Campus Ace Girl

Chu Ci had nothing more to say after what Chu Yan said.

At this moment, Chu Ci forcefully called the driver at home and had the chauffeur take Ms. Chu away.

After they left, he looked at Chu Yan and said softly, "I’m sorry for causing you trouble."

Chu Yan’s tone was very flat: "It’s nothing!"

She spoke to him calmly, as though Ms. Chu’s visit wasn’t a disturbance, as if she wasn’t bothered by it at all.

Chu Ci felt hurt by her indifference and quietly watched her.

Only then did Chu Yan speak: "I should go eat, and... someone seems to be waiting for you downstairs, so I won’t keep you for dinner."

Chu Ci frowned: "That’s not my girlfriend."

"Understood." Chu Yan smiled faintly: "I know that."

Only when she smiled did her eyes curve, somewhat resembling how she looked when she was little.

And Chu Ci hadn’t seen her like this for a long time, he almost greedily gazed at her, before speaking hoarsely: "How do you know?"

Chu Yan lowered her gaze, smiled again, and when she looked up again her expression was calm: "Really, let’s not talk about this, whether I know or not doesn’t matter much."

She said softly, "One must move forward, right?"

Chu Ci suddenly couldn’t hold back: "And you, knowing Bai Xun lied to you, you don’t care either?"

He didn’t believe that Chu Yan and Bai Xun... after living together, she couldn’t sense that Bai Xun wasn’t someone who had that illness, if he really did, it would be impossible... Chu Ci didn’t want to think about it.

Chu Yan didn’t seem surprised by his words, she chuckled: "Whether I care or not is between him and me."

She continued: "Whether I’m with him or not, Chu Ci, we can’t go back to the past."

Chu Ci’s throat felt like it was blocked.

He could still remember how she used to softly call him brother, always sticking to him, even when playing games she’d nestle in his arms, but now her meaning was clear—she didn’t need him in her life anymore, she didn’t even need familial concern, she wanted a complete break.

Chu Ci was hurt inside, but he still remained calm on the surface: "You’re right."

Even he wasn’t clean, what more could he delude himself with!

He gave Chu Yan a deep look before leaving.

Once in the parking lot downstairs, sitting in the car, the little star felt a sense of crisis and guessed at Chu Yan’s place in Chu Ci’s heart. She immediately clung to him, her voice coquettish: "Where shall we go for dinner?"

Chu Ci sat in the driver’s seat, lit a cigarette, smoked half of it, then turned his head and said coldly, "Get out."

The little star was stunned, and Chu Ci repeated: "Get out."

The little star was dumbfounded for a long time, unable to believe she was discarded just like that, clearly she had served him well before...

Chu Ci however had no patience, opened the car door and told her to leave...

After she left, he sat in the car for a full two hours, finishing all the cigarettes in the box.

Upstairs, Chu Yan casually had lunch, naturally she didn’t have much appetite.

With Ms. Chu causing such a scene, how could she not feel any emotion?

Even if she was in a bad mood, she still had to work. By the afternoon she had almost forgotten about it, and Bai Xun had come to pick her up.

When he arrived, Chu Yan was testing a device, having removed her coat and wearing only a thin sweater underneath. Her hair was casually tied up, exposing a youthful neck, giving her the appearance of being twenty-two or twenty-three years old.

Bai Xun came over, jumped up to sit on the table, resting his chin in his hands as he watched her.

Chu Yan only glanced at him once, then continued with her work, asking him flatly: "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Bai Xun sighed: "So cold!?"

"One can’t be too indulgent with shameless men," Chu Yan said coolly, her hands not stopping.

Bai Xun chuckled, then got down and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, his hands roving as he spoke: "Is this shameless enough?"

Chu Yan was at a loss for words, swatted his hand: "Stop it, I’m working."

His chin rested on her shoulder, careful not to weigh on her, his voice carried a hint of grievance: "Aunt approached me."

Chu Ci paused, turned around leaning on the desk: "What did she want with you?"

"Told me to leave you, the homewrecker, so her precious son could have a chance." Bai Xun said while watching her face, wanting to see her reaction.

Chu Yan turned back to her work, replied indifferently: "She came to me before going to you."

Bai Xun laughed softly: "Which means you turned her down, so she came to me for more effort."

Chu Yan ignored him.

Since realizing what he had done, she reassessed him... Bai Xun’s thoughts were much heavier than she had imagined.

Seeing her ignore him, Bai Xun clung to her even more, being as shameless as he could be.

Only after finishing her work did Chu Yan give him a glance: "You just want a definite answer from me, right?"

Bai Xun stopped joking, quietly watching her.

Chu Yan went to the bathroom to wash her hands, her movements were rather slow.

He approached and embraced her waist from behind, his voice hoarse: "You’re doubting me, aren’t you?"

She softly murmured her assent.

"Regret it?" He held her helplessly: "Do you regret living together with me?"

What he didn’t say was that if they hadn’t been together, she’d still have a chance with Chu Ci, but he would certainly never voice such thoughts; he actually wanted her acknowledgment...

This time, Bai Xun was extremely scared!!!

Never had he felt such humility! Normally so sunny and carefree, he now felt like a big dog, waiting for his owner’s decision, whether to keep him or discard him.

Chu Yan looked at him in the mirror, slowly said: "I haven’t decided yet."

Bai Xun shamelessly continued: "Until you do, can you let me keep taking care of you, make sure you’re well physically and mentally, the most important being your physical and mental well-being."

He cleared his throat: "26 is indeed a hurdle."

Chu Yan’s response was to send him out of the master bedroom in the evening, making him sleep in the living room.

Holding the blanket, Bai Xun said helplessly: "Yan Yan, be reasonable."

In truth, he was pleased in his heart; she always left the master bedroom herself, instead of kicking him out.

Chu Yan didn’t respond to him, finished her bath and slowly applied skincare products, listening to him talking outside.

"Be reasonable, won’t you? I made your favorite Thai food, washed the dishes, mopped the floor, even did your laundry, bought you flowers during my run, I did so much work and don’t even have the right to sleep?" Despite arguing his case, he remained humble.

After finishing her skincare, Chu Yan opened the door and said softly: "If you feel aggrieved, I’ll move out."

Bai Xun stared at her.

Chu Yan said again, "This isn’t good for us right now. Why don’t you go for a run and help me buy some medicine? It’s effective within 48 hours anyway."

Bai Xun immediately lost his energy.

Chu Yan said softly, "Do you know why I doubt you? It’s because you didn’t ask me to take medicine, and you didn’t take any precautions yourself."

"Someone as meticulous as you wouldn’t overlook the possibility of having a child, which is why I have my suspicions."

Bai Xun sighed, then said teasingly, "Is it because I behaved so well that you can’t bear to be mad at me? Are you afraid you won’t ever find another young, capable, and handsome man like me?"

"Someone as shameless as you is indeed hard to find." Chu Yan snorted softly, then threw a pillow at him: "If you don’t want me to move out, you’d better sleep in the living room or the guest room."

"The living room then." He said pitifully, thinking to himself that if she came out for water at night, he could have another chance to cozy up to her.

After saying that, he carried the pillow to the sofa. Chu Yan watched him for quite a while before returning to her bedroom.

Actually, she was far more confused inside than she appeared.

She stayed here because she couldn’t let go. Bai Xun had deceived her when the hospital contacted her about donating. He pretended to be a patient...

How long had he been pretending?

Even his well-mannered parents were in on the act, having set up a complete ruse.

Chu Yan felt both angry and amused, but at this moment, she really couldn’t handle him like before, at least not until her anger subsided. But this bastard half-forced her last night... she didn’t want to deal with him.

Thinking this, she fell asleep until deep into the night when Bai Xun sneaked over, lay beside her, not daring to do anything, merely content to be next to her.

In fact, she had woken up but pretended to sleep. As the sky lightened, Bai Xun sneaked back to the living room.

Chu Yan just pretended not to notice. Early in the morning, Bai Xun had already left.

He left a note saying he had gone to Ning City, and he wouldn’t be back for two days. He told her not to think about him.

Chu Yan felt both angry and amused as she looked at the dining table.

Breakfast was already prepared. Not only breakfast but also dinner for the next two days was in the fridge. On the table was a freshly picked rose, though she didn’t know where he had run off to steal it early in the morning.

Chu Yan suddenly felt the warmth of everyday life. Bai Xun... was slightly different from ordinary men. He was considerate beyond his years, but sometimes his actions made him seem like someone in his early twenties.

Yet, at certain times, he could be particularly ruthless... Chu Yan’s face heated up as she put the flower down and started eating breakfast. After breakfast, she was about to go to work when a call from Gu Anxi came, inviting her to lunch.

Chu Yan agreed without a second thought to meet at a restaurant they frequented, having only met a few times since returning.

But unexpectedly, when she arrived at her company, Mrs. Chu was waiting for her again.

Chu Yan sighed quietly while standing there and then walked over: "Mrs. Chu, why are you here again?"

She was polite yet distant, and Mrs. Chu pretended not to notice, continuously calling her Yan Yan and asking whether she had eaten.

"I’ve eaten. Bai Xun made breakfast for me." Chu Yan put down her bag and then said what was on her mind: "I know what you’re thinking. You believe Chu Ci has a higher status than Bai Xun, and since I grew up with him, no matter what, I should choose him, right?"

She spoke and lowered her eyes, saying softly: "Once wealth reaches a certain level, pursuing more is meaningless."

Mrs. Chu couldn’t accept it: "Don’t you want to be with your brother anymore?"

"I don’t." Chu Yan said very lightly: "I have fallen for Bai Xun."

Perhaps while in England, she didn’t feel much, but now she genuinely liked him.

Not because they were living together, but because she felt that this thoughtful yet mischievous boy genuinely liked her and needed her. He needed her, not the other way around.

No matter what happens, using even the most disgraceful tactics, he’d strive to keep her, giving her a sense of security.

Liking Bai Xun made her feel at ease.

Chu Yan didn’t mind being a mediocre woman, nor did she mind Bai Xun being two years younger than her.

Mrs. Chu couldn’t accept it, saying softly: "Chu Ci is behaving recklessly, and you’re not going to care?"

"That’s his own business, nothing to do with me." Chu Yan was unyielding: "And don’t say it’s for my sake; if that’s the case, tell him I’m doing great. The biggest blessing would be you Chu Family not using feelings to manipulate me. Mrs. Chu, this has been said long ago—no need to force yourself to accept me, it’s something you cannot achieve."

She suddenly smiled again: ’Isn’t life meant to be joyful? Why are you putting yourself through this?’

Mrs. Chu took a moment to regain her composure, slowly speaking: "He’s marrying a woman he doesn’t love, and you don’t care? Chu Yan, you caused this. Are you not guilty at all?"

Chu Yan sat down at her own seat, silent for a long time before chuckling dryly.

Is it her fault that she should feel guilty?

Then what about the lonely nights she spent over the years, the tears she shed alone, the unhealed scars of pain, what do they count for?

She gently raised her eyes to look at Mrs. Chu and said softly, "How much?"

Mrs. Chu was taken aback.

Chu Yan continued, "How much did it cost to raise me? I’ll pay you back."

Mrs. Chu shook her head: "I’m not asking for money, Yan Yan, what I mean is..."

"Twenty million... thirty million... or fifty million?" Chu Yan’s voice was somewhat repressed, as if on the verge of breaking down.

Mrs. Chu screamed uncontrollably: "Yan Yan, how can you talk to your mother like that?"

Her expression froze. After a while, she murmured like she’d lost her mind: "Mom only loves you, doesn’t want you to leave home, doesn’t want you and Chu Ci to suffer, is mom wrong?"

Chu Yan then understood that Mrs. Chu had gone crazy.

Chu Ci had become her mental burden; everything that displeased her was betraying her... In her mind, the pain she caused Chu Yan didn’t count for anything. The Chu Family could abandon her, Chu Ci could forsake her, but Chu Yan could not.

She suddenly realized that Mrs. Chu relished her suffering when abandoned by Chu Ci, and now she resorted to begging, using the pretext of being together to threaten them with her life if they separated, watching her be abandoned again and again.

Suddenly, she felt tired.

Why should she bear all this?

She directly called Chu Ci and Chu Changhe, asking them to come over.

Half an hour later, Chu Ci and Chu Changhe arrived. Chu Yan said softly, "Take her to see a doctor."

Mrs. Chu, seeing her son, murmured, "I’m not sick, Chu Ci. I only want Yan Yan to come home. She cannot be with a man from outside; she belongs to our Chu Family."

Chu Yan’s expression was void of emotion: "In your mind, I’m just a stray dog adopted by the Chu Family!"

Obedient, they can continue to keep her; disobedient, she’ll be sent out to wander.

Chu Ci let out a long breath, "Mom, don’t bother Chu Yan anymore. She’s no longer part of our family."

Chu Changhe also silently pondered.

In the end, Mrs. Chu was taken to the hospital, diagnosed indeed with a mental illness, stayed in for half a month, and after being discharged, was resting at home, providing Chu Yan with some peace.

However, Bai Xun, who had promised two days, was gone for half a month before returning. Chu Yan knew he was fine and did not worry. That day she had lunch with Gu Anxi and returned to the company, only to have her assistant approach her cautiously, saying, "President Chu came by earlier."