Chapter 101 - Auspicious Breakup
Rebirth of a Fashionista: This Life Is Soo Last Season
Inside the coffee shop booth, two people who’d once loved each other, sat face to face, staring at each other in silence.
Liao Jiayi opened his mouth to say, “Xinxin…”
“What’s your final decision?” Zhen Xin interrupted Liao Jiayi’s words and directly asked.
“I’ve thought a lot over the past few days. I can’t deceive you. Right now, there’s somebody else inside my heart,” Liao Jiayi said bluntly.
“Is it the person in the game called Thousand Years Immortal?” A strange look flitted past Zhen Xin’s eyes.
“Right.” Liao Jiayi nodded.
Zhen Xin took a sip of coffee as if she was trying to hide the odd expression on her face. “Then, do you know Thousand Years Immortal? Have you seen her before? How do you know if they’re a man or a woman?”
Liao Jiayi hesitated before answering her, “She’s female, I’ve heard her voice before. Her thoughts are very similar to mine, and I think she likes me.”
Of course, her thoughts are similar to yours, because it’s all your way of thinking. Zhen Xin’s lips curved as a helpless and pained expression appeared on her face. The girl her boyfriend had fallen for in-game was actually her. Should she be happy? At this moment, she really wanted to tell him that she was Thousand Years Immortal. However, she then remembered what her roommate had said.
“Zhen Xin, you’re right for not telling him. You have to make him realise the difference between the game and reality. If you tell him, he won’t give up his net addiction and will even drag you in with him deeper.”
Her roommate’s voice echoed in her ears. She took a deep breath and crushed the restless thoughts in her heart.
“Jiayi, games are games. You can’t let them influence your actual life. In the game, you like Thousand Years Immortal because you know her, but do you really know her? You two have always been separated by a screen, how do you know that she didn't deliberately approach you?”
“I believe my intuition. Our tacit understanding in-game is proof of our affinity.”
“So, you want to break off our ten year relationship for her?” Zhen Xin asked.
The look in Liao Jiayi’s eyes changed as he went silent.
“Thousand Years Immortal is playing games with you, so you like her. It’s normal. If somebody accompanies me to do everything I like, I’d also like them. However, when I have a boyfriend, I’d never find another man to accompany me. Don’t say it’s because I can’t play games with you. I’ve never restricted your gaming, but you can’t put games over your life and forget your dreams because of them.”
“I didn’t forget my dreams…”
Zeng Xin ignored Liao Jiayi. “You didn’t even keep your promise of loving only me forever, and you still want to talk about your dreams?”
“The last time I talked to you about breaking up, you said not to play such a joke because it was too hurtful. Have you thought about how hurt I’d feel when you say there’s another person in your heart? Let me tell you right now, I can’t accept a half-hearted lover. If you still insist on choosing your illusory life of games over happiness, then let’s just go our separate ways!”
After saying this, Zhen Xin got up and walked out of the coffee shop without hesitation. The moment she stepped out of the coffee shop, the tears she’d been holding back finally fell from her eyes.
Liao Jiayi watched Zhen Xin leave, the panic in his heart growing increasingly stronger. This time was different from the last time. He had the feeling that if he let Zhen Xin leave now, she’d never return. He clenched his fists, got up, and ran after her.
Rumble!
The growling of thunder suddenly sounded as large drops of rain fell, quickly soaking the couple; one leaving, the other chasing.
“Zhen Xin!” Liao Jiayi shouted as he chased her.
Zhen Xin snorted as she continued walking away.
Liao Jiayi caught up to her and hugged her. “Xinxin, can you give me a bit more time?”
“How much time have I already given you?” Zhen Xin allowed him to hug her. If it wasn’t for her trembling giving her away, it truly seemed like she didn’t care about Liao Jiayi anymore.
“Liao Jiayi, have you ever thought about how I feel? I have a boyfriend, yet everyday I go to the library alone, I walk alone, I even go to the movies alone. Isn’t having you like having nobody at all?” she shouted hysterically in the rain.
“I’m sorry, Xinxin, I’m sorry…” Liao Jiayi’s face was filled with guilt and pain.
Zhen Xin pushed Liao Jiayi away. “I don’t want to live like that again, let’s break up!”
Rumble!
Another crack of thunder sounded.
Zhen Xin stared at the dumbstruck Liao Jiayi for a moment before walking away, her delicate figure disappearing into the distance.
He stood dazed, alone in the dusky streets.
“Cut! That’s a wrap!”
The falling ‘rain’ immediately stopped.
The assistant hurriedly ran over with towels to dry off the two actors.
It was already the middle of October, and it was rather cold as it approached nightfall. They’d already repeated this rain scene several times, so even if their bodies were in good condition, they were still unable to withstand the torment. Thankfully, the two dedicatedly finished acting to the end.
“You two worked hard today, so I’ll give you guys a three day break. When you guys return, we’ll fill in the kiss scene,” the director told them.
“Kiss scene?” Sheng Jiaoyang paused.
Zhang Yue glanced at her, or more specifically, glanced at her lips before quickly turning away, his expression unnatural.
“Before, we were afraid that it’d be unnatural since it was your first time cooperating together, so we pushed the kiss scene to last. After acting together for so many days, there shouldn’t be any problems!” the director beamed.
After returning to the hotel and enjoying a hot bath, Sheng Jiaoyang jumped on her bed. She adjusted the air conditioning before crashing until knocks at the door woke her up.
She got up and asked, “Who is it?”
“It’s me.” The voice belonged to Zhang Yue.
She opened the door and leaned on the door frame, asking unhappily, “Do you need something?”
Zhang Yue couldn’t help but look her up and down, his gaze flickering when he saw her messy hair and collar. “You just woke up?”
“Sure, I just woke up, and it totally wasn’t because of your knocking.” Sheng Jiaoyang brushed her hand through her hair, a bit irritated.
She didn't notice that when she moved her arm, the collar on her nightgown slackened and revealed her delicate collarbone. Normally, an exposed collarbone was nothing. However, the old fashioned pajamas only revealed half of it, causing one’s imagination to wander.
Zhang Yue couldn’t move his eyes away. He felt his throat go dry as he changed the topic. “You didn’t eat dinner, so would you like to get a midnight snack together?”
“Nah, you can go yourself. Alright, good night!” Then, she slammed the door shut and returned to bed.
Zhang Yue rubbed his nose. Looks like he really did disturb her, otherwise, she wouldn’t be so moody.
“What are you doing in front of Jiaojiao’s door?” a voice asked.
Zhang Yue turned around and saw the male assistant that was normally always by Xu Jiaojiao’s side approach with takeout.
“I saw that Jiaojiao didn’t eat dinner and wanted to go eat with her.”
“Thank you for your kind intentions, but if Jiaojiao wants to eat something, she’d have me go buy it.” Ning Xiaoruan raised his chin and knocked on the door, but nobody answered. Huh, did she go out?
“She probably fell asleep from exhaustion. Don’t disturb her and let her rest,” Zhang Yue said.
“Of course, I know that. I don’t need you to tell me,” Ning Xiaoruan retorted.
Zhang Yue smiled before turning to leave.
“Hey, Jiaojiao has a boyfriend, so don’t get any strange ideas!” Ning Xiaoruan warned him.
“A boyfriend? Is it you?” Zhang Yue turned around, his gaze sizing up Ning Xiaoruan critically.
Ning Xiaoruan choked. “Not me!”
“You aren’t making excuses, right? I haven’t seen anyone come to visit. You’re just an assistant, take care of yourself first and don’t meddle!” Zhang Yue swaggered off.
Ning Xiaoruan snorted angrily, but he also found it strange. Were Cousin and Xu Jiaojiao really dating? Xu Jiaojiao’s shooting her drama here for the next half a month, and Cousin clearly didn’t live very far away. Yet, he never comes to see Xu Jiaojiao. Even if he was extremely busy, it shouldn’t be to the point where he can’t even visit once, right?
No way, he had to call and ask.
“Cousin, your girlfriend is going to shoot a kiss scene two days from now, did you know?” Ning Xiaoruan asked as soon as the call was answered.
Shen Zhining was silent for a few seconds before responding, “Oh.”
“Your, girl, friend, is, going, to, kiss, another, man!” Ning Xiaoruan was worried that he was speaking too fast and that his cousin wouldn’t be able to hear properly. So, he deliberately pronounced it word by word.
“You called me in the middle of the night just to say that?”
“What do you mean? Your girlfriend is about to kiss somebody else for a drama! Shouldn’t you be mad or jealous?”
“You said it yourself, it’s just acting,” Shen Zhining’s reply was indifferent.
“A kiss is still a kiss! Mouth to mouth!” Ning Xiaoruan was about to go mad.
“So?”
Ning Xiaoyuan’s eyes grew big at his reply, and he suddenly lowered his voice to ask cautiously, “Cousin, how could you not care at all? Don’t tell me that you and Jiaojiao already broke up?”
“…”
“Or…” Ning Xiaoruan’s voice was filled with excitement at discovering a secret. “Cousin, are you really a~sex~ual?!”
“…Scram!”