Chapter 379: Chapter 379: A Twist of Fate
Ding Xingye looked at Shu Yujie earnestly and said, "I don’t want to lie, so before we get to know each other, I’d like to tell you that when Song went to the countryside, she went to the Dingping Production Team where I was, and I had a crush on her back then."
"However, nothing happened between us, it was completely innocent. I was just foolish, she didn’t think much of me. Later, I came to my senses, studied hard, and changed myself."
Shu Yujie blinked, not quite understanding, but still honestly voiced her feelings, "You were motivated to change yourself because you were hurt, so you still like her in your heart?"
Shu Yujie pointed in the direction Song Yiluo had just left.
"I don’t." Ding Xingye said firmly, "I admit I was affected, but more importantly, I came to understand myself better, realizing that only by improving myself can I find someone better. Even if they’re not exceptional, by improving myself, I can provide a good life for the other person, so I strive for that."
"At first, I was worried about how I’d react if I saw Song again, but when I first came to Jing City for studies, I ran into her. When I actually met her, I found I could face her calmly, and that’s when I knew I really didn’t like her anymore, and I had moved on."
"You, you, I didn’t expect you two to know each other. Anyway, that’s the truth, do you want to meet with me officially? I, I’ll listen to you." Ding Xingye’s voice was a bit low.
Shu Yujie looked at Ding Xingye’s downcast, frank yet slightly shy expression, unsure of what to feel, and thought about what he had just said. She remembered Song Yiluo went to the south, while her brother introduced her to someone supposedly from Jing City. "Which school are you from?"
"Didn’t your brother tell you?" Ding Xingye was a bit surprised, "I’m from Power College."
It matched up, Shu Yujie nodded, "My, my brother didn’t say you and Song Yiluo knew each other."
"I’m sorry." Ding Xingye admitted with some embarrassment, "After all, it wasn’t a serious relationship, so I didn’t tell your brother."
"So, if I hadn’t run into you today, were you planning not to tell me?" Shu Yujie pressed.
Ding Xingye nodded honestly, "I’m not that foolish. If a girl I was meeting knew I liked someone else before, she definitely wouldn’t be comfortable."
"Then, what if I had someone I liked before meeting you?" Shu Yujie asked softly.
Ding Xingye was a bit taken aback, looking up at Shu Yujie with sparkling eyes, his face involuntarily flushed, and he asked nervously, "Then, do you still, still like him now?"
Shu Yujie smiled at his words, "Well, he has someone he likes, and that person happens to like him back, they are a good match. Now, if I say I don’t like him, I’m still a bit unsure, but I probably am starting to move on, otherwise, I wouldn’t have agreed to let my brother set us up in the first place."
"To be honest, when I first found out he liked someone, I was hurt and upset, so I went to see that girl. She truly is likable, even I like her, so I went to warn her, asking her to treat him well and live a happy life forever." Shu Yujie spoke with a smile.
Ding Xingye listened seriously, looking at the girl smiling so charmingly, his eyes were transfixed, "You, you’re truly a kindhearted good person."
Hearing this, Shu Yujie pretended to glare fiercely at Ding Xingye, but her slightly averted face blushed slightly.
"You’re really great, and I appreciate your attitude towards people you like." Ding Xingye said earnestly, "When you genuinely like someone, seeing them happy might help you let go."
Shu Yujie seemed to have found a soulmate, turning her head with a look of surprise towards Ding Xingye, "You think so too, then do you hate Song Yiluo now?"
Ding Xingye was a bit surprised by Shu Yujie’s question, shaking his head, "I was once sad and disappointed, but I can’t say I hate her. It just wasn’t meant to be, I didn’t deserve her."
"You’re looking down on yourself like that." Shu Yujie said with frustration.
"Back then, there really wasn’t much about me to respect." Ding Xingye awkwardly scratched his head, "I had no plan for the future, no skills that would impress anyone, the only thing people talked about was being the son of the production team leader."
"But things changed later, I studied hard and got into university. Now, people in the village talk about me, and they praise my dad for having such an outstanding son." Ding Xingye said with a hint of shyness.
"Pfft—" Shu Yujie burst into laughter, covering her mouth with her hand, but the amusement was fully visible in her eyes, as if flooded with sunshine. Ding Xingye was mesmerized.
"Yujie—"
"Xingye—"
The two, who were looking at each other, simultaneously glanced away, their faces tinged with a light blush, before looking towards the person calling their names.
"Brother, you’re here." Shu Yujie looked at her second brother, Shu Yuxiang, with a bit of a girlish shyness in her eyes.
Shu Yuxiang looked at Ding Xingye standing in front of his sister, somewhat surprised, "You two... know each other?"
Ding Xingye’s pupils contracted, "Shu, Shu Yuxiang."
"Brother, what’s wrong with you? You were the one who wanted to introduce us." Shu Yujie secretly pinched her second brother and tossed him a sidelong glance.
Shu Yuxiang raised an eyebrow, looking at Ding Xingye with a hint of confusion in his eyes.
"Xingye, you’re here." A young man clad in blue clothes, with a square face, and decent looks came out from the cinema, spotting Ding Xingye immediately and then noticing Shu Yuxiang nearby.
"Shu Yuxiang."
"Li Qibo." Shu Yuxiang asked with a smile, "Are you guys here to watch a movie too?"
"Hehe." Li Qibo scratched his head, "Yes, yes."
"We’ll head in first." Li Qibo pulled on Ding Xingye, "My sister has been waiting for quite a while already..."
Ding Xingye’s head went blank, and after being pulled along for a few steps, he turned his head towards Shu Yujie, not daring to believe what he saw. Seeing her equally surprised expression, his mood instantly grew somber.
"Qibo, I’m sorry, I don’t feel well, I need to visit the hospital, I’ll treat you to dinner next time." Ding Xingye apologized to Li Qibo, seeing Ding Xingye’s flustered expression and pale face, Li Qibo believed something was actually wrong with him and, though looking displeased, said nothing more.
Ding Xingye passed by Shu Yujie, hesitating for a moment, but still walked past her and away.
"Shu Yuxiang, I’m heading in first." Li Qibo said as he went inside.
"Brother, what about your classmate, what’s going on, flaking out at the last minute." An unhappy, high-pitched voice rang out, causing Shu Yujie to curiously peek inside, the girl standing with Li Qibo, whose looks and face seemed to be twice her size, with upside-down triangular eyes that made her appear somewhat harsh.
"Second Brother, what kind of classmates do you have if you introduce someone like this to your own sister, this is practically matchmaking for a bad marriage." Shu Yujie was full of indignation, turning her head to meet Shu Yuxiang’s questioning gaze.
Nearby, Yi Roujing and Xu Ancheng witnessed the entire scene.
"Shall we still go inside to watch?" Yi Roujing asked with a slight amusement.
