Ch. 1641..1650
Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1641
Did he order all these for me? Tang Yuanyuan felt depressed. How can I eat so much? Not to mention at night too!
Therefore, her expression became troubled. “Yishu, I really can’t eat that much.”
“It’s okay. I was teasing you. Just eat whatever you can; I’ll finish whatever you can’t finish.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
Only then did she heave a sigh of relief—the burden was lifted from her shoulders. She could eat a little bit of everything and leave the rest to Yishu. At least, that was what she planned on doing in the beginning. However, when she began eating, she found that she couldn’t control herself from eating only a little bit of everything.
Thus, she secretly ate a little more of each. She felt embarrassed and sneaked a glance at Yuchi Yishu. To her surprise, he didn’t seem to notice. He was focused on adding water into the grilled fish pot. After it was done grilling, he picked at the fish meat and placed it on the plate. Looking at the fish, she felt her trauma coming back. Then, she silently looked away.
After a while, he softly said, “It’s done.”
“What?” She didn’t understand what he meant. Then, she saw him push a plate of fish toward her. “This is for you.”
A chill ran down her back as she felt as if something was stuck in her throat. She intuitively wanted to refuse, then she heard him continue, “I’ve removed all the fish bones for you. Don’t worry.”
“Yishu?”
She felt a little surprised. When he brought her here to eat fish, she thought that he had forgotten about the incident during their childhood. Thus, she was surprised to see that he still remembered it.
“What’s wrong?”
“I thought you forgot that I don’t like to eat fish.”
“Is there anything you don’t like to eat? You don’t like it because you’re scared of the fish bones. The middle portion of the Basa fish contains fewer bones. I’ve picked out the occasional bone in it. So, don’t worry.” After saying that, he reached out and rubbed her head. On the other hand, she was immediately moved by his actions.
“Thanks, Yishu.”
I see; he had already planned for it when he brought me here to eat fish. No wonder he ordered the Basa fish. Still, I never knew.
“If you like it, I will bring you to a place where we can eat boiled fish.”
“Okay!”
Yuchi Yishu was right. There was nothing Tang Yuanyuan did not like to eat. If she didn’t eat it, then it was something she was traumatized about.
The Basa fish was delicious. Moreover, he had removed all the bones from the fish for her. So, she ate it happily.
“Yishu, it feels like it has been years since I last ate fish. In the future, will you help me pick out the fish bones?” Then, she felt that her request was a little too much. So, she quickly said something else instead, “Forget it; there are so many fish bones. Picking out every single one of them is hard work. You don’t need to do that. Hurry up and eat your food, Yishu.”
Since the food was served, he had not eaten a single bite. On the other hand, she had already filled up one-third of her stomach by now.
“It’s not hard. In the future, we can eat a whole fish. The parts with lesser bones will go to you, and I will take the parts with more bones.”
Tang Yuanyuan blinked her eyes and stopped all her movements. Then, she lifted her head and looked at Yuchi Yishu. “Do you mean that, in the future, you will always be with me? So Yishu—”
Cough. Yuchi Yishu cleared his throat lightly, interrupting her. “Eat your food. Didn’t I tell you that some matters can only be discussed after you turn into an adult?”
He couldn’t help but feel like he was a villain if he were to discuss these matters with her now.
Then, she pouted. “It’s not like it matters if we talk about it now. There’s only half a year left to go anyway.”
“So, you can’t even wait half a year?” he teased her. In response, her face turned bright red immediately. “Nonsense! Who said I can’t wait?”
He said nothing in reply. So, she was too embarrassed to continue the topic either. Otherwise, Yishu would seriously believe that she couldn’t wait half a year.
The time they spent together always went by quickly. As they had reconciled after fighting with each other, she cherished the time she spent with him very much. Besides, she desperately wanted to hug him. Even so, she believed that she should act more reservedly in front of him. Or else, she would have to suffer from his teasing again.
Just like yesterday, Yuchi Yishu sent her back to her school, then they parted ways. After that, Tang Yuanyuan went back to her dormitory. As she had returned earlier today, nobody in the dormitory was asleep yet.
The moment she entered, Yuan Yuehan took the initiative to greet her, “You’re back, Yuanyuan! Where did you go to play?”
Tang Yuanyuan glanced at Yuan Yuehan. She also caught a glimpse of Zhang Xiaolu out of the corner of her eye. For a moment, the expression on her face became slightly strained before softening again in the next moment. Then, she smiled. “I didn’t go anywhere; I just went out for dinner.” She carried a bag over to them and opened it up. “I bought some fruits. Do you want some?”
Yuan Yuehan immediately ran over barefooted and took a peach. “Thanks, Yuanyuan. I’ll have a peach. Xiaolu, what do you want?”
Zhang Xiaolu walked over. In the end, she, like Yuan Yuehan, chose a peach too.
Afterward, Tang Yuanyuan went to Meng Kefei, but Meng Kefei said softly, “I’m feeling tired today. I’m going to sleep, so I’m not eating anything. You guys go ahead.”
Then, she wrapped herself in her blanket and closed her eyes.
Tang Yuanyuan could clearly feel the antagonism and coldness emanating from Meng Kefei’s body. For that reason, she felt slightly upset. Even so, she managed to keep the smile on her face as she put the fruits away.
Yuan Yuehan and Zhang Xiaolu exchanged a glance. Then, they walked over to Tang Yuanyuan as if they could sense the presence of juicy gossip. “Yuanyuan, it’s going to be my birthday in two days. Are you really not coming?”
Speaking of birthdays, Tang Yuanyuan recalled the conversation she overheard previously. Then, she pursed her lips and replied, “Is it because you want to meet my brother?”
The two girls were stunned.
“If you’re inviting me only because you want to meet my brother, then I might not attend.”
“No!” Yuan Yuehan shook her head, hastily denying it. “That might have been the case in the past, but I’ve come to understand that men aren’t everything. Good friends are more important than men.”
Tang Yuanyuan might not have considered whether her friends were more important than men, or vice versa, but she didn’t detect anything wrong from what Yuan Yuehan said. “Then I’ll attend without bringing my brother along. Is that okay?”
“Of course, it is. It’s enough if you come. Come and have fun with us! There will be many handsome guys at my birthday party. If you are interested in any one of them, you can tell me and I will be your matchmaker!” After saying that, Yuan Yuehan reached out and grabbed Tang Yuanyuan, smiling as she continued, “What do you think?”
Tang Yuanyuan blushed. “No, there’s no need for that.”
She only had feelings for Yuchi Yishu. There was no way she would fall for any other guy.
“Don’t be shy, Yuanyuan. We are going to be adults soon. It’s a good time to find a good guy and date him. The relationship will last from high school to university, then from university until graduation. If you are happy in the relationship, it could even turn into marriage! Won’t that be great?”
In truth, Yuan Yuehand and Zhang Xiaolu had it all planned out. First, they would introduce a boyfriend to Yuanyuan. Then, when she is happy in her relationship, she would be grateful toward them. When that time comes, it would be a breeze for them to court her brother.
Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1642
Did he order all these for me? Tang Yuanyuan felt depressed. How can I eat so much? Not to mention at night too!
Therefore, her expression became troubled. “Yishu, I really can’t eat that much.”
“It’s okay. I was teasing you. Just eat whatever you can; I’ll finish whatever you can’t finish.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
Only then did she heave a sigh of relief—the burden was lifted from her shoulders. She could eat a little bit of everything and leave the rest to Yishu. At least, that was what she planned on doing in the beginning. However, when she began eating, she found that she couldn’t control herself from eating only a little bit of everything.
Thus, she secretly ate a little more of each. She felt embarrassed and sneaked a glance at Yuchi Yishu. To her surprise, he didn’t seem to notice. He was focused on adding water into the grilled fish pot. After it was done grilling, he picked at the fish meat and placed it on the plate. Looking at the fish, she felt her trauma coming back. Then, she silently looked away.
After a while, he softly said, “It’s done.”
“What?” She didn’t understand what he meant. Then, she saw him push a plate of fish toward her. “This is for you.”
A chill ran down her back as she felt as if something was stuck in her throat. She intuitively wanted to refuse, then she heard him continue, “I’ve removed all the fish bones for you. Don’t worry.”
“Yishu?”
She felt a little surprised. When he brought her here to eat fish, she thought that he had forgotten about the incident during their childhood. Thus, she was surprised to see that he still remembered it.
“What’s wrong?”
“I thought you forgot that I don’t like to eat fish.”
“Is there anything you don’t like to eat? You don’t like it because you’re scared of the fish bones. The middle portion of the Basa fish contains fewer bones. I’ve picked out the occasional bone in it. So, don’t worry.” After saying that, he reached out and rubbed her head. On the other hand, she was immediately moved by his actions.
“Thanks, Yishu.”
I see; he had already planned for it when he brought me here to eat fish. No wonder he ordered the Basa fish. Still, I never knew.
“If you like it, I will bring you to a place where we can eat boiled fish.”
“Okay!”
Yuchi Yishu was right. There was nothing Tang Yuanyuan did not like to eat. If she didn’t eat it, then it was something she was traumatized about.
The Basa fish was delicious. Moreover, he had removed all the bones from the fish for her. So, she ate it happily.
“Yishu, it feels like it has been years since I last ate fish. In the future, will you help me pick out the fish bones?” Then, she felt that her request was a little too much. So, she quickly said something else instead, “Forget it; there are so many fish bones. Picking out every single one of them is hard work. You don’t need to do that. Hurry up and eat your food, Yishu.”
Since the food was served, he had not eaten a single bite. On the other hand, she had already filled up one-third of her stomach by now.
“It’s not hard. In the future, we can eat a whole fish. The parts with lesser bones will go to you, and I will take the parts with more bones.”
Tang Yuanyuan blinked her eyes and stopped all her movements. Then, she lifted her head and looked at Yuchi Yishu. “Do you mean that, in the future, you will always be with me? So Yishu—”
Cough. Yuchi Yishu cleared his throat lightly, interrupting her. “Eat your food. Didn’t I tell you that some matters can only be discussed after you turn into an adult?”
He couldn’t help but feel like he was a villain if he were to discuss these matters with her now.
Then, she pouted. “It’s not like it matters if we talk about it now. There’s only half a year left to go anyway.”
“So, you can’t even wait half a year?” he teased her. In response, her face turned bright red immediately. “Nonsense! Who said I can’t wait?”
He said nothing in reply. So, she was too embarrassed to continue the topic either. Otherwise, Yishu would seriously believe that she couldn’t wait half a year.
The time they spent together always went by quickly. As they had reconciled after fighting with each other, she cherished the time she spent with him very much. Besides, she desperately wanted to hug him. Even so, she believed that she should act more reservedly in front of him. Or else, she would have to suffer from his teasing again.
Just like yesterday, Yuchi Yishu sent her back to her school, then they parted ways. After that, Tang Yuanyuan went back to her dormitory. As she had returned earlier today, nobody in the dormitory was asleep yet.
The moment she entered, Yuan Yuehan took the initiative to greet her, “You’re back, Yuanyuan! Where did you go to play?”
Tang Yuanyuan glanced at Yuan Yuehan. She also caught a glimpse of Zhang Xiaolu out of the corner of her eye. For a moment, the expression on her face became slightly strained before softening again in the next moment. Then, she smiled. “I didn’t go anywhere; I just went out for dinner.” She carried a bag over to them and opened it up. “I bought some fruits. Do you want some?”
Yuan Yuehan immediately ran over barefooted and took a peach. “Thanks, Yuanyuan. I’ll have a peach. Xiaolu, what do you want?”
Zhang Xiaolu walked over. In the end, she, like Yuan Yuehan, chose a peach too.
Afterward, Tang Yuanyuan went to Meng Kefei, but Meng Kefei said softly, “I’m feeling tired today. I’m going to sleep, so I’m not eating anything. You guys go ahead.”
Then, she wrapped herself in her blanket and closed her eyes.
Tang Yuanyuan could clearly feel the antagonism and coldness emanating from Meng Kefei’s body. For that reason, she felt slightly upset. Even so, she managed to keep the smile on her face as she put the fruits away.
Yuan Yuehan and Zhang Xiaolu exchanged a glance. Then, they walked over to Tang Yuanyuan as if they could sense the presence of juicy gossip. “Yuanyuan, it’s going to be my birthday in two days. Are you really not coming?”
Speaking of birthdays, Tang Yuanyuan recalled the conversation she overheard previously. Then, she pursed her lips and replied, “Is it because you want to meet my brother?”
The two girls were stunned.
“If you’re inviting me only because you want to meet my brother, then I might not attend.”
“No!” Yuan Yuehan shook her head, hastily denying it. “That might have been the case in the past, but I’ve come to understand that men aren’t everything. Good friends are more important than men.”
Tang Yuanyuan might not have considered whether her friends were more important than men, or vice versa, but she didn’t detect anything wrong from what Yuan Yuehan said. “Then I’ll attend without bringing my brother along. Is that okay?”
“Of course, it is. It’s enough if you come. Come and have fun with us! There will be many handsome guys at my birthday party. If you are interested in any one of them, you can tell me and I will be your matchmaker!” After saying that, Yuan Yuehan reached out and grabbed Tang Yuanyuan, smiling as she continued, “What do you think?”
Tang Yuanyuan blushed. “No, there’s no need for that.”
She only had feelings for Yuchi Yishu. There was no way she would fall for any other guy.
“Don’t be shy, Yuanyuan. We are going to be adults soon. It’s a good time to find a good guy and date him. The relationship will last from high school to university, then from university until graduation. If you are happy in the relationship, it could even turn into marriage! Won’t that be great?”
In truth, Yuan Yuehand and Zhang Xiaolu had it all planned out. First, they would introduce a boyfriend to Yuanyuan. Then, when she is happy in her relationship, she would be grateful toward them. When that time comes, it would be a breeze for them to court her brother.
Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1643
Finally, Tang Yuanyuan finished writing her wishes on the card and passed it to the saleslady for wrapping.
Since Tang Yuanyuan was the one giving the gift, Yuchi Yishu did not pay for her. After making the payment with her credit card, she turned to Yuchi Yishu.
“Yishu, I’m done. Let’s go.”
“Sure.”
The two then went to grab dinner before Yuchi Yishu sent her back to school.
Before she left, Yuchi Yishu charged her, “Do you remember everything that I told you?”
“Ah?” Tang Yuanyuan was unable to react.
Yuchi Yishu let out a sigh of relief. “It’s about you not attending the birthday party. We talked about it just this afternoon. How can you forget it already?”
“Ah, that. Of course, Yishu. Please rest assured that I won’t forget it. I wasn’t able to react all of a sudden about what you were trying to say.”
Tang Yuanyuan immediately patted her chest and vouched for it. “I’ll pass her the gift and explain to her as soon as I get back.”
“Sure”.
Yuchi Yishu gently rubbed her head and whispered, “Go in then and remember to go to bed early tonight after giving her the gift. If she asks you why you’re not attending, tell her you have something else to take care of. If she follows up, just mention the gift. Do you understand?”
Tang Yuanyuan nodded her head, unsure if she really understood.
After that, she waved Yuchi Yishu off and walked into the school campus.
Since she got back to the dormitory early, Meng Kefei was not around. Right now, Zhang Xiaolu was using her facial mask as Yuan Yuehan came out of the bathroom. The moment Yuan Yuehan saw Tang Yuanyuan she greeted her warmly, “Yuanyuan, you’re back! Where did you go today? Did you go shopping?”
She stared at the exquisite-looking bag as she spoke.
“Uh-huh.” Tang Yuanyuan nodded while biting her lower lip, contemplating how to start the conversation. After some thought, she realized that since Yuan Yuehan would have to face rejection no matter what, she might as well be upfront with her.
“Right, Yuehan, I have something to tell you.”
“Yes?”
“About your birthday party—I’m afraid I won’t be able to go anymore.”
The smile on Yuan Yuehan’s face froze as she heard these words. It took her a few seconds before she came back to her senses.
“What’s going on? Didn’t you just promise me last night that you would be going? Why the sudden change of mind?”
Biting her lower lip, Tang Yuanyuan did not respond.
“Did something happen? Yuanyuan, are you still having doubts about me?”
“No. No.” Tang Yuanyuan shook her head. “I’m not doubting you. It’s just that I have other things to take care of at that time.”
Before Yuan Yuehan could follow up, Tang Yuanyuan was reminded of what Yuchi Yishu told her. So, she showed her the gift.
“By the way, this is the gift that I picked for you today. Even though I won’t be able to make it, I prepared this gift for you.”
Yuan Yuehan was stunned. “Is this for me?”
The exquisite-looking bag stirred up Yuan Yuehan’s curiosity as to what was in it.
“Yes. This is your birthday gift from me.”
Yuan Yuehan took the bag from her, and one could tell from the wrapping that it was an expensive gift. Even though Yuan Yuehan came from a wealthy family, she could never measure up to Tang Yuanyuan’s family background. At this point, she was excited to find out what Tang Yuanyuan had got for her.
The look of the bag suggested that it was something expensive. If that was the case, Yuan Yuehan felt that whether or not Tang Yuanyuan attended her birthday party no longer mattered.
After Yuan Yuehan opened it, she found a perfume, though it was a brand that she had never seen before.
“Well, I forgot to ask you what kind of perfume you liked before I went, so I asked the saleslady to find one that’s not too bold nor too mild. I hope you’ll like it.”
At this point, Yuan Yuehan felt disappointed. She was hoping that it would be something extremely expensive. Turns out it’s just perfume.
How expensive can perfume get?
Yuan Yuehan’s expectations about Tang Yuanyuan had disappeared. However, for the sake of their long-term plan, she still managed to put on a smile.
“I like it. Thank you.”
“Really? Do you like the scent?”
Yuan Yuehan sniffed it and nodded. “Yes, I like the scent too. Thank you so much. But are you really not going to come? I’ve got many good-looking guys to introduce to you at my birthday party. As you look so different now, they will definitely like you.”
Again, Tang Yuanyuan remembered what Yuchi Yishu told her, so she quickly responded, “I’m sorry, but I have some other matters to take care of. Did you shower already? I’m going to take mine now.”
As Tang Yuanyuan finished, she quickly left.
After closing the bathroom door, she waited for a moment to listen if anything was going on out there. Then, she let out a sigh of relief and thought that Yuchi Yishu’s method worked.
At this point, Yuan Yuehan took the perfume box and walked up to Zhang Xiaolu. She puckered up her lips while pointing at the perfume in her hand, looking disgruntled.
Zhang Xiaolu glanced at the perfume and whispered, “That’s very stingy of her. Doesn’t she come from a wealthy family? Why did she pick such a cheap gift?”
Yuan Yuehan thought the same. She took the lid of the perfume and sniffed it, commenting, “But this perfume smells pretty good. It’s different from what I usually have. It’s neither bold nor mild; it’s quite pleasant.”
“Really?” Zhang Xiaolu got up. “Let me see.”
Yuan Yuehan passed it to her to let her have a smell. “It does have a nice scent. What brand is it?”
“I’ve never seen it before. It’s probably an unknown brand. Whatever. We should be happy that she doesn’t hate us after what we said to her, much less expect her to buy me something expensive.”
Yuan Yuehan exhaled. “We should’ve maintained a good relationship with her since the beginning.”
Hearing this prompted Zhang Xiaolu to chuckle, “If you’re worried about that, you should stop gossiping about her. Our dorm is so small; do you think she can’t hear you from the bathroom?”
Yuan Yuehan’s face dropped and turned to the bathroom as she lowered the volume of her voice.
“I doubt she can. Whatever. I’ll just be more careful in the future.”
Later, she put the perfume away before she remembered something.
“By the way, if she’s not coming to my birthday party, how are we supposed to get her on our side?”
Zhang Xiaolu removed the facial mask on her face, threw it into the trash can, and gently rubbed her face while commenting, “I feel like it’s normal for her to not want to go. It would take time before she can fully forgive us. If she’s not going, you can still bring Meng Kefei.”
“You’re right.”
“We have to execute our plan slowly; we still have plenty of time anyway.”
Yuan Yuehan let out a sigh of relief. It seemed like she had to accept the situation. At this point, Meng Kefei opened the door after coming back from work.
Looking exhausted, Meng Kefei ignored Yuan Yuehan as she walked into the room and headed straight to the bathroom.
“Yuanyuan is taking a shower.”
This sentence made Meng Kefei stop in her tracks.
Suddenly, Yuan Yuehan thought about something and walked to her.
“Have you told your boss that you are going to take a day off?”
Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1644
Day off?
What Meng Kefei told her before was just a delaying tactic as Meng Kefei never had any intentions of attending her birthday party.
To Meng Kefei, Yuan Yuehan’s birthday party was a trap.
So, Meng Kefei gave it a quick thought and whispered, “I did. I talked to my boss today about it but he didn’t agree.”
“Why not? Did you tell him that it’s your classmate’s birthday party? You should tell him that it’s an important occasion. Since you go to work every day, it doesn’t make any difference whether or not you miss a day.”
She makes it sound so easy.
In Meng Kefei’s job, there was an award for the most diligent staff. This meant that as long as she showed up for work every day, she would be able to receive an extra two hundred as a bonus each month. Though, this might not mean a lot to those two girls, who could easily spend up to a few hundred on a meal.
However, to Meng Kefei, this money could sustain her for many days, so there was no way she would miss out on it.
“My apologies, Yuehan. I’m afraid I really can’t go. I don’t want to get fired.”
As she finished, she took out the gift that she bought for Yuan Yuehan.
“By the way, this is a gift for you. It may not be an expensive one, but it’s a token of my sincerity.”
Yuan Yuehan glanced at the normal-looking gift box in her hands and realized how cheap it looked. She instantly felt disgusted.
However, to put on a show, Yuan Yuehan took the gift from her and smiled. “Thank you so much. To be honest, your presence at the birthday party means more to me than your gift.”
Who would believe such words of hypocrisy? Meng Kefei sneered in her heart while pretending to look normal.
“I’m truly sorry about that. I hope that I’ll be able to attend your birthday party next year. Happy birthday to you, Yuehan. Hope you have a blast.”
“Thank you, Fei. I’ll bring some cakes back for you. By the way, Yuanyuan told me that she could no longer come as well because of some important matters. Do you happen to know what they might be?”
Meng Kefei was stunned. “She’s not going? Didn’t you tell me earlier that—”
“Yes. She promised us she would go the other night, but she told us today that she could no longer make it. She even bought me something—take a look.”
Yuan Yuehan intentionally folded the wrapping of Tang Yuanyuan’s gift back and showed it to Meng Kefei. “It seems like a branded perfume, and I quite like the scent. By the way, what did you get for me?”
Seeing the stark contrast in the packaging between the two gifts, Meng Kefei felt embarrassed.
She pursed her lips and commented slowly, “My gift isn’t as expensive; it’s just an ornament. But I thought it was quite exquisite.”
Yuan Yuehan had started to unwrap the gift crudely the moment Meng Kefei finished talking. After that, she threw the wrapping paper into a corner in disdain until she saw the bunny ornament and let out a surprised look.
“This is adorable! I love it. Thank you, Fei!”
Meng Kefei was utterly disgusted at the hypocrite that Yuan Yuehan was but still forced a smile on her face. “You’re welcome. So long as you like it.”
After that, as Meng Kefei watched Yuan Yuehan take both the bunny ornament and the perfume to bed, Yuan Yuehan was seen placing the perfume nicely on her bed frame and throwing the bunny ornament at her pillow.
Zhang Xiaolu pursed her lips at the sight of this.
Meng Kefei tightened her fists but loosened them as she recalled something. She then smiled in despair and walked back to her desk to get ready to study.
After all, that gift did not cost her much—it cost around twenty to thirty. She never considered getting something expensive for someone like Yuan Yuehan.
Therefore, she had long anticipated this response from Yuan Yuehan. Just take it as trash then. As Meng Kefei opened her textbook, Tang Yuanyuan came to mind.
Didn’t she already promise to go? Why did she change her mind?
The thought of Yuanyuan eating and shopping with Yuchi Yishu for the past few days annoyed Meng Kefei as she knew that she could never measure up to a fine man like him—be it her family background or her looks. Besides, she also knew that Yuchi Yishu would never like her.
However, she could not help herself from liking him, especially since he had appeared in her dreams multiple times. Each time, she would wake up and tell herself to stop having all these impractical thoughts that were even more impossible than dreams.
However, she could not convince herself otherwise.
This was why Meng Kefei studied hard, worked hard, enriched herself, and saved up, hoping to change herself.
But now everything seemed to be too late.
Her destination was someone else’s starting point. No matter how hard she ran, she could easily be overtaken by someone else in a car.
What did she have to compete with others?
Meng Kefei was in total despair, and she was no longer in a mood to study. She put her textbooks away and tried to find other books to read, but to no avail.
At the same time, Zhang Xiaolu and Yuan Yuehan were chatting and chuckling behind her. She looked at a small mirror and saw their happy faces.
Their happy faces felt like an insult to Meng Kefei. So, she decided to put the mirror away and pretended to be studying.
After Tang Yuanyuan got out of the shower, Meng Kefei took some clothes and got ready to use the bathroom.
“Fei, you’re back. I—”
Tang Yuanyuan meant to greet her but Meng Kefei ended up walking past her without even looking at her.
Tang Yuanyuan was stunned and turned around.
Bam!
Meng Kefei slammed the door, leaving Tang Yuanyuan standing there in confusion.
When Zhang Xiaolu and Yuan Yuehan noticed that something was wrong, they gave each other a look before Yuan Yuehan went up to Tang Yuanyuan and pulled her over.
“Did you guys fight?”
Tang Yuanyuan shook her head. “No, we didn’t.”
“Why did she do that to you?”
“I don’t know.” Tang Yuanyuan was still shaking her head; she looked somewhat downcast. She then commented, “Perhaps she’s just tired after getting off work.”
“But that doesn’t mean she can do that to you! You’re not her sandbag, and you’ve been treating her really nicely. She’s such an ungrateful person.”
Tang Yuanyuan’s eyebrows tangled into a frown. “Don’t say that. She’s been nice to me.”
Perhaps she’s just having a bad day. Tang Yuanyuan still thought that Meng Kefei was a trustworthy friend.
“Yuanyuan, we’re not talking behind her back; we’re just stating a fact. Even if you had a bad day, is this how you would treat others?”
Tang Yuanyuan was startled.
“She’s right. You would never do that. Earlier on, she bought me a gift. It seems like she’s only treating you like this. Did you offend her in some way?”
Tang Yuanyuan was annoyed and looked at them in the eye.
“Are you guys trying to drive a wedge between Fei and I?”
Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1645
Driving a wedge?
Yuan Yuehan subconsciously waved her hand. “No, that’s not true. We wouldn’t do that, and we’re not making things up. You can see what she did to you. I didn’t make her do it.”
Zhang Xiaolu placed her hands on her chest. “Forget it, Yuehan. Don’t waste your time talking to her about Meng Kefei. They’re besties, so there’s no way Yuanyuan will accept what you say. She’ll only think that you’re trying to badmouth Meng Kefei.”
“I don’t care how Fei treats me, and how she treats me is none of your business. I’ll handle it myself. Please don’t say things like this again.”
Then, Tang Yuanyuan walked away.
Seeing what just transpired, before Yuan Yuehan could go up to Tang Yuanyuan to clear things up, she was stalled by Zhang Xiaolu, who commented with a weird tone, “Don’t even try. The more you explain it, the more she thinks we’re trying to create discord between them. After all, she used to dislike us. It wouldn’t be so easy for her to trust us again. So, there’s no use for you to apologize.”
Yuan Yuehan did not respond.
She was mad at how things had turned out.
Once again, Meng Kefei had ruined things for them.
To avoid being gossiped about by Yuan Yuehan and Zhang Xiaolu, Tang Yuanyuan did not go and speak with Meng Kefei that night until the next morning when Tang Yuanyuan intentionally got up earlier to wait for Meng Kefei downstairs.
The moment Meng Kefei came down from the stairs, she quickly ran to her.
“Fei.”
Meng Kefei was startled to see her but decided to keep walking.
“What’s wrong? Why aren’t you talking to me anymore?”
Meng Kefei did not respond, even though she knew well that she should not do this as Tang Yuanyuan had not done anything wrong. Even if Tang Yuanyuan decided to not tell her who she was with that day, Meng Kefei had no right to interfere as it was Yuanyuan’s freedom to do so.
However, Meng Kefei just could not help herself.
Like right now, when she should be stopping to talk to Tang Yuanyuan, she somehow felt annoyed.
After Tang Yuanyuan had followed her from behind for a while and noticed that Meng Kefei was still not stopping but had begun to pick up her pace, Tang Yuanyuan decided to stop in her tracks and yelled from behind, “Did I do something wrong?”
Her words caused Meng Kefei to pause and stop walking, but she still kept quiet.
A few moments later, Meng Kefei decided to walk away, leaving Tang Yuanyuan alone in total despair.
…
Time had flown by, and the end of the semester was around the corner. The atmosphere in the classroom had become tense as exam preparations were underway. Even the few naughty students had toned down—perhaps due to the tense atmosphere, or their fear of failing their exams.
However, things between Tang Yuanyuan and Meng Kefei did not get any better.
Tang Yuanyuan tried looking for Meng Kefei to talk to on many occasions but had always been ignored by her. In the end, Tang Yuanyuan felt like waiting a little longer.
And just like that, the semester ended, and a new one had started.
In the new semester, Tang Yuanyuan thought that would be a good reason to reconcile with Meng Kefei, who had started talking to her, albeit in a somewhat indifferent manner.
For example, whenever Tang Yuanyuan would happily invite her to have a meal together, Meng Kefei would say ‘I’m not hungry’ in a nonchalant manner, or ‘You can go ahead’.
Things between the two were not as cold as last semester, but they were no longer close friends, even though Tang Yuanyuan was still hopeful that things would get better one day.
Just like that, another semester passed, and Tang Yuanyuan was excited about her winter vacation, as, after the new year, she would become an adult.
As the only and most precious daughter of the Tang Family, Tang Yuanyuan’s family decided to throw a coming-of-age ceremony for her. They found a designer to design a dress for her, booked a dinner venue, and invited many peers of hers.
After taking her measurements, the designer sternly said to Tang Yuanyuan, “We would normally spare you around one to three centimeters to make room for the extra weight that you might gain between now and the ceremony. But, you should pay attention to your diet and control yourself, to prevent yourself from gaining weight.”
“Sure.” Tang Yuanyuan nodded. “No problem.”
“Good girl.” The designer gently patted her head and whispered, “I have to say; right now, you have the perfect body.”
Standing next to them was Mrs. Tang, who, at this point, exhaled. “This little girl used to be plump and finally managed to lose weight recently. I’m impressed by her determination.”
Looking at how Tang Yuanyuan looked now made Mrs. Tang sigh in astonishment as the plump little girl from before had now turned into a slim and graceful lady—she had fair skin, a slightly pointy jaw, and lean arms and legs.
Mrs. Tang was amazed by the power of love.
To her, as easy going as her daughter might be, she had a strong personality.
“Ugly ducklings do turn into swans.”
A smile washed over the designer’s face.
“By the way, how are we doing on time? We’re just about to draw up the design.”
“We should be okay. After this little girl tells me her favorite character and style, I’ll be able to come up with a draft in two days. We should aim for her to try out the dress as early as possible so that would leave us some time to make any necessary alterations. Does that sound good?”
“Yes. Thank you so much.”
After the designer left, Mrs. Tang walked back into the house and found Tang Yuanyuan on her phone instead of in front of the dressing mirror.
“What’s going on?”
“Mom, I would like Fei to join me for the ceremony. Is that okay?”
“Fei?” Mrs. Tang recalled how she looked. “That girl? For sure. But would her parents agree to that?”
Tang Yuanyuan explained gently, “Her parents are busy and are always abroad. They don’t have much time for her. That’s why I thought about asking her to join me.”
“I see.” Mrs. Tang felt bad. “It’s quite a pity that she doesn’t get to spend much time with her parents. You can go ahead and ask her. If she’s happy to do it, have her over sometime soon so the designer can design both of your dresses together.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
After getting Mrs. Tang’s approval, Tang Yuanyuan sent a message to Meng Kefei to invite her over for a short stay as well as to join Tang Yuanyuan for the coming-of-age ceremony.
After a long time, Tang Yuanyuan still did not hear back from her.
Tang Yuanyuan reckoned that Meng Kefei was just busy during the day, so perhaps she could give her a call at night.
Finally, Meng Kefei picked up after a few attempts.
“What’s wrong?”
Her voice was cold and indifferent, making Tang Yuanyuan shrink. Tang Yuanyuan gently asked, “Um. F-Fei, I just wanted to ask you if you’ve seen the message that I sent you in the morning.”
“The message in the morning? No, I didn’t. I’m busy now. Just tell me directly here.”
Tang Yuanyuan responded, “Actually, my mother is thinking of throwing a coming-of-age ceremony for me soon, and I would like to invite you to join me. The designer will design your dress for you—”
Before she could finish, Meng Kefei interrupted, “Your coming-of-age ceremony?”
Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1646
“Uh-huh.” Strangely, Tang Yuanyuan was feeling nervous as she feared that Meng Kefei would reject her invitation.
“Got it.”
Meng Kefei’s response remained cold. At this point, Tang Yuanyuan felt that her enthusiasm had almost run out. So, she pursed her lips and carefully inquired, “Fei, will you come?”
Tang Yuanyuan was fully expecting to receive the answer that she was afraid to get. However, much to her surprise, Meng Kefei answered, “Yes. I’ll be there. Don’t worry.”
Her response pleasantly surprised Tang Yuanyuan, who instantly got out of her bed and stood there.
“Really? You will?”
“Of course, it’s your coming-of-age ceremony, so I’ll definitely be there. When should I be there?”
“Either tomorrow or the day after that. I also would like my designer to design a dress for you.”
Meng Kefei responded after a moment of silence, “I’m afraid that won’t work for me. I have a lot to take care of recently. Maybe I’ll go over on the day of the ceremony.”
“Ah. Okay then.”
Tang Yuanyuan was slightly disappointed by the fact that Meng Kefei could not join her for the preparation, but her willingness to be there still delighted Tang Yuanyuan.
After the phone call, Tang Yuanyuan gave the designer a call to tell him Meng Kefei’s height and weight, so that he could also design a dress of the same style for Meng Kefei. The designer agreed to it, and Tang Yuanyuan happily hung up the phone.
That night, Zhang Xiaolu and Yuan Yuehan sent Tang Yuanyuan a message on WeChat asking if they could come to the ceremony.
After receiving that message, Tang Yuanyuan was reluctant to invite them as she felt that they were up to something. In the end, she decided to let Mrs. Tang know about their request.
Mrs. Tang patted her head. “Sure. Otherwise, they might talk behind your back to your friends. There are going to be many people during the ceremony, so I don’t think they would be able to make a scene.”
Furthermore, Mrs. Tang felt that there was only one reason these two would like to come, which was because they had their eyes on the resources and connections of the Tang Family.
Once they showed up, they would be able to get to know some people.
Even though the Tang Family was not as affluent as the Ye Family and the Han Family in North City, they were still very wealthy. Also, because of Yuanyuan, the Tang Family had had a lot more interactions and business activities with those two families. As such, the Tang Family had become increasingly prominent.
Speaking of the Three Great Families of North City, despite being the third of the three, the Tang Family still attracted a lot of attention.
So, since the two girls dared not approach the other two families, they naturally turned to the Tang Family.
“Sure, Mom.”
Thus, Tang Yuanyuan acceded to their requests.
Having achieved their goal, the two girls later said a lot of things to please Tang Yuanyuan and even promised to bring her some birthday gifts on that day.
However, Tang Yuanyuan could not be bothered by them.
So, she put her phone away and placed her hands underneath her jaw while staring into the peaceful night.
There was only one reason why she looked forward to the coming-of-age ceremony: Yuchi Yishu had promised her that when she became an adult, they could start talking about being together. Before this, he had been resistant to talk about it as she was still a minor and should focus on her studies.
But now that she was almost an adult, he should not have any reason to put it off.
A few days later, the designer had made the two dresses and brought them over for Tang Yuanyuan to try out.
After putting it on, the designer stood in front of her and was amazed by how graceful and ladylike she looked. He could not help but sigh in astonishment. “You look dazzling, and you did a good job at maintaining your weight. This dress fits you perfectly. We’re two days away from the ceremony, so you have to make sure to keep it up.”
“Uh-huh.”
Tang Yuanyuan nodded. “Will do.”
To welcome a new stage of her life, she was willing to control her diet just so that she could look her best.
“By the way, is your friend here for the other dress?”
“Ah. I think she can’t make it today. She’ll only be here on the day of the ceremony.”
The designer nodded. “That’s fine. I was hoping she could put it on today so we would be able to see if any alterations need to be done. Good thing I added the elastic band so she can tighten it around her waist if the dress happens to be too loose for her.”
Tang Yuanyuan took a look at the elastic band design on that dress and thought it looked amazing.
“It looks great. Thank you.”
After confirming that the two dresses were okay, Tang Yuanyuan hung them up together in her closet. She also sprayed her favorite perfume on them before closing the closet doors.
Then, she sent Meng Kefei a text.
‘Fei, I got your dress from the designer today. Since you couldn’t be here to try it out today, the designer added an elastic band to your dress. The color and style are amazing. It’ll look great on you.’
However, Meng Kefei did not respond.
Tang Yuanyuan went over the chat history and saw all her messages to Meng Kefei. Throughout this year, they had not been contacting each other as much as before, and it was more like Tang Yuanyuan was having a monologue in her chat with Meng Kefei, even though from time to time, Meng Kefei would respond with a few simple words or a short sentence.
Tang Yuanyuan had some feelings as to what that meant but chose not to believe it.
After all, the two had been best friends for so many years. They could not just fall out like that.
In the end, Tang Yuanyuan tried comforting herself by thinking that perhaps Fei had been busy, and everything would be okay once everything was back to normal.
Tang Yuanyuan did not think she could console herself for very long, but she still had her hopes up that they could still be close friends.
As such, she fully anticipated the day of the ceremony.
The night before the ceremony, Little Sprout insisted on having a sleepover with Tang Yuanyuan. Little Sprout told her that also wanted to be in a dress with her and attend the ceremony together.
But Tang Yuanyuan corrected her, “You’re not there yet, Little Sprout.”
“I don’t care! I want to have that experience too since I’m almost there.”
She could not stop shaking Tang Yuanyuan’s arm. “Can I, Yuanyuan? Please?”
Tang Yuanyuan was feeling slightly dizzy, but she did not agree to her request.
“Little Sprout, perhaps you should talk to your parents about it. The coming-of-age ceremony is a serious thing, so you—”
“As my sister-in-law, can you please let me join you? I just want to know how it feels, and I’m not going to participate in any of the rituals.”
The phrase ‘sister-in-law’ made Tang Yuanyuan blush. Feeling embarrassed and surprised, Tang Yuanyuan looked her in the eye. “What did you say that I am?”
“You’re my sister-in-law!” Little Sprout happily hugged Tang Yuanyuan by her waist, and the two cuddled up to each other. “I never addressed you as ‘sister-in-law’ before because you weren’t an adult yet. But now I think it’s about time. You like my brother, don’t you?”
Tang Yuanyuan responded, “W-Who says that?”
“Huh? You don’t like my brother?”
Tang Yuanyuan was rendered speechless.
All of sudden, a sad look washed over Little Sprout’s face. “Yishu is such an amazing person. If you don’t like him, who do you like?”
“Listen, Little Sprout; this is not something that you should be asking. So what if I like Yishu? Please don’t think that just because you addressed me as your sister-in-law, I will let you do whatever you want.”
Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1647
Little Sprout would not let Tang Yuanyuan go until she acceded to her request.
“Yuanyuan, you’re the best sister-in-law in the world. If you agree, I’ll keep you updated on what’s going on in Yishu’s life. How does that sound?”
Tang Yuanyuan pursed her lips and responded with a stern look on her face, “It’s okay. I know everything about him.”
“No, you don’t.”
“I know almost everything.”
Since the two families had many interactions with each other, how would Tang Yuanyuan not know what was going on in Yuchi Yishu’s life?
“Do you know about the female classmate of his who came to our house and looked for him last week?”
Tang Yuanyuan was somewhat startled. “A female classmate came to look for Yishu?”
Judging from the surprised look on Tang Yuanyuan’s face, Little Sprout reckoned that she had the upper hand in this situation. Right away, A sly smile flashed across Little Sprout’s face. “I see that you don’t actually know everything. Yuanyuan, do you want to know why she came to look for Yishu?”
What else could it be?
Tang Yuanyuan could pretty much figure it out—that female classmate of his liked him so she went to his house to look for him.
Little Sprout sighed. “Yishu is just too good-looking and always attracts many of his female friends. They always come to our house. I feel like I see them almost every day.”
Tang Yuanyuan widened her eyes.
“Do you mean there’s more than one?”
“Of course. You know how popular Yishu is. How can he only have one admirer?”
“And what happened then? Did Yishu—”
“If you want to know what happened then, you have to first agree to my request.”
Tang Yuanyuan kept quiet and so did Little Sprout, who decided to just sit there and stare at Tang Yuanyuan. This had turned into a mind game, and the person with the most determination won.
Just like that, a minute went by. Then another.
In the end, Tang Yuanyuan decided to lower her head and inquired as her voice trailed away, “And then?”
Little Sprout felt relieved. Just as she thought that Tang Yuanyuan would not be interested in knowing what happened next, Tang Yuanyuan blurted out that question. Immediately, a smile washed over Little Sprout’s face.
“I knew you wouldn’t make it past three minutes. You haven’t changed at all, Yuanyuan.”
Even though Little Sprout was only slighter younger than Tang Yuanyuan, after spending so much time together, both of them were extremely different in their characters. If one were to liken them to animals, Little Sprout was like a cunning fox and Tang Yuanyuan was like an adorable squirrel.
This was why Little Sprout understood Tang Yuanyuan well—not the other way round—and it certainly did not take much effort for Little Sprout to get into her head.
Tang Yuanyuan realized that too. So, she squeezed the fair cheek of Little Sprout. “Little Sprout, you’re really good at bullying me.”
“Come on; since we’re going to be a family soon, you should just let me win. I’ll get my own dress ready. Can I have a picture then?”
Reckoning that Little Sprout would not let her go if she did not agree, Tang Yuanyuan nodded.
Finally, Little Sprout got what she wanted and thanked Tang Yuanyuan. Just when Little Sprout was getting ready to leave, Tang Yuanyuan grabbed her. “Hold on.”
“What’s going on?”
“You haven’t told me what happened in the end.”
This was what Tang Yuanyuan was concerned about. Why did Little Sprout not tell her?
“Ah, you’re so dumb. If anything did happen after, would I still call you my sister-in-law? You’re so cute. Now I know why Yishu likes you.”
Tang Yuanyuan was rendered speechless.
She was frustrated as she felt that she had just been played by Little Sprout.
“You—”
“I have something to take care of, so I’m going to head out now!”
In a split second, Little Sprout disappeared from Tang Yuanyuan’s room. There was nothing Tang Yuanyuan could do at this point, so she sighed, blaming herself for being too naïve and letting Little Sprout get into her head.
Next time, I’ll remember to not be deceived by that cunning little fox again.
On the day of the coming-of-age ceremony, Tang Yuanyuan got up early in the morning to get ready. In order to look great, she dared not drink any water last night before she went to bed, even though she was really thirsty. So, while the makeup artist was putting on her makeup for her, she could not stop herself from repeatedly sipping some water from the water cup.
In the end, the makeup artist had to point out to her, “Ms. Tang, after putting on your lipstick you can’t drink any more water because that would ruin the makeup. Besides, if you drink too much water now, you’ll have to use the bathroom a lot later during the ceremony.”
“Ah. You’re right.”
Tang Yuanyuan came to her senses after being reminded by the makeup artist, so she quickly put the cup back. The makeup artist could tell how nervous she was.
“Ms. Tang, don’t be nervous. Only your family and friends are going to be here today, and I’ll also make sure you look your best. You’ll certainly be the prettiest lady at the ceremony.”
“Thank you.” After thanking the makeup artist, Tang Yuanyuan took a glance at her phone and realized that Meng Kefei had not responded to her message that she sent her this morning.
Even though Meng Kefei had promised to turn up today, Tang Yuanyuan was not sure if she was going to stick to her words.
Tang Yuanyuan certainly hoped that Meng Kefei would not be a no-show today.
Finally, Tang Yuanyuan received a reply from Meng Kefei as her makeup was finished.
‘I’m somewhere close to your house. Where are you?’
After reading this, Tang Yuanyuan immediately asked the makeup artist, “Miss, are you almost done?”
“Almost there. Is your friend here already?”
“Yes. She too has to put on makeup and get dressed.”
“But you can’t leave like this. Would you like me to ask my assistant to bring her over? Do you have her picture?”
“I do!” Tang Yuanyuan found a picture of the two of them in her phone and pointed at Meng Kefei. “That’s my friend. Her name is Kefei.”
The assistant came over and took a picture of it. “I’ll bring her over. Just give me a second.”
“Thank you.”
After that, Tang Yuanyuan sent another message to Meng Kefei.
‘Fei, I’m still putting on my makeup so I can’t leave, but the makeup artist’s assistant is going to bring you over. She’s wearing a yellow skirt, and I’ve given her your picture. Just stand there and she’ll find you in no time.’
“Are you done? If you are, please close your eyes and let me finish this part.”
“Sure.”
Then, Tang Yuanyuan put her phone away and closed her eyes.
After a while, the assistant came back with Meng Kefei.
It had been a while since the two met—Meng Kefei had lost a lot of weight and looked extremely pale. When she saw Tang Yuanyuan, she forced a smile and gave her a gift.
“Congratulations on becoming an adult. I bought you a little something.”
Tang Yuanyuan was stunned. She took the gift and commented, “You really don’t have to bring anything for me, Fei, because we’re having this ceremony together. But that’s fine because I’ve also prepared something for you. I’ll pass it to you later. Let’s get you started on the makeup.”
She pulled over Meng Kefei to sit next to her.
However, Meng Kefei took a step back. “No thanks. I’m here to send you the gift and greet you. I’m not joining the ceremony.”
Tang Yuanyuan was in disbelief and looked her in the eye.
“Fei?”
Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1648
Even the makeup artist was stunned. Just a while ago, Tang Yuanyuan was describing to her what kind of makeup she thought her bestie should have. Just as she was all ready to do that, who knew…
With the eyeshadow palette in her hand, the makeup artist dragged her assistant and took a few steps back.
“Fei, didn’t we already agree to this? That day, you—”
“I don’t think I agreed.” Meng Kefei’s voice sounded slightly cold when she looked up at her. “I wasn’t planning on coming at all, but you had to invite me, so I had to come with a gift. I have something on right now, so may I leave?”
At this point, Tang Yuanyuan became nervous. “That’s not what I meant. Wouldn’t you like to stay just for a bit? Today’s going to be an eventful day. Since we’re the same age, I told my mother that we could have a joint ceremony.”
“That’s not necessary. Even though we were born in the same year, we weren’t born on the same day. It’s your coming-of-age ceremony today; not mine.”
Meng Kefei began to look self-deprecating. “Also, this is what wealthy people like you do. Poor people like me don’t deserve to have this sort of ceremony.”
Tang Yuanyuan’s face dropped.
“Whatever. Happy adulthood. I’ve got to go now.”
Meng Kefei turned around and headed out right away.
“Hold on.” Tang Yuanyuan quickly walked up to her and stopped her from leaving. “Fei, why did you have to say those things? I never once considered your family background, but you—”
The words that Meng Kefei said concerning the rich and the poor had immediately put a barrier between the two. Tang Yuanyuan could sense the coldness in Meng Kefei’s heart, but there was nothing she could do apart from grabbing her by her hand.
“Please tell me what happened. What made you change? Can you please tell me?”
“There’s nothing to say. I’m afraid I really have to go now.” Meng Kefei tried to get rid of her grip.
Sensing her insistence on leaving and her indifference toward herself, Tang Yuanyuan railed.
“So, you’re not going to tell me anything, and you’re still going to treat me this way? We may be close, but we should treat each other fairly, shouldn’t we? Why are you doing this to me?”
Her words caught Meng Kefei off guard. Feeling nonplussed, Meng Kefei looked her in the eye.
To Meng Kefei, Tang Yuanyuan had always been a gentle, pure, and harmless girl. However, the words that she just said were weighty.
She’s really mad now, isn’t she? Meng Kefei thought to herself.
Then, Meng Kefei bit her lower lip and took a deep breath. Underneath her eyes, something was going on.
At this point, Tang Yuanyuan slowly approached her. “Didn’t we promise each other to be besties forever? There shouldn’t be anything that we can’t talk about. I’ve been thinking about what happened between us for a long time but I have no idea what I did wrong. I’m clueless and mad as to why you’re treating me this way.”
Upon hearing that, Meng Kefei sneered and turned to her, looking callous.
“Clueless? Then perhaps we shouldn’t be besties anymore.”
Tang Yuanyuan was stunned.
“Do you think I want to be your bestie?”
“What are you saying?”
“Listen. I never wanted to be your bestie. You’re the daughter of a rich family and everyone loves and coddles you. Conversely, I’m just a daughter of a low-income family and my parents have to put up with people’s attitude toward them every day while at work. I even have to work to support myself. What right do you have to demand that someone like me attends your coming-of-age ceremony?”
Tang Yuanyuan felt slightly bad when she heard about her having to support herself. “But previously, we always celebrated our birthdays together.”
“That was just me trying to make you happy. Do you understand? I never wanted to celebrate birthdays with you, nor have I ever wanted to be your bestie.”
Tang Yuanyuan stood there silently in disbelief. She did not cry but her eyes were widened. Right now, the image of Meng Kefei was getting vague and blurry, and her voice was trailing off.
“You’re an adult now. To be frank, I never wanted to bring this up with you but you wouldn’t stop pestering me with your endless questions. Let me tell you then: I no longer want to be your bestie. Next time when we meet at school, please just treat me like a stranger. We’ll part ways from now on.”
Why? What has happened?
“We’re done.”
As Meng Kefei finished, she left the dressing room.
Tang Yuanyuan did not follow her. Instead, she stood there like a cordless puppet whose soul had left its body.
Witnessing what just happened flabbergasted the makeup artist and her assistant, as they did not expect Meng Kefei to say something so cruel and heartless. Throughout these past few days, the makeup artist had noticed how much Tang Yuanyuan was genuinely looking forward to being with Meng Kefei on this special occasion. Besides, Tang Yuanyuan had even prepared a dress for Meng Kefei, only for Meng Kefei to tell her that she no longer wanted to be her friend.
Tang Yuanyuan must be… devastated.
All of a sudden, the makeup artist quickly went in front of Tang Yuanyuan and noticed that tears were welling up in her eyes that were still widened. However, Tang Yuanyuan would not allow her tears to fall down her cheek.
She could not help but say, “Ms. Tang, please don’t cry. Please don’t.”
Tang Yuanyuan looked her in the eye with widened eyes.
“Today is your coming-of-age ceremony, Ms. Tang, and there are many guests outside. If you cry now, you’ll ruin the makeup.”
“You’re right.” Tang Yuanyuan nodded. She could not cry because her makeup would be ruined if she did. By then, everyone would make fun of her.
Today was her coming-of-age ceremony—the day when she was supposed to be the happiest. Besides, she was a grown-up now. She should not simply start crying like how she used to.
Hold it in. I have to hold it in.
Standing there, Tang Yuanyuan dared not even blink. The makeup artist saw how red her nose had become, even though she would not let any tears come down.
This made her feel bad—all she wanted to do right now was tell Tang Yuanyuan that it was okay to cry as loud as she wanted.
“I won’t cry. I won’t do it.” Tang Yuanyuan tried to convince herself.
At this moment, the makeup artist’s assistant quietly pulled her sleeve and whispered to her, “What should we do now? How can she go out there like this? Should we just let her cry now and help fix her makeup after?”
The dresser exhaled. “But we’re on a tight schedule. We might not make it in time if we need to fix her makeup.”
After all, putting on makeup was different from fixing them; the latter would require more time.
“But, is she going to have a mental breakdown?”
Sigh.
Again, the makeup artist exhaled. “I didn’t expect this to happen on such a wonderful day.”
At this juncture, they heard the sound of steady footsteps before the door of the dressing room was pushed open. Then, a deep male voice sounded out.
“How’s everything?”
This familiar voice came to Tang Yuanyuan and startled her. In the next second, her body began to shiver.
After Yuchi Yishu came into the room, he felt that something was not right. Tang Yuanyuan’s back was facing him while the two makeup artists were standing far away from her with a serious look on their faces.
Then, he walked up to Tang Yuanyuan. “What’s going on?”
Immediately, Tang Yuanyuan fell into his arms and started bawling.
Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1649
It was the day of Tang Yuanyuan’s coming-of-age ceremony.
Yuchi Yishu specially prepared a gift for her and checked that everything was set before he went over to her house. When he arrived, Tang Yuanyuan was still upstairs getting her makeup done. He wanted to wait for her downstairs, but Mrs. Tang and Han Muzi kept urging him to go up and have a look. He was not too keen at first, as he did not feel he had any business being there while she was still getting her makeup done.
Thus, he declined.
Han Muzi retorted, “What are you scared of? Haven’t you guys known each other since you were kids? What’s wrong with watching her get her makeup done?”
Mrs. Tang smiled. “Yes, Muzi is right. She’s just getting her makeup done; it’s no big deal. If you go up now, she should almost be done and you’ll be the first one to see her.”
The first one…
He felt rather thrilled at the thought and finally went upstairs under their insistence.
However, he did not expect what happened next—Tang Yuanyuan ran into his arms and started to bawl, tears gushing from her eyes. He could already feel his shirt getting damp.
He stood where he was; he was dumbfounded and unsure of what to do. She had never cried so hard before. The last time she was sad and having a hard time, she did not sob in his arms like she did now. It was as though she had lived a life full of misery.
The makeup artist and her assistant thought as they watched her, That’s it. We’re going to have to redo her makeup later. Oh well, it wasn’t easy for her to hold it in until now anyway. She should just cry it all out.
How was she going to go through everything later if she did not cry now?
Tang Yuanyuan choked on her tears and was unable to let out a proper sentence. The moment she called his name, more sobs heaved out of her chest as she struggled to breathe. She had lost her self-restraint and was overwhelmed with emotions.
Yuchi Yishu did not get a chance to say a word. He could only place a hand on her back, pat it lightly, and listen to her cry.
The sobbing eased after a while but she was still huffing and puffing from bawling her eyes out just before. It made his heart ache to watch her.
Sometime later, the makeup artist walked up to her and said gently, “Miss Tang, we have to redo your makeup now. The coming-of-age ceremony is starting soon.”
Just then, someone hollered from downstairs.
Tang Yuanyuan stayed in his embrace, hugging his thin waist without moving.
“Just leave it be,” Yuchi Yishu answered in a low voice on her behalf.
The makeup artist looked at Tang Yuanyuan, but she did not react. She must have also agreed with him.
“You can head downstairs first. I’ll take care of things here.”
“Okay.”
After all, it was a personal matter. The makeup artist and her assistant were only there to do the makeup so they did not have a reason to interfere.
Soon, everyone left the room except for Yuchi Yishu and Tang Yuanyuan, who were the only two remaining.
“Everyone left. It’s only us now.”
With a heavy heart, he wiped off the tears on her face and brushed over her red-rimmed eyes. “Can you tell me what happened?”
“Yishu—” Her voice started to tremble and she sounded like she was about to burst into tears again.
He cut in, “Okay, you don’t have to say anything for now. Just nod or shake your head in response.”
She nodded her head.
“Do you still want to attend the coming-of-age ceremony today?”
In truth, she did not want to anymore. It was supposed to be a happy occasion, but she did not feel happy at all at the moment. She did not think that coming-of-age would be such an agonizing matter.
But everyone had exerted a lot of effort into this ceremony. If she did not attend, would it not be a waste of everyone’s efforts?
That made her hesitate.
“If you don’t want to attend, I will help you. You don’t have to mind those guests. Just leave it to me.”
She was still hesitant. All the blame would be put on him if he stepped in. Even though not attending the coming-of-age ceremony was not a big deal, she did not want people to talk about him behind his back.
“Hmm?”
After a long while, she shook her head.
“No? You don’t want to go? So you want to stay here?”
She nodded.
Taking a deep breath, she cleared her thoughts and looked up at him. “Yishu, I want to stay here. Everyone has worked really hard for this coming-of-age ceremony. This dress I’m wearing was also custom made by a designer. I can’t just leave everyone and take off on my own just because I’m not happy.”
She was the protagonist of the day. It would not have mattered if she was just a guest, but that coming-of-age ceremony was set up especially for her. Moreover, she was officially becoming an adult today. What kind of adult would she be if she ran away and hid from such a small obstacle?
I’ll just treat it as my first test toward becoming an adult!
She bit her bottom lip. The thought of Meng Kefei still made her sad. She had no idea how they turned out the way they did.
“Okay.” Yuchi Yishu respected her decision. He rubbed her head and smiled affectionately. “My little girl is all grown up. You know how to take responsibility now.”
His? His little girl?
She felt rather adored by the way he called her, but now was not the time for a lovey-dovey moment. She mumbled, “Yishu, I’m going to wash my face. Can you call the makeup artist and her team back in here? Oh, the banquet…”
“We just have to delay it a bit. Is there anything I can’t do?”
He knocked on her head gently. “Go on. I’ll go downstairs and keep them busy. You can take your time with your makeup.”
“Thanks, Yishu.”
Once he was gone, Tang Yuanyuan quickly went into the bathroom and splashed her face with cold water.
The weather was not that cold, but the chill of winter was not completely gone either. Washing her face with cold water woke her up instantly, and even made her shiver.
She wiped off the excess water with a face towel, then gave her eyes a good rub before heading outside.
The makeup artist and her assistant were already there. They were a bit nervous when they saw her and were unsure of what to say.
“Sorry for troubling you.” Tang Yuanyuan apologized and bowed, then said calmly, “Let’s start again.”
Seeing the little girl acting so mature, the makeup artist also felt sympathetic toward her. She nodded. “Okay, let’s do your whole makeup again. But your eyes are a bit red now, so we can’t do the same makeup style as before. We’re going to have to change it.”
Tang Yuanyuan chuckled, “That’s fine; as long as I look presentable.”
“Okay.”
Despite wanting to grow up quickly when she was younger, she was only realizing now how big of a price she had to pay for growing up.
Working at the side, the makeup artist and her assistant quickly finished Tang Yuanyuan’s base makeup then moved on to filling in the rest of her face.
Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1650
This time around, they used a white eyeshadow as the base then stuck on small gold sequins on the corner of her eyelids to match her silver dress.
Tang Yuanyuan’s eyes were clear. Because she had just finished crying, her eyes looked brighter and cleaner. Although the makeup artist had covered up around her eyes, there was clearly still some redness even without applying any color. Nonetheless, the highly-skilled makeup artist made it look like it was pink eyeshadow and not like she had just cried.
“So pretty.” The makeup artist pushed her hair back for her. “This is it for your makeup. Remember to smile when you go downstairs later.”
“Yeah.”
Tang Yuanyuan had her emotions completely under control now. She was not going to cry easily, but having to smile was still a bit hard.
“Can you smile for me now? I want to check if the makeup is accurate,” the makeup artist requested.
Tang Yuanyuan hesitated for a moment, then slowly lifted the corners of her lips, but it was hard to keep a smile. Alas, she gave up and looked at the makeup artist.
“It’s fine. It’s okay if you can’t smile. Just don’t force yourself. There will be a lot of people when you go downstairs later, and you will also see your relatives. That should make you smile naturally.”
After that, the makeup artist and her assistant checked Tang Yuanyuan over to make sure that every detail on her was perfect before guiding her outside.
“These heels are a bit high. Be careful when you’re walking so you don’t fall over.”
“Okay.” Tang Yuanyuan nodded, then was led outside by the makeup artist.
The person waiting for her outside instantly looked delighted upon seeing her and quickly went up. “Miss Tang, are you done with your makeup?”
“Yes, all done. You can let them know downstairs to commence the ceremony now.”
“Okay.”
“I didn’t make them wait too long, did I?” she asked out of concern because it felt like she had taken up too much time.
The person chortled, “What are you talking about, Miss Tang? Everyone is here to attend the coming-of-age ceremony and also drink and chat. Mrs. Tang and Mrs. Ye are both downstairs keeping the guests’ company. I’ll go let them know now. You can take your time, Miss Tang.”
“Thank you.”
There were many guests there that day. Most of these guests were people well-acquainted with the Tang Family, and not people who were there to seek connections. A lot of them also brought gifts. Because there was no appointed time for when the ceremony would begin, no one complained even after waiting for a long time.
Moreover, the guests who were there that day included people from the Ye Family and Han Family. It was rare to see the Three Great Families gather together.
That prompted people to whisper behind their backs.
“I get why the Ye Family is here at the Tang Family’s daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony. She and the Ye Group’s Young Master Yishu are childhood friends. It would not make sense for them to not be here. But what has this got to do with the Han Family? I haven’t heard of the two young masters having any sort of relationship with the Tang Family’s daughter.”
“You’re so clueless. How do you think the daughter of the Tang Family and Young Master Yuchi became childhood friends? Isn’t it only because Mrs. Ye allowed it to happen? Otherwise, why couldn’t other daughters get the chance as well? I heard that when President Ye went to the Tang Group back then, he was looking for a little girlfriend for his son and the Tang Family’s daughter just so happened to be chosen for that.”
“Really? The Tang Family sure was lucky. Before they got close to the Ye Family, the Tang Group was just an average group in North City. But now, they’ve managed to become one of the Three Great Families.”
“That’s why it’s important to have connections. The Tang Family’s daughter is probably set to be the Ye Group’s daughter-in-law. Han Qing, the head of the Han Group, is also Mrs. Ye’s brother. Not only does he adore his wife, but he also adores his sister. As a brother, how could he not come and show his support for the one his sister has chosen?”
“So you’re saying that falling in favor of the Ye Family is basically winning both the Ye and Han Families?”
“Not only that.”
“Not only that?” someone exclaimed.
“Have you heard of the Yuchi Family from overseas? That old businessman has handed over his whole group to his young great-grandson.”
The whole Yuchi Group was under Yuchi Yishu’s name.
Yuchi Yishu became the youngest and richest man in a split second.
The crowd was beyond awe-struck. At the same time, one of them had a thought.
“But does Young Master Yushi like the person Mrs. Ye has chosen? I heard that the Tang Family’s daughter is really fat, weighing almost 200 pounds.”
Another person shot back, “Stop it, you. 200 pounds? Those are all just rumors. Even if it were true, you’re in no place to criticize.”
“If it were true, how could Young Master Yushi like such a fat girl? There must be something wrong with his eyes. I’ve seen Young Master Yushi before. He’s tall, thin, and looks exactly like President Ye. Shouldn’t he at least find someone on the same level as he is?”
“Perhaps other people might have a chance too?”
Thus, ideas snuck into the minds of the people at the banquet.
They quickly called their daughters over. One of them was the Zhang Family. Their daughter was 19 years old, had fair skin, a slender body, and a unique face.
“Ning, didn’t you complain last time that none of the guys at your school who were after you were good looking?”
After being dragged by her mother and asked such a question, Zhang Ningwu could not help but look confused. “Yeah, I did. Why?”
“Then what do you think of that guy on stage? Does he fit your standards?”
“Mom, I’m still young. I just became an adult last year. Can you stop worrying over how I won’t be able to marry anyone and constantly make me pick a guy’s appearance?”
“Ning, I just want what’s best for you. Girls have to get married no matter what. You’re still young and beautiful now. Do you want to wait until you’re old and unattractive to find a partner? Will any exceptional men still like you then?”
“Old and unattractive? You’re being too dramatic, Mom. I’m only 19. I’ll probably only be considered old and unattractive in 20 years. Can you stop being so anxious?”
“Oh, just take a look first. If you don’t like him, then just pretend I never said anything.”
Zhang Ningwu’s gaze followed in the direction her mother was pointing and spotted Yuchi Yishu on stage.
Yuchi Yishu was in formal attire that day. The blue suit he was wearing looked like it was tailored just for him and every move he made exuded an air of elegance.
Zhang Ningwu always felt like suits were not the best-looking outfits as most guys in suits somehow looked like they sold insurance.
She did not have a good impression of suits because of that.
After seeing Yuchi Yishu, however, she suddenly felt like suits were not ugly but they just had not found a compatible partner—just like her.
It was not that she did not want to date anyone, but she just did not like any of her pursuers.
Seeing her daughter in a daze, Mrs. Zhang smirked. “What do you think? This one is quite exceptional, isn’t he?”
Zhang Ningwu snapped back into reality and gave a smug look. “Are you telling me that such an exceptional guy doesn’t already have a partner? The only concern is not letting him get snatched away. I, for one, do not want to be the third person.”