Zhixi stared at him, dazed.
It seemed to take forever before she grasped the meaning of his words, her complexion gradually turning ghastly pale.
Ringlets of red started to form around her eyes, yet she still stubbornly resisted the urge to cry.
"I... I didn’t think that way," she explained hurriedly, her voice choked up, "this is for the best."
Yes, this was indeed for the best.
Since he no longer loved her, there was no need for her to agonize or suffer anymore. Her choice was doomed from the beginning.
"So, there’s no need for you to deliberately flee back to S country," He Jingyao said indifferently. "If you’re unwilling to maintain our current relationship, I won’t force you—you can rest assured."
"No..." she struggled to utter the word, her vision blurring, "I’m not willing."
He Jingyao chuckled, "Well, after all, I don’t wish to die young."
Zhixi felt a lump in her throat. She thought she should appear more composed, more poised, but she couldn’t... She had imagined all possibilities except for this one—he no longer loved her.
Therefore, her struggles and pains had been unnecessary from the start.
How laughable, why did she assume that He Jingyao would still love her as he did four years ago?
She closed her eyes and wrapped herself tightly with the blanket, "I’m sorry."
He Jingyao watched her silently, his dark eyes revealing no hint of emotion.
After a moment, he slightly curled his lips, "Alright, I’ll wait for you in the living room."
Having said that, he turned and walked out.
Zhixi watched his unapologetic retreating figure, finally allowing tears to fall.
So it truly was just her illusion.
His tenderness was not meant for Su Zixi.
If she had never returned, she could have continued deceiving herself that he still loved her. But she had returned, and all her fantasies were brutally shattered, dissolving completely like soap bubbles in the air.
Half an hour later, Gu Zhixi stood in front of the mirror, looking at herself.
The traces of tears on her face had vanished, but the slight redness around her eyes betrayed the fact that she had been crying hard not too long ago.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
Actually, this outcome wasn’t so bad, was it? She had never planned on returning to his side anyway. Whether he still loved her or not, the result was the same. Now, his honesty had finally made her give up any illusions.
This was actually good.
Thinking this, she even tried to smile.
But the reflection in the mirror showed an incredibly unattractive smile, worse than crying.
She laughed bitterly in her heart, spaced out for a while, and then left the bedroom.
Outside, the man was sitting at the dining table, stirring a cup of coffee. His eyebrows and eyes, as always, were dark and tranquil, his gaze fixed on the coffee as if in deep thought.
He Jingyao looked up and saw her coming out, smiling faintly, "I had breakfast brought over. See if it suits your taste."
His tone was courteously detached—a perfect fit for their current relationship.
Yet this only further verified that what he had said was true.