The people coming in and out were all dressed in formal attire, while Tong Sui stood out in his casual outfit.
Could he go back now and change into something more appropriate?
Chi Xingyu clearly would not give him that chance. As soon as they got out of the car, he took Tong Sui’s hand, gripping it tighter than usual as if to prove something.
When selecting a private room, Chi Xingyu asked the staff for a large table. It seated over a dozen people but only had five chairs.
Aside from two chairs pushed together, the other three were separated by a wide distance, creating the impression of two distinct factions.
Chi Xingyu pulled Tong Sui to sit on one side, and after the dishes were served, he served Tong Sui, attending to him and forgetting to eat for himself.
Tong Sui hardly had to reach for anything; he ate whatever Chi Xingyu offered him.
Despite the exquisite dishes laid before them, none of the three had any appetite.
Chi Xingyu’s motivations were unmistakable; he wanted to show off their close relationship in front of them.
It was a blatant tactic, but it truly infuriated them.
After the meal, Tong Sui excused himself to the restroom.
Chi Xingyu decided to drop the pretense and revealed his cold demeanor to the other three: “Dinner has been eaten, and polite chatter has been exchanged. Tong Sui and I will not see you off. You can head back on your own, and I hope you won’t show up again.”
Otherwise, he couldn’t imagine what irrational behavior he might resort to.
“You’re so eager to prove your relationship is solid; it suggests you’re feeling insecure,” Jiang Ciyuan said calmly. “Are you afraid that our presence might bring about some changes?”
“Your relationship with Tong Sui isn’t strong enough yet; it could be easily destroyed at any moment.”
As Jiang Ciyuan spoke, Chi Xingyu’s expression grew increasingly dark, as if hit in the heart.
“You haven’t taken that last step yet, have you?”
Chi Xingyu suddenly stood up, a storm of turmoil swirling in his chest, almost overwhelming the calm he was trying to maintain.
Just then, footsteps approached from behind.
Tong Sui returned and tugged at his sleeve.
Chi Xingyu regained his composure, appearing distracted on the way back.
This kind of subtle atmosphere was new between them.
The situation continued throughout the evening until Tong Sui could no longer hold it in and spoke up, “Are you still mad at me?”
He shook Chi Xingyu’s arm, “Please don’t be angry. It’s not what you think. I was live-streaming when I hung out with them. If you don’t believe me, you can check the replay.”
Chi Xingyu set down his pen, “I’m not angry; I’m just pondering over a question.”
Seeing him say he wasn’t mad, Tong Sui thought he must be stuck on a difficult problem and hurriedly leaned in to look at his workbook, “Which question?”
Chi Xingyu turned his head, “How can I be with you?”
His words caught Tong Sui completely off guard, leaving him momentarily speechless.
Under normal circumstances, Chi Xingyu would not dare to speak so directly, but right now, he was entirely focused on how to become closer to Tong Sui.
It was a level of intimacy that no one else could reach.
The more anxious he felt, the faster his heart raced, as if there were a fire burning inside him that kept him from calming down.
Noticing Chi Xingyu’s changing expression, Tong Sui instinctively shrank back, fearing he would withdraw. “What are you talking about…?”
Rejection and retreat.
Such actions undoubtedly provoked Chi Xingyu; he reached out and grabbed Tong Sui’s wrist, pulling him closer without exerting too much force.
Tong Sui stumbled forward, his balance lost as he fell into Chi Xingyu’s embrace, his eyelashes trembling as they misted up, staring at him in panic.
Chi Xingyu inhaled the familiar scent and body heat, his eyes reddening as he poured out his feelings, “Do you know how I felt seeing you bring them home today? Tong Sui, I was terrified. You can give us a try, what if you want to switch to someone else?”
“If I leave you, I’d really be lost! Just the thought of that possibility makes it hard to breathe. I’m afraid I might do something irrational and make those people disappear from our lives—”
Chi Xingyu confessed everything—the things that should be said and those that shouldn’t.
Tong Sui was taken aback by his words, but he didn’t have the luxury of being scared now. He quickly interrupted his terrifying thoughts, “You really don’t trust me? There’s nothing between them and me; you’re imagining too much just from a brief meeting. What about after this? Are you going to restrict my freedom?!”
It was rare for Tong Sui to speak in such an agitated manner, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears, almost crying from Chi Xingyu’s emotions.
“I’m not…”
Chi Xingyu panicked briefly, quickly explaining, “I don’t distrust you. I love you too much to restrict you. It’s just that those people have ulterior motives; they’re all full of deceit. I’m afraid you’ll be swayed by their sweet words.”
“Baby, I’m sorry.”
Chi Xingyu leaned in to kiss away Tong Sui’s tears, sweetly soothing him, “Please don’t cry.”
How could Tong Sui not want to cry? He had finally broken free from the original plot line, and what if Chi Xingyu acted impulsively toward those three? His mission would be wasted!
“I promise I won’t do anything. You say go east, and I won’t go west. I’ll do whatever you ask.”
“If you want to interact with them, I won’t protest any further.”
Every word from Chi Xingyu felt painful, but in the face of Tong Sui’s happiness, he thought it was worth it.
He was ready to yield and let go.
He just needed a bit more time to convince himself not to care, not to feel hurt, to suppress all the sour and awkward negative emotions.
Chi Xingyu said, “I’ll help you invite them back…”
Tong Sui replied, “I don’t want them.”
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