also pretty. There’s no one better than her.”

Her words instantly broke Qi Xue’s heart. Wasn’t “doesn’t fight” a jab at her?

Unwilling to give up, she asked when it started.

Yu Li hesitated for a moment before Tang Xi spoke first. She raised her chin slightly, looking like a victor: “We just confirmed the relationship this afternoon.”

She was so smug. With just a few words, she had gained a girlfriend for free. Winning Yu Li’s whole heart was only a matter of time. It wouldn’t take long for that villa to be hers.

Qi Xue had nothing more to say. Asking any more would be humiliating. She couldn’t possibly ask how they met. How ridiculous would that sound?

Her budding affection was ruthlessly extinguished before it even blossomed.

So, she became stubborn. She wouldn’t even look at Yu Li, walking past both of them without any grace, like a defeated dog. Yet, her back was ramrod straight, and her hands were clenched.

Tang Xi smirked silently. She wrapped one arm around Yu Li’s shoulder, while the other still held the untouched tea egg and steamed bun. She intended to comfort her girlfriend.

“Are you sad?”

“If you ask me, her affection for you is too shallow. You deserve better.”

“If I were her, I absolutely wouldn’t let go of your hand. You wouldn’t be able to pry it open no matter how hard you tried. Even if you got a girlfriend, I would ruin it. If I couldn’t ruin it, I’d become the mistress. How great would that be?”

“Don’t cry.”

“I really didn’t bring any tissues.”

The area under the utility pole was empty. The streetlamp was still a warm yellow. The convenience store was still open.

Everything was as usual.

Except for them.

Yu Li squatted down, a sense of powerlessness spreading through her body. Tears began to flow uncontrollably.

Her tear ducts were quite active. She had wanted to cry since she pried open Qi Xue’s hand, and she had held it in until now.

Tang Xi’s words went in one ear and out the other. Yu Li didn’t take them seriously, but Tang Xi kept talking, even reaching out to catch a tear on her fingertip. It was clear and crystal-like, reflecting the warm light of the streetlamp, looking like a tiny gem.

“I’m serious, I don’t have tissues.”

“I don’t need you to care!”

Yu Li covered her face, her sobs muffled in her palms.

Tang Xi worried she might suffocate. When she tried to pull her hands away, tears flowed onto her fingertips. As if realizing something, her eyes darkened slightly. She then cupped Yu Li’s tear-streaked face.

“Stop crying, or I’ll touch you here, just like this afternoon.”

She truly intended to scare her like this. She even reached down to pinch the collar, just an inch away from unbuttoning the one near her collarbone.

“You bastard!”

Yu Li slapped her hand away immediately, cursing her softly. The insult was weak and soft, like a flirtation.

Tang Xi pulled out her phone, aimed it at the red-eyed Yu Li, and took another photo.

Crying with snot and tears running down her face how ugly. This time, she didn’t even push up her bangs. Another bad photo.

Yu Li was only sad at first, feeling useless, knowing those words must have hurt Qi Xue. Now, seeing Tang Xi taking pictures, she grew angry.

Tang Xi just wanted to mock her. People like her enjoyed bullying, ridiculing, and watching her make a fool of herself.

But what good was her anger? A powerless, low-status girl could do nothing but silently endure.

“I won’t touch you here.”

Tang Xi put away her phone. Seeing her tears still flowing, she reassured her. Yet, she felt a little itch in her heart. She knew Yu Li was soft, and she wanted to try again. She was just wicked.

Yu Li wouldn’t look at her, sobbing quietly. After she finished crying, she still wouldn’t speak to Tang Xi. She turned and walked forward, clearly angry.

Tang Xi reached for her hand, but Yu Li dramatically shook it off, utterly furious. Her steps were heavy and fast. She just wanted to rush home and lock Tang Xi out.

Yu Li climbed three floors. Tang Xi was following leisurely behind her.

The stairwell light kept turning on and off. Yu Li held the handrail, going up step by step. The intense sadness had faded, and even the anger was gone. She only thought about getting home. She’d be fine once she was home.

She was like this: any problem would feel resolved after a while. The high emotion would subside, and she would accept it calmly.

She had made a choice, and there must be a trade-off.

In that dark room, she had nodded, a soft nod, like a butterfly flapping its wings over roses. There was always a price to pay: her body, and also Qi Xue.

“Are you angry?”

Tang Xi spoke from below her position. The distance of a few steps forced Miss Xi to look up at her. She looked at Yu Li like a curious new toy it could move and get angry so she was amused and wanted to tease her.

Yu Li didn’t look back. She fumbled for the key in her pocket, opened the door, ready to step in, but Tang Xi, having quickly climbed the steps, yanked her back.

“Ignoring me?”

Tang Xi still held the bag of convenience store food. Her gaze pressured Yu Li, leaving her nowhere to hide.

Yu Li lowered her head, avoiding her sight, wanting to rush inside and quickly shut the door, but Tang Xi grabbed her by the back of her collar again.

The difference in strength was immense, and Yu Li didn’t dare to struggle too hard. She was wearing her Huizhi uniform. If it tore, she didn’t know if it could be fixed. A replacement would be too expensive.

Tang Xi didn’t care about any of that, determined to make Yu Li speak. She knew she was angry, but what did that have to do with her? She had given her a chance to back down, and Yu Li didn’t take it.

Three strikes and you’re out.

“Speak.”

The tone was completely commanding. The intimacy in front of Qi Xue was merely a facade. Yu Li’s wrist was clamped, taking her back to the first day.

But what should she say? She couldn’t think of anything. What words would satisfy Tang Xi, what would make everyone happy?

Yu Li was terrible at this. She wasn’t a ray of sunshine, just a gloomy doll locked in a cabinet.

She didn’t want to leave the cabinet.

Then her chin was pinched. She was forced to raise her eyes, yet stubbornly moved her gaze away, refusing to look at Tang Xi.

Tang Xi’s fingertip gently touched her neck, quietly reminding her: “Did you forget everything you promised me this afternoon?”

How could she forget? To be obedient, to be her girlfriend, and to let her exercise her girlfriend rights… Yu Li remembered it all.

She hadn’t regretted it when her body was pressed and forced to choose top or bottom. She hadn’t regretted it when strange heat overwhelmed her heart. But after seeing Qi Xue, she regretted it.

Honestly, Tang Xi wasn’t truly evil. She at least gave her time to process, preventing her from realizing too quickly that her normal life was gone.

It had to come out eventually. It was predetermined from the day the neighborhood aunties started gossiping about her. It was impossible for her to maintain a good image in front of Qi Xue.

What would Qi Xue think of her? Her image would merge with the words of those aunties: she moved into a rich person’s house, became a rich person’s mistress—how… shameless.

Yu Li lowered her eyes, let out a small sigh, and said: “No.”

She didn’t dare to forget.

She understood now and became obedient again. Her momentary outburst was completely gone. She just didn’t smile, and lingering tears still welled in her eyes, making her look pitiful.

Tang Xi clicked her tongue lightly at the tears under her eyes, suddenly losing interest. She didn’t want to stay any longer. Impatiently, she shoved the plastic bag into her hands. “Go in. I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning.”

Yu Li murmured an acknowledgment, hooked her fingers into the bag, and quickly entered the apartment. Tang Xi stood outside. Yu Li didn’t dare to slam the door, gently pressing it shut and locking it from the inside.

She changed into slippers in the entryway, put the tea egg and steamed bun Tang Xi bought on the table. She had seemingly done nothing today, yet she had done so much. Overwhelmed with exhaustion, she didn’t know where to begin.

Perhaps she should call Qi Xue and explain that she wasn’t willing, that she was coerced into agreeing.

She wanted to finish her final year of high school properly. She didn’t want to cause so much trouble, and she didn’t want to bring trouble to those around her.

Yet, she was standing at the eye of the storm. Looking around blankly, she had no place to rest.

The more she kept it inside, the heavier her heart felt. She should talk about it, but to whom?

She had few friends, and no close ones. As for her mother, Yu Rong, Yu Li shook her head. She didn’t want to worry her mother.

After considering her options, the only person left was her deskmate who hadn’t come to class today, Jian Mingyue. If it were her, she would probably know what to do, as she was so smart.

Besides, they were friends…

Yu Li: Are you there? Can I call you for a voice chat?

Jian Mingyue replied quickly: Kitten head tilt.jpg

A voice chat invitation followed immediately. Yu Li’s eyes paused for a second before she pressed connect.

“What’s wrong? Did you run into some difficult problem?”

Jian Mingyue’s voice was as gentle as ever. She seemed to be doing something on her end, as the background noise was quite loud.

Yu Li was a little uneasy: “Am I interrupting you?”

“No, I’m out. I just left the hospital.”

Jian Mingyue smoothly lied. She motioned to her assistant, then stood up and walked out of the private room.

The middle and senior management, who were celebrating landing a big project, exchanged glances, then averted their eyes, carefully looking at their noses and feet.

“I… I have a question I want to ask you.”

Yu Li huddled on the bed. The room lights were off, and only the phone emitted a faint blue light, illuminating a small area.

“A problem even you don’t know must be very hard. I guess I’ll have to think hard.”

Jian Mingyue teased with a smile, waiting for Yu Li to continue.

“I have a friend. She recently ran into some trouble, and I don’t know how to help her.”

Yu Li slowly started, the classic “I have a friend” opening.

“Is that so?”

Jian Mingyue’s voice came through the phone, her steady tone masking a barely contained laugh. “I’ll have to listen carefully to what kind of trouble your friend is in, deskmate. Tell me the details.”

Yu Li didn’t catch the faint sarcasm beneath Jian Mingyue’s gentle tone. They were friends. Friends wouldn’t laugh at her.

Besides, Jian Mingyue didn’t know what had happened to her recently.

So, she took a deep breath and imposed her own situation onto this nonexistent friend: “My friend has a relative who works for a rich family. That rich person suddenly transferred her to another school and made her live at their house.”

Jian Mingyue let out a soft “Eh?”, silently cursing herself in the process.

“That’s a bit unusual. Tell your friend to be careful. None of those rich people are good news.”

She had understood what Yu Li wanted to say from the moment she said “friend.” But teasing an innocent kitten was more appealing than the boring cocktail party.

“It’s more than that. The rich person has a daughter, and her daughter treats my friend very badly. She even forced her to be her girlfriend. The rich daughter said her mother had eyes for my friend, and the only way to avoid her was to become her girlfriend…”

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