Chapter 723: Chapter 723: Apology
Li Jingming seemed somewhat uncomfortable, but he still insisted, “Nianyao, I just want to have a few words with you. Can we go out and talk, please? I was wrong about everything before, and I want to formally apologize to you.”
After saying that, he gazed affectionately at Zhong Niangyao. The deep emotions in his eyes seemed as if they could melt someone’s heart.
However, although he appeared calm on the surface, his heart was already hanging by a thread. Now that he had decided to pursue Zhong Niangyao again, he naturally could not let this opportunity slip away. He didn’t know where Zhong Niangyao was staying in the resort, let alone how long she would be staying there.
The only thing he knew was that this was his only, and his last, chance. If he couldn’t talk to Zhong Niangyao today, then it was very likely that he would never get another opportunity.
Therefore, he was always surreptitiously keeping an eye on Zhong Niangyao’s table. And, before they asked for the check, he had already asked for leave in advance.
After Zhong Niangyao and her companions left, he followed them secretly, hoping to catch a moment when Zhong Niangyao was alone and then strike up a conversation.
Unexpectedly, it wasn’t long before an opportunity presented itself. It seemed that even the heavens were on his side!
“Oh!” Zhong Niangyao looked at Li Jingming with a half-smile, “What is it that you can’t say here? I don’t think there’s anything between us that needs to be discussed in private.”
A flicker of dark uncertainty flashed in Li Jingming’s eyes, and then he lowered his stance even more, “Nianyao, I’m just asking to say a few words, please. Give me a chance to apologize!”
Zhong Niangyao looked at Li Jingming and said nothing, just quietly observed him.
Under her sharp gaze that seemed to see through everything, Li Jingming, despite trying to stay composed, had already broken into a cold sweat. He didn’t know if Zhong Niangyao had seen through anything, but he could only grit his teeth and keep insisting, determined not to give up his only chance.
Just when Li Jingming thought he could hardly hold on any longer, Zhong Niangyao spoke again.
“Fine.”
After receiving Zhong Niangyao’s consent, the smile on Li Jingming’s face appeared even more sincere.
Soon, the two of them found themselves sitting opposite each other in a café next to the toy store.
But after ordering their drinks, Li Jingming remained silent. Even when the coffee was served in front of them, he still hadn’t said a word.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to speak, but rather he was contemplating how to start the conversation without seeming too abrupt.
In the past, it was always Zhong Niangyao who chased after him. Now that it was his turn to coax Zhong Niangyao, he truly didn’t know how to begin.
“Aren’t you here to apologize?” Zhong Niangyao was getting a little impatient, “It seems your sincerity isn’t that great after all! All this time and you can’t even say a word of apology; you’re wasting my time.”
Seeing Zhong Niangyao looking like she was about to get up and leave, Li Jingming got anxious. He quickly spoke up, “No, I really am sincere in wanting to apologize.”
“Nianyao, everything that happened in the past was my fault. I was blinded by Shen Yixue, and that’s why I treated you the way I did. I am here to sincerely apologize to you for having hurt you before. I’m truly sorry.”
Zhong Niangyao looked at Li Jingming and nodded, “Alright, I’ve heard you now. Since you’re done, I’ll take my leave.”
With that, she stood up, intending to leave.
She did not feel at all that Li Jingming truly recognized his mistake. If he did, he wouldn’t have shifted all the blame onto Shen Yixue.
It seemed that even after falling to such straits, Li Jingming still did not think that the mistakes of the past were his. Although Shen Yixue was certainly abhorrent, Li Jingming was not at all innocent.
As Zhong Niangyao was about to leave, Li Jingming panicked. He reached out to hold onto the standing Zhong Niangyao, but she swiftly dodged his hand.
“Li Jingming,” Zhong Niangyao dodged his hand and looked at him with eyes cold as ice, “If you can’t control your hands, don’t blame me for being rude. Anything disobedient should just be chopped off.”
Watching Zhong Niangyao’s frosty demeanor, Li Jingming panicked, sweat breaking out on his back again, with beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
For a moment, he thought about pulling back, but the cruelty of life snapped his mind back to reality, reminding him that even in fear, he must persist.
Because if he wanted to improve his current life, he had to cling to Zhong Niangyao as a lifesaving straw.
After all, even if he failed to move Zhong Niangyao today, at the very least he would have tried. He had nothing to lose, so why not give it a shot!
At that moment, Li Jingming had no idea that this very thought had plunged him into an abyss.
“Nianyao, it wasn’t intentional.”
Regaining his composure, Li Jingming’s face was filled with remorse, “I just saw you about to leave, and I got a bit anxious; I just wanted to hold on to you. I didn’t mean anything by it; I just wanted to continue talking.”
“Oh, you want to talk.” Zhong Niangyao leaned back, arms crossed in front of her chest, and looked at Li Jingming with a teasing gaze, “Do we have anything to talk about? I don’t recall having such a rapport with you!”
“How could we not?” Li Jingming’s face showed nostalgia, “We used to be classmates! And our relationship was quite good back then. If it hadn’t been for Shen Yixue deliberately causing trouble, who knows, we might be together now.”
“No!” Zhong Niangyao hurriedly waved her hand, a look of disgust on her face, “Please don’t tell me any horror stories here! If I really ended up with you, I’d probably have nightmares every night.”
Hearing Zhong Niangyao’s unsparing words, Li Jingming’s face turned from green to red, and he looked distinctly embarrassed.
However, he had anticipated all possibilities before coming here. Therefore, facing Zhong Niangyao’s disdainful attitude now, he definitely would not back down.
“Nianyao, I know that many things in the past were actually my fault.”
When Li Jingming looked up again, his eyes were filled with deep emotion, “Now I realize what a good girl I’ve lost.”