Chapter 13: Once Tears Fall, It's a Complete Defeat!

Memories flashed through Song Xixi’s mind like a motion picture, and her eyes grew slightly red.

Her heart felt as if it were being squeezed. Those moments of past sweetness now felt like sharp blades, piercing her with a dull ache. She fought to suppress the surging emotions and looked at Qin Ze coldly.

"Mr. Qin, what is it that you want?"

"I want you!" Qin Ze blurted out.

The words left his lips before he could stop them, and he froze in place. He frowned, caught in a cycle of self-doubt and inner turmoil. He was usually so composed, yet in front of this woman, he felt like an entirely different person. He was losing control, acting impulsively, and his mouth was betraying him, letting his innermost thoughts slip out. Was this some kind of "aftereffect" from their three years of entanglement?

Song Xixi was stunned, her slightly upturned lips trembling. She blinked back the redness in her eyes, trying to hide the trace of tears. But the mist in her eyes refused to dissipate, and she stubbornly held them back. She turned her head slightly to avoid his gaze and instinctively reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Mr. Qin, you really know how to joke."

Seeing her stubborn, feigned indifference, Qin Ze felt as if his heart were being clawed by a cat—both painful and itchy. He furrowed his brows deeper and stepped forward. "I want to know why you suddenly want to end our relationship."

Song Xixi curled her lips into a smirk and unbuckled her seatbelt. She shifted, lifted her legs, and sat firmly on Qin Ze’s lap. She leaned in, a mocking sneer on her face. "Don’t ask. I'll give it to you."

With that, she pressed her lips directly against his. The familiar scent, the familiar touch—it was still just as intoxicating.

Qin Ze was taken aback, caught off guard by her sudden move. But his surprise lasted only a fleeting moment before being replaced by overwhelming delight. His lips curled upward uncontrollably, and his hands instinctively moved to her waist, pulling her tight. Then, he took the lead, his thin lips carefully tracing the shape of hers.

...

I do not know how much time had passed when their breathing turned ragged. They looked at each other, their eyes filled with complex emotions.

"Mr. Qin, I've given you what you wanted. Now, can you take me home?" Song Xixi said, her voice raspy and indifferent.

Upon hearing this, Qin Ze’s body stiffened as if he had been doused with a bucket of ice water. The heart that had just been immersed in intimacy was instantly dragged back to reality. He hadn't expected her to interpret it in such a way.

He felt like a complete fool. Every time he was with her, he couldn't help but pour his heart out, only to be met with such cold indifference and perfunctory behavior. He was trembling with rage.

With a loud "bang," he slammed his hands against the steering wheel. Gritting his teeth, he squeezed out a single word through his teeth: "Fine."

*Ungrateful woman. I hope you don't regret this.*

Song Xixi slowly returned to her seat. Her eyes were calm, devoid of any ripples, and her face was expressionless. She lowered her gaze, her fingers mechanically smoothing out her messy dress, over and over, with slow, deliberate movements. After buckling her seatbelt, she opened the window, trying to clear the musky scent from the car.

...

As soon as Song Xixi stepped out of the car, Qin Ze slammed on the gas. The car roared away like a wild horse that had broken its tether.

Song Xixi stood quietly by the side of the road, a self-deprecating smile slowly tugging at the corners of her mouth. She blinked a few times, tears swirling in her already reddened eyes. But she bit her lip, refusing to let them fall. She could not cry; if she shed a tear, she would have truly lost!

After taking a moment to compose herself, she took out her phone to call a ride home. As her finger was about to tap the button, she paused. The memory of the scorching, out-of-control moment with Qin Ze in the car flashed through her mind like lightning. She bit her lip and anxiously scanned the area for a nearby pharmacy. Spotting a familiar sign in the distance, she hurried toward it.

Once inside, she scanned the shelves in a panic, trying to find what she needed. A sales clerk approached her. Song Xixi blushed and lowered her voice to state her request. The clerk nodded, understanding, and led her to a corner. Seeing the medicine, Song Xixi grabbed it, clutched the box tightly, and rushed to the checkout counter, wanting only to escape this embarrassing situation.

When she reached the counter, a man was ahead of her, paying for his items. Song Xixi stood behind him, gripping the medicine box, her body shrinking back as if trying to hide it. Her nervousness was impossible to conceal. The man turned his head by chance, caught a glimpse of the medicine in her hand, and couldn't help but glance at her.

The girl had her eyes lowered, her eyelashes trembling, her cheeks flushed, and her lips pursed, looking incredibly nervous. He frowned, realizing what was happening.

As the man left after paying, Song Xixi breathed a sigh of relief. She hurried forward, placed the medicine on the counter, and whispered to the cashier, "Checking out, please."

The cashier, used to such scenes, scanned the item and processed the payment with a neutral expression. "That will be 49.9 yuan. How would you like to pay?"

Song Xixi fumbled with her phone to pay. Once the transaction was complete, she snatched the medicine as if grabbing a lifeline and turned to leave.

Outside, the breeze helped cool the scorching heat on her face. She let out a long breath and shook her head at the box of medicine in her hand with a bitter smile.

To her surprise, a low, concerned voice spoke up from beside her: "Taking that medicine is very hard on a woman's body. It can cause irregular periods, hormonal imbalances, and even lead to long-term health issues. You should be careful."

The words rang clearly in Song Xixi’s ears. She stood frozen in place, as if under a spell. The flush that had just begun to fade from her face surged back, even more intensely than before. She felt so embarrassed she wished the ground would swallow her whole, and she instinctively stuffed the medicine box into her bag.

Song Xixi opened her mouth, wanting to respond, but couldn't utter a single word. When she subconsciously turned to look at the man, he had already walked away, leaving behind nothing but his tall, receding silhouette.

*Who was that man? Does he know me? His unsolicited advice is hard to appreciate!*

Back home, she looked at the medicine. Recalling her tragic fate in the original story, she swallowed it resolutely. She would never give those people a chance to hurt her again. After taking the medicine, she collapsed onto her bed, her consciousness beginning to blur...

Song Xixi slept until the next day. Still groggy in the morning, she took in her surroundings, realized she had slept for a long time, and hurried to wash up. After showering and changing into loungewear, she sat down at her computer. Seeing an unread message in her inbox, she arched a brow and clicked it open.