The Beloved One Is Always Coveted - Chapter 21.2

Chapter 21.2

She left out many details. Yu Li stared at Jian Mingyue’s profile picture on the phone, wondering if this rough account would affect Jian Mingyue’s judgment.

A long silence followed before Jian Mingyue’s voice finally came, sounding disbelieving: “Did she agree?”

Yu Li subconsciously wanted to deny it, but swallowed the words and honestly said: “She agreed. They even did some… things only adults do.”

Jian Mingyue sucked in a breath, nearly laughing with exasperation. She almost named names, gritting her teeth:

“Tang… that rich person’s friend is truly awful!”

She had spent the last few days feigning illness in the hospital and sending kitten stickers, and Tang Xi had already claimed Yu Li as her girlfriend and done those things with her!

Done!

So she was the only one stuck driving a “baby bus” here.

Jian Mingyue wanted to rush over and yell at Tang Xi. Had her contract professionalism been eaten by a dog?!

But for now, she needed to handle Yu Li’s situation.

Yu Li was forced, and the first person she came to was her. What did that mean? It meant Jian Mingyue had a high chance of winning. Yu Li placed her higher in her heart and she could give her a sense of security.

Tang Xi had actually helped her.

Thinking this, her anger disappeared. She thought that someone like Tang Xi, who was constantly using knives and guns, was simply brainless. See? She pushed the person right into her hands.

She asked Yu Li again: “When did this happen?”

Yu Li: “…This afternoon.”

“Not even a full day?”

“No.”

“What is your friend thinking? Is she willing?”

Jian Mingyue lowered her voice. The assistant came out to call her, saying a few executives wanted to toast her.

Jian Mingyue covered her phone and waved her hand. No. She didn’t like alcohol, and all her socializing was done by the assistant, unless absolutely necessary.

Yu Li, on the other end, didn’t know what to say. At the time, she was completely captivated by the strong scent of Tuberose on Tang Xi. Her head was spinning, and she just went along with it.

If she had to say, was it semi-voluntary?

“I’m not sure. She just vaguely agreed.”

After a moment, she added, “She regrets it now, but that young lady is very fierce and definitely won’t agree.”

Jian Mingyue walked out of the hotel, thinking Forget not agreeing, Tang Xi is crazy. What wouldn’t she do?

But she still consoled Yu Li: “It’s okay. Don’t worry.”

Yu Li was clueless. Jian Mingyue’s words were only meant to give her some peace, to let her find a tiny glimmer of light.

“What do you think I… my friend should do?”

In truth, her initial goal was just to vent her unhappiness. She was close to accepting her fate.

The rich were different from them. They sat at the top of the tower, either looking down, manipulating, or watching with cold eyes. No matter how well they pretended, that arrogance was impossible to remove.

Yu Li was merely a consolation to alleviate their boredom. They would tease her when they were happy and toss her aside when they weren’t.

She was utterly powerless to resist. The only thing she could do was submit, just as Tang Xi said: be obedient, listen.

She had been threatened from the start, with her mother’s life, and later with that blood-stained knife.

It’s already like this. What else could she do?

“Yu Li, don’t be sad. Maybe the young lady will get tired of her soon. Why don’t you just comply for a while? It will be good for both your friend and that young lady.”

How could Jian Mingyue tell her the solution? Yu Li didn’t even know that besides Tang Xi, there was her. A venomous snake covered in skin had already wrapped around her wrist, showing its sharp fangs, but Yu Li only thought it was a harmless rabbit that only ate carrots.

“But…”

Her hope was extinguished. Yu Li paused. The darkness came so swiftly, it had already swallowed her.

“Don’t think too much. Get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow will be better.”

Jian Mingyue’s gentle voice reached her ear. The background was filled with the sound of wind. Yu Li immediately remembered what Jian Mingyue had said earlier—she had just left the hospital.

Yu Li was embarrassed and concerned: “Are you feeling better?”

“The same as always. You know, my condition is like this. I have to go to the hospital every now and then.”

Jian Mingyue smiled faintly and closed the partially open car window.

Yu Li asked, “Then… are you still outside? It’s so late. Be careful alone.”

“If I said yes, would you come pick me up?”

Jian Mingyue looked out the window. Skyscrapers rose up, emitting mesmerizing, illusory light. Crowds surged like a tide into a newly opened park.

This was a place Yu Li had never set foot in.

“It’s very dark here. I’m really scared walking alone.” She softened her voice, whining like an innocent little animal, yet her eyes remained indifferent. It was just a game.

Yu Li couldn’t distinguish the young lady’s joke and grew anxious. She got out of bed and said, “Tell me where you are. I’ll come pick you up.”

“I’m just teasing you.”

Jian Mingyue said with a light laugh: “I’m already home. Don’t worry.”

“That’s good.” Yu Li replied, feeling a little empty. She wasn’t needed.

Jian Mingyue asked: “By the way, can I come over and visit you tomorrow?”

Afraid Yu Li wouldn’t agree, she added a pitiful plea: “I’m so lonely at home by myself on the weekend. They don’t talk to me, and they don’t take me to those gatherings. I don’t want to go to the hospital either. Please, I won’t bother you. I can even study with you.”

Her request was so sincere, like grasping at a life raft. But Yu Li couldn’t agree. She had to be with Tang Xi tomorrow. Tang Xi had said she would pick her up on Saturday morning.

“I’m sorry…”

Yu Li felt helpless. She couldn’t even explain, after all, she was that friend.

After hanging up, Jian Mingyue immediately bombarded Tang Xi with messages, accusing her of various crimes.

To this, Tang Xi’s reply was simple: Then you can come over tomorrow.

At 6:30 AM, Yu Li’s phone alarm rang precisely. After washing up, she first called her mother to tell her she was going to the Tang family today, then waited for a call or message from Tang Xi.

Her mother said on the phone that she wasn’t free to accompany her today and told her to entertain herself.

Just like when she was little. When her mother was busy, she would tell her to play by herself.

Just as a hint of nostalgia sprouted, her phone chimed with a notification. Tang Xi told her to come down.

Wearing a black baseball cap, Yu Li pulled her small suitcase and went downstairs. She laboriously went down six floors by herself. She was fine until she saw Qi Xue.

Qi Xue was squatting on the first-floor landing, feeding her tabby cat with a cat stick. Her scattered red hair covered her lashes, and her eyes were calm.

The tabby cat was well-fed and well-behaved, eating with its tiny head tilted up, its ears twitching.

If only… if only she wasn’t blocking the stairs.

That was Yu Li’s only way out.

She unconsciously tightened her grip on the suitcase handle. They had just quarreled yesterday, and now they ran into each other today.

She was habitually avoidant, so even now she didn’t want to continue walking down. There was more than one path. She would just go around the other way.

Otherwise, she would have to ask Qi Xue to move, which would be too awkward.

She lifted the suitcase, intending to go back up. The wheels of the case began to squeak. She hadn’t packed much, mostly light clothes, but the short walk down made it feel heavy. It was impossible to move silently now.

Qi Xue had seen her a while ago, pulling a suitcase and heading down.

Last night, she had thought hard about whether Yu Li’s new relationship was forced or voluntary.

She eventually figured out that it didn’t matter. They were still friends. That girl was merely occupying the “girlfriend” title; Yu Li didn’t necessarily like her that much.

And it wasn’t a formal marriage. It was just a relationship that could end at any time. She still had a chance.

Qi Xue had been waiting here for Yu Li to come, intending to talk things out. She hadn’t expected Yu Li to completely ignore her, turning back up the stairs without the slightest hesitation.

Qi Xue helplessly stared at Yu Li’s back disappearing around the corner, softly muttering: “Xiao Hua (little flower), did my attitude yesterday make her angry?”

It must be. She had left so decisively yesterday, without any thought for their feelings, leaving Yu Li alone with her so-called girlfriend. How embarrassing for Yu Li!

The kitten meowed, quickly climbing several steps, then turned back to meow at Qi Xue, as if telling her to follow.

Qi Xue didn’t move. She placed the cat stick on the stairwell railing, ignoring the tabby cat. She turned and went home.

What could she say if she chased after her now? Yu Li was leaving and wouldn’t even tell her where her new home was. Her attitude was clear.

She had even… even gone up to ask her which college she was applying to, dreaming that they could be together later. It was a pipe dream.

Aunt Qi returned from her morning exercise and saw her granddaughter sitting at home looking dejected. She quickly went over to comfort her: “What’s wrong now? Did you lose a fight?”

Qi Xue shook her head. She hadn’t been fighting lately. She was very well-behaved, waiting for Yu Li at home every day.

But now that Yu Li was gone, none of that mattered.

Aunt Qi coaxed her granddaughter and asked again: “Then what is it? Tell me.”

Qi Xue lowered her head, not wanting to talk. Aunt Qi patted her back and comforted her for a long time, then suddenly remembered something and mentioned Yu Li.

“I just saw that girl. Why was she going out with luggage?”

“Oh, she left.”

Qi Xue gave a weak reply, her head still drooping.

Aunt Qi let out an “Eh?”, saying her granddaughter must be broken-hearted, looking so listless after the girl left.

Qi Xue didn’t react. They hadn’t even started, and it was already over. Yu Li was gone.

“Grandma, I want to go back.”

After a long time, Qi Xue finally looked up, her hair ends curled from the pressure, her eyes filled with a little bitterness.

She wasn’t someone who ran away from problems. She was just a little sad right now. Just a little.

Aunt Qi patted her hand, her expression tinged with a slight exasperation. Aunt Qi said, “This is your home. Where else do you want to go back to? I’ve lived here since before this place was built. Your mother grew up here too. Why do you want to leave?”

Qi Xue remained silent. Her mother died in the north. She had grown up in the north and had only lived in Tunan City for a total of four years.

“Grandma, I was just kidding.”

She looked up, her eyes slightly red, but still forcing a smile.

Aunt Qi was tired of this sad, melancholic demeanor, lacking any youthful energy. She gave Qi Xue’s shoulder a hard slap: “If you can’t bear to lose her, then go chase her! If you stay silent like a block of wood, who will like you? She left, she didn’t die! Who are you crying for? Can your mother in heaven cast a spell to make that person fall for you?”

“Grandma…”

Qi Xue covered her head. Aunt Qi had flicked her forehead hard. It hurt a little.

“She has a girlfriend.”

Aunt Qi was momentarily stunned. “Well… I didn’t see that coming.”

That little girl was quiet and polite, and good at studying. Why would she be dating? What would her granddaughter do now? She couldn’t possibly walk the line of morality and break up the couple. That’s not right.

Her gaze fell back on her granddaughter’s aggrieved face. Aunt Qi then thought, Maybe it’s not impossible. Yu Li didn’t seem entirely uninterested in her granddaughter. What if?

“Why don’t you give it a try?”

Aunt Qi came up with a bad idea, but Qi Xue refused, placating her with the saying that “a forcefully twisted melon isn’t sweet.”

Aunt Qi thought, A melon might not be sweet, but it can still quench thirst. Her mother was like that back in the day.

Thinking of Qi Xue’s deceased mother, Aunt Qi finally remembered something else she had to say.

“Qi Xue,” she glanced at Qi Xue, bringing up her relatives in the north subtly.

“North Hope City called. They said she’s coming to Tunan City for a business trip these days and wants to stay at our house. What do you think?”

“Grandma, why did you take her call?”

Qi Xue immediately interrupted her grandmother: “You know she’s the one who made my mom…”

“I know, I know. I’m asking you first, aren’t I? If you don’t agree, then it’s a no. We won’t let her stay.”

Aunt Qi quickly soothed her granddaughter. It had been almost three years, and she still couldn’t mention that person’s name in front of Qi Xue. She couldn’t. If she did, Qi Xue would get upset and wouldn’t listen to anyone.

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