He arrived at some unknown time, now looking at her with a grim expression. From his expression, Xu Ying could tell that he had likely seen everything that had just happened. Lin Mei also saw Xing Zheng. His eyes were red, with bloodshot veins, whether from fatigue or anger.
At this moment, his gaze was fixed on the windbreaker she was wearing, as if it were some offensive, dirty object. His gaze, filled with destructive desire and aggression, made Lin Mei instinctively clutch her clothes.
Unbeknownst to her, this scene, when seen by Xing Zheng, became an act of protecting the jacket. He suppressed his emotions and walked up to her, "Why didn't you answer your phone?" His tone was like that of a husband questioning why his wife hadn't returned home.
Lin Mei was in a bad mood and had no intention of explaining to him. She said to Xu Ying, "You should go back first. Be careful on the road."
Although Xu Ying had no intention of confronting Xing Zheng, seeing his suspicious gaze, he couldn't help but say, "Before you question her, you'd better reflect on what you've done yourself."
Xing Zheng's already gloomy gaze became even more terrifying after Xu Ying's words. After Xu Ying reminded Lin Mei to "rest early" and drove away, Xing Zheng grabbed Lin Mei's hand and pulled her towards the entrance of the building. The force of his actions, likely due to his intense emotions, was considerable, and a throbbing pain spread from her wrist.
They walked in silence. As they rode the elevator upstairs, he just stared at her with red eyes. His heavy breathing, in the confined space, was more aggressive than usual. Ding, when it stopped, she walked out and opened the door, and Xing Zheng followed her into the living room.
As Lin Mei bent down to change her shoes, he hugged her from behind, deftly removed the offending jacket, and tossed it aside. His hot lips and tongue pressed against the back of her neck.
Lin Mei was exhausted. Apart from his questioning, he hadn't offered a single explanation. The moment they returned home, this was the situation. She had no mood for flirting with him. She pushed him away without a word, interrupting his actions, and he stopped.
"Why were you with Xu Ying?" he asked as soon as he spoke, his tone accusatory.
Although Lin Mei had been telling herself not to get angry, at this moment, she could no longer tolerate it. She didn't want to be a "sensible" person anymore. "You stood me up. Should I have waited foolishly at the bank until now?"
Lin Mei had never questioned him like this before, and Xing Zheng was naturally unaccustomed to it. After a long pause, he finally said to her, "I'm sorry."
An apology was something he owed her, and Lin Mei didn't find it particularly precious. "It should be me asking where you went. What was so important that you abandoned me without even a phone call to notify me beforehand."
Perhaps the awkwardness of people lies here. Even if she already had an answer in her heart, she still wanted to hear him say it. But if he told the truth, she would be sad. If he concealed it, she would be angry. It seemed that no matter what, her mood could not be calmed.
"She's back," Xing Zheng said after a long silence, finally explaining the truth to Lin Mei. "I went to see her. When I went to pick you up at the bank, you were already gone. I called you later."
Not just once, but many times, but she hadn't answered.
"Oh," he had told the truth, but Lin Mei still couldn't cheer up. Her mood was too chaotic. "I see."
"I'm sorry about tonight," Xing Zheng apologized to her, and the next moment, he pulled her into his arms again. "How long did you wait?"
Lin Mei didn't want to discuss the waiting time with him now. That was in the past, and settling accounts in the autumn would yield no results. She only cared about the future. "Next time, will you still abandon me for Aunt Xie, won't you?"
He was silent for a moment, and Lin Mei felt his surprise. He shouldn't have expected that such a "sensible" her would ask such a question. Xu Ying's words were indeed correct; when people are too sensible and understanding for too long, no one will cherish them.
"Last time, when Aunt Xie was having surgery, you gave me up for her without hesitation. Even if it was just a temporary breakup, I was the one you abandoned. This time, because Aunt Xie returned, you forgot our appointment again, without even a phone call to notify me."
She calmly recounted her experiences, and as she spoke, she even chuckled softly, then asked him again, "So, what about the future? If one day, she and I encounter danger simultaneously, and you can only choose one, I will still be the one abandoned, right?"
Lin Mei had always thought such questions were childish, and even if she got an answer, it might not be the other person's true feelings. But now, even if it was childish, she wanted a satisfactory reply.
Xing Zheng remained silent for a long time. Her gaze gradually dimmed. From his silence, she already knew the answer, and her heart was gradually cooling. She broke free from his embrace. "You don't need to answer. I know the answer."
"I won't let such a thing happen," Xing Zheng grabbed her back. "If that day ever comes, I will die."
He would use his life to exchange for both of them.
This was a good answer, but not the one she needed most. Even in such a hypothetical situation, he was unwilling to give up Xie Qin Jia. Perhaps she truly couldn't empathize and didn't understand why he was so persistent.
"This is not the answer I want," Lin Mei said to Xing Zheng, following Xu Ying's advice, and frankly expressed her feelings. "What I want is for you to make me your first priority. I think I was too sensible before, which made you feel that I could compromise everywhere. Even if you never put me first, I would still stay by your side."
She regretted it. Last time, she shouldn't have impulsively flown to New York to find him. He had not paid any "price" for her actions, and they had reconciled again. Emotions that were too easily obtained were never cherished.
Xing Zheng pondered. He knew in his heart that his decisive breakup with her last time had caused her great pain. "Last time, when she had surgery, there was no better way, so we had to separate temporarily."
He finally explained that incident to her. "I wanted to find you after her surgery was over."
"I won't do this again," Xing Zheng looked at her red eyes and gently stroked them with his finger, his actions and voice softening considerably. "What you want, I will give you."
"Really? Are you sure?" Two consecutive questions made her attitude seem aggressive.
Xing Zheng didn't care. "Sure."
"I hope you won't look for Aunt Xie anymore," this was Lin Mei's most direct and strongest desire. Xing Zheng looking for Xie Qin Jia not only hurt himself but also affected their relationship, which was a loss.
Xing Zheng's action of wiping her tears stopped, and his eyebrows furrowed. "What kind of request is this?"
He couldn't believe that such an "unreasonable" request had come from her own mouth.
However, amidst his disbelieving expression, Lin Mei repeated her request. "You can't do it, can you?"