Chapter 19: So Hard to Communicate

Xu Lian Yi was still sulking in silence. She rarely lost arguments with anyone.

Just as she was thinking of a topic to retort with, she noticed her brother staring blankly at his phone.

“What are you looking at?” She snatched the phone from his hand. When she saw the photo on the screen, she froze momentarily.

The photo was of Xia Mi La.

She was sitting at a dining table, holding cutlery while having a meal. Around her behind, beside, and even at her feet pink roses were arranged decoratively. Dressed in a white dress, she sat surrounded by pink roses, as if in a sea of flowers. The entire scene was elegant and serene.

What was even more unexpected was that this photo came from Zhao Taihe’s social media.

The one on Xu Zai Hao’s phone was a screenshot. It even included a caption written by Zhao Taihe.

Zhao Taihe: Flowers to match a beauty.

It was worth noting that Zhao Taihe was famously a playboy. His posting this seemed to carry some deeper meaning.

Xu Zai Hao was pondering exactly that deeper meaning.

Xu Lian Yi reacted faster than him.

Although she was also surprised that Mira would go on a date with Zhao Taihe, the next second she said to Xu Zai Hao, “So you see, there are plenty of alternatives. If one doesn’t work out, just switch to another.”

While whether Zhao Taihe was a better choice remained debatable, the fact that Xia Mi La’s attention had shifted away from Jin He was a positive sign.

Of course, whether Xia Mi La’s attention had truly shifted away Xu Lian Yi’s earlier comment was mostly bravado.

Even with her close relationship to Xia Mi La, she couldn’t be certain.

After all, everyone knew how obsessed Xia Mi La was with Jin He. Could she really develop feelings for someone else?

Meanwhile, Jin He was currently at a convenience store.

Sitting alone by the window, he glared darkly outside. His designer clothes and luxury wristwatch seemed out of place in the simple, almost shabby convenience store.

Jin He rarely visited such places. He had come today because Pei Duo Xing worked part-time here.

Even after what she experienced at school during the day, she still came to work her shift.

“Why bother with this job?” Jin He completely failed to understand. “It pays so little. I’ll just give you the money.”

“I have hands and feet I can earn my own living,” Pei Duo Xing said. “Why should I take your money?”

They couldn’t see eye to eye. So they both sulked and stopped talking to each other.

Jin He sat by the window for a long time until a cup of instant noodles was placed in front of him.

He looked up at the person.

“Eat,” Pei Duo Xing muttered. “You probably haven’t eaten yet.” Then she added sarcastically, “I wonder if your noble stomach can digest such commoner food.”

Jin He sighed and grabbed her wrist as she turned to leave.

“I already told you just stay by my side when we’re at school,” he said. “Why didn’t you wait for me at noon? It’s because you wandered off alone that you ended up in that situation.”

“So it’s my fault that something bad happened to me?” Pei Duo Xing lowered her eyes. “You want me by your side, but what identity would I have to stay by your side?”

“My… loved one,” Jin He said. “I like you.”

He recalled the first time he saw Pei Duo Xing at Han Lin headquarters. She was strong and beautiful, like a flower blooming on a mountain peak. Her gaze and demeanor were entirely different from those of them who grew up in greenhouses, unlike any girl he had ever met. From the very first moment he laid eyes on her, he was captivated.

“What about Xia Mi La?” Pei Duo Xing asked, “What does Xia Mi La mean to you?”

“Mira…” Jin He said, “We grew up together since childhood, we’re very good friends. The engagement was arranged by our families, you should know – it’s just a business marriage. Mira is a friend to me, family. I don’t have any romantic feelings toward her.”

“You’re perfectly matched in social status,” Pei Duo Xing said bitterly. “You two are the perfect couple made in heaven.”

Jin He stood up and gently embraced her: “Don’t say things like that.”

“But…”

“Don’t worry,” Jin He comforted. “I’ll resolve the engagement matter properly.”

Mira was wonderful. Gentle and obedient, beautiful and understanding – she was the ideal wife candidate. If he hadn’t met Pei Duo Xing, he probably would have followed his family’s arrangements, listened to his parents and married Mira, living out his life like that…

But now he had met Pei Duo Xing. He had experienced genuine affection, and he had found someone he wanted to protect even more.

“Mmm…” Pei Duo Xing shyly nodded in his embrace.

She hadn’t been wrong. Although she had suffered some hardships, her relationship with Jin He had indeed grown closer.

Jin He felt he had finally managed to comfort Pei Duo Xing.

The two separated, with Pei Duo Xing returning to her part-time job, while Jin He sat back down by the window.

The noodles should be ready soon, and Jin He felt completely relaxed.

With this mood, he took out his phone to check, then abruptly stood up from his chair again.

“What’s wrong?” Pei Duo Xing asked curiously from nearby.

Jin He didn’t answer. He switched to the dial screen and used speed dial 1 to call Xia Mi La.

This speed dial had been set by Xia Mi La herself.

After being engaged for so many years, they naturally had some sweet little moments. When Xia Mi La occasionally used these little tricks between couples, Jin He never objected.

But no one answered the call.

Meanwhile, Xia Mi La and Zhao Taihe had finished their dinner, and Zhao Taihe was seeing her home.

Although Xia Mi La had her own car, Zhao Taihe insisted on displaying his gentlemanly manners.

So the two sat together in one car.

Xia Mi La’s phone kept vibrating. She glanced at it and declined the call.

“What is it?” Zhao Taihe asked with a smile. “Is it Jin He?”

His tone carried a somewhat triumphant note.

After uploading the photos, this was probably the moment he had been waiting for.

“It’s him,” Xia Mi La replied.

“My people said he went to see that sponsored student again after school,” he said. Not that he was deliberately trying to cause trouble, but he didn’t want her to develop any unnecessary feelings for Jin He out of guilt.

Xia Mi La softly acknowledged with an “Mmm.”

Zhao Taihe looked at her profile.

Her expression was calm, revealing no particular emotion.

“Are you putting on an act, or do you really not care that much?” he asked.

Xia Mi La also looked at him: “Do you think I came to this date, having dinner with you, is just a way for me to express my concern about Jin He?”

Zhao Taihe certainly didn’t want to admit this.

He considered himself to have some charm.

“Don’t care anymore?” He raised the corner of his mouth. “Since you’re so indifferent to your fiance’s romantic history, why not get engaged to me instead? I’ll treat you better than Jin He ever could. No matter when, no one else will ever come before you. I would never let you lose face in front of everyone.”

“Oh, really?” Xia Mi La countered. “What about you? Are you the same?”

“What about me?”

“As long as I give you enough respect, can you also ignore my other privacy?”

“How could…” Zhao Taihe almost blurted out how could that be possible?

He could never allow his wife to betray him.

Before he could finish his sentence, Xia Mi La already understood.

She slightly curved her smiling eyes and gave him a mocking smile. “Such double standards won’t do.”

“Don’t tell me,” Zhao Taihe leaned closer to her, their shoulders lightly touching, “you have someone else you like?”

“No,” Xia Mi La replied. “But with Jin He’s precedent, who knows when I might suddenly meet my true love?”

“Haha.” Zhao Taihe was amused and laughed out loud. “You’re much more adorable now than before.”

Xia Mi La nodded. “Thank you for the compliment.”

Zhao Taihe accompanied her all the way downstairs and finally handed her a pink rose tied with a pink ribbon.

Out of the entire sea of flowers he had prepared, only this one made it into her hands.

Xia Mi La reached out to take it and sincerely thanked him. “Thank you. The food was delicious, and the flower is beautiful. I really like it.”

He had indeed put thought into his preparations.

Zhao Taihe smiled. “My pleasure.”

Xia Mi La also raised the corner of her mouth. “See you tomorrow.”

“Mm. See you tomorrow.”

Zhao Taihe stood there, watching Xia Mi La enter the villa. Her figure gradually faded into the distance, nearly disappearing from sight, before he finally turned and returned to his car.

When Xia Mi La returned to her room, Jin He persistently called again.

“You finally answered the phone.” Jin He’s voice, barely containing his anger, came through the line. “Where are you now? Who are you with?”

“I’m alone,” Xia Mi La replied. “I’m at home now.”

“What about earlier?” Jin He demanded angrily. “Who were you with earlier?”

Even though he had already seen the photos, he kept pressing the question.

Xia Mi La found it somewhat amusing. “Oh, so you’re asking about A Tai.”

“A Tai?” Jin He felt something explode in his head. The fury burning inside him nearly made him lose control, and his voice trembled with anger. “Hey, Xia Mi La, if you were unhappy about what happened during the day, you should have just said so. There’s no need to say you forgive me while doing something like this to provoke me!”

“A He,” Xia Mi La sighed softly. “I didn’t expect you to be this angry, but please calm down. My dinner with A Tai has nothing to do with what happened during the day. Although we’re engaged, we both have the freedom to make ordinary friends, don’t we?”

Jin He wouldn’t listen. “Do you think getting close to Zhao Taihe will make me care more about you? Impossible. Behavior like this only makes me more disgusted and resentful…”

So difficult to communicate with.

Xia Mi La didn’t wait for him to finish. She hung up the phone.

Listening to the busy tone on the other end, Jin He was so furious he nearly passed out.

He barely slept at all that night.

After finally confessing their feelings to each other with Pei Duo Xing, it should have been a beautiful day. But every time Jin He closed his eyes, the photograph taken by Zhao Taihe that was circulating wildly in the group chat would flash through his mind.

That sea of delicate pink roses felt like tangled thorns to him, stabbing at his head, his face, his eyes every part of his body ached.

And the girl in that sea of flowers, the one he knew best, the one who should have been by his side, was sitting there with his arrival.

Xia Mi La! Jin He thought bitterly, I will never forgive you!

———————–

Author’s Note: Mira: So hard to communicate with him [eye roll]