Chapter 35 Monumental Lie Turns Out She Was Just a Joke…

Chapter 35: The Monstrous Lie

So she was just a joke...

Yu Kui stood frozen, staring silently at the couple, as if turned to stone, her soul adrift from her body, unable to find solid ground.

Under the dim streetlights, the early summer breeze wasn’t particularly cold, yet she felt as though she were trapped in the bitter cold of winter.

So that’s how it was.

The root of her stubbornness, her constant self-reflection and doubt, wasn’t because she had done something wrong, neglected his feelings, or failed their friendship.

It was because, like a fool, she had been played by them.

Even though she had sensed something was off, she still refused to believe that a friendship spanning over a decade could be overthrown by someone else's sudden appearance.

The sword of Damocles above her head had finally fallen.

And she finally understood that the emotions she cherished most were nothing more than bargaining chips for Qin You to please another girl—a conversation topic, and a laughingstock.

Yu Kui watched the couple for as long as they lingered at the school gate, not looking away even as the boy led the girl to the roadside and they hailed a taxi while joking around and left.

She watched them quietly, as if burning their familiar faces into her heart, vowing to remember this moment forever—the moment when her once-warm heart planted a seed of hatred.

To remember the lies and betrayal of this moment.

She tried hard to keep her eyes wide open, but tears still slipped down her cheeks. Covering her face, she crouched down, refusing to show any sign of weakness, yet her rapid breathing betrayed her.

How could she not care?

He was her friend of over ten years, the one she had secretly longed to be closer to while restraining all her feelings.

Tonight, all those past emotions were like a crystal ball she desperately tried to hold in her hands, only to shatter into countless pieces.

So, she really was nothing after all.

"Are you okay?" Xie Xingzhi’s pupils constricted as he quickly reached out to support her. "Are you feeling unwell?"

But Yu Kui seemed not to hear him, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears as if she were in a daze.

"Yu Kui!" Xie Xingzhi helped her up from the ground, raising his voice. "Can you hear me?"

"Where does it hurt? Don’t stay silent." Xie Xingzhi gently shook her shoulders, his expression growing increasingly grave.

He hadn’t expected Yu Kui to be so devastated after seeing Qin You and Tao Jiang kiss. He thought she had long since stopped caring about those two.

He lifted Yu Kui into his arms and turned to head toward the nearby hospital when the girl’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, and she said slowly, "I’m fine."

Xie Xingzhi paused. "Really?"

"Put me down," Yu Kui lowered her gaze. "I can walk on my own."

Xie Xingzhi set her down, studying her pale face. "If you’re upset, I can take you out to relax. Don’t be like this."

The overwhelming grief and pain she displayed in that moment made him worried she might collapse from distress.

"Leave me alone," Yu Kui wiped the tears from her face, seemingly regaining her usual composure. "I want to go home. Tell Sun Shuya I won’t wait for her."

"I’ll take you back," Xie Xingzhi took her hand. "I’m worried about you in this state."

Yu Kui gently pulled her hand away. "I want to be alone."

At that moment, she didn’t want to see anyone—she just wanted to be by herself.

"No," Xie Xingzhi blocked her path, insisting, "I’m taking you back."

"I don’t need it," Yu Kui ignored him. "I can take a taxi myself."

Xie Xingzhi still refused to relent. "You’re not in the right state of mind. If you won’t let me take you, then call your family to pick you up."

"Move!" Yu Kui shouted, her gaze filled with resentment as she glared at Xie Xingzhi. "I told you to move, didn’t you hear me?" She didn’t want to see anyone right now—why did he have to pester her?

"I won’t move," Xie Xingzhi stared into her red-rimmed eyes. "Not unless you let me accompany you back."

"Why is everyone bullying me?" Yu Kui broke down instantly upon hearing this. "Qin You and Tao Jiang, and now you—why is everyone treating me like this? Why?" Tears streamed down her face once more.

"What did I do wrong to deserve such humiliation and mockery?"

She lowered her head, her entire being shrouded in gloom. "Why did it have to end like this?"

She had thought the worst outcome would be parting ways with Qin You, becoming strangers who once knew each other well. But today she realized that outcome was the best she could have hoped for. Reality, however, was like a dagger piercing her heart, leaving her bleeding and broken.

Although she had feelings for Qin You, she never truly demanded a response from him, instead maintaining appropriate boundaries while staying by his side. Yet he had treated her like a complete fool, putting on an act in front of her while already having feelings for Tao Jiang. He could have told her the truth but instead led her into an emotional trap...

This friendship was the emotion she cherished most, yet it had now turned into a knife stabbing her in the back, drawing blood with every cut.

Yu Kui never knew she harbored so much resentment. Even on the day she cut ties with Qin You, she had only felt sorrow, not hatred. But now, she felt like a hysterical wreck.

She was filled with too much pain and dissatisfaction, and Xie Xingzhi seemed to become a target for her uncontrollable malice.

"Am I really such a terrible person?"

She said, "Do my friends really distrust me so much?"

She looked at Xie Xingzhi but seemed to be seeing Qin You. "I clearly considered you the most important person to me."

"Why did it have to turn out like this?"

Even if he had fallen in love with Tao Jiang, she wouldn’t have been angry. But why deceive her? Why the lies? Why humiliate her like this?

There were better ways to handle it, yet they chose the most despicable method, making her feel utterly worthless.

No wonder Tao Jiang said she hadn’t lost.

"She really didn’t lose—she was already at the finish line."

Hearing her words, Xie Xingzhi fell silent for a few seconds before firmly gripping Yu Kui’s shoulders. "How could you possibly be a terrible person?"

He looked into the girl’s tear-filled eyes. "You are a very important friend to me. Both Sun Shuya and I like you very much and are happy to be your friends."

"Don’t let two shitty people make you doubt yourself, okay?"

Xie Xingzhi didn’t know if she could hear him, but he continued, "You excel in your studies and understand many things. You should know that the fault lies with those who are insincere, never with you..."

Yu Kui could faintly hear his voice but couldn’t respond, only continuing to cry.

She had completely lost control of her emotions, her face frighteningly pale.

Seeing this, Xie Xingzhi hailed a taxi and helped her inside. "What’s your home address? I’ll take you back."

Yu Kui leaned back in the seat, unable to speak. Her whole body trembled, and when she opened her mouth, she could only manage chattering teeth.

Xie Xingzhi didn’t ask her anything further. Instead, he told the driver to head to the amusement park. It was already closed, but the lights inside were still on, creating a dreamy scene.

Xie Xingzhi led Yu Kui to a bench by the roadside, and his gaze dropped to her pale face. "There aren’t many people here. If you need to vent any emotions, you can let it all out."

Yu Kui lifted her head and gazed at the shadows of the trees under the streetlights. There was no moon or stars tonight—the sky was like a heavy, oppressive black curtain, offering not a single glimmer of light.

"So the summer sky can be this dark," she clenched her fists, trying hard to steady her emotions. "I thought I’d see stars tonight."

"You can see stars up in the mountains," Xie Xingzhi said. "If you want, we can go together tomorrow."

"I can’t go tomorrow," Yu Kui replied hoarsely. "I have to study at home."

Hearing this, Xie Xingzhi knew she was starting to calm down. "Going to the library? I’ll go with you."

"No," Yu Kui shook her head. "I don’t want to go anywhere."

"Then what if I have questions to ask you?"

"Send me a WeChat message. I’ll reply."

Yu Kui’s phone suddenly pinged. It was a message from Sun Shuya asking where she and Xie Xingzhi had gone. She had run into some trouble at the bubble tea shop and was delayed.

After replying, Yu Kui set her phone aside. "Did you already know about Qin You and Tao Jiang being together?"

Xie Xingzhi stiffened. "What makes you say that?"

"Because you don’t seem curious about what’s upsetting me," Yu Kui said, still looking at the sky. "Sun Shuya had warned me before, but I didn’t think much of it and didn’t want to doubt their relationship."

"I wasn’t sure if they were actually dating," Xie Xingzhi said honestly, studying her face. "I just saw them together a few times at school."

"Were they… intimate?"

"Does holding hands count?"

Yu Kui lowered her head and laughed, an endless sorrow washing over her. "So it was only me who was this oblivious."

"Only me, still thinking we could go back to how things were."

How ridiculous.