Fleeting Affections

Late at night, the moon quietly disappeared, leaving the sky dark and endless, as if devoid of any light. Pei Yimo tossed and turned before finally falling into a deep sleep. Qian You took off his heavy suit and covered him with a blanket. By the time she finished, she was panting. Gazing at his serene sleeping face, she sighed deeply. After what felt like an eternity, dawn broke, and faint morning light seeped through the cracks in the leaves, heralding the beginning of a new day. For the last time, she wiped the thin sweat from the man's forehead with a towel. Qian You looked at the man, her eyes filled with complex emotions. Perhaps it was time for her to leave. Perhaps his affection was only temporary, and perhaps his love wasn't strong enough to bind her. She didn't want to watch him sink further into despair. Call her selfish or heartless, but she couldn't bear the weight of his heavy emotions. All she could do was escape. As if resolved, Qian You lowered her gaze, no longer looking at the man. She turned to leave but suddenly felt a slight tug. Baffled, she looked down to see her clothing caught in the man's hand... She couldn't help but smile bitterly. Had her own sense of insecurity infected him? Even in his sleep, he feared she might leave. Sighing, she gently removed his hand and tucked it under the blanket. Lowering her head, she lightly kissed the corner of his lips. "Forgive me, forget about me." As she left the villa, Qian You adjusted her clothes, feeling the cold wind's bite. Suddenly, a figure behind the trees caught her attention. From afar, the figure seemed familiar. A name flashed through her mind, and Qian You shook her head helplessly, walking towards the figure. "It's really you." The figure froze at the sound, knowing she had been discovered, and reluctantly turned around, revealing herself to be Zhu Qingya. Qian You saw that she was still wearing the pink dress from the banquet last night, and her makeup was slightly smudged, indicating she had been hiding here all night. She didn't know how many times she had sighed in these few hours. Must falling in love make one so disheveled? Pei Yimo was like this, and now Zhu Qingya was too. "The chairman drank too much last night and is sleeping in his room. If you're worried, you can go check on him." Upon hearing this, Zhu Qingya wasn't pleased; instead, she became more upset. "What? Are you flaunting your ability to openly take care of him all night while I have to sneak around like a thief just to watch him?" With that, Zhu Qingya's eyes reddened, biting her lip to hold back tears. Helplessly shaking her head, Qian You ignored Zhu Qingya's resistance and placed something in her hand. "What's this?" "These are the villa keys. I don't think I'll need them anymore. Please take them to the chairman for me." Zhu Qingya scrutinized Qian You for a long time, her tone noticeably softening. "Li Qian You, don't think I'll be grateful just because you've given me an excuse to see Mo." Qian You smiled bitterly, her eyes tinged with sadness. "I don't need your gratitude. If I truly have any purpose, it's to ask you to love him well and make him happy. That's something you can surely do, right?" Zhu Qingya snorted proudly. "Even if you don't say it, I'll make Mo forget about you, this ugly woman." With the keys in hand, Zhu Qingya turned and headed back to the villa, the sound of her high heels echoing in the silent dawn. Suddenly, the sound stopped, and Zhu Qingya turned to look at Qian You's frail figure, suddenly saying, "Li Qian You, sometimes women also deserve to pursue happiness." Her voice echoed once more, and in the morning light, only Qian You stood there, lost in thought. Tilting her head slightly, two clear tears rolled down slowly, sparkling in the sunlight. Her lips curved slightly, but there was a hint of bitterness in her smile. Happiness had abandoned her ever since her mother died...