Chapter 114: I Like You (2)

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“Mind your own business. Anyway, if Sister Xin beats you up, you’ll have it coming.” Shan Chou Chou could not be bothered with them and walked away.

Nan Zixi then turned to Ji Niansheng. “Let’s go.”

Ji Niansheng eyed him with some suspicion. After all, this was their first meeting, and for some inexplicable reason, he felt that Nan Zixi seemed hostile toward him.

“What? Scared?” Nan Zixi arched a brow. His tone was faintly provocative, yet strangely childish.

“Joking, right? Why would I be scared?” Even knowing perfectly well that he was being provoked, Ji Niansheng could not afford to lose face. “You lead the way.”

———

Gu Heng drove Qiao Xi to the outskirts, a place they had loved visiting since childhood.

Qiao Xi remembered that Gu Heng had been the one to bring her there for the first time. She could not remember how old she had been—she had been very young then, and all she had known was that the place had grass and a lake and was breathtakingly beautiful.

After that, they would come from time to time. They would lie together on the grass and gaze at the blue sky and white clouds, or climb trees and swing their little legs…

Even when they said nothing at all, it never felt awkward. On the contrary, simply knowing the other was there kept them from feeling lonely or alone…

From the time they first began to understand the world until they grew up, this place had filled both their lives with memories.

The last time she had come here with him was when she had decided to transfer schools. She had wanted to tell him in person.

He had lain on the grass as he always did, while she sat beside him, unable to figure out how to begin.

In the end, she had said nothing. His mother had suddenly called, asking him to attend to something, so they had gone home.

By the following day, nearly everyone already knew that she was transferring schools. Only then did he find out.

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He had come to demand an explanation for why she had not told him, but she had not told him the reason.

He had been angry, in truth, yet he had not tried to stop her.

They had grown up together, and she knew that no one understood her personality better than he did—not even her own parents.

She hated being forced into anything. He knew that, which was why he had not pressured her to stay.

But if he had asked her to, could she have refused?

She was thinking this when she heard him say, “Come back.”

She looked at him and met his intent gaze.

“Chou Chou told me everything,” Gu Heng said, never taking his eyes off her.

She said nothing, lowering her gaze.

After a while, she finally spoke. “Actually, that isn’t—”

Before she could finish, Gu Heng reached out and gripped her arms.

She raised her head and met his eyes once more.

“I don’t want you to suffer any more grievances.” His gaze was so sincere, so intense, as he looked into hers.

“I haven’t suffered any grievances. Other people’s opinions have nothing to do with me. I…”

“Do my feelings have nothing to do with you either?” Gu Heng stared steadily at her.

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Qiao Xi froze. She parted her lips, but did not know what to say.

“Qiao Xi.” His hands tightened slightly around her arms. “Come back. Let things be as they were before.”

In truth, Qiao Xi’s resolve had already begun to waver before she returned.

Was Yingran really suitable for her?

Just as Chou Chou had said, only a month after transferring there, one problem after another had arisen.

She herself did not care, but Chou Chou had transferred there because of her, and she had done nothing but drag Chou Chou into trouble.

Should she consider coming back?

But…

Could she?

She understood what Gu Heng meant: for them to remain together as they had before, without changing anything.

But could they really?

Could she and Gu Heng still be together as they had been before?

“Gu Heng…”

“Qiao Xi.” Gu Heng interrupted her, looking straight into her eyes. “I like you.”

This was the first time he had ever told her he liked her. He had waited long enough and did not want to keep waiting. He wanted her to know clearly how he felt about her.

“If you didn’t know before, then you know now.”

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