Zixin pursed his lips in disappointment.
Why was she so quick to say that it isn't a date? I didn't mind really.
Guiying didn't share his sentiments. Chyou was from a wealthy family, and she didn't wish for her to misunderstand their relationship. Thinking about what she witnessed after the Summit regarding Jun and Ai, she was vaguely more conscious of not getting herself too involved in matters related to heart and feelings.
Chyou blinked at her clear signs of nervousness. Guiying genuinely didn't seem to have any intentions to regard this as anything romantic. On the opposite spectrum, Zixin's shoulders had dropped as if he was in despair. She didn't know if he treated this as a date or not but even if he didn't, her answer clearly didn't sit well with him.
So he likes her but she doesn't?
Yating, too, felt an odd atmosphere. He tried to ease the heavy air. "That's fine too. The main point is to enjoy your meal. Food always comes first."
Chyou brightened. "You know a woman's heart so well!"
"That's the talking of my own heart too."
"But mainly, it's a woman's. Men only know how to work, work and work! Be it you or Zixin!" She sighed as if talking to two little kids.
Chyou coughed. "My bad. We will take our leave."
She cursed herself.
Ugh I made it awkward. But it clearly looked like a date!
They quickly exited from that short but awkward conversation. They took their own seat on a table far away from theirs. She bumped her forehead on the table. "I am an idiot."
Yating waved his hand in dismissal. "Come on. Don't be so hard on yourself. For a minute, I misunderstood them too. Guiying never talked about Chen Zixin to me, so I thought maybe she is keeping a secret about their relationship."
She lifted her head and pouted. "But Zixin definitely looked disappointed."
"Well…I noticed that too," he awkwardly said, scratching his chin. He could understand it even better because those were his own feelings at one point for Ai.
Chyou smiled at him.
When she mentioned Jun's name as Zixin's cousin, she had observed that Yating didn't seem uncomfortable with it. Which made her feel happy to know that Yating wasn't bothered about Jun and Ai's relationship. He might not be completely there, but he was definitely heading in the right direction in moving on.
"Why are you smiling? It's suspicious," he narrowed his eyes.
Her brow twitched. "Hey! What's so suspicious about the Queen of the entertainment industry smiling at you?"
"Maybe the Queen of the entertainment industry wants me to foot the meal's bill."
She sheepishly grinned. "That wasn't why I was smiling at you, but it was definitely in my agenda to let you do the honors of paying the bill~"
"Was the Queen of the entertainment industry always a miser?" He raised his brow.
"I am just saving for my retirement~" she innocently said.
"..."
"Yeaaaaaah I don't think that with your successful career and with Mr. Zhu Xiaosi as your father, you really need to plan for your 'retirement' per say."
Chyou burst into laughter.
Yating shook his head and said, "Let's order."
"En!"
Inwardly, Chyou decided to let Jun know of her meeting with Zixin and Guiying.
I am not sure if this will be helpful, but if she is suspicious as Jun feels then he might learn something more about her…
—
Guiying breathed out in relief as Yating and Chyou left. As she looked up at Zixin, she found his expression to be odd.
"Are you okay?"
Zixin parted his lips to say something but then simply nodded. Which made her feel immediately anxious.
"D-Did I do something wrong?"
"No, you didn't."
She clasped her hands together. "Are you upset because Miss. Zhu thought that we were on a…date? You don't have to worry! I clarified it."
"Yes, I saw but you…really didn't have to do that," he mumbled to himself.
"What?"
"You did the right thing," he said with a heavy heart.
"Yeah…"
"But you also didn't need to dismiss it so quickly," he pursed his lips.
She blinked twice.
So did I do the right thing or not?
"T-Then what should I have…? I just didn't want any unnecessary rumor to spread about you," she quickly corrected herself, "Wait, I don't mean that Miss. Zhu is a gossiper! I have watched her movies and I respect her a lot. She is Ai and my favorite actress!"
Zixin instead focused on the first part. "Unnecessary rumor? Nothing about you is unnecessary for me."
She froze. Her eyes were locked into his and though she wanted to look away, she couldn't.
"I like spending time with you. Be it with you or 'her.'"
She stiffened, her breath stuck in her throat. She now realized that it was the first time she was talking to him as Guiying herself when he knew the truth about her.
He then softly smiled. "I am glad that I could talk to you too today."
Her eyes teared up. Cai Guiying had always treated her like a creep. Even so, she always craved his love. She always worked hard to win his attention.
But Zixin treated her like a normal person. She knew Ai would too but somewhere in her heart, she didn't want to risk losing her friendship if she ever changed like her brother.
Guiying felt his thumb gently make contact with her cheek, wiping her tears away. She felt her heart stop beating.
"You have cried enough till now. Now, you deserve all the happiness in this world."
His words shook her heart.
Happiness…
After Valentine's night, she truly wondered if there was any happiness left for her to have?
She smiled, albeit with sadness. "I am not so sure about that."
"But I am," he was firm and resolute. "You will have all the happiness. Hundred, no, a thousand times more than the grief you bore. I will give you that happiness."
She stared at his clear, radiant eyes.
"Idiot…I am really an idiot."
Why am I thinking of Liu Jun now?
More precisely, she was thinking of MrPerfect.
"you always...Why do you always sound so much like MrPerfect?" She helplessly let the question out.
Zixin blinked. "MrPerfect?"