Wan Donglin saw her finally smile. His eyebrows lifted, and his mood brightened considerably. "Xixi, the weather is beautiful today. Want to take a walk? I can take you out to buy something. What do you want?"
Wan Donglin stood up and extended his hand toward her. "Come on, go out with me. It’s no fun staying cooped up all the time."
She still didn’t move, just shaking her head again.
What a homebody. Such vibrant youth, and yet she was cooped up ? What was the point of it all?!
Wan Donglin was slightly displeased. But then his gaze fell upon her as she sat by the window. The blue roses beside her almost seemed to render her face translucent, like a delicate, distant landscape. He swallowed, and his voice softened. "Xixi, I’ll arrange for someone to teach you to drive. Once you learn, I’ll get you a sports car. You can go wherever you want. Staying at home all day will make you terribly bored and withdrawn..."
"I’m not bored at all. Mr. Wan, please go about your own arrangements. You don’t need to concern yourself with me."
"Yan Xixi, are you afraid of running into Huang Xiaojue outside?"
She suddenly stared at him.
Wan Donglin scoffed. "If that’s what you’re worried about, you can rest assured. In my circle, you absolutely will not run into Huang Xiaojue."
"Mr. Wan, I think you’re very clear that Huang Xiaojue and I have absolutely nothing to do with each other anymore!"
This "Mr. Wan" made his blood boil. At least she still called Huang Xiaojue by his name. Yet, for over three months, she had only ever called him ’Mr. Wan.’
"Yan Xixi, do you think Huang Xiaojue really loves you?"
An unspoken protest seethed within her.
"He supported you, helped take care of your mother, and gave you what money he could. He even transferred back to this city for you. Do you think that’s enough to prove he truly loves you?"
Isn’t that enough proof?
But of course, Yan Xixi would not rebut him, much less argue. She remained silent. Her silence agitated Wan Donglin even more. He said coldly, "Have you forgotten how you dropped out of school?"
She slightly lifted her eyebrows. "What does that have to do with Huang Xiaojue?"
"Of course it does! If he truly loved you, he wouldn’t have gone on to graduate school. Think about it: he was three years ahead of you. If he had started working right after graduating from college, he could have provided for your living expenses and tuition, and cared for your mother. That way, you wouldn’t have had to drift about in hardship, drop out of school, and ultimately resort to becoming a tea or alcohol shill..."
She chuckled. "Mr. Wan, do you really think Huang Xiaojue’s life was meant to be sold to me, to revolve entirely around me? That I could command him to live or die as I pleased? Can’t he have even a little personal space and freedom?"
Wan Donglin’s face hardened. "So, don’t go expecting some grand love. I’m telling you, there’s no such thing as true love in this world. Rich men don’t have it, and poor men don’t either. Many foolish women are always prattling on about ’love being all you need.’ But let me tell you, all that so-called ’together in life and death,’ so-called ’putting your lover first’—it’s all fucking bullshit. Since Huang Xiaojue couldn’t sacrifice everything for you, he obviously doesn’t love you as much as you imagine! At best, he’s just like me, merely lusting after your beauty."
His words struck her like a physical blow.
"Yan Xixi, don’t be so dismissive. Didn’t Huang Xiaojue also lose interest and go on blind dates the moment you two had a little disagreement?"
"How did you know he went on blind dates?"
Wan Donglin met her suddenly sharp gaze and chuckled awkwardly. "Is that so difficult to find out?"