novelA lie
| ← Ch.429 | Ch.431 → |
Xu Tingsheng was able to see Apple smiling as she conversed cheerfully with Little Xiang Ning.
He was also able to hear someone singing, "When forcing someone who loves you the most to take to the stage... if you can still tell I have these lingering affections, please erase those sequences, let my dignity stay... it's because I love you that I choose to perform, and fulfil you."
It was Xu Tingsheng who had forced someone who loved him most to take to the stage in an impromptu performance, the resulting sequence being mediocre with not a care for their dignity at all.
Yet, there was already no path of retreat available to him.
The entrance and side entrance of the university were indeed both very crowded. There were those from Yanzhou University itself, those from other schools in the academy city, those from town and those who had rushed over from the city district. Yet, currently loved and envied by a great many people, this girl, Apple, dared not even display a sorrowful expression after the pain.
The lot of them scaled the wall and split into two cars, both headed to Bright Brilliance. While Xu Tingsheng thought that it would be inappropriate for Little Xiang Ning to go there, feeling that she should get some rest instead, before he could say anything, she had already excitedly followed Apple up a car.
She just loved novelty, loved where things were happening.
Huang Yaming was waiting for them at the bar. While business was booming and many people were unable to get in, he still reserved the best private room for them, drinking alone as he waited.
Having stayed here for the entire summer holidays, Tan Qingling had finally returned with the start of the new semester.
Xu Tingsheng had not interacted much with her over this period of time. Once, he had randomly asked out of curiosity, "Why did you come back?"
Tan Qingling had replied, "After being outside and seeing some people, experiencing some things, I realised that he's really still the best after all."
Xu Tingsheng had ceased speaking right there and then.
It was just like how some women would say in a few years, "I'm had my fun. No more breaking hearts. It's time to find an honest, simple guy to marry, " While Huang Yaming was not an honest, simple guy, he could be foolish in his devotion to love. Therefore, Xu Tingsheng still remembered those words: The heck, did we simple, honest people dig up your ancestral graves in our previous lifetimes?
Ever since Chen Jingqi had moved out from that house, she and Huang Yaming had become no different from strangers...
Some people might still choose to forgive after having been hurt once, but let it happen a second time, and over my dead body.
Regarding what had happened that fateful night before she had proactively withdrawn from the relationship, it had taken many tries from Song Ni before she had finally been willing to reveal it.
Song Ni had relayed this to Xu Tingsheng and Fu Cheng. According to Chen Jingqi, after having wrung a towel and returned to the bed to help wipe Huang Yaming's face, the drunk Huang Yaming had repeatedly hollered Tan Qingling's name, saying that he really loved her.
Xu Tingsheng had looked for Chen Jingqi afterwards because of this, asking her, "Before Huang Yaming said those words, did Tan Qingling say or do anything?"
"I think she was talking to him for quite a long time, " Chen Jingqi said, "About stories about you and them from your days in senior high. There were many things that happened between them."
Xu Tingsheng considered this for a time, "It's no wonder then. Huang Yaming was already so drunk that he was no longer lucid then. If I remember correctly, Tan Qingling is a psychology major in university. She deliberately reconstructed scenes of our senior high days in Huang Yaming's mind, causing his wandering mind to unconsciously return to those times. It was because of this that he reacted how he did. He really liked her back then. Back then, she had still yet to hurt him like that, show him her other side..."
Chen Jingqi forced a smile and was silent for a long time before she finally said, "Forget it. Even if that's the case, he was awake afterwards, and he... forget it. Boss Xu, I will continue working properly in Hucheng. Please treat me like any other employee. As for me and him, there will henceforth be nothing at all between us."
After having bid Chen Jingqi farewell that day, Xu Tingsheng had leapt up in fright at his conjecture. If things were really as he imagined, Tan Qingling had been able to deliberately manipulate and induce such a situation that day, before... intentionally letting Chen Jingqi hear those things...
In that case, this girl had clearly already long since ceased to be that familiar ex-classmate from senior high after her experiences from her time with that minor boss.
There was nothing that had to be kept secret between bros. Xu Tingsheng had informed Huang Yaming about his conjecture and gotten someone to get in touch with that minor boss too. The other party was actually relatively young and had treated Tan Qingling very well too. He could additionally be considered a victim who had been thoroughly played by Tan Qingling. Things between them had ultimately concluded with Tan Qingling breaking up with him without any hesitation whatsoever after learning of how well Huang Yaming was currently doing as she departed to look for him at once.
Huang Yaming himself was aware of all of this. Still, his only response to this was silence.
Matters of the heart never had any easy solutions.
......
No one mentioned any of this tonight. Everyone worked together to get the blissful Zhang Ninglang intoxicated with wine. Unexpectedly, Ning Xia's alcohol capacity turned out to be relatively high. Things were very boisterous as everyone seemed to be having a great time.
Fu Cheng got on stage and sang a song. Out of nowhere, Little Xiang Ning proposed for Xu Tingsheng and Apple to sing a duet too. This time, it was Apple who refused.
After a while, a security guard on duty outside came in to give a report. Apparently, due to rumours that Apple was in Yanzhou, with the fans also having been unable to find her at Yanzhou University from before, they had all come and massed outside the bar instead.
They rushed to Huang Yaming's office and turned on the computer, checking Weibo. Only then did they realise that news about Apple appearing at Yanzhou University's freshman welcoming party, along with some photos, was already spreading quickly on the internet.
And since she was nowhere to be seen at the university, some had naturally guessed that she might be at the bar, Bright Brilliance.
"What now? How about you show your face and persuade them to go away like last time? I'm afraid they might storm in..." Huang Yaming said, feeling a bit apprehensive.
Apple shook her head breezily. Now, she posted a picture of leaving in a car in the night, with the words: Sorry, left suddenly as I came. It's late, so don't wait anymore, everyone! See you next time~
She had prepared it in advance when coming over yesterday.
So she was already able to easily cope with situations like this. Yet, there were ultimately still some things that she could just do nothing about...
Unable to bear going on like this, Xu Tingsheng forcibly took the still high-spirited Little Xiang Ning along in leaving the bar beforehand. On the way back, Little Xiang Ning looked at him a couple of times, looking like she wished to say something yet ultimately never voicing this out...
It was the same even at home.
After bathing, she just sat on the sofa in the living room.
"What is it? Aren't you tired?" Xu Tingsheng asked.
Little Xiang Ning shook her head.
"Shall I carry you in?"
Xu Tingsheng scooped Little Xiang Ning up.
Xiang Ning struggled violently, jumped down and returned to her room on her own...
Xu Tingsheng hesitated for some time before eventually returning to his room as well.
More than an hour passed before the door of his room was opened.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have shown my temper at you, " Little Xiang Ning said, standing by the doorway.
"Nah, it's nothing. Come on up!" Came the gentle reply.
Little Xiang Ning climbed up the bed and went snugly into Xu Tingsheng's embrace.
After what seemed like a long internal struggle, she enquired softly, "Xu Tingsheng, were you formerly in a relationship with Big Sis Apple? She seems to like you."
Perhaps women are especially sensitive in this area, even though this was just a sixteen-year-old girl.
Xu Tingsheng fell silent.
"That would be okay, actually. You, you're so old. It's only normal if you were in a relationship before. I wouldn't be angry. Tell me, is it like that? The two of you were together before, right? Why did you then break up afterwards? Why me?"
Despite her saying that she wouldn't be angry, Xu Tingsheng could sense some strain in her voice as well as a sense of loss and perplexion that permeated her words.
Sixteen, in her first relationship, feeling that she had the best boyfriend, was surrounded so wonderfully by sweet happiness. The young girl could actually have no impurities sully her heart. Even if she was able to accept it, her heart would still be throbbing faintly with pain.
Especially when he had already been close to her at that point of time, where she thought that he had already loved her. If she found out...
"There's no such thing! Really, " Xu Tingsheng lied.
"Oh, " Little Xiang Ning said happily, "I won't let my thoughts run wild anymore. I believe you, Xu Tingsheng. Though, that would actually also be fine... heh."
| ← Ch. 429 | Ch. 431 → |