Chapter Fifty-One: Sorry, I’m Late

While she was still hesitating in doubt, he had already finished his speech. He personally unfastened her seatbelt. “Before my promise to you changes, get out of my sight—now!”

Almost as if restraining her, he shoved her out of the car and left her by the roadside. He stepped on the gas, leaving her only the exhaust in his wake, departing with effortless cool.

What on earth was happening now? He’d actually left her stranded halfway? But—what did he just say? He said he could never love her? Yes! Good! Very good! That was exactly the outcome she wanted. If he didn't love her, then he wouldn’t go out of his way to get close to her. All she wanted was to keep her distance from him.

As long as that distance existed, as long as boundaries were drawn, and as their relationship grew more distant—no longer sharing the same bed—her heart would return to where it belonged, and she could live her life in peace.

Yet, seeing his cold and decisive expression, why did a dull ache press against her chest? Why did she feel a faint pain?

What was wrong with her? Why did it feel so hard to breathe? Why would she feel this way about him? By all rights, she had just suffered a breakup—shouldn’t she be used to it by now?

Yes! It must have been because she choked during lunch when Yuwen Si made her laugh—she’d even pounded her chest a few times back then. That had to be it! Yes, that was the reason.

* * *

When Mai Xijun returned to the company, a large crowd had gathered in the lobby, crowding around the bulletin board. Frowning in confusion, she headed over to see what was happening.

It turned out that the names for the training program in France had just been posted. After squeezing through the crowd, she found her name in the third spot of the fourth row.

At that moment, she was overcome with joy, her nose tingling and her eyes growing red with emotion.

However, the list had indeed changed; it was no longer the original set of names.

He Jingjing glanced coldly at her own name, swept her gaze over the crowd, and, spotting Mai Xijun just as she was about to leave, dropped her crossed arms and strode haughtily after her.

“Mai Xijun, still won’t admit you pulled strings or played dirty tricks? Why is it that when Luo Youcong was in charge, there was no place for me, but now my name’s on the list? Still won’t admit you and Luo Youcong have something going on? Deliberately trying to embarrass me, aren’t you?”

He Jingjing seized Mai Xijun’s shoulder, manicured nails digging deep into her skin through the thin fabric.

Mai Xijun winced at the pain, grabbed He Jingjing’s hand, and flung it away, rubbing the spot she’d gripped—already turning red.

He Jingjing laughed out loud at the scene, drawing the crowd’s attention. “Pathetic. Always so dramatic.”

Biting the inside of her lip, Mai Xijun started to turn away, but as if anticipating her move, He Jingjing caught her shoulder again.

“Didn’t they say you were our new president’s woman? Why does he look at you like you’re invisible? Hm?”

“Maybe you just made that up for attention? Look at you—so shabby and pitiful! Do you really think anyone would love you? Didn’t you once curse Xue Lizan to abandon you—and me too? Now it looks like you’re the one who got tossed aside first. But… seeing you suffer, I can finally rest easy! Hahahaha!”

Mai Xijun’s silence and endurance only made He Jingjing grow bolder, stabbing her with the very words Mai Xijun had once used, mocking her for “losing out on both ends.” Eyes wide and jaw clenched, Mai Xijun endured He Jingjing’s arrogance without a word.

What He Jingjing wanted most was to see Mai Xijun broken and defeated, but the more she spoke, the more she found Mai Xijun laughable—so much so that tears welled up as she laughed.

Yet in this moment, no matter how unrestrained He Jingjing’s insults became, Mai Xijun could ignore them all—except for Xue Lizan. He, who had once brought her so much warmth and care, was within her line of sight…

He was looking at her, watching as she was mocked and humiliated, yet he said nothing. That wasn’t right—the Xue Lizan she knew would never be like this.

“Yes, I’ve been abandoned, many times in fact! I have nothing. I’m not worthy of love. So please, I beg your gracious mercy, spare me and let me return to peace. I’ll thank your ancestors for eight generations!”

Who could rival her in cold pride and heartlessness?

She’d grown up drifting from place to place, seeing all the hardships and indifference the world had to offer—what was left for her to be blind to?

In this world, the gaze of an orphan is far sharper than that of other children. Growing up without care or comfort, most end up closing themselves off, living life with their own defenses.

Mai Xijun was not a particularly warm person, but for those she loved, she could be strong and cheerful. Yet deep down, she was shaped by what life had given her, so when others attacked her, she could remain calm and not bare her fangs.

When danger bore down on her, she would either walk away—or, if accepting the challenge, reveal her sharpened teeth. If that was enough to drive her attacker away, so be it. But if pressed to the brink, she would fight back without hesitation—either tearing out her enemy’s throat or being struck down herself.

This silent battle of wills was full of invisible gunpowder. In the face of war, who could lose year after year without ever rising again?

The lobby was so quiet it was unsettling, like a cold front sweeping through, catching everyone off guard. The two women’s covert duel made the onlookers wary, none daring to intervene.

“Don’t you all have work to do? What are you standing around for?” a man’s voice echoed from the entrance, carrying through the air and into everyone’s ears.

He Jingjing was the first to look away, her eyes full of disdain as she glanced at the man who’d just arrived, then back at Mai Xijun’s face.

“Mai Xijun, I’m telling you now! I don’t care if you tampered with the list last time, but as long as you work here, I’ll make sure you never have a peaceful day! My happiness will always be built on your misery!”

He Jingjing tossed out her threat with a cold, proud snort, turned on her heel, and left, her contempt making it clear she would always see Mai Xijun as her defeated rival.

The lobby returned to normal, people gradually dispersing and returning to their tasks.

Mo Shaoxing approached Mai Xijun with steady steps. “Little Pudding, sorry—Little Stone is late.”