Chapter 129: Being the Villain for Once

Luo Xing stepped out of the hospital room. She checked her phone, but there was still no message she had been hoping to see. Was it true that the higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment? Had she been wrong again?

Days wore on, one after another. In the depths of winter, Luo Xing boarded a flight back to North City. Her grandmother’s funeral had been held in Jing City, in the same cemetery as Grandpa Gu. Luo Xing looked down at her phone. It was powered off, yet she kept hoping the screen would light up, despite knowing it was impossible.

Leaning against her mother’s shoulder, Luo Xing whispered, "What should one do about something that you can't let go of, even though it doesn't belong to you?"

Why had Gu Shiyan changed so quickly? He used to care about everything, always mindful of her. Now, days had passed without a single word. He didn't text, and she refused to reach out first. They hadn't been in contact for a while. Luo Xing couldn't help but wonder if he was playing with her again.

"Then leave it to time," her mother suggested.

Luo Xing bit her lip. "To forget?"

"Of course not. Once a person fails to get what they want, they only obsess over it more. Only by leaving it to time will you learn if you truly wanted it." Her mother continued, "Xingxing, Mom knows that while you usually don't pay much mind to things, once you let something into your heart, it’s hard to give up. Don't be afraid; learn to overcome it."

Luo Xing nodded. "Overcome it."

After exiting the terminal, Luo Xing was surprised to find Shen Que waiting outside. She froze, looking at her brother, Luo Zhou, who laughed and said, "We’re family. We’ve already made reservations for hot pot tonight."

Ever since learning of Shen Que’s feelings, Luo Xing had intentionally avoided contact with him. She knew her behavior might hurt him, but she could think of no better way. Back in the United States, while in a taxi, she had already hinted to him that they were only family.

"Let's go," Shen Que said with a relaxed, faint smile. He instinctively reached out to take her luggage, hesitated for a second in mid-air, and then pulled his hand back.

Luo Zhou pushed the suitcase toward him. "Come on, come on. We haven't seen you in over half a month; why have you lost so much weight, kid?"

...

School had been back in session for a few days. Luo Xing hadn't seen Gu Shiyan once. However, she heard plenty of news about the Gu family online. It seemed Gu Ming now held the majority of shares in Kesheng; he had expanded his control and even laid off many core internal staff members. Luo Xing did not see any sign of Gu Shiyan in the news.

As for their team, after winning the national award, their captain, Xu Yan, had to leave. Due to a family emergency requiring his mother to receive treatment abroad, he had applied for an exchange program to study and care for her. Without a captain and missing two other members, the team unfortunately disbanded. Luo Xing convinced Shen Que to join the second team, which happened to have an opening.

"No, isn't this strange?" In a milk tea shop, Luo Xing chewed on her straw, listening to Yun Cai complain. "How can someone be so neurotic? First he says he wants to pursue you, and now he just disappears without a word?"

Luo Xing lowered her eyes. "It's not really disappearing. He just hasn't sent me any messages." She hadn't reached out to Gu Shiyan either.

"Scum," Yun Cai summarized in one word.

Luo Xing finished her drink and stood up. "I have to go back. I signed up for an individual innovation design competition and need to start preparing."

Yun Cai grabbed her. "Why would you want to sign up for that?"

"Just to try it. Besides, I don't have anything else to do."

She used to revolve her life around Gu Shiyan. Now, she was reclaiming her time for herself. Luo Xing had grown used to reading research papers in her spare time, and when she saw the competition, she signed up without hesitation.

...

In the laboratory, someone approached Shen Que.

"Hello." Shen Que looked at the girl outside the lab, searching his memory, but was certain he didn't know her.

"Weren't you in the fourth team? I asked around for a long time before I finally found you."

"Yes," Shen Que replied.

"Oh, there was a girl in your team. Do you know her?"

"Luo Xing?"

"Yes! I was in such a rush that day I didn't ask her name, but she was the one wearing the pink windbreaker during the hike."

Shen Que nodded. "That's her."

"Great, that's great!" The girl took something out of her pocket and handed it to Shen Que. "This was inside her jacket lining. I found it by accident. Could you please pass it on to her for me?"

"I have to get to class, thanks so much! Please make sure she gets it." Before he could respond, the girl ran off.

Shen Que stared at the object in his palm. It was a piece of red fabric; he knew exactly what it was. Luo Xing hadn't prayed for a blessing at the temple that day at all. This had to be something Gu Shiyan had prayed for and secretly tucked into her pocket. Gu Shiyan probably never expected that Luo Xing would give the jacket away, nor could he have guessed that the item he hid inside would end up in Shen Que's hands.

Shen Que was certain that Luo Xing didn't know about it; if she had, she never would have given the jacket away. He slowly tightened his grip, taking a deep breath. Did he have any obligation to give Gu Shiyan’s gift to Luo Xing?

What if he chose to be the villain just this once?

Shen Que was startled by his own thought. He swallowed nervously and pulled out his phone to call Luo Xing.

"Where are you? I have something for you," he said, the words tumbling out without pause. After she gave him her location, he hung up quickly, as if he would change his mind if he waited a second longer.

"Shen Que!" Luo Xing ran toward him. She was outside the milk tea shop. North City’s winter didn't bring snow, but the air was biting and dry. A cold wind whipped through her slightly wavy hair. Shen Que kept his hand deep in his pocket, clutching the item.

"What do you have for me? Why are you in such a rush?"

"It's..." Shen Que paused. "It's too cold out here. Let's go inside."

"Do you want a milk tea?" Luo Xing pulled out her phone, offering to buy him a warm drink.

"Just get one for yourself," Shen Que said. As he spoke, his hand came out of his pocket, the red corner of the fabric peeking out.

"I just had one with Yun Cai, I don't need another," Luo Xing said.

Since neither of them wanted a drink, they couldn't stay in the shop for long. "You said you had something for me?" she asked.

Shen Que shoved his hand back into his pocket. "I... I just thought... it was too hot, and I wanted to treat you to milk tea."

Luo Xing laughed. "Too hot?"

Shen Que corrected himself, "Too cold..."

Luo Xing sighed and shook her head. "Shen Que, you really are... terrible at lying." She looked at him expectantly. "What is it you want to give me? Weren't you in a hurry?"

"I did have something for you, but I don't want to anymore," Shen Que said, speaking the truth.

Luo Xing didn't mind. "Must have been something nice you wanted to share, but now you've changed your mind?"

Shen Que nodded. "Yes, I regret it."

"Fine, fine. Then keep it yourself."

Shen Que walked away from the shop. He had wanted to give it to her, and he knew he should have. But his heart felt so unwilling, so bitter. Why should he?