Chapter Eleven

On the other side, in the blue crystal house, a weary figure sat on the floor in despair, his eyes unfocused as he gazed at the tears before him. The blue light refracted a mocking gleam, as if ridiculing his self-assurance. His lips unconsciously curled, responding in kind to that light, mocking his own foolish infatuation and one-sided love. Yet, his lips soon pressed into a straight line, tightly shut—as if to say, so what? The heart he had set free could no longer be reclaimed; it was gone forever.

He did not know how much time had passed. The hands at his sides began to close, gradually clenching so tightly that veins stood out. His eyes slowly regained their brilliance, filling with determination. If his heart could not be withdrawn, then let it be steadfastly placed there. Strive to claim a place for himself, or, if need be, act more ruthlessly—drive others out and remain alone.

The world of love is, after all, so small; each heart can hold only one person, for the space is limited. And Yingyue’s heart was destined to be more crowded than most. Indeed, her heart had been divided into so many pieces, perhaps more than even she herself could count.

Her sea-blue eyes brimmed with resolve. Since she had chosen to love freely, then let her be bold just this once!

Understanding in the heart was one thing; putting it into action was quite another. It would take time to gather the courage to seek her out. Moreover, he hoped that she too would come to understand her own feelings.

Yingyue, wait for me...

And, Yingyue, please—please—do not abandon me...

Recently, Yu Wenxi had been acting strangely—so much so that even Mu Yuyin, who was usually oblivious to others’ moods, noticed it. Yu Wenxi, who used to be merely calm, was now so indifferent he seemed almost cold. A vague sense of unease stirred within Mu Yuyin, but all she could do was try to annoy him, hoping it would restore his usual spirit. “Baby, let’s go hiking!”

“Baby, accompany me to see the ocean this weekend.”

“Baby, there’s a Picasso exhibition today—let’s go together.”

Yu Wenxi would show up, but it was truly only his body that arrived; his heart remained fixed on someone else, never following him.

In truth, Mu Yuyin was somewhat annoyed with Yingyue. Since she had chosen to be with Baby, she should be steadfast in her choice—why waver? With someone as wonderful as Wenxi, what was there to hesitate about?

Ah, love is truly troublesome. All she could do for Baby was this—nothing more.

But perhaps, she could do one more thing for him.

“Lanlan, I’m hungry. Come eat with me.” With a long arm, she pulled the petite girl into her embrace, ignoring her struggles as she walked toward the dining hall.

“I’m not hungry,” Yingyue continued to struggle and twist, refusing to budge even a step. There was a hint of childishness in her tone, one she herself didn’t notice.

Mu Yuyin’s rose-colored lips curled mischievously as she leaned close to Yingyue’s ear and whispered, “Don’t forget your identity,” then kissed her delicate earlobe, “Little—Mama,” her voice suddenly turning cold.

Yingyue’s body trembled, her expression complicated—resentful, aching, hateful, and faintly tinged with something like love. Her heart jolted. How could this be? Why?

Why was it that simply looking at him made her heart ache so terribly, made her feel so miserable? No matter how she tried to approach him, her heart was always pierced with unchanging pain.

She slowly lowered her head, biting her lip, her ethereal voice trembling as she said, “I understand.”

Above her, golden bangs covered his eyes, but his lips curled upward with a subtle bitterness that Yingyue did not see.

The arm resting on her shoulder unconsciously tightened, carrying a hint of fear that even its owner did not recognize.

Yu Wenxi had disappeared. Mu Yuyin searched everywhere but could not find him. Could he be thinking of something drastic? Though he wasn’t the type, still...

This only heightened her anxiety. She would risk it—go find her and see if it helped.

Perhaps only she would know.

For some reason, her heart felt bitter.