Chapter 43 - I Don't Like Him
“You saved me today, so thanks. I’ll make sure to have my father reward you, but this doesn’t mean I’ve accepted you or anything- I’ll still ask him to fire you.” Mengyao said after some hesitation, pursing her lips as she cleared things up.
Lin Yi shrugged, smiling helplessly. “Don’t worry, I won’t stay if he does.” He felt a bit like a failure- was the Miss just too much to handle, or was it because of his ineptitude? Lin Yi supposed that it was the same either way. He’d miss the life he had now- spending his days peacefully, going to school, living with two beauties, hanging out with his bro… It was a nice life, but it wasn’t a life for him.
Lin Yi’s response seemed a bit sad, and it only increased Mengyao’s anxiety. Maybe I was wrong? Maybe I shouldn’t try kicking him out? It was a first for Chu Mengyao to experience hesitation like this. What did she want to do with Lin Yi?
Lin Yi took his shirt and pants off after entering his room. There were huge splotches of blood on them, most likely not usable any longer. What a waste. Lin Yi threw the pants into a trashcan in the corner a little unwillingly- it was a good pair of trousers, after all. He then put on a backup uniform before walking out to the living room.
Mengyao and Yushu were watching anime on the tv when Lin Yi walked over. He sat down on the sofa the farthest away from the girls, not intending to bother them at all as he watched some tv with them.
It was already 9pm by the time they got home, due to the bank robbery and everything that came after that. Li Fu went straight to the hotel to retrieve their dinner, but it was half past ten by the time he delivered the food.
As usual, Li Fu left right after leaving dinner on the table. He did, however, speak to Lin Yi before leaving this time. “Don’t forget to check if the doors are locked. Make sure to keep the girls safe.”
“Don’t worry, Uncle Fu.” Lin Yi replied, assurance in his eyes.
Lin Yi’s training during nighttime provided the same effects that sleep would. It rested his body and mind, but it was also when he was most sensitive to any outward disturbances. Nothing could escape his ears, and Lin Yi had confidence regarding any issues pertaining to the villa’s safety and security.
“Oh!” Yushu exclaimed as the scent of food reached her nose. “Finally, food! Yao Yao, let’s go eat!”
Mengyao stood up and followed Yushu to the kitchen, hungry as well. The blockage in her heart was still there, however, much to her dismay and confusion. As such, she was nowhere near as lively as Yushu was.
Without delay, Yushu pried open the containers excitedly, her saliva running as the delicacies came into sight. “Yao Yao, it’s braised chicken! Silk tofu, sweet and sour potato strips, and… ooh! That pig feet soup you wanted for your boobs!”
Mengyao shot a glare at Yushu, reminding her that there was now a man in the house- it wasn’t just the two of them anymore.
“Ah-!” Yushu closed her mouth instantly, changing the subject. “Silk tofu’s my favourite, too! They say your skin gets whiter if you eat tofu enough.”
Mengyao glanced at LIn Yi, who was still watching tv all by himself. She put her chopsticks back down. She didn’t know why, but Lin Yi watching the tv, all lonely and isolated from the group put a strong discomfort in her senses. He was still eating with them at the table last night, lively as ever… It must have been because of the whole saliva incident yesterday that Lin Yi didn’t join them.
“Shu, go tell your Shield Guy that dinner’s ready.” Mengyao said after some hesitation.
“That’s your Shield Guy, okay? I don’t need a shield, remember?” Yushu said, looking at Mengyao funny, as if sensing something was up. “How come you’re so nice suddenly, inviting him for dinner?”
“Fine, we’ll just eat by ourselves then.” She snapped coldly, an unexpected panic seizing Mengyao under Yushu’s questioning.
“Okay, okay, I’ll go call him.” Yushu grinned. She stood up before calling out to Lin Yi. “Shield Guy! Dinner’s ready!”
“You guys eat first, I’ll come after you’re done. Mengyao doesn’t like me anyway.” Lin Yi replied, slightly thankful towards Yushu- the girl didn’t forget about him, even inviting him to the table... So she was a nice person, after all. His noodles this morning weren’t for nothing.
Mengyao froze upon hearing Lin Yi’s words, her piece of braised chicken dropping from her chopsticks… She felt like crying. She was the one who wanted him at the table, but the asshole was giving Yushu points for being nice to him!! The guy even said that she hated him!! Did her kindness not count for shit?
“But Yao Yao w-” Yushu was about to say something else when Mengyao pulled her back.
“Whatever! Just let him starve!!” Mengyao gritted; she hated that asshole so much!
“Wha… But Yao Yao, didn’t you want him to eat with us... “ Yushu asked, confused as she looked at Mengyao. Her friend seemed depressed for some reason.
“I changed my mind.” Mengyao replied with a hmph, hesitating for awhile before opening her mouth again. “Shu, go call him over, since you like him so much.”
“Me? But he said you don’t like him anyway!” Yushu reminded her innocently.
“I……” Mengyao wanted to clear things up with ‘I didn’t say anything about not liking him, okay?’, but decided otherwise. That sentence would only make things worse! Wouldn’t she be announcing that she liked him? “Whatever, let’s just eat…”
A carpet of regret, however, would wash over Mengyao in due time. She’d contemplate in that regret, hoping that time would just turn itself back..! She was sure she’d just stand up the moment Lin Yi finished speaking, shouting at him with not one trace of hesitation: ‘Whatever, I like you, I like you okay?! Just come eat, jeez!!’
Yet what happened, happened, and it was simple fate that for many, many nights in the future, Mengyao would cry, sobbing her nights away as she wept regretful tears onto the pillow in her sorrowful embrace…
A shooting star would flash by, and Mengyao would make her impossible wish- to an unfortunate end- for wishes like that yielded no fruit. She’d gaze up at the stars in their multitudes, and see in them the distance between Lin Yi and her, somehow widening…
It was a deceptively narrow trench separating the two, but that was its existence- deceptive- her touch would never connect.
And she was the one who dug that trench.
The current Chu Mengyao, naturally, had yet to realize this…...