Chapter 30: Necessities

Ye Anning watched as Lin Yiwei cried throughout a five-minute phone call.

After hanging up, she instantly stopped crying, smiled, and said, “Problem solved! Let’s go see a movie!”

Ye Anning: ?????

She wasn’t surprised that Lin Yiwei could resolve such a difficult problem with just one phone call. What surprised her was… this girl’s ability to change her demeanor so quickly!

Just a moment ago, she was crying so pitifully, and then, turning around, she was smiling and suggesting they go see a movie.

Seeing Ye Anning stunned, Lin Yiwei asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I… I just think… you changed so quickly. You were crying desperately on the phone… and then suddenly it seemed like everything was fine.”

“You mean this.”

Lin Yiwei wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, “When I was a child living in an orphanage, there were many kids, and crying was how you got candy. I trained myself to be able to cry on demand.”

“So, you weren’t really sad?”

Lin Yiwei shook her head: “I don’t cry over any man.”

To be precise, she doesn’t truly open her heart and cry for any man…

Of course, unless she is terrified beyond control. In any case, tears shouldn’t be a sign of weakness; they should be used as a weapon.

She knew how powerful a beautiful woman’s tears could be.

“Do you think I’m bad for being like this?”

Ye Anning shook her head and took her hand, “I just hope you can be open with me. Don’t wear a mask around me.”

It’s easy to get used to wearing masks, and sometimes, even close people can’t take theirs off.

Lin Yiwei looked at Ye Anning’s sincere expression and clasped her hand, “Of course, we’re best friends, I won’t hide anything from you.”

“So… were you calling Xie Bo just now?”

“Yes.”

Ye Anning had already guessed as much. Besides Xie Bo, no one else could resolve such a troublesome issue.

Curiously, she asked, “Yiwei, your relationship with Xie Bo…”

Ye Anning carefully chose her words, “It’s not as simple as Chi Xiyu suggesting you get close to him, is it? You and he…”

Lin Yiwei gave a straightforward and simple answer, “I am his lover.”

It’s a relationship that can’t be made public, one that is secret and sees mutual use and exploitation, and one where the first to fall in love is doomed.

Every aspect of it has nothing to do with love.

Only desire.

Lin Yiwei took her hand, “Let’s go see that movie and not let what just happened ruin our good mood.”

“Okay!”

The two walked arm in arm to the movie theater, with Ye Anning buying a large bucket of popcorn and Lin Yiwei getting some cola. Even though Ye Anning was very wealthy, Lin Yiwei wouldn’t let her pay for everything; if Ye treated her to milk tea, Lin insisted on paying for their movie tickets. Ye Anning knew Lin Yiwei had a strong character and didn’t insist on paying; she was happy to go Dutch. Only in this way, she felt, could their friendship be truly equal and mutually respectful.

Ye Anning understood that the kind of condescending charity shown by people like Chi Xi Yu would never earn true friends.

During the movie, Xie Bo sent her a message:

Thin: “Have fun.”

Clearly, he had taken care of everything.

A weight lifted from Lin Yiwei’s heart, she sent him a red packet of 66 yuan:

Breeze: “Thanks for the hard work, Lord Bo. A small token.”

Xie Bo accepted the red packet: “Such a huge amount, thank you.”

Breeze: “No problem.”

Thin: “Send me another one for 88.”

Having received quite a few red packets from him recently, Lin Yiwei generously sent another for 88 yuan.

Thin: “Good girl.”

Breeze: “……….”

Breeze: “Xie Bo, you’re so boring!”

Thin: “You cry and call me ‘brother’ when you need something, but it’s ‘Xie Bo’ when you don’t. Yiwei, how good are you at pretending?”

Breeze: “Knowing that I pretend, you still fall for it. 【Pig】”

Thin: “See if I fall for it again next time.”

Breeze: “【Pig】【Pig】【Pig】”

Thin: “When will the movie be over? I’ll come pick you up.”

Breeze: “No need, I’ll take a cab.”

Thin: “.”

…

Exiting the movie theater, Ye Anning’s eyes were nearly swollen from crying.

The film they watched was a low-rated domestic romance with a youthfully painful theme, ending in a major tear-jerker. Ye Anning went through two or three packs of tissues, while Lin Yiwei didn’t shed a single tear and watched expressionlessly to the end.

“You didn’t feel anything?” Ye Anning gasped.

“I did, my toes grabbed the floor a few times.”

“…”

“Weren’t you moved by such a regrettable ending? After all they went through, they still didn’t end up together, and the second male lead even died for the female lead.”

“The female lead was wavering between the male lead and the second male lead the whole time, which felt a bit like deliberately created conflict. It seemed very unrealistic.”

“Where was it unrealistic?”

As they walked into the elevator, Lin Yiwei calmly analyzed, “If she really liked someone, how could she not know her own heart? And why would she struggle so long over another man she didn’t love? I think the ending was purely the result of all three characters’ actions. If you ask me, it’s just unnecessary.”

“You’re too rational about this.” Ye Anning looked at her, “Can you guarantee you won’t ever be confused, absolutely sure about who you love, and that you’ll never like someone else?”

“Yes, I’m very clear.”

“Not necessarily! People change.”

Lin Yiwei spoke calmly, “If I truly fall in love with someone, I would die for him.”

Ye Anning began to understand that Lin Yiwei had a burning flame inside her, contrary to her outwardly cold demeanor.

“The person loved by you must be the luckiest in the world.”

….

On the cold winter streets, a chilling wind pierced to the bone.

Ye Anning’s driver picked her up at the roadside.

She invited Lin Yiwei to join her in the car and go back together, but Lin Yiwei declined, “There are too many people around the school, it’s better we don’t go back together.”

“That makes sense. But take a cab, it’s too cold outside.”

“Okay!”

She watched as Ye Anning’s sedan disappeared into the night before she jogged to the bus stop to wait for her bus.

Shivering, she waited about fifteen minutes, but no bus came; instead, a familiar black SUV pulled up.

The window slowly rolled down, and instead of a driver, it was Xie Bo who was driving himself. He casually rested his hand on the window sill, looking at her with a cool glance.

“Get in.”

“Why are you here?”

“If I didn’t come to pick you up, would you ever go home on your own?”

Certainly not.

Lin Yiwei would not consider a luxury place like Ramon Apartments her home, nor would she go there on her own initiative. Unless Xie Bo called for her, and even then, he would have to ask repeatedly. The cold wind was biting, and Lin Yiwei couldn’t stand it anymore, so she got into the car.

The car’s heater was on high, quickly warming her up. She asked him, “How long have you been here?”

“A while now,” Xie Bo replied, leaning over to fasten her seatbelt.

“So, you watched me waiting for the bus for so long before you came over?”

He lazily lifted his eyelids, “You said yourself, no need for me to pick you up.”

Knowing Xie Bo’s temperament, Lin Yiwei didn’t argue further, instead she warmed her frozen hands with her breath. Xie Bo started the engine and picked up a fluffy hand warmer, tossing it onto her lap.

The hand warmer was new, soft rabbit fur that could cover the back of her hands, and even had the price tag still attached. She casually asked, “Did you buy this?”

“A woman gave it to me.”

“Who?”

“I don’t remember her name.”

Lin Yiwei didn’t believe him, “A girl gives you such a cute hand warmer and doesn’t even remove the price tag?”

“Why do you talk so much?”

Feeling he might lose his temper if she continued, Lin Yiwei chose to drop the subject. The car sped onto the highway, heading towards Ramon Apartments. Although Xie Bo drove fast, the ride was stable enough that Lin Yiwei didn’t feel carsick this time.

“Why aren’t you talking?” he asked indifferently, his dark eyes fixed on the road ahead, “Treating me so coldly?”

Lin Yiwei said nothing; if she was silent, he complained she was cold, and if she spoke, he said she talked too much.

“Lord Bo is really hard to please.”

“Hard as it may be, you have to endure it.”

“Yes, yes, yes.” She then asked him, “Are you sure Xu Qianxi won’t complain to Chi Xiyu?”

Xie Bo, with one hand on the steering wheel and an expressionless face, his dark eyes occasionally catching the reflection of streetlights, responded, “Her father’s company is small and depends on Xie Corporation. Handling her is just a matter of a few words.”

The power he wielded was indeed mesmerizing.

Her fingertips slowly moved over and lightly touched the back of his hand, “Thank you.”

Xie Bo grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly, and gave her a meaningful look, “When we get back, thank me properly.”

…

As soon as they entered the elevator, Xie Bo pressed her against the wall and kissed her passionately. She endured it for a long time, as if he wanted to swallow her whole, and Lin Yiwei, with her hands weakly grasping at his clothes, was almost unable to breathe. He led her, embracing her slender waist.

The elevator doors opened, Xie Bo lifted her up and went straight into the bedroom.

The prelude was long and enduring, he playfully teased her, watching her almost unable to contain the look of desire in her eyes, sensual and alluring.

Xie Bo kissed the red vermilion on her forehead and said with a smile, “You’re so seductive…”

“More than seductive, how can I compare to Lord Bo.” Lin Yi retaliated as she got up.

“Call me brother.”

“Don’t push it, Xie Bo.”

“That night, brother didn’t stop, hurry up, I like hearing it.”

“No…”

“Then let’s stop.”

Lin Yi’s flames were ignited by him, but this guy stopped, she bit her lower lip, shamefully took his hand, “Xie Bo… brother…”

Xie Bo lightly chuckled, held her wrist, and pressed it on her head.

Lin Yi felt a twinge in her abdomen, a sense of unease rising.

“Xie Bo, wait a moment.”

“Hmm?”

“Stop for a moment.”

He continued kissing her neck, joyfully planting little strawberries on her.

“Xie Bo, I think I’m on my period.”

His hand stopped, “Are you lying to me?”

“No.” Lin Yi grabbed a robe and wrapped it around herself, “I have a bad feeling.”

“Don’t you know when your own period is?”

“It’s not like a clock that’s always on time, is it?”

Xie Bo continued to kiss her cheek and temple, breathing greedily, Lin Yi pushed him away, got up, and went to the bathroom.

Sure enough, her period arrived unexpectedly.

Luckily, it was light, just a little, so there wasn’t much discomfort.

It was a bit awkward for it to happen at that moment, but not too much, they were already quite “intimate,” Lin Yiwei even leaned over to watch him play with his right hand.

Lin Yiwei opened a crack in the door and said to Xie Bo, “Xie Bo, go buy me sanitary pads.”

“What kind of joke are you making?”

Xie Bo poured himself a glass of water, calming the tide that hadn’t completely subsided, his cheeks slightly flushed, “Go by yourself, I’m not done yet.”

“…”

Lin Yiwei lowered her gaze, raised an eyebrow, padded her pants with a few pieces of tissues, changed her shoes, and walked towards the entrance elevator.

As the elevator doors closed, Xie Bo, now dressed, caught up with her and pulled her back without hesitation, “Stay put.”

After saying that, he went downstairs to buy the necessities for her.

Lin Yiwei composed a text message, sending him a long list, including pajamas, underwear, red sugar dates, and some convenience store items like moisturizing skincare, makeup remover, etc…

Xie Bo didn’t reply, but half an hour later, he came upstairs carrying two large bags.

Seeing his annoyed expression, Lin Yi guessed that he had never bought so many tedious things at a convenience store in his life.

She sorted through the items in the bags, surprisingly everything was quite complete, even the brand of moisturizer was correct, clearly carefully checking against the list she sent.

Lin Yiwei took the change of clothes to the bathroom to wash, then turned to instruct Xie Bo, “Make me some red sugar goji berry water.”

By the balcony, Xie Bo took a puff of smoke, white mist swirling around his cold and sharp face, “Are you really treating me like a servant?”

“Not at all.” Lin Yiwei casually remarked, “I’m just teaching you.”

“Teaching me what?”

“Teaching you how to love me.”

With that, she closed the bathroom door.

A moment later, Xie Bo extinguished the cigarette with his fingertips, took the red sugar and goji berries to the kitchen.