Xu Hehe was woken up by a phone call in the middle of the night. She picked up the phone in a daze and whispered affectionately, "Ah Che, stop fooling around. I'm so sleepy."
In the past, she would receive a call from Ah Che every late winter night. At first, he would say that he wanted to check if she was being honest. Then, when she was about to fall asleep from waiting, he would use a low and sweet voice to say, "I miss you."
Even if she hated to be disturbed in her sleep, she would still pick up the phone happily. Every night before she went to sleep, she would hope that Ah Che would call.
The person on the other end of the call fell into a long silence. Even the surrounding noises quieted down.
Xu Hehe was suddenly completely awake. She patted her head in pain and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Feifei." The only person in the city with her number was Feifei. Ah Che would not call her again.
At this moment, her heart ached so much that it felt as though someone had used a knife to gouge out a piece of it. It was dripping with blood.
For some reason, Hehe didn’t have the energy to hide her intimacy and dependence just now. It made Hao Lianfei's heart ache. At the same time, she was even more certain that Hehe was not heartless towards Qi Che.
"Don't say sorry to me. If you want to treat me like a good sister, just don't disappear again."
Xu Hehe was silent for a moment. She seemed to think seriously for a moment before speaking solemnly. "I won't do it again in the future."
"Good. I just got off work. Do you want to come out for a drink? Which hotel are you staying at? I'll pick you up."
"No need. I'm staying in a temporary rented apartment. It's too late. Call me when you're free. " Xu Hehe yawned, her eyelids heavy as a thousand gold coins.
Her physical condition had been worsening over the past year. She wouldn’t have come back so recklessly otherwise.
She’d found the apartment that she was renting through the Internet before she’d returned to China. Although the one bedroom and one living room weren’t big, the decoration was very warm and comfortable. After wandering around for five years, it gave her the feeling of home that she had always longed for.
Moreover, it was convenient to travel to from the hospital.
When she was certain that she was going to return to China, her American mentor had recommended the best cardiothoracic surgery hospital in the city, the first hospital affiliated to the university of a medical college. Unfortunately, there were too many of her former classmates and alumni there. She was not prepared to face them, so she had dragged her feet and never went to register.
In the coffee shop, Hao Lianfei couldn’t help but complain to Xu Hehe, who was late again. "Hehe, you’re busier than I am, and I’m the director of the Public Relations Department. Is it really so difficult to see you?"
"Stop teasing me. I’m unemployed. I’ll have to rely on you to provide for me in the future." Her appearance had immediately attracted the attention of the surrounding people.
"There’s absolutely no problem with that, but you can't steal my limelight," Hao Lianfei said sourly. "As long as you’re there, everyone else can only act as your foil."
Xu Hehe laughed and shook her head. "Fu Mengyao and Yan Chuqing won't!"
Hao Lianfei curled her lip in disdain, and her image as a capable and refined director immediately vanished. "One has the halo of the richest daughter, and one is known as the number one beauty with both charm and talent." After saying that, she didn't forget to point at Hehe, feeling disappointed. "You're the only one who's disappointing. You don't participate in clubs or events, and you don't even know how to dance at dances. You're really letting down your beautiful face."
Xu Hehe was embarrassed by her scolding. She hadn’t known what a big mistake she had made.
"I was wrong, alright? You still remember what happened so long ago."
"If you know you're wrong, then you have to change. You have to attend the banquet tomorrow."
"What banquet?" Hehe was confused.
Lianfei had known that her secretary was unreliable. "It's a gathering of old classmates. Since you're back, you can't hide and not see anyone all the time, alright?"
"Alright."
When the night arrived, Xu Hehe was wearing a blue knee-length dress. Her long waves of curly hair were casually tied back, and she was charming and elegant. Even though she was facing the sky, it was hard to hide her beauty.
When the taxi stopped in front of the private clubhouse, the doorman immediately gave them a disdainful look.
Xu Hehe got out of the taxi and looked around. All the cars in the parking lot were luxurious, high-class vehicles.
The people coming and going were all rich and famous people.
Such an old taxi really didn't fit in. No wonder the driver had looked awkward when she gave the address at the beginning of the ride.
"I'm sorry, Miss. Are you a member?" With a professional smile, the doorman blocked Xu Hehe at the entrance, attracting the disdainful eyes of the rich and famous women coming and going.
"Member?" Feifei hadn't mentioned anything about being a member. Quickly, Hehe dialed Hao Lianfei's cell phone, and received a message inviting her to leave a voicemail.
"This is a private club, Miss. Non-members aren’t allowed to enter." The doorman’s expression, originally polite, had turned to disdain. "You can't stay here. Please leave immediately."
"But I'm here to attend the class reunion. Why don't you make an exception?"
"Class reunion?" The doorman sneered in disbelief. "Miss, you're not drunk, are you? You're here to attend a class reunion? Tonight, the club has already been booked by the President of the Qi Corporation to hold a birthday party for his fiancée. Why would there be a class reunion?"
"Why don't you help me check? I can’t have gotten it wrong." It wasn't April Fool's day today, and Feifei wouldn't be so cruel. There must be some mistake.
"There’s no class reunion. If you don't leave now, we'll have to call security."
"You're wrong, Miss. There isn't a class reunion, but it is indeed a birthday of a classmate," a teasing voice intoned. Yan Chuqing walked over gracefully in her high heels.
Xu Hehe had a bad premonition. Maybe she really had been deceived by Feifei.
"Hello, Miss Yan. The banquet has already started. Please come in.” The doorman immediately put on a very respectful smile. This club was the Qi group's property. As an executive of the Qi Group, many people knew Yan Chuqing.
Yan Chuqing put on a faintly discernible sneer. She said to the doorman condescendingly, "You're really blind tonight. This Miss Xu is our CEO's ex-girlfriend. Tonight is the CEO's fiancée's birthday. If she doesn't attend, wouldn't it be a waste of a good show?"
She couldn't wait for Xu Hehe to act. She was looking forward to Fu Mengyao's wonderful expression.
Che had a fiancée. It was Fu Mengyao, of course. Although she had expected this outcome, she was still so uncomfortable that she could barely breathe.
She was too selfish. On one hand, she hoped that Che could be happy, but on the other, she had been delusional to think that he was still single. Che was so outstanding. If she was his partner, she wouldn't let him go. She should have seen it clearly long ago.
Hehe clenched his right hand tightly, her nails digging deep into her palm. The pain was intense, but she still maintained the faint smile on her face.
Maybe she was weak, but at least she could hide it in front of Yan Chuqing.
The doorman was frightened by Yan Chuqing's words, and her face turned pale. Cold sweat soaked her back, and she looked at Xu Hehe in fear.
Although she was an ex-girlfriend, she was still the ex-girlfriend of the president. It wouldn’t be good to offend her, right?
"Since it's not a class reunion, I'd better leave." At this time, the only thing Hehe thought of was to escape. She had dreamed countless times of being able to reunite with Ah Che one day, but she shrank back when it was right in front of her eyes.
She was afraid that she would not be able to control herself and cry. She was even more afraid that she would throw herself into Che's arms. She was most afraid of Che's cold eyes.
Yan Chuqing sneered. "What's the difference between a class reunion and a birthday party? Since you're here, then you may as well stay."
She pulled Xu Hehe into the club without giving her any time to object. "Old classmate, we haven't seen each other for many years. You must have fun."
Yan Chuqing's grip on Hehe's wrist was extremely strong. No matter how hard she struggled, she could not loosen her grip at all. Her sharp nails dug into Hehe’s skin, and it hurt even more.
The melodious music was getting closer and closer. Hehe felt that every step she took felt like a year. The two exquisite carved doors were pulled open by the waiters at the same time. A dazzling light shone on the two of them in an instant, and Hehe subconsciously turned her face away.
The entire hall instantly fell silent. Everyone had a tacit understanding, as if they had rehearsed it countless times in advance. The socialites and influential people who were chatting and laughing looked at the entrance in surprise before turning their curious gazes towards the stairway.
Many of the business elites from their university had a deep memory of what had happened back then. Everyone knew the legendary university Belle.
However, they were not as shrewd and scheming as the celebrities and dignitaries. They could not help but whisper to each other.
"Oh my God! It's Xu Hehe? Didn't she leave with the middle-aged wealthy businessman?"
"Why did she come back?"
"The woman is shameless."