Chapter 331: I Would Fall in Love with Anyone but You
"Shi Fei met him back when she was studying in Beijing," Yun Tiancheng said. "The little girl has grown up now."
As he spoke, Yun Tiancheng turned to Mu Jiayu, who was about the same age as Yun Shifei, and asked, "What about you, Jia Yu? Have you found someone?"
Mu Jiayu immediately shook her head and said, "Not yet. None of the guys I’ve met so far catch my eye."
As Mu Jiayu spoke, she glanced at her father and saw the disappointment in his expression.
Did they really want Yun Shifei to end up with her brother? She disagreed! She was determined to find a way to stop it.
Back at home, Mu Jiayu discussed the matter with her mom. Chen Min frowned and said, "But I think Chengzhu seems to like her."
Mu Jiayu replied, "Mom, Yun Shifei already has a boyfriend. If Brother still likes her and goes after her, wouldn’t that make him an obvious homewrecker?"
"You shut your mouth!" Chen Min shot Mu Jiayu a sharp glance.
Mu Jiayu silenced herself, but deep down she still felt indignant.
There was no way she’d ever allow Yun Shifei to step through their door. To think she already had a boyfriend yet wanted to string her brother along too—what a disgusting woman.
So, Mu Jiayu kept badgering Chen Min, exaggerating how obsessed Mu Chengzhu was with Yun Shifei, urging her to intervene before it turned into a disaster and became gossip fodder among the neighbors and their laughter.
Chen Min considered this angle and became visibly more serious.
When Mu Chengzhu came home later, she called him over for a talk.
"Chengzhu, do you like Shi Fei?"
Mu Chengzhu neither admitted nor denied it and asked, "What’s going on?"
Chen Min realized then that Mu Chengzhu truly did like Yun Shifei.
She frowned and said, "She already has a boyfriend. Why are you going after her?"
"She has a boyfriend?" Mu Chengzhu was a bit dumbfounded. Hadn’t she broken up with Cheng Lie?
Could it be that she had gotten back together with Cheng Lie? That couldn’t be; she wouldn’t dare.
"Yes, your father and I originally thought you two were a good match, but earlier when I asked her father, he said she has a boyfriend and is even planning to send him a gift."
Mu Chengzhu pressed his lips together and fell silent.
So, within such a short time, Yun Shifei had found another boyfriend?
He had been able to stop Yun Shifei from liking Cheng Lie because he had leverage over Cheng Lie. But if she was now dating some ordinary person, he would have no clue what kind of background that man had and would be unable to stop her.
He suddenly realized that Yun Shifei had grown smarter.
But could she really have changed her feelings this quickly?
Based on his knowledge of her, it seemed unlikely—was she doing this to provoke him?
Unable to resist, Mu Chengzhu made a phone call. Very soon, Yun Shifei picked up.
"Shi Fei, I heard from Uncle Yun that you have a boyfriend now."
On the other end of the line, Mu Chengzhu’s voice didn’t catch Yun Shifei by surprise. She responded with a simple "Mm."
"It’s not Cheng Lie?"
Yun Shifei chuckled softly, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "How could I dare openly get back together with Cheng Lie? Wouldn’t you just go after him again?"
"As long as you know that."
Yun Shifei’s face was filled with mockery. "Mu Chengzhu, give it up. Even if I don’t end up with him, I still won’t ever get together with you."
"Who knows what might happen."
The fact that he still held out hope was laughable to Yun Shifei.
"Well, I’m dating someone new now, and guess what—it’s not you."
"Shi Fei, you don’t need to ruin yourself because of me," Mu Chengzhu said, furrowing his brows.
Listening to the annoyance in his tone filled Yun Shifei with immense satisfaction.
She had performed every act of evasion before, and yet he refused to leave her alone. Well, then, she wouldn’t mind driving him mad with anger and disgust.
By now, she understood that kindness invites exploitation. The more she retreated, the more she would be forced to backtrack, until there remained no boundaries left to protect.
"I’m not doing this for you; I’m doing this for myself. Why should I not be allowed to like someone else? Mu Chengzhu, mark my words—this lifetime, I could fall for anyone, anyone but you."
With that, Yun Shifei hung up the phone.
Mu Chengzhu held his phone, frozen for what felt like eternity.
In his ear, her words seemed to echo endlessly.
Mu Chengzhu, mark my words—this lifetime, I could fall for anyone, anyone but you.
Fall for anyone, anyone else but him?
Mu Chengzhu felt his breathing grow heavier.
He faintly recalled the previous life, when she used to gaze at him with her wide, deer-like eyes and call him Brother Mu, just like Yun Sisi did, always giving him the best things she had.
When he had decided to pursue her romantically, she had told him that everything felt like a dream.
Her radiant and passionate smile then sharply contrasted with the cold indifference she displayed now.
The sorrow coursed through him, like the wind seeping into every pore in his body, leaving him in unbearable pain.
His fists clenched tightly, but he couldn’t stop his eyes from reddening.
She didn’t love him anymore. She would never hold him in her heart again.
Mu Chengzhu felt a mixture of remorse and profound unwillingness.
In his past life, he’d foolishly fallen for Yun Sisi, trampling Yun Shifei’s love underfoot like mud.
But why had he ever liked Yun Sisi? To this day, he still couldn’t figure it out.
With all her pretentiousness, he would have seen through her duplicity very soon anyway, even without Yun Shifei pointing it out.
Mu Chengzhu thought about it carefully, took a deep breath, and decided—he’d go and see Yun Sisi again. He wanted to know exactly why he’d been drawn to her back then.
...
Yun Sisi was angered upon hearing that Mu Chengzhu wanted to meet her. This spiteful man always gave her hope, only to dash it again.
She had already resolved to spend her life with Song Yang. After all, she’d known Song Yang for so long, and he always foolishly went along with whatever she wanted.
Unlike Mu Chengzhu, who had hurt her for the sake of Yun Shifei!
When it comes to marriage, she should choose a man who loved her, not a man she loved.
She had already realized that Mu Chengzhu didn’t love her.
So, when she heard Mu Chengzhu ask to meet her again, Yun Sisi refused, saying, "Brother Mu, I’m a little busy lately and don’t have time to meet you."
"What about the restaurant near the school? Just meet me there," Mu Chengzhu insisted.
Yun Sisi hesitated at his plea. She felt herself softening slightly.
Should she agree or not? She was deeply torn.
"Sisi, what happened last time was my fault; I shouldn’t have said such harsh words. No matter what, you’re still my sister and Jia Yu’s friend."
When Yun Sisi heard Mu Chengzhu say this, she almost burst into tears.
Hmph! This shameless man—he finally realized her worth, didn’t he?
Listen to that; his tone was unprecedentedly gentle.
She had always said, no one could resist her charm—not even Mu Chengzhu. He was starting to miss her because she hadn’t gone looking for him for a while.
Fine. She’d reluctantly agree to meet him once.
"Okay, let’s meet at the Western restaurant by the school gate."
Mu Chengzhu proactively sought her out, reigniting a flicker of hope in Yun Sisi’s heart. If she had the choice, of course she would choose Mu Chengzhu over Song Yang.
Song Yang? He was nothing but a backup plan.