Vol. 1 - Chapter 223 - Marry me

"HuMing, you're really okay?" The moment Xia XiaoXi saw him, her expression visibly brightened.

However, her words didn’t exactly sound all that kind.

"What do you mean, 'I'm really okay'? Are you saying you'd be happy if something happened to me?"

"No, no! I'm just excited. Come on, admit it—this time I actually helped you, didn’t I?" Xia XiaoXi was like a child seeking praise, clearly thrilled despite having contributed very little effort.

HuMing nodded and didn’t deny her claim. After all, Xia XiaoXi’s involvement hadn’t been part of his original plan.

Their relationship was at best that of casual friends, and he hadn’t expected her to go to such lengths to help him. More importantly, she had chosen to believe in him.

If, from the start, she had sided with Han ShuYi, it would have taken much longer to break Han ShuYi’s defenses.

So HuMing had no issue feeling genuinely grateful toward Xia XiaoXi.

Hearing his acknowledgment, Xia XiaoXi let out a relieved sigh, her excitement growing even more evident.

"Hmm? Are you two that close now?"

A voice sounded from behind HuMing, prompting him to turn around instinctively. He met Ye QiuXue’s calm gaze.

Her expression was composed, no different from usual, yet HuMing couldn’t shake the feeling that her eyes carried a hint of danger.

Scratching his head, he offered an awkward smile.

"Not really. It’s just that Xia XiaoXi helped me out a lot, so I’m here to thank her."

"Is that so..." Ye QiuXue glanced at Xia XiaoXi, who looked back at her in silence.

For some reason, the two girls, who usually had plenty to chat about, seemed unusually quiet in this moment.

Sensing the awkward atmosphere, HuMing chuckled and suggested, "How about this—since I owe both of you my thanks, let me treat you two to a meal today!"

"Really? Count me in!" Xia XiaoXi immediately agreed, her enthusiasm clear.@@novelbin@@

Ye QiuXue, however, appeared hesitant.

Noticing her reluctance, HuMing turned to her and asked, "What’s wrong? Is something the matter?"

"It’s nothing, just a minor issue. I’ll join you later," Ye QiuXue replied before turning and walking away.

Watching her retreating figure, HuMing frowned slightly.

Ye QiuXue did, in fact, have a troublesome matter to deal with—she couldn’t even go home.

Downstairs from her apartment, a man and his wife were waiting for her. After being scolded and chased off last time, they stayed away for a while. But upon her return, they resumed their harassment.

Though she had made her stance abundantly clear, they remained relentless.

To make matters worse, they had even brought a mediator to confront her.

When the mediator had said something along the lines of "Let bygones be bygones; don’t hold onto grudges," Ye QiuXue had felt her worldview shatter.

She understood the typical appeals for family harmony.

But asking her to simply move on? She couldn’t accept that.

Why, after struggling so hard to get to where she was, should she now be expected to acknowledge their claims?

Back when she had nothing—when classmates mocked her for not having parents—where were they? Living happily with their child and spouse.

And now they dared to demand she let it all go with a casual "bygones"?

Who did they think they were? God? Buddha?

For the first time in her life, Ye QiuXue lost her temper in front of others. Fixing her gaze on the group, she lashed out:

"You made your choice back then. Now you’re here looking for me, just so you can secure a school placement for your son? Let me ask you—why should I agree? I grew up in the countryside, enduring years of mockery for not having parents. And where were you? Enjoying a harmonious family life!"

"And you—spouting nonsense about letting go of the past—do you even understand what I’ve been through? If you haven’t suffered it yourself, don’t preach forgiveness. Are you even qualified for this job?"

"Now, get out of here. Right now. Or I’m calling the police!"

Her mention of involving the authorities caused their faces to change drastically.

Ye Feng stood silently, watching his daughter berate them, torn between complicated emotions.

His wife, however, continued to badmouth Ye QiuXue, calling her ungrateful and ill-mannered.

Her words, ironically, made Ye QiuXue laugh.

"Exactly. I wasn’t taught by my parents. So what? Got a problem? Go complain to them!"

The retort shut Ye Feng’s wife up instantly.

Ye QiuXue stormed back to her apartment, finally enjoying some peace and quiet.

Yet that tranquility was short-lived. Seeing the woman lurking downstairs again today, Ye QiuXue had no choice but to run.

As she fled, she couldn’t shake the feeling that avoiding the issue made her look like a coward.

Until she resolved the situation, running would be her only option.

She glanced down at her sneakers, once pristine white but now marred with stubborn stains, even after countless washes.

Some things simply couldn’t be cleaned away.

Sometimes, you have to let go. But being the sentimental person she was, Ye QiuXue found it hard to sever those emotional ties.

"Is it about your family?"

The sudden voice startled her.

Turning, she found HuMing standing nearby, earning him a sharp glare. She smacked his arm and complained, "Why sneak up on me like that? You nearly scared me to death!"

"You seemed distracted, so I came to check on you. Let me guess—it’s about your dad, not your grandma, right?"

"Of course not! I’m not that fragile," she insisted stubbornly.

But HuMing pinched her cheek, forcing her to meet his gaze.

"Still denying it? Look at your face—you’re not yourself lately."

Caught off guard, Ye QiuXue stared at him, unsure how to respond.

It was as if he had seen right through her. She’d wanted to keep it from him, but he had uncovered the truth anyway.

"I told you before—if you’re in trouble, come to me. What, afraid you’ll owe me? Then pay me back later!"

"And if I can’t repay you?"

"Come on! You’re already thinking about not paying me back? That’s robbery!" HuMing feigned despair before grinning.

"If you can’t repay me, then just marry me!"