A thin sheet of paper brushed across her face before falling to the floor. A sudden sting appeared on Hua Lianxi's cheek. She lowered her eyes to look at the paper on the carpet, then pressed her fingertip against the stinging spot. A faint, wry smile appeared on her lips. "Sorry for dirtying you. With money, I can be as wanton as I please. Thank you for your check."
The sting on her cheek snapped Hua Lianxi fully awake. At this moment, she was curled up on the sofa at Xiaoyue Residence, and standing tall across from her was the person she had been waiting for, day and night, these past few days.
She blinked hard, wiping away the tears in her eyes. Her right hand, numb and weak from being down so long, gripped the sofa tightly. Using the strength in her arm, Hua Lianxi managed to sit up. Stiffly, she picked up the scattered papers from the carpet. Her hollow, vacant gaze scanned the chilling words printed on the pages. She forced a faint, sorrowful smile—it was finally time to say goodbye.
"Hua Lianxi, is what I gave you still not enough? You sold me out repeatedly just to earn those ridiculous scoop fees? Attached cards and black diamond cards still can't satisfy you?" He couldn't deny that at certain moments, he had once been moved by her, had once indulged in her delicate beauty, had mistakenly believed she wasn't so greedy. He had even tried to indulge her greed; perhaps, the kind of greed he could satisfy was not really greed.
"How could anyone ever have too much money?" Propping herself up on the sofa to sit upright, her fair chin tilted slightly upward. Hua Lianxi repeatedly stretched a beautiful curve to her smile. "Young Master Kong is wealthy; he wouldn't disdain money, would he?"
After a pause, she continued self-mockingly, "Besides, now I have money. I can be willful, can't I?"
Money—always so important, wasn't it? At least with money, she no longer had to live in fear, no longer had to worry every day that her mother might not receive better treatment due to lack of funds. At least with money, the hollowed-out heart inside her still had a faint pulse and could cling to existence.
"Hua Lianxi, I really want to strangle you!" Swiftly leaning over, a steaming palm pressed onto her neck; his fierce eyes fixed firmly on her pale, ashen face, despising her flippant tone and the victorious smile she wore.
Deep inside, hidden and bitter, he longed to tear that smile off her face with his own hands.
But it was just a game of money—yet at this moment, he felt regret, regretting that this farce had ever appeared in his life.
The incandescent lamp shone brightly. Just a few centimeters apart, Hua Lianxi clearly glimpsed the disgust and hatred in his eyes. The sting she had just hidden suddenly trembled violently. It almost made her lose her footing in the confrontation.
Though he wasn't truly choking her, Hua Lianxi's throat felt as if it had been gripped tightly, words flooding her mind but unable to escape.
Pressing her lips tightly together, palm against skin, she could faintly smell his sharp breath at her nose. Kong Chengyi suddenly released his grip, straightening and stepping back to put distance between them.
Though he was supposed to despise her, he couldn't help deeply inhaling the familiar scent when it touched him. Enraged—as he was—Kong Chengyi found himself unable to forgive this weakness.
Supposed to be someone to stay away from, yet even now in this miserable moment, he couldn't help wanting to get closer, to kiss her fiercely, to pull her into his body—to torment her as much as possible.
The familiar scent around her vanished in an instant. Hua Lianxi nearly gasped from heartache, but stubbornly leaned on the sofa and slowly stood up. Her sharp tongue was still colorful: "Sorry, Young Master Kong—spending your money to amuse yourself yet so furious—that's my fault. From now on, I'll know better. Wherever Young Master Kong is, you won't find Hua Lianxi there. If I see you on the street, I'll consciously take another route. Please rest assured!"
Her hopes had manifested in the most shameful way—and yet it was the most reasonable outcome. Strangers who never truly belonged together ought to return to their own paths.
Turning to leave, she would never look back—no longer yearning for elusive hopes or laughable past tenderness. Whether that turn was forever or not—Hua Lianxi as fabricated by Kong Chengyi would cease to exist.
Opening the agreement, Kong Chengyi's strong, resolute name leapt off the page. Hua Lianxi picked up the pen and quickly signed her name—smoothly, without hesitation.
Clenching his fists tightly, Kong Chengyi squinted at her as she signed without hesitation. His heart roared like a violent storm. Had she not signed so quickly, he would almost have snatched the paper back and torn it apart—tearing away her careless bravado and lack of attachment.
"Thank you for your care, Young Master Kong. And, of course, thank you for your check!" Releasing the pen, Hua Lianxi raised her head, revealing a sweet smile. Her beautiful phoenix-shaped eyes narrowed slightly, clearly savoring the moment.
Her dazzling smile made Kong Chengyi's handsome features twitch uncontrollably. His face turned ashen; with one grab he seized the agreement and kicked the sofa hard. Then he turned and strode out, unable to remain another second in this room faintly scented with her fragrance. "Get out of Xiaoyue Residence before dawn!"
Gazing at his wide back quickly disappearing, Hua Lianxi pursed her lips softly, silently mouthing, "Goodbye!"
She thought she had left Xiaoyue Residence first, but unexpectedly, she was the last to see his resolute departure. She thought the farewell would be tragic—yet it was not as painful as she imagined. At least, he hadn't physically strangled her.
Perhaps, she never entered his heart. From start to finish, they were just strangers—women measured with money. A woman who could be bought with money—what worth was that? Perhaps, all he felt for her was utter contempt.
Staring at his disappearing figure at the door, the final "bang" echoed loudly as the door was slammed shut with force.
As if unprepared yet truly expecting this sound, Hua Lianxi's weak body trembled with the impact, then softly collapsed back onto the sofa like a fragile, withered flower. Her proud, stubborn sweet smile vanished in an instant, and her delicate, pale face grew ashen, drowning in suffocating despair.
At four in the morning, the street remained empty and silent. Under the dim streetlights, the thin figure appeared even more lonely and fragile. The black, lightweight suitcase swayed left and right with her uneven steps, squeaking impatiently, as if complaining about its owner's long walk.
Head bowed low, her floating footsteps fell beneath the orange glow of the streetlamps. Hua Lianxi's chaotic thoughts repeated over and over Kong Chengyi's brutal act of slamming the agreement in her face. Tears slipped uncontrollably, her lips tightly bitten as she quietly sobbed all the way.
"Who is that at this hour?" A sleepy, grumbling voice came through the intercom. Cheng Yi frowned in annoyance—who kept ringing the doorbell so late?
Wiping the wet tears from her face, Hua Lianxi lifted her head and smiled at the intercom. "It's me, Xixi. Please let me in!"
Back in college, whenever Cheng Yi felt wronged at home, whether late at night or early morning, she would rush to Hua Lianxi's place with the attitude of "I have nowhere else to go." Naturally, she would nestle into their small home. "Please let me in" thus became a familiar phrase they used to tease each other.
Rubbing her eyes, Cheng Yi suddenly stopped what she was doing and jumped up. "Xixi? You're here?" She quickly pressed the unlock button. "Come on up!"
Looking at the wall clock, it was already 4:00 a.m. She couldn't believe Hua Lianxi was appearing at her little home at this hour. Suddenly fully awake, Cheng Yi's heart tightened with worry, quickly guessing the predicament she might be in.
Within a minute, the elevator dinged. Hua Lianxi looked up and saw Cheng Yi standing at the elevator entrance, hair down and wearing only pajamas, ready to welcome her.
"Hey, you're asking for shelter. Don't you dare kick me out!" Hua Lianxi pushed her black suitcase beside Cheng Yi's feet, pouting as if both coaxing and warning—just like every time she showed up at her home dragging her luggage.
"I won't kick you out! I don't dare! Stay as long as you like—even forever! Now I absolutely have the means to support you!" Fully awake, Cheng Yi responded enthusiastically. She glanced up at Hua Lianxi's face and immediately noticed her eyes were swollen like walnuts.
"What happened to your eyes? Did that bastard Kong Chengyi bully you? Running off alone in the middle of the night? Don't you know how dangerous that is? Hua Lianxi, are you stupid? Why didn't you call me so I could come get you?!" Rubbing Hua Lianxi's face with her pale fingers, still damp with tears, Cheng Yi's anger flared. She hated Kong Chengyi so much she wished she could drag him out right now and slap him hard.
Grasping Cheng Yi's hand, Hua Lianxi smiled faintly, amused at how impulsive her friend always was, like a young boy.
"It's all over now. From now on, no more Kong Chengyi in my life. We're back on our own separate paths, settled and even!" Though speaking with a smile, it drained all her strength. At this moment, she only wanted to close her eyes and sleep deeply—forget everything.
"Over? Then why are you crying? You should have a good drink to celebrate! Celebrate your return to our Cheng family mansion! I'll tell my brother to get you a job starting tomorrow. We'll work together and realize our dreams!" Intertwining their fingers, Cheng Yi pulled her toward home. In just a few seconds, she had decided Hua Lianxi would return to being a designer and would no longer foolishly become a custom-made escort.
"Cheng Yi, is there a separate room? I want to sleep alone." Entering the fairy-tale pink house, Hua Lianxi made her request directly, not responding to the offer to work at the Cheng mansion.
"Here!" After a moment, Cheng Yi pointed to the guest room opposite her own. "But why not squeeze in with me like before? We can chat all night—I still have so much to say to you!" Even though often careless, Cheng Yi noticed Hua Lianxi's wish to hide away alone. The joy she had just regained from Hua Lianxi leaving Kong Chengyi darkened suddenly as she realized how complicated Kong Chengyi's significance to Hua Lianxi might be.
Taking back her luggage, Hua Lianxi slowly walked toward the room. "Yi Yi, sorry. Tonight I want to sleep by myself. Good night!"
Opening the door revealed the same soft pink shade, the same warm fairy-tale kingdom.
Gently closing the door, isolating Cheng Yi's worried and searching gaze, Hua Lianxi leaned her back against the door. Pearly white tears silently rolled down.
Slowly sliding down the door, biting her reddened lips, Hua Lianxi finally scrambled onto the large bed with all her strength. Then she pulled the covers over her head, wrapping her sobbing self in complete darkness.