Chapter 208 - Gradual Estrangement
Bam!
There was a heavy sound of the door closing akin to a massive hammer knocking right on Xi Xinyi’s heart, and she could not help but shudder.
She stared blankly at the door that was closed in a daze. A long while after that, she lowered her gaze and hid the loneliness expressed by her eyes. She clasped both hands tightly before thinking about it, then peered down at the sexy nightgown she had changed into and sighed. Finally, she pulled the blanket away and got down from the bed.
She quickly took her own clothes out from the wardrobe and swiftly put them on. Then, she left the bedroom.
When she reached the entrance of the study room, she saw that the light in the room was still switched on. Peeking through the gap of the door and seeing him sitting by the desk and smoking, he seemed lonely. Her beautiful eyes dimmed and she could not help but bite on her lips out of habit. Then, she said to Han Yifeng inside, “Yifeng, I’m going home now. Don’t sleep too late. I’ll worry.”
She turned around and was about to leave.
“How are you going back this late? It’s quite far to go back from here.” Han Yifeng looked up, exhaling a puff of smoke and looking at Xi Xinyi by the door. His silent eyes were filled with conflict.
Xi Xinyi sniffed a little, her voice remaining gentle yet carrying a hint of her choking on her sobs. “It’s fine, I’ll go by myself. You should rest earlier too.”
“Xinyi!” Han Yifeng frowned. He then abruptly stood up and walked quickly toward her. He held her by the hand and said, “It’s already so late right now. You should wait till tomorrow morning even if you want to go home!”
Xi Xinyi struggled for a while before she gazed up with her tearful eyes and stared at him stubbornly. “I’m going home right now. I don’t want to stay here and suffocate you, making you unhappy!”
“I’m not unhappy. I’m just a little tired,” Han Yifeng explained weakly, “If you think it’s because of all these scandals, I’m already used to it. Xinyi, why don’t you quit the entertainment industry? Just be a good Mrs. Han. Wouldn’t that be great?
“The showbiz is mixed with the good and bad. There are a lot of troubles too. Why don’t quit? You don’t have to be associated with these wicked people anymore. After we’re married, you can just help Grandmother manage Yueying.”
As Han Yifeng said this, his hand on Xi Xinyi tightened. There was a hope that could not be concealed in his eyes.
This was not his first time mentioning this, but every time he did, Xi Xinyi would immediately reject him, he wondered if this time, it would be the same as all the times before?
When Han Yifeng said all of that, Xi Xinyi instantly turned nervous. Her pale and weak face held a hint of darkness. Suddenly, she turned to her side and her little hand gripped onto Han Yifeng’s hand tightly too. “Yifeng, you know that taking the path of stardom and becoming a superstar is my dream since I was young. Now, I’m already so close to it, so why shouldn’t I persist? I promise you that the instance I achieve my dreams, I’ll go all out and be your good Mrs. Han, okay?”
Her beautiful eyes begged him. “When you proposed to me, didn’t you already promise me this?”
“But now is a precarious time. You might as well quit now during this storm. Xinyi, I’ve always gone with your wishes. Can’t you just go with mine for once?”
“Yifeng! Don’t you know how much I’ve given up to take on this path to stardom? Now that I’m finally here, you want me to give up? Why should I give up? You don’t understand how important it is to me just like how the Han Corporation is important to you. I’ve persisted till now. I really don’t want to give up… I don’t want to see all my years of hard work be destroyed just like that! I’m begging you, I’m begging you, okay, Yifeng? I really need you to be marching on with me…”
As she said this, Xi Xinyi was suddenly tearful. Her voice had also become raspy from her crying and her fingers on the hand that held onto Han Yifeng turned slightly pale.
“I know that this time, it was my carelessness, but I can guarantee you that I really wasn’t intentional. I’ve never thought about threatening Sister even if she treats me this cruelly. I’ve never blamed her. I’m begging you to not tell me to give up. I’m really afraid that I won’t be able to hold on alone. I really need you, Yifeng… Don’t be mad at me, okay?”
Teardrops started to fall, making her beautiful face appear pitiful with the glistening tears. Even if she seemed like she tried her best to hold them back, but she could not seem to stop the surge of tears.
She could no longer resist and leaned into his arms as her hot tears instantly soaked the front of his shirt. Momentarily dazed, he looked down at Xi Xinyi who was hugging him sadly. Her hands around his waist seemed as if she was clutching onto life-saving straws; it was that tight.
Quite a while after that, he finally sighed disappointed and worriedly lifted a hand to hug her by the shoulders before consoling, “I’ve always let you be. When can you accommodate me in return? Xinyi, I can be tired too. This thing has already made Grandfather and our parents a little upset. If we don’t quickly think of a way to calm things down, it’ll be bad for everyone.”
Xi Xinyi wiped away her tears and sniffed with reddened eyes. “I know, but… who would’ve thought that the document would go through so quickly? Initially, Mother went looking for my uncles to see if they could retract it, but unexpectedly, Sister… She… Why did she do this to me? Did I not compensate her enough?”
When Xi Xiaye was mentioned, Han Yifeng’s eyes shifted in a turmoil. The scene by the South River earlier that day started to flash in his mind again, her words echoing in his ear.
“As for Xiaye’s matter, can’t we just let it pass? Whether or not she forgives us wouldn’t really affect our lives just like the years we spent abroad. Didn’t everyone live in harmony? Is there something you can’t let go of right now?”
As if he was a little worn out, Han Yifeng’s tone sounded quite frustrated and helpless.
“It’s not me who won’t let go right now. It’s she who won’t let go of me. She wants to take revenge on Mother and me. All these years, she’s been resentful of my mother and me for taking away what was originally hers! I’m also the daughter of the Xi family and Father’s daughter too, aren’t I?”
Xi Xinyi took in a deep breath and blinked her moist eyes. She continued, “As for Sister, I’ve always respected her. If she forces me to my wits’ end, I wouldn’t… wouldn’t…”
Xi Xinyi did not continue after that, but from her eyes, Han Yifeng could understand what she was trying to say.
“If taking a step back can resolve this quarrel and grudge, then take a step back, Xinyi,” Han Yifeng softly said, then he slowly let go and suddenly turned to walk into the study room.