He had feelings for her, and she for him. When the two met again, they spent another passionate night together…
When Xiao Yufan woke up, it was already late morning. Seeing the takeout meal that Lin Jiayao had specially ordered for him by the bedside, he felt another surge of emotion.
Cheng Ying’s departure had made Xiao Yufan lose faith in love. He could see how much Jiayao cared for him, but love—so intangible—was filled with too many uncertainties.
“Time will eventually prove everything. Just leave all sincerity to the passage of time…”
Xiao Yufan shook his head hard, a faint bitter smile tugging at his lips. Perhaps he really had changed, or maybe his heart had long gone hollow.
“You’re awake. Hurry up and eat something…” As if sensing his awakening, Lin Jiayao peeked out from the bathroom where she had been retouching her makeup.
“Seeing your beauty is more than enough to satisfy me. I probably wouldn’t even need to eat!”
“Don’t be silly. Get up quickly. We have that party to attend in the afternoon. We can’t be late. This time, I’m going to make that annoying guy finally give up!”
Hearing her indignant tone, Xiao Yufan didn’t even need to look to imagine Jiayao’s cute, pouting expression. He couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for that pretty boy—why did he have to fall for this girl when there were so many other people to choose from?
Today, Jiayao had made a special effort with her appearance. Her light makeup made her even more enchanting, giving this wolf quite the visual feast. After all, not everyone could be this close to Lin Jiayao…
“If I had appeared in your life before her, would you have fallen in love with me?”
Looking at Xiao Yufan’s dazed expression, Lin Jiayao leaned gently against him, her eyes slightly dreamy. Even she herself didn’t know why, surrounded by so many excellent men, she had fallen only for him. Was this what they called chemistry?
“Probably… yes…” Xiao Yufan’s gaze shifted evasively, unable to meet Jiayao’s eyes directly. He knew whom she meant, but what else could he possibly say?
“That’s enough for me. I guess it’s just fate that I wasn’t the one who met you first. Otherwise, I would have made sure you never had to endure so much. I understand that no one can take her place in your heart…”
Lin Jiayao smiled, though it looked somewhat strained. Xiao Yufan inexplicably felt a pang of pain in his chest. He had asked himself countless times what his true feelings for Jiayao were, but he still had no answer.
“Alright, alright, isn’t the way things are now good enough? Let’s go already. I’m actually curious to see how that annoying guy will react!”
Sensing the awkward tension in the air, Jiayao timely broke the silence, then linked arms with Xiao Yufan and walked out of the hotel. A woman like her was always so considerate. Xiao Yufan couldn’t help but admire her.
…
Xiao Yufan rarely attended parties. On one hand, he disliked the superficial socializing they often involved, and on the other, he found most gatherings meaningless.
Still, when it came to such occasions, Xiao Yufan paid attention to his appearance. Dressed in the tuxedo Jiayao had picked out for him, anyone who saw him would naturally assume he was a rich, handsome man—and indeed, he now fully deserved that label.
“Do you think something cliché like a TV drama might happen at the party? Like that pretty boy challenging me to a duel or demanding a fair competition for your love…”
Clearly still a bit nervous, Jiayao was met with Xiao Yufan’s relaxed attitude. Perhaps because he wasn’t part of their circle, he remained entirely unbothered.
“Well, he does have some charm. Who knows? Maybe more than one person might want to fight you for me!”
Lin Jiayao laughed sweetly, causing the taxi driver to glance repeatedly at the rearview mirror. Luckily, Jiayao was wearing sunglasses; otherwise, who knew what kind of trouble might have ensued.
“If anyone really challenged me, I might just hand you over directly. I’m really scared your whole film crew might gang up on me…”
Xiao Yufan put on a mock-fearful expression, looking as cheeky as possible. Even the driver had the urge to punch him. But Jiayao loved Xiao Yufan precisely for his playful nature—after all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Soon enough, Lin Jiayao and Xiao Yufan arrived at an open-air plaza. Clearly, it had been meticulously decorated. A red carpet had been laid out, covered with flower petals, making it look as though a wedding was about to take place.
Their arrival immediately drew many curious glances, though many of those looks carried a hint of mockery and schadenfreude…
“Bring it on! I’m not afraid of handling some pretty boy…”
Mustering his courage, Xiao Yufan followed Jiayao into the most crowded part of the venue, where he even spotted several familiar faces he had only ever seen on television…
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage