Chapter 317 - The Tea is Getting Cold

In Sanya, Yinan, warm sunlight bathed the seaside resort with its white buildings, and tall coconut trees swayed gracefully. Here, there was no sense of winter, no chill in the air.

Outside a luxurious sea-view suite, a spacious balcony was adorned with two loungers under parasols. At the forefront of the balcony, there was a small pool of about fifteen square meters, its crystal-clear water reflecting shimmering ripples.

Two slender women in pink and light blue swimsuits, their hair slightly damp, lay on the chairs wearing sunglasses, enjoying the tranquil afternoon sun.

They were Lin Ruoxi and Mo Qianni, here on vacation.

"Ruoxi, this feels so comfortable. It's been a while since we relaxed like this, drinking afternoon tea and sunbathing together," Mo Qianni said softly.

Lin Ruoxi picked up a porcelain tea cup from the small table beside her, took a sip of the brightly colored English breakfast tea, and softly murmured, "Mm."

Mo Qianni knew Lin Ruoxi's reserved nature well, so she continued nonchalantly, "Some of the others mentioned attending the beach bonfire party tonight. Are you going?"

Setting down her tea cup, Lin Ruoxi shook her head. "No, you go ahead. I'll pass."

"Even though I know that's not really your scene, since we're all here together, why not join in? I think everyone would be happy to have you there," Mo Qianni encouraged.

"I'd rather not. You know how I am. My presence would just make everyone tense, and I don't want to awkwardly affect the atmosphere," Lin Ruoxi said with a slight smile.

Mo Qianni sighed softly. "Alright then, I won't go either. I'll stay here with you."

"You should go. You're the team leader this time, I'm just here to unwind," Lin Ruoxi replied.

Mo Qianni's face showed a hint of concern as she hesitated, asking worriedly, "Ruoxi, you seem quite upset. Did you have an argument with someone? The old you wouldn't have come on this trip without a reason."

Lin Ruoxi's eyes behind her sunglasses revealed no emotion as she bit her lip and remained silent.

Mo Qianni sighed lightly. "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it. I'm just worried about you, that's all..."

"I know," Lin Ruoxi suddenly spoke up. "Qian'ni, I'm fine."

"That's good then," Mo Qianni forced a smile.

Lin Ruoxi turned away and looked at Mo Qianni, saying, "Qianni, if you like Yang Chen and want to marry him in the future, I think he likes you a lot too."

Mo Qianni was shaken to her core, thinking she had misheard. She took off her sunglasses, her eyes filled with astonishment as she stared at Lin Ruoxi's serene and beautiful face. She asked, "Ruoxi, what did you just say?"

They had always avoided the topic of Yang Chen when together, cherishing their years of friendship. Despite the emotional shift caused by one man, they both carefully guarded their bond. Now, Lin Ruoxi suddenly mentioned divorcing Yang Chen and suggested Mo Qianni be with him.

Seemingly unaffected by Mo Qianni's emotional reaction, Lin Ruoxi continued calmly, "He said he wants to divorce me in a few months. His reasons seem ridiculous to me, and since he has no attachment, I have even less reason to stay. After our divorce, he'll be free. If you like him, I will support you."

Mo Qianni heard this news for the first time. Normally, hearing such news might bring some happiness, as it could mean being with the man she loved. However, seeing Lin Ruoxi's indifferent demeanor, she couldn't feel joy. Instead, she felt pain.

"Ruoxi, what's going on between you and Yang Chen? Why are you suddenly like this? You're not someone who takes relationships lightly," Mo Qianni couldn't help but ask.

Lowering her head, Lin Ruoxi replied, "I don't know either. Let's just divorce. From the beginning, I never thought we would have a good ending."

With that said, Lin Ruoxi stood up from her seat and walked towards the room.

"I'm a bit tired. I'm going to rest," she said without looking back.

Before Lin Ruoxi could reach the room, Mo Qianni stood up as well, her expression somewhat solemn.

"Wait," Mo Qianni called out to Lin Ruoxi.

Lin Ruoxi paused in her steps, didn't turn around, and asked softly, "Is there something else?"

"Ruoxi, regardless of the reason, I hope you won't give up easily. If you don't love him and he doesn't love you, you wouldn't have come this far. At least, that's what I believe. I started as the third person, but I've never regretted it because I believe everyone has the right to pursue love. Of course, I won't interfere with your relationship."

As long as he wanted to go home, or be with you, I never stood in his way. I even rarely called him proactively, and I tried to avoid seeing him at the company as much as possible. Sometimes, I wonder why, despite wanting to possess him, I still endure the pain and struggle to help maintain your relationship. But I have always foolishly done so, even though I can't stand my own weakness.

But today, you suddenly told me you wanted to divorce Yang Chen, without even clearly explaining the reason. I felt heartbroken, and deeply sorrowful, for you, and for myself. I feel like everything I've done from the beginning has been a mistake."

At this point, Mo Qianni's eyes were already brimming with tears. Lin Ruoxi tilted her head back, remaining silent.

"Lin Ruoxi," a determined look flashed in Mo Qianni's eyes, "if one day, you divorce Yang Chen, and then Yang Chen and I end up together, and I become his wife, I hope you understand that it's not because you stepped aside, but because I fought for my own love with my efforts. That would not be a concession; it would be my 'trophy'!"

Lin Ruoxi turned around and smiled brilliantly, "Qianni, you once said that if you became the president of Yu Lei, you definitely wouldn't do as well as I did. Because you said you're not as good as I am. But today, I feel that I am not as good as you."

After saying that, Lin Ruoxi turned and walked back to the room.

In the sky, thick clouds had drifted in, gradually covering the sunlight, and the air began to feel damp and chilly. In the courtyard, Yang Chen looked up at the gloomy sky and then walked into the quaint and elegant mansion.

"Sit down, I'll make tea for you."

The woman in a light blue dress slowly knelt down at the low table. Her fair, slender arms and graceful legs stood out sharply in the dimly lit room. On the table, tea utensils were neatly arranged, and selected fresh tea leaves were ready. Yang Chen suppressed his wildly beating heart and knelt down calmly, facing the woman. His gaze occasionally fell on her cold and beautiful face, and sometimes on her skillful tea-making techniques. The fragrance of the tea wafted through the air, refreshing and pleasant.

"I didn't expect that my Seventeen, besides killing, could also make tea," Yang Chen said.

"During my more than a year in Japan, I forgot how to kill, but learned how to make tea," Seventeen placed a small bowl of tea in front of Yang Chen, "And also, I am not your Seventeen."

Yang Chen gave a self-deprecating smile, "You still have the same temper. You must dislike me, maybe even hate me, right? After all, if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have gone through that ordeal. I thought you had left me forever. I never expected to see you here again."

"I also never thought I could survive in that situation, let alone see you again," Seventeen said coldly, her head lowered.

"Why did you refuse to meet me the first two times?" Yang Chen asked.

Seventeen looked up at Yang Chen's eyes, which were brimming with suppressed emotion. "I hadn't decided whether I wanted to see you again."

"And now?"

"I feel like I have nothing to avoid with you. I haven't done anything wrong, and meeting you might actually help me let go of all my lingering feelings," Seventeen replied.

Yang Chen exhaled deeply and nodded, "You're right. From beginning to end, it was all my fault. You were just the victim."

The two fell into silence. Before meeting, Yang Chen had been so eager, but now that they were face to face, he found he had nothing to say.

"The tea will get cold; you should drink it," Seventeen said.

Yang Chen nodded, his mind filled with memories of the past. He picked up the tea cup and drank it in one gulp.

"This is tea tasting, not drinking like that," Seventeen said, frowning.

"I'm not in the mood to savor it," Yang Chen said, setting down the cup and staring intently at Seventeen's indifferent face. Gathering his courage, he asked, "Since you're alive, what about our child?"