Chapter 262: Don’t Assume
Chapter 262: Chapter 262: Don’t Assume
After dinner, Su Zhaozhao gave Shu Xue some skincare products and perfume.
"I’m so sorry for taking your place as his fiancée to get to know Huai Zheng," Su Zhaozhao apologized.
Shu Xue waved her hand. "Don’t say that, Zhaozhao. Please don’t apologize. Even if I had come to find him myself, he might not have taken a liking to me."
After meeting Su Zhaozhao, Shu Xue finally understood just how high Xie Huaizheng’s standards were.
She also realized that if she had been the one to show up back then, Xie Huaizheng might not have been interested in her at all.
If he had been interested, he wouldn’t have waited until he was twenty-five or twenty-six without even trying to meet her.
It showed that he never cared about this arrangement from the start. So, even if she had come in person, Xie Huaizheng wouldn’t necessarily have fallen for her.
It was because Su Zhaozhao was so exceptional that she was able to capture Xie Huaizheng’s affection.
The two exchanged a few pleasantries before Su Zhaozhao walked Shu Xue downstairs. Shu Xue made plans with her, saying, "I’ll probably be heading back to Jiang City soon. If you get the chance, come visit me. Your home isn’t far from mine."
"Okay." Su Zhaozhao was happy to have made a new friend.
Besides, she had also resolved a tricky situation so smoothly.
She had originally thought Xie Huaizheng’s fiancée would be difficult to deal with. Feeling like an impostor who had stolen someone else’s place, she couldn’t help but feel a little guilty.
She never expected the young woman to be so cheerful and magnanimous.
Shu Xue smiled, waved goodbye to Su Zhaozhao, and turned to walk toward the guest house.
Now that she had met Xie Huaizheng, she could go back.
It was as if a long-held wish had finally been fulfilled.
Before, Shu Xue had actually considered being with Xie Huaizheng.
But now, seeing how good Xie Huaizheng and Su Zhaozhao’s relationship was, she felt it was better to just wish them well.
Shu Xue suddenly remembered she hadn’t called Huang Jiqin yet.
When she had left, Huang Jiqin had been very worried, repeatedly reminding her to call as soon as she arrived.
But she still hadn’t called.
Shu Xue thought for a moment, then ran to the telephone booth near the village entrance to make a call.
After connecting to Huang Jiqin, Shu Xue said, "Auntie, I’m in West State now."
"Little Xue, you’ve made it to West State? How are things? Oh, my, why did it take you so long to get in touch? I was worried sick about you."
"I’m fine, I was just having some fun. I also saw Huai Zheng."
"And how did it go?" Huang Jiqin asked, a little nervous.
She was worried Shu Xue would be angry, or worse, fall for Xie Huaizheng. After all, with his good looks, her son was quite popular with young women.
If Shu Xue had taken a liking to him, she really wouldn’t know what to do.
On one hand, Su Zhaozhao and Xie Huaizheng were married and truly in love. On the other, Shu Xue was the one who had been rightfully promised to Xie Huaizheng since childhood.
She would definitely respect Xie Huaizheng’s wishes, but she was afraid the old man and his comrade-in-arms would have a falling-out over it.
Now, Huang Jiqin waited nervously for Shu Xue to speak.
’I just hope Xie Huaizheng and Su Zhaozhao were able to appease her,’ she thought.
In the next moment, she heard Shu Xue say, "I think it’s great. He and his wife have a wonderful relationship. After seeing them, I feel at ease. I’m planning to go back to school tomorrow, since classes are about to start for me anyway."
"Is that so? Well, that’s good..." Huang Jiqin said. "Be careful on your way back."
After chatting for a few more minutes, Shu Xue hung up with Huang Jiqin.
Stepping out of the telephone booth, Shu Xue started walking back to the guest house.
She was leaving tomorrow, but she couldn’t quite remember the bus departure times.
So, she went to the bus stop, planning to ask someone.
There, standing next to the bus stop, was a young man in a light green military uniform.
He had sharp brows, star-like eyes, and a tall, handsome figure, though his demeanor was a bit cold.
But Shu Xue was instantly captivated by his face. ’Wow, this handsome guy is just as good-looking as Xie Huaizheng,’ she thought.
’He even lacks that touch of roguishness Xie Huaizheng has.’
So, Shu Xue walked up to him and asked, "Comrade, excuse me, do you know what time the bus to West City District leaves tomorrow morning?"
Xie Huaizhen was on leave today and was planning to go to the district to buy a few things.
As he was waiting for the bus, he saw a young woman approaching him with a question.
The woman had a fair complexion and delicate, lively features. Her eyes held a hint of a smile, and she carried the gentle grace of someone from the Jiangnan water villages.
Listening to her accent, she also seemed to be from the Jiangnan region.
"There’s a bus at eight and ten every morning," Xie Huaizhen replied.
"Oh, thank you so much," Shu Xue said, smiling at him.
She seized the opportunity to ask, "You’re a soldier, right? On leave today?"
’Can’t be helped,’ she thought. ’If I don’t strike up a conversation with such a handsome guy now, I’ll never get another chance.’
Hearing her words, however, Xie Huaizhen’s expression turned wary.
It was because his last encounter with Gu Qingran had made him paranoid. ’Now that one Gu Qingran is gone, is another one showing up?’
Just then, the bus arrived. Xie Huaizhen said to her, "The bus is here. I’m getting on."
Shu Xue watched Xie Huaizhen’s cold departure and couldn’t help but sigh.
’Looks like my attempt to flirt failed again.’
’Why are the men around here so difficult?’
「Meanwhile.」
After Shu Xue left, Xie Huaizheng finished washing the dishes, took a quick cold shower, and then pulled Su Zhaozhao into his arms for bed.
He said plaintively, "Why were you so nice to her?"
Su Zhaozhao was a little surprised. "Shouldn’t I be nice to her? I feel like we owe her. You were originally supposed to be with her..."
’If I hadn’t listened to that book, if I had remembered the male lead’s name correctly, then Xie Huaizheng and I would never have crossed paths.’
’Maybe I would be with Xie Huaizhen right now?’
Hearing Su Zhaozhao’s words, Xie Huaizheng furrowed his brow, then pushed her down onto the bed and started kissing her.
He didn’t let go until Su Zhaozhao was breathless.
He reached out, kneading her cheek until she was in so much pain that tears welled up in her eyes before he finally let go.
"Su Zhaozhao, don’t you ever say things like that again. There are no ’what ifs.’ I don’t want to hear your hypotheticals. I don’t want to hear them at all."
’She can only be mine. Now and forever.’
’There’s no such thing as ’what if.’ If it had been Shu Xue back then, he was certain he wouldn’t have fallen for her.’
He looked at the red mark his pinch had left on Su Zhaozhao’s cheek and began to feel a pang of remorse.
Her skin was just too delicate. The slightest bit of force from him left a mark like this.
Su Zhaozhao shot him an angry glare. "The reason I say that is because I worry that if it weren’t for such a coincidence, we wouldn’t be together. But Xie Huaizheng, I really, really like you now."
Listening to her words, Xie Huaizheng reached out and hugged her. "Then from now on, let’s not mention this again, okay?"
He didn’t want to hear those hypotheticals—any scenario where Su Zhaozhao might not have ended up with him was something he refused to even consider.
Even now that they were together, he couldn’t stand to hear it.