Chapter 756: Chapter 756: Dinner
Hearing that it wasn’t because he was uncomfortable staying here that he was changing places, the owner breathed a sigh of relief and said kindly to Xu Ke, "Have you found a new hotel? Do you need me to recommend a few that are good value for money?"
"Thank you for your kindness, I’ve already found a new hotel that I quite like, so I won’t trouble you," Xu Ke said with a smile.
The owner said a bit wistfully, "Alright then, people do have to part ways. If someday you find you’re not used to living there, or you grow tired of it, just come back. Our hotel’s doors will always be open for you, so feel free to stay anytime."
"Thank you for your hospitality, I’ll come to visit when I get the chance. It’s already dark, so I’ll move over now. Goodbye!" Xu Ke politely said his farewells to the hotel.
Alice was hiding in a spot where Xu Ke would never notice, listening to Xu Ke speaking with her parents. She also heard the sound of Xu Ke opening and closing the door. Alice bit her lower lip hard, her fingernails pressing so deeply they almost broke her skin.
She still remembered when Xu Ke rejected her. Her rational mind kept telling her it was alright that Xu Ke had left, so both of them wouldn’t have to face awkwardness, and she wouldn’t have to move to another city far away. But her emotions couldn’t control her rationality. Just thinking about possibly not having the chance to see Xu Ke again made Alice’s heart ache, as if someone was grinding her heart with a string, the pain so intense she nearly fainted.
In the end, under her father and mother’s calls, Alice ran out of the hotel and chased after Xu Ke in the direction he left.
"Xu Ke, you stop right there! How could you? All I did was confess to you that day. Did you have to do all this to me? Hasn’t everyone liked one or two people in this life? It’s not a shameful thing. Besides, I didn’t embarrassingly run away after confessing, so why are you running? Did my confession make you feel wronged? Embarrassed?" Alice asked breathlessly after running up to Xu Ke.
"My moving away has nothing to do with you, just like I said. I’m like a piece of duckweed, a gust of wind. I like to wander around and am used to that kind of life, so I can’t stay in one place for too long. That’s why I’m moving elsewhere. Don’t think too much," Xu Ke said coolly, looking at Alice who had chased after him.
"I don’t believe you’re that kind of person," Alice shook her head, stubbornly locking her gaze on Xu Ke, trusting her intuition.
"How long have we known each other? How long have we spent together? Don’t let your imagination blind you. The reality is, I am such a person. Go back; there’s wind outside at night and it’s a bit cold. Your dress could get you chilled," Xu Ke said, his gaze falling on her orange dress.
"Mind your own business," Alice said angrily to Xu Ke. She didn’t even know why she was angry. There was just this inexplicable fire in her heart which made her choose to stand in front of Xu Ke right now, torn between wanting him to go and wishing he would stay.
Xu Ke looked at Alice’s face and felt at a loss for words. He thought for a moment and finally sighed, "You’re a good girl, but we’re not suited for each other, at least not right now. Thank you for giving me a wonderful memory in Holland, but you should live the life you want, rather than spend your energy on someone like me who isn’t worth it."
"You always say that, acting as if it’s for my own good, but you never asked if this is what I want. You’re just being self-righteous here, moving yourself with your own words. Rest assured, I’m quite free-spirited. I won’t cling to you forever, nor will I always like you. I will find someone I love and who loves me, and be happy and content all my life."
It should have been a bold declaration, but as Alice spoke, tears fell against her will. She knew she would never like anyone this much again in this lifetime, nor would she have the courage to pursue someone again. The courage she had expended on Xu Ke these days was her premature expenditure of a lifetime’s worth of courage. She was essentially a timid and cowardly person, and only Xu Ke had made her bold for once. Only Xu Ke, it would only be Xu Ke!
Xu Ke saw the tears on Alice’s cheeks and the stubbornness in her eyes. He wanted to step forward to wipe away her tears, to soothe her and make her smile again, but reason still outweighed his emotions, stopping him from doing so.
"Good, then. It’s getting late, I’ll go now. Don’t stay outside in the wind, hurry back." Xu Ke spoke, then turned to leave, his silhouette looking truly carefree.
Alice watched Xu Ke’s resolute departing figure and felt a blaze of fire in her heart that continued to burn until it reached her head, stripping her of her usual calm and reason. She shouted loudly at Xu Ke’s back, "Xu Ke, you’re a bastard!"
The evening street wasn’t as lively as during the day, but there were still pedestrians passing by. Hearing Alice’s shout, people stopped and focused their gaze on the two protagonists. Xu Ke paused slightly but didn’t stop.
Alice saw Xu Ke’s unwavering steps and crouched down, starting to cry. Alice was a gentle girl, and even as she cried, it was gentle and made one’s heart ache. She hugged her knees, cautiously crying, trying her best not to let others hear her sobbing.
Xu Ke didn’t look back. Accompanied by the wind, he returned to the hotel he had just found.
At the Calvin Family house, Claude’s sudden arrival made everyone eating dinner involuntarily pause. Bart wiped the sauce from the corner of his mouth, looked at his excellent son who rarely came home, and asked in surprise, "Why did you suddenly come back? You didn’t tell the family before coming. Butler, prepare tableware for the young master and sit him next to me."
At Bart’s words, the butler hurriedly went to prepare Claude’s tableware. The originally seated Norman unwillingly left his seat, shooting Claude a fierce glare before doing so.
"Who is his etiquette teacher? How could he still not learn manners at his age? I think it’s time to replace him with a stricter etiquette teacher. How about replacing him with Ms. Jane? What do you think?" Claude sat calmly by Bart’s side, his every move exuding good upbringing and nobility that made Bart nod inwardly with pride in his excellent son.
This made him not angry even when he heard Claude arranging for Jane, that strict old woman, to teach his most beloved son. Instead, he nodded and agreed with Claude’s way of disciplining his brother.