Lou Yuming shoved Song Xi away almost instantly.
"What are you doing?"
"Serving you." Her eyes were red-rimmed, particularly noticeable against her pale cheeks. She looked strained.
"I don't need it."
Lou Yuming's expression was serious, a hint of reprimand hidden in his sharp gaze. "Did Shao Cheng say something to you?"
After they returned from the hospital last time, she had also acted uncharacteristically, being so forward and inexplicably eager, as if trying to... appease him?
"...No," Song Xi lowered her head.
Lou Yuming lifted her chin, his sharp eyes fixed on her expression. "Giving you another chance, are you sure?"
She remained silent.
Since that was the case, Lou Yuming saw no point in further embarrassment. He let her go, looking down at her. "Even if you want to serve, you need to know your place. Constantly throwing yourself at me is just boring."
Song Xi's face instantly turned ashen. She dug her nails fiercely into her palm, unaware that she was bleeding.
The atmosphere seemed to freeze in an instant.
Lou Yuming gave her a deep look, then turned and left, an inexplicable fire rising in his chest. He slammed the door shut with a resounding bang.
Song Xi trembled all over, her heart suddenly aching with unbearable sorrow.
Wang Sao heard the commotion and came out from the kitchen. "Miss Song, what happened? Where is the master?"
Song Xi slowly stood up, her voice filled with bitterness.
"...I don't know."
With that, she went upstairs. Her retreating figure looked frail and desolate, as if she might collapse at any moment.
Wang Sao sighed. Why did they suddenly start arguing? Weren't they fine just a moment ago?
That night, Song Xi left the villa.
She didn't tell Wang Sao. If she had, Wang Sao would have stopped her and perhaps even called Lou Yuming.
She didn't want to see him now, nor did she want to ruin the little self-respect she had left.
The only fortunate thing was that Yi Xiaoling wasn't in the rented apartment.
After locking the bedroom door, Song Xi collapsed onto the bed with a "thump."
She stared at the ceiling, silently shedding two streams of tears.
In the hospital, when Shao Cheng mentioned "her," she had felt a sense of crisis. That's why she had proactively tried to prove herself to him, to prove she deserved to stay by his side.
She had never expected their relationship to change. It was his repeated gentleness and care that had given her the wrong impression, only for her to realize in the end that she was the only one drowning in the quagmire!
She should have known earlier. How could someone as heartless and fickle as Lou Yuming possibly like her? It was all her own wishful thinking...
Song Xi lay in her room for two days until Ge Baitao called.
She had just been discharged from the hospital yesterday. To ward off bad luck, her family planned to host a small gathering, and she wanted to invite Song Xi.
Such gatherings of the wealthy were likely filled with intrigue, and Song Xi would only feel out of place. She had no interest.
But Ge Baitao's coaxing on the phone was irresistible. Song Xi had always been someone who yielded to soft words rather than tough ones. Moreover, she was injured because of her, so she had no choice but to agree.
Nine o'clock that evening, Ge's villa.
The brightly lit villa stood majestically, nestled amidst verdant trees.
There weren't many people at the party, likely to accommodate Ge Baitao's recovery.
"Sister Xi!" Ge Baitao spotted Song Xi immediately and walked over with a joyful expression.
She was dressed casually, but her simple hoodie couldn't hide her aura as a wealthy heiress.
Song Xi breathed a sigh of relief. She had been worried on the way, fearing her attire wasn't formal enough and she'd be embarrassed. Now, it seemed, it was just right.
"Sister Xi, you look so beautiful!"
She complimented her as soon as they met, making Song Xi a little shy. "Not at all."
"Really!" Ge Baitao insisted. "Beautiful people look good in anything! Come, I'll take you to meet my grandfather!"
Grandfather? Old Master Ge?
He was a kind-faced elder, quite unlike what Song Xi had imagined.
He sat on the sofa, a golden-lacquered nanmu cane placed beside him.
"Taotao."
He beckoned lovingly. The young people chatting beside him respectfully excused themselves.
"Grandpa," Ge Baitao smiled and nudged Song Xi forward. "This is Song Xi, Sister Xi, whom I've told you about."
Song Xi felt a bit flustered, standing stiffly. "Greetings, Old Master Ge."
Hearing her address, the elder chuckled. "Don't be so formal. Just call me Grandpa, like Taotao does."
Ge Baitao chimed in, "Exactly."
Song Xi said hesitantly, "Grand... Grandpa."
"Sit," Old Master Ge instructed a servant to serve Song Xi a cup of excellent West Lake Longjing tea. "Have a taste."
Song Xi politely picked up the cup and took a small sip. "It's good."
Old Master Ge laughed heartily. "See? Now that's discerning taste. Taotao always finds it bitter and wastes a lot of my good tea."
Ge Baitao retorted, "It really is bitter!"
"Alright, alright, I can't argue with you."
Someone whispered something into Old Master Ge's ear, and his eyebrows lifted. "Yuming is here too?"
Song Xi's heart skipped a beat.
The fleeting panic on her face didn't escape the elder's sharp eyes. He gave her a meaningful look and said, "Taotao mentioned that Miss Song had a past entanglement with that scoundrel from the Zhang family?"
Song Xi nodded, her fingertips gripping the teacup until they were white.
Old Master Ge watched the cold, stern man slowly approach and continued unhurriedly, "Since that's the case, I know a few promising young talents. I wonder if Miss Song would be interested?"