Chapter 19: “Come in Front of Me.”

Xu En’tang returned home, holding her phone.

Seeing her distracted demeanor, Xia Ning asked, “What’s wrong, Enbao?”

Xu En’tang: “Nothing.”

This house had been uninhabited for over a month, and Xia Ning had come over last night to tidy it up.

For Xu En’tang, it wasn’t just that she hadn’t come back for over a month; it felt like she hadn’t been here in a long time.

She sighed a little and turned around before sitting down on the sofa with Xia Ning.

“By the way, how’s it going with that boy you like? Do you see him often?” Xia Ning asked.

Xia Ning had always known about Xu En’tang’s crush on a boy in Beicheng.

She also knew that after Xu En’tang was taken to Beicheng, she would be living at his place.

Xu En’tang paused and said casually, “I don’t like him anymore.”

Xia Ning was very surprised: “Why?”

She knew how much Xu En’tang had liked that boy. In the past, when other boys at school showed interest in her, she wouldn’t even glance at them, her heart solely focused on that boy in Beicheng.

She had always thought that with Xu En’tang’s persistence, she would be hung up on him forever.

How could she suddenly stop liking him?

Xu En’tang: “I just realized he’s not that great.”

Xia Ning: “Well, it’s good to see clearly sooner.”

Xu En’tang responded with an “mm.”

Before long, Xia Ning’s phone rang.

She silenced the call without answering.

Xu En’tang caught a glimpse of the caller ID; it was “Mom.”

Earlier that afternoon, there had been a few calls that Xia Ning had also silenced.

“Are you not going to answer?” Xu En’tang asked.

Xia Ning shook her head: “I don’t want to.”

Xu En’tang: “Does she know you’re here?”

“No.”

Xia Ning paused for a moment and then said, “Enbao, you know, after my dad left yesterday, I asked my mom if there was really no chance to reconcile. She said, ‘If it weren’t for you, we would have divorced long ago.’”

As she spoke, Xia Ning’s voice choked up.

“I’ll probably never forget the resentful look and tone she had when she said that.”

Xu En’tang handed her a tissue. “Ning Ning…”

Xia Ning took the tissue and wiped her tears.

But the more she wiped, the more tears flowed.

“My dad left without any reluctance, and my mom resents me so much… Am I really that unlikable?”

Xu En’tang: “How could that be? You’re so wonderful; you’re my best friend.”

Xia Ning cried uncontrollably: “I can’t completely accept their divorce. If they’re not happy together, then it’s better to separate. But they hid it so well from me before, I had no idea.”

“They acted like it was for my sake, saying they wouldn’t divorce for me. They never asked me what I thought and then they resent me.”

Xu En’tang hugged her gently, softly patting her back, “I know, I know.”

“If they were pretending all along, why couldn’t they keep pretending for a few more years?”

Xia Ning leaned on Xu En’tang’s shoulder and cried her heart out.

On Saturday evening, Xu En’tang received a message.

It was from Tan Jili.

She had connected with Tan Jili’s friend when the old master of the Tan family called her before the school year started.

Not long after that call, she received a friend request with a note saying: Tan Jili.

After adding him as a friend, they had only exchanged greetings and hadn’t chatted about anything else.

So when she saw Tan Jili’s name pop up,

When she saw the message, she was stunned.

Tan Jili: 【Are you still in Licheng?】

He actually knew she had returned to Licheng.

Xu En’tang was puzzled and replied: 【Yes.】

After sending the message, the chat interface showed “typing…” above.

Tan Jili: 【When are you coming back tomorrow?】

Xu En’tang: 【Probably in the afternoon, taking the high-speed rail at 1:00 pm.】

Tan Jili: 【I’m in Nancheng, and I’ll be passing through Licheng tomorrow to go back with you.】

Xu En’tang stared in surprise at Tan Jili’s message.

So he had gone to Nancheng this weekend.

Nancheng has a high-speed rail directly to Beicheng, yet he was going to Licheng first, and then from Licheng to Beicheng.

Xu En’tang typed: 【No need to go through so much trouble.】

She had just clicked send when a call came in.

It was from the Tan family’s old master.

Xu En’tang answered the phone.

“Grandpa Tan?”

Grandpa Tan: “Tangtang, has Tan Jili contacted you?”

Xu En’tang guessed that Tan Jili’s sudden contact was at the behest of his elders.

She replied: “He did.”

Grandpa Tan: “He’ll be coming back with you tomorrow.”

Xu En’tang: “No need for the trouble.”

Grandpa Tan: “It’s no trouble at all, it’s on the way.  We’re not at ease with you going alone, a young girl. I’ve already told him.”

Grandpa Tan was insistent, and Xu En’tang had to agree.

After the call, Xu En’tang saw two messages from Tan Jili sent over two minutes ago.

Right after her refusal.

Tan Jili: 【Give me your ID number.】

Tan Jili: 【Let’s buy tickets together.】

Xu En’tang didn’t refuse again, sent her ID number, and then transferred the money for the tickets.

A few minutes later, Tan Jili sent a screenshot of the train ticket information.

Tan Jili: 【Done.】

He didn’t accept her transfer.

Time flew by, and it was Sunday noon in the blink of an eye.

After lunch together, Xia Ning saw Xu En’tang off at the station.

Xu En’tang had originally wanted to take Xia Ning to school before leaving, but Xia Ning insisted on seeing her off at the station.

The taxi stopped at the station’s drop-off area.

As the two of them got out of the car, it was finally time to part.

Xu En’tang: “Keep my house key. If you don’t want to go home on the weekend, you can go to my place.”

Xia Ning nodded, “Enbao, I really don’t want you to go.”

Xu En’tang: “I’ll come back when I have time. You can also come to Beicheng to find me during the holidays.”

Xia Ning: “Okay.”

Xu En’tang: “It’s only less than two years. We can go to the same university later, and we’ll be together again.”

Xu En’tang was afraid that she would become rebellious and self-destructive like in her past life, so she wanted to make an agreement with her.

“You’re doing so well in your studies; you might even get into A University through a competition. I’ll work hard too.”

Xia Ning: “Okay, let’s both go to A University.”

Xu En’tang: “Ningning, no matter what, don’t give up on your life.”

Xia Ning nodded, “Enbao, it’s really good to have a friend like you.”

Xu En’tang checked the time, “I should go now.”

Xia Ning: “I’ll walk you to the ticket gate.”

On Sunday afternoon, many people were heading back, and the station was crowded.

In the bustling crowd at the entrance, Xu En’tang saw Tan Jili walking from the opposite direction.

Wearing a black T-shirt and gray pants, tall and slender, his skin was whiter than those around him.

When he wasn’t smiling, there was a sense of detachment in his eyes, giving off a cool vibe, making him easily noticeable in the crowd.

Tan Jili’s gaze met Xu En’tang’s, and he walked towards her.

Xia Ning: “There’s a handsome guy.”

Then, she saw the handsome guy stopping in front of them.

Facing Tan Jili, Xu En’tang unconsciously felt restrained.

Grandpa Tan had specifically asked him to make the trip to Licheng, making her feel embarrassed.

“When did you arrive in Licheng?” she asked.

Tan Jili still spoke in that lazy tone: “Not long ago, I came out to have a meal.”

Xia Ning asked uncertainly: “Is he the one you’re going back with?”

Xu En’tang nodded and introduced: “This is Tan Jili. His grandfather and my grandfather are friends.”

Tan Jili nodded slightly to Xia Ning, “Hello.”

Xia Ning: “Hello.”

After the greetings, Xu En’tang said goodbye to Xia Ning.

“I’m going now? Remember to call me on the weekend.”

Xia Ning hugged her, “Goodbye, Enbao.”

Xu En’tang and Tan Jili went to queue for boarding.

There were a lot of people, and occasionally people rushed forward, hurrying to catch their train.

Xu En’tang followed behind Tan Jili, thinking about what to say.

Then, Tan Jili turned back and looked at her, “Come in front of me.”

Xu En’tang subconsciously responded with an “oh” and obediently went in front of him.

The crowded crowd behind them was separated.

While queuing, a faint, refreshing scent lingered around her.