8

His body stiffened slightly as he stared at her for a long moment before asking, “Is this your way of getting back at me?”

Meng Yu let out a soft laugh. “Getting back at you? For what? We ended things a year and a half ago.”

“That’s what you think. For me, it never ended.”

Meng Yu looked at him as if he were a stranger. “If I’m not mistaken, when I said we should break up, you agreed.”

“I changed my mind. Can’t I regret it?”

She almost laughed again, this time out of disbelief.

Back when she was by his side, he had never spared her more than a glance. But now that she’d finally walked away, now he regretted it?

So even someone like Xiao Qi could be this pathetic?

He suddenly asked, “Do you love the man you’re marrying?”

“Marriage doesn’t need love,” she replied coldly. Then she looked at him with open scorn.

“Besides, even when you give your heart, that doesn’t mean you’ll get anything good in return.”

Xiao Qi fell silent.

Meng Yu took a breath and said evenly, “You should leave, Xiao Qi. There’s nothing left for us to say.”

She turned to go, but he suddenly grabbed her hand.

She tried to pull away, but his grip was firm. Her brows furrowed as she looked back at him.

“I’ll be staying in Yancheng for a while. I’ll leave when you decide to come back.”

“Staying in Yancheng?” Meng Yu looked at him with a mocking smile. “Don’t you have a job? And what about your sick sister Ai Qing—aren’t you supposed to be taking care of her?”

“I’ve worked nonstop for years,” he replied calmly. “Think of this as me finally using up all my accumulated vacation days. I doubt A-Ran will mind. As for Ai Qing, there’s a caregiver looking after her at the hospital. I don’t need to worry.”

He really seemed determined to stay.

But what did that have to do with her?

“Where you stay is none of my business,” she said coldly. “But we’re done, Xiao Qi. You should stop bothering me.”

Yet he still hadn’t let go of her hand. Holding it tightly, he asked, “Were you going shopping? Tell me what you need—I’ll buy it for you.”

“No, thanks. Let go.”

But instead of releasing her, he gripped her hand even tighter.

She never imagined there’d come a day when Xiao Qi would be like this—clingy, persistent—just like she had once been for him.

But what was the point now? She was about to get married.

She no longer hoped for anything, nor did she feel the joy she used to.

“Xiao Qi,” she said quietly, “don’t forget—I’m engaged. If people see you holding onto me like this, are you trying to ruin my reputation?”

“You know me,” he said, voice low but firm. “I take responsibility for what I destroy. If I ruin anything, I’ll take full responsibility.”

…She didn’t know what to say to that. The way he was chasing her now, the way he cared—it was all so unfamiliar.

“You do realize,” she said finally, “my fiancé is not someone to be messed with.”

“Then I guess there’s no helping it,” he said, staring at her intently. Each word landed heavy, deliberate. “I’ll just have to face the consequences.”

Meng Yu had never seen Xiao Qi like this before—so intent, so unwilling to back down, even to the point of being forceful and unreasonable.

Her body, as if remembering something instinctively, tensed under his touch. It was used to his dominance. But now, faced with his uncharacteristic tenderness, she didn’t know how to respond.

She hated how that made her feel.

Struggling to stay calm, she said coldly, “If you don’t let go of me right now, I’m calling the police.”

“Go ahead,” he replied, completely unfazed.

“…”

She wasn’t bluffing. She truly meant it. She didn’t want to keep being entangled like this with Xiao Qi. She reached for her phone—but before she could make the call, his phone rang first.

There they stood—on the open-air parking lot, surrounded by people coming and going. At that moment, just as he was declaring his willingness to fight her formidable fiancé for her, just as he showed her a rare and open vulnerability—his phone rang.

He stared at the caller ID in silence for a long time before answering. Since they were standing close, she could clearly hear the voice on the other end.

A little girl, crying.

“Daddy, Mommy’s sleeping. I keep calling her, but she won’t wake up.”

Xiao Qi’s brows furrowed. He said sternly, “Huanhuan, how many times have I told you? Don’t call me Daddy.”

“…I’m sorry, Uncle Xiao Qi. I forgot.”

“What did you just say about your mom?”

“She’s been sleeping since noon,” the little girl sobbed. “She still hasn’t woken up. I called her and called her, but she won’t move. I’m really scared.”

“Put the phone on speaker and give it to the doctor, okay?”

Meng Yu tried to pull her hand back, but Xiao Qi was clearly anticipating the move. The moment she shifted, his grip tightened. But then, something on the other end of the line made his entire body freeze. She heard the tremble in his voice as he asked, “Did you say… pneumonia? I understand. I’m on my way.”

While he was momentarily distracted, Meng Yu finally managed to wrench her hand free.

Xiao Qi hung up, his expression tight and conflicted. After a long silence, he exhaled heavily. “Aunt Ai Qing’s flu has turned into pneumonia. It’s serious. I have no choice but—”

Meng Yu cut him off coldly, “What you have to do is none of my business.”

Without even sparing him a glance, she walked straight into the mall. This time, Xiao Qi didn’t follow.

Meng Yu bought her face masks and treated herself to a skincare session. All she needed now was rest and proper care. In three months, she would be a radiant bride. As for Xiao Qi—he no longer had anything to do with her.

Ai Qing’s pneumonia progressed rapidly. The doctors did everything they could, and after two days in a coma, she finally regained consciousness. Xiao Qi remained at the hospital throughout.

He brought her a bowl of porridge. “You haven’t eaten in days. Try to have a little.”

Ai Qing tried to take the bowl, but her hands were too weak. Xiao Qi said gently, “Let me feed you.”

He patiently fed her spoonful by spoonful. Ai Qing looked at him with guilt in her eyes. “It’s all my fault you haven’t been able to focus on work.”

“It’s okay. Just focus on getting better.”

“By the way… what about Meng Yu?”

He shook his head. Ai Qing’s expression grew even heavier. “It’s probably because of me too. I’ve just been such a burden. Maybe once I recover, I should go back to my hometown. That way, Meng Yu won’t have to see me and feel upset anymore—and she won’t misunderstand you because of me.”

He was silent for a moment before replying, “There’s no need. She’ll understand. Besides, I have a way to win her back.”

“Really?” Ai Qing gave a faint smile. “Then I hope you do.”

Xiao Qi was confident he could get Meng Yu back. They had been together for years. She knew him well, and he knew her even better. He understood what she wanted, what kind of relationship she liked. What he had failed to give her before, he would give her now.

Once Ai Qing’s condition stabilized, he planned to request a transfer to the Yancheng branch through Han Moran. That way, he could stay close to Meng Yu.

He would make it up to her, love her the way she deserved, and do whatever it took to make her cancel the wedding. No matter the consequences, he would bear them all.

She had once dreamed of marrying him, but he had never given her a clear answer. Now, he finally understood what he wanted—and he was determined to be with her.

Once she canceled the wedding, he would give her one of her own—a wedding that belonged to them.

There were still three months until Meng Yu’s wedding. To him, three months was more than enough. He had plenty of time to win her back.

What Xiao Qi didn’t know, however, was that because of him, Chu Xiujin had decided to move the wedding date up…

=^_^=