See You Again (Time Already Knows) - Chapter 75
Chapter 75 - “I Love You, Little Fox.”
The day that the Ye and Yi families were meeting was also Shi Jian’s last day of work. Forgive her for being too cowardly. She didn’t have the courage to run to Ye Jiacheng and tell him everything. Yi Pei thought too highly of her. Compared with being afraid of ruining Ye Jiacheng and Yi Biya’s relationship, she was even more afraid that after she told him everything, Ye Jiacheng would still choose Yi Biya. How would she deal with herself then? The consequence she was most afraid of was that she would continue to doubt Mr.Ye’s love. It wasn’t fair to Mr.Ye, and it wasn’t fair to Ye Jiacheng.
Of course, there was also the possibility that Ye Jiacheng believed her. Then, would Ye Jiacheng turn into Mr.Ye? Would she be able to free her heart? The answer was clear. Things that had changed couldn’t be reverted.
It was her last day of work, and it was almost time to go. Shi Jian turned to look outside the floor-to-ceiling window. The sky had already been dyed by the sunset. She opened her drawer and discovered that she still had the key to the Yi Mao rooftop. She suddenly wanted to go up and take a look.
Then she would take a photo and save it.
She didn’t know whether the “Spirit Bird” would still appear in the future. Many people and situations had changed already. Would the city change too? When she thought about it sometimes, Shi Jian would feel a little guilty. But change wasn’t necessarily bad, and so she felt some relief.
Shi Jian went upstairs. She faced the location where the “Spirit Bird” that hadn’t been built yet would be and snapped a photo. There were not yet skyscrapers there; the horizon was vast and empty. Shi Jian gazed into the distance for a while and smiled slightly. Her heart still felt lost.
Shi Jian returned the key to Zhang Kai. Zhang kai put it away and said gently: “See you, my dear disciple.”
“Goodbye, Zhang Kai.” The corner of Shi Jian’s lips quirked up.
Zhang Kai laughed, feeling melancholic inside. He pointed at Yi Pei’s office, “Do you want to go in and say your goodbyes?”
Shi Jian’s expression was sluggish, then she smiled: “……I already have.”
Zhang Kai: “Okay!”
Shi Jian had already said goodbye to Yi Pei when Yi Pei drove her back from the Yi household yesterday. Yi Pei also said that she didn’t need to say goodbye to him today.
She was off work now. Shi Jian had her miscellaneous items inside a box to take with her. She had her blanket, cup, sticky notes, and other office items inside. She cleaned out her office desk, then came out with her close coworkers. She waved goodbye. The atmosphere was relaxed and easy.
They met by fate and they separated by fate. Meeting and departing was a common occurrence in life.
Zhang Kai felt like he could be too nosy in some things. Only, when he was driving and spotted Shi Jian carrying her box with her head lowered, he couldn’t help ask Yi Pei, who was sitting in the back: “President Yi, should we give Little Shi a ride?”
Yi Pei thought about it for a long time and replied: “No need.”
Zhang Kai immediately stopped speaking. He drove the car slowly past Shi Jian and entered the unceasing flow of traffic. In the flow of cars, the black Mercedes Benz with the license plate 06 wasn’t very conspicuous. Zhang Kai felt some regret. Even he was feeling regretful, how could Yi Pei not feel anything?
One second, two seconds, three seconds……
The stoplight seemed to sense it and the red lit up. The car stopped. Yi Pei still turned his head and looked. Shi Jian was already at the intersection. She seemed to glance in some direction, as if out of habit, because that was Ye Mao.
A lot of times when he was in the car, he often saw her glance in the direction of Ye Mao, as if her other world was contained there. She wasn’t someone who was lost. She was just hesitant to move forward because she was carrying deep feelings. Wasn’t it tiring? That’s why he’d advised her to tell Ye Jiacheng everything. She’d thought about it for a long time, and still ended up shaking her head. The reason was still the same: “Since I’ve decided to leave, it’ll be better to not say anything.”
He could understand her reasoning. But as an observer of the situation, he hoped she would relax a little bit. But with some feelings, there was probably no way to relax. She loved Ye Jiacheng more than he’d thought, and she loved the person that could only live on inside her heart even more.
“If you don’t plan to tell him…… Shi Jian, I want to ask a favor.”
“President Yi, tell me.”
“If you plan on getting married one day, would you please consider me?”
“President Yi……”
“I’ll wait ten years for you, Shi Jian. After all, you’ve said that I won’t get married in the next ten years,” he joked at his own expense, and he even twisted the logic of those words.
“President Yi, if we could be together, I wouldn’t make you wait ten years.”
……
She still rejected him. Waiting for someone was too painful. She didn’t even give him the opportunity to wait for her. She even smiled: “President Yi, look, even I’m not waiting anymore.”
She truly wasn’t waiting anymore, so she chose to leave this completely.
Everytime he told her his feelings, she would comfort him as best as possible by putting herself in his shoes as if the moon was bright on the horizon and it shone into the bottom of one’s heart……
Yi Pei looked away. If the moon lost its light one day, being a man hurrying along the road, the thing he would hope for the most was the day she got her brightness back, even if the only thing she did afterwards was to hang in his view of the sky, out of reach.
So there was no need anymore. The person who most ought to keep her had never been him.
——
Shi Jian returned to the Yang household. Uncle unexpectedly knew about Madam Guo meeting with her future son-in-law today and had wanted to ask her some questions about it. Uncle said some things in front of Tim. Tim heard and felt very upset. Uncle patted Tim’s shoulder: “Silly child, your tear ducts are so shallow.”
Tim was melancholic and went outside to play.
Shi Jian came up with a reason to go upstairs, then shut herself in her room. She put on a soft Chinese folk song and started to tidy her things. In the end, after she had nearly gone mindless from cleaning, she finally stopped and sat at her desk and glanced up at the clock hanging on the wall.
It was 19:00. The Ye and Yi families must have met by now.
Shi Jian flopped onto her desk dispiritedly. At this moment, she was still suffering, as well as finding it hard to believe.
Inside Junhe Hotel.
At this moment, Yi Biya was frightened but also felt resentment. She was faced with Ye Jiacheng’s resoluteness and heartlessness. Mama Ye and Father Ye were her last hope…… Only, they didn’t even come tonight.
In the banquet hall on the nineteenth floor, tens of crystal hanging candelabras lit up the room. It was as if a majestic candle was lit and suspended in the air. Ye Jiacheng openly stood in front of Yi Biya. Regardless of whether Yi Biya was forced to do this or had other intentions, she still shouldn’t have gone through his parents. The reason he still came was to make things clear, and to avoid the Yi family thinking that the Ye family had benefited from their contact.
There were four people from the Yi family present, Madam Guo, Yi Biya, and her brothers. They were all dressed respectably. They looked behind him and couldn’t help but wonder why his family wasn’t here.
“Apologies, they couldn’t make it tonight,” Ye Jiacheng answered. The attendant beside him went forward to pull out a chair, but Ye Jiacheng stopped them with a hand. There was no need.
Madam Guo’s expression was a bit uncontrolled. The one who tried to smooth things over was Yi Biya’s eldest brother: “There will be another time. It’s okay, it’s okay.”
Another time. Looks like they really didn’t know. Ye Jiacheng swept his gaze over the Yi family, then became serious: “The main reason Yi Biya invited you all here today is to make one thing clear. She is embarrassed to say it, so I will say it……”
Before Ye Jiacheng even said anything, beside him, Yi Biya’s face went pale and red. “So do you want to go in and speak, or shall I?” Ye Jiacheng had even graciously given her the choice earlier.
Why? Why did they all want to pressure her to do things? Her mother, her brother…… As well as right now, where Ye Jiacheng was pressuring her to the point of embarrassment.
Actually, Ye Jiacheng had already made himself clear when they first started dating. Only, she had a delusion that he was powerful and could bring her to the center of the Yi family. When that happened, all her brothers would beg her, and her mother would need her. She would forever be the darling daughter of the Yi family.
It didn’t matter if she couldn’t hold onto Ye Jiacheng. But wouldn’t the whole Yi family be able to hold onto him?
Yi Biya really didn’t want to give up.
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So would she have to give up just like this? Shi Jian had also asked herself this. And what if she didn’t give up? She had caused everything that led to her current situation. All of her suffering was of her own choosing. Shi Jian slowly sat up straight. The train ticket she’d purchased was on her desk. She would depart tomorrow for Qinglin City. There was still a bit of time before she went out of the country, so she planned to find a place to walk around for a bit. When she was buying the ticket two days ago, she didn’t know where she wanted to go. Then, she directly bought a ticket for Qinglin City. She would go to all those places that Mr.Ye had brought her to in the past once more as a proper farewell.
The psychologist asked her whether she had any other way to unburden herself of her feelings. She thought about it seriously and couldn’t think of anything else. Shi Jian took out two sheets of paper and spread them out carefully. Then, she took out a black fountain pen and wrote the two characters of “Jiacheng” proficiently, a colon…… She was more proficient at writing Ye Jiacheng’s name than her own. After they had gotten married, she had lots of opportunities to write her husband’s name. Sometimes, she would even be able to pass it off as his own handwriting.
“……Ye Jiacheng, if by the time you receive this you feel despair at the prospect of marriage, then that’s amazing. This letter will be my revenge to you. Did you know that you’ve missed out on your beautiful future wife? You definitely won’t be able to imagine how happy our marriage was. If you and Ms.Yi are happy together, and are even having a baby, then shred this letter. Pretend I didn’t say anything at all. Thanks. Also, please don’t worry. I’ll be fine.……”
She signed with “little fox”. The person who loved Ye Jiacheng was only the little fox, not Shi Jian.
Shi Jian didn’t know whether she would mail this letter out. If she decided to mail it, when would she do so? It consisted of two pages. She wrote very quickly and smoothly, as if Ye Jiacheng was sitting right across from her. It was as if she was having a conversation with him.
Shi Jian put the sheets of paper into an envelope. What would the address be? Shi Jian’s eyes were slightly reddened. She hurriedly wrote: “East A-City, Linxi Street, 192, Tianmei Jia Park”
It was the address of her and Mr.Ye’s home. So this letter couldn't be mailed out. Even if it was sent out, it wouldn’t arrive……
On the nineteenth floor of the Junhe Hotel, Ye Jiacheng finished speaking. He had a refined and courteous, yet powerful aura. Since the Yi family had no words that they could say, he took his leave. Ye Jiacheng bowed to the members of the Yi family and directly turned to exit the banquet hall.
The heating inside was too warm. Ye Jiacheng tugged at his collar. By his ear, the little fox’s voice sounded: “Ye Jiacheng, can you please not work with Yi Qindong?” “Ye Jiacheng, I heard you and Yi Biya are together?”
He really hadn’t known anything about the tangles and relationships of the Yi family. He had persisted in going about things the wrong way, and stewed in a bed of his own making for so long. It was about time he woke up.
Ye Jiacheng pursed his lip. He arrived in the elevator lobby and pressed the down button. Yi Biya chased after him from behind. Her expression was embarrassed and she grabbed onto his arm.
Ye Jiacheng turned around. Yi Biya effortfully said: “Jiacheng…… why do you treat me like this?”
Ye Jiacheng replied: “I’m only saying aloud what you did not.”
Yi Biya instinctively wanted to explain herself. She spoke anxiously and stubbornly: “Auntie Ye treated me well. They’re about to leave. I can’t invite them to a dinner?”
“It’s not that you can’t. But was that really your intention?” Ye Jiacheng asked lightly.
Ye Jiacheng was a man that could understand women’s thoughts. But was he really able to understand all of them? Yi Biya was speechless. Before her hand had even let go, Ye Jiacheng spoke again: “Biya, I really thought that we had made things clear last time.”
That’s true. Things had been made clear last time, but she didn’t want to break up.
“I won’t accept breaking up,” Yi Biya said in a brisk tone. What she said surprised even herself. “I won’t accept breaking up, Jiacheng…… You can’t play with my feelings like this, that we break up just because you say so.”
Yi Biya’s voice fell off. Ye Jiacheng paused and didn't say anything.
Yi Biya watched in anticipation and nervousness. She added: “Jiacheng, I love you. I really love you……”
“Ah……” Ye Jiacheng finally reacted. He tilted his head and looked at Yi Biya. Yi Biya looked up. Her expression was just like her personality; she looked small and cautious, but in fact, she wasn’t like that at all.
The atmosphere turned rigid. Yi Biya couldn’t accept breaking up, and Ye Jiacheng felt very helpless. He lowered his head. To be honest, it was correct that Yi Biya didn’t want to break up, and that he couldn’t be the one making all the decisions. Only, what he said afterwards……
“Biya, I didn’t want to say this originally, because it’s not nice to hear,” Ye Jiacheng said in a level tone.
Yi Biya clenched her hands together. She could sort of guess what he wanted to say.
“But I don’t understand. Every time you say you love me, it doesn’t feel……” Ye Jiacheng curled his mouth into a smile. His voice unconsciously had some self-mocking tones. He wasn’t mocking Yi Biya; he was mocking himself. “I admit that I had some impure intentions to be with you. But do you not?”
“Originally I thought that we each had our own goals for dating each other. It seemed quite fair. Afterwards, I was indeed the one who wronged you. You were my girlfriend. I didn’t take your feelings into consideration sometimes. There’s no matter if I tell you this. I’m very sorry. But you say you love me. I really don’t know what you like about me. Last time your ex-boyfriend came back into the country, he sent me two texts, probably because he didn’t know we were together……”
“Jiacheng!” Yi Biya raised her voice. Her tone had changed and prevented Ye Jiacheng from continuing.
Ye Jiacheng paused and then nodded, “Sorry.”
This apology was not for his previous behavior, but for the words he just said. Words spoken without regard for others’ feelings would inevitably hurt people. Of course, this was also his final apology. He’d originally thought that they were both well aware of these words and that there was no need to say them aloud.
Yi Biya loosened her hands. Ye Jiacheng entered the elevator. He sympathized with Yi Biya, but was more sympathetic with himself. Ultimately, the one who made the most mistakes was him. He had chosen to make the best of his mistakes, and he sulkily chose Yi Biya.
Mayor Ye had said something to him a few days ago. “Jiacheng, dad has always taught you to be righteous and faithful. You have always remembered this well, and you have done it seventy percent of the time. Even though dad always nags you, I am still proud of you, other than your attitude towards relationships. Maybe you think dad’s way of thinking is outdated, or that you don’t like to hear it. But you must be even more faithful in relationships. Do you understand……?”
The elevator kept going down, his heart kept heading outwards. Ye Jiacheng stood in the middle of the elevator, his expression blank. The bright light in the elevator lit up his face. He looked distinct and luminous, but his expression was a bit unrecognizable.
His parents had already returned to Qinglin City ahead of time. Madam Ye still felt really guilty before they left. She just trusted that her son could take care of things. Sorry. He had really disappointed them. He didn’t even have the capacity to properly love someone.
The wind was very strong outside of the hotel. Ye Jiacheng’s eyes were watery and in pain. He was never willing to change himself, for his parents or for the little fox. So when he broke up, he wished for the little fox to find a man better than him.
As he passed by a fruit vendor, Ye Jiacheng went blank. Then he entered and picked out a big durian. The salesperson asked whether he wanted it prepared. Ye Jiacheng shook his head: “No, thank you.”
“Ye Jiacheng, durian must be eaten while held, like this, for it to have enough flavor.”
“Yeah?”
“Try it…… Wow! This piece is big! Here, you have it.”
“Oh.”
“Heeheehee, is it good?”
“En……”
“Haha.”
“Heh……”
“Ye Jiacheng, what were you laughing at?”
“Little fox, you were the one laughing from beginning to end, alright? I’m only seeing that you’re laughing endlessly and am laughing with you a little.”
“Oh……”
“……Little fox.”
“What?!” “Ah, Ye Jiacheng don’t touch……” “Jiacheng, I love you.” “Jiacheng, quick, say you love me……”
“I love you, little fox.” Ye Jiacheng got into his car. Then, he somewhat uncontrollably flopped onto the steering wheel. He felt almost suffocated. His heart hurt so much that he trembled. He loved her, he loved her…… He loved only her.
His heart hurt endlessly, and even welled up painfully. His car was going forwards, driving forward endlessly. The speed quickly ramped up.
He wanted to become a better person, to give her the best love, to become the architect lover that was in her heart. Then he would completely replace “him”. He would never hurt her again, and wouldn’t disappoint her.
So could she give him another chance, to believe in him once more?
Once was all he needed.
The next day, Shi Jian set off to Qinglin City.
Ye Jiacheng thought about it seriously for a night. No matter what, he would have to find Shi Jian and have a proper talk with her. Just like his father said before. First, you need to be serious enough. Second, you need to bring out your seriousness. Third, you must be frank with your seriousness. The best way is for you to have a good talk with her. Tell her your feelings seriously, including your plans and ideals for the future……
He gave Shi Jian a call. He wanted to ask whether she was available and that he would go looking for her. No one answered. She was no longer in the service area.
He had to go looking for her like this?
There was a mall across from Ye Mao. In the middle of the outdoor area was a very conspicuous advertisement for diamonds. The shiny diamond was on a woman’s beautiful ring finger, as if sparkling in happiness. Ye Jiacheng stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, staring at it unblinkingly.
“Ye Jiacheng, I lied…… Actually, I really want to marry you. Not only marry, but also have babies…… I’ve already thought of the baby’s name: Diandian, as in a sky dotted full of stars.”
Diandian. He actually also really liked this name, so much so that he had even wondered whether Diandian would be a boy or girl…… Only, he still rejected the anticipation with the reason of being in the Singleton’s Club.
Now that he looked back on it, some things were only laughable.
Ye Jiacheng arrived at the sales counter of the jewelry store. He looked over the selection carefully and chose a diamond ring surrounded by a halo of tiny diamonds, just like little stars. He said to the sales lady: “I want to take a look at this one.”
“Sir, you have a great eye. This style of ring has a very nice name, called Fanxing.”
Fanxing……1 Ye Jiacheng had already made a decision: “I’ll take it.”
Nearby, someone called out to him with the name Mr.Ye. Ye Jiacheng turned and was faced with a smile that shone with happiness. He recalled who this was.
“Hello, Lai Qiao.”
Lai Qiao and Cheng Zisong were choosing a ring together. They hadn’t expected to run into Ye Jiacheng here. She had left A-City more than a year ago, and naturally didn’t know about things that had happened yet. She spotted Ye Jiacheng picking a ring in the jewelry store and warmly came to greet him.
She also took the opportunity to introduce her soon-to-be husband: “Cheng Zisong, we are about to get married.”
The sales lady packaged up Ye Jiacheng’s ring. Lai Qiao took a look at it and couldn’t help but ask: “You’re giving it to……”
Before Lai Qiao finished asking, Cheng Zisong coughed, and Ye Jaicheng had already nodded: “Yes.”
Lai Qiao inhaled and grumbled to Cheng Zisong. She asked with a sigh of sorrow: “You’ve been together for so many years. I suppose it is time to get married.”
“So many years……?”
“Are you not?” Lai Qiao had some suspicion, but was afraid she would say the wrong thing. She forcefully tugged on her fiancé’s arm. Quick, help save her! Would she harm Shi Jian?
“Yes, we have been together for many years now,” Ye Jiacheng unexpectedly agreed with those words.
Lai Qiao smiled relaxedly. Her heart felt full when she recalled the past. She gave Cheng Zisong a few glances and said, “When Cheng Zisong and I met for the first time at Junhe Hotel, Shi Jian was just eating perfectly normally. Then, she suddenly got up and chased after you outside. I was left wondering what happened. Then, Shi Jian told me afterwards that you were the person that she liked……”
Before Lai Qiao even finished speaking, Ye Jiacheng adopted the posture of getting ready to leave. It was really very…… sudden.
Lai Qiao: “……”
Ye Jiacheng didn’t forget to say: “Thank you.”
He had indeed seen Shi Jian for the first time at Junhe Hotel. At the time, Shi Jian stopped him and asked for his number. Then, at the Yi Mao Men’s Apparel store, she became a shopping assistant and gave him clothing recommendations. She was incomparably familiar with his measurements…… She deliberately found opportunities to ask him questions for her exam. He solved the questions and sent the answers to her out of having nothing better to do. In each time that their lives intersected, she was chasing after him, as if she was his lover. Until the day she celebrated his birthday with him. She drunkenly cried and called him “husband”…… She knew how to speak the Qinglin Dialect. She often called him “Jiacheng” familiarly and intimately. When he failed his dream, she brought him to the rooftop of Yi Mao and told him to continue doing architecture……
She told him that the Spirit Bird would bring him worldwide attention, and wanted him to never give up.
He originally thought that Shi Jian loved him only because he was also an architect.
Was there still a lot of things that he didn’t know? The things that she had hidden in her heart and didn’t tell anyone, those emotions that she had no way to show, those expectations that he’d hurt over and over again……
So that day they broke up, she said to him: “I won’t go looking for you anymore. At the most…… I’ll wait a little longer.”
Ye Jiacheng called Shi Jian’s cellphone and still couldn’t connect. Then, he went directly to Yi Mao.
——
At the tofu-ball place in Qinglin City, Shi Jian ordered a big bowl. Then, she added half a spoon of chilies and half a spoon of fragrant vinegar. Mr.Ye had told her that this was the only way to eat it. The owner turned and looked at her: “Miss, have I met you before?”
The owner spoke in the Qinglin dialect. Shi Jian also replied in the Qinglin Dialect: “Boss, your memory is amazing. I came here last year.”
The owner couldn’t recall and said with a headache: “I’m old now, my memory is getting worse and worse.”
Shi Jian watched the owner. Before she left, she turned and probed: “Uncle, have you been getting a lot of headaches recently? Right here?”
Ye Jiacheng had always liked this tofu-ball shop. The owner later died of a brain hemorrhage. His son failed to live up to expectations with his cooking. Ye Jiacheng even felt disappointment every time he brought it up.
“Miss, are you a doctor? You can tell just by looking,” The owner chuckled with a kind face.
Shi Jian didn’t explain that she wasn’t a doctor. She simply tacitly agreed. She said, “Uncle, you should get a checkup when you have time, don’t wait too long.”
Shi Jian’s tone was warm and earnest. The owner of the tofu-ball shop trusted her and nodded, “……Oh, okay, okay.”
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