Sisters? love rival
On the weekend, Xiamang bent her knees on the sofa and basked in the sun on the rooftop balcony of the Repulse Bay Villa.
The sunlight was not strong, and the glass roof blocked most of the violet rays. When the glass door was removed, a warm breeze blew in. There were still a few bright yellow winter jasmines on the east bank of the villa, which was pleasing to the eye. The music was Xia Mang's favorite song," Love is Colors." Xia Mang covered her face with a magazine and dozed off while hugging a pillow. Cheng Mo was handling official business in the study. Heng Long had recently bid for a piece of land in the New town area and was preparing to develop a high-end residential area. There were many things to do, and they were often very busy on weekends. Sometimes, Yu Weitao would come over, and the two of them could discuss for an entire afternoon in the study. He said that he had already made things clear to Raorao about their relationship.
Xia Mang was in a daze and was sleeping soundly. In her daze, she felt that she was being carried up by someone. The person carried her up with one hand and patted her cheek with the other."Sammy, wake up! Sammy, wake up…"
"Don't make a fuss!" He hated being disturbed when he slept or ate.
"Wake up, be good. Go downstairs and meet your future mother-in-law.”Cheng Mo didn't wake her up, so he let go and spoke lazily.
The word 'mother-in-law' was quite a shock to Xia Mang. Perhaps it was the aftermath of Ye 'zi's incident, but Xia Mang immediately woke up. When she jumped up and saw Cheng Mo, she patted her chest and pushed him away."What nonsense!"
"I only found out about the sudden attack when I opened the door.”Cheng Mo reached out and tidied up Xiamang's hair, which was slightly messy from sleepiness. He then tidied her clothes and led her downstairs." Don't worry."”
Don't worry? Xia Mang couldn't help but want to slap Cheng Mo. She recalled the strange phone call she had received last time. It was about Raorao, his mother's sudden visit, and she was caught red-handed. How could she not be worried? Xia Mang struggled and put on an innocent look like a little rabbit, hoping to escape, but Cheng Mo was unmoved.
A middle-aged woman was sitting on the sofa in the middle of the living room. She was wearing a sapphire blue top and a black dress that reached her knees. She was holding a coffee cup and taking a sip before putting it down elegantly. That elegance was not a deliberate imitation, but an instinct that seemed to have been ingrained into her bones. Xia Mang followed Cheng Mo and stood beside him, feeling a little lost.
"Mom, she's my girlfriend, Xiamang.”"Sammy, this is my mother."”
"Hello, Auntie." Xiamang bowed.
"Xiamang?" Mrs. Cheng took good care of herself. She had exquisite makeup on her face, delicate facial features, and a slightly pointed chin. If she returned to her youth, she would really be an exquisite beauty. She frowned slightly and pursed her thin lips. She looked at Xia Mang with a look of understanding and disdain. After a pause, she continued," You were the one who answered the call before the New Year, weren't you?"”
This was not a question, but a confirmation, which meant that she still had an impression of that phone call. Cheng Mo didn't look like Mrs. Cheng. Among their facial features, only their lips were the most similar. They were both thin. She heard that women's thin lips were mean and men's thin lips were cold.
Before Cheng Mo and Xia Mang could speak, Madam Cheng looked at Cheng Mo and suddenly smiled.""It's been a few months. How long are you going to play this time?”
Xia Mang had previously thought that Cheng Mo's family might not like her, or even be as melodramatic as those TV dramas. Moreover, she felt uneasy when she suddenly met him today, but she did not expect to hear such words. Her mind buzzed and she instinctively wanted to turn around and leave. Her figure did not move, but a hand held hers.
"She is your future daughter-in-law." Cheng Mo held Xia Mang's hand tightly and looked straight at Mrs. Cheng, who was sitting on the sofa. His voice was slightly stiff.
"I won't agree." Mrs. Cheng's words were direct and straightforward, not caring about Xia Mang's feelings at all. Since she would not agree to this, she would not take Xia Mang's feelings seriously.
Xia Mang's anger disappeared at this moment. Cheng Mo's strength came from his clasped hands, and Xia Mang instantly calmed down. Cheng Mo's mother's way of speaking and handling things aside from the fact that she didn't like him, it wasn't difficult to see how domineering she was usually. Perhaps in the Cheng family, Mrs. Cheng was the real head of the family. A smile appeared on Xiamang's face as he thought about it. All she had to do now was to stand beside Cheng Mo with a smile on her face. She would leave the rest to Cheng Mo.
"Then I'm very sorry." Xia Mang's hand tightened slightly. Cheng Mo turned his head and saw the smile on Xia Mang's face. He couldn't help but smile. It was much simpler this way. He knew that Xiamang had been hurt in a relationship before, so he was afraid that if their relationship met with resistance, Xiamang would choose to run away. However, his Xiamang did not disappoint him.
"You want to be stubborn again and ignore our words?”Madam Cheng stood up abruptly, slightly taller than Xiamang.
She said "again"? Cheng Mo was alone in this city, but his parents were in City H. Was this a sign of 'again'? Cheng Mo hadn't mentioned his family during this period of time, probably because he had expected such a scene to happen.
"Perhaps you should try to trust your son's judgment.”Cheng Mo said casually. Even if Mrs. Cheng was the head of the family, it was obvious that Cheng Mo was not a pushover. From a certain perspective, the parents had a very low chance of winning in a competition between children and parents." Please sit down for a while. I still have something to deal with. Let's have dinner together tonight."”
Cheng Mo seemed to prefer to address her as 'you' instead of 'Mom' when they were alone.
Cheng Mo wanted to pull Xia Mang away after saying that. Xia Mang felt that the relationship between the mother and son was indeed a little stiff. She didn't know if it was the result of the accumulation of time or if Cheng Mo and Madam Cheng had already communicated about her.
"You go ahead. I'll talk to her." Mrs. Cheng's words were like military orders, and her tone was imposing.
Cheng Mo ignored her and pulled Xia Mang towards the study. Xiamang stopped.
"Sammy?" Cheng Mo turned his head and looked at Xia Mang in surprise. If she stayed, he could foresee what his mother would say to her. He didn't want Xiamang to be embarrassed or hurt.
Xiamang smiled at him and nodded, indicating that she was fine. Since he had to face it, why should he avoid it? She, Xiamang, had never been someone who avoided trouble.
"Have a seat." Cheng Mo glanced at Xia Mang worriedly before letting go of his hand and entering the study. Madam Cheng looked at Xia Mang and sized him up, her eyes filled with dissatisfaction. Xiamang was used to running around in her socks when she entered the house, and she was doing it now. In Mrs. Cheng's opinion, this was rather undisciplined.
"Thank you!" Xia Mang took his seat. The person in front of him had a high status, but Xia Mang had never been the type to be a little wife. He was not used to flattering Fu Xiao, so being polite was the limit.
"How can I make you give up on Moe?" He went straight to the point.
"He has a change of heart, or I have a change of heart." " Or maybe this relationship has changed. Even though it hasn't changed, it can't go on."”
"It sounds wonderful, but I'm afraid it won't be that simple when the time comes.”How could Madam Cheng believe it?
Xiamang smiled and said in a self-deprecating tone,""I didn't grow up hungry. Although my family isn't rich, I won't disregard anything for money.”
"Even if you don't like Zhong Mo's conditions, our Cheng family's daughter-in-law must be of equal status. Marriage was not a Cinderella's fairy tale, but the icing on the cake.”
Yes, that was the key. Even if you didn't want their money, they had to marry someone who was worthy of their status. A family of equal status was suitable for marriage in any era. Xia Mang fell silent.
Madam Cheng thought that Xia Mang was reflecting on his actions, so her expression softened. She stared at Xia Mang's face and said with some regret,""I see that you're also well-behaved. It's just that you're not fated to be with our Moe.”He sighed and looked at Xia Mang with disdain." I know about your relationship with Moe. I'll give you some compensation. You don't have to worry about that."”
A man and a woman were alone in a room on the weekend, and she was the one who came to visit. Xia Mang naturally knew what Cheng Mo's mother meant and understood why she looked at him with disdain. She couldn't refute it. No matter how much attention was paid to equality between men and women, the word " whatever " would always be placed on the woman. It was the same for physical injuries. Just like Ye Zi, there would never be absolute equality in this world.
"Unless Cheng Mo gives up, I won't cling on no matter what. Otherwise, I won't let a relationship end so easily.”In fact, this was something Cheng Mo should have solved. Just like when he was with Xu Wenhao, he should have solved the obstacles in his family and the romantic encounters he had caused. Xia Mang only needed to take care of herself.
Anger flashed across Mrs. Cheng's face before she suddenly smiled and said,""I heard that you and Yoyo knew each other since young?”
"Yes."
"Moe and Yoyo took care of each other for a few years in England. Don't you know?”
The past was the past, and Xiamang had a past as well. However, when he heard this, he still felt sour in his heart, but he said respectfully,"I found out a few days ago."
"I heard that you work at The New Age. Don't you think that you're being too ungrateful to Yoyo?”
Madam Cheng's words sounded calm, but Xia Mang's heart felt guilty. Yes, this had always been a sore spot in her heart. Although there was no right or wrong in a relationship, and although Cheng Mo had repeatedly emphasized that he had never started a relationship with Raorao, she still felt guilty. However, now was not the time to cry and beg for forgiveness. The person sitting opposite him was not the person to beg for forgiveness either. Xiamang's voice was gentle and her attitude was neither servile nor overbearing."Actually, the initiative has always been in Cheng Mo's hands. We've mentioned this before. Since he has made a choice and said that he won't make things difficult for me, I believe him.”
"Are you planning to abandon your sister, Yoyo, or are you planning to resign from The New Age?”Her expression and tone were full of contempt, as if Xiamang was a gold digger who would do anything for a rich husband. However, she was a little relaxed about Xiamang's words. This girl wasn't as innocent as she had been before. She might have grown up in a greenhouse, but she had the courage and calmness to face difficulties. This was completely different from the Wanwan of the past.
Wanwan was Cheng Mo's first girlfriend. They had been in love for four years in university, and she still remembered the first time Cheng Mo brought Wanwan home. All of this seemed to have happened a long time ago. When Madam Cheng thought about it now, she couldn't help but feel a little emotional.
"No, things have already come to this. No matter who Cheng Mo chooses, Raorao and I can't go back to the beginning.”If Raorao minded her being with Cheng Mo, then if Cheng Mo turned around and chose Raorao, how could she pretend that this relationship never happened? How could she calmly face Cheng Mo and Raorao's blessings? Love could be above everything else, but the body's desire was even more profound. She could turn a blind eye to Xu Wenhao, but if she broke up with Cheng Mo and saw him, she could only run away. However, from the looks of it, the cooperation between The New Age and Heng Long was more related to Raorao and Cheng Mo.
"You still have the opportunity to take the initiative now. You have financial compensation and your face. If you insist, you won't get anything.”Mrs. Cheng stood up and went upstairs without looking at Xia Mang. She stopped halfway and said with her back to Xia Mang," I'll invite Yoyo over for dinner. If Moe insists, you can stay too."”
Sisters? love rival
Xia Mang walked into the study room and saw Cheng Mo handling work. When he saw her enter, he got up and hugged her.
"Don't take my mother's words to heart.”" You,"" mother." These words came out of Cheng Mo's mouth again and again. It was not difficult to guess that Cheng Mo's relationship with his mother was not particularly intimate and harmonious.
Xiamang smiled. He wasn't as worried or anxious as he had imagined. He joked,""I won't be scared away by a few words, but I've pushed the blame back to you. This is a problem that you should solve.”
Cheng Mo heaved a sigh of relief and smiled. He tightened his grip on Xia Mang's waist. He was shrewd in big matters but confused in small ones. He had not misjudged Xia Mang.
Xiamang went back very quickly. Since she had invited Raorao tonight, she didn't want to feel awkward. She also didn't want to see the three of them reunite after a long time. It was better to avoid them. Xiamang never liked to make himself suffer.
Ye 'zi and Lin Ran were on a date. Xiamang hung up the phone and called Yanyan. She was surprised to find that Yanyan was with Xiao Linghui. Xiamang stuttered. She was skeptical about Yanyan's reason for asking Xiao Linghui for advice. He went to the Xinhua Bookstore and bought a few books that seemed to be interesting. He only went home slowly after dinner.
Xia Mang could feel someone staring at her intently. The sky darkened slightly. Xia Mang's hand that was holding the security door key at the entrance of the stairwell hesitated for a moment before turning around to search for the source of the gaze. He looked around and saw a person.
It was Xu Wenhao. He was standing diagonally on the right side of the green belt, wearing Xiamang's favorite white shirt. In the dim dusk, he gave off a cold feeling. He seemed to have become thinner, and his originally fair face became even whiter. His chin was a little sharp, making the scar on the bridge of his nose look especially ferocious.
Seeing Xu Wenhao and sensing the change in his body, Xia Mang suddenly felt like crying. They had known each other for six years and been in a relationship for four years. They had spent more than 1,500 days together. Even if they broke up, their hearts would still feel different when they saw each other again. After all, they were not strangers!
Xia Mang did not move, and Xu Wenhao did not move either. The two of them looked at each other, and in an instant, they felt as if the world had changed. The time they spent together was like a fast-forwarded movie scene, but her heart felt like it was being pressed down by a heavy rock. Xia Mang wanted to turn around and leave, but her legs were not under her control and she could not move.
The two of them looked at each other for a long time. Xu Wenhao seemed to have realized something. He suddenly looked away and lowered his head, covering the bridge of his nose with his left hand.
Xia Mang's heart ached. Wen Hao, who had always cherished his appearance, felt pain from the scar on his nose. It was not something she could understand or imagine, but she could feel it. She didn't want to feel his feelings, but it seemed to be a conditioned reflex, an instinct. When Xia Mang told her that her current boyfriend was Cheng Mo, she thought that Cheng Mo should be the one she missed. As for Xu Wenhao, seeing him again shouldn't cause any fluctuations in her heart.
Things don't go according to one's wishes, and the heart can't help it.
"I just wanted to look at you from afar. I didn't want you to see me.”Xu Wenhao took a few steps forward. He didn't get too close. There was a small distance between them. He lowered his head and spoke very humbly. He really wanted to look at Xiamang again, to take a closer look at her, to see if there were any subtle changes between the current her and the one in his memory. He still loved Xiamang, but the Xiamang he loved no longer belonged to him. It had become a feeling that he could never let go of.
What if she came back very late at night? How long was he prepared to wait? Or how long had he been waiting? Xia Mang didn't ask that question. He looked at Xu Wenhao. His leg seemed to have recovered. His face was still a little pale, but his standing and walking posture seemed to be fine. As for the scar on the bridge of his nose, Xia Mang's heart ached. Although it looked vicious, as long as he let go of it, it was actually the thinnest. Time was the best medicine. Any kind of injury would slowly recover under the treatment of time.
"You see it now? You have your own life, the child is about to be born, and I have a new relationship. Don't do such things in the future. It's not good for everyone.”Xia Mang sighed in his heart. He still couldn't be too ruthless. Perhaps subconsciously, having a man who still loved you and missed you even after breaking up was a great satisfaction for a woman's vanity.
"Xia Zi…"
Xiamang turned around, opened the door, and went upstairs. The anti-theft door behind him slammed shut, making a metallic sound.
Cheng Mo called during dinner and asked Xia Mang if she had eaten. Xia Mang smiled and comforted him that she wouldn't let her imagination run wild before hanging up. She didn't want to suspect anything. If Cheng Mo wanted to play with her or find a playmate to pass the time with, there were plenty of people who would fall for him. Why would he bother to hold onto Xia Mang? However, Raorao's matter was really awkward. Father Xia and Mother Xia had mentioned Cheng Mo a few times, intentionally or unintentionally. The implication was that they didn't want the Xia family and the Chen family to be unhappy because of Cheng Mo's matter. Their fathers had been friends for decades, and they didn't want to be estranged because of their children's relationship.
After dinner, Dad Xia returned to the study room. Mom Xia was washing up in the kitchen while Xia Mang helped cut the fruits.
"Sammy, you and Cheng Mo?" Mother Xia was a little hesitant. She wondered if Xiamang had thought it through after their last conversation.
" I'm sorry, Mom…" Xia Mang did not know how to answer. It was not that she did not understand what her mother was going to say next.
"Sammy... I'm not interfering with your ability to make friends. After what happened to Vincent, I hope more than anyone that you can accept a new relationship." I'm just worried that someone like Cheng Mo and his family will be involved with Raorao…"
" Mom, I'm sorry…" Xia Mang did not know what else she could say.
"Because of this matter, your father specially talked to your Uncle Chen. Your Uncle Chen said that the matters of young people should always be resolved by you young people. As parents, we have no right to interfere with your relationship. There is no right or wrong in the matter of love. We can only say that God is playing tricks on us. But Sammy, have you really thought it through? Have you confirmed Cheng Mo's family's attitude? Your father doesn't want his decades of friendship with your Uncle Chen to be so awkward. He's also afraid that if he interfered too much, you would be hurt again. Your father and mother are the same. They're worried about you, afraid that you'll break up, and afraid that you won't. Mom wants you to find a reliable person who is well-matched in social status and live a decent life, just like Ah Hui.”
" Mom…" Xia Mang lowered her head. A tear rolled down her face and landed on the sliced watermelon on the plate, disappearing without a trace.
It wasn't that she didn't know how good Ah Hui was. She had been injured by Xu Wenhao, so she felt that Ah Hui was even more rare. However, she couldn't imagine kissing Ah Hui one day, and it was even more difficult to imagine that there were more intimate actions between the two of them.
Xia Mang walked back to the living room and looked out of the window. The familiar figure downstairs was gone. Xia Mang sighed in his heart and turned to enter the room.
Cheng Mo's mother went back on Sunday and came and went in a hurry. It seemed that she had come here specifically for Xiamang.
The days seemed to pass peacefully again. Cheng Mo was calm, and Raorao was normal. When it came to their relationship, other than the first day when Raorao showed affection to Cheng Mo without knowing, she was like an outsider the rest of the time. She didn't mention anything about their relationship, didn't blame Xiamang, and didn't explain. She was like an ordinary old friend to Cheng Mo, and occasionally, she was like a sister. She didn't do anything out of line.
The hotel's infrastructure project was progressing at a speed that amazed Xiamang. From time to time, the height of the building was at a new high. At the same time, Chen Surao had shown strong acceptance and coordination in her work. Coupled with her hard work, Xiamang gradually transferred the focus of the hotel project to Chen Surao. As a result, Chen Su Rao and Heng Long gradually came into contact with each other. Moreover, according to the instructions from the higher-ups, the hotel project had to set up a special preparation department. The human resources had to keep up. Once the renovation phase began, all the work would be cumbersome. According to the hotel's opening requirements, the various departments had to start recruiting talents.
Dust? provoke dust
When the last rose on the wall of the residential area withered, the air was already filled with the smell of early summer.
Under Cheng Mo's tutelage, Xia Mang's culinary skills had become more and more exquisite. When she felt dizzy, Xia Mang felt that she loved the kitchen, especially desserts. It was a very enjoyable thing to eat them by oneself.
Once, when Xia Mang was fiddling with handmade biscuits in the kitchen, she asked Cheng Mo with a half-complaining tone,"My current culinary skills can't be ranked in the top ten among my peers in the country, but I'm definitely ranked in the top hundred. But what's the use of learning? Your mother didn't even give me a chance to taste it. Isn't this all for nothing?”
"A woman's culinary skills are for men to see.”Cheng Mo looked at Xia Mang's biscuit mold with a few flours on his face and smiled contentedly.
Hearing this, Xia Mang simply threw her hands away and reached into Cheng Mo's arms with her flour-covered hands. Cheng Mo didn't avoid her. He hugged Xia Mang's waist and carried her to the kitchen counter. Xia Mang sat on the kitchen counter that reached her waist. Her arms were wrapped around Cheng Mo's neck, and she was very close to Cheng Mo. It was extremely ambiguous.
"Let's go to Golden Bull Villa this weekend." Cheng Mo reached out and wiped the flour off Xia Mang's face with his fingers. He looked focused.
"Sure," She had been there the last time and had a deep impression of it. Xiamang suggested with a smile," Should we call Ye 'zi and the others?”
"No, it's fine. This time, the two of us will go.”Cheng Mo had a warm smile on his face.
Xia Mang blinked, feeling that Cheng Mo's motives were not pure.
"Grandma Yao called. She said that the scenery on the mountain is great and asked us to go over. She likes you very much.”Cheng Mo smiled innocently.
Liked her? Xiamang pursed her lips in her heart. Other than meeting Grandma Yao at the villa for dinner, she had not interacted with her at all until they left. She liked her very much just because of that. Wasn't she too popular?
"Then it's settled. Don't arrange anything else this weekend.”Cheng Mo pinched Xia Mang's face. The delicate touch made him linger.
Xia Mang suddenly slid down the kitchen counter and pushed Cheng Mo. She turned around and continued to make the biscuit mold."I know, I know. I'll continue to try the cookies now. If they're successful, I'll make some on Friday and bring them to Grandma Yao on Saturday.”
Cheng Mo couldn't help but reach out and wrap his arms around Xia Mang's waist from behind. Xia Mang stepped back and Cheng Mo barely dodged. Xia Mang took the opportunity to turn around and push him out."Get out, get out. Don't bother me."
Cheng Mo touched his nose and suddenly felt that teaching Xia Mang how to cook wasn't a perfect idea. In the past, they spent sweet time in the kitchen, but now, Xia Mang's time in the kitchen had become his alone time.
Man's plans were not as good as God's plans. Cheng Mo and Xia Mang had just ordered food on Friday night when they received a call from Yu Weitao. A construction worker who returned to the construction site after dinner climbed onto the Scaffolds for no reason and fell off, dying on the spot. When Yu Weitao heard the news, reporters had already rushed to the construction site.
To The New Age and Heng Long, this was a scandal that could not be exposed. Yu Taotao had already rushed to the scene and told Cheng Mo not to worry too much.
Xia Mang could only hear something from Cheng Mo's conversation, but he didn't know what exactly had happened. Xia Mang didn't ask much. She never took the initiative to ask him about his past, and Cheng Mo rarely talked about it either. To be honest, Xia Mang wasn't dissatisfied with this. On the contrary, he felt relaxed. Xia Mang had told herself that she was more willing to accept things than to give in this relationship. Therefore, unless he brought it up, she would never ask about Cheng Mo's past. She knew that he had a past. On the night she decided to accept him, she had also asked him about his first love. His expression at that time could explain everything. But wasn't he also a person with a past?
After a while, another call came. This time, Xia Mang could tell from Cheng Mo's conversation that the caller was Raorao. Xiamang did not want to ask any more questions, nor did he want to overthink. Cheng Mo had already made things clear to Raorao. Uncle Cheng also said that young people should settle their own matters. Raorao acted as if nothing had happened. However, as almost all the work of the hotel project was handed over to Raorao, Raorao had more and more contact with Heng Long, but he had fewer and fewer opportunities to interact with Heng Long. Moreover, starting from the beginning of this month, Rao Rao would have her own office.
Xia Mang knew that he shouldn't have done that, but there was a voice in his heart that wanted to question him. Wasn't it because he trusted Xu Wenhao too much that Chu Ning was involved in the past? A fall into a pit, a gain in one's wits. Xiamang did not want to fall twice in the same place.
"If there's something important, go over and take a look.”Xiamang smiled gently and spoke in a generous manner.
"It's fine. Weitao is here." Cheng Mo looked at Xia Mang and smiled faintly.
The two of them continued eating, but they didn't speak for a while. Xia Mang could tell that things weren't as simple as they seemed. Cheng Mo glanced at his phone on the table from time to time, obviously waiting for a call. Xiamang couldn't help but worry.
Xia Mang was shocked when her phone rang. Cheng Mo, on the other hand, was much calmer. He picked up the call unhurriedly and said to Xia Mang after hanging up,""Weitao called. The matter has been resolved.”
Xia Mang heaved a sigh of relief. He didn't know if it was because the matter had been resolved or because the person who called wasn't Rao Rao.
The trip to Golden Bull Villa on Saturday was delayed. Xia Mang packed her things early in the morning, but she received a call from Cheng Mo. He said that he had something urgent to postpone and that if he didn't settle it by the afternoon, he would postpone it. Xia Mang really wanted to ask what was the urgent matter. Didn't the matter last night have been resolved? However, Cheng Mo seemed to be a little noisy. There were a few voices with different accents coming from the phone. It was noisy and mixed with a woman's crying.
All Xia Mang could do was hang up and wait for Cheng Mo to appear or for him to postpone the call. Cheng Mo didn't seem to have any intention of telling her about it, so she didn't know if she should ask. Cheng Mo's personality was actually very reserved. Other than being direct about his feelings, he didn't talk much about other things. He rarely mentioned his family and work. Xia Mang was afraid that she would be hurt in her relationship again, so she only reflected at this moment. Was it because she wanted to protect herself so much that she seemed to have given Cheng Mo a lot of personal space, but in reality, she had also stopped Cheng Mo from confiding in her?
She was one of the parties involved in this relationship. It was impossible for her to jump out and stay out of it. It was impossible for her to calmly analyze this relationship from the perspective of an outsider and not let herself get hurt again. There was only one difference between true feelings and fake feelings in a relationship. Even if the beginning of this relationship was a coincidence, it was definitely not fake. Xia Mang could not be fake in a relationship.
Xia Mang suddenly understood that unless a relationship reached the end of its life, if they parted ways halfway, it was impossible for either party to retreat unscathed. Cheng Mo wasn't her first love. She should have understood this long ago. She wanted to protect herself as much as possible in this relationship, but it was actually just a kind of self-deception. Sometimes, acceptance was also a kind of sacrifice.
While he was thinking about this, Xia Mang's phone had already dialed Cheng Mo's number. Xia Mang's voice was a little weak, but her tone was firm."I want to know what happened on your side.”
Cheng Mo was slightly stunned. Ever since Xia Mang accepted him, this was the first time she had asked him about what had happened around her. Over the years, Cheng Mo had gotten used to making his own decisions and taking responsibility for everything. He had a big family business, and he had been nurtured to be able to handle things and have an independent personality since he was young. Ever since he broke up with his family after graduating from university, he didn't even have the heart to talk to anyone, especially his parents. Even between him and Yu Weitao, actions always spoke louder than words.
"Something happened at the construction site. I'll tell you when I come back later.”Cheng Mo recalled the first time he met Xia Mang and suddenly understood why Xia Mang asked this question. However, the matter had not been settled yet. He was afraid that revealing the details would make Xia Mang worry.
Xia Mang couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Cheng Mo didn't tell her the details. Perhaps he never thought that she was someone who could share the responsibility with him, even though she had taken over the hotel's work not long ago. In his eyes, Xiamang was at most an unqualified listener."Got it. You go ahead."
She felt uneasy the whole day. Cheng Mo only called in the evening to say that he had a social gathering at night and that his trip to Golden Bull Villa had been postponed. Moreover, he couldn't spend the weekend with her today. Xiamang agreed, but he felt a little upset. For some reason, Xia Mang realized that she could no longer return to the feeling she had when she was with Xu Wenhao. She could no longer be as trusting and calm as when Xu Wenhao called her and told her that he had a social gathering at night. She didn't want to suspect or get jealous, but a question popped up in her mind. Raorao went to the social gathering tonight, right?
Xia Mang recalled their previous relationship. It was indeed easier for Xu Wenhao to start a business than the average person because of his family, but he also had to socialize a lot. He always tried his best to avoid socializing with her, so there would inevitably be one or two days in a week where he could not refuse those socializing. At that time, Xiamang trusted him completely, so much so that no matter how late it was, no matter the occasion, Xiamang never suspected him. Their love was so perfect that it made everyone around her envious. Moreover, she could feel how much Wen Hao cherished her. It was precisely because of this that when Chu Ning appeared in front of her and Xu Wenhao that night, holding Xu Wenhao's hand like a drowning man holding onto a life-saving straw, crying and telling her that she was pregnant and what to do, Xia Mang blinked a few times, wondering if this woman was crazy or had mistaken him for someone else. However, when Xia Mang saw Xu Wenhao's pale face, his heart stopped beating for a moment. By the time he reacted, he had already turned around and ran out of the cafe.
That night was the night that Xiamang was most unwilling to recall. Now that he thought about it, that heartache mixed with sarcasm was still deep. Xia Mang crossed his arms in front of his chest, feeling that the weather was a little cold.
Dust? provoke dust
She was absent-minded during dinner and subconsciously looked at her phone. There were no calls or messages. There was nothing good to watch on TV and surfing the Internet was boring. Xia Mang was a little frustrated, but she had no one to complain to.
When she went downstairs, she was surprised to see a figure by the green belt diagonally across the corridor. Under the dim yellow street lights, it was familiar yet unfamiliar. It was Xu Wenhao.
Xiamang stopped in her tracks and wanted to turn back upstairs. In the end, she didn't say anything and turned to the right. The person behind her did not say anything. Xia Mang only felt that person's gaze was fixed on her. Even when she walked to the green belt along the river in the residential area, there seemed to be a threatening gaze behind her.
"Ah!" Xia Mang screamed. In order to avoid Xu Wenhao's threatening gaze, she only walked forward quickly. When she stopped, she turned around and was about to find a long wooden chair to sit down. A reflective face in the shadows gave Xia Mang a big fright and she ran away.
"Sammy."
A familiar voice stopped Xia Mang in his tracks. He turned around and pounced towards the owner of the voice. He grabbed his neck and said,"Damn Ah Hui, you're pretending to be a ghost in the middle of the night to scare people!”
The owner of the voice was Xiao Linghui. He was sitting on a long wooden chair with a laptop in his hands. The light from the laptop screen reflected on his face, giving Xiamang a big fright in the dark.
" Sammy..." Xu Wenhao sighed and protected his laptop with both hands. He could only let Xiamang fly into a rage.
Xiamang let go of her anger. The frustration in her heart seemed to have disappeared. She nudged Xiao Linghui and gestured for him to sit beside her. She complained,"You came here to surf the internet in the middle of the night? You scared me to death!"
"The air here is good." Xiao Linghui touched his neck.
Xiamang leaned closer and stared at the computer screen.""You can go online here? Eh, are you writing an article?"
"No, it's Yanyan's graduation thesis. She asked me to take a look.”Xiamang's head leaned in front of him, her back facing the computer. A few strands of her long hair brushed past his cheek. Her right cheek was as smooth and warm as jade under the dim light of the laptop screen. There was the unique sweet smell of Xiamang in the air, and he could not help but reach out to touch the strand of hair that was hanging by his ear.
"Uh…you and Yanyan have made progress?”Xia Mang turned her head to look at Xiao Linghui. She had a strange feeling in her heart. Her rationality told her that this was a good thing, but her feelings did not approve of it. It was as if she was about to lose a pillar of support for her relationship. A sense of sadness rose in her heart.
Xiao Linghui's hand slid across Xia Mang's face and stopped on her lips.
"Why are you touching me!" Xia Mang jumped up in shock. The corners of her mouth twitched as she slapped Xiao Linghui's hand hard.
Xiao Linghui's face turned red. When he heard Xiamang's words, his face darkened again. He said half-seriously and half-jokingly,"I saw that your hair was loose, so I wanted to tuck it behind your ears, but you came up to me.”
Xiamang also felt that she was being overly nervous. Not only was she nervous, but she had also asked Ah Hui," Why are you touching me?". Even though she was used to being direct with Ah Hui, this was the first time something like this had happened. Xia Mang's face turned hot when he thought of what he had just said.
"About you and Yanyan." Xia Mang said in a rough voice to hide the fact that he was blushing.
"I'll help her close the thesis." It was still an old saying.
Xiamang was a little angry for no reason. If he didn't want to say it, then so be it. Petty! He hugged his knees and sat on the chair. He didn't say anything and stared at the dark river in a daze. Her phone didn't ring. Wasn't Cheng Mo done yet? It was impossible for them to eat so late. There was probably another after-dinner program.
"You haven't been here for a long time. Do you have something on your mind today?”Xiao Linghui turned to look at Xiamang. In the night, Xiamang's face was as bright as the moon, but he seemed to be troubled.
Xia Mang shook his head. How could he speak of such a small matter?
"You're treating me like an outsider, Sammy." Xiao Linghui sighed. In the past, Xiamang would tell him anything.
The atmosphere suddenly became sad. Xia Mang felt strange. She thought that one day, she and Ah Hui would be like old friends who had lost contact. They were busy every day and would only say," Hi, how have you been?" when they met. He would eventually belong to another woman. The warmth, comfort, tolerance, and reliance that had once given him would be completely transferred to another person. From then on, it would have nothing to do with her. It was just like those childhood playmates, former deskmates, and roommates who shared the same bed. As they grew older, time passed, graduated, and worked, most of them lost contact with each other and did not know their current situation. It could be foreseen that in a few years, when more people got married and had children, these feelings would fade even more, no matter how good they were in the past.
Time could wash away everything, whether it was love, friendship, or those who had been hurt.
"When Sammy gets married, she won't have the chance to sit like this anymore.”"Sammy will go to H City, right?"”
"Eh?" To City H? Xiamang didn't know how to react.
"Yeah, Heng Long's headquarters is in City H, and Cheng Mo's family is there too. You guys will have to move there together eventually, right?”
Xia Mang was stunned. Why had he always ignored this question? Was it because she had always wanted to accept without giving anything and didn't know that she and Cheng Mo could go so far? Or was it because Cheng Mo had a house and a company in this city that he forgot that his home was in City H and his family business was also in City H?
Xiamang was a flower that grew up in a greenhouse. She did not expect that one day, she would have to choose to leave her hometown. Ever since he was young, even when he was in university, he was still in the neighboring city. He had never thought that he would have to leave his parents and live in another place one day. He had never thought that he would have to live a real life.
"Sammy?"
"Radish with melon, butterfly with flower, isn't it really important for a family to be well-matched?”Xiamang's chin was on her knees. She bent over and hugged her legs. After saying that, she sighed but did not look at Xiao Linghui.
"Yes." Another person answered without hesitation.
"Reason." Xiamang turned around and glared at the person beside him.
"The crystallization of a thousand years of wisdom, proven by countless examples.”Xia Mang suddenly asked. Xiao Linghui had some confidence in his heart. He was worried about Xiamang, so he had to tell the truth.
Xiamang was silent. She rested her chin on her knee and bit her lower lip unconsciously.
Cheng Mo still didn't call at 11 o'clock. Xia Mang stared at her phone in a daze, feeling that the night was getting colder. The more worries and doubts she had, the more she hoped to receive Cheng Mo's call to prove that he cared about her.
Xiao Linghui had already gone back. At 10 o'clock, Xiamang went home to rest under Xiao Linghui's persuasion. Xiamang ordered Xiao Linghui to go home with her. However, Xiamang, who couldn't sleep at home, ran back. It had only been two months. Two months ago, she and Cheng Mo were still peaceful and nothing happened. Although Xia Mang always felt uneasy, she kept telling herself not to think so far ahead. However, in the past two months, Raorao's matter, Mrs. Cheng's matter, and City H's matter had made Xiamang very upset. All these things seemed to be squeezed together at once, making Xia Mang at a loss for what to do.
When it came to love, Xiamang could see clearly how scary reality and family problems were. Although Ye 'zi and Lin Ran were still together, their feelings for each other were very different. As friends, they could feel it deeply. In the past, quarreling was sweet, but now hugging was also bitter. They were still together, but the feeling was not as good as before. He did not know if it was a continuation of a habit or if he had not found a better home. Xia Mang did not want her relationship to be like this. She was afraid that she would face the same situation.
In her confusion, Xia Mang had already dialed Cheng Mo's phone.
"Sammy?" There was a faint noise on the other end of the phone. It was as if you were in a private room, and outside were the resident band and the men and women who were intoxicated.
"Uh, I just wanted to tell you that I'm going to bed.”The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she changed her lines. Xia Mang's ears perked up. It seemed like someone was saying," It's your turn, it's your turn " not far away from Cheng Mo. Xia Mang could vaguely hear that the voice belonged to Raorao, so he was sure that the two of them were not too far away.
"I'm not done yet. Go to bed early. I'll call you tomorrow.”Cheng Mo hung up after saying a few words. Xiamang could hear the alcohol in his voice.
In the past, Xu Wenhao would call her to say goodnight when she was about to go to bed. Xia Mang shook her head. She didn't want to remember the past. She didn't want to remember Xu Wenhao. She couldn't compare herself to him like that. However, she felt a little wronged. She covered her head with the blanket and wondered if Cheng Mo would be like Wen Hao. She knew. She had always known that Raorao still liked Cheng Mo. Although Raorao acted as if nothing had happened and sometimes used Cheng Mo to embarrass her, her woman's intuition told her that Raorao still loved Cheng Mo. It had never changed. He was just selfishly pretending not to know in order to obtain some comfort in his heart.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]