Chapter 97
Those three seemed to have just arrived at the scene, huddled together discussing something. Chen Xiaotian was dressed in a beige down jacket, half of her face hidden within a fur scarf, still looking delicate and inviting a protective urge. Then there were Da Huang and Guo Li, the two buddies who Su Bin once considered close friends… The scene of their farewell at the airport seemed like yesterday. He had foolishly clung to Chen Xiaotian, sobbing his heart out. It was just a glance before passing through security, catching Huang Zhengming’s furrowed brows and words left unspoken, that Su Bin now understood the deeper meaning.
The moment Su Bin and his group stepped out of the car, they caught the attention of those three.
With no place to hide, the area was too open. Moreover, they were here to find someone, attentively observing every guest passing by. They hadn’t expected it to be this easy, encountering Su Bin so quickly.
“Su Bin…” Chen Xiaotian spoke the first words.
Su Bin froze in place. Even a text message from Chen Xiaotian could make him anxious, let alone confronting him in person. He had thought he could easily let go, that as long as he didn’t see them again, everything would naturally fade away. He could pretend they never knew each other, that they had never been together…
But mischievous fate liked to play cruel jokes. Just when he thought he was over it, just when he believed that as long as he didn’t see them, he could move on, the scars were ripped open again.
In this moment, Su Bin’s emotions were a whirlwind…
Following Su Bin’s gaze, Allen squinted her eyes, emitting a menacing air that quickly overwhelmed those three.
Guo Li looked at Allen, nervously asking, “Su Bin, who… who is this?”
Chen Xiaotian had already guessed that this person might be Su Bin’s mixed-blood roommate in Country B. She had only heard Su Bin describe his appearance and aura. She thought such a person only existed in novels until today, when she realized Su Bin’s words weren’t fiction.
This was the first time she felt what Su Bin and his friends were experiencing—a mix of shock and uncertainty, not knowing whether to advance or retreat.
However, Su Bin had previously said that he disliked this mixed-blood person in China, right? Why was he here now?
Not blaming Chen Xiaotian for knowing too much, Su Bin had shared every detail with her in their conversations, other than working to buy the ring.
Allen put her arm around Su Bin’s shoulder and whispered in his ear, “If you don’t want to see them, I can call security.”
“No need!” Just as Su Bin stepped out of the car, Jin Fei chimed in, whistling. “It’s rare to stumble upon such a good show. It would be a shame to walk away now, wouldn’t it?”
Chen Xiaotian glanced at one, then the other, and took a deep breath before taking a step forward. “Su Bin, is this your roommate in Country B?”
Jin Fei added, “Beauty, don’t be too hasty in making friends. First, state your intentions.”
Chen Xiaotian was taken aback. In all her years, no guy had ever spoken to her with such an intimidating tone. She felt a discrepancy, but she managed to stay composed. “We just wanted to see Su Bin and have a chat with him. He hasn’t replied to our messages or answered our calls, and we’ve been quite worried.”
Guo Li chimed in, “Yeah, yeah. Su Bin, you went back to Hangzhou without telling us in advance. Did you forget about your old friends after making new ones? Are we not your friends anymore?”
Jin Fei was about to speak up for Su Bin, but Su Bin stopped him abruptly. “Bro, I’ll handle this.”
Jin Fei looked at Su Bin in surprise for a couple of seconds, then suddenly burst into laughter. He patted Su Bin’s shoulder and encouraged, “Say whatever you want to say, curse if you need to, and if a fight breaks out, we’ve got your back. No need to fear them.”
Su Bin gave him a grateful look. With you guys behind me, I’m not afraid.
“Did Zhang Qi and Yu Wen tell you I’m staying here?” Su Bin asked Chen Xiaotian.
Chen Xiaotian nodded, “I’m sorry, we didn’t have any other way. You wouldn’t answer our calls…”
Yes, Su Bin had blocked all unfamiliar calls to avoid harassment.
Su Bin continued, “If that’s the case, then they should’ve explained to you why I dropped out, right? I’m not forcing you or anything.”
Chen Xiaotian’s brows furrowed slightly. She nodded slightly, “I didn’t feel like you were forcing me. I was just worried that you might not be able to handle it… We’re concerned about your future.”
“Stop!” Su Bin opened his palms, indicating he didn’t want to hear anymore. “If you’re worried about me, I still have my arms and legs, and I haven’t jumped into a lake to kill myself. Now that you’ve seen me, you can leave with peace of mind, can’t you? And if you’re not worried, then don’t use the excuse of ‘concern’ to disgust me.”
As Su Bin stared at Chen Xiaotian, expressionless, he then turned to Guo Li. “You hid this from me for four years, letting me bask in false lies. And then you suddenly pushed me off a cliff when you got tired of playing—Is that what friends do? I don’t need friends like you.”
Guo Li defended himself, “We didn’t want to hurt you by telling you!”
Su Bin, in one breath, brought up something that had been pent up in his chest—damn, why did he have this bug that made him lose his words when he got excited? Save me!
Jin Fei timely chimed in, adding to the conversation, “If apologies worked, why would we need psychologists?”
Chen Xiaotian frowned, “But we also had our reasons…” She hadn’t expected Su Bin to speak to her with this expression, so rational and resolute.
“Have you given me the chance to understand your so-called reasons?” Su Bin suddenly raised his voice, interrupting them. He feared that if he continued speaking, he might break down or get furious.
Jin Fei added, “Beauty, spare us the self-pity. Deception is deception, betrayal is betrayal, false feelings are false feelings. No matter how many excuses you come up with, it’s just an attempt to ease your conscience. In simple terms, it’s selfish.”
Chen Xiaotian choked up, trembling as she asked Su Bin, “Do you… hate me now?”
Su Bin looked at Chen Xiaotian without saying a word.
If there hadn’t been the subsequent betrayal, if Chen Xiaotian had broken up with him just because she felt they weren’t compatible, Su Bin wouldn’t have disliked her. After all, he had many beautiful memories with her over the years. He was a grateful person. Even though Chen Xiaotian had left him, he had to admit that she had shown him kindness and guidance. After he calmed down, he might even have thanked her for helping him mature and grow.
He had always thought that Chen Xiaotian was a girl with a gentle exterior and inner strength, which was one of the things that attracted him. But now he knew it wasn’t true. Chen Xiaotian’s tenderness was reserved for others, and her toughness was reserved for herself. When he found out it was a hoax, his anger overwhelmed any gratitude he had. He wasn’t a saint. Maybe with time, he would gradually let go, but not at this moment. He knew the pain he was bearing better than anyone else. He couldn’t forget so easily.
Su Bin’s silence gave Chen Xiaotian the answer she needed. After all, she was a girl he had liked. He didn’t want the situation to become too awkward.
“What do you want us to do for you to forgive us?” Chen Xiaotian was getting anxious. The situation had strayed far from her expectations.
Su Bin replied, “It’s pointless to do anything now. I won’t…”
“I’ll break up with Chen Xiaotian. Is that okay?” Huang Zhengming, who had been silent all along, suddenly interrupted Su Bin. He said this one sentence, and it was like a thunderbolt that exploded in the tense atmosphere.
Chen Xiaotian exclaimed in excitement, “Huang Zhengming! What are you saying?”
Guo Li also looked at Huang Zhengming and cursed, “What the hell are you joking about?”
Huang Zhengming paid no attention to them. His eyes were bloodshot as he looked at Su Bin and asked, “If I break up with her, will you forgive me?” He said “I” instead of “we”…
Su Bin was stunned. In this tangled web of emotions, he had lost track of what Huang Zhengming was thinking. Since the latter part of the story, Huang Zhengming had remained silent, like a shadow.
They had known each other since the first year of junior high school, eight and a half years ago. Despite being quiet, Huang Zhengming was someone Su Bin found harder to let go of than Chen Xiaotian. They weren’t brothers, but their bond was stronger than that.
Because of this, Su Bin was deeply conflicted. He could forget both the good and bad about Chen Xiaotian, but he couldn’t forgive Huang Zhengming’s presumptuous humility and sudden betrayal. What did he take himself for? Could everything be fixed with just an “I’m sorry”?
Since their appearance, while Su Bin talked with Chen Xiaotian, he was also observing Huang Zhengming. He hoped that Huang Zhengming would stand from his perspective, providing a straightforward explanation for the three of them, regardless of whether it was an apology or not. This would make Su Bin feel better and reduce his hatred. But Huang Zhengming hadn’t done that. He frowned, looked down, and remained like a shadow, as if the situation didn’t concern him…
And now, he finally spoke, but what he said was this!
“I’ll give her back to you…” Huang Zhengming said, taking steps closer to Su Bin. “Can you forgive me?”
Su Bin stared at him, a massive wave of anger rising within him. He wanted to hold back, but looking at Huang Zhengming’s pained expression, he couldn’t. His anger burst forth instantly. The next moment, Su Bin did something he had wanted to do since impulsively buying a plane ticket— he swung a fist and struck Huang Zhengming’s face hard!
“Ah…” Chen Xiaotian covered her mouth and screamed.
Huang Zhengming staggered back a step, then looked at Su Bin, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
Su Bin looked at him, his anger surging uncontrollably. He raised his fist again, saying, “Are you even a man?”
After uttering these words, he didn’t stop his fists. One punch followed another, each landing on Huang Zhengming’s body…
Jin Fei stepped aside to block Guo Li from trying to intervene. “This is their business. Why are you getting involved?”
Guo Li: “…”
Chen Xiaotian yelled, “Stop the fight,” and tried to rush forward, but was held back by Elena. “Sis, it’s a matter between men. It’s best not to get involved.”
Chen Xiaotian: “…”
Meanwhile, Allen stood on the side, arms crossed, coldly watching Su Bin beat up Huang Zhengming. If Huang Zhengming dared to retaliate, she was ready to intervene and put an end to him.