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Hearing Xu Wen's words, An Shaojie sneered and said, "Why are you always doing things for her? You can even talk on her behalf? Do you have a worm in her belly that knows what she wants to discuss with me? Or has she told you everything? If she has the leisure to talk to you, why not just talk to me directly?"
Xu Wen patiently replied, "It's not that she asked me to come find you; I came to see you on my own."
An Shaojie squinted at the sunlight and impatiently asked, "Oh! What do you want from me then?"
Xu Wen stepped forward and asked, "What do you really want with Qinglan?"
An Shaojie laughed twice and retorted, "You're still here for her? Do I need your permission to handle my affairs with her?"
"You..." Xu Wen was so infuriated that he was momentarily speechless.
He knew that talking to An Shaojie would lead to this kind of outcome. He dreaded such conversations because An Shaojie never answered any questions and instead turned them back on him.
"I just want to ask you, do you still love her?" Xu Wen stared blankly into An Shaojie's eyes as he asked.
"Who?" An Shaojie didn't look at Xu Wen but gazed up at the floating white clouds in the sky.
Yes, the sky in Beijing rarely showed such pure white clouds drifting by.
Xu Wen instinctively bit his lip and suppressed his urge to respond, "Qinglan."
"Oh, her. Who told you that I ever loved her?" A shadow from a leaf above fell on his face, making it appear not only indifferent but also somewhat grim.
An Shaojie's sneer deepened. "Whether I love her or not has nothing to do with you."
"If you don't love her anymore, then I will love her. I will take care of her," Xu Wen said, somewhat annoyed.
An Shaojie snorted dismissively, "Haven't you always loved her? Haven't you always taken care of her? It's ridiculous. Do you need my permission to love and care for her? Besides, there are plenty of people taking care of her; you're not the only one."
"What do you mean by that?" Xu Wen asked, taken aback and frowning.
When Xu Wen gathered his thoughts and looked up, he realized An Shaojie had already left. The sunlight flickered on his back.
Xu Wen stood frozen in place for a long time.
"Xu Wen." Suddenly, a clear voice rang out behind him.
Xu Wen turned around to see Qinglan standing behind him in an elegant outfit. Her fair face was as delicate as her attire, giving off a slightly pale impression.
Xu Wen's heart skipped a beat, feeling a tightness within.
It had been a long time since he had been this close to the girl he wanted to cherish. He had only watched her from afar, thinking she was just a bit unhappy and melancholic.
But seeing her up close now made him realize she had lost a lot of weight. Her face, which had just begun to mature and fill out, had returned to the frailness he remembered from their first meeting. Yet her gaze was more resolute and composed than before, so the charm of maturity remained intact, perhaps even tinged with a hint of melancholy from past hardships, devoid of any vulgarity.
Her long straight hair, which had always been simple, was now styled into soft waves that gently swayed in the cool spring breeze.
"Qinglan," Xu Wen finally spoke after a moment.
She walked down the steps and naturally stood shoulder to shoulder with Xu Wen, their proximity feeling comfortable.
But strangely, despite being so close—closer than any other time they had spent together—she did not feel the usual urge to escape, nor the tension and shyness that had characterized her before.
She was calm, breathing evenly, her gaze steady and unwavering, without any hint of ambiguity.
This serene demeanor made Xu Wen feel a sense of distance from her, lacking the previous warmth and affectionate closeness that had once existed between them.
Although he had just expressed his desire to love her, Xu Wen understood that it seemed they had already missed their chance.
“Qinglan,” Xu Wen said, turning his face to look at her.
Qinglan turned slightly and met his gaze, but he found himself momentarily speechless.
After a pause, he finally said, “If you have any difficulties, just tell me.”
He rubbed his hands together, unsure of where to place them.
Seeing him so awkward yet composed made Qinglan suddenly find it amusing, and she couldn't help but stifle a laugh.
When had he ever been in such a situation? He usually remained calm and unperturbed; even when he liked and pursued her, he was as quiet as a maiden, tranquil like an ink wash landscape.
Well, now that their relationship had changed, he felt more uncomfortable.
In fact, he found himself unable to meet her eyes.
“What are you laughing at?” Sensing his own awkwardness, he managed to ask with a bit more composure.
Qinglan: "Because you seemed so serious when you were talking just now. I've never seen you this serious before."
"Ah, was I really that serious?" Xu Wen was surprisingly unaware.
"Alright, you weren't serious just now; I must have misread it," Qinglan decided not to argue with him. "But I feel like you don't really want me to have any difficulties, do you?"
Xu Wen didn't admit to being serious, while Qinglan pretended to be serious, deliberately putting on a stern face.
"Ah, how can you think that?" Xu Wen started to panic a little.
Qinglan burst into laughter, and Xu Wen finally realized she was joking.
"You..." he pointed at her, speechless. "You've started to change for the worse."
After a moment, Qinglan said seriously, "To be honest, if I really had difficulties, would I even need to ask you? You've always been there for me during tough times. Who else could I turn to? Even if one day you say to me, 'Hey, Qinglan, I've found someone I love now. I have a girlfriend and my own life. Can you stop coming to me?' I would still seek you out. Xu Wen, if I don't come to you, who else could I turn to?"
Qinglan smiled gently at Xu Wen, who listened quietly, his expression touched.
"I'm just afraid that one day in the future, you'll find it impossible to escape from me," Qinglan continued with a smile.
"That won't happen," Xu Wen replied firmly. "Even if I can't make eternal promises, I can always be there for you." His voice was deep yet powerful; his words felt more like a promise than an actual commitment. There was an emotion in his tone that made Qinglan's heart flutter slightly, stirring feelings of both affection and sadness. To hide her slightly moist eyes and the impending tremor in her voice, Qinglan changed her usual gentle demeanor and playfully patted Xu Wen on the shoulder with a bold air. "Alright, enough of those sentimental words that make us sad. Let's go eat." She tilted her head playfully yet confidently.
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