Wen Zhouyuan felt a pang of distress. He remembered her from years ago, how serious she used to be about relationships.
The more stark the contrast, the deeper Wen Zhouyuan’s self-blame became. His voice hoarse, he apologized to Feng Feng, "I'm sorry."
This, however, left Feng Feng bewildered. "Why are you apologizing to me?"
Wen Zhouyuan remained silent, merely gazing at her, a swirl of complex emotions in his eyes.
Feng Feng suddenly understood. "You think I became this way because of what happened back then?"
Wen Zhouyuan didn't answer, but his expression said it all.
Feng Feng chuckled softly. "It has nothing to do with you. You don't need to apologize to me."
Wen Zhouyuan: "And you don't need to comfort me."
Feng Feng: "I'm not comforting you. I'm just stating the facts."
"At that time, I was just over twenty. Now I'm almost thirty. How can a person not change over so many years?" Feng Feng said. "My work pressure is immense, and I need an outlet. Women need sex too."
Wen Zhouyuan: "..."
Her words were so candid that he didn't know how to respond.
Feng Feng: "If this matter bothers you, I can pretend you never said those things."
Wen Zhouyuan reacted quickly, understanding her meaning immediately.
She was telling him that if he couldn't accept that she and Shen Su had been casual partners, he didn't need to pursue her anymore. Her attitude suggested she was completely indifferent to the matter.
Wen Zhouyuan stared at her for a few seconds before asking, "Do you like him?"
Feng Feng smiled faintly. "That doesn't sound like a question you'd ask."
Wen Zhouyuan: "Do you like him?"
He offered no explanation, instead repeating the question with a hint of stubbornness.
Feng Feng: "I know my place."
Wen Zhouyuan: "And him?"
Feng Feng: "What he thinks has nothing to do with me. If he comes looking for you next time, you don't need to say much to him."
Feng Feng hadn't expected Shen Su to be so petty. It was one thing for him to pester her, but to go to Wen Zhouyuan? He was probably so stubborn that he truly believed she had ended things with him because Wen Zhouyuan had "returned."
In reality, even if Wen Zhouyuan hadn't contacted her, she would have ended it once she realized Shen Su wanted love and a stable relationship from her.
If he couldn't give it, there was no point in wasting each other's time.
Wen Zhouyuan softly replied, "Okay, I'll do as you say."
Later, he told Feng Feng again, "I've never minded these things. I'm just one of your suitors. The kind of life you choose is not for me to interfere with. You can do whatever you want, and my feelings won't change."
Wen Zhouyuan's voice was pleasant, and his tone was gentle as he said this, reminiscent of how he used to patiently guide her.
Feng Feng's heart wasn't made of stone. With Wen Zhouyuan humbling himself so much, she couldn't bring herself to say anything harsh.
After a long pause, Feng Feng said, "Thank you."
After sitting and chatting with him at Wen Zhouyuan's place for over an hour, Feng Feng drove back to her apartment. It wasn't far from her place; in about ten minutes, she was home.
As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she encountered Shen Su, who was leaning against the doorframe in the hallway.
Judging by his demeanor, he had likely been waiting for a long time.
Seeing Shen Su, Feng Feng immediately recalled his visit to Wen Zhouyuan, and her gaze towards him grew even colder.
Before Feng Feng could speak, Shen Su walked towards her with a smile.
With one hand in his pocket, his gaze lingered ambiguously on her lips. "Where was Ms. Feng busy until this late hour?"
"Do you need something?" Feng Feng didn't want to engage with him here, her attitude distinctly cold.
Shen Su moved closer, his long fingers touching her lips, pressing them lightly or firmly, smearing her lipstick.
Feng Feng frowned and tried to swat his hand away, but he caught her wrist and pulled her into his embrace.
The man's strong arms encircled her waist, and he suddenly lowered his head, leaning in close. "Ms. Feng, let me remind you, I haven't said we're finished. Friday night, you should be beneath me."
His arrogant tone made it clear he was here to cause trouble.
Feng Feng knew men's inherent weaknesses, especially someone like Shen Su.
Therefore, she calmly told him, "I just got out from under Wen Zhouyuan. If you don't find it disgusting, I don't mind."
Shen Su's gaze suddenly sharpened, followed by a more intense smile, though the corners of his eyes were tinged red, making the smile resemble a signal before a hunt.
It was obvious she had provoked him with her taunting words.
Yet, Feng Feng remained composed, unfazed by his anger, which only frustrated Shen Su further.
He stared at her lips, his gaze drifting downward to her chest. "Your needs are so strong, can he handle it?"
"He can handle more than you think," Feng Feng replied. "Don't think too highly of yourself."
Shen Su: "Are you with him now?"
Feng Feng: "It's fine if you think so."
Shen Su's lips pressed into a thin line, his dark eyes brewing with countless emotions, ready to erupt at any moment.
Feng Feng was unconcerned. Since he was here, she decided to give him a final warning. "Don't go looking for Wen Zhouyuan again in the future."
Shen Su's expression changed. Had Wen Zhouyuan told her about this?
After that, they got together?
What, did Feng Feng choose this method to prove her deep affection for Wen Zhouyuan?
"I admit, the feeling was good with you, but only on a physiological level. What you want, I can't give. You're smart, you should find someone else," Feng Feng said.
What you want, I can't give.
Shen Su let out a self-deprecating laugh. Feng Feng had said this to him before.
He questioned, "What I want, you can't give, but what Wen Zhouyuan wants, you can? Is that it?"
Feng Feng: "You're not comparable."
Shen Su's laughter grew more mocking. "Yes, not comparable. One is a tool for you to vent your desires, and the other is your unattainable white moonlight. How could I possibly compare to him."
Feng Feng: "..."
Shen Su's words were laced with a bitter jealousy, and with his reddened eyes, he looked like a truly envious man.
Looking at him in this state, Feng Feng felt a profound sense of unfamiliarity. She preferred the initial Shen Su, the one who was carefree and understood the rules of the game.
At the same time, she became even more certain that ending things with him was the right decision; their goals had diverged.
Shen Su eventually left. Feng Feng thought that this time, he probably wouldn't come looking for her again.
Upon returning home, she felt a sense of relief.
For the next half a month, as Feng Feng had predicted, Shen Su didn't contact her. When they crossed paths at work, Shen Su treated her as a stranger, exchanging only necessary work-related communication and no superfluous words.
One day, Shen Su visited the firm.
As Feng Feng was leaving work, she happened to run into him in the parking garage. Qiao Shu was with him.
Qiao Shu was likely there to pick him up. Shen Su was chatting with her as they got into the car, and they appeared to be enjoying each other's company.