Chapter 68: My Heart Belongs Elsewhere

Cheng Xingye spent the night at home. Remembering he had a presentation to give the next morning, he set an alarm for eight o’clock and got up early to return to his dorm.

The boys’ dorm was usually slow to stir, but today their class had a presentation, and by nine o’clock, the halls already rang with laughter and lively chatter.

He fished out his keys to unlock the door and, upon entering, noticed that both Chen Shujie and Lou Zhao were already up. Lu Yi was, as always, nowhere to be seen. Lately, he’d become almost a phantom, rarely spending nights in the dorm, and everyone had grown used to his absences.

Hearing the door open, Chen Shujie glanced over, his gaze immediately drawn to the keychain in Cheng Xingye’s hand. Usually, these guys just kept their keys loose in their pockets, but today, dangling from Cheng Xingye’s keys was an absurdly small, rather ugly plush lop-eared bunny—an accessory that clashed hilariously with his tough-guy image.

Chen Shujie blinked in confusion, but his thoughts quickly returned to the main issue. He raised his eyebrows and asked, “Hey, Xingye, where on earth did you go last night?”

He’d skipped out on basketball—did he go off chasing girls again?

Cheng Xingye replied lazily, tossing his keychain onto his desk with a casual air. “How did you know I got this?”

Chen Shujie was stunned, momentarily speechless.

Why did I even ask? Was I just begging to get shown up?

He’d unwittingly set himself up, and now, with a face of utter resignation, he turned away.

Unaware, Lou Zhao came over, picked up the ugly-cute plush bunny, and asked incredulously, “What’s this? Did Lu Yi’s little sister give it to you?”

Leaning back in his chair, Cheng Xingye’s face was calm, but his voice carried a trace of secret pride and satisfaction. “Who else could it be from?”

Lou Zhao was thunderstruck, gripping the toy with newfound awe. “Damn! You really aren’t afraid Lu Yi’s going to turn against you, are you?”

At the mention of Lu Yi, Cheng Xingye tilted his chin and stared at the ceiling for a few seconds. How could he not be worried? It wasn’t that he feared Lu Yi would try to interfere—after all, the kid was still young, and Cheng Xingye didn’t mind waiting a couple more years. What he worried about was Lu Yi making things hard for the girl at home, making her cry in grievance. Just imagining her red eyes and pitiful expression filled him with a helpless frustration.

He sighed, laughing at himself, and said to the two behind him as if seeking their support, “So, cover for me, will you? Let me live a couple more years in peace, all right?”

But Chen Shujie wasn’t about to play along. He rolled his eyes and said bluntly, “You might as well write ‘I’m stealing your family’ on your forehead. How are we supposed to cover for you?”

Fortunately, Lu Yi hadn’t been around the dorm lately. Otherwise, how could they possibly have kept this under wraps?

Cheng Xingye thought it over—he really had been letting himself go lately, running off to see her at the slightest excuse. He agreed, “Fine, I’ll try to restrain myself.”

He’d deal with Ye Zixuan’s situation first, then figure out how to break the news to Lu Yi. After that, in two years… that kid would be of age.

...

That evening, the dinner with the Ye family was set for an upscale Chinese restaurant. Cheng Xingye’s family arrived first, ordered some tea, and waited in a private room.

Before long, the door opened and the Ye parents entered, their faces bright with smiles. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

The Ye family’s business had flourished in recent years—they’d become the Cheng family’s largest supplier of raw materials. Perhaps wealth really did bring vitality, for both parents were remarkably well-preserved, especially Mrs. Ye, whose face showed barely a trace of age, her entire presence exuding a refined elegance.

Cheng Xingye instinctively stood to greet them. “Uncle Ye, Aunt Ye.”

Mrs. Ye, who’d always been fond of him, immediately began to praise him, “Xingye, you’re getting more and more handsome. I bet you have plenty of girls chasing after you.”

Guo Mengyun laughed. “Where? It’s still Zixuan who’s the sensible one—never gives us trouble.”

The parents on both sides wasted no time launching into mutual flattery. Ye Zixuan shrugged helplessly at Cheng Xingye and took the empty seat opposite him. Cheng Xingye merely raised his brows, unmoved by the polite banter.

Dishes were brought out one after another, wine glasses clinked, and before long Mrs. Ye, as if by chance, steered the conversation to the main topic. “...Zixuan is twenty-one this year. She’ll be graduating next year. She’s been quite rebellious since she was young, and I worry that once she’s out in the world, she’ll be too easily deceived and suffer for it.”

The implication was clear—she was hinting at marriage.

Cheng Li and Guo Mengyun couldn’t possibly miss it. Guo Mengyun cast a sidelong glance at her son, saw his indifferent expression, and guessed he wasn’t eager to marry so soon. She smiled, deflecting the topic with a practiced grace, “Don’t worry, Zixuan is clever and quick-witted. She’s not so easy to fool.”

But Mrs. Ye, still smiling warmly, fixed her gaze on Cheng Xingye. “Xingye, you’re twenty-three now, aren’t you?”

He looked up, leaning back in his chair with an air of leisure, and replied politely, “Yes.”

Mrs. Ye’s smile only brightened. She turned to Guo Mengyun, her eyes full of satisfaction. “If I could have a son-in-law like Xingye to look after Zixuan, I’d really have nothing to worry about.”

Guo Mengyun understood perfectly. She glanced at Cheng Xingye, knowing how much he disliked being pressured, and laughed noncommittally, “Matters of the heart are for them to decide. As long as they’re fond of each other, we certainly have no objection.”

Cheng Li nodded in agreement. “With the bond between our families, there’s no need for such talk. Even if Zixuan doesn’t marry into our family, Xingye will still look after her.”

Mrs. Ye seemed about to say more, but Mr. Ye nudged her chair under the table. She turned, saw his signal, and could only force a smile and change the subject.

As the meal wound down, Ye Zixuan, who had barely spoken all evening, suddenly said, “Xingye, can I talk to you alone?”

Mrs. Ye, who had thought nothing would come of tonight, immediately perked up, her delight impossible to hide. At last, her daughter was being proactive. With their history, surely Cheng Xingye couldn’t refuse.

He glanced at her with casual indifference and stood up obligingly. The two of them stepped out onto the terrace.

A gentle night breeze stirred. Cheng Xingye glanced at his phone, distracted, and asked, “So what’s this dinner really about?”

Ye Zixuan turned her back, leaning on the railing beside him, her tone both helpless and apologetic. “My parents found out I got back together with Zhou Yue. They were furious, afraid I’d actually marry him, so they’re trying to push me toward you.”

She’d dated Zhou Yue for years, and her family had always known. Zhou Yue was good-looking, smart, but the one thing her parents couldn’t accept was his single-parent background. His family’s circumstances simply couldn’t compare to the Ye family’s wealth, so her parents had always disapproved and tried to interfere.

Cheng Xingye clicked his tongue softly, gazing out at the pavilions and towers beyond the terrace. His voice was cool. “I really can’t help you with this.”

Ye Zixuan knew he had someone else on his mind these days. She shot him a meaningful smile. “Don’t worry, I won’t force you to marry me.”

He nodded. He knew she had no such intentions, but just to be safe, he added, “Even if you tried, it wouldn’t work. I’m already taken.”