Xiao Yanzhi looked down at Jiang Li, unable to decipher the emotions in her eyes. A look of confusion flashed across his eyes.
What on earth had she been acting up about from just now until now?
Jiang Li lowered her head, rummaged through her pocket for her phone, and opened the photo of the two of them locked in a passionate kiss. She held it up right in front of his face. "Do I need to tell you who they should protect?"
Xiao Yanzhi looked down at the photo on the screen, squinted his eyes, and asked in a cold voice, "Who sent this to you?"
He didn't deny the photo or try to clarify the kiss. All he cared about was who had sent it to her.
Would he have just pretended nothing had happened and continued to come and go as he pleased if she hadn't seen this photo?
Jiang Li's nose suddenly tingled. "What, does Mr. Xiao think it's embarrassing to kiss his first love?"
Jiang Li lowered her head, pursed her lips several times, and tightened her grip on the phone. "If you wanted to suppress this, how could this photo have ever made its way to me?"
In the past four years, the moments when she and Xiao Yanzhi had been photographed had never been exposed on such a large scale. It was just like their relationship, carefully concealed.
But Qin Yaoyao could, and Yu Wan could.
Only she was like the moss under a boulder, never seeing the light of day.
"Isn't it a bit too late to play innocent now?" she said calmly, closing her eyes and asking him, "So, do you want me to see this or not?"
Xiao Yanzhi was taken aback. He hadn't really thought much when he'd asked that question just now. It was just that he was seeing this photo for the first time too.
He'd booked an early-morning flight and had been on the plane all morning. He hadn't had a chance to check his phone messages.
Xue An had called him twice just now, but he'd been about to enter the drama troupe to find Jiang Li and hadn't answered.
Maybe those two calls had been to inform him about this.
Xiao Yanzhi sorted out his thoughts. "Jiang Li, what I mean is, I didn't deliberately have this photo released. Moreover, I didn't..."
Before he could finish his explanation, Jiang Li interrupted him. "Whether it was deliberate or not, why do you need to explain it to me?"
She smiled. "I admit that I used to love you wholeheartedly and humbly."
Jiang Li's sudden confession made Xiao Yanzhi stop his explanation about the kiss photo. His breathing suddenly quickened, and the look in his eyes darkened.
This was the first time.
It was the first time he'd heard from her that she loved him. It wasn't just a cold sugar daddy relationship, nor was it about repaying a debt or showing gratitude.
But what he'd just heard seemed to be "used to love"?
Jiang Li opened her eyes wide, not wanting her tears to fall. She didn't even dare to blink, and slightly raised the corners of her lips. "But it's all over now."
She spoke calmly, as if trying very hard to show her rationality. "I don't love you anymore. I don't have delusions of reaching for the moon in the sky."
Xiao Yanzhi hadn't even had time to feel happy about her words when the next sentence made his blood boil.
Why? Why didn't she love him anymore? Didn't she say she'd loved him wholeheartedly? Why did she say it was "all over"?
The afternoon sun was blinding. Jiang Li looked up at him against the light. She couldn't see the panic and confusion in his eyes. All she felt was his usual coldness.
Coldly listening to her insignificant confession.
"I used to wonder why you'd accept my pleas. Was it because I was pretty? But there are pretty girls everywhere, and a man like you surely isn't short of them."
Xiao Yanzhi frowned slightly.
"I always thought it was your sudden pity for me. But when I saw Miss Yu, I realized it was just my good luck."
"I was just lucky to resemble her a bit, so I could fill a gap in your great love story."
As Xiao Yanzhi listened, his fingers unconsciously tightened, making his bones crack and his veins bulge.
"Thank her for showing up and making me realize that I'm just a temporary substitute for you."
She propped herself up on the ground. The pain in her ankle wasn't as intense anymore. She tried to put some weight on it and could barely walk. She insisted on taking two steps in the opposite direction of Xiao Yanzhi.
She wanted to draw a clear line between them.
Just these few movements had already made Jiang Li break out in a light sweat on her back.
Xiao Yanzhi asked calmly, his voice devoid of warmth. "Why didn't you say this before?"
"Say what, that I love you?"
She stopped walking, didn't even bother to wipe away her tears, and just looked at him, smiling through her tears. "I was afraid that if I said it, I'd lose all my dignity in front of you."
"Do you need a canary to have feelings beyond the rules for its master? I don't think so."
After she finished speaking, her hot tears rolled down.
Unwanted love was a burden.
She turned around and left, and Xiao Yanzhi didn't call her back.
He just stood behind her, watching her leave slowly but resolutely. He fell silent for a few seconds, and a sense of familiarity suddenly flashed through his mind.
He didn't remember much about his conversation with Yu Wan last night.
He never really cared much about people and things that didn't matter to him.
But he keenly noticed that both Yu Wan last night and Jiang Li today had mentioned the same word, substitute.
It was okay to say that Yu Wan thought Jiang Li was her substitute out of her own self - indulgence. But why did Jiang Li think so?
His gaze deepened.
---
After a day of rehearsal, Jiang Li said goodbye to the other members of the drama troupe. As she was leaving, everyone told her to rest well recently and not get injured again. Jiang Li nodded and thanked them with a smile.
She'd just hailed a cab when she received a call from Sister Chen. "Lili, Xiaoye had a car accident."
Jiang Li's heart skipped a beat.
She immediately told the driver to turn around and drive straight to the hospital.
When Jiang Li rushed to the hospital in a hurry, Xiaoye was lying on the hospital bed, opening her mouth like nothing had happened, waiting for Jingyi to feed her snacks.
If it weren't for the huge plaster cast on her leg, Jiang Li would have thought it was a prank.
"Sister Jiang Li, you're here." Xiaoye had just opened her mouth halfway and hadn't caught the orange that Jingyi had handed her. When she saw Jiang Li rushing in, she immediately waved to greet her.
Jiang Li: "… How are you feeling now?"
"I'm feeling great. I'm in tip - top shape and can eat anything." Xiaoye patted her chest, but the orange she'd just eaten hadn't been swallowed yet, and she suddenly started coughing violently, scaring everyone.
After they were sure she'd just choked on it, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Sister Chen said helplessly, "Xiaoye went to the company to get some materials for you today. On her way back, she was hit by a car that was driving in the wrong lane. Fortunately, she only hurt her leg. The doctor said she might have a slight concussion, but there's nothing else wrong."
After saying that, Sister Chen tapped Xiaoye on the head. "You never give us a moment's peace."