Chapter 83: Never to Cross Paths Again

Naturally, the outsider referred to is Song Ning.

Her part was fabricated; in other words, the matter of a stand-in was entirely made up.

But Lin Xi’s part had always been true...

Having lived away from the capital for so many years, there weren’t many rumors about her in the city’s social circles these days. The only story that kept resurfacing recently was that of the “white moonlight.”

It began with Bai Xu’s feigned casual inquiries. Then, just moments ago in the restroom, those two women had also brought it up.

Bai Xu had dropped hints, but the latter two had spoken plainly.

They said she was Qin Yu’s legendary “white moonlight,” the one he had loved in vain for many years.

It sounded rather impressive at first, the way they described it with such detail and conviction.

But rumors are, after all, just rumors. True or not, Lin Xi had never intended to take them to heart.

Yet now, Qin Yu had suddenly appeared before her, telling her directly that it was all true.

The plank beneath her feet was abruptly pulled away; she lost her footing without warning and plunged into the depths of the sea. Salty water flooded her senses, stinging her eyes and swelling her heart with pain.

“Are we really hearing the same story?” Lin Xi gave a faint laugh, her expression betraying no turbulence. “What I heard was that I am the white moonlight my Third Brother has loved, yearned for, and never attained.”

“It even sounds a little ridiculous.”

“Is that what Third Brother said as well?”

She asked.

Qin Yu gazed at her smiling face for a long moment, then his thin lips parted. “Yes.”

At his answer, Lin Xi arched an eyebrow. Her expression held neither joy nor resentment; she seemed as though she were merely listening to a story that had nothing to do with her.

Her heart was not entirely untouched, but compared to what she’d felt in the past, this faint bitterness was hardly worth mentioning.

Now, she had no expectations at all.

If she were still her old self, hearing his answer today would have made her happy.

Isn’t that so, seventeen-year-old Lin Xi?

If she were still seventeen, it would not be an exaggeration to say she might have wept for joy at this moment. After all, in those dark, lightless days, he had been the only one to accompany her forward.

But unfortunately, the Lin Xi who heard these words now was twenty-four.

A smile slowly surfaced in her eyes, yet no matter how one looked, there was only detachment.

“Although I find it a bit absurd, thank you, Third Brother, for your affection. As I said before, I have no intention of falling in love.”

She had used this excuse to fend off Lu Bei before. She had thought Qin Yu wouldn’t press her the way Lu Bei had, that he would tacitly understand and give her a graceful exit.

She hadn’t expected him to look at her deeply and say something astonishing: “Is it that you have no intention of dating anyone, or just no intention of dating me?”

All along, Lin Xi had reminded herself not to make things too awkward with Qin Yu. She had managed to restrain herself, but it seemed he was not satisfied, intent on breaking the last fragile barrier between them.

Since he insisted, she saw no reason to spare his feelings or preserve this awkward relationship any longer.

Straightening her posture, she let her smile fade and answered matter-of-factly, “If you insist on asking, then I won’t bother to lie. The truth is—it’s both.”

“I truly have no intention of starting a relationship right now, and even less of starting one with you.”

“Third Brother, you are an outstanding man, the dream of many in the capital. At a wave of your hand, you’d have countless admirers falling over themselves to pursue you. Unfortunately, I am not among them.”

“And one more thing—I think you’ve forgotten. Everyone knows there are entanglements between our families from the previous generation; it’s simply impossible for us to be together.”

“I understand that you, Third Brother, may not feel obliged to follow Aunt Rong’s arrangements or care about her opinions.”

She paused, then continued, her words resolute: “But I do.”

“The fact that I still call you Third Brother means I still respect you, that I still see you as my elder brother. That’s enough. Third Brother, surely you don’t want us to end up like the previous generation, severed from each other for the rest of our lives?”

—

Walking through the long corridor and over the threshold, Lin Xi exhaled a weary sigh.

No footsteps followed behind her. She lingered for a couple of seconds, then lifted her skirt and moved on.

“Hey.”

A voice suddenly sounded from beside the doorframe. Lin Xi flinched, startled, and looked over in alarm.

Upon seeing who it was, she frowned and muttered under her breath, “What are you doing here? Eavesdropping?”

It was only a corner away from where she and Qin Yu had spoken. Bai Xu couldn’t possibly have been waiting here the whole time; he must have been nearby when she and Qin Yu talked, then slipped back here just before she arrived.

His expression confirmed her suspicion.

Lin Xi glanced back—Qin Yu had not yet appeared.

This was hardly the place for a conversation. She moved to leave first. Bai Xu, following her line of sight, looked back as well, then caught up to her as she walked toward another balcony.

The autumn evening breeze was cool, clearing Lin Xi’s mind considerably.

She sat in a rattan chair on the balcony, staring blankly at the traffic outside.

Bai Xu closed the door behind him, but didn’t sit down. Instead, he walked to the railing a little ahead of her and stood leaning against it, gazing into the distance as she did.

“You heard everything?” Lin Xi turned her gaze to him.

“I did.” Bai Xu didn’t look back; he chuckled lightly. “Quite an explosive scene, really.”

Lin Xi narrowed her eyes and lifted her high-heeled foot to give his calf a hard kick, venting her anger.

Bai Xu didn’t even budge, as if he hadn’t felt a thing. “Why are you so upset? I wasn’t eavesdropping on purpose. If you didn’t want to be overheard, you shouldn’t have talked in the hallway. I even helped you keep others away. You haven’t even thanked me yet.”

“Thank you, my foot.”

“Tch.” Bai Xu clearly disliked her cursing. He turned slightly to face her, took off his glasses with one hand, and wiped the lenses. “I’ve noticed—any time Third Brother is mentioned, you go off like a firecracker.”

“But honestly, what did you feel when you heard Third Brother confess? You must have been secretly delighted, right?”

Lin Xi said nothing.

“But...” He drew out the word, his dark eyes—unhidden by glasses—lifting suddenly to fix on her, devoid of any playfulness. He looked like a beast lurking in the night, locking onto its prey. “Lin Xi, you rejected him so decisively today. Are you sure you won’t regret it?”

“Why would I regret it?” Lin Xi replied. “When did I ever say he was the only one for me?”

“Who hasn’t had a secret crush as a teenager? At that age, it’s normal to be impulsive, to like someone. Why should I be held hostage by that for a lifetime?”

“Is being together the only way to bring things full circle?”

“Says who? You? And what gives you the right?”

Bai Xu burst out laughing, clapping his hands softly. “Well said. Beautifully put.”

“But you might fool others—you can’t fool me.”

“Lin Xi, sooner or later, you’ll come back around.”

“You’re so carefree now, but that’s only because Third Brother hasn’t truly made up his mind. If he ever gets serious, you won’t be able to resist.”

(End of chapter)