Xing Zheng had never discussed such a topic with Lin Mei before. As soon as he spoke, Lin Mei almost blurted out "Who?", but upon regaining her composure, she swallowed the question back.
Her hesitant demeanor was, of course, noticed by Xing Zheng. He asked, "Don't you want to know who?" His tone was laced with a hint of teasing, his sharp eyes fixed on her as if awaiting a good show.
Lin Mei felt her face flush with embarrassment and stubbornly retorted, "What does it have to do with me?"
Despite her words, for some reason, she suddenly recalled Jiang Chu Bi's remark in the capital, "He's truly blind to like you for over ten years." If Jiang Chu Bi wasn't lying, then "over ten years" would have started from his school days in Xiangxi?
But at that time, they truly had no interaction, at least not in her memory.
"I'm meeting that Qiao Wei this afternoon. You stay home, don't wander off, understand?" Xing Zheng didn't continue their previous conversation. He instructed, "I'll be back before dinner."
"Oh," Hearing he was meeting Qiao Wei, Lin Mei felt an inexplicable discomfort. "What do you need to talk to her about?"
Was he really going to ask Qiao Wei to remarry Xiao Shu, or perhaps have Qiao Wei explain to Xiao Shu that the divorce wasn't because of him?
If Xiao Shu was truly seeking revenge for the divorce, he wouldn't have changed his mind so easily, would he?
"Curious, or jealous?" Xing Zheng teased her. "Afraid I'll fall for her?"
Lin Mei was so teased by him that she fell silent. When had her words ever gotten the better of him?
Xing Zheng left Zhuhua Villa around two o'clock. Lin Mei went upstairs, intending to take a nap. However, once in bed, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep. For some reason, her mind was filled with scenes of Xing Zheng meeting Qiao Wei. Lin Mei and Qiao Wei didn't have a great relationship, but Qiao Wei had been so dazzling and outstanding back then; everyone in the school must have known her.
She was so intelligent, beautiful, and loved Xing Zheng so deeply and passionately. Wouldn't someone who had once loved him with all her heart reignite sparks upon meeting him again after many years?
Having been refined by time, Qiao Wei should be even more beautiful now. Approaching thirty, it was a woman's most charming period, in the prime of her youth, radiant and alluring...
Thinking of these things, Lin Mei grew increasingly anxious, unable to sleep. She got out of bed and paced back and forth in the bedroom, her mind still racing with chaotic thoughts. She needed to find something to do.
Lin Mei started doing housework, tidying up the bedroom. It still felt insufficient, so she went to clean the guest room. She had visited Zhuhua Villa many times, but had rarely been to the guest rooms. Upon entering, she felt a slight sense of unfamiliarity.
While tidying the guest room, Lin Mei discovered books, notebooks, and some peculiar small trinkets in the wardrobe. They weren't rare items, but their presence in Xing Zheng's home felt out of place. Lin Mei grew curious and picked up one of the notebooks. As she saw the name on it, her breath hitched. How could it be her notebook...?
These were assignments she had submitted to her teachers, which were never returned. How did they end up in Xing Zheng's possession?
Mathematics, Chinese, English, History... many subjects were represented. Over ten years had passed, and the notebooks looked very old, with the writing gradually fading.
Lin Mei then looked at the books nearby and indeed, they were all books she had read before. Lin Mei opened a copy of "Selected Poems of Bai Juyi" and it happened to be open to her favorite poem, "Encouraging Wine." The corner of the page was folded down, a reading habit she had cultivated since childhood.
On the page, next to her favorite line, she had drawn a small star...
Lin Mei clutched the poetry collection tightly, and distant memories flooded back. She had loved reading since she was a child. In elementary school, she often brought her favorite books to school and read them during breaks. Once, she discovered that her books seemed to have been "swapped" – all her old books had been replaced with new ones. At the time, she was very confused, but since there was no loss, she didn't mention it to her parents.
Little did she know, these books would appear in Xing Zheng's home. This meant that back then, he was the one who had swapped her books...
They weren't in the same class. How did he manage it? Why did he do it?
At that moment, Jiang Chu Bi's words flashed in her mind again, "He's truly blind to like you for over ten years."
Over ten years, over ten years...
Lin Mei's fingers trembled. The poetry collection in her hand fell to the floor, and a letter slipped out from within.
It was a kraft paper envelope with a red heart drawn on it. Lin Mei's body stiffened. She bent down and picked up both the book and the envelope. This letter was a "love letter" she had written to Xing Yan when they parted. At the time, she was shy and hid it within her book, giving it to him along with the book. How did it end up in Xing Zheng's hands?
Time had passed, and Lin Mei couldn't remember what she had written in the letter. With trembling fingers, she opened the envelope and read its contents.
She had always been reserved. Even though she had harbored special feelings for Xing Yan then, she had never boldly expressed them. This letter was probably the most direct instance. Perhaps because she knew he was leaving, her emotions surged intensely. She wrote many words of admiration, and at the end, she quoted a poem.
"When will we meet again, after longing? This moment, this night, is difficult to bear. Enter my door of longing, know my suffering of longing. Longing for you, remembering you, endlessly. If I had known it would bind my heart like this, why did we ever meet?"
This poem was no different from a confession.
When she gave him the letter, she was nervous for days, waiting for Xing Yan's reply. However, until he left, there was no response. At the time, she told herself that he probably hadn't seen it yet and would surely respond once he did. But nothing ever came. She never imagined that the letter had been intercepted halfway...
Lin Mei recalled Xing Zheng's intense reaction when she mentioned Xing Yan in front of him. Previously, she had believed he was jealous that Xing Yan received more attention from Xie Qin Jia. Now, seeing these things, she truly began to consider Jiang Chu Bi's words.
His anger, his intensity, was it because of... her?
His persistent entanglement, his refusal to let go, wasn't because she was someone Xing Yan liked, nor was it because he was interested in her body and appearance, but because... he had liked her since he was studying in Xiangxi?
It wasn't narcissism, but if there were no feelings, why would he keep these insignificant things? And he had lived in the United States for so many years during this period.
Lin Mei's eyes welled up. The thoughts she had fantasized and suspected countless times suddenly became true. She didn't know how to react.
If Xing Zheng were in front of her now, she would definitely confront him with these things, asking why he hadn't made things clear from the beginning!
Unaware of any of this, Xing Zheng had already arrived at Qiao Wei's residence. The two stood facing each other. Qiao Wei's eyes were filled with surprise, while Xing Zheng remained calm, almost indifferent.