CHAPTER 260: CHAPTER 260: RIVAL IN LOVE COMES KNOCKING

Appetite.

"Xuanxuan, eat slower." Seeing Xuanxuan eating as if she hadn’t eaten for days, Mi Wan couldn’t help but speak out to advise her.

"Oh." Xuanxuan responded obediently, and after swallowing the food in her mouth, she said with a smile, "Mom, can I go to Cancan’s house to play for a few days?"

Mi Wan knew who Cancan was. Because Xuanxuan had been mentioning this person a lot recently, Mi Wan specifically called Mi Jing to find out more. She learned that Cancan was the daughter of Gu Mosheng, the head of the Jin City Five Young Masters.

"Doesn’t Xuanxuan like staying at home?" Mi Wan was a careful person, and she’d noticed that Xuanxuan had been wanting to go out a lot lately.

"I like it!" Xuanxuan lied without hesitation because she knew that if she said she didn’t like staying at home, her mom would be unhappy.

"So, compared to staying at home, does Xuanxuan prefer going to play with Cancan?" Mi Wan asked again.

"Yes." This time, Xuanxuan didn’t lie. She said honestly, "It’s really fun playing with Cancan. We can chat, take baths together, sleep together, knead clay, and do many, many things. Also, Cancan has a dog too, Kabi, who can play with Cancan’s Meng Meng."

Seeing Xuanxuan’s face brimming with joy, Mi Wan was also delighted. Previously, apart from a few good friends at kindergarten, Xuanxuan was almost always with her and had no friends her age in her daily life. So now, having a friend she could talk to and play with, Mi Wan was naturally happy for Xuanxuan.

"But staying at Cancan’s house for a few days would be inconvenient for their family." After all, Mi Wan didn’t know the Gu Family. Even though Xuanxuan and Cancan had a great time together, she didn’t feel comfortable visiting their house without prior acquaintance.

"Then how about I go to Auntie’s house? Cancan takes art lessons from Auntie and goes to her house often."

"Your Auntie’s still sick, wait a few days to visit." Although Mi Jing always doted on Xuanxuan, Mi Wan didn’t want Xuanxuan to disturb her while she was unwell.

"Xuanxuan can take care of Auntie." Xuanxuan said confidently. Since successfully making breakfast last time, she had great confidence in herself, feeling that she wasn’t just a child who needed care but also someone who could care for others.

"The new school term is starting soon. Did you finish your winter homework?"

Just as Xuanxuan was feeling pleased with herself, He Zerui suddenly poured cold water on her mood, instantly bringing her spirits down.

"Mom, I’m full. I’ll go back to my room to do my homework." Xuanxuan didn’t even look at He Zerui. She took a deep breath to calm her anger and then spoke calmly to Mi Wan.

After Xuanxuan left, Mi Wan looked thoughtfully at He Zerui, who was eating silently. Her lips moved as if wanting to say something but eventually remained silent.

Still not recovered from her cold, Mi Jing had been staying at home, not going anywhere. Shen Lingxing was busy with work, leaving early and returning late. Without him around, Mi Jing could only pass the time by watching TV or movies.

Yesterday, she binge-watched Korean dramas all day, exhausting her energy. So today, Mi Jing decided to watch something different and chose a youth romance film. As the movie’s atmosphere unfolded, she reminisced about her student days.

Everything in youth was pure, simply striving for dreams, simply liking someone, just hanging out with a group of like-minded friends, teasing each other, laughing and having fun, freely expressing all joy and sorrow.

The movie lasted over an hour, and Mi Jing’s gaze never left the screen until the end credits rolled. Only then did she lift her cup for a sip of water, feeling a sense of melancholy.

At the end of the film, the female lead didn’t end up with the male lead. After graduation, they chose different paths. Time and distance gradually alienated them, leading to new lives, jobs, friends, experiences, and changes, turning once familiar people into strangers. They naturally drifted apart, and then, during idle moments of solitude, they occasionally remembered their old crush with a hint of sadness, faint longing, and nostalgia.

Finally, they met in a café. She sat by the window with her new boyfriend, while he walked in with a beautiful woman. Their eyes met for a moment, only slightly stunned, then they simply exchanged polite smiles. The scene lingered, with an aesthetic touch of sadness, interspersed with moments of their past laughter and playfulness—

They skipped classes together, took long bus rides to watch movies; they walked in the rain, sharing an umbrella, holding hands...

However, those many beautiful moments had become memories. They both left each other’s lives, now embarking on their new life paths, letting the past slowly fade away with the wind. In the end, what one missed most was the young, radiant, and wild youthful self.

Ding-dong——

The doorbell’s chime mingled with the music, pulling Mi Jing back to reality. She picked up the remote, turned off the TV, silencing the music, leaving only the doorbell echoing.

Click——

Without seeing clearly who it was, Mi Jing opened the door. Seeing the beauty standing before her, she blinked. A second later, she was sure she didn’t know this person.

"Is Xingxing home?" The beauty spoke up before Mi Jing could ask, her face adorned with a polite and charming smile, adding to her confident charisma.

Xingxing?

Is she here for Shen Lingxing?

If so, that address was quite intimate, wasn’t it?

With this thought, Mi Jing’s eyes narrowed slightly, looking at the beauty with a hint of scrutiny. She smiled and asked, "Miss, may I know your surname? Are you looking for Shen Lingxing?"

"Yes, I’m Yao Xinchun, a schoolmate of Xingxing." Yao Xinchun nodded, her lips curling into a charming smile, elegant and grand, so beautiful that one couldn’t help but want to take another look at her.

Although Mi Jing had a tendency to admire beauty, upon hearing "Yao Xinchun," her mind immediately recalled the senior mentioned by the female doctor. Realizing that this beautiful woman might be Shen Lingxing’s ex-girlfriend, Mi Jing lost interest in admiring her.

Were she and Shen Lingxing still in touch? Why had she come to the house suddenly?

With these questions in her heart, Mi Jing asked calmly, "Shen Lingxing isn’t home right now. What’s your business with him?"

"I know he’s not at home." Yao Xinchun said.

She knew he wasn’t home?

How did she know? Had she already contacted Shen Lingxing?