The place Qiao Yu arranged to et Song Song was the most famous café in Qing City, a mbership-only establishnt not accessible to those without a certain background.
And Song Song could enter because Qiao Yu had inford them in advance, as not everyone in Qing City was aware that she was Xiao Jinghuai’s wife.
However, the title of Miss Qiao from the Qiao Family was quite well-known...
Their conversation naturally didn’t take place in the main hall but in an elegantly decorated private room.
When Song Song pushed open the door, she saw Qiao Yu gracefully brewing tea inside. As soon as she saw her enter, she stood up with a smile and greeted her warmly, "Song Song, you’re here."
"Mm..."
Before understanding the situation, Song Song tried to remain calm. She responded lightly and sat opposite Qiao Yu, also smiling as she took the tea Qiao Yu handed her, bringing it to her nose for a sniff, "This tea slls nice."
"Of course," Qiao Yu said with a hint of pride, "This is Brother Jinghuai’s favorite Imperial Longjing, the taste has to be impeccable."
Song Song felt a jolt in her heart, and her hand holding the teacup trembled slightly, Brother Jinghuai?
Previously, she didn’t think there was anything special about the words "Brother Jinghuai" coming out of her mouth, but now she noticed it. They sounded particularly soft and pleasant.
Earlier, he had pestered her to call him "Little Brother," which she shyly refused, feeling it was difficult to articulate...
Yet she didn’t expect soone else to call him "Brother" so smoothly, as if it had been that way for a long ti, a very long ti.
Qiao Yu noticed the contemplative look on Song Song’s face and imdiately said warmly, "Song Song, don’t mind it. I just naturally call him Brother Jinghuai, after all... I’ve known him for many years."
"Many years?" Song Song’s bright eyes turned to Qiao Yu across from her, "How many years exactly?"
Qiao Yu smiled slightly, "Let count! It’s been about eight years, I rember when I first t Brother Jinghuai, I was only... fourteen."
Fourteen?
A silent gloom flashed in Song Song’s eyes as a faint pain erged in her heart; it turns out they’ve known each other for eight years.
Eight years, just two years short of a decade of friendship...
That certainly runs deeper than what she had with him, considering how long she’s known him?
Not even a year yet!
How can a year compare to eight years?
Ignoring the bitterness in her heart, Song Song feigned calmness and took a sip of tea, "And then?"
"And then!" A small glimpse of satisfied happiness appeared in Qiao Yu’s eyes, "Brother Jinghuai continued to be very good to ! No matter what I did, or what I wanted, he would support . Every year he would give birthday presents, and during holidays, he would co to my house for als. Whenever I was upset, he would enlighten ; there was a ti when he seed like a life ntor to ..."
"Also, he got along well with my parents. My dad always enjoyed playing chess with him; they were equally matched, and their gas were always exciting."
"Looking back now, it seems we have a lot of shared mories, too many to recount all at once. If you’re interested, I can tell you more of them slowly in the future!"
"..."
At that mont, Song Song only felt the tea in her hand had lost all warmth, because her heart had turned cold.
Eight years, how many eight years are there in a lifeti? And his eight years were tightly linked with the beautiful girl in front of her.
He rembered to give her birthday gifts every year, no matter what she wanted, he would support her...
So, when she pleaded for Xu Lang this ti, he didn’t hesitate to let go of a scoundrel!
What is it like to have a thousand ants crawling in and out of your heart? Song Song felt she truly understood it, an unbearable agony.
Yet, she had to maintain the image of a proper wife, smiling slightly as she said, "Okay."
Qiao Yu, staring at that forced smile, felt like tearing away that façade, ha! No woman could truly remain calm after hearing such words; anyone who could was probably just pretending...
She thought when she said these things, she’d see an expression of complete pain, but the reaction was surprisingly a bit "impressive."
To maintain such a poised deanor, she realized she had underestimated her.
"Song Song, look, I... didn’t intend to have you misunderstand further today, I just wanted to explain that there’s nothing between Brother Jinghuai and ..."
"Do you like him?"
"Or should I say... do you love him?"
Song Song interrupted directly.
Qiao Yu was montarily stunned, unable to guess her intent for asking like that, since she didn’t want to break ties yet, as Xiao Jinghuai had already clarified his stance long ago.
If they fall out there, she would have no chance to separate them again.
Therefore, she could only lower her stance and play pitiful.
"No, no." Qiao Yu hurriedly denied, "I don’t... like Brother Jinghuai, let alone love him."
Song Song was skeptical, "If you don’t like him, then why did you steal a kiss at the office today?"
"That was because..."
Qiao Yu adeptly portrayed a look of panic, as though her little secret had been uncovered, flawlessly undetectable.
"What about him? Does he like you?" Song Song asked again.
To put in so much effort, even if it isn’t love, it should at least be affection or perhaps fondness...
Qiao Yu’s eyes flickered, rubbing her hands nervously, "I, I don’t know, his thoughts are too deep for to fathom."
"But rest assured, Song Song, I know Brother Jinghuai is now married to you; he’s a family man. Even if I really... really had feelings for him, I wouldn’t do anything to ruin your marriage, I swear!"
Song Song looked at the sincere expression on the girl’s face in front of her and asked, "So is the thing with Uncle not true?"
"Did you enter the Xiao Family just to see my husband more often?"
"I..."
Qiao Yu hesitated, "Song Song, would you bla ?"
Song Song suddenly smiled, her eyes gradually turning cold, "Miss Qiao, you keep saying you won’t destroy my marriage with him, but considering the things you just said, which wife wouldn’t care?"
"Miss Qiao, you must hope I divorce him, right?"
"No, I truly don’t think that way." Qiao Yu shook her hand nervously, "I just hope he can be happy."
"Oh, all you want is for him to be happy?"
At this mont, Song Song’s expression was intriguing, even the self-assured Qiao Yu couldn’t decode it, leaving her feeling mysteriously anxious, not sure what Song Song might say next...
And how she should respond to convince her that she didn’t intend to ruin their marriage.
Qiao Yu nodded, affirming, "I just want him to be happy."
"Your view on love is very selfless! Compared to you, I feel a bit selfish; if I love soone dearly, I’d hope to be with him forever, even if the path ahead is full of thorns."
These words startled Qiao Yu, making her forget to hide her reaction, blurting out, "But weren’t you about to say in Brother Jinghuai’s office...?"
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