Chapter 63
The saleswoman was prepared for Xu Ke to make things difficult for her; after all, she had indeed been quite out of line at the beginning. However, she didn’t expect him to forgive her so easily. Shocked and pleasantly surprised, she felt a deep gratitude towards Xu Ke. Upon hearing his instructions, she immediately got to work, her hands quick yet careful.
“Would you like to look at other styles?” the saleswoman asked respectfully, holding the clothes Xu Ke had chosen in her arms.
“No need, this one is enough.”
An Jiali, who had been keeping tabs on Xu Ke’s situation, immediately pointed to a piece of clothing and instructed the saleswoman to wrap it up once she heard Xu Ke was leaving. She quickly tagged along behind him.
An Jiali wanted to marry into the most prestigious family, and Xu Ke gave her hope. No matter what, she couldn’t let him leave so easily this time, or who knows when they would meet again.
An Jiali managed to catch up to Xu Ke just as he finished paying. “Mr. Xu, wait for me,” she called from behind him. As he stopped, a body scented with the fragrance of molasses fell into his arms. The unexpected collision left Xu Ke momentarily stunned, and instinctively, he even gave a slight hug due to reflex.
Though still young, An Jiali had been in the acting business for over ten years, and she knew exactly which angle would make her fall look most graceful. To the uninformed observer, she and Xu Ke appeared like a couple holding each other affectionately. The sight of a handsome man and beautiful woman, combined with such an intimate gesture, was hard for anyone not to misinterpret.
It only took Xu Ke a second, after feeling the body, to realize what was happening. Outside of An Jiali’s view, his face darkened. He despised being manipulated.
“I’ll give you three seconds to get out of my arms,” Xu Ke’s cold voice came from above before An Jiali could relish her perfect fall.
“I’m sorry, the heels I’m wearing today are too high, and I lost my balance. I didn’t mean it. I’ll get up now.” An Jiali looked up, her defiant eyes brimming with tears and grievance, as she began to move herself out of Xu Ke’s embrace. But halfway through, she fell back again, her expression even more pitiful than before.
After three failed attempts, it still appeared as though An Jiali hadn’t completely exited Xu Ke’s arms, resembling a playful couple teasing each other. Xu Ke’s patience finally ran out. The moment she attempted to fall into his arms again, he swiftly stepped back, watching coldly as An Jiali fell to the ground with a dull thud, losing her support.
“If I find you scheming against me again, I’ll make you disappear from Luocheng,” Xu Ke said, looking down on An Jiali, who was putting on a disbelieving and extremely aggrieved face on the floor. His expressionless words fell as he dusted off the sleeve of his shirt.
Having said what he needed to, Xu Ke turned towards the Lin Family, oblivious to the fact that this very scene with An Jiali had been witnessed clearly by a little one whom he held dear.
Xu Ke returned to the Lin Family with the gift he had bought for Lin Mengyao, a pleased look on his face throughout the journey home. He imagined how happy Lin Mengyao would be upon seeing the dress he had picked for her. Every time he thought of her delighted expression, his lips couldn’t help but curl up.
He pushed the bedroom door gently, but it didn’t budge. Xu Ke pressed on the handle and tried again, still to no avail. The joyful expression that had been on his face froze, as a corner of his heart was filled with a vague sense of foreboding. Lin Mengyao’s room door was never locked, but today it was shut, locking him out.
Pushing down the unease in his heart, Xu Ke knocked on the door, “Mengyao, are you inside? Let me in; I can’t get through.” Xu Ke said from outside the door.
Inside, Lin Mengyao, clutching the pages of a book in her hand, felt her eyes turn red at once upon hearing Xu Ke’s voice. The intimate scene of Xu Ke embracing another woman filled her eyes again.
“Mengyao, I know you’re in there. Open the door, I brought you a gift, and I’m sure you’ll like it.” Xu Ke knocked on the door again, speaking softly.
Finally, Lin Mengyao, who had remained silent all this while, spoke, but her words pierced Xu Ke’s heart like a knife. “Get lost, I don’t want to see you. You’re disgusting,” Lin Mengyao shouted loudly from inside, her voice laden with tears, her hands trembling uncontrollably from the intense emotions.
“Mengyao, what’s wrong? Open the door and let me in, you might be misunderstanding me. Let me in, and let’s clear things up, okay?” Xu Ke’s brows furrowed slightly upon hearing Lin Mengyao’s crying voice describe him in such a way. He knocked at the door faster, but the door blocking him remained unmoved.
Only Lin Mengyao’s tearful voice emerged from inside, “There’s nothing to explain; I saw it all. I don’t want to hear your explanation; I don’t want to see you right now. Get lost.”
At that moment, Lin Mengyao couldn’t bear hearing Xu Ke’s voice. Every time she heard it, the pain in a corner of her heart intensified, reminding her of the scene earlier. Lin Mengyao didn’t understand why she was acting so out of character, but she knew Xu Ke was the reason for her pain. If only he stayed out of her sight, she could return to normal, she consoled herself, clutching her aching chest.
“Alright, alright, I’ll leave now. Don’t get worked up. Once you’re calmer, I’ll come back and explain. I’ve left the clothes I got for you outside your door, don’t forget to take it later,” Xu Ke gently placed the shopping bag by the door, gazed at the door for a while longer, and seeing no intention from Lin Mengyao to open it, finally turned and left.
Xu Ke couldn’t even tell how he was feeling at that moment. The misunderstanding with Lin Mengyao and her voice thick with tears pained him, but the undiscovered affection within her words made him feel like he was resting on clouds, his entire being light as air. Entangled, these two emotions made Xu Ke feel as if he were riding a roller coaster, swinging between extreme highs and lows.