CH 55.1

When the two of them reached the doorway of the observatory, Song Shiyu suddenly halted his footsteps. Without turning to look at Ji Fanyin, he muttered softly, “I’m sorry.”

Ji Fanyin looked at his tightly-clenched fists and asked, “What are you sorry for?”

“I just wanted to apologize to your older sister. I… didn’t treat her well,” said Song Shiyu with difficulty. 

‘Didn’t treat her well’. That’s putting it quite mildly. 

Ji Fanyin answered him calmly, “Alright, I’ll relay your words to big sis.”

“… Do you think that she will forgive me?”

Ji Fanyin spent a few seconds earnestly contemplating that question before she answered, “I don’t know. She’ll have to hear your apology first.”

Just that she’s already dead. She can’t hear anything now.

Either Ji Fanyin’s remark had rendered him speechless or his overwhelming guilt had left him ashamed of himself, but Song Shiyu chose not to dwell on this topic. 

He quietly drove Ji Fanyin back home even though it was only 10 P.M..

When Ji Fanyin noticed that they were heading toward her neighborhood instead of the Ji Residence, she kindly reminded him, “My house is not in this direction.”

Song Shiyu ignored her and continued driving toward her neighborhood. When the car finally came to a halt, he leaned over and released her seatbelt for her. 

“Goodnight,” he said.

“Take care on your way back. Goodnight.”

While saying those words, Ji Fanyin noticed a familiar male bracelet around Song Shiyu’s wrist. 

Where have I seen this before?

Ah.

It was the bracelet that she had given to him several months ago for work, only for him to smash it. She had chanced upon it while she was at his home, so she took it away with her for garbage disposal. 

She was able to sell it for 200 dollars on an e-commerce website despite it being bent out of shape. 

Does this mean that someone else gave him a similar bracelet? No… he bought it himself?

Regardless of whether Song Shiyu was wearing it as a statement or for some other reason, she decided to just feign ignorance. She turned her eyes away with an ambiguous smile and alighted from the car.

“Ji Fanyin,” Song Shiyu called out to her from behind. He leaned out of the window and looked at her with a hesitant look on his face, afraid that he might face yet another rejection. “Can I… ask you out? I don’t need you to be… anyone’s substitute. You just have to be yourself.”

Ji Fanyin turned around and smiled at him.

Sometimes, a silent smile can be the loudest rejection.

Sorry, but the person you’re calling doesn’t wish to bother with you. Don’t bother trying again. 

Song Shiyu was still fairly good at catching hints. He grasped the meaning behind her smile within a few seconds and wisely chose to seal his lips. 

Ji Fanyin waved her hand at him and bade him farewell, “Byebye.”

Song Shiyu looked like he still had things to say, but he chose not to waste anyone’s time here. He quietly drove his car away. 

Ji Fanyin glanced at her watch.

Not bad, I managed to get off work forty minutes in advance.