Chapter 449: Chapter 447: A Thorn in the Flesh
Xu Su hummed in agreement but didn’t say anything.
"Why are you still up? Did something happen?" The man’s voice on the phone sounded more awake now. "Where are you?"
"It’s nothing. I just thought you were asleep and called for fun."
Xu Su looked up at the stars. "Why’d you answer the phone so late?"
"I can’t sleep soundly without you in my arms. When are you coming back?" Zhou Mochen’s voice seemed to be right beside her ear. "Susu, did you miss me?"
Xu Su didn’t answer his question, talking as if to herself instead. "There are so many beautiful stars here. It’s a shame I don’t know anything about astronomy, or I could tell you the name of the brightest one."
Zhou Mochen frowned on the other end of the line. "You’re outside looking at the stars by yourself this late?"
"..." Xu Su was frustrated. "How can you be so unromantic? I’m talking about the stars with you..."
"When you’re away from home, don’t go wandering around by yourself in the middle of the night," Zhou Mochen interrupted her, his tone serious. "Go back inside right now."
"I didn’t go far. The campsite is nearby. If there’s any real danger, all I have to do is shout."
"Go back. Now!"
Xu Su fell silent. Listening to the gurgling stream, she didn’t want to get angry with him.
The man on the other end sighed helplessly, his voice softening. "What happened? Why are you awake so early?"
Xu Su hesitated for a moment before asking, "Zhou Mochen, what are your thoughts on a man who has a wife at home and a mistress on the side?"
"What do you mean?" He seemed intrigued by the question. "What thoughts could I have? I’m not that kind of person."
"..."
Shame, embarrassment, and a touch of guilt left Xu Su speechless for a long time.
When she remained quiet, Zhou Mochen seemed to sense something was wrong. His voice dropped to a low whisper. "Susu, what is it you really want to say?"
"Something happened last night that’s made me feel a bit confused about human nature." Xu Su was unwilling to believe she was a fickle lover. She clutched her phone and asked, "Zhou Mochen, do you think I’m fickle?"
There was a slight pause on the other end. "Why are you suddenly asking this?"
"Just answer the question," Xu Su said. "Didn’t you used to think I liked Shen Chen and was cheating on you with him? So in your heart, you must think I’m a fickle woman, right?"
"You want the truth? You won’t get angry?"
"...Of course!"
"I wouldn’t call you fickle, but it’s true I’ve spoiled you so much you’ve grown reckless."
"..." Xu Su huffed. "Who asked you to spoil me!"
Zhou Mochen chuckled lightly. "Who else would I spoil? Tell me, what’s really going on with you tonight? So many strange questions."
’His voice was so gentle. He’s such a good listener...’
Xu Su said, "I’m just feeling a little sentimental, which is rare for me. Zhou Mochen, can we just talk for a bit?"
"Okay..." Zhou Mochen got out of bed, slid open the glass door to the balcony, and lay down on the rocking chair, gazing at the same starry sky as his girl. "What do you want to talk about?"
Xu Su set a ground rule first. "Let’s agree on something. We can say whatever we want, and neither of us is allowed to get angry."
"Mm, I won’t get angry."
Xu Su thought for a moment, then said something that cut him to the quick. "What if a year ago, I hadn’t agreed to be with you, and instead kept liking Xi Zi..."
"Xu Su!" Zhou Mochen’s incredibly gentle voice instantly became low and hoarse. "Why are you bringing him up again?"
He seethed with anger. "It’s four-thirty in the morning, and you’re thinking about Xi Zirong? Or is he the reason you can’t sleep in the middle of the night?"
"..." Xu Su felt both guilty and frustrated. "You promised you wouldn’t get angry."
"Heh..." Zhou Mochen sneered. "I wouldn’t even get angry if you brought up Shen Chen. But Xi Zirong is different."
"...Why?"
"You don’t know why?"
Xu Su said nothing.
"So you really do know?" Zhou Mochen’s anger flared. "Tell me, then. Why do I despise the very mention of Xi Zirong?"
"..." Xu Su was speechless. ’Are all men this unreasonable when they get jealous?’
’He gets mad if I don’t know the reason, and he gets mad if I do!’
"Xu Su, let me tell you something."
Zhou Mochen’s voice had returned to a calm state. "The person I have hated most in my entire life is Xi Zirong. Every time I think of him, I can’t eat or sleep. I can tolerate others, but not him. You are not to mention him, and you are certainly not to think about him!"
Shen Chen was just a case of unrequited love. Even if he had taken liberties with her, it wasn’t of her own free will.
But Xi Zirong was her first love, someone she had been truly devoted to. And perhaps... it wasn’t even in the past tense yet.
Sometimes, he couldn’t stop himself from obsessively wondering just how sweet and loving they had been during that year together.
They had kissed, more than once. In the heat of passion, had she touched his body?
Where had she touched him?
Where had she kissed him?
These thoughts tortured him, nearly killing him, yet he couldn’t escape them.
Xi Zirong’s existence was a thorn in his side, constantly piercing the most vulnerable part of his heart.
If anyone could truly steal her away from him, the biggest threat would be Xi Zirong.
If he could, he would...
Xu Su could hear the bitterness in his voice, and she was filled with regret herself.
’If I could go back two years, I would never have gotten involved with Xi Zirong.’
’Things wouldn’t have ended up like this, with all three of them in pain.’
Their heart-to-heart was cut short before it even began. Troubled by her series of strange, late-night questions, Zhou Mochen was on the verge of booking a flight to come see her immediately.
Xu Su had to coax and reassure him for a long time before she managed to calm him down.
’If he really came and saw Xi Zirong in person...’
Just the thought of that scene gave Xu Su a splitting headache.
After hanging up, Xu Su didn’t go back. She wouldn’t be able to sleep anyway, so she figured she might as well wait for the sunrise.
Finally, as the first rays of dawn appeared on the horizon, she realized someone was standing behind her.
Seeing her turn around, the tall, slender young man gave a slight smile. "Up so early?"
"..." ’Now my head hurts even more.’
"Why the long face?" Xi Zirong sat down next to her and tilted his head to look at her. "Not happy?"
Xu Su propped her chin on her hand, her voice listless. "How did you know I was here?"
Xi Zirong said, "We came out for a walk and happened to see you here."
Only then did she notice Jiang Chusheng was there too.
The light had been dim last night, so Xu Su hadn’t gotten a good look at him. Now, seeing him properly, she was momentarily dazed.
Then came the realization. ’No wonder Sika is so head over heels for him. Even now, after the girl has become so worldly and claims to know all there is to know about men, she still gets flustered and nervous around him.’
’He’s just too...’
Her wrist was suddenly gripped tight. Xu Su turned her head to see Xi Zirong’s ambiguous smile. "Handsome, isn’t he?"
"..." ’How was she supposed to answer that? Saying yes was wrong, but so was saying no.’
Clearly, Xi Zirong wasn’t expecting an answer. Just as the red sun was rising, by the small stream not far from the campsite, and right in front of Jiang Chusheng, he tightened his grip on Xu Su’s wrist, pulled her into his arms, and gently held her.
