Rebirth: Pampered by My Children and Husband

Chapter 252: Chapter 252 “I Like You

Her roommate was still telling Ji Yuqiao about the information she had gathered, like seeing Wen Li going to the library with another boy and hearing directly from a classmate working in Xiao Yu’s studio that they had broken up…

“Rumors are spreading like wildfire around the school, I think most of them are true.”

“You have been hoping for so long, haven’t you always been waiting for them to break up? Now is your chance!”

“I’ve found out for you, Xiao Yu has been invited by the teachers from his department to give a small lecture at the school about entrepreneurship. Just sneak in then…” Her roommate was endlessly chatting to Ji Yuqiao.

“No need, I’m no longer interested in him,” Ji Yuqiao’s voice sounded indifferent.

Her roommate stopped mid-sentence, not finishing her thought. “What… what?”

“I said I no longer like him, and you don’t need to tell me anything about him anymore,” Ji Yuqiao said.

Her roommate was stunned. “Ah? No longer like him? Why…”

Ji Yuqiao cut her off, “The teacher is here, let’s focus on the lecture.”

Her roommate glanced at the stern-looking teacher on the podium and reluctantly closed her mouth, dropping the idea of gossiping further.

First, there were two English classes, followed by two advanced mathematics classes. Many students in the classroom had already lost concentration, some sleeping, others playing with their phones…

Her roommate yawned. Just as she was about to lay her head down to sleep, she caught sight of Ji Yuqiao attentively listening to the lecture and was momentarily taken aback.

Suddenly, she felt like Ji Yuqiao had changed.

Previously in class, Ji Yuqiao would either inquire about Xiao Yu with them or be incessantly texting Xiao Yu on her phone, sometimes even skipping class to visit him at his part-time job.

But now, all those behaviors were gone.

She had become like a model student, solely focused on her studies.

Watching Ji Yuqiao taking notes intently, her roommate straightened up from her leaning position and couldn’t help but pick up her pen to start taking notes as well.

An hour passed, and the bell rang for the end of the class.

Her roommate stretched her limbs, having not studied this hard in a long time. She didn’t realize it could be this exhausting. “Yuqiao, let’s go back to the dorm together.”

“Sorry, I’m going to be living at home from now on and won’t be staying in the dorm,” Ji Yuqiao said as she packed up her stationery and then left the classroom with her small backpack.

As she walked toward the school gate, she sent a message to Lin Xu about going home.

When she looked up, she saw Xiao Yu also walking toward the school gate at an intersection.

Their eyes met and both paused for a moment.

Ji Yuqiao recalled her roommate mentioning that the teacher had invited Xiao Yu to give a lecture at school, so it wasn’t strange to encounter him here.

She averted her gaze and continued walking out decisively.

Xiao Yu opened his mouth, but still ended up calling out to her, “Ji… Yuqiao…”

Ji Yuqiao didn’t stop walking.

Xiao Yu caught up to her, his expression hesitating, “Can you wait a moment, I have something to tell you.”

Ji Yuqiao stopped, silently looking at him without speaking.

“I got a lot of things wrong before, and I’ve done many things to hurt you, I’m sorry…” Xiao Yu took out a document from his bag and handed it to her, “I don’t know if saying anything will make a difference, but consider this project as my compensation.”

Ji Yuqiao didn’t accept it, coldly stating, “I don’t need it.”

As for projects, Ji Tingyang could negotiate them himself; she certainly didn’t need his charity or compensation.

“Please, take it,” Xiao Yu extended the document in his hand again.

“What exactly do you want to do?” Ji Yuqiao looked annoyed, waving his hand away, and the file fell to the ground.

The air around them abruptly went silent.

The ringtone of Ji Yuqiao’s cellphone broke the silence.

She glanced down at the caller ID—it was a call from Zhao Jiayan.

Xiao Yu saw it too.

Remembering how familiar she had looked with Zhao Jiayan before, a sudden pain stabbed his chest like a needle.

And when he saw her answering the call, Xiao Yu subconsciously grabbed her wrist.

Ji Yuqiao paused, her expression one of bewildered shock as she looked at him.

Xiao Yu’s thoughts gathered back, his eyes and eyebrows tinted with panic, yet his hand still clenched hers, not letting go.

Ji Yuqiao frowned displeasedly, “You…”

“I like you.”

Xiao Yu’s confession came unexpectedly.

With those words, the surroundings fell into a deathly silence.

The ringtone also stopped.

Ji Yuqiao’s pupils contracted slightly, and it took her a long while to regain her composure. “You, you…”

After saying this, Xiao Yu seemed relieved, the panic and hesitation in his eyes receded, his expression fiercely determined, “I’m not joking, I’m serious.”

Ji Yuqiao’s shock gradually returned to calm, her gaze towards him now contained a mixture of complexity.

How ridiculous.

She used to like him so much, and he couldn’t have been more avoidant.

She had suffered so much, nearly bankrupting her brother’s company over it, and now that she had finally let go, he was telling her he liked her.

Ji Yuqiao tugged at the corner of her lips, revealing a hint of mockery, “So what?”

“What?”

“You like me, so what?” Ji Yuqiao’s tone was scornful, “You’re not expecting me to be overcome with gratitude, thanking you for confessing, and to be with you, are you?”

“I didn’t mean that, I just wanted to tell you how I feel.” Xiao Yu quickly explained, “I know I’ve disappointed you before, I will…”

“Not disappointed, disgusted.” Ji Yuqiao corrected him.

Xiao Yu’s body stiffened, his face suddenly turning unpleasant, “I, I will strive to make it up to you, until you forgive me.”

“Give it up, I will never forgive you. Just like you told me before, you said even if humanity went extinct, you wouldn’t like me. I feel the same, even if humanity goes extinct, I would never like you.” After saying this, Ji Yuqiao turned away emotionlessly and left.

Xiao Yu’s fingertips trembled slightly, bitterness brewing in his heart, churning ceaselessly no matter how hard he tried to suppress it.

Inexplicably.

He suddenly resented his past self for hurting Ji Yuqiao, for saying he’d “never like her.”

If he hadn’t done that, would the outcome now be different?

Xiao Yu shifted his feet, wanting to chase after her and retain her, but his legs were as if frozen, unable to move.

Until Ji Yuqiao’s figure disappeared from his sight, he awkwardly tugged at the corner of his lips, forcing a self-mocking smile.

Swallowing back all the bitterness and pain that were cresting up his throat, he dragged his heavy steps, walking towards the school gate step by step.

 

Source: Webn0vel.com, updated on Novg0.co