LOVE FRAGMENTS

The Night of Hidden Thoughts

After thinking it over, Si Zhenxuan called Si Yueyun’s assistant to confirm the time of the meeting with Xie Erye. They agreed on nine o’clock the next morning and chose to meet at Xie Jianchen’s tea room.

Gu Antong found all of this surprising. Si Zhenxuan had come to Chengdu fully prepared, even bringing along a Ming Dynasty landscape painting by Shen Zhou, a master of the Wumen school. Such paintings usually started at a price of 100,000 yuan. Clearly, Si Zhenxuan had put great effort into securing a collaboration with Xie Erye.

After dinner at the hotel, Si Zhenxuan went back to work, leaving Gu Antong bored. She took a bath, then climbed into bed with a book.

Flipping through the pages, she glanced at Si Zhenxuan and sighed. She wasn’t sure why, but she felt a faint sense of guilt.

Earlier that day, when he had laid out his “three rules,” she had responded by saying, “You’re not my type.”

But the truth was, she didn’t quite know what her “type” was. Her traditional upbringing kept her emotionally distant from men. Si Zhenxuan, however, had everything—good looks, height, a great figure—qualities she wasn’t blind to.

With Lu Qiyan, despite the teasing from others, she knew she felt some fondness for him. But if there really was something between them, why hadn’t he confessed after all these years?

Despite her usual resistance toward men, she had allowed Si Zhenxuan to kiss her a few times—and she realized she didn’t dislike his touch.

Suddenly, she covered her face and let out a soft groan. This was not good. Especially since Si Zhenxuan had shown no romantic interest in her.

As she lay on the bed, lost in thought, she heard a sound behind her. Turning around, she saw Si Zhenxuan unbuttoning his shirt.

“What are you doing?” she asked, clutching the quilt and watching him nervously.

Si Zhenxuan frowned. “Sleeping.”

“Here?” She had shared the bed with him the previous night, but the idea of lying side by side still made her uneasy.

He paused and looked at her. “If you’re uncomfortable, you can sleep on the sofa.”

“Alright,” she agreed quickly and slipped out of bed. But halfway to the door, she stopped. “Wait—why am I the one sleeping on the sofa?”

“I don’t mind,” he said simply, settling comfortably under the covers. He picked up the book she had been reading—Zunsheng Bajian. Filled with ancient prose, it wasn’t light reading. He glanced at her and asked, “This is the kind of book you like?”

“What’s wrong with that? Ancient wisdom is deep and meaningful!” she said defensively, blushing as she snatched the book from him and hugged it to her chest.

It was obvious: he wasn’t going to pretend to be a gentleman by giving up the bed. If she wanted to sleep there, she would have to come back willingly.

She bit her lip and muttered, “Then why should I sleep on the couch?”

She walked back, touched the quilt cautiously, and lay down—her back facing him.

As the night deepened, Gu Antong slowly relaxed. The quiet room and Si Zhenxuan’s steady breathing were unexpectedly comforting.

She opened her eyes and stared at the heavy curtains. Reaching out, she switched on her bedside lamp.

The lamp on Si Zhenxuan’s side lit up as well.

Realizing he wasn’t asleep, she tugged at her quilt and asked softly, “What does it feel like… when you can’t be with someone you like?”

Yesterday, Lu Qiyan had mentioned that Meng Mei and Si Zhenxuan had a history several years ago. Gu Antong wondered if he still had feelings for Miss Bai. Meng Mei was elegant and charming. The thought lingered in her mind.

Si Zhenxuan didn’t answer immediately. He turned off his phone and finally said coldly, “If you ask questions like that again, we might as well get a divorce.”

Her shoulders drooped. Why was he so harsh? Was it that difficult to talk?

Still, she slept surprisingly well. The sound of breathing beside her made her feel safe.

But she had a strange dream. In it, Meng Mei was holding Si Zhenxuan and smiling at her.

“Miss Gu,” she said gently, “since you promised to let him go if he ever found someone he liked, why not speed up the divorce?”

Before Gu Antong could respond, the scene shifted. Two divorce papers appeared. One belonged to Si Yueyun. Si Zhenxuan stood there and asked sternly, “Why?”

Gu Antong bit her lip and whispered, “No reason. It’s just what I want.”

“Then I won’t agree,” he replied, his voice cold and dismissive as he pushed open the bathroom door and walked in.

Compelled, she followed him to the doorway. Why had she agreed to his conditions before, yet now he refused to give her a year?

Seeing her standing there, he put down his toothbrush with a sigh. “If you can’t agree to the terms, then go back to bed and fulfill your responsibilities as a wife.”

Her face turned scarlet. She quickly backed away. “No! I’ll go change. Don’t come out.”

She was stunned that he compared the two situations—as if they were the same. The phrase “there’s still time” felt insulting. Feeling embarrassed and annoyed, she went to the wardrobe and pulled out the outfit she planned to wear.

But as she held the clothes in her arms, a troubling thought struck her.

Why had she rejected Si Zhenxuan so firmly that day? It had been a simple request. He had accepted her condition of one year, even adjusted his own terms—but she had still refused.

If she hadn’t found it worthwhile before, things were different now. She didn’t dislike him. So why couldn’t she go back to being a normal couple?

But she had rejected him so quickly then. Now, she had no face to bring it up again. The regret almost made her want to hit her head against the wall.

It was odd. She was usually calm and rational. But with Si Zhenxuan, she became flustered. No wonder he thought she was pretending to be clever. She must look foolish in his eyes.

She changed into a beautifully modified cheongsam top with ivory buttons, pairing it with a classic Xiangyun gauze skirt. They were visiting Mister Xie today, and judging by his love for tea and Wumen paintings, he clearly appreciated traditional culture. Her outfit suited the occasion and her slender figure emphasized the elegance of the style.

After adjusting her hair, applying light makeup, and choosing a jade necklace and the jade bracelet her mother had given her, Gu Antong finally stood up.

As she turned around, she saw Si Zhenxuan standing behind her. Embarrassed, she hesitated before softly asking, “When did you come in?”