Chapter 107: An Interlude in Loneliness

“Is this for real?” Yuwen Si’s eyes widened, his spirit invigorated, no longer listless as before. Though skeptical, he was filled with eager anticipation.

“Of course… it’s true,” Mo Shaoxing replied, eyes half-closed, yet beneath it all, an endless loneliness stirred within him.

“Oh! Oh my goddess has finally returned!” Yuwen Si exclaimed, jumping up like an excited cockroach, cheering wildly. “Mai Xijun, this is Mr. Yuwen speaking—I’ve been waiting for you to come back, waiting to banter with you. It’s been over a month of dullness and boredom.”

“Miss Mai, Mr. Yuwen will come to see you in person.”

“Ha ha, by the way,” Yuwen Si suddenly remembered something, turning back abruptly. Clenching his fist, he gave Mo Shaoxing a solid punch on the shoulder. “Thanks, brother, for bringing me this great news.”

Yuwen Si smiled as he turned away, leaving Mo Shaoxing momentarily puzzled, unsure what exactly had happened. It was rare to see Yuwen Si so joyful without any trickery.

But after the moment’s delay, the truth hit—this punch really hurt. The smiling assassin had not earned his title in vain. Mo Shaoxing rubbed his shoulder.

* * * * *

Yuwen Si hurried to Shen Yanlie’s mansion at full speed. The root of the most exasperating problem was still the main gate of the Shen family home. He still used Xie Yunting’s birthday as the password—six years of storms and sunshine, yet it had never been changed. Of course, this was only a secondary password.

Once inside the living room, Yuwen Si scanned the area thoroughly but saw no sign of anyone.

That shouldn’t be—at this hour, how could they possibly be absent?

Yuwen Si pondered, hands still deep in his pockets, eyes lowered to the path ahead. He took two steps at once.

Strange—there was no one even in the second-floor living room. Just as Yuwen Si hesitated, a half-open door caught his eye. It was the room where Xie Yunting had once lived.

Curiosity piqued, Yuwen Si frowned and approached cautiously, gradually hearing voices.

“You still keep all these things for me? Are you trying to fool yourself into thinking you’ve forgotten me, that you no longer love me?” Xie Yunting’s voice trembled slightly but was resolute and sharp, pressing hard.

Mai Xijun’s fingers clenched and unclenched repeatedly, while Shen Yanlie said nothing, only gripping Mai Xijun’s hand tightly.

He had already confessed to Xie Yunting that his feelings for her had become nothing more than nostalgia, with no hope for rekindling.

“In this room, all my belongings are still here, intact. This piano—you gave it to me on my nineteenth birthday. You spent three million to have it flown in from abroad. You said if I liked it, you’d give me anything. And this… this cashmere doll you brought me from your business trip to Taiwan. The Estée Lauder perfume was brought from England. All these things—you bought them for me. They’re all still here, perfectly preserved.”

As Xie Yunting spoke, her emotions grew intense. How could she not be moved? She had thought about it for a long time. Seeing the two of them holding hands at the airport had torn her heart apart.

She refused to accept it so easily. She wanted to prove that he loved her. Now on the edge of collapse, with a volatile temper, she could no longer remain calm.

“Miss Mai,” Xie Yunting’s once tender gaze suddenly turned sharp and focused on Mai Xijun, making the latter’s eyelids twitch violently. They locked eyes.

Shen Yanlie had warned that if she pushed him away again, he might strike her. When a man resorts to hitting the woman he loves, it means he has truly reached his limit.

Thus, Mai Xijun understood clearly: Shen Yanlie was “warning” her—not to let go, not to turn away, not to evade, and certainly not to flee. Between him and Xie Yunting was only a past love, something she had told herself repeatedly. He had accepted this calmly and didn’t want her to keep retreating like a scared turtle.

From the very moment Shen Yanlie decided to travel with Mai Xijun, he knew exactly what his feelings were for both women. Over the years, what he had cherished most was that pure, first-love innocence. Yet the cracks between him and Xie Yunting were too deep to mend easily.

Mai Xijun sniffed lightly, lifted her head, and smiled faintly. Shen Yanlie’s heart ached quietly at the sight. Once, he had been there to comfort her when she was wronged, bringing her honor while inwardly wishing harm upon those who hurt her.

But love should never require such sacrifices. So she resolved to face these problems bravely—for him. Now that Shen Yanlie was removed from the center of the ordeal, he wasn’t someone who abandoned others after sowing chaos. Though once engaged to Xie Yunting, and knowing well that if Mai Xijun had gone to France, things might be different, from the moment she returned for him, everything changed.

If time could rewind, he would still choose to stay for her and make the choices he had made.

This time, he no longer needed to lift her chin or straighten her spine—she would be strong for him, facing life and its challenges courageously, though she was already strong enough.

“What exists will always exist; it cannot be erased. The past is past. There’s no need to prove what once was. You loved him—I am grateful. I thank all those who loved him before I met him,” Mai Xijun’s eyes shone with a light that made Shen Yanlie look on with a hint of mesmerized affection.

She had never spoken a single passionate word to him, despite his many affirmations. She had never whispered sweet words, never once said she liked him.

But now, it felt as if he had the whole world. Though he possessed more than most could in several lifetimes—things many never attain—he held them all within his grasp, able to command fate itself.

Yet, “I thank all those who loved him before I met him.” This simple, love-related expression moved him deeply—so deeply it hurt, both for himself and for her.

He did not need pretenses. He truly had more than most could dream of, but what he treasured most was having her by his side, faithful and unwavering.

“Miss Mai, there are still many things you don’t know. Do you want me to give you examples one by one?” Xie Yunting arched her elegant brows, eyes gleaming with challenge. Every word was sharp, her gaze like a blade piercing into Mai Xijun’s very soul.

Mai Xijun clenched her fists so tightly her nails sank into her palms, pain numbed her senses. But once clenched, her hands never opened again.

Shen Yanlie’s expression darkened. “Enough.”

“Xie Yunting, don’t make me hate you more.”

Before his words could fade, Yuwen Si suddenly appeared at the door, standing before them.

Both Xie Yunting and Shen Yanlie turned their gaze toward him. Only Mai Xijun, the sharp-tongued and quick-witted Miss Mai, kept her head lowered, biting her lip tightly—her usual resilience now replaced by a rare vulnerability and frustration.

At that moment, Yuwen Si couldn’t quite grasp his own feelings—a part of him felt torn apart, crushed underfoot, and the fortress he had built over years shattered instantly.

Xie Yunting wanted to laugh but felt like crying, ending up in a state of conflicted despair.

“If Miss Mai doesn’t believe what I say about the past, she can try. The password to the Shen family’s door is still my birthday. The security code is the day we met—20050717. Miss Mai can try if she doubts it.”

Xie Yunting refused to relent, though it pained her deeply. Proud as she was, loving someone like this…

Her arrogance seemed to say: Mai Xijun, you are nothing but a fleeting interlude in Shen Yanlie’s lonely life. I am the one he truly loves; you are merely a substitute.

What was she still afraid of? After all this time with Shen Yanlie, didn’t she see him clearly?

Yet what did she still care about? When Xie Yunting mentioned the door’s passwords, Mai Xijun’s heart sank like a heavy stone. The villa’s passwords had remained her birthday and their anniversary all these years—how meaningful that was.

Mai Xijun had been to Shen Yanlie’s home before and had discovered this locked room but could never open it. She had once taken an interest but let it go. What surprised her most was how well-preserved their shared memories still were.

Perhaps the bed they once shared was the same one Xie Yunting had slept in before. At that thought, Mai Xijun felt a surge of nausea, whether from disgust or the long flight. She hurried out, only to bump into Yuwen Si standing at the door.

Shen Yanlie turned to follow her, but Yuwen Si was quicker, stepping ahead and chasing after where Mai Xijun had gone. He didn’t know why he acted this way, but a voice inside told him he must.

*Author’s note:* I’ve always felt that a man like Yuwen Si must be someone who’s been through a lot of hardship—an ordinary gentlewoman simply wouldn’t catch his eye. He probably finds softness dull and would torment a spoiled heiress to no end! Fortunately, there’s a saying that every creature has its match, and our heroine just happens to be his perfect foil! Heh heh.