Chapter 58: Betray me

Xie Bo’s words seemed to turn into a chilly wind, drifting across oceans through the clattering currents, persistently finding her wherever she was.

She couldn’t help but shiver, feeling as though she stood at a crossroads, unsure of which path to take. Unable to explain herself, she only felt embarrassed. It was her youthful love, something she couldn’t apologize to him for, so she remained silent.

Her silence tormented Xie Bo’s heart, his voice carrying an indescribable bitterness— “You betrayed me, I will destroy what you love.” With that, Xie Bo hung up the phone.

Lin Yiwei sat by the fireplace in a daze, enduring the long and cold night. No matter how large the fire burned in the fireplace, it couldn’t warm her body.

Trembling, her heart gripped by unfounded fear.

“No… no…”

Lin Yiwei grabbed her phone desperately, dialing his number like a madwoman, sending voice messages, initiating video calls… All declined by Xie Bo.

Realizing she couldn’t delay any longer, Lin Yiwei clumsily climbed upstairs back to her room, retrieved her travel documents from an empty backpack, barely managing to pack essentials to return home. She didn’t even have time to bring fresh clothes, carrying only her passport and ID, hastily leaving with her bag.

Aunt Lu was in the kitchen preparing English tea and snacks. Seeing Lin Yiwei rushing, she quickly followed, “Miss Lin, what’s wrong? Where are you going in such a hurry?”

“Aunt Lu, could you please take care of the puppy for a few days?” Lin Yiwei put on her shoes and replied, “I need to make a trip back to my home country.”

“Is it urgent?” Aunt Lu was confused. “Have you booked your flight? Have you told Mr. Xie?”

“It’s too late for that. I’ll buy the ticket on the way; I can’t reach him.”

Before leaving, Lin Yiwei seemed to remember something and turned back to Aunt Lu, “If you can reach him, please tell him…” What she wanted to say remained unexplained. “Never mind, I’ll talk to him myself when I get back to China,” she said as she walked out of the yard.

“Wait a moment; let me pack some clothes for you. I heard it’s getting colder in China; you can’t go with so little on.”

Lin Yiwei was only wearing a fitted black base shirt and pants, not even a jacket.

“No need, I’ll buy some when I get there; there’s no time.”

She hurried out of the door. The German Shepherd in the yard, wagged its tail happily and came to sniff her. Lin Yiwei pondered for a moment, then decisively picked up the dog’s leash, taking it with her as she got into the car and left.

Aunt Lu followed, astonished, “Are you taking it back to China?”

“Mm, it’s better to bring it along.”

The dog was a gift from Xie Bo, she thought, perhaps having the dog with her could be a glimmer of hope, hoping to soften his heart.

At Heathrow Airport, Lin Yiwei arranged for pet shipping with the cargo company, then proceeded to check in for her flight. A twelve-hour plane journey, direct to Qinggang Airport. She found a hotel near the airport to rest; by the time she received the shipped dog, it was already five hours after her landing.

During these five hours, Lin Yiwei persistently called and messaged Xie Bo, telling him she had returned to the country and wanted to meet and explain things face to face. No response; Xie Bo didn’t want to hear her explanation at all.

Indeed, what explanation could there be? Each WeChat message had already made her affection for Lin Xie clear. But the accusation of “betrayal,” Lin Yiwei would never admit. If there was any betrayal, it was betraying her youthful feelings by falling in love with the wrong person. That was her only guilty conscience.

Unable to contact Xie Bo, Lin Yiwei had no choice but to contact Li Du.

“Who’s this?”

“It’s me, Lin Yiwei. This is my number.”

“Lin Yiwei?” Li Du suddenly became alert, “Aren’t you in the London? Why are you calling me?”

“I’m back in the country, and I want to see Xie Bo, but I can’t find him.”

“Don’t tell me you came back for his wedding?!”

“He’s getting married?!”

“Oh no, I just made that up. The main thing is… it concerns my car’s safety.”

“Can I meet Mr. Bo?”

“He, well, he’s been in a bad mood these days, probably due to stress.”

Lin Yiwei didn’t have time for banter, “Li Du, tell me how I can find him, or better yet, take me to him, and I’ll be grateful.”

“I don’t have the courage for that! If you’re going to have a tiff with him, you better handle it yourself; don’t involve others.” Li Du said, “Try your luck at the Helin Dao villa; if he’s in a bad mood, he usually stays there for a few days.”

“Thank you.”

“Thanks are just words…”

Before he finished speaking, Lin Yiwei hung up the phone, walked out of the terminal, and hailed a taxi on the roadside.

The driver looked at the gloomy sky, strong winds, swirling leaves, as if it would rain soon.

With such a long mountain road and a big dog, the driver hesitated, “I’m about to finish work; you should find another ride.”

Lin Yiwei didn’t want to delay for another minute; she offered more money, and the driver reluctantly let her in.

By the time they reached the villa on the hilltop, night had fallen. As soon as Lin Yiwei stepped out of the car, she felt the piercing cold of the passing cold front.

Up in the mountains, the temperature was even lower; the surrounding leaves rustled in the wind, and fine rain felt like ash blowing into her eyes.

Lin Yiwei ran to the villa, tied the dog to the fence, and rang the doorbell— “Xie Bo, I’m back.”

No response from inside the room; she continued to knock, “Let’s meet, let me explain, please.”

“Mr. Bo…”

Inside the room, Xie Bo leaned against the table, pouring himself amber-colored vodka from a crystal bottle. He calmly gazed at the girl under surveillance outside, sipping slowly.

She was dressed lightly, her black base shirt outlining her extremely sexy silhouette.

Still the same as before, she didn’t bother with makeup or dressing up when seeing him, dressed more casually than the average passerby.

A woman dresses to please herself; obviously, he wasn’t her intended audience.

He should have seen the signs long ago, but he was blinded by this overwhelming surge of emotions.

Xie Bo set down his glass.

Too hard, the bottom of the glass cracked.

After many days, Xie Bo had gone through a long and painful withdrawal period, thinking that his intense emotions had subsided. Except for revenge, he didn’t do what he wanted.

But… seeing her, the anger couldn’t help but surge uncontrollably.

He shouldn’t waste emotions on her; she didn’t deserve it.

Lin Yiwei noticed the surveillance above her head, knowing Xie Bo was watching her, so she brought the German Shepherd over, rubbing the dog’s head and saying to the camera, “I brought it back. Last time you were in London, you said you didn’t see the puppy. It gained two pounds since then.”

The villa curtains were tightly closed, but Lin Yiwei knew he must be inside, the camera following her every move.

He was watching her.

The young girl stubbornly sat on the steps by the door, “Xie Bo, if you don’t see me, I’m not leaving.”

“Either stay indoors, or I’ll wait for you.”

Before long, silver rain started to fall from the sky.

Autumn rain wasn’t heavy, but the cold wind soaked into her bones.

Lin Yiwei quickly led the little dog under the eaves, patting its chin helplessly, “Why does this feel like bringing a child to find its father?”

“Your dad is angry.”

“If you don’t bark a few times, maybe you’ll call him out.”

The German Shepherd was well-trained, naturally not barking randomly. It hummed and gently nudged Lin Yiwei’s palm with its head, obediently lying down beside her, looking at her with pitiful eyes.

Lin Yiwei rummaged through her backpack and fed the dog freeze-dried food. Her own stomach growled with hunger, but she had finished the sandwich she bought at the airport convenience store; she couldn’t possibly eat the dog’s freeze-dried food.

The rain came and went, the winds roaring and whipping the banana tree at the door, leaves rustling loudly. Lin Yiwei wrapped her arms around herself, shivering from the cold. The dog sensed her discomfort and moved closer, resting its head on her lap, offering warmth.

With a creak, the door finally opened. Lin Yiwei quickly stood up as Xie Bo emerged from the dark house, like a ghostly shadow. The wind tousled his dark hair across his forehead. His features were still sharp, his jawline cold and sharp, as he lifted his head to gaze at her with indifferent peach blossom eyes.

Lin Yiwei approached and tentatively tried to hold his hand. “Mr. Bo, I’m so cold. Can you let me in to talk?”

Playing the pitiful card had always been her forte; Xie Bo would only believe her when he was confused.

“Give me back the dog, and get lost.” He took the leash from her, shaking off her hand without a hint of nostalgia.

The German Shepherd didn’t follow Xie Bo inside. It looked at the girl outside the door, then at Xie Bo, smartly choosing to sit by the door, refusing to move until Xie Bo let Lin Yiwei in.

“Do you want to leave with her?” Xie Bo said coldly, then kicked at the dog.

Lin Yiwei quickly threw herself over to shield the dog. Xie Bo stopped his foot just in time, inwardly startled, but Lin Yiwei still lost her balance and fell to the ground.

“Woof!”

The German Shepherd, usually quiet, finally barked. It was conflicted because both were its owners, like a father and mother. It couldn’t bark at Xie Bo.

Xie Bo looked down at her from a superior position. “Do you want me to chase you away?”

Lin Yiwei defiantly got up and hugged him, trying to kiss him on tiptoe. “Mr. Bo, I’ve come back.”

He tilted his head to prevent her from kissing him, so Lin Yiwei could only kiss his neck, his prominent Adam’s apple. Feeling helpless, she knew she was demeaning herself this way, but she had no other choice.

“Xie Bo, please, give me a chance to explain. You can’t just end things unilaterally without asking anything. It was you who provoked me in the first place. You can’t do this…”

Tears seeped into his collar, scalding hot. Xie Bo didn’t push her away, though he wanted to… But his body craved her long-lost scent more than his brain could resist.

“Do you think I would still believe you?” Xie Bo’s eyes narrowed as he stared at the desperate girl hugging him. “For someone who deceived me, do you think I’m foolish enough to give you another chance to deceive me?”

Lin Yiwei knew she had no credibility with Xie Bo; even her flowing tears had lost their effectiveness. She kissed the man’s icy-cold lips, tears mixing in, her hands fumbling in an attempt to wake him up.

“Mr. Bo, don’t you want me anymore?”

A hint of shattered waves crossed Xie Bo’s eyes, fleeting. He pulled her hand away abruptly.

“Lin Yiwei, you’re being so despicable right now.”

He said it with particular harshness.

“I waited for you for a year!”

Lin Yiwei was suddenly furious at his words, pushing him with force and even hitting him.

“You promised me, Xie Bo! You promised to save him! I waited patiently in London for a year! You can’t just break your promise like this. What do you want from me? Punish me however you want! Hit me! Kill me if you want!”

She grabbed his hand violently, urging him to hit her.

Hysterical.

Xie Bo didn’t strike. He just stared at her expressionlessly, his eyes growing colder.

She cared so much about Lin Xie. So much!

The man wiped the tears from the girl’s eyes. His grip was too strong, leaving a red mark on her fair skin.

“Who’s the one not keeping their word? You promised to love me. How did you act then? You hugged me… and called out to other men. When you were with me, you were thinking about other men!”

“No, Xie Bo, I knew it was you all along!”

Lin Yiwei knew that being forceful wouldn’t work with him. He was unyielding.

So she softened, crying, embracing his neck, cheek rubbing against him incessantly.

“How could I not love you? I wear the bracelet you gave me every day. I make videos just for you, waiting for your likes. I take good care of the puppy you gave me. When it got sick in the summer, I stayed up all night to care for it, skipping classes because you said this little dog grew up with you, and I had to take good care of it. The day I left the country and saw your official announcement with Chi Xiyu, do you know how much it hurt me? I cried all the way back. I wondered why you weren’t my doll, why someone else’s. I really missed you this past year. Every night, I thought about…”

She finished her sentence and kissed his icy lips, prying them open, trying to be intimate with him, attempting to melt his coldness.

Xie Bo closed his eyes, not wanting her to see his pain.

“Lin Yiwei, I won’t believe a word you say anymore. For the sake of your brother, you can say anything.”

“In that case, I won’t say anything. Let’s do it again, Xie Bo. Let’s do it again, and I’ll make you feel it.”

She held him tightly, despairingly. Her hand slipped inside gently.

“You’ll understand.”

Xie Bo suddenly grabbed her hand like an eagle’s claw seizing its prey.

“If you want to disgrace yourself, go ahead. But don’t expect me to save your beloved.”

After he finished speaking, he let go of her.

Lin Yiwei sat somewhat dejectedly on the ground as the heavy door closed again.

She rushed forward and banged on the door forcefully, “He’s not the one I love, Xie Bo, it’s you! You unfaithful jerk! I’ve waited so long! You can’t just break your promise like this!”

She didn’t know how much time had passed. Exhausted of all energy, tired from shouting, her throat hoarse. The night was thick, the young girl sat cold and hungry on the steps under the villa’s eaves, holding onto her furry dog—the only source of warmth. Her bones felt like they were falling apart, not afraid of the cold, not bothered by hunger, but whenever she thought of Lin Xie, thought of those despairing paintings, thought of Xie Bo’s harsh words, “I will destroy what you love.”

Lin Yiwei Yi instinctively shivered all over, her teeth chattering. She grabbed the blood-red gemstone bracelet on her wrist and angrily threw it away. The bracelet landed on the damp grass, emitting an eerie, chilling light. She believed in this man and wasted an entire year because of it. A whole year, only heaven knew how Lin Xie endured that year. He was on the verge of collapse. No, she had to save him, but how?

She collapsed on the ground, crying uncontrollably… Her mind became confused, Lin Xie’s face flashed before her eyes, then transformed into Xie Bo’s… The two kept alternating in her thoughts, she wanted to hold onto either of them, but in the end, her hands were empty, left with nothing.

She fainted under the eaves.

“Bark! Bark bark!”

The German Shepherd seemed panicked, constantly nudging the girl with its nose. But no matter how hard it tried, she remained motionless. It circled around her twice, then laid its chin on her, after a while seeing no response, the German Shepherd barked loudly towards the door.

In the middle of the night, Xie Bo, who was napping on the sofa, was awoken by the barking of a dog. Irritated, he opened the video feed on his phone and saw the girl unconscious on the ground, the dog barking wildly into the camera. Xie Bo threw away his phone and closed his weary eyes. If she had the nerve, she could die right at his doorstep. He no longer cared for the woman; he wouldn’t spare a glance even at her corpse.

After five minutes, the door was finally opened. Xie Bo came out with a cold face, scooped her up and carried her inside, placing her by the warm fireplace.

As he turned to leave, Lin Yiwei tightly grasped his clothes, her thin, long fingers clutching onto him like iron hooks, refusing to let go.

Xie Bo tugged a few times but couldn’t break free.

Lin Yiwei weakly opened her eyes, tears streaming down her face, her gaze unfocused.

“Xie Bo, don’t ignore me.”

Xie Bo truly hated this woman before him, but his heart… still ached terribly for her.