The few seated were all silent. Other than Qin Xian who was firmly infatuated with Ling Yinuo, the other two were undoubtedly wanderers among women. Saying anything about love was moot; their mere acknowledgment of these women as their "official girlfriends" already seemed like a grand "favor". Yet to their surprise, with just a word from the assistant, she was asking for "real love"!
But they couldn’t ridicule Jian Anning. For a woman, since Yu Zexiao had the thought of developing something with her, what was wrong with her asking about his feelings?
After a long silence, it was Mo Siyu who spoke again. This time, he abandoned his previous mockery and said softly, "Xingxing, maybe you should give up!"
The few people in the room instantly looked at him as Mo Siyu gave a bitter smile. "I originally thought Xingxing had taken a liking to a run-of-the-mill assistant. With his status, what kind of woman couldn’t he have? Even if the assistant was a bit tricky to deal with, it would just require a bit more effort. But now..."
He had tasted that kind of liking for someone, liking them enough to want to share the ebb and flow of life together, but in the end? It was precisely because of this experience that he didn’t want to open his heart and preferred to play among the throngs of women alone.
Only Qin Xian looked over and said, "Xingxing, think it over. Do you really want to develop something with her?"
Although Yu Zexiao couldn’t give Jian Anning the love she wanted, he truly wished to continue with her. Thus, he nodded.
"Even if—you eventually go public with your relationship or—even—end up together?"
Yu Zexiao hesitated again before nodding.
Qin Xian asked, "If you’re not afraid of ending up with her, doesn’t that mean it’s love?"
"It’s not the same!" Yu Zexiao shook his head.
He knew that his so-called "love", which was like the rush of a cold fever or the chaos of a storm, had only happened once so far.
"Then I ask you—if another man touched her, would you be willing to accept it?"
Yu Zexiao immediately glared at him!
Qin Xian continued, "You want to be with her and you don’t like the idea of other men touching her. You’ve even considered more long-term issues—isn’t that liking someone?"
Yu Zexiao was stumped by the question.
Is this—liking someone?
No, he had clearly experienced the taste of love, that thrilling sensation. Love isn’t like that, he had never felt that way about Jian Anning—not even a heartbeat’s disruption! Jian Anning was right, from beginning to end, he really only wanted to sleep with her!
However, he wasn’t like Ling Yichuan and Mo Siyu, who would casually play when they liked someone and discard them when they lost interest. He truly had contemplated a more distant future—he might have a future with her, sharing a lifetime together!
But without love, only tied by SEX, could it last?
Qin Xian said in silence, "I think, Miss Jian is a very nice person. If you really like her, perhaps you should consider it."
"But what if... Xingxing really meets the person he once had feelings for, what then?" Mo Siyu expressed a contrary view. "Or what if, suddenly, he gets over his germaphobia and is able to accept other women in the future, then what should the assistant do?"