Chapter 252

Chapter 252: Jiang Shixu, You're Wonderful By the ship's railing. Chu Tang and Shu Mingyue leaned against the railing, letting the sea breeze blow over them. Shu Mingyue raised her wine glass and clinked it against Chu Tang's. The sound of glass colliding was crisp. The sea breeze tousled their hair. Shu Mingyue took a sip of red wine. She had drunk quite a bit tonight and was already slightly tipsy. Her face flushed red, Shu Mingyue patted Chu Tang on the shoulder. "Tangtang, I'm really sorry about what happened during the day. That card of mine was marked by Xia Yuntong—she did it on purpose. I had no idea, and it really wasn't something I orchestrated." Chu Tang took a sip of wine and replied with a smile, "To be honest, there was a moment when I did suspect you. But when you publicly announced that matter just now, it dispelled my doubts. I believe you." Shu Mingyue smiled. "I knew it." The party had already ended, and the guests had returned to their rooms to rest. At this moment, only the sound of waves and wind remained. "Wishing you and A Xu a long and lasting love." Shu Mingyue gathered her wind-tangled hair, a smile on her lips. "Sincerely." "Thank you." Chu Tang looked into Shu Mingyue's eyes. "I'm curious—at first, you had our rooms separated, not wanting us to stay together. What made you suddenly change your mind tonight?" A bitter smile curled at the corner of Shu Mingyue's lips, tinged with self-mockery. "Because I finally saw things clearly, and I gave up." Shu Mingyue turned around to face the sea, the wind blowing her hair back. Her voice, mingled with the sound of waves and wind, drifted into Chu Tang's ears. "Separating you two was indeed out of jealousy. I didn't want you to stay together. Back then, I still harbored vain hopes about A Xu." "The incident with Tan Bin showed me how much he cares about you. You might not know this, but after Tan Bin was pulled out of the water, A Xu didn't just let him go. He had someone bring Tan Bin to a secret room and used some methods to torment him until he wished he were dead." Chu Tang frowned slightly at this. "I really didn't know that." "Tan Bin brought it upon himself. He deserved it." Shu Mingyue continued, "The other thing that made me give up was the game we played this afternoon." "Actually, I've seen him play similar games before." Shu Mingyue's voice was faint. "He had many girls who liked him. Once, at a friend's birthday party, they played a similar game—truth or dare—and a girl confessed to him." "How did he respond?" Chu Tang asked curiously. "Respond?" Shu Mingyue let out a helpless laugh. "He just gave a cold 'oh' and didn't bother with her again." "That cocky?" Chu Tang smiled. Shu Mingyue added, "There were also people egging on a girl to pick someone of the opposite sex to kiss. She liked him, so she worked up the courage to ask him for a kiss. He swept a murderous glare at her, scaring her into immediately switching targets." "Was it really that terrifying?" "Of course. And I'm not exaggerating—he would never look at you that way." Shu Mingyue's expression turned forlorn. "Do you know how I felt today when I saw him ask you for a kiss in front of so many people?" Shu Mingyue gave a bitter smile. "It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it felt like a thousand arrows piercing my heart. I truly envy you—having all of his love." "From that moment on, I knew I would never have a chance." Shu Mingyue's voice was very, very soft, carrying a sense of fragility. "Or maybe I never had a chance to begin with—I just hadn't seen it clearly myself." ... When Chu Tang returned to the room, the lights were still on. Jiang Shixu stood with his back to her, on the phone by the window. Chu Tang walked over quietly, wrapped her arms around him from behind, and pressed her face against his back. The man's body stiffened slightly. Jiang Shixu said to the person on the phone, "That's it, I'll hang up now," then turned around and pulled Chu Tang into his embrace. "You're back." Chu Tang hummed in acknowledgment. She leaned against Jiang Shixu's chest and murmured softly, "Jiang Shixu, you're wonderful." "You're just realizing that now?" Jiang Shixu held her, his voice deep and magnetic. "Will you always be this good to me?" "Of course." Chu Tang lifted her head from his embrace, her eyes bright as stars, gazing intently at Jiang Shixu without blinking. The man was stirred with emotion and lowered his head to kiss her. The kiss was deep and full of desire. Outside the window were the starry sky and the vast sea. The glass muffled the sound of the waves, sealing off the spring of passion within the room. Moonlight, like water, streamed gently through the glass. Chu Tang pressed against the glass, her face against it, gazing at the night outside. Jiang Shixu entered smoothly. A suppressed, broken gasp escaped Chu Tang's lips. Jiang Shixu kissed her from behind, urgent and passionate. Chu Tang was swept into a dizzying ocean, losing all sense of direction, rising and falling only with his rhythm. ... After spending two days at sea, Chu Tang quickly threw herself back into work upon returning to the law firm. One morning, after reviewing a pile of case materials, Chu Tang brewed herself a cup of tea. Lu Shuci pushed the door open and came in. "Chu Tang, are you busy?" Chu Tang looked at him. "What's the matter?" Lu Shuci lowered his gaze. "I have something I want to tell you." Chu Tang keenly caught a hint of dejection in his expression and asked, "Is it about work?" Lu Shuci shook his head. "No." Chu Tang's demeanor was distant. "During work hours, I don't want to discuss personal matters." "But it's very hard for me to see you alone even after work." Lu Shuci looked up at her, a hint of urgency in his tone. "How did you and Jiang Shixu suddenly make up?" Chu Tang's tone was flat, her expression impassive. "Lawyer Lu, we're just ordinary friends. Asking that question crosses the line." Lu Shuci's eyes dimmed. "Chu Tang, you know how I feel about you, right?" Chu Tang furrowed her brows. "I did sense it before, but since you never expressed your feelings, I didn't think much of it." Chu Tang looked at Lu Shuci with a serious expression. "Now that you've made it clear, let me respond. I'm sorry, Lawyer Lu, but I have a boyfriend. I love him very much, and he's the only one I love. Aside from him, I won't have feelings for anyone else." Chu Tang rejected him cleanly and completely. The light in Lu Shuci's eyes dimmed. "You really don't remember me." Lu Shuci laughed bitterly at himself. "Jiang Shixu was right—the person who rejected you once will reject you a second time." Chu Tang looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?" "In my freshman year, I confessed to you." Chu Tang's brows knitted together as she tried to recall. A vague memory surfaced. Lu Shuci reminded her: "One night, on the sports field, the guy playing the guitar." Chu Tang remembered now. "So that was you." Lu Shuci curled his lips bitterly. "I still lost. Completely defeated." "Lawyer Lu, you're a good and outstanding person. You'll meet someone who loves you as much as you love them." Sadness spread through Lu Shuci's eyes as he murmured, "But that person just isn't you."