Chapter 65 I Believe in You Won’t Let You Suffer Here…

Chapter 65 I Trust You / I Won't Let You Eat Here...

"More than that, I'm even more grateful for everything you’ve done for me," Yu Kui said softly. "It’s just that I can't reciprocate your feelings. I’m truly sorry."

"It’s not your fault," Xu Xi said, their eyes both reddened as they faced each other. He tried to smile. "I wasn't good enough. I hope my presence hasn’t troubled you."

"You’re not a trouble," Yu Kui shook her head. "You’ve brought me a lot of happiness."

"Then, can we still be friends in the future?" Xu Xi gazed at her intently.

Yu Kui nodded slightly, "Of course." But that's all they would be.

"Alright, I respect your choice." Xu Xi took a step back. Under the setting sun, his shadow stretched long. "I hope you meet someone who truly makes your heart flutter soon."

"Thank you." Yu Kui breathed a quiet sigh of relief. "Let’s leave it at that."

"Let me walk you back," Xu Xi said immediately.

"No need," Yu Kui felt the breeze brush past her. "I’ve already taken up enough of your time. I won’t trouble you further."

She waved her hand, not giving him a chance to respond, and quickly crossed the street, disappearing into the crowd.

"Yu Kui!" Xu Xi instinctively called out her name. The girl glanced back slightly, and he waved. "I wish you happiness."

At that moment, the sunset’s glow colored his features, making him shine brightly amidst the bustling traffic.

Yu Kui waved back too, silently mouthing, "I wish you happiness too. I hope you find someone truly on the same wavelength as you."

On her way back, Yu Kui didn’t take a bus. Instead, she walked leisurely, stepping in the lingering twilight.

She felt lighthearted, yet with an indescribable sense of melancholy. She didn’t know if Xu Xi would stay in City B or if he regretted coming to see her, but she truly couldn’t go against her own will. She only hoped everything would go well for him.

By the time she reached the neighborhood entrance, it was already dark. Streetlights stood silently along the road.

Just after passing through the gate, Yu Kui spotted a young man leaning against a car, smoking. His head was lowered, smoke curling slowly in the air, his expression seeming somewhat lonely.

"Xie Xingzhi?" She took a few steps forward.

The young man slowly looked up. The moment he saw her, he immediately tried to stub out his cigarette but fumbled clumsily, nearly setting his clothes on fire.

"What are you doing?" Yu Kui walked up to him and noticed he looked exhausted, as if he hadn’t slept enough.

"I..." Xie Xingzhi dropped the cigarette butt on the ground and stepped on it, trying to act casual. "I came to see you."

Yu Kui frowned. "Don’t litter."

"It's not like there was an ashtray?" Xie Xingzhi opened the car door, pulled out a couple of tissues, wrapped the cigarette butt, and threw it into a trash can.

Yu Kui watched his tall back, noticing he'd grown lean. She frowned. "Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?"

"I came on a whim," Xie Xingzhi turned around. "You’re back so late today. Did you go on a date with Xu Xi?"

"Yeah," Yu Kui said. "He wanted to define our relationship. We went for hot pot."

Xie Xingzhi’s steps faltered, as if even his breathing had stalled. "Then... did you agree?"

Yu Kui didn’t answer, just looked at him quietly, as if searching for something in his eyes. Xie Xingzhi raised an eyebrow and smiled. "As a good friend, shouldn’t I vet him for you?"

"I didn’t get together with him," Yu Kui said slowly. "I made things clear with him."

Xie Xingzhi stood frozen, seemingly surprised by the outcome. Before, she had been so determined about dating Xu Xi.

"Why?" Xie Xingzhi turned his head away, muttering softly, "Didn’t you have feelings for him?"

"Friendly feelings, not romantic ones."

Yu Kui lowered her voice. "I tried to turn those feelings into love before, but I couldn’t."

"You either like someone or you don't." No matter when, she always faced her heart honestly. "I don’t like him."

Her tone was calm and firm, without any hesitation.

Xie Xingzhi let out a breath, not letting her see his clenched and then relaxed fist. He forced a calm smile. "He came to City B for you. Don’t you regret rejecting him?"

"Regret what?" Yu Kui shot him a look. "This is my carefully considered answer."

"Good then," the gloom in Xie Xingzhi’s eyes gradually faded, a smile tugging at his lips. "I was just worried you weren’t thinking clearly and got sweet-talked by an older man."

Yu Kui: "..."

"Don’t say that about him," Yu Kui couldn’t help retorting. "He’s a good person. We just weren’t meant to be."

"Will you still see him in the future?" Xie Xingzhi looked into her eyes. "Like before, even when I came to find you, you’d go out with him..."

Yu Kui was silent for a few seconds. "I don't think we'll see each other again."

Xie Xingzhi’s eyes flickered. "Really?"

Instead of answering, Yu Kui asked, "Why did you come to find me?"

"Of course, it’s for something important." Xie Xingzhi snorted lightly. "You came back with a full stomach and happy, but I’m still starving."

Yu Kui looked at his pale, thin face and frowned. "Why have you lost so much weight? Haven’t you been eating lately?"

"No appetite," Xie Xingzhi said listlessly. "Just thinking that you’re almost taken, and I’m still single, I get so angry I’m full."

Yu Kui was speechless. "If you want to find someone, it’s not hard. Plenty of girls at school are lining up to add your WeChat."

"What’s the point of that?" Xie Xingzhi said. "When dating, you have to find someone you like. It has to be mutual."

"Have you ever liked someone?" Yu Kui asked casually.

Back when they first started university, Xie Xingzhi told her he wanted to get married right after graduation, seeming very eager for married life. But now, almost graduating, there’d been no sign of it.

"Trying to snoop into my love life?" Xie Xingzhi’s eyes lifted, feigning mystery. "Not telling."

But Yu Kui was certain. "So there is."

"Why do you say that?"

Yu Kui looked at him. "If there isn’t, why would you want to get married?"

Xie Xingzhi’s family situation was very complicated. Logically, he should be afraid of marriage like in the story, but he said he wanted to marry. Unless he met someone who could withstand all his negative emotions and even bring him happiness, he wouldn’t say something like that.

Xie Xingzhi remained impassive. "Can’t I just think about it?"

"Boring." Yu Kui turned and walked toward the neighborhood entrance. "Come on, I’ll take you for pea noodle soup."

Xie Xingzhi followed behind her, "I want to have hot pot."

"What hot pot?" Yu Kui shot down the idea without hesitation, "You want me to watch you eat?"

"Is that not allowed?" Xie Xingzhi countered.

"No," Yu Kui refused without a second thought, "I feel guilty just looking at hot pot now."

Xie Xingzhi: "..."

Eventually, the two still went to the noodle shop. Yu Kui sat across from Xie Xingzhi and asked him how the taste was and if he liked it.

"Not bad," Xie Xingzhi said with a smile, "It's the happiest meal I've had this year."

Yu Kui: "If you don’t eat properly, you’ll become so thin you won’t even look like yourself anymore. How are you going to remain the school heartthrob then?"

"Really?" Xie Xingzhi checked his reflection in his phone, "Still looking pretty good, aren't I?"

"You should really eat properly," Yu Kui didn’t want him to get sick due to not eating enough, "Work and study are already stressful enough." As she spoke, she put some extra toppings on his noodles.

Xie Xingzhi didn’t refuse and lowered his head to finish all the food.

By that time, it was already quite late.

Yu Kui asked him, "What exactly is the real business you wanted to talk about today?"

"Let’s talk in the car."

The two left the noodle shop and walked back to the residential area. Xie Xingzhi took a briefcase from the car, and Yu Kui gave him a puzzled look.

Under the streetlight, Xie Xingzhi took out a bank card and a contract in black and white.

"This is the New Year's money you gave me back then," he said, looking at Yu Kui, "My career is picking up now, so I wanted to return it to you first."

Yu Kui paused, surprised. Instead of taking the bank card immediately, she said, "You’ll probably have lots of places you'll need money in the future. There’s no need to rush to give it back to me."

"That leads to the second thing I wanted to discuss with you," Xie Xingzhi asked her to sit in the car with him and gave her a serious look, "I’ve started a video game company and would like to invite you to be a shareholder."

Yu Kui blinked, trying to process what he meant.

Xie Xingzhi explained, "The games I developed before were all small-time. To publish them, I had to publish through Lu Cheng’s company. Over the past few years, I’ve earned some money and decided to start my own company to develop more refined and complete games..."

Yu Kui finally understood, "So you and Lu Cheng are just business partners?"

"We’re also friends," Xie Xingzhi clarified, "He will also invest in my company."

"Then why are you giving me shares?" Yu Kui snapped out of it, "I can’t really help you with anything."

"Haven’t you already helped me?" Xie Xingzhi looked at her, "If it weren’t for your New Year's money, I wouldn’t even have startup funds. You’re my biggest supporter."

He showed Yu Kui the contract, "You study law, so I don’t need to explain the contents in detail."

Yu Kui immediately refused, "I can’t accept it."

She explained, "When I gave you the New Year's money, I just hoped you could have an easier time of it. Now that your career is taking off, that’s a good thing. I’ll just take back the money I gave you."

She took the bank card and was genuinely happy for Xie Xingzhi. The stronger he became, the less control his parents would have over him. The plot of the novel would change accordingly.

"This is interest for you," Xie Xingzhi insisted, "You have to accept it. Otherwise, I won’t have a good reason to borrow money from you in the future."

"But—"

"No buts," Xie Xingzhi cut her off, "The company is just starting out. Who knows how it will develop? Don’t worry too much about the shares. It might not even succeed in the end..."

"Don’t talk nonsense," Yu Kui immediately said, "You will definitely succeed."

Xie Xingzhi laughed softly, "Then you should sign the contract."

Yu Kui’s felt incredibly conflicted upon hearing this.

Although Xie Xingzhi made it sound simple, if he was planning to start a company, he must be very confident.

How could she take advantage like that?

"I really can’t accept it," Yu Kui refused again, "If you want to thank me, just take good care of yourself. Don’t forget to eat in the future."

Xie Xingzhi looked down, not letting her see the expression in his eyes, "Why?"

"You’re my friend," Yu Kui hesitated for a moment and said softly, "I can’t let you get the short end of the stick over this."

She put away the bank card, "When the company grows bigger in the future, you can treat me to a meal. I’ll definitely be happy to accept."

Xie Xingzhi looked at the contract in his hand and didn't say anything for a while.

Yu Kui smiled and said, "You will definitely succeed in the future. I believe in you."