Epilogue 4: Xin Li & Xie Yuran
“We’re not suitable.”
Upon hearing those words, Xin Li’s expression froze. She thought she had misheard.
She was rejected?
He actually rejected her?
Xin Li stared at the person in front of her, her face filled with disbelief.
After the shock, a wave of embarrassment and humiliation overwhelmed her. She had been pursued by many boys throughout her life and never had been rejected like this before.
“Take good care of your injury.”
After saying that, Xie Yuran stood there for a moment before turning around and leaving.
Watching his figure disappear behind the door, Xin Li felt a mix of embarrassment and anger. It was as if her chest had been blocked by a sponge soaked in water, making it difficult to breathe.
She grabbed the box of medicine from the coffee table and angrily threw it.
“Not suitable, then forget it! Who cares!”
Even after throwing the box, she was still angry. She bent down to pick up something else, but in her haste, her injured foot touched the floor, almost making things worse.
The pain made her frown deeply, and she collapsed onto the sofa, carefully lifting her foot.
The room quieted down, and after a while of sulking, she hobbled and went to take a shower.
That night, Xin Li tossed and turned for a long time; she couldn’t fall asleep. Later, she had even dreamt about Xie Yuran, leaving her in a foul mood throughout the following day.
With her foot injured, it was inconvenient for her to go out. She could only stay inside her condo, ordering food delivery when hungry.
In the afternoon, her girlfriend sent a message asking about the aftermath of last night, “How did it go? Did you succeed?”
Just mentioning it made Xin Li angry. She nearly smashed the screen with her fingers.
She had initially wanted to vent about last night’s events with her friend, but she felt it was too embarrassing. Afraid of being teased, she took a photo of her sprained ankle and sent it over.
Xin Li: “Sprained my foot.”
Friend: “Shook.”
Friend: “Was it that intense?”
Xin Li: “…….”
Her friend immediately unsent her previous message before sending, “My bad, my bad,” then asked with concern, “Did you go to the hospital yet? Is it serious?”
Xin Li: “I did, it’s not too serious. Just can’t go out for a while.”
Friend: “What about the guy from last night? Make him deliver heartwarming meals to you every day.”
Friend: “Hehe.”
Remembering Xie Yuran’s words, “We’re not suitable,” Xin Li felt a lump in her chest. She didn’t want to continue this topic, and her expression turned cold.
Xin Li: “I suddenly lost interest in him.”
Friend: “…….”
Your interest disappeared so quickly.
Friend: “Why?”
Xin Li: “No reason, I’m just not interested anymore.”
Friend: “Okay.”
After chatting with her girlfriend for a while, Xin Li hugged a cushion and leaned back on the sofa, still feeling unhappy.
Suddenly, she remembered something and opened Xie Yuran’s WeChat that she had added last night. After editing her message several times, she finally sent him a message asking, “How much for the repair of the car?”
After a while, a reply popped up, “No need.”
No need?
Did he think rejecting her could be compensated with money?
Who does he think he is?
Xin Li snorted coldly, fiercely tapping on the screen, and sent him a sum of money.
Xie Yuran neither accepted nor replied.
After a while, Xin Li sent an identical amount of money over again. If he didn’t accept, she would just keep sending it again and again until he accepted.
Perhaps sensing her anger, Xie Yuran finally replied, “The bill hasn’t been issued yet. I’ll let you know once it’s ready.”
His response was equally cold and formal.
Xin Li suddenly felt the urge to block him, her finger hovering over the “Block” button. After a pause, she ultimately gave up.
Forget it. There’s no need to stoop to his level. It would only make me look petty.
Due to her foot injury, Xin Li stayed inside her condo for over a week. During this time, her older brother, Xin Yu, came to see her once and urged her to go home, which she refused.
She even threatened Xin Yu, forbidding him from telling their parents about her sprained foot.
If their parents found out that she had wrecked herself as soon as she moved out, she could forget about having any freedom in the future.
After half a month, Xin Li’s foot somewhat improved, and she could finally walk again. She eagerly sent a message to Xin Yu to have him take her out for a big, nice meal.
After days of eating takeout, she was fed up with it.
Xin Yu’s friend had just opened a new restaurant, and they were having a celebratory feast. He couldn’t resist her persistence and reluctantly agreed to take her along.
Upon arriving, the private room was already filled with people, bustling and clamorous.
Many of Xin Yu’s friends knew about his precious younger sister, so when Xin Li entered the room, she was greeted with heaps of compliments.
“Wow, it hasn’t been long, and Xiao Li has gotten even more beautiful!”
“Got a boyfriend yet?”
Xin Li greeted everyone with a smile, and as she walked further into the room, she spotted a familiar figure sitting in the corner.
Xin Li: “…….”
To even meet him here, she couldn’t help but wonder if it was a twist of fate.
She subconsciously paused, feeling a twinge in her ankle.
Xie Yuran looked up at her, and with the dim lighting in the room, his expression was indistinct as if shrouded in a mist.
After locking eyes for a couple of seconds, Xin Li nonchalantly shifted her gaze away and sat down next to Xin Yu.
Despite the liveliness in the room, with people drinking and chatting, Xin Li felt somewhat absent-minded, occasionally glancing toward the corner of the room.
Separated by several people, Xin Li could only catch a glimpse of a blurry profile of Xie Yuran.
He was engaged in conversation with someone next to him, and snippets of their dialogue reached her ears.
Hearing his voice, Xin Li inexplicably recalled his words, “We’re not suitable,” as if it were a curse.
She poured herself a glass of wine, intending to alleviate the lump in her chest. However, after just a couple of sips, Xin Yu took it away, saying, “Don’t drink so much.”
With her brother around, she shouldn’t even think about touching alcohol tonight. Xin Li pouted and glared at him unhappily before standing up to sit on the sofa against the wall.
Here, she was even further away from Xie Yuran, allowing her to openly look at him without fear of being caught.
He had stopped chatting to the others and was just holding his wine glass. His sleeves were rolled up a bit, and his expression seemed somewhat lonely.
Just as Xin Li was lost in thought, Xin Yu suddenly approached, handing her a glass of juice and sitting down beside her.
“Xie Yuran? When did you start liking him?” Xin Yu suddenly said.
Startled, Xin Li quickly averted her gaze, her eyes flickering. “Ge, what are you talking about?”
Xin Yu looked at her with an expression as if he saw through everything.
Before she could explain, he added, “Mom and Dad won’t approve.”
Xin Li was going to find a way to explain herself but was taken aback upon hearing his words. “Why?”
Following her gaze toward Xie Yuran, Xin Yu calmly stated, “The heir to the Xie family is his brother, not him.”
In a simple sentence, he explained everything.
Although Xin Li understood that what he said was true, she couldn’t help but quietly retort, “So what?”
She liked whoever she liked, regardless of their status or background.
Her words sounded a bit childish, and Xin Yu just smiled, choosing not to further dampen her spirits.
Just as the two of them were chatting, Xie Yuran suddenly placed his wine glass down and walked out of the private room.
As he passed by their area, he glanced at Xin Li for a brief moment—a moment that Xin Li happened to catch.
For some reason, a thought flashed through Xin Li’s mind…
Could it be that when he said, “We’re not suitable,” it was because of the reason her brother mentioned?
Otherwise, why didn’t he just reject her outright? Why did he say not suitable?
After several interactions, he showed no signs of aversion toward her. He even escorted her home, and upon seeing her twist her ankle, carried her to the hospital.
She was this charming and likable; there’s no reason her charm didn’t work on him!
With these thoughts, a flicker of hope reignited in Xin Li’s heart. She turned to Xin Yu and said, “Ge, I’m gonna go to the restroom.”
Pretending to be composed, she got up and opened the door before leaving the private room.
The corridor was carpeted, extending all the way to the end.
After searching for a while, Xin Li finally found Xie Yuran near the outdoor lounge area.
He stood there with one hand in his pocket, the upper part of his body immersed in shadows, and his long legs accentuated by the light.
He seemed to have drunk quite a lot, and as Xin Li neared, she could smell the clear scent of alcohol.
“Is your car fixed?”
Hearing her words, Xie Yuran turned around, his gaze slightly halting.
Unlike the previous encounters, Xin Li wore flats today and tied her hair into a bun. Her makeup was light, making her look like an undergrad student. There was a sparkle in her eyes.
Xie Yuran’s gaze lingered on her for a moment before replying, “It’s fixed.”
Xin Li tilted her head slightly. “Why haven’t you asked me for the compensation then?”
Xie Yuran smiled slightly. “I forgot.”
He must’ve intentionally forgotten, no?
Xin Li muttered to herself before raising her chin and eyebrow, “So I guess I don’t need to pay then?”
She knew she shouldn’t bother with him after what happened last time, but she just couldn’t accept it.
Seeing the lively look on her face, Xie Yuran’s expression faltered.
Seeing him silent, Xin Li took half a step forward, but she suddenly stumbled and fell forward.
Xin Li accurately fell into his arms. Leaning against his shoulder, she smiled cunningly.
She neared his ear, her breath gently brushing against him. “You really think that we’re not suitable?”
Xie Yuran looked down and happened to see the playful smile in her eyes akin to a cunning fox.
