Chapter 900: Chapter 880: Didn’t Expect This Result
So, after she couldn’t reach him on the phone, she chose to stand in the rain and refused to go upstairs to find him, just because she didn’t want to disturb him?
If he hadn’t seen her, or even if he had but chose not to come downstairs, was this girl planning to wait all night downstairs, until he went to the company the next morning—just to ask him face-to-face if he was really leaving?
He had long noticed that she was trying hard to change herself.
She stripped the thorns off the rose, concealed the arrogance and flamboyance of a princess, just to show him the gentleness and obedience he loved the most.
In certain details, he even felt that she was imitating Jiayi, whether it was in her dressing, her tone, or her mannerisms.
If you love someone and they have no feelings for you, perhaps mimicking an old lover could be a shortcut.
But she really didn’t need to humiliate herself like this.
If one day she found out that the person who caused her brother to be critically injured and plagued with illnesses was him, she’d likely regret trying so hard to win his favor.
Thinking of this, his gaze darkened. "Do you know why I don’t like you? It’s because you’re too cheap, too disgraceful. A woman who throws herself at a man’s feet will never be treasured by him, understand? If you want me to show you some respect, then get lost."
Without mercy, he threw out those words and impatiently turned to head upstairs.
Too cheap, too disgraceful...
Qiao Yongyong’s eyes flickered as a large drop of rain fell onto her lashes, blurring her vision. She wasn’t sure if it was rain or tears, but the cold liquid slid down her cheek.
Yes, maybe the one who loves more is destined to be disgraceful.
If she didn’t love him so much, she could turn and walk away with grace.
She silently watched his figure disappear.
Until the lights of the room on the second floor turned on, then off again, ensuring he wouldn’t come downstairs anymore. She wiped the water off her face and left, clutching her nearly broken umbrella.
——————
The rain stopped the next morning, and the weather, after a whole night of rain, became bright and warm, with the sun shining high in the sky.
Nie Yixiao, as he headed to the security company, instinctively glanced across the street to the plane trees under which no figure remained.
Before heading abroad, there were many matters the company needed to handle and delegate in advance.
Over the last few days, Nie Yixiao worked overtime until late and simply slept in the company office.
On the evening of the fourth day, he finally wrapped up all the arrangements at hand.
His subordinates, knowing their boss would be heading abroad in a few days, urged him to go home and rest, so he packed up and left the office.
Driving his SUV back to the apartment, Nie Yixiao spotted a familiar figure downstairs.
It was Qiao Yongyong.
She had come again, standing under the plane trees, holding a square box in her hands. The box was exquisitely decorated and tied with a ribbon.
His brows furrowed.
These past few days, he hadn’t returned home and hadn’t given it much thought, but now, seeing her here, he realized she might have been coming every day to wait for him.
She was at the foot of his apartment building, making it impossible to avoid her.
He slowed his car down as he approached, stopped, and got out.
Qiao Yongyong saw him return, took a deep breath, and hurriedly walked over. "You’re back."
He replied coldly, "I remember you saying you wouldn’t pester me anymore."
"I just want to give this to you, then I’ll leave." Qiao Yongyong cautiously held out the box to him.
He didn’t even glance at the box, nor did he care what it was.
"Brother Yixiao." She looked at him with hope.
If he didn’t accept it, she’d probably stay here. Annoyed, Nie Yixiao took the box. "Now, can you leave?"
"Aren’t you going to look? I made it myself..." She said softly.
She was pushing her luck. Hadn’t she promised to leave once he took it? Now she wanted him to look at it.
Fine, he’d see just how far this girl could push.
Nie Yixiao expressionlessly pulled open the ribbon, lifted the lid of the box, and revealed a round handmade cake.
The top was decorated with cream and colors spelling out "Happy Birthday."
His long lashes twitched—he remembered. His birthday was just a few days away.
"You’ll be going abroad in a few days, and you won’t let me come with you. I won’t be able to celebrate with you then, so I made this cake ahead of time. Brother Yixiao, happy birthday."
So, she’d been waiting downstairs for several days just to say "Happy Birthday" to him in advance?
His face showed no trace of gratitude, nor did he smile. He pondered for a long time without speaking, then suddenly, with a sweep of his hand!
The handmade cake, which she had painstakingly worked on after numerous failures, crashed onto the asphalt road, breaking to pieces!
She widened her eyes and stared at the man who didn’t seem the least bit regretful, her heart feeling as though it had been sliced open.
His voice drifted over. "You should know that my mother died in childbirth when she gave birth to me. I never celebrate my birthday."
She hadn’t forgotten, but she didn’t know he wouldn’t even observe his birthday.
"Brother Yixiao, I’m sorry... I didn’t know. I just wanted to celebrate with you before you left... I’m sorry..." As she saw him storm toward the building, she grabbed the sleeve of his shirt and desperately apologized.
"Enough, Qiao Yongyong. Did you think giving me an early birthday celebration and a handmade cake would surprise me? Your tricks to win over men don’t work on me—stop being presumptuous! I don’t want to see you again. Leave!"
Disgusted, he flung her hand away. Perhaps because of the unwelcome birthday cake, he felt unsettled, so he couldn’t even be bothered to return to his apartment. He turned back toward the car, climbed in, started the engine, and drove off.
He was genuinely angry.
Qiao Yongyong clenched her fists tightly, feeling awful. When she glanced at the cake on the ground, her heart turned even colder.
She hadn’t expected her attempts at trying to win a bit of goodwill through the cake to succeed, but she also hadn’t anticipated this result.
Feeling flustered, she dug out her phone and dialed his number.
As expected, the phone rang for a few seconds before being manually hung up.
She held the phone and dazedly stared at it for a while.
She couldn’t give up; she had to wait for Brother Yixiao to return and explain everything to him...
She sat back down on the flower bed behind her.
——————
The night gradually fell, enveloping Yunling.
Qiao Yongyong couldn’t remember how long she had been sitting on the flower bed below Nie Yixiao’s apartment.
During this time, Jiayi called her, asking where she was and why she hadn’t returned yet. She muttered a couple of vague responses. Jiayi guessed where she might be, heard the melancholy in her tone, and, perhaps to spare her embarrassment, didn’t ask further. He merely told her to head home soon.
After hanging up the call, Qiao Yongyong continued to wait.
Finally, the sound of an engine approached, and Qiao Yongyong abruptly stood up, seeing the familiar black SUV draw near and stop at the apartment entrance.
"Brother Yixiao—" She hurriedly walked over but suddenly froze in place, her expression stiffening.
Through the window, she saw that Nie Yixiao wasn’t alone.
A provocative woman in a short skirt and black stockings was sitting in the passenger seat, entwining herself like a vine around the handsome man in the driver’s seat. "Wow, so this is where you live? This apartment costs five to six thousand per square meter—it’s not cheap..."
