Chapter 1446 - 1443: She Still Suppressed the Urge to Leave

Chapter 1446: Chapter 1443: She Still Suppressed the Urge to Leave

Qiao Muyun didn’t say anything more, just fell silent for a moment. The air quieted along with him. Zi Ruoxi felt a little sleepy, but... she still held back the urge to leave.

After a while.

"Come away with me." That low voice floated in the air. Not lively, but carrying a faint sadness.

"What?" Zi Ruoxi asked back in surprise, almost unable to believe her ears. But she had clearly heard him—he meant leaving... Her eyes widened, flickering with shifting light, her slender brows knitting slightly as she murmured, "Why? Isn’t it good here?"

"No special reason. When you stay too long, you’re afraid you’ll get used to it, so... I want to leave." Qiao Muyun spoke slowly, pulling out a reason that sounded reasonable enough, neat and tidy, with no obvious holes.

A shadow passed through Zi Ruoxi’s eyes. Gloomy emotions throbbed with a little pain at that moment. This is a reason? What kind of reason is that... dizzying! Or is it that he wants to run away from something, that’s why he’s saying this?

Thinking over the question, her face grew thick with tangled gloom.

"Sigh..." Qiao Muyun let out a sigh. In his dark green eyes, disappointment seeped through, hard to hide. He said quietly, "You still can’t bear to leave him, can you? Is it because he gives you a sense of security, or because you’ve grown dependent on him doing facial treatments for you all this time, you..."

Qiao Muyun paused there, hesitating over what he was about to say next. But there had to be some sort of conclusion, didn’t there? If this went on any longer, he was really afraid he’d lose her. His dark green gaze was soft and earnest as he weighed every word, "...For me, leave him."

Uh...

Zi Ruoxi was a bit stunned. Honestly, she knew he was gay, but she hadn’t thought he would actually bring it up himself...

What was she supposed to say? This was all her fault, wasn’t it? It was because she kept standing between him and Brother Ya Xuan that it had become so hard for them to love each other.

Suddenly, Zi Ruoxi felt a pang of guilt. Seeing Qiao Muyun’s expression so full of melancholy now, her heart flooded with a sense of sin. If anyone was leaving, she should be the one to go, alone. She would never break them apart again. Brother Qiao Muyun, you’re the one who deserves happiness.

"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to put you in a difficult spot..." Zi Ruoxi said apologetically, then, before he could reply, she went on, making things clearer, as if stating a position, "Don’t worry, I’ll leave him. Ya Xuan and I really are just ordinary friends... I’ve always... always treated him as an older brother. Brother Qiao Muyun, do you believe me? Please don’t misunderstand."

Her words were straightforward and sounded fine, yet somehow he felt that something was off, though he couldn’t say exactly what. But anyway, her being willing to leave him was the outcome he wanted.

A gentle, mellow smile spread across Qiao Muyun’s face.

"I believe you. Zi Ruoxi, you’ve always had Brother Qiao Muyun in your heart." Qiao Muyun said warmly.

"Of course! Brother Qiao Muyun has always been the most important person in my heart!" Zi Ruoxi smiled sweetly.

"The most important person... then you..." Excitement surged in Qiao Muyun’s heart. The next two words—love me—were right on the tip of his tongue, when she cut him off.

"Brother Qiao Muyun, you don’t have to worry, really, you don’t. I know what’s in your heart, I know what you’re thinking, and I understand your difficulties even more. It’s because I’ve been too selfish that you ended up like this..." Zi Ruoxi finished in one breath, then said with a squinty smile, "But from now on, I’ll think more about you, really, Brother Qiao Muyun, don’t be unhappy anymore!"

"Zi Ruoxi." Qiao Muyun was a little overwhelmed. To think she would say that—wow, so happy, so happy! His dark eyes were full of laughter. If he could, he really wanted to... Heh, why couldn’t he?

Qiao Muyun suddenly stepped forward, and without another word, pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. He pressed her head against his shoulder, wanting her to feel his pounding heart and his emotion.

Uh!

Zi Ruoxi was a bit tongue-tied. Being hugged by him... felt kind of weird, actually, but it was okay! He was definitely just too worked up, moved by her nobly deciding to bless his love story with Ya Xuan, that’s why he was so emotional!

He held her for quite a while. Zi Ruoxi couldn’t help but pat his arm, as if in comfort. Then she lifted her head, trying to pull away from his embrace. But it was no use; he was holding her too tightly.

"Heh, Brother Qiao Muyun, look how excited you are. You really should’ve said it earlier! Still trying to fool me, huh? We grew up playing together... If you’d said it sooner, maybe... hehe, okay, now... I understand everything." Zi Ruoxi said with a laugh, then deliberately teased, "There’s really nothing to be embarrassed about, honestly. Society’s so open now. Heh."

"Mm. Zi Ruoxi, Zi Ruoxi, I’m so moved." Qiao Muyun said, and unable to hold back his feelings, hugged Zi Ruoxi even tighter.

"Uh... Brother Qiao Muyun, don’t squeeze so hard, it hurts, I can’t breathe." Zi Ruoxi complained with a pained smile. She was almost suffocating.

Qiao Muyun abruptly loosened his arms.

"Sorry. Zi Ruoxi, I lost control a bit." Qiao Muyun said, a little embarrassed, the sharp, handsome lines of his face still lit with leftover excitement.

"Hahaha..." Zi Ruoxi chuckled with a bright smile, but then immediately let out a long yawn. Today had just been too tiring, too exciting—everything had gone so smoothly, so beautifully! Looking at the dazzlingly charming man beside her, she said slowly, "Brother Qiao Muyun, it’s really late, we should get some sleep."

With tender affection, Qiao Muyun stroked her hair and nodded with a smile. Then he wrapped an arm around her and walked her into the villa.

Qiao Muyun accompanied her up to the third floor and to her door. As he was about to close her bedroom door—

"Happy birthday to you! Goodbay! (Happy birthday, good night.)" Zi Ruoxi said softly, the words flowing out gently. Her face was overflowing with dimples and smiles, dazzlingly beautiful.

"Thank you, same to you, good night!" Qiao Muyun replied, his eyes tender as water. Only after she gently shut the door did he leave, feeling light and pleased.

It really had been an unforgettable day, and an even more enchanting night.

......

A few days passed, all very uneventful. Nothing particularly changed, but there seemed to be something extra in Qiao Muyun’s gaze whenever he looked at Zi Ruoxi. And Zi Ruoxi, every time she saw Qiao Muyun, felt a bit awkward and uncomfortable. But since she had agreed, how could she go back on her word!

She was really going to leave here. To be honest, she still felt reluctant. Reluctant to leave Xiao Shan, reluctant to leave Li Yaxuan, and even more reluctant to leave Qiao Muyun. Oh, why is life always full of so many helpless things!

Early one morning, the first light of dawn had just slipped through the window.