After clarifying Zhang Xinyue's address, Zhou Guanghan quickly sent her back.
With the sound of keys being pulled out and a door opening, Zhang Xinyue arrived home.
However, Zhou Guanghan didn't dare to leave; after some thought, he honestly stood in the stairwell, pacing back and forth, planning to wait for Chen Pingjiang to arrive.
Fang Yuting was humming a song while brushing her teeth in the bathroom when she heard the door being pushed open and footsteps in the room.
She mumbled indistinctly,
"Xinyue, your graduation ceremony lasted until now? Have you eaten?"
No one answered for a long time.
"Why aren't you speaking?"
Still no answer.
A little puzzled, Fang Yuting rinsed her mouth, wiped her hands, and curiously walked into the living room, where she saw Zhang Xinyue slumped on the sofa, silent.
This two-bedroom, one-living room apartment was rented by her and Zhang Xinyue together a while ago.
Since starting work at Renren.com, the company provided housing subsidies.
To avoid a long commute and get more sleep every morning, the two decided to rent an apartment near Gemini.
"What's wrong? Why are you crying? Isn't a graduation ceremony normal? My graduation ceremony wasn't like yours."
Fang Yuting curiously sat next to Zhang Xinyue and reached out to touch her forehead:
"You're not sick either."
"Oh, you're scaring me to death, Xinyue, what on earth is wrong with you? Did you suffer injustice or were you bullied?"
"I... I'm fine, you go rest, I'll be fine after sitting for a bit."
"But how can I sleep when you're like this? Are we still good best friend? You won't even tell me anything?"
Zhang Xinyue didn't not want to say it; she just didn't know how or where to begin.
How could such an absurd scene be told to outsiders?
Fang Yuting now felt a little sorry for those men; women are indeed hard to coax.
...
When Chen Pingjiang arrived at Zhang Xinyue's place, Zhou Guanghan had already smoked two or three cigarettes with his head down.
After finding Zhou Guanghan at the stairwell, Chen Pingjiang patted his shoulder:
"Go back to your work."
"Alright, Uncle-Grandpa, it's the first door on the right."
Looking at Uncle-Grandpa's back, Zhou Guanghan was both envious and curious.
"I wonder how Uncle-Grandpa manages his time, with so many Auntie-Grandmas."
After Chen Pingjiang reached Zhang Xinyue's residence, he took a deep breath and knocked on the door.
After a long while, the door opened a small crack, and half a head peeked out.
"Huh?"
The girl inside first curiously looked at Chen Pingjiang for a moment, then her eyes widened, as if she had seen a ghost:
"Mr. Chen... Mr. Chen?"
"Yes, it's me. Please open the door first."
"Oh, oh, okay. Please come in."
Fang Yuting's mind was spinning; she never would have guessed that the person knocking was Chen Pingjiang.
After the initial shock subsided, the fire of gossip began to burn fiercely in her heart.
Oh my god!
Mr. Chen actually came to see Xinyue.
So Xinyue had been lying all along, saying she didn't know Mr. Chen despite being at the same school.
No, what exactly is their relationship?
Coming home so late, it couldn't possibly be for work, could it?
Besides, their positions are so different, what work could they discuss?
Also, Xinyue is very unhappy...
One clue after another connected, and after eliminating all impossibilities, no matter how strange the final result, it would be the most correct one.
Suddenly!
Fang Yuting's eyes widened; she had figured everything out.
For a moment, she was dying of curiosity, wanting to secretly listen in, but also felt it was immoral to do so.
Damn it, I can't hold back much longer, it's okay to listen a little, right? After all, it's my home, and I'm not intentionally listening.
What if Mr. Chen finds out and fires me?
Wuwuwuwu, who can teach me!
Chen Pingjiang naturally ignored Fang Yuting and went straight to the living room, where he saw Zhang Xinyue curled up on the sofa, hugging her legs, not saying a word.
Upon seeing Chen Pingjiang, a flicker of light passed through her eyes, then she seemed to remember something and turned her head away, not looking at him.
"Go to your bedroom first,"
Chen Pingjiang said.
Zhang Xinyue was initially unwilling, thinking,
'Why are you ordering me around in my own home?'
But seeing Fang Yuting's small head flashing in the corner of her eye and her perked ears, and connecting it to Chen Pingjiang's identity, she still reluctantly led Chen Pingjiang into the bedroom.
Chen Pingjiang noticed that Zhang Xinyue's walking posture was still a bit awkward and asked softly with a hint of pity,
"Does it still hurt?"
Zhang Xinyue, who was returning to the bedroom, happened to see Fang Yuting, who looked guilty.
Hearing Chen Pingjiang's question, her face immediately flushed.
Watching the two walk into the bedroom one after another, and the door clicking shut, Fang Yuting stamped her foot in annoyance.
No gossip to be had.
Chen Pingjiang curiously looked around Zhang Xinyue's room after entering.
Do all women's bedrooms have a faint fragrance?
"Oh, I rushed all the way here, I'm exhausted."
With that, Chen Pingjiang flopped onto the bed, finding a comfortable position.
This made Zhang Xinyue, who had a slight obsession with cleanliness, very uncomfortable:
"Hey, you're sitting on the bed without taking off your clothes and pants? So dirty."
"Oh, okay."
Chen Pingjiang began to take off his clothes upon hearing this.
"You! Don't take them off!"
"You want me to take them off, and then you want me not to take them off, you're really hard to please."
An angry Zhang Xinyue glared at Chen Pingjiang, her cheeks puffed out.
"Why are you still coming to find me? Is that little vixen Cong Nini willing to let you come over?"
Chen Pingjiang smiled:
"What does it matter if she's willing or not? Can her unwillingness stop me?"
"You talk big. If she calls you 'husband,' I bet your legs would go soft."
Zhang Xinyue rolled her eyes, yet she felt a tiny bit pleased that Chen Pingjiang was speaking up for her like this.
"If you don't believe me, you can call me husband too, I don't mind."
"Shameless."
Adjusting his posture, Chen Pingjiang said,
"I came to clarify things with you, not to bicker. We're sort of old rivals. Since high school, I was already annoyed by your haughty demeanor, and also forced by your mom... Oh, I'm not cursing you. That's why we broke up."
"But you came to Finance University to find me without a word, to be honest, I was a little touched. But you have to admit, our personalities would make being together very exhausting. If it were just an ordinary guy, he'd probably be obsessed with your personality, but I can't. My work is very busy, and if we were together, I'd have to manage your emotions every day, which I can't do. So I kept my distance."
"If you ask me if I like you, that's nonsense. If I didn't like you, I wouldn't have kissed you at that class reunion during the New Year. Seeing you come to work at Renren.com, I understood your feelings."
"What happened today was indeed absurd. I know you're somewhat unable to accept it, mainly because that girl Cong Nini kept stirring things up, and then you got provoked and lost your head, leading to this situation. I'll also be frank with you, our reaching this point is both accidental and inevitable."
"So, I've also come to understand that rather than regretting it later, it's better to be assertive and not let you go. The old me might not have cared, but the current me cannot just watch you start a new life with another man. You can call me overbearing or bossy, but in short, you can only and must be my woman. Apart from that red marriage certificate, I can give you everything else."
Zhang Xinyue's expression flickered, and after a long moment, she stood up and ran to the bedroom door, pulling it open.
A gasp of "Ay ya" was heard, and Fang Yuting, who was eavesdropping at the door, almost lost her balance and tumbled in.
"I... I'm sorry, I just wanted to ask if you were hungry, I was going to make some instant noodles. Uh, you two... you two carry on, don't mind me."
Chen Pingjiang was a bit speechless; what era was this, and people were still eavesdropping?
After closing the door again, Zhang Xinyue scoffed and looked at Chen Pingjiang:
"You always say I'm arrogant, that I have a temper, but haven't you also tried to tolerate me? Yes, I've never forgotten you, always wanting to try my best to grasp that tiny possibility, even convincing myself to find you at Renren.com, even fantasizing about a new start with you.
But wasn't that last part of what you said too overbearing? Can't I even regret it? I've already paid the price for my impulsiveness. Am I now unable to leave, unable to start a new life, unable to date other guys, only able to live under your shadow?"
Chen Pingjiang met Zhang Xinyue's eyes, his attitude very firm:
"Yes, you cannot."
"Fine, I promise you. But from now on, you are not allowed to associate with Cong Nini anymore."
Zhang Xinyue drew a red line.
"I can't do that either. Just as she wouldn't let me associate with you, I don't respond to any threats."
"Chen Pingjiang, you've changed, you've become a little unfamiliar to me. The you in my memory was sunny, and while you could be bossy, you wouldn't be this unreasonable."
Zhang Xinyue was fuming.
Chen Pingjiang smiled helplessly:
"Perhaps this is the price of growth. The me in your memory is me, and the current me is also me. People always grow, and I admit that after gaining wealth and status, my mindset has indeed changed. There's nothing wrong with pursuing what you like."
By now, Zhang Xinyue had actually accepted a considerable part of it, but things had happened too quickly, and there was still a lingering anger in her heart.
Seeing Zhang Xinyue no longer speaking, Chen Pingjiang finally stood up from the bed, walked to Zhang Xinyue's side, and put his arm around her shoulder:
"Don't cause trouble anymore after all these years. I know you're upset; you can hit me, scold me. Apart from a marriage certificate, I can give you everything else, even my life."
Perhaps it was Chen Pingjiang's initiative, or perhaps she gave up on her internal struggle, Zhang Xinyue finally leaned into Chen Pingjiang's embrace.
One step forward meant an abyss, never seeing each other again, unhappiness.
One step back might not necessarily bring much happiness, but at least there was possession.
After a long while, Chen Pingjiang had soothed Zhang Xinyue before stepping out of the bedroom and knocking on Fang Yuting's door.
Fang Yuting, who was distracted and with the fire of gossip burning brightly, quickly opened the door.
Upon seeing the big boss at the door, her face changed, and she almost cried:
"Mr. Chen, I really... I didn't hear anything just now."
"Ah, I'm not here for that. Fang Yuting, right? That's a nice name. Zhang Xinyue and I are classmates; I just came to see her today. Also, you need to work hard. I know property prices in nearby communities have risen sharply recently. Starting this month, your salary will be doubled, considering it as thanks for taking care of Zhang Xinyue all this time."
"?"
Fang Yuting was stunned.
She thought she was going to be fired, but unexpectedly, it was a double raise.
For a moment, she really wanted to shout for joy.
It was too good.
"Ahem. Also, some things are better kept to yourself, okay? Don't tell anyone else, otherwise, it might cause misunderstandings."
Fang Yuting, who had just been given a carrot, understood immediately and patted her chest:
"Don't worry, Mr. Chen, I have a bad memory; I'll forget everything tomorrow."
Chen Pingjiang nodded in satisfaction and finally left.
After seeing Chen Pingjiang off, Fang Yuting finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The moment she closed the door, she jumped up, dancing excitedly:
"YES, hurray, I can clear my shopping cart next month!"
"Xinyue, Xinyue, are you asleep?"
Zhang Xinyue looked up and saw her happy best friend.
The bedroom door hadn't been closed, so she had already heard their conversation.
"You're bought off by so little money?"
"Nonsense, am I that easy to buy off? I'm doing this for your happiness. Haven't you always said there was a guy you liked at the company? I really didn't expect it to be Mr. Chen, you've kept it too deep a secret."
Fang Yuting put her hands on her hips, looking righteous:
"As your best friend, I fully support your choice and am happy that you can achieve a good outcome. So... quickly tell me, what happened today!?"
Zhang Xinyue: "..."
(End of Chapter)