Returning - Chapter 148
Chapter 148: Ex-Boyfriend and Current Boyfriend
Because of that gentle yet incredibly prolonged lovemaking, Zhao Yu delayed her departure from Xue Zhan's villa by another day, not leaving until the following morning.
This time, Xue Zhan didn't say anything more, nor did he try to stop her. He simply gave a deep-voiced order to the driver to take her back to her apartment.
She had planned to drop off her suitcase and immediately go find Ji Sui, but as soon as she reached her door, she ran into Xue Zi'ang again.
She hadn't expected him to come looking for her. She hadn't even checked the door monitor beforehand. Now, facing him so suddenly, she was momentarily taken aback. "Have you been waiting long?"
Xue Zi'ang looked at the suitcase in her hand. "After leaving the hospital, you've been staying at his place the whole time?"
It had only been a couple of days; it hardly qualified as "the whole time." Looking at his face, which seemed even more haggard than days before, Zhao Yu paused, then said, "Come in first."
Xue Zi'ang naturally took the suitcase from her hand. She didn't stop him. Using her fingerprint to unlock the door, she led him inside.
She gestured for him to sit on the sofa, politely poured him a glass of water, and then seated herself at the far end, polite and distant.
Seeing her attitude, Xue Zi'ang gave a self-deprecating smile and asked, "Do you still hate me?"
Zhao Yu looked at him, amused. "Haven't you already learned the truth? What right do I have to hate you? If anyone should be hating, it's you hating me."
"If you don't hate me, then let's start over."
Watching his utterly serious expression, Zhao Yu was momentarily stunned. "Do you know what you're saying?"
"I said, let's start over." Xue Zi'ang fixed his gaze on her, enunciating each word. "Zhao Yu, let's start over. If you want revenge, I can help you too."
Seeing she didn't answer, he added, "I admit, I'm no match for Xue Zhan in many ways, but there are some things I can do that he might not be able to."
Zhao Yu raised an eyebrow. "For example?"
"You should know, he currently holds only ten percent of Huacan's shares. My mother and I together also hold ten percent. The rest is still in my grandfather's hands. Our family has absolute control over Huacan, but as long as Grandfather is here, he calls the shots in this family, and the same goes for the board of directors and shareholders' meetings. I know my grandfather. If Xue Zhan wants to use the company to settle a personal vendetta for you, Grandfather will definitely not agree."
Zhao Yu smiled faintly. "So, you're saying Xue Zhan can't fight your grandfather, but you can?"
"Exactly. Have you forgotten what I told you? I have a trump card."
Of course, Zhao Yu remembered. When he had mentioned it before, he had been extremely flippant, saying that as long as he cried while holding his father's photograph, the Old Master would agree to whatever he wanted to do.
She certainly didn't doubt the truth of those words. After all, Old Master Xue had endured the pain of losing his son and pitied Xue Zi'ang for losing his father at a young age. The doting he received was beyond compare.
Looking at the uncharacteristically solemn Xue Zi'ang, Zhao Yu asked, "You already know my true colors. Even if you don't hate me, that still doesn't mean..."
"I can't let go." He continued to stare fixedly at her. "These past two days, staying alone, I've thought about a lot of things. I really can't accept that you deceived me, can't accept you've had so many... so many other men. But I just don't want to let go. Whether the person I liked before was a role you deliberately acted out, real or fake, it was still you. Anyway, I fell in love, and I can't just drop it whenever I want."
Hearing such a long, heartfelt confession so suddenly, Zhao Yu was at a loss for how to react for a moment.
Back when she wore a mask, constantly displaying boundless affection towards him, he had almost evasively refused to acknowledge their relationship, let alone express his feelings for her so earnestly. She never expected this kind of treatment after revealing her true face.
After a long silence, she finally looked at him and smiled again. "But you also know, the thing I want to do most right now is revenge. To be honest, relying on just you alone isn't enough. I've said the same thing to Xue Zhan."
His hand resting on the sofa clenched involuntarily. Xue Zi'ang asked, "So, not just Xue Zhan, but Xu Chengyan, Ji Sui, Shang Lu... you won't... let go of a single one?"
"Yes." Zhao Yu looked directly into his eyes, her answer crisp and decisive.
The corner of his mouth twitched powerlessly. Xue Zi'ang stared at her blankly for a long moment, still not knowing what else he could say.
Zhao Yu sighed softly, checked the time on her phone, and was just about to tell him she needed to go out and he should leave, when the doorbell suddenly rang.
Xue Zi'ang was still immersed in the previous issue and didn't react. Zhao Yu, however, jumped, instinctively opening WeChat, but didn't see any message from Ji Sui.
But at a time like this, who else could it be but Ji Sui? She had just left Xue Zhan's place; surely Xue Zhan hadn't followed her here?
Nervously, she got up and walked to the door. Zhao Yu peered through the peephole. It was indeed Ji Sui.
She had only told him she was back from her trip and could come find him soon. Who knew he would show up at her door unannounced?
She hurried back to the sofa and whispered to Xue Zi'ang, "Ji Sui is here."
Hearing that name, Xue Zi'ang finally had a reaction, looking up at her with a sardonic smile. "Your boyfriend?"
As he spoke, he seemed to recall something, arching an eyebrow. "He doesn't have your key, nor does he know your passcode?"
As her acknowledged official boyfriend, he didn't even have the right to enter her apartment freely. Compared to his own treatment as her ex-boyfriend, that was far worse.
Thinking this, Xue Zi'ang finally felt a bit more at ease.
Of course, for Zhao Yu, this didn't mean Xue Zi'ang held a more important place in her heart. It was simply because Ji Sui was too honest and hadn't proactively brought up the matter of keys and passcodes, so she had played dumb too, minimizing any potential for trouble.
Xue Zi'ang smiled. "Should I hide?"
That had indeed been Zhao Yu's first instinct, but after glancing around, she shook her head.
Her place here was small, only one bedroom. Where could he hide? Ji Sui was already here, and chances were high he'd be staying the night. How could she hide him?
Giving Xue Zi'ang a deep look, Zhao Yu calmly walked back to the door and, under his somewhat surprised gaze, slowly pulled it open.
Ji Sui stood outside, beaming, unusually holding a bouquet of flowers. "I missed you too much, couldn't wait for you to come to my place. I came over first."
Zhao Yu smiled, taking the flowers, and stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. Then, she gestured with her eyes towards Xue Zi'ang's direction. "Come in, quickly."
Following her gaze, the smile on Ji Sui's face instantly froze.
Zhao Yu gripped his hand tightly and said calmly, "President Xue said he had something to discuss with me, so..."
No matter how honest or naive a person was, they couldn't truly believe Xue Zi'ang was here to discuss business. Besides, Ji Sui's naivety was only in front of the girl he liked. Having lived so many years and spent three or four years in the corporate world after leaving the military, how could he not understand Xue Zi'ang's intentions?
He reached out and wrapped an arm around Zhao Yu's waist, his gaze chilling, his eyes filled with hostility. "Is President Xue unaware of the impropriety of an adult man entering a single woman's residence?"
His gaze drifted from the bouquet in Zhao Yu's hand to the arm around her waist. Xue Zi'ang suddenly chuckled. "I neither forced entry nor used threats or bribes. What impropriety is there?"
Clearly feeling Ji Sui's arm around her waist tighten even more, Zhao Yu could only secretly shoot Xue Zi'ang a warning glance, then said flatly to him, "President Xue, regarding the matter you wanted to discuss, I've already made myself very clear. Now that my boyfriend is here, please, if you would."
Xue Zi'ang clenched his fists, staring intensely at her for a few seconds, before finally rising from the sofa and striding towards the door with his long legs.
As he passed Ji Sui, he deliberately paused. "That fight the other day wasn't satisfying enough. When shall we have another go?"
Ji Sui eyed the bruises still lingering at the corner of his mouth and sneered dismissively. "Since President Xue wants to court humiliation again, I'll oblige."
Xue Zi'ang cast a meaningful glance at Zhao Yu, then looked back at Ji Sui with a look of pity. "Who wins and who loses isn't certain yet. When Assistant Ji loses, remember, be sure not to... cry."
Watching him stride arrogantly out the door with a light laugh, Zhao Yu quickly went over and closed it, then looked cautiously at Ji Sui. "Are you... mad at me?"
Ji Sui's smile faded as he looked at her seriously. "Yes, I'm mad."
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