Free Web NovelChapter 425: Chapter 425: Yanxi 33
"Long time no see. How have you been?" Jin Taiyuan’s gaze settled on Xu Yanxi, almost obsessively. It took him a long while to get the words out.
"I’ve been doing well." Xu Yanxi felt a surge of complicated emotions. This was the first time she had seen Jin Taiyuan since her return. He hadn’t changed much from her memory, but his aura and the look in his eyes were completely different.
Back then, he had Hong Youcheng’s patronage, and she kept their home in perfect order. Outside of that, Hong Xiazhen helped him out, so he could focus on his career without a single worry.
But now, Hong Youcheng and Hong Xiazhen were both in prison. His circumstances were a world of difference from before. Of course, he was still a capable man; at the very least, he was still at Fang Zhenshun’s company, still a manager.
But the look in Jin Taiyuan’s eyes had grown much more somber, no longer gentle like before.
After Xu Yanxi spoke, an awkward silence fell between them. After a long moment, Jin Taiyuan finally broke it. "I’m sorry. I’ve always wanted to say that to you, but I could never find the chance."
"You changed your number and your address, and I didn’t dare bother you at your school."
Xu Yanxi lowered her gaze. When she looked up again, a smile was on her face. "It’s all in the past, Taiyuan. You’ve always been a dignified person, and I’m very grateful you didn’t come looking for me at school."
"Our breakup was messy, but we were together for ten years and we have plenty of good memories. I didn’t want to make a huge scene because I didn’t want our decade together to end so uglily. It’s better for us to both keep our dignity and part on good terms."
A deep sorrow filled Jin Taiyuan’s eyes. "It’s so hard, Yanxi. I truly regret it. Do you think if I hadn’t... back then... would things be completely different for us now?"
Xu Yanxi smiled. "That’s all in the past. But even without Hong Xiazhen, you still wouldn’t have been honest with me. Without honesty, without basic mutual trust, we never would have lasted."
"I admit I despise the idea of illegitimate children, but your situation is different," Xu Yanxi said softly. "Your mother was just deceived. That wasn’t what she intended. If you had just been honest with me back then, we wouldn’t have reached this point."
"What’s done is done. We both have our own separate lives now, so let’s just move on. You’ll meet someone wonderful. Just be more honest with her. You’re a good person; you’ll find the right partner for you."
"We should get going," Xu Yanxi said, turning to Sheng Zhou beside her. "Did you buy fish again? Shuangshuang is constantly crying for fish now. Whenever he’s not at home, I just know he’s gone to find you."
Sheng Zhou smiled. "It’s a cat’s nature to love fish. It’s not that much, anyway. Come on, let’s go check out."
Watching the two of them walk away with their shopping cart, Jin Taiyuan took two steps back and leaned against the shelving. He truly regretted everything. But you only get one life; there are no second chances.
He was the one who had pushed away the happiness that was once right at his fingertips. Everything happening now was what he deserved.
As they left the supermarket, Sheng Zhou effortlessly carried two large bags. "That was... your ex-boyfriend back there? He seems like a very respectable person."
"He’s always cared most about keeping up appearances. And there’s nothing wrong with that, really." Xu Yanxi shrugged. "My mother had an affair years ago. She abandoned my dad and me and left with someone else."
"His mother, on the other hand, was deceived. A scumbag tricked her into having his child. The man already had a wife and kids, which his mother only found out about when the wife showed up at her door."
"Taiyuan... he actually didn’t have an easy life," Xu Yanxi said, recalling what Jin Taiyuan’s mother told her after their divorce in her past life. "His mother has a lot of backbone. The moment she realized she’d been deceived, she cut all ties with that family and worked to put him through school all on her own."
"But the man’s wife had children of her own, and they would give Jin Taiyuan a hard time every now and then." Xu Yanxi sighed. "I only learned about all this later. I do hate people who are unfaithful, but it’s not like Taiyuan asked to be brought into this world."
"If there’s any sin involved, it’s his father’s."
"And he tried so hard to distance himself from that family. But as it turns out, that was only a physical separation, not a mental one. He trapped himself. He didn’t believe in himself, and he didn’t believe I could accept his past."
"Even though things ended badly between us, I know he’s not a bad person." Xu Yanxi said with a small smile. "I used to be... very headstrong and quick-tempered."
"He had a big influence on me when we were together. At the end of the day, just because he cheated, it doesn’t make him some irredeemably evil person. That wouldn’t be fair to him."
Sheng Zhou had been listening quietly the whole time. "Is he really that great in your eyes?"
"He was always a good person. Very warm and thoughtful." Perhaps because she had truly moved on from Jin Taiyuan, Xu Yanxi could now see him more objectively. "If he weren’t, Hong Youcheng wouldn’t have specifically asked him to look after Hong Xiazhen at work."
"I’m really jealous," Sheng Zhou said, his tone serious. "The way you’re praising him in front of me."
"I’m just stating the facts," Xu Yanxi said, feeling his jealousy was completely unreasonable. "No matter how great he was, we still broke up. We haven’t even seen each other in ages. Wait, why are you jealous?"
"You don’t get it?" Sheng Zhou glanced sideways at Xu Yanxi. She was just tall enough to reach his chin, and from this angle, all he could see were her fluttering eyelashes.
Xu Yanxi’s heart gave a sudden, heavy thump. "I... I never thought about it. I thought we were just on friendly neighborly terms."
"I don’t have time to get friendly with all my neighbors," Sheng Zhou said, perfectly calm. "If I didn’t like you, I would’ve left right after Xiuyu’s parent-teacher conference. I wouldn’t keep buying treats for Shuangshuang and Huahua, either. It’s what they call ’loving the house and the crow on its roof.’"
Xu Yanxi’s eyes widened slightly. She clearly understood what he meant.
Xu Yanxi thought for a moment. "This is too sudden. I need to think about this. Besides, we don’t know each other that well."
Sheng Zhou understood her subtle rejection. "Let me just ask you one thing: do you dislike me?"
"No, I don’t," Xu Yanxi answered honestly. "I’ve always seen you as a very kind neighbor. I’ve never disliked you."
"As long as you don’t dislike me, that’s enough," Sheng Zhou smiled, not at all dejected by her refusal. "Love at first sight is romantic, but after that initial hormonal rush fades, what sustains a relationship is mutual character. Feelings can grow, as long as you both share the same core values and are fundamentally good people."
"It might not be as romantic or passionate along the way, but that kind of relationship often ends up being more stable."
