"Lu Zhen, I regret falling for Chi Xu."
The light flickered on and off. The girl's face was as pale as paper, and for a moment, there was a look of confusion on her face. Her hand hanging by her waist unconsciously tightened.
She lowered her head slightly. Her fragile back seemed unable to bear the heavy burden and bent. Beneath her fluttering long eyelashes were moist eyes. Her voice was so light that it seemed as if a gust of wind could blow it away.
Jiang Yuan didn't know why she couldn't help but pour out her heart as soon as she saw Lu Zhen. Her emotions rushed out like a flood breaking through a dam.
Maybe it was because in this strange city, she saw an acquaintance who had sat in the same classroom with her.
Jiang Yuan endured it with difficulty. She casually brushed the corner of her eye, pretending that nothing had happened, and forced a smile.
She almost forgot that Lu Zhen still liked her. But she didn't like Lu Zhen, so she shouldn't give him hope.
Jiang Yuan continued to smile, but her lips were bloodless. Her fair skin became even more translucent in the weak sunlight.
"Just pretend you didn't hear anything," she said softly, trying to sound relaxed, but there was no smile in her eyes. The deep sorrow was almost overflowing.
Lu Zhen took a step forward, closing the distance between him and Jiang Yuan. His outstretched hand hung in the air. Hearing her words, it froze and slowly retracted.
She was still keeping a distance from him.
Lu Zhen sighed. Afraid of disturbing the fragile Jiang Yuan, he softened his voice but was firm.
"Jiang Yuan, I heard everything. Did Chi Xu treat you badly? That's why you regret liking him."
"No, he's been pretty good to me," Jiang Yuan subconsciously took a step back, continuing to keep her distance from Lu Zhen.
Yes, he really had been good to her, so good that he noticed even the smallest details. It was just that she couldn't accept for a moment that Chi Xu and Lin Suye had joined hands to deceive her. Even less could she accept that the content she had written in her memo had been synced with Chi Xu's old phone.
Chi Xu had seen everything she had written.
But he had said nothing and just watched her like a joke.
"If he was really that good, Jiang Yuan, how could you have said you regret liking him?" Lu Zhen laughed self - deprecatingly. His gaze fell on the distance the girl had retreated, and his heart ached as if being pricked by needles.
"Jiang Yuan, don't worry. I don't like you anymore. You can tell me your troubles. We've known each other for years. What kind of friendship do we have!"
Lu Zhen raised his eyebrows and laughed freely.
"But..." Jiang Yuan didn't quite believe it. She looked at him suspiciously. He had just confessed his love to her not long ago, and now he didn't like her anymore?
Lu Zhen put his hands in his pockets and took a long - legged stride. His browbone was strong, and a faint light enveloped him, washing away his hostility. He became softer and less aggressive.
"Really. After confessing to you last time, I realized that I didn't like you anymore. What I've been missing and remembering is the friendship we had when we relied on each other. I mistook it for love."
Back then, Jiang Yuan had been deeply hurt by Chi Xu's sudden departure, and Lu Zhen had been heart - broken by his closest family.
Lu Zhen hooked his lips. His dark eyes locked onto Jiang Yuan, as if observing her expression.
Actually, he still liked Jiang Yuan very much. Lu Zhen thought sadly. He liked her so much that he might not forget this girl in front of him for many years to come.
The words he had just said were just to make Jiang Yuan willing to pour out her heart to him so that he could help her.
Those feelings buried in his heart would continue to be buried.
Jiang Yuan looked at Lu Zhen, and then looked again. The boy's gaze was clear and bright, pure without any impurities.
She bit her lip hesitantly.
Lu Zhen wasn't in a hurry. He just stood there quietly, waiting for Jiang Yuan's reply.
After a long time, Jiang Yuan let out a breath. "Okay."
Lu Zhen's eyebrows twitched. Did this mean she had agreed to talk to him? He suppressed the ecstasy in his heart and said calmly, "Let's find a place to sit. It's cold outside."
The two found a nearby convenience store, bought some snacks, and Jiang Yuan poured them all out.
Lu Zhen sat beside her and listened quietly.
His eyebrows wrinkled bit by bit, and the wrinkles became deeper and deeper. There was a gloomy look in his eyes.
If it weren't for the fact that Chi Xu was the one Jiang Yuan liked, he really wanted to... beat him up as he had said before.
But if he did that, Jiang Yuan would really be heart - broken.
It was more than ten minutes later when Jiang Yuan finally finished speaking. The heavy emotions weighing on her chest had all been released as she talked.
After getting rid of most of the depression, Jiang Yuan felt much better. She was no longer as heart - broken and dejected as when she had just run out of the hospital.
"That's all," Jiang Yuan said with a smile as she took a sip of her drink.
Lu Zhen took a deep breath, holding back the annoyance in his heart. He almost gritted his teeth as he squeezed out each word from between his teeth.
"Chi Xu is hurting you blatantly in the name of love!"
"Jiang Yuan, do you still want to make up with him?"
Jiang Yuan shook her head blankly and murmured in a low voice, "I don't know."
She placed her hand on her left chest and could clearly feel her heart beating. This heart was telling her that she still liked Chi Xu, really liked him.
"Then do you still want to be with him? What if there's a misunderstanding? After the misunderstanding is cleared up, do you still want to?"
Lu Zhen was silent for a while and then asked another question.
Jiang Yuan gave the same answer. "I don't know."
If all the misunderstandings were cleared up and Chi Xu really had his own difficulties, would she still be willing to be with Chi Xu?
Jiang Yuan lowered her head and opened the memo on her phone. It was completely clean, with no trace left.
If she and Chi Xu could be like this memo, deleted and started over, Jiang Yuan thought she would still be willing.
He was the one she had liked for almost ten years.
How many decades could there be in a person's life? Chi Xu had already occupied half of her current life. He had become a part of her flesh and blood and was inseparable.
Unless she was to be skinned and boned to get Chi Xu out bit by bit. But this process would surely be extremely painful, and it might even take a lifetime to heal.
Yes, Jiang Yuan admitted that she was head over heels in love with Chi Xu.
During the three years of separation from Chi Xu, she had missed him all the time. She had abandoned her old hobbies and immersed herself in studying.
All for the promise they had made to get into Jing University.
What if he wasn't at Jing University? Jiang Yuan had thought about this question. In the end, she had chosen to go without hesitation, grasping the last glimmer of hope, no matter how faint it was.
Jiang Yuan had successfully entered Jing University, successfully met Chi Xu, and started a new story with him.
Jiang Yuan lowered her head and saw the clean memo. A sharp pain shot through her heart.
What she couldn't accept was Chi Xu's deception.
It was almost as serious as his sudden departure back then.
Suddenly, a newly created post appeared out of nowhere in the memo. Jiang Yuan's pupils widened slightly. Her hand tightened on the phone as she stared intently.