Chapter 4

Chapter 4

For the two years after the college entrance exams, I worked part-time jobs like crazy and regularly tried to transfer money to Ji Ye’s bank account to repay my debt.

Every single transfer failed.

He hated me so much that he would rather not have the money.

We completely lost contact-until my Empathy Doll accidentally ended up in his hands.

After a sleepless night of tossing and turning, my dreams were filled with his rumpled bed and powerful thighs.

It was… absurd.

The next day, a classmate referred me for a part-time job.

Walking someone’s dog at their home.

I arrived at an upscale villa complex, only for Ji Ye to open the door.

We hadn’t seen each other in two years. His features had matured, his eyes deep-set and his nose straight and prominent.

I apologized instinctively. “Sorry, I think I have the wrong address.”

“You don’t,” Ji Ye replied flatly.

He didn’t seem surprised to see me there. But when he looked at me, his gaze was sharp and cold.

“Caicai is in my room.”

His tone was just as distant.

Then he turned and walked away, unwilling to say even one more word to me.

The red-eared young man from last night’s video might as well have been a figment of my imagination.

After a moment’s hesitation, I followed him.

The bedroom door had been left slightly ajar.

The room was dim, and Caicai was sleeping soundly in a crib.

I was about to pick up the puppy when my sharp eyes caught sight of what looked like my Empathy Doll beside Ji Ye’s pillow.

It wore a little LV dress, a Miu Miu hair clip, and a Bulgari necklace.

It was as beautiful and exquisitely detailed as a collectible figurine.

Huh? Hadn’t he said the doll had become Caicai’s toy?

I was about to lean closer for a better look when Ji Ye snatched it away and stuffed it into the pocket of his hoodie.

His profile went rigid as he rattled off, “Song Fu, don’t flatter yourself. Those are just old things Caicai got tired of wearing. Caicai insisted on putting them on your doll, so I reluctantly decorated it. That’s all.”

Those strange floating comments appeared before my eyes again.

[Excuse me? She didn’t ask a single question. I won’t say who’s getting defensive.]

[Caicai: Someone speak up for me!!!]

[Hello, I collect unwanted junk. I’ll take that Bulgari necklace, thanks.]

The comments seemed to be implying that Ji Ye was lying to me.

I wanted to find out for sure.

But Ji Ye’s expression was already cold enough to freeze over.

I didn’t dare say anything else. I fastened Caicai’s leash and headed outside.

To my surprise, Ji Ye followed me.

Wait, that wasn’t right.

When my classmate told me about this job, she’d clearly said the owner was too busy to walk his dog and needed someone else to do it.

With that thought, I hurriedly said, “I can walk Caicai by myself. If you’re busy, you can go back.”

Ji Ye narrowed his eyes in displeasure, his tone biting. “Why? You don’t want me following you? You think I’m annoying again?”

…So he still remembered all the humiliating things I’d said to him during our senior year of high school.

It felt as if someone had squeezed my heart.

The emotions I’d forcibly suppressed ever since seeing him surged up again, leaving my chest aching and swollen.

I stopped and looked up at him. “Ji Ye, the things I said during our senior year…”

My phone rang.

It cut off everything I’d been about to say.

It was Dad.

I instinctively declined the call, but the phone rang again the next second.

Ji Ye asked with studied nonchalance, “Why aren’t you answering? Is it your boyfriend?”

I waved him off and went around the corner to answer.

“Ah Fu, have you thought about that man I mentioned last time? He’s a little older, sure, but his family got rich from demolition compensation. If you marry him, you’ll be set for life.”

I couldn’t help raising my voice. “He’s forty-four! He’s old enough to be my father!”

Dad chuckled indulgently. “What do you know? Older men know how to treat a woman well. Besides, he only wants to take you on a trip. You won’t have to spend a cent, and you’ll get a free vacation out of it.”

Only a trip.

He made it sound so innocent.

A man and a woman traveling alone together-the implication was obvious.

When I remained silent, Dad continued, “He likes you now, so hurry up and reel him in. Besides, didn’t you used to-”

My head buzzed.

Blurred, blood-soaked memories flooded my vision.

“Shut up!” I shrieked, cutting him off.

Dad hurriedly said, “All right, all right, I won’t say any more. Calm down. Next month is the anniversary of your mother’s death. You don’t have to see him, but you should at least come home and light some incense for your mother, shouldn’t you?”

No. Mom would forgive me.

Going back with all of you would be the real disrespect to her.

My fingers trembled violently. I tried several times to hit the end-call button before finally succeeding.

I ended the call and turned off my phone.

Only then did I realize Ji Ye hadn’t left. He was standing there waiting for me with Caicai in his arms.

Under the bright sunlight, the young man’s expression was unreadable.

“I’ve never heard you raise your voice at anyone before.” He paused, his voice turning slightly strained. “So it really was your boyfriend?”