C15 Cold War

When Meng Jingxian received Chu Yang's call, she had already been at the bar for several hours, nursing a bellyful of drinks.

As Meng Jingxian glanced at the caller ID, memories of Gu Panpan's words from that morning flooded her mind. She had no desire to answer Chu Yang's call and let the phone ring on.

Chu Yang, however, didn't persist. After she ignored the first call, he tried once more.

Annoyed by the persistent ringing, Meng Jingxian finally gave in, curious about what Chu Yang wanted. She answered the call.

"Hey, what are you up to? Why aren't you answering?" Chu Yang's breathless voice came through, accompanied by the sound of rushing wind—he was likely on the move.

Meng Jingxian massaged her sore eyes, feigning composure as she responded, "I'm out at the moment. What's going on?"

Deep down, Meng Jingxian harbored a flicker of hope. She wished Chu Yang had missed her at home and was calling to check on her.

But reality didn't align with her wishes. "You need to come back quickly. Your grandfather asked me to bring you home for dinner."

Her heart sank. It was just someone else's request; Chu Yang wouldn't have thought of her otherwise. But if her grandfather had asked, he must be missing her. This was no time for sulking.

Collecting herself, she replied, "Okay, I'm on my way." She looked at the array of empty glasses strewn across the bar, her smile tinged with bitterness. After settling the tab with her card, she left the bar behind.

Outside, Meng Jingxian hailed a taxi and gave the driver her destination. Settling into the backseat, she closed her eyes. She hadn't done much, yet she felt utterly exhausted.

Was falling for Chu Yang a mistake? Now, reflecting on it, Chu Yang and Gu Panpan seemed like a good match. Perhaps she was the interloper, the outsider.

Arriving at Chu Yang's place, she found him indeed at home, but not alone. Gu Panpan was there, his current girlfriend. Meng Jingxian felt an acute sense of being unnecessary.

"You're back? Great, let's get ready quickly. We're heading to your grandpa's place for dinner." Chu Yang was the first to greet Meng Jingxian as she walked through the door. After discussing the timing with her, he too retreated to his room to get ready.

Unaware of any tension between the two, Chu Yang didn't pick up on their silence. To him, everything seemed as usual, so he thought nothing of it and headed to his room.

"Did you go out for drinks?" Gu Panpan eyed Meng Jingxian, who had just come back. Truth be told, Jingxian didn't reek of alcohol; she had been sipping on soft drinks most of the time. But lingering in a bar tends to leave a trace scent of booze.

"Do you really think I need to report my every move to you?" Meng Jingxian snapped back at Gu Panpan, her face void of emotion.

Gu Panpan's concern was met with such a bitter response from Jingxian that it left her feeling like there was a heavy stone lodged in her chest, unable to be dislodged.

With nothing left to say, especially since her objective had been met, Gu Panpan saw no point in further words that could wound Jingxian.

Jingxian's family was influential, and Gu Panpan was employed at a school run by her family. This fact alone made her feel significantly lesser in stature.

Ignoring Gu Panpan's sour expression, Jingxian retreated to her room to change, getting ready to join Chu Yang at his family home.

Jingxian pondered whether she should move back to her own place, seeing as there was no longer any purpose to her stay here. She had originally moved in to pursue Chu Yang, but now that he belonged to someone else, sticking around seemed more humiliating than anything.

Ten minutes later, Jingxian emerged from her room to find Chu Yang already waiting in the living room. Chu Yang had intended to leave together, but Jingxian briskly passed by him and headed out first.

The driver was waiting outside. Jingxian, who used to always take the back seat, now opened the front passenger door and settled in, marking a change from her usual routine.

Chu Yang, still inside the house, gave Gu Panpan a quizzical look, silently questioning, "What's wrong with Meng Jingxian?"

Gu Panpan was at a loss for words. She certainly couldn't admit that Meng Jingxian's current state was all due to her own words earlier that morning.

"I don't know," Gu Panpan responded, her eyes wide with feigned innocence.

With Gu Panpan clueless as well, Chu Yang stepped briskly out of the house, determined to get answers from Meng Jingxian herself about her day's troubles.

But upon reaching the car, he found the backseat empty. Turning to the front, there sat Meng Jingxian, confirming his suspicion. Chu Yang, with a speech prepared, suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

It looked like today was not the day for questions. He'd have to wait for another opportunity to arise.

The drive lasted a silent ten minutes—a stark contrast to the past when Meng Jingxian's presence guaranteed a lively atmosphere. She could fill even a two-hour trip with non-stop conversation.

Today, however, the silence was deafening. Even the driver sensed the unusual quiet, glancing at Chu Yang in the rearview mirror before turning to Meng Jingxian in the passenger seat.

He was unsure how to break the silence and knew it wasn't his place to pry, given his role as the driver.

Meng Jingxian, too, was aware that the mood was off. The driver had stolen several glances her way, yet she chose not to mask her discontent. In the past, no matter how down she felt, she wouldn't let it affect those around her. But now, she lacked both the desire and the energy to maintain such a facade.

The ten minutes passed quickly, and before long, they arrived at the Meng residence. As soon as the driver pulled to a stop, Meng Jingxian flung the door open and stepped out, eager to escape the shared space with Chu Yang, not willing to linger a second longer than necessary.

After emerging, Meng Jingxian didn't wait for Chu Yang; she went ahead on her own, leaving Chu Yang to watch her go. As she stepped into the living room, her grandfather, Meng Jingzhong's voice echoed from the doorway.

"Has the girl returned? And where's Chu Yang?" Meng Jingzhong peered past Meng Jingxian, noticing Chu Yang's absence, and inquired.

Little did he know, his seemingly casual remark would touch a nerve. Meng Jingxian's heart swelled with indignation. Was Chu Yang the only one everyone cared about? "I don't know!"

She brushed off Meng Jingzhong's astonished look and dashed upstairs, slamming her bedroom door with a bang that broadcasted her fury to the entire household.

Just as Meng Jingxian retreated to her room, Chu Yang walked in, not finding her in the living room but aware she had gone upstairs. He nodded a greeting to Meng Jingzhong, feeling a twinge of embarrassment.

Meng Jingzhong had tasked him with escorting Meng Jingxian home for dinner and discussing some matters, but now she had secluded herself.

Upon Chu Yang's arrival, Meng Jingzhong's eyes gleamed with anticipation, like a famished tiger spotting a feast. He assumed Chu Yang's reluctance to return had upset his beloved granddaughter, but the reality was different.

"What's going on between you and Jingxian? She seemed quite upset earlier," Meng Jingzhong asked, his concern for his granddaughter outweighing his hesitation.

Chu Yang was at a loss. How could he possibly know what was troubling Meng Jingxian? Was this the fabled moodiness that women supposedly experienced monthly?

"Well, I'm not entirely sure. When I returned from running errands today, she was already upset, and I didn't get a chance to ask her what was wrong," Chu Yang confessed honestly.

Meng Jingzhong beckoned Chu Yang to sit beside him, intent on winning him over. With Chu Yang's current standing built on his support, Meng Jingzhong was confident that Chu Yang would never turn against them.

"Perhaps I've indulged her too much, and it's made her a bit spoiled," Meng Jingzhong mused. Meng Jingxian's fiery temperament wasn't new, and he simply assumed that her mood had flared up today and would soon pass.

Having invited someone over for a meal, Meng Jingzhong had everything ready in advance; all that was missing were the guests. Now that everyone had arrived, he signaled the housekeeper to start serving dinner.

He sent someone to fetch Meng Jingxian for dinner, then he and Chu Yang made their way to the dining table.

Upstairs, Meng Jingxian was stewing in her room. When the maid beckoned her to come down for the meal, she neither responded nor refused; she simply remained silent behind her closed door.

But after some deliberation, fearing her grandfather might be embarrassed to sit alone, she reluctantly descended. At the dining table, she chose the seat farthest from Chu Yang and began to eat in silence.

Meng Jingzhong tried to catch her eye, but she kept her gaze fixed on her plate, ignoring his silent pleas.

Meng Jingzhong felt a mix of helplessness and resignation. He couldn't reprimand her under these circumstances, especially not in front of Chu Yang. He needed to maintain Meng Jingxian's dignity, fully aware of her feelings for Chu Yang.

Yet, Meng Jingzhong wasn't truly upset by her behavior; in fact, he felt a tinge of happiness. It was rare to see Meng Jingxian display such temperament now that she was older.

"Let her be. We'll eat," Meng Jingzhong gestured to Chu Yang, indicating they could begin their meal without further ado.

Chu Yang was at a loss for his own feelings. Meng Jingxian's demeanor certainly didn't lift his spirits. He began to introspect, wondering if he had done something wrong in recent days. After much thought, he concluded that it must have been because he went out to dinner with Gu Panpan the previous night and failed to respond to her message. That must be the reason for her anger today.