Chapter 186

She wouldn’t feel sorry for her. Thinking she could use this to play the sympathy card—she was really overthinking it.

Zhong Ning walked forward without stopping, face cold and unmoved, as if she hadn’t even been the one speaking just now.

She walked ahead, lifted her suitcase and placed it up first—an easy feat despite the 28-inch case, which she handled effortlessly with one hand.

After taking a few steps, she turned back and saw Xie Shiqing also trying to lift a large suitcase. She was using both hands, trembling slightly with the effort.

With a detached expression, Zhong Ning reached over, lifted the case, and set it down flat.

After passing through security, she also took both suitcases off the conveyor belt.

The corners of Xie Shiqing’s lips lifted slightly in a hidden smile. “Thank you, Sister Zhong.”

Her voice was naturally sweet, but when speaking to subordinates, she would usually suppress it. In front of Zhong Ning, however, it remained soft and syrupy, as if afraid it wasn’t sweet enough. Now, she deliberately added a nasal tone—so much so that even passersby couldn’t help but look back.

Just hearing the voice, one might think it belonged to some overly dramatic woman. But upon seeing her face, they would be instantly stunned, dazedly stealing more glances.

Zhong Ning took a firm step forward to block their view, glared down at her, and lowered her voice. “Speak properly.”

Xie Shiqing asked, “Then what should I call you?”

“Call me whatever you want, but don’t speak in that weird tone.”

Did she even realize how attention-grabbing she looked right now?

It hadn’t even been that long—just after they’d found a place to sit—that Zhong Ning already noticed a few guys getting restless, clearly about to come over and ask for her WeChat.

Zhong Ning probably knew better than anyone just how good-looking Xie Shiqing was. Usually, she moved through high-end venues, always flanked by bodyguards, dressed in mature and elegant clothing with an intimidating presence. No one with eyes would dare approach her casually.

But where were they now? A busy high-speed rail station waiting area, full of the most reckless kind of young people.

And she just had to act all obedient and cute.

Zhong Ning felt a wave of irritation in her chest. “I’m going to buy a bottle of water. Do you want one?”

After a pause, she added, “Jingjing.”

“Just plain water is fine.” Xie Shiqing smiled sweetly and softly. “Go ahead, Sister Ning. I’ll save the seats.”

Zhong Ning’s lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she held back and strode off quickly.

In the 24-hour convenience store, she weaved through the shelves of beverages, looking for the most expensive bottle of water. Her gaze paused briefly on a pink-packaged peach-flavored fruit drink.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling a headache coming on.

She had genuinely considered the possibility that Xie Shiqing would pester her endlessly, begging to get back together. She had even prepared herself to reject her with a cold face.

But what she hadn’t expected… was for her to pull this kind of stunt.

If she had come crying, over and over again saying how wrong she had been, spinning clever excuses—Zhong Ning would’ve found it annoying. It would’ve quickly extinguished the few tangled emotions still lingering in her heart.

She wasn’t the type to deceive herself. Admitting that she still couldn’t let go of Xie Shiqing wasn’t hard.

This was the first person she had ever liked, the one she had envisioned spending her life with, and also the first person who could hurt her this deeply.

Most people would be upset for a long time after losing just a pair of shoes—let alone suffering a blow in matters of the heart.

But whenever she recalled the things Xie Shiqing had done, the pain she had caused, the storm in Zhong Ning’s heart would immediately calm.

There was no need to be angry, no need to feel annoyed. If she wanted to play the “new friend” card, then let her act it out.

The best form of rejection was to strip away all love and hatred—become familiar strangers.

Zhong Ning came back carrying two bottles of water, with a plastic bag in hand that held a few snacks: dried plums, dried mango, potato chips, and yogurt.

Just as she stepped out of the convenience store, she spotted from a distance a few young women gathered around Xie Shiqing.

Frowning slightly, she walked over.

“Miss, just add her on WeChat, okay? My friend’s really nice, super innocent, she’s never had a girlfriend before. She’s been watching you for a while, this is the first time she’s ever liked someone. You’re single too, just get to know each other.”

“Yeah, yeah! Look at her, she’s not bad-looking either, and she even blushed. She’s honestly just a sweet girl. If it doesn’t work out, you can delete her. She won’t pester you or anything.”

Zhong Ning gave them a sweeping glance and said blandly, “Isn’t this already pestering?”

The girls looked slightly embarrassed. One of them, a little unwilling to back down, said, “This doesn’t really have anything to do with you, does it?”

“It does.” Xie Shiqing’s eyes curved in a smile, soft laughter flowing out from them like a stream. “She’s the one I like.”

Zhong Ning’s dyed blue hair already made her stand out, and her sharp features made her look fierce. When she wore a cold expression, her aura could be intimidating.

The girl clearly wanted to say more, but after being stared at by Zhong Ning’s blank face for a while—and with her friend tugging at her arm—she eventually left, a little awkwardly.

Zhong Ning dropped into the empty seat, twisted open a bottle of water, and handed it over. “Here.”

Right after twisting the cap, she frowned—it was a purely instinctive gesture. What kind of relationship did they even have now? Why was she still opening bottles for her?

But since she’d already done it, she couldn’t exactly take it back.

Acting as if nothing had happened, Zhong Ning said, “I also bought some snacks. Jingjing, do you want any?”

Xie Shiqing couldn’t hide the smile spreading across her face, sweeter than if she’d eaten ten pounds of honey. “Thank you, Sister Ning. I was just thinking I wanted something sweet.”

Zhong Ning handed her a packet of dried mango.

They really looked like two different people. Even people who knew Xie Shiqing might only think of twins—not the same person.

Zhong Ning, almost as if possessed, had instinctively called her Jingjing, not her real name.

The moment she said it, she realized she had already fallen into Xie Shiqing’s trap.

Clearly the same person—splitting her into two identities. What next? Was she supposed to date her all over again?

Truly full of tricks.

She pulled out her earphones and put them on, clearly signaling that she didn’t want to talk. This person’s tongue was just too sharp—no matter how many times she told herself not to, she always ended up swayed by her.