As Xie Shuo spoke, Ye An was left completely stunned. She couldn’t believe that these words had come from him… even though he learned it from her.
Seeing her dumbfounded expression, Xie Shuo unexpectedly found it quite cute. All the melancholy he had felt in recent days seemed to dissipate in an instant as if he was restored to his original self.
He tugged at the corner of his lips, revealing a rare hint of a smile. “You changed your mind once before. Now, I’m changing my mind once too. This is what you call being even.”
Ye An: “…….”
Ye An finally understood what it meant to shoot oneself in the foot. For a moment, she was left speechless.
If he refused to sign the divorce papers, her signature alone would be meaningless.
Seeing her stunned, Xie Shuo reached out and gently grabbed her wrist, pulling her to sit beside him. Looking into her eyes, he said gently, “I know I neglected you before. Since you don’t believe me, let’s start over. I’ll prove it to you.”
Ye An looked up and met his gaze, her image reflecting in his eyes.
His deep, gentle voice echoed in her ears: a tenderness she had never quite experienced before. She hadn’t even had time to react when he suddenly placed a blue velvet jewelry box into her palm.
“I brought back a gift for you from my business trip. Open it and see if you like it.”
Reason told her to stay composed, but her hands couldn’t resist opening the box.
A beautifully exquisite necklace lay before her, radiating a silver glow. The sapphires shimmered like the enchanting moonlight of the deep sea, instantly captivating her sight.
It’s so beautiful….
Although Eldest Young Master Xie had a temper and was a bit of an alpha man, he did have an aesthetic eye for things.
But, what’s going on with him today?
Has someone suddenly opened his eyes to something?
Ye An couldn’t help but feel a bit silly deep down and scolded herself. Come on, Ye An, be more rational. How can you be so shallow, swayed by a necklace?
Not receiving a response, a rare hint of nervousness appeared on Xie Shuo’s face. He wrapped his arms around her waist, afraid that she might suddenly toss the necklace aside and leave.
“Like it?”
Ye An looked up, locking eyes with him, and her heart skipped a beat.
Memories of their first meeting flashed through her mind — it was a cold, raining spring night, his handsome appearance solemn. She couldn’t deny that she had remembered it for many years.
She parted her lips, and she was tempted to give in, but when she recalled his previous indifference, she felt a lingering resentment and believed that she shouldn’t forgive him so easily.
After a moment’s pause, she glanced at the necklace in her hand and said, “Is a necklace supposed to be proof? What do you take me for?”
Did he really think she was after his money?
Seeing her attitude soften, Xie Shuo tightened his grip on her hand and said, “How would you like me to prove it?”
He was close, and his voice was low, making Ye An weak all over. She almost couldn’t resist. Pulling her hand away, she said while avoiding his gaze, “This is your own business. Do you really need me to teach you?”
Looking at her side profile, Xie Shuo’s voice became even softer, “Let’s not sign the divorce agreement for now then. Wait until I prove it to you.”
Ye An pursed her lips and hesitated for a moment before saying, “Okay, we don’t have to divorce for now, but we need to live separately.”
Until this moment, she couldn’t be entirely sure if he was saying these things because he was used to her taking care of him or if there was a genuine affection behind his words. She didn’t know the depth of his feelings.
If they were going to start over, it’d be better for them to separate for some time.
She wanted to see how he intended to prove himself.
Frowning, Xie Shuo was somewhat reluctant. However, he also understood that this was already a significant compromise on her part. In all matters, it was essential to proceed gradually and avoid rushing, especially given her reservations.
In the end, the two of them reached an agreement: they wouldn’t sign the divorce agreement immediately but would live separately for a period. They would assess their situation afterward.
“This is a condo near your recording studio. During this time, you can live there.”
Regarding her living arrangements during their separation, Xie Shuo gave her a set of keys directly.
“…….”
Living separately yet still living in your condo, what kind of separation was that?
Ye An refused staunchly, “No need. I have my own place.”
Her current savings allowed her to easily purchase a condo if necessary.
Holding her hand, Xie Shuo stuffed the keys into her palm. “If you stay somewhere else, it’s hard to explain to Dad and Grandfather.”
Right… Ye An suddenly remembered this crucial issue. If she moved out, it would definitely raise questions from both Xie Baiyan and Grandfather Xie.
“How are you planning to explain this to them?” she asked.
Looking at her, Xie Shuo said, “I’ll move out with you. They won’t come looking to see where I’m living.”
After their marriage, they could’ve moved out together, but they had been staying at the family home because of Xie Shuo’s blindness.
Ye An understood his intention and hesitated for a moment before reluctantly accepting the keys.
This was a matter between the two of them. Regardless of the ultimate outcome, it had nothing to do with outsiders, and keeping it a secret for now would save her the trouble of dealing with irksome matters.
……
On the day of the move, Xie Shuo was glum throughout as if someone owed him a considerable debt.
Ye An couldn’t help but want to laugh. Recently, he had been on frequent business trips, so whether they formally separated or not didn’t make much difference. They rarely saw each other anyway. Even if they shared a bed, it was just a matter of greeting each other in the morning and at night.
Xie Shuo insisted on accompanying her to the condo, and Ye An couldn’t refuse, so she just let him do as he pleased.
After everything was settled, it was already around 6 pm.
Dusk painted the sky with vibrant hues, and the afterglow shone through the glass windows. Drinking a sip of water, Ye An was thinking of just eating something randomly to fill her stomach when she suddenly heard Xie Shuo say, “Where would you like to go for dinner?”
He just so happened to be standing by the window, his figure tall and framed by the radiant light, making his features appear somewhat blurred in the backlight.
He seemed to be pretty free today as he didn’t even go to the office, spending the entire day with her. Ye An knew how to be grateful, so she didn’t refuse his invitation and said, “Anywhere’s fine, you decide.”
Xie Shuo’s expression finally softened a bit, instructing someone to reserve a private room at a nearby Chinese restaurant.
The restaurant had an elegant ambiance, with separators blocking diners from each other. Exquisite and gorgeous wall lamps adorned the walls, casting a gentle glow like moonlight on the two of them.
Since Xie Shuo regained his sight, this was the first time they had dined at a place like this. The shadows of trees danced outside the window, and a subtle floral fragrance wafted in the breeze, creating the perfect setting.
“What time do you finish work tomorrow?” Xie Shuo suddenly asked while they were halfway through their meal.
Ye An looked up, her eyes reflecting the lamplight. “Not sure, probably around 10.”
Xie Shuo frowned. “Why is it always so late every time?”
Ye An replied, “It’s not always like this. After I finish dubbing this drama, I plan to take a break.”
Xie Shuo’s gaze shifted slightly. “Where are you planning to go during your break?”
Holding her spoon, Ye An took a sip of soup, and said lightheartedly, “I’m going back home to visit my mom. I told her so during the New Year.”
Xie Shuo glanced at her, as if he had something to say but held it back.
After dinner, Xie Shuo sent Ye An back to the entrance of the condo building.
The moon was clear, and the night breeze gently rustled. Ye An stopped in front of the building before turning around and saying, “Just here is fine.”
Xie Shuo stood tall and composed with his hands in his pockets. Looking at her under the moonlight, he said gently, “I’ll wait until you’re inside.”
It was such a simple phrase, yet it added a hint of ambiguity into the air as if a cat’s claw was scratching at her heart.
Ye An suddenly felt a bit ill at ease, and her heart raced for a moment.
At her age, she still hadn’t properly dated before, but tonight, she suddenly felt like a young, inexperienced girl going out on her first date.
Pursing her lips, she glanced at him and said nothing further. She turned around and walked toward the building, her slender figure gradually disappearing into the light and shadows.
Once her figure was completely out of sight, Xie Shuo turned around and left.
The next day, Ye An threw herself back into work, dubbing for the lead actress in a drama.
This time, the dubbing was not done at the studio but in a designated recording studio by the production team.
She worked tirelessly until ten at night, her throat dry and parched. She felt dizzy and exhausted, her mind filled with the hysterical lines from earlier, and had long forgotten about dating or whatnot.
The staff members left one after another. She unscrewed the lid of her thermos and drank a few sips. Along with the others, she headed toward the elevator.
The hallway was dimly lit, and after a short while, the elevator doors opened. Inside stood a tall, slim young man in a blue coat. He looked vaguely familiar.
Ye An didn’t pay much attention, engrossed in her phone. Seeing that he had pressed the same floor as her, she continued scrolling through her Weibo and interacting with her fans.
Suddenly, a voice next to her sounded strangely familiar…. “Ye An?”
Looking up, Ye An saw a somewhat familiar face and almost blurted out the cutting remark, “Who are you?”
Her memory was never the best. After scrutinizing his face, she finally recognized him. He was her senior from college, Jiang Yuhe.
“Long time no see.”
Confirming it was her, Jiang Yuhe smiled.
“Long time no see.”
Ye An managed to squeeze a smile, feeling slightly awkward.
During college, Jiang Yuhe had pursued her relentlessly for a while, but she had bluntly rejected him. She wasn’t sure if he still held a grudge.
“I didn’t expect to run into you here. Are you here for dubbing?”
Ye An smiled politely. “Yeah.”
Jiang Yuhe looked at her from head to toe, breath taken. “It’s been a few years, and you’ve become even more beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
It was a talk devoid of any meaning. Ye An remained polite but wondered why the elevator was so slow internally.
“Why so polite? We were at least schoolmates. You wouldn’t still remember what happened back then, would you?”
Perhaps guessing that she was awkward, Jiang Yuhe joked playfully.
Seeing that he had long turned the page on that chapter, Ye An responded with a laugh.
“It’s rare that we bump into each other. How about finding a place to sit and chat?”
Jiang Yuhe said with a smile, “I didn’t see you at our last class reunion either.”
The red numbers above the elevator changed, and it finally stopped on the first floor.
The elevator doors opened, and Ye An let out a sigh of relief. She smiled slightly, “It’s getting late, not the best time to. I’ll head home first.”
Without saying much more to him, she headed out while holding her bag.
As she stepped out of the office building, the night breeze, carrying a touch of wetness, greeted her. The lights of the city were visible in the distance.
Outside, it unexpectedly started to rain, a fine and gentle drizzle that slanted across her shoulders. Ye An had forgotten to bring an umbrella, and she had also declined the bodyguard that Xie Shuo had arranged for her. Thus, she could only stand under the roof and call for a taxi on her phone.
Beneath the night sky, rain was everywhere. Jiang Yuhe followed her outside and held the umbrella over her head.
Looking at her stunning side profile, he suddenly said, “It’s already so late. It’s not safe for you to take a taxi home. My car is just parked over there. How about I give you a ride?”
Ye An looked up and smiled. “It’s alright, you can go ahead.”
From a distance, she looked like she was tilting her chin up, joking around with half of her face bathed in the play of light and shadow, radiating brilliantly.
Jiang Yuhe took out his phone, wanting to exchange contact information, but Ye An’s patience had already run out. She turned around to check if her taxi had arrived.
Who knew that when she turned around, she saw Xie Shuo standing not far away, holding an umbrella with a soured expression.
The night was chilly, and the man’s figure was tall and slender. He gazed at her fervently, and above his head, it seemed like a green cloud was floating.*
green – the color green in Chinese is associated with cheating, so when someone says someone’s wearing a green hat or something, it means that they are being cheated on
Ye An: “?”
