Tryst

"Hey, Mengmeng, could you come over for a moment?" Ji Chen's tone was somewhat desperate, mixed with a hint of anticipation.

Tian Yimeng knew all of her secrets. Ji Chen relied on her a great deal because when she was at a loss, Tian Yimeng was undoubtedly the remedy to relieve her worries.

This time was no exception. Tian Yimeng rushed over quickly. After entering the password, the moment she opened the door, she saw Ji Chen curled up alone on the sofa, with a blank look in her eyes, lost in thought. Water was still dripping continuously from Ji Chen's clothes.

Tian Yimeng quickly went to the shower room and grabbed a clean bath towel, draping it over Ji Chen. Only then did Ji Chen come back to her senses, and there was a look of hesitation in her eyes as she looked at Tian Yimeng: "You're here."

"Yeah, I'm here." Tian Yimeng was a bit stunned by Ji Chen's state and felt a pang of pity. In her memory, even when Ji Chen was injured and had lost a lot of blood, she just smiled heartlessly and showed off how tough she was.

She had seen this kind of expression before. That was exactly the expression Ji Chen had when she had searched everywhere she could think of where Zhen Yu might be, but finally came back empty-handed.

"What's wrong?" Tian Yimeng asked with concern, patting Ji Chen on the shoulder.

"Do you think I should really let go? After all these years, does he not like me at all? I've been looking for him for so long. Why has he been avoiding me?" Ji Chen's voice was tinged with sobs, and she looked very aggrieved.

"I've always said that you should let it go. Most likely, his confession to you back then was just a joke, and he just didn't expect you to take it seriously." Tian Yimeng also furrowed her brows. She wasn't saying this for the first time; on the contrary, she had said it many times. But in the end, every time, Ji Chen would cut her off with a duplicitous "I've already let it go."

But this time was different. This time, Ji Chen was serious. She was really pondering over this question.

Ji Chen turned her head away, and a tear rolled down her cheek.

It wasn't that she hadn't thought about giving up. It was just that after all these years, she wasn't willing to. But she really regretted it. If she could, she wished she had never known this person named Zhen Yu.

"Mengmeng, I want to give it a try." Ji Chen casually wiped away that tear and then turned to look at Tian Yimeng with her old smile.

Tian Yimeng felt sorry for her. She knew better than anyone how difficult it was for this girl to make this decision. Her determination, which couldn't be shaken by ten years of persuasion, seemed to have collapsed overnight.

Tian Yimeng hugged Ji Chen: "Why are you pretending in front of me? Just cry if you want to!"

Ji Chen pushed Tian Yimeng away: "Then I won't pretend. I was just teasing you. Hehe, you actually believed it!"

When Tian Yimeng saw Ji Chen like this, although she still felt sorry for her, she also knew that Ji Chen didn't want her to worry. Anyway, there wasn't much Tian Yimeng could do about this. Since Ji Chen wanted to save face, all she could do was go along with it.

"You little rascal! I worried about you for so long in vain!"

"Neener neener!" Ji Chen immediately made a very annoying face.

"Hey, that young hunk Li Xuan seems to like you. What do you think? Wanna give it a shot?" Tian Yimeng raised the corners of her mouth playfully.

To heal the hurt caused by an ex, a current lover is undoubtedly the best medicine. That's why Tian Yimeng had always been trying to bring these two together.

"If you like him, I'll give him to you! You can have him if you want!"

"You give him to me? It's as if he's yours right now!"

"Coincidentally, he is mine now. He confessed to me!" Ji Chen looked at Tian Yimeng triumphantly.

Tian Yimeng chimed in: "That was fast. So what? You haven't agreed to him yet!" Tian Yimeng was trying to use reverse psychology.

"How do you know I haven't agreed to him?"

"So you did agree?" Tian Yimeng secretly rejoiced. She thought this girl was really easy to trick.

But then she was quickly disheartened when Ji Chen said annoyingly: "Of course not!"

"You should go take a shower quickly. You're all wet. And I have to go back and update my novel quickly, or I'll be drowned in the saliva of my book fans!"

"Go, go. As if I want you to stay here! Tsk tsk tsk." Ji Chen said as she pushed Tian Yimeng out the door.

With a "bang", the door closed. Ji Chen couldn't hold it in anymore, and a look of desolation returned to her face. She took a change of clothes from the wardrobe and walked straight to the shower room.

The moment the showerhead was turned on, she finally seemed to be released. The tears that were still welling up in her eyes finally fell along with the hot water. But soon after, she took the showerhead off and washed her face thoroughly. After turning off the showerhead, she picked up the bath towel beside her and first dried her blushing cheeks.

After coming out of the shower room, Ji Chen wrapped in a bathrobe walked to the dressing table and carefully put a necklace that had been placed on the bedside into the bottom layer of the jewelry box.

Over the years, wherever she was, this necklace was always there. But this time, she finally let it go.

"Goodbye. Never see you again!" Ji Chen let out a soft sigh. The necklace that lay quietly in the box, as if abandoned, was forever sealed in the jewelry box with a "click" as the box closed.

The next day, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, after being washed by the heavy rain all night, the ground finally saw some light. Soon, it was broad daylight.

After being washed by the heavy rain, the earth exuded a fresh smell of grass mixed with silt, which filled the air and reached Ji Chen's nose.

Ji Chen took a deep breath, inhaling the smell deeply, and then stretched herself out with a bold and unrestrained yawn.

Like being reborn, Ji Chen regained her former vitality. Unlike before, the hardly noticeable worry in her heart had finally been put to rest.

On this day, she dressed up very exquisitely. She wore an elegant red dress, painted her lips with a confident color like that of a queen, and as bright as a flame. She sprayed Chanel perfume into the air, circled around in the mist, and then held a black and white Dior bag in her hand. Finally, she walked out gracefully in her YSL high heels.

When she arrived at the store, all the employees stared intently at this usually mischievous store manager. The sunlight fell on her shoulders, making her shine brightly.

"Li Xuan, come out with me for a moment." So all the employees watched as a person wearing a white shirt, black jeans, and white sneakers approached their goddess step by step.

Li Xuan stopped in front of Ji Chen at the store entrance. The two of them stood together, bathed in the sunlight. The leaves of the plane trees at the store entrance swayed gently in the breeze, and the shapes of the leaves were dotted on their clothes, creating a picture of peace and quiet.

Li Xuan spoke: "I was abrupt yesterday. I apologize to you, but the apology is definitely not sincere... Sorry."

Ji Chen looked at this usually extremely arrogant Li Xuan who had just apologized to her insincerely, and a mixed feeling welled up in her heart. She took a deep breath: "Since it's not a sincere apology, you might as well take back the words'sorry'. There's nothing wrong with liking someone, and besides, I'm so beautiful. It's only natural for you to like me. It's hard to control your feelings, so I won't blame you!"

Ji Chen returned to her usual playful smile, and her slightly raised corners of the mouth were truly charming in this atmosphere.

Li Xuan surprisingly didn't retort but softly replied: "You are really beautiful."

Ji Chen felt a bit embarrassed. She stood on tiptoe and then stopped to say: "I'll give you a chance. We're going on a date today. If you serve me well, I'll hire you as my boyfriend."

Ji Chen actually wanted to give Li Xuan a chance and also give herself a chance. How could she not know that a current lover was an effective cure for a broken heart?

Li Xuan looked at Ji Chen in confusion. He had indeed dreamed of being by this woman's side. But just yesterday, she had fled in a panic. Why was she being so enthusiastic today? He subconsciously shifted his gaze to Ji Chen's neck. The necklace was gone.

He was still lost in thought when, in a flash, he was pulled forward a few steps by Ji Chen's outstretched hand.

On the tree-lined street in the early morning, the breeze would occasionally blow in a few fallen plane tree leaves. There weren't many of them. They were caressed by the wind, like dancers, gracefully swaying their light bodies to the rhythm of the wind... The birds on the branches chirped softly. Their calls were not harsh but rather particularly pleasant. On both sides of the street were some European-style buildings with a vintage style.

The two of them walked on the poetic blue bricks. Ji Chen's high heels made an elegant "click-click" sound as they stepped on the ground. There wasn't a speck of dust on Li Xuan's white shirt. Wherever they went, all that was left was the envious looks from the people around them.

But all this was broken when Ji Chen stopped in front of an ordinary breakfast shop. Indeed, her outfit didn't match the breakfast stall where uncles and aunts often gathered.

But Ji Chen just loved these breakfast stalls that exuded a sense of happiness. The uncles and aunts would casually place a stool on the street, and then they would sit down and start eating their noodles or rice noodles.

Ji Chen walked to the entrance of the shop, ordered two portions of wontons, one portion of pan-fried buns, and two fried dough sticks. Then she casually found a table at the entrance of the shop and sat down. Li Xuan brought the food to the table in several trips.

Ji Chen looked at this extremely arrogant Li Xuan who had so easily adapted to the life she loved, and couldn't help but smile and praise: "Not bad! You get extra points!" Li Xuan smiled, tore open the plastic bag of the disposable chopsticks, and handed them to Ji Chen.

Ji Chen smiled back at him, picked up the chopsticks, poked a pan-fried bun, and stuffed it into her mouth. "Mmm~ So satisfying. Try this. It's really delicious!" Ji Chen said as she pushed the pan-fried bun in her hand towards Li Xuan.

Li Xuan picked up the chopsticks, picked up a pan-fried bun, and stuffed it into his mouth. He looked at Ji Chen affectionately and said, "It's delicious."

Ji Chen tore the fried dough stick in half and then stuffed one half into Li Xuan's mouth. Li Xuan caught the fried dough stick with his hand and started eating. The two of them chatted and ate their breakfast like this.

After they finished eating, Li Xuan put the money into the box where the boss collected the money, turned around, and walked towards Ji Chen. He casually took out a tissue, lifted Ji Chen's hand, and carefully wiped it.

Ji Chen felt a bit embarrassed and pulled her hand back. "I'll do it myself!" "Okay!" Li Xuan handed the pack of tissues to Ji Chen.

"Now that we've finished breakfast, I'll take you to do something really exciting!" Ji Chen grinned wickedly.