"What are you looking back at? Did you see someone you know?" one of her best friends asked curiously.
Meng Yao smiled and said, "I didn't see anyone I know. I was wondering if I should go back and try on that dress I tried earlier?"
A friend beside her said she was tired, "Oh, my dear, my legs are about to break. Why don't we go to that cafe over there for a drink and rest before we continue shopping?"
"Alright," Meng Yao linked arms with her friend. "There's a cafe ahead, so we'll go in and rest. But you have to promise to shop with me more later."
One of her friends gave her an OK gesture.
The three of them sat down in the cafe. Meng Yao ordered coffee and dessert. While waiting for their order, she got up to go to the restroom.
As soon as she entered the restroom, the smile vanished from her face. The closer the wedding to Jiaxi got, the stranger she felt.
But she knew she shouldn't overthink things, so she had been focusing on preparing for the wedding, appearing happy and ready to marry in front of everyone.
She touched up her makeup in front of the mirror by the sink, then smiled at her reflection, telling herself not to think about irrelevant things, but only about what to wear for her honeymoon on a foreign island with Jiaxi.
Meng Yao had barely walked a few steps out of the restroom when a strong hand suddenly grabbed her arm from behind, dragging her into the adjacent safety exit.
Terrified, she was about to scream when the person pushed her against the wall, covered her mouth, and stared at her, saying, "It's me."
Meng Yao looked up and saw Song Jiaping. The moment their eyes met, sadness, anger, and resentment all surged into her heart.
"Let go of me, what do you want?"
Song Jiaping saw that although her voice was angry, it was kept very low. He then released her.
He had originally just wanted to follow her from afar and take a look at her.
But the moment he saw her, he lost control, as if wanting to pull her into his arms and tell her how much he loved her!
He could even give up those deep-seated grudges for her, but he could only watch her silently.
"I returned from abroad and only stayed in Lancheng for a few days. I'll be leaving tomorrow."
Meng Yao calmed her emotions and said with a faint hum, "You can come back if you want, and leave if you want. What does that have to do with me?"
As she was about to leave the emergency exit, she coldly added, "Oh, have a good trip, and safe travels."
When her hand was on the doorknob, she heard Song Jiaping say, "I saw the news that you're marrying Hong Jiaxi. Why him? I warned you, his personality is prone to extremes, he can't handle much, and he's not someone you can entrust your life to."
Meng Yao removed her hand from the doorknob and turned to look at him, smiling, "He's not someone you can entrust your life to, but can you?"
"I can't either," Song Jiaping answered seriously.
Meng Yao gasped, her heart aching as she said, "Mr. Song, since that's the case, please stop bothering me. I've already forgotten you completely, so why are you showing up in front of me again!"
"Meng Yao, there are more good men in this world than just me and Hong Jiaxi. Why can't you..."
"I can't!" Meng Yao knew what he wanted to say, which was to push her towards other men besides Hong Jiaxi. "He's the only one in this world who loves me deeply!"
"You call that deep love? He can't withstand any temptation or setback..."
Meng Yao interrupted him, glaring at him, "Enough, you're not worthy of criticizing him. You, on the other hand, never loved me, you just played with me..."
Song Jiaping grabbed her again, pulling her into his arms, and kissed her.
Meng Yao was shocked and immediately tried to push him away, "Song Jiaping..."
But he held her tighter and kissed her forcefully the moment she opened her mouth, shattering the words she hadn't managed to speak.
Meng Yao felt herself losing control again, afraid of falling back, and with her remaining rationality, she pushed him away.
Song Jiaping reluctantly let go of her, gazing at her deeply, "Meng Yao, actually I... I love..."
"Don't say it, I don't want to hear it," Meng Yao took a step back. "It's too late for you to say these things, do you understand?"
Song Jiaping said rapidly, "I love you, but I still can't be with you. I have my reasons. I just want to tell you that I never played with you; on the contrary, I've always cherished you. You deserve to be loved and cared for by the best man in the world. Don't get married blindly, don't stake your lifelong happiness on Hong Jiaxi..."
His words "I love you" shattered her last bit of reason, and everything else he said became a blur.
Meng Yao rushed towards him, wrapped her arms around his neck, and stood on tiptoe, kissing him wildly.
Song Jiaping picked her up, and the emotions he had suppressed for so long now flowed like a breached dam.
They kissed passionately, Meng Yao's tears streaming down her face. She had waited so long for those words.
Her tears wet Song Jiaping's cheeks. He cupped her face and kissed her eyes, wanting to kiss away her tears.
Meng Yao hit him hard, pushing him away again. "Jiaping, it's too late, everything is too late! I'm back with Jiaxi... No matter why you treated me that way before, let's never see each other again, and don't come looking for me!"
"I know I have no right to treat you well anymore, nor can I spend the rest of my life with you. But I just hope you find the right person and be happy."
Meng Yao wiped her tears away and looked at him, saying, "Thank you. I feel very happy now. Jiaxi treats me very well. He tells me he loves me without reservation, and he thinks of me and anticipates my needs thoughtfully. We will love each other until we grow old."
"Is that so?" Song Jiaping felt an indescribable pain and disappointment, but he still smiled at her and said, "Then I misjudged him. As long as he makes you happy, that's good. Take care of yourself, and we won't see each other again."
With that, he turned and walked towards the stairs, descending step by step, still not revealing his reasons.
Now, it seemed, time had passed, and his reasons were no longer important. Why should he let Meng Yao know about his parents' dirty secrets? That would only bring her more sadness and pain.
Meng Yao stood there, watching his resolute departure. This time, it was truly goodbye, never to meet again.
She didn't know how long she stood in the emergency exit. Her mind was blank, and she had forgotten about her two friends waiting in the cafe.
Meng Yao only felt her legs go numb before she mechanically walked down the stairs and left the mall alone, wandering aimlessly on the street.
She was completely oblivious to her phone ringing and vibrating in her bag.
He loved her, he truly loved her!
She wasn't being wishful, nor was it unrequited love!
Her feelings for him were not wrong, and her love for him was not misplaced!
She wasn't a fool, nor was she stupid. Although he had never confessed his love to her, they had truly loved each other!
Meng Yao walked through the crowds, crying and laughing intermittently, ignoring the gazes of passersby, unsure whether she should be sad or happy.