After the Breakup, the Possessive Heiress Regretted It - Chapter 30
Chapter 30: Reunion 1.2
In a daze, she could only clearly hear Ji Lan telling her—
“My dear daughter, this should be my little surprise for you. Are you satisfied?”
If she were still in college now, hearing this song would make her so excited she couldn’t sleep.
Or if it were three years ago, she might have pestered the person to sing it again after the song finished.
But now it was different; everything had changed.
She was now in Nancheng, surrounded by her family.
This was Ji Wanmian at twenty-seven, someone who would no longer act impulsively for fleeting emotions.
But why, why did the present still overlap with the past?
Like at this very moment, Pei Jinyue, who suddenly appeared before her, singing a song of blessing.
They were originally people from two different worlds, separated for many years. Shouldn’t they have no connection at all?
But why, as soon as she looked up, could she see a living Pei Jinyue, holding a guitar, smiling at her from afar, across all the people in front?
If Ji Wanmian were still in the mindset she was in right after the breakup, she would surely stand up awkwardly and then quickly run out of the restaurant, not daring to look at Pei Jinyue, much less stay.
But the current Ji Wanmian was different. She was merely astonished, but after the surprise passed, she slightly lifted her chin, leaned against the back of her chair, and looked directly at Pei Jinyue.
Perhaps in the past, her shyness stemmed from a lingering affection, but at this moment, Ji Wanmian’s gaze towards Pei Jinyue held nothing but pure hatred.
Love and hate are distinctly different.
Love often makes one fear making even a small mistake in front of a loved one, daring only to carefully do things that please the other person. But the more one does so, the more awkward and embarrassed one becomes.
Hate is different. Hate breeds a desire to win, only wishing for the other person to suffer and feel pain.
The strongest hatred, perhaps, is feeling disgusted just by seeing the other person.
Just like Ji Wanmian now.
Although she wasn’t yet clear about Pei Jinyue’s purpose in appearing here, she was very clear that she didn’t want to see Pei Jinyue. Even if the other person was smiling at her in a placating manner, she still found it uncomfortable to look at.
Ji Lan thought Ji Wanmian hadn’t heard clearly, so she repeated, “My dear daughter, are you satisfied with this surprise?”
Ji Wanmian withdrew her gaze from Pei Jinyue, as if she didn’t want to linger for a moment. Hearing Ji Lan’s question, she didn’t answer directly, but asked, “How did she get here?”
Ji Lan explained, “It was also introduced by one of your high school classmates, who said this person’s name is Pei Jinyue. When I heard the name, it sounded familiar, and after thinking carefully, I remembered she was the Little Pei classmate you often used to mention to me.”
Ji Wanmian squeezed her chopsticks, thinking to herself—Pei Jinyue actually went directly to her high school classmate.
Ji Lan added, “She said she wanted to sing a song for you on your birthday, but asked me to keep it a secret from you. Actually, at that time, I was thinking of celebrating your birthday at home, but worried about disturbing the neighbors. She suggested coming to this hot pot restaurant and even said she knew the owner and could book it for us for a day. I also thought it was a good idea, and didn’t have to worry about disturbing the neighbors, so I agreed to her. I’ll transfer the money to her when it’s over.”
After hearing the whole story, Ji Wanmian smiled speechlessly. Putting everything else aside, with Pei Jinyue’s financial power, she didn’t even need to know the owner; she could just buy the place outright.
Ji Lan looked back at the person still singing and then asked Ji Wanmian, “So, should Little Pei come and eat with us? You’re the birthday girl today, you decide.”
Ji Wanmian didn’t even look up at Pei Jinyue; instead, she continued picking food, and replied, “No, I don’t think so. She doesn’t like hot pot. Since she wants to sing, let her keep singing.”
Ji Lan didn’t say much more; after all, it was Ji Wanmian’s birthday today, so she let her have her way.
Meanwhile, Wen Su’s expression subtly changed, as if she understood something.
For a long time, the singing indeed did not stop.
And Pei Jinyue indeed had no chance to say a single word to Ji Wanmian.
Ji Wanmian naturally wouldn’t spare her any extra glances, focusing instead on eating her hot pot.
But Pei Jinyue didn’t choose to leave because she was being ignored. She slowly walked to Ji Wanmian’s side and called her name several times.
Ji Wanmian didn’t want to bother with her, but the relatives and friends around them all turned to look in their direction.
As expected of Pei Jinyue.
She was very good at grasping Ji Wanmian’s thoughts, knowing that she definitely wouldn’t make no response under everyone’s watchful eyes.
But as for how to respond…
Ji Wanmian lifted her lips slightly, looked up at Pei Jinyue, and politely said, “Would you like to sit down and eat a couple of bites?”
Pei Jinyue nodded quickly and said “Okay.”
But when she put down her guitar, she found that Ji Wanmian’s table had no empty seats. Just as she was about to ask, the person in front of her spoke first.
“You can sit at my friend’s table, there are still seats there,” Ji Wanmian pointed to the next table, and seeing their red soup base, she smiled again and added, “Besides, didn’t you used to dislike hot pot because you were afraid of spice? You can go over there and try the taste. Only after you try it will you know if it’s suitable for you.”
Pei Jinyue froze for two seconds, then replied, “Okay, I can try.”
Just as Pei Jinyue turned to walk to the next table, Ji Wanmian called out to her again, smiling faintly, “If you still can’t eat it, then just go home, don’t force yourself.”
After saying this, Ji Wanmian lifted her chin with satisfaction.
She believed Pei Jinyue had understood her underlying meaning and would go home in anger after feeling embarrassed.
However, she had underestimated a certain person’s thick skin.
Pei Jinyue, however, smiled even wider, as if she had only understood the superficial meaning of Ji Wanmian’s words, and thanked her, saying, “Thank you for your concern, little birthday girl.”
Ji Wanmian: “…”
Even now, she didn’t know Pei Jinyue’s purpose for appearing here, but after three years, Pei Jinyue had become even more baffling.
After Pei Jinyue left, Ji Wanmian turned around and realized that everyone at their table was looking at her with subtle expressions.
Ji Wanmian couldn’t stand the atmosphere. She lowered her head and whispered to Wen Su, “Why are you all looking at me like that?”
Wen Su answered what she thought, “I’m not sure about others, but for me, it’s because I feel your relationship with the person who was just singing seems… a bit strange.”
Presumably, others thought the same.
Ji Wanmian was silent for a while, pursing her lips, struggling with her words. She couldn’t very well say this was her ex-girlfriend. If she were to go into detail about their past, it would be a melodramatic story of unrequited love for years, finally getting together, only to discover she was just a substitute. Even in novels these days, you wouldn’t find such a plot, yet it happened to her.
So Ji Wanmian pulled out her talent for fabrication and said, “She, well, her family used to have some money, then they went bankrupt. I happened to meet her when she was out struggling, so I took her in for two days. But then she was heartless, bit the hand that fed her, earned some money and forgot all about me, and even told me to get out of the place I used to live, otherwise…”
Wen Su asked curiously, “Otherwise what?”
Ji Wanmian’s gaze fell on the guitar Pei Jinyue was holding, and she continued talking nonsense: “Otherwise, she’d sing at my doorstep every day and make all my neighbors curse me, so I had no choice but to go home. Even though I was living the high life there, eating well and everything.”
Wen Su lowered her head, struggling to bite her lower lip, to avoid laughing out loud while listening to Ji Wanmian recount her sad past.
“Go ahead and laugh if you want,” Ji Wanmian sighed, tilted her head back, and took a sip of her drink, feigning melancholy, “That’s why I’m like this when I see her today. I really don’t want to see her. Just one glance at her, and I’ll remember all those painful memories of being cursed at by my neighbors.”
Wen Su listened carefully to everything, but then asked in confusion, “Then why did you let her stay and eat with us?”
“If it weren’t for so many people watching, I’d want her to leave right away,” Ji Wanmian shrugged, helpless.
Wen Su nodded in agreement; how could such a kind Ji Wanmian let someone lose face?
“By the way, she and I are two people with deep-seated grievances, and we haven’t seen each other in three years. Why do you think she suddenly came here?” Ji Wanmian leaned closer to Wen Su’s ear, whispering as low as possible.
Wen Su was flustered by her sudden closeness. After taking a sip of cold water to calm down, she replied, “Could she be here to ask you for money? Is she bankrupt again?”
Ji Wanmian pouted and nodded, thinking Wen Su’s words made some sense. Perhaps Pei Jinyue had done something again and was out of money. After much thought, she realized Ji Wanmian still had the ring she bought, so she came all this way to ask for money and the ring.
Otherwise, what else could she come to her for? If not money, then feelings?
Forget it, there were no feelings left between them.
Ji Wanmian finished her hot pot with a melancholic expression, her mind constantly wondering where the ring had gone.
Although she really wanted to coolly throw the ring in Pei Jinyue’s face and then sneer before leaving, since she was naturally not someone who tidied her room, things she lost usually took half a year to find.
“Dear daughter, look at the cake we prepared for you this year.” Ji Lan appeared out of nowhere with a cake and placed it on the table.
Ji Wanmian, who had been worried, saw the big cake and all her bad moods vanished. She didn’t even care about the ring anymore; she just wanted to make a wish and eat cake quickly.
“Here, the candles are in place. My dear daughter, make a wish,” Ji Lan put down the lighter, took two steps back, and stood with everyone present, quietly waiting for the birthday girl to make her wish.
Ji Wanmian stood before everyone, closed her eyes, and clasped her hands together.
Every year she wished for “sudden wealth” but it never came true. Since that was the case, this year she would make a wish that would definitely come true.
She heard the soft sounds of her family and friends shifting their feet, and the mingled scents of cake and hot pot wafted to her nose.
She pursed her lips, making a serious and firm wish—
“I will never see Pei Jinyue again.”
A wish completely different from three years ago.
She slowly opened her eyes, wanting to lean down and blow out the candles.
But the first person she saw when she opened her eyes was Pei Jinyue.
Actually, the distance was quite far, with many people in between.
But her gaze landed squarely on Pei Jinyue.
The light of the candles flickered in front of her eyes.
They stared at each other across the crowd.