Chapter 2157: His Heart Belongs to Her (9)
Under Duan Xi’s increasingly intense gaze, she blushed and softly murmured an "um." Although it was vague, Duan Xi heard it loud and clear, and his eyes grew even more fervent.
For the rest of the journey, Ruan Jiaojiao was too shy to speak, her heart pounding erratically, until they returned to the hotel with her face still flushed.
"Jiaojiao!" As soon as she walked through the hotel doors, Ruan Jiaojiao, who was looking down, heard a loud shout. She looked up and saw Yang Tao running toward her with a smile.
Ruan Jiaojiao was taken aback, then reacted and ran up to her, embracing her tightly.
Feeling a bit wronged, she patted Yang Tao’s back and said angrily, "I thought you weren’t coming!"
Ruan Jiaojiao and Yang Tao had known each other since middle school; it had been almost ten years. Their relationship over the years was truly unparalleled; neither Yu Rou nor Yang Xiaona could compare.
But since the summer break of their sophomore year, after Yang Tao and Ruan Lei broke up, Yang Tao began to gradually reduce her contact with Ruan Jiaojiao and others. Even though they were in the same city, they never met. Even when Ruan Jiaojiao occasionally sent a message, there was no response. Over time, Ruan Jiaojiao also barely reached out to her.
It’s definitely a lie to say she wasn’t heartbroken about losing such a good friend.
Now, seeing Yang Tao suddenly appear before her, Ruan Jiaojiao’s eyes reddened with both anger and urgency: "Every time I text or call you, why don’t you answer or respond?!"
"I’m sorry, I’m sorry," Yang Tao apologized sincerely.
The year after breaking up with Ruan Lei was the toughest for her. Having been together for so long, Ruan Lei felt ingrained in her life, and separation was truly difficult. So that year, she didn’t dare to see Ruan Jiaojiao, afraid of recalling too many things she didn’t want to remember.
Today was Ruan Jiaojiao’s eighteenth birthday. She had actually sent her wishes early in the morning, but when Ruan Jiaojiao didn’t reply, she waited the whole morning without a response. Suddenly, she realized that if she really didn’t come today, her relationship with Ruan Jiaojiao might end like this.
She couldn’t bear to lose this friend, so she rushed over in the end.
The two of them hugged in the lobby for quite some time until Duan Xi came over, forcibly pulling Ruan Jiaojiao away from Yang Tao, and only then did they separate.
Yang Tao, still immersed in the emotion of their reunion, couldn’t help but laugh when interrupted by Duan Xi. "Your brother Xi is just the same as ever, we only hugged for a few seconds."
"You’re one to talk! It’s been so long since we last met; I thought you wanted us to die old without seeing each other!" Ruan Jiaojiao was still annoyed and pinched her arm. Yang Tao quickly pleaded, "Alright, alright, it’s my fault, it’s my fault, okay? Don’t be mad. I haven’t eaten yet; get someone to prepare some food for me. I took a bus for over three hours to get here."
Hearing this, Ruan Jiaojiao immediately felt a pang of heartache and took Yang Tao to a private room downstairs that was specially opened to place her gifts, while instructing Duan Xi, "Brother Xi, go get some food for Xiaotiao."
After Duan Xi left, Ruan Jiaojiao’s eyes couldn’t help but redden again, truly hurt by Yang Tao’s actions over the past year.
"I’m sorry." Seeing Ruan Jiaojiao in this state, Yang Tao didn’t know what else to say, so she kept apologizing.
Ruan Jiaojiao looked up and glared at her: "How dare you come today? Aren’t you afraid of running into my brother Lei?"