Chapter 63 Love Now Don’t Wait for Time…

Chapter 63: Love Can’t Wait

“Let’s stop here for today,” Yu Kui said softly in the confined space. “I’m truly sorry, but I’ll give you my answer within three days at most.”

“It’s okay,” Xu Xi replied. “Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. My feelings for you aren’t meant to be a burden. If it ended up backfiring, I’d blame myself for being too impulsive and not considering your feelings.”

“No,” Yu Kui felt a pang of guilt. “You’re not that kind of person.”

“That’s good,” Xu Xi offered a faint smile. “Do you need me to walk you upstairs?”

“No need,” Yu Kui opened the car door. “Drive safe on your way back.”

“Alright.” Xu Xi watched her go upstairs and lingered for a long while before slowly driving away.

Yu Kui stood by the window, watching the car disappear into the distance, her face devoid of expression.

“Who brought you back?” Shu Jia emerged from her room, noticing the lotus pastries on the table. “Did you go on a date?”

Yu Kui didn’t answer directly, simply asking, “Do you want some lotus pastries?”

“Yes!” Shu Jia settled onto the sofa. “I haven’t had dinner yet.”

“Where’s Sun Lin?”

“He had something to do today,” Shu Jia said idly. “He said it was a family gathering, so I didn’t bother him.”

Yu Kui nodded and asked, “What do you think it’s like to like someone?”

Shu Jia was taken aback by the question. After a few seconds of hesitation, she said, “I can’t really pinpoint exactly what ‘liking someone’ means, but I can tell you why I think I like Sun Lin.”

“Why?”

“It’s when I instinctively look into his eyes the moment I see him. It’s when I can’t help but lean closer to him when we walk together. It’s when I always want to share interesting things with him, whether it’s a funny video or a movie—I want him to know how I feel at that moment. Even if it’s something incredibly boring, as long as I’m talking to him, it feels interesting... We always have so much to talk about. He makes me feel like I can be myself and live freely around him...”

“I don’t know if you can understand this, but I think liking someone shouldn’t feel heavy. The first thing it brings me is happiness and ease. If you don’t feel that way with someone, then you probably don’t like them.”

Shu Jia looked into Yu Kui’s eyes. “Even though the three of us are in relationships and you’re the only one still single, some things can’t be rushed. The more pressure you feel, the more likely you are to make the wrong decision. After all, love isn’t everything in life. Whether you’re in a relationship or not, what matters most is being happy. As for everything else, just go with the flow. We’re still young—no need to hold ourselves back.”

Yu Kui was stunned. Shu Jia grinned triumphantly. “Do I seem like a stranger to you? Like a philosopher?”

Yu Kui: “...”

“Honestly, just follow your heart. Your feelings won’t lie to you about who you like.”

Yu Kui blinked a few times. “How did you... become so insightful?”

“It’s simple,” Shu Jia snorted lightly. “I’ve always been good at this stuff, okay?”

Yu Kui: “...”

“Is there something going on with you?” She leaned closer to Yu Kui. “Is someone pursuing you, or do you like someone?”

“I’m not telling you.” Yu Kui sat beside her. “My mind is a mess right now.”

“Then someone must be pursuing you,” Shu Jia immediately deduced. “And you probably don’t like them that much, or you wouldn’t be so troubled.”

Yu Kui: “...”

“If you don’t like them, just reject them. It’s not your first time rejecting someone.”

Yu Kui didn’t share her real concerns, only saying, “Some things aren’t that simple.”

“Then he must have done something that made you feel conflicted.” Shu Jia’s eyes shifted, and she suddenly asked, “Is it the bakery owner?”

Yu Kui’s eyes widened, surprised that she still remembered Xu Xi.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Shu Jia linked arms with Yu Kui. “Back in school, that guy delivered desserts several times, and the way he looked at you was special. I’m not that oblivious.”

“Is it because he came all the way from his hometown to find you?” Shu Jia hit the nail on the head. “Not only did his confession pressure you, but his actions also made you conflicted, right? You feel like he left his hometown for you but didn’t get the result he wanted, so you didn’t reject him right away. Am I right?”

Was that it? Yu Kui asked herself. Was it because she had feelings for Xu Xi or because she felt guilty?

When Xu Xi first said he was opening a shop in City B, she was very surprised. After all, Xu Xi loved life in their hometown. She didn’t know what had prompted him to move to a new city, let alone choose a location near Yanning University. It wasn’t until Xu Xi confessed that she realized his reason for opening the shop there was likely because of her.

Yu Kui’s feelings instantly became complicated.

For reasons she couldn’t quite explain, she began to seriously consider her relationship with Xu Xi. She didn’t want to hurt him.

“If I’m right, then this needs to be resolved as soon as possible.” Shu Jia frowned. “That guy is clearly older than you, more mature in thinking and other aspects. Whatever decision he made was well-considered. You shouldn’t view him with a limited perspective or take responsibility onto yourself. Otherwise, it’ll be exhausting.”

“I know.” Yu Kui was well aware that overthinking was bad for both Xu Xi and herself.

“Good that you understand,” Shu Jia sighed in relief. “Do you want to stay in my room tonight? You can tell me anything else that’s on your mind.”

“No,” Yu Kui refused immediately. “I can handle it on my own.”

“Alright,” Shu Jia ruffled her hair affectionately. “Does Xie Xingzhi know about this?”

“Yes.” Yu Kui recalled her conversation with Xie Xingzhi the day before but didn’t elaborate.

“What do you think of Xie Xingzhi?” Shu Jia continued. “I think you two would be a good match. Why not try spending time with him?”

Yu Kui was surprised that, even after all these years, Shu Jia was still trying to set her up with Xie Xingzhi. “He and I are...”

“Don’t say you’re not compatible,” Shu Jia interrupted. “You’ve never seriously thought about it.”

“We’re really not compatible.” Yu Kui shook her head. Her interactions with Xie Xingzhi were purely platonic, and she was waiting for the right moment to help him when something happened in the future. Beyond that, she hadn’t given it much thought.

Perhaps there was a time when she misunderstood Xie Xingzhi’s feelings for her, but that was long ago. They had known each other since high school—if something were to develop between them, it wouldn’t be like this now.

“So annoying,” Shu Jia leaned against her. “I always thought you two had chemistry. What is Xie Xingzhi even doing? It’s so frustrating!”

Yu Kui: “...” Do you have to be so invested?

That evening, Xu Xi texted Yu Kui, saying he had finished work and was worried that he had made her feel pressured today.

“Don’t overthink it,” Yu Kui replied. “I’m just carefully considering things.”

Xu Xi: “Really? I’m looking forward to your answer.”

Yu Kui: “...”

Lying in bed, she looked at the money plant on her windowsill, wondering if Xu Xi would think she was tacky for keeping such a plant, given how polished he comes across.

But soon, she had no time to dwell on it. Xie Xingzhi called, his voice tinged with fatigue. “Are you resting yet?”

“Not yet,” Yu Kui replied. “Are you done with work?”

“Yeah.” Xie Xingzhi stayed in City B over the summer and sometimes worked weekends.

“Then hurry up and have dinner,” Yu Kui said immediately. “Don’t run yourself down.”

“Okay,” Xie Xingzhi fell silent for a few seconds. “Where did you go today?”

Yu Kui briefly recounted what she did today. Xie Xingzhi chuckled softly, “Went out for a meal with Xu Xi?”

“Yes,” Yu Kui said. “We had Xinjiang food—it was really good. I’ll treat you sometime if you’re free.”

This time, Xie Xingzhi’s silence lasted a bit longer. “So... did you agree to be with Xu Xi?”

“You’re starting again,” Yu Kui frowned and said, “Didn’t I already tell you what I think yesterday?”

“I just wanted to confirm,” he looked up at the deep blue night sky, his voice soft. “If you start dating someone, I definitely want to be the first to know, so I can offer you my sincerest blessings.”

Yu Kui laughed. “Why?”

“Because you’re my most important friend,” Xie Xingzhi said. “If it weren’t for you, I don’t know where I’d be now or what kind of hardship I’d be living through.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Yu Kui retorted without hesitation. “With or without me, you’d be fine. The person you should thank most is yourself.”

“See? Every time this comes up, you deny it—like you don’t want to be associated with me at all.”

“What are you talking about?” Yu Kui said, exasperated. “I’m clearly affirming you. Everything you have now is what you deserve. Don’t ever give up on yourself in the future—look after yourself.”

“I know,” Xie Xingzhi said. “Did you have fun on your date with Xu Xi? Did he upset you at all?”

“No,” Yu Kui replied. “He’s a good person. He wouldn’t disrespect me.”

“Then he—”

“Xie Xingzhi, don’t be so paranoid. He’s not a bad person—he wouldn’t hurt me.”

“Really?” Xie Xingzhi fell silent again, seemingly at a loss for words. The conversation took on an unprecedented heaviness, losing all their usual ease and cheer.

“Xie Xingzhi, I asked you before if you wanted to find someone while in school. You said you wanted to get married someday, which shows you are hopeful about the future. You should know I have hopes for the future too—I won’t make decisions that make me unhappy.”

Xie Xingzhi said, “You also said before that you weren’t in a hurry to find someone.”

Yu Kui smiled. “But that was years ago. Now that there’s someone suitable, of course I’ll consider it.”

“I didn’t think it’d happen this fast.”

Yu Kui was quiet for a few seconds, then said softly, “Love comes when it comes; you don’t wait for the perfect moment.”