This matter seems to have temporarily come to an end.
Ji Yu specifically sought out Lu Xingchen to explain the current situation.
"Thank you for all the trouble you went through before. If anything comes up, feel free to reach out to me directly. I don’t remember much about the past, but what you did today made me realize we must be very good friends."
Since she had already sensed something was off, she knew she had to maintain things just .
After hearing Ji Yu’s words, how could he not understand? This was a decisive rejection, though he wasn’t yet willing to fully accept it.
"Yu, you must have already realized that I have feelings for you, right? Honestly, you don’t need to dwell on it. Knowing that I like you is enough for me."
She was still quite particular about this matter.
Since she’d already stated before that she wanted to spend her life with Gu Qixiao, facing this kind of situation, it was better to be upfront.
"I just want to be good friends with you. It’s not because you like me. We’re fundamentally not suitable for each other. Besides, haven’t you met anyone suitable among the many people around you?"
Ji Yu always felt that he was being overly stubborn about this, which might be why these thoughts lingered now.
But there was truly no need to let this continue.
Everyone’s hearts should find some calm.
"The person I love is Gu Qixiao, so I can’t love someone else. What I’m saying to you now is sincere. I hope you can be happy. Moving forward, don’t keep fixating ; choosing someone else to love wouldn’t be a bad thing at all."
Ji Yu gazed at the man in front of her, hoping he wouldn’t continue such a fruitless one-sided love.
Lu Xingchen’s expression immediately turned bitter. He didn’t know what he should say.
Eventually, he nodded and agreed to Ji Yu’s words.
"Yu, honestly, as long as you tell me directly, I won’t cling to you anymore. To me, just loving you has brought me such happiness. Even if you don’t respond to me, as long as you remain in my heart, I have the courage to keep going."
What he had ever wanted wasn’t Ji Yu’s reciprocation but merely the bond that existed between them.
There might still be problems now, but eventually, he would make Ji Yu understand that feelings don’t necessarily mean being together. Even this form of love wasn’t so bad.
Ji Yu was slightly surprised by his words, something she hadn’t anticipated.
She only loved one person, so she couldn’t respond to this kind of affection.
"I understand. I just hope you can keep thinking this way in the future. I wish for your happiness, no matter what. We’ll always be friends."
Indeed, the term "friends" seemed so mysterious, often leaving people with a nagging pain.
Every time, he would think, how wonderful it would be if Ji Yu could be with him.
But the reality was right in front of them, and no matter who said it, the result was the same.
"I understand what you mean."
As Ji Yu left, she felt a sense of melancholy.
How did she end up with someone so stubborn?
There really wasn’t any need for things to turn so awkward between them; wouldn’t it be better if everyone could just be happy together?
"Yu, I actually have something I need to discuss with you." Her agent called out to her as soon as he spotted her.
Without him saying anything, Ji Yu already knew it had to be about Lu Xingchen.
"Yu, if you don’t like Xingchen, then don’t keep stringing him along. What should matter most to him right now is his career, but look at what foolish things he’s done because of his feelings for you."
As he spoke, he also blamed Lu Xingchen for not being assertive enough—why did he like someone yet fail to win her over?
Ji Yu felt helpless about this matter as well. "You’re better off telling all this to Lu Xingchen. I’ve already told him—we’re just friends."
They were friends, so there’d never be anything ambiguous between them.
Plus, she had long since determined to spend her life with Gu Qixiao. How could she falter now?
Her manager felt disheartened upon hearing this. "Yu, I’m begging you. Moving forward, could you two just stop interacting for the time being? If this keeps going, it will only make you both even more upset." Read full story at novel★fire.net
He cared deeply about Ji Yu’s situation.
Ji Yu understood his intentions, so at this point, she could only agree.
"Alright, I won’t seek out Lu Xingchen anymore. I also hope you won’t have any further thoughts about this matter. I’ve never expected anything from Lu Xingchen; I’m grateful for everything he’s done, and that’s all there is to it."
When gratitude was warranted, she would still feel it. But if he wanted her to engage in something more personal, Ji Yu would never agree.
Isn’t this what relationships are like?
You can be friends, but you can’t be lovers.
After Ji Yu left, her agent had initially intended to say something to Lu Xingchen, yet as he opened the door, he found Lu Xingchen standing outside, and it was unclear how long he’d been there.
Seeing his expression, the agent tentatively asked, "When did you get here? Just now, I was talking to Yu about some things. It’s not a big deal."
His demeanor remained calm as ever. "I understand."
Back in his room, the façade of composure fell apart completely. He was the youngest actor ever to win Best Actor at the film festival, so in public, maintaining his composure was effortless. Pretending not to care was second nature.
But when he was alone, these thoughts would overwhelm him, tearing him apart inside. Just thinking about Ji Yu made him feel an unbearable ache in his chest.
He didn’t know what else he could do—he only knew that his heart had been shattered.
"Yu, why do you have to be so indifferent to me? All I ever wanted was to keep you in my heart, that’s all."
Meanwhile, on Ji Yu’s end, she was feeling uneasy after returning home.
"Yu, what are you thinking about?" He took the cup from her hands, careful to prevent her from getting burned.
Only then did she snap out of her daze, realizing she’d just been lost in thought.
"Nothing, I was just thinking about some things related to Lu Xingchen. The two of us are clearly just friends, so why does he insist on liking me?"
Sometimes, liking someone can affect the dynamic between two people, creating unpleasant situations.
Like now, Ji Yu felt uncomfortable whenever she thought about it.
"I don’t know how to talk about this, but I know I can’t accept it emotionally. I wanted him to calm down, yet he said those things."