Chapter 106

Without washing up or changing clothes, Xia Yuwei finished the call and collapsed onto the sofa.

Gradually, she slipped into a drowsy sleep.

“I love you, baby, and if it’s quite all right, and I need you, baby…”

Her phone rang by her ear. Xia Yuwei, eyes closed, reached around blindly, only to realize it was beneath her.

Was it very late? Or was dawn approaching?

Her voice was a little hoarse.

“Yuwei,” came Xin Xin’s voice.

“Xin Xin.” Xia Yuwei felt a bit dazed. Why was Xin Xin calling so late? Xin Xin had attended the engagement ceremony too. Though their relationship was no longer as natural as before, they hadn’t fallen out completely. “What’s up? Still awake at this hour?”

“I was asleep, but I got up just now,” Xin Xin said.

“It’s not even dawn yet. I didn’t know you were so diligent,” Xia Yuwei smiled faintly, teasing her.

“Sigh…” Xin Xin sighed on the other end. It seemed they hadn’t had such a calm conversation in a long time. Ever since Xia Yuwei went to find Lu Yichen, the atmosphere between them had been awkward, unspoken but understood. No fights, yet no harmony either. Now, Xia Yuwei was already Ye Lifeng’s fiancée. Whether Xin Xin had played a part in that, she wasn’t sure.

“In the dead of night, you’re calling just to sigh?”

“Yuwei, do you feel happy now? Do you love him?” Xin Xin asked.

“…” Xia Yuwei remained silent, then after a long pause said, “What’s the point in talking about this now?”

---

“I want to tell you why I’m awake so late and why I called you,” Xin Xin said, sensing her silence meant unhappiness. “Just now, Lu Yichen came to my place.”

“…” Xia Yuwei stayed silent, unsure what Xin Xin wanted to say next. What did it matter if he came looking for her? Strange, every time she tried to forget him, someone was always there to remind her he existed.

“He came looking for you. He doesn’t know you moved out or that you changed your number. He was downstairs calling for you. Honestly, I think he woke up the whole building,” Xin Xin said, recounting the scene with a bittersweet smile.

Xia Yuwei said nothing.

“Why so quiet? Don’t want to hear the rest?” Xin Xin teased. Without waiting for a reply, she continued, “I went down to see him. Told him you moved away. Told him you’re leaving here for Europe in a week. Do you think I did the right thing?”

Also, he accused her of faking that night’s event, saying it was all an act, and she admitted it. But Xin Xin never told Xia Yuwei that—it was a wound too painful to touch.

“I don’t know,” Xia Yuwei said, lying still on the sofa.

She felt both awake and dreamy.

How could he climb into another woman’s bed again, then come looking for her?

And she, already Ye Lifeng’s fiancée, wearing the Ye family engagement ring—how could she face him?

Hadn’t they both already disappointed each other?

“You don’t know? Yuwei, I always thought you were sensible. Now I see you’re even more confused than I am,” Xin Xin laughed.

“Confused? Maybe. Lately my mind hasn’t been clear,” Xia Yuwei said softly.

Perhaps she was too selfish to continue clinging to him. Fortunately, she was leaving soon, and everything would end. These maddening days of being so near yet so far would soon be over.

“Hopefully, he’ll clear his head and so will you.”

“What?” Xia Yuwei was puzzled by Xin Xin’s words. Before she could ask, the call was ended.

---

Morning brought a shared class in a large lecture hall, multiple classes listening to the same professor.

Xia Yuwei found a spot in the last row and sat down casually. The back row was nearly empty, perfectly matching her desire for solitude.

Class began with the professor using slides, so the curtains were drawn tight and the lights off. In the darkness, only the glow of the slides was visible. Xia Yuwei listened intently.

Suddenly, she felt someone sit beside her.

Why here? With so many empty seats ahead, why squeeze in next to her and disturb her peace? Xia Yuwei felt a slight annoyance but didn’t turn to look.

As the class neared its end, perhaps due to exhaustion from the night, the dull lecture, or her distracted mind, she found herself drifting.

Just then, a slender hand suddenly grasped her hand resting on the desk. Xia Yuwei startled, her heart skipping a beat. Reflexively, she tried to pull her hand away and turned to see who dared invade her space.

That silhouette, that figure—so familiar.

She tried to retract her hand, but it was held firmly.

In the darkness, his other hand encircled her waist, his voice low in her ear: “Xia Yuwei, come with me…”

“No…” she whispered stubbornly, struggling against his hold. What did this mean? What was going on?

“Do you want me to carry you out, or will you come with me willingly?” he demanded, still as domineering as ever.

“I…” Before she could finish, his arms wrapped around her waist, lifting her as if to carry her off. She believed that if she refused, he was capable of anything. But why, after keeping his distance all this time, had he suddenly become so persistent and passionate?

No time to think further—she hurriedly pushed him away, saying, “I’ll go with you!”