Chapter 12: Don’t Cry Next Time

Wen Zhixian looked at the dishes on the table. In the center was sweet and sour pork ribs, filling the air with a tangy, sweet aroma.

“Mr. Qi, aren’t you staying for dinner?” she asked, turning to see Qi Yanjing putting on his coat.

His gaze lingered on her as she went into the kitchen, returning with two pairs of chopsticks and two bowls. Turning to him, she said, “Dinner’s ready.”

He stood still for a moment, his eyes dark, watching her neatly arrange the bowls and chopsticks on the table before finally walking over to sit down.

“I just used whatever was in your fridge,” he explained.

Wen Zhixian smiled, “Thanks, I was actually planning on making these dishes for dinner anyway.”

She took a piece of the pork ribs and tasted it. It was unexpectedly good, and she was genuinely surprised.

“You’re pretty good at cooking, Mr. Qi,” she complimented.

Qi Yanjing’s lips curved slightly, forming a barely noticeable smile.

Perhaps because she had already vented her frustrations to Mr. Qi, the heaviness in her heart had lightened. Though she hadn’t been very hungry before, she found herself eating more quickly now.

Qi Yanjing watched her intently as she ate. She seemed thinner than the first time he had seen her. Her jawline was more defined, and her long neck stood out under the light, making her fair skin seem to glow.

Sensing his gaze, Wen Zhixian turned to look at Qi Yanjing. She blinked her dry eyes after swallowing her food and asked, “Am I eating too fast?”

He shook his head and looked away. “I just thought you seemed thinner compared to the last time I saw you. You should eat more.”

She let out a soft “oh,” nodding in agreement. “Alright.”

I’ll eat more, she thought. A jerk like Gu Yuchen isn’t worth being sad over ever again.

Hearing her serious response to his comment, Qi Yanjing chuckled softly.

In the end, Wen Zhixian ate all of the sweet and sour pork ribs he had made.

After dinner, she put the dishes into the dishwasher. When she returned, Qi Yanjing had already wiped down the table and replaced the vase in the center, adjusting its angle slightly.

“Mr. Qi, thank you for cooking for me today,” Wen Zhixian said gratefully.

Qi Yanjing wiped his hands with a napkin and replied, “You’re welcome.” He looked at her and added, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll head out.”

Wen Zhixian nodded. “Take care on your way back.”

She moved to escort him downstairs, but Qi Yanjing stopped her. “You should rest. I’ll go down on my own.”

Standing by the entrance, he paused and turned to face her. “Miss Wen, don’t ask strangers if they want to marry you so casually, and don’t let unfamiliar men into your home. There are plenty of people with bad intentions.”

Wen Zhixian nodded. “I understand.”

There were more things he wanted to say, but he held back, feeling it might be crossing a line. After a brief moment of silence, he simply said, “Don’t cry next time.”

Feeling slightly indignant, Wen Zhixian muttered under her breath, “I don’t like crying.”

It’s just that every time, he happened to catch her in the act!

Qi Yanjing’s lips tugged upward again as he let out a short laugh. “Oh?”

Wen Zhixian sensed he was mocking her but had no proof.

“I’m leaving,” he said, pulling the door open and stepping out. He gently closed the door behind him.

Once he exited the elevator, he lowered his head to send a message to a friend with his location, asking to be picked up.

As he walked out, Qin Zhaoli and Song Kairui passed by him. Song Kairui suddenly stopped and glanced toward the gate outside where Qi Yanjing was standing.

“What are you looking at?” Qin Zhaoli followed his gaze and saw a tall man with an impressive figure, though they couldn’t see his face.

Song Kairui let out a surprised, “Wow,” before saying, “When he passed me just now, for a moment I thought he looked like someone I saw at a banquet before. He really does resemble him.”

Qi Yanjing had walked past them with his back to the light, so Qin Zhaoli hadn’t seen his face and didn’t pay much attention.

The two of them pressed the elevator button and headed straight up to the ninth floor. As they rang the doorbell, Qin Zhaoli remarked, “I wonder if she’s awake yet.”

Just as Wen Zhixian finished speaking, the door opened before Song Kairui could respond.

“Why are you guys here so late?” Wen Zhixian asked, opening the door to let them in.

Song Kairui handed her the food box they had brought, teasing, “We didn’t want you starving at home.”

Wen Zhixian accepted it. “Thanks for coming by so late.”

She placed the food box on the table, poured them some water, and then sat down.

“Did Uncle Wen and Aunt Shen talk to you?” Song Kairui asked.

Wen Zhixian responded softly, “Yeah.” She knew that if her parents knew the whole story, they wouldn’t blame her, but she still felt uncomfortable about how much they praised Gu Yuchen. Their first reaction to her breakup was to think she was at fault.

“When Uncle Wen called me, I explained everything to him. They both felt really guilty. Even Aunt Shen, who’s always so calm, cried when she heard Gu Yuchen hit you,” Song Kairui said. Honestly, it was the first time he had seen Aunt Shen like that.

Song Kairui added, “It’s all Gu Yuchen’s fault.”

Qin Zhaoli laughed, “Does Gu Yuchen know his close friend talks about him like this behind his back?”

Song Kairui shrugged nonchalantly, “I didn’t badmouth him in public.”

Wen Zhixian chuckled before saying, “I wasn’t blaming my parents. I was just in a bad mood and got emotional.”

Hearing her say this, they felt reassured.

Qin Zhaoli checked the time. It was already 7:30. “You should eat something.”

“I’ve already eaten. I finished cleaning up the table just five minutes before you guys arrived.”

Qin Zhaoli froze, eyeing her face carefully. Her eyes were red, clearly from crying. In this state, how could she have made dinner?

Even Song Kairui sensed something was off.

“With whom?” he asked.

Wen Zhixian hesitated, unsure of how to respond.

“I ran away from my parents’ house, and Mr. Qi brought me back. He even made me dinner.”

That one sentence triggered a barrage of questions from both Qin Zhaoli and Song Kairui—

“Who is Mr. Qi?”

“Why did he bring you home?”

“Why did he make you dinner?”

Wen Zhixian turned to Qin Zhaoli and explained seriously, “He’s the guy who helped me pick up my keys and returned my lipstick. You saw him this morning at the café.”

“Oh, him,” she said, then followed up with, “Are you two close?”

“I wouldn’t say we’re close, just casual acquaintances who happened to meet. We haven’t even exchanged names, let alone contact details.”

Song Kairui still added, “You really shouldn’t let strangers into your home. It’s dangerous.”

Wen Zhixian nodded. “I know. He told me the same thing.”

“Good thing he wasn’t a creep,” Song Kairui said, then seemed to remember something. “Didn’t Gu Yuchen call me the other day saying he saw you having dinner with some guy? Was it him?”

Wen Zhixian admitted, “Yeah, it was him. The day before, he brought me a cake, and then I ran into him at his school’s entrance yesterday, so I treated him to dinner with the money my dad transferred to me.”

As she said this, Wen Zhixian found the whole situation amusing. She realized she shouldn’t be upset with her parents over Gu Yuchen.

“I have to tell you guys, it was so embarrassing. I was leaning out the car window, checking out all the handsome guys and pretty girls at the school entrance, and then suddenly he showed up and asked me what I was doing there. I didn’t even know how to explain myself,” she said, laughing at the memory of how awkward it felt to get caught.