Chapter 944: Perplexed and Smitten (4)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Lin Mingxi handed her the laptop and said, “Look, they’re talking about you on the discussion forums again. Hurry and get someone to delete those forums.”
An Xiaoning took the laptop from her and said, “Don’t change the subject.”
“My old habit acted up again.”
“Seems like you’re going to have another relapse in the future. You must seek help from a doctor when it comes to such psychological issues. Shall I give you a lesson?” said An Xiaoning, who knew clearly how she felt.
“I’m all ears,” Lin Mingxi answered, smiling.
An Xiaoning rested her legs on the coffee table and leaned back against the couch. She then said unhurriedly, “What’s the difference between you and Beicheng? Don’t forget how obsessed you were with Qingyan back then, such that you even joined the boot camp for the sake of getting close to him. However, the difference is that you’ve already gotten over Qingyan, but Beicheng… well he has already gotten over me too. Otherwise, why would he have married you?”
“He clearly still loves you…”
“He’s already turned his love for me into kins.h.i.+p. Stop finding trouble and woes for yourself. Honestly speaking, if you keep letting this bother you, you won’t be happy at all, Mingxi. Neither will Beicheng. When I first got married to Qingyan, he had someone else in his heart too, but so what? Mingxi, if you’ve really got what it takes, you won’t let anything get in the way of making Beicheng fall in love with you, regardless of what comes.”
“What if I really can’t make him fall in love with me?”
An Xiaoning looked at her and said, “I think you must prepare yourself completely. Ask yourself if you’d like to spend the rest of your life with him. If you do, stop letting such trivial things hinder you from pursuing your happiness. If you feel like you still can’t win his heart despite having already tried your best, then look for another solution. Do you think I make sense?”
Lin Mingxi held her arm and leaned her head against her shoulder. “I have an idea. If I really can’t win his heart in this life, I have no choice but to accept that it’s my fate. It’s good enough to have him physically.”
An Xiaoning shrugged her hand off and said teasingly, “You make me your rival in love as and when you’d like. Go away.”
“Hey, I didn’t…” Lin Mingxi urged her, “Hurry and look at the post. To be honest, I was a little intimidated by you after reading it.”
An Xiaoning picked up the laptop again and read through the content carefully before putting it aside. Maintaining her composure, she said, “You’ve known me for so long. Are you really unaware of what I’m really like?”
Lin Mingxi smiled and said, “No wonder I found it to be rather nonsensical. Turns out it was wrong?”
An Xiaoning remained silent and responded with a smile.
Lin Mingxi headed upstairs to retrieve something, leaving An Xiaoning and Gu Beicheng alone in the living room.
She c.o.c.ked her head toward the side to face him and asked, “Do you think the claims are true or false?”
He said softly, “Do you think I’m like Mingxi who doesn’t know you well enough?”
“Beicheng…”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
Gu Beicheng answered in puzzlement, “Thank me for what? I should be the one thanking you, actually.”
She gazed at him and said, “Thank you for keeping me in your heart throughout all these years. I rarely talk about this, but don’t think I’m clueless just because I don’t bring it up often. I can tell that Mingxi has already fallen for you. Only when a woman has truly fallen in love with a man will she be bothered about the fact that he’s in love with another woman. Only then will she get jealous all the time. Don’t you think you should try loving her too? I’d really like to see you two genuinely being happy with each other.”
Gu Beicheng sat up straight in his seat and listened to her tender and calm voice.
“I’ve already tried.”
An Xiaoning looked down and said, “Other women also possess the attributes that I do. I’m not as great as you make me out to be. I’ve killed so many people, and my hands are stained with blood that I can never wash away.”
“So what if you have? I already consider you as my closest kin. I won’t berate you for anything you do at all.”
She could not help but feel bad and sympathize with him. She did not wish for him to force himself to see her as his kin because he couldn’t win her heart.
At the same time, An Xiaoning also understood that he had kept his love for her hidden deep beneath the abyss of his heart.
“I also consider you as my family.”
They exchanged glances and smiled at each other. They weren’t lovers nor best friends, but one thing was for sure, they were closer than family.
They both knew clearly that for the rest of their lives, they could only treat each other like family.
Lin Mingxi returned downstairs with her mobile phone and wallet. She had also changed into another set of clothes, seemingly planning to go out.
“Where are we going?”
“Xiaoning, shall we go shopping?”
“I came here straight to see you guys once I returned from B City. I haven’t got any rest yet.”
Lin Mingxi suggested, “Shall we have a game of ‘Battling the Landlord’ instead, then?”
“Cards? You want to play a game of cards with me?” An Xiaoning asked with a grin.
“Are you in for it?”
“Game on…”
The three of them headed to the bedroom upstairs and sat cross-legged on the carpet.
“Let’s make it clear beforehand. Dinner tonight’s on whoever loses the most number of rounds.”
“Deal,” said Lin Mingxi, who began shuffling the cards.
Once she was done shuffling, An Xiaoning hugged her knees and began playing.
Just as they were in the midst of a joyous game, the door of the bedroom was opened.
They turned their heads in the same direction unanimously, only to see Jin Qingyan striding in. “I knew you were here,” he said to An Xiaoning.
“What brings you here?” Gu Beicheng asked.
“I’m bored and I have nothing to do. I tried to call her but I couldn’t get through so I came here.”
“My phone’s out of battery. I’m wearing the GPS bracelet he gave me. It’s a piece of cake for him to find out my whereabouts.”
“Qingyan, you’re too strict with Xiaoning.”
“What’s the harm in being able to know where she is whenever I’d like?” Jin Qingyan crossed one leg over the other and said, “I have a gathering with my former cla.s.smates at seven o’clock in the evening. Accompany me.”
“What time is it now?”
“Half past five.”
“I’ll go with you after this round.” She continued smilingly, “Mingxi, you lost the most this time, but you’re spared tonight.”
“Don’t, don’t. We’ll meet at the hotel after your gathering. You shall eat to your heart’s content.”
An Xiaoning chuckled and said, “You two enjoy a romantic candlelit dinner on your own. I won’t play gooseberry.”
“We’re too lazy to go out. We’ll just eat at home.”
….
On the way home, An Xiaoning gazed intently at Jin Qingyan, who was driving with a straight face. “Don’t you usually refrain from attending such boring and senseless gatherings? Why did you suddenly decide to go today?”
“I just felt like doing so all of a sudden. Besides, I wanted to bring you along.”
“Why? Don’t tell me you’re planning to compete with your former cla.s.smates for who has the most beautiful beau? Congrats, you’ve won,” she said with a smug grin.
He guffawed and said, “Can you be more humble?”
“I’m sorry, but ‘humble’ doesn’t exist in my dictionary.” She rolled down the windows and continued, “Just why do you want to attend the gathering?”
“I’d like to bring you to meet someone.”
“Who?”
“A globetrotting historian.”
“Why do you want me to meet him? What’s the point in that?” An Xiaoning asked in puzzlement.