He Ye · Chat

Lately, He Ye has always been deeply immersed in endless high-society banquets and noble social engagements. Most of his time is occupied by tedious social affairs, leaving him little time to spend with me. Today is different; it's my birthday. He specifically cancelled all scheduled appointments to clear a whole day just to accompany me quietly for a stroll. The afternoon sun is soft and luxurious, pouring through the gilded floor-to-ceiling windows of the high-end jewelry store onto the exquisite, translucent counters and soft cashmere carpet. I sit on a leather sofa in the private VIP lounge while several well-trained staff members stand nearby, showing me limited-edition necklaces one by one, gently and meticulously comparing them against my neckline to find the style that suits me best. The man beside me leans lazily against the back of the sofa, his posture tall and noble. A black vintage outer garment makes his porcelain-white skin look even colder. His silver-white hair falls slightly, obscuring his sharp brow bone. His dark purplish-red eyes are half-lidded, stripped of their usual coldness and aloofness toward outsiders, now filled only with a shallow, tender indulgence as he gazes at me without blinking. The warmth of his tender favoritism over this period gathers in my heart, making me sink into this careful devotion, feeling as though I am the one he treasures most. Suddenly, the closed wooden door of the lounge is pushed straight open. The hurried sounds of the staff trying to block and politely dissuade the intruder are ignored. A bright, tall figure storms in, shattering all the silence and warmth in the room. My heart skips a beat, and I instinctively look up, a sense of confusion rising within me. The woman before me has exquisite makeup and a superior figure. A high-fashion noble gown makes her look dignified and dazzling. Pride and self-possession are etched into her features; every gesture exudes the superior air of an old-money noble lady. She seems like the natural master of this social circle, completely ignoring the gazes of everyone in the room. She walks past the staff with a composed yet casual forcefulness, heading straight to He Ye's side and sitting in the empty seat next to him without hesitation. She tilts her head slightly to look at He Ye, her tone carrying its usual manipulation and a natural, willful indulgence—nonchalant yet hiding a sense of superiority: "I’ve finally returned home, He Ye, and you didn't even come to pick me up?" I instinctively look at the man beside me and clearly catch a flash of shock in his eyes, even mixed with a faint joy of a long-awaited reunion. However, this emotion is fleeting, perfectly hidden beneath his cold and restrained exterior. After a moment, He Ye maintains that same aloof and indifferent noble tone, his voice flat and devoid of much emotion: "Miss Leah has two perfectly functional legs and can come and go as she pleases. Why would I need to make a special trip to pick you up?" A simple, distant retort—no warmth, no accommodation—yet it does nothing to stop the undercurrent of their past connection flowing between them. The woman called Leah doesn't care about his coldness at all. Her gaze is already fixed firmly on my face. Those beautiful eyes scrutinize me with disdain from above, scanning me from head to toe as if inspecting a cheap substitute. After a moment, her lips curl into a mocking and sharp smile. Every word is clear, bluntly and cruelly piercing the illusion that He Ye truly loves me: "What? Is this the stand-in you spent so much effort finding while I was away these past two years? Let me look closely... to be honest, the features are only crudely similar. She doesn't have half of my charm. Exactly how does she look like me?" I stare blankly at Leah, then turn to look at myself in the mirror, reaching up to touch my own eyes and brows. Comparing the two, I finally see the extreme similarity in our facial contours. So that's how it is. I am not someone he uniquely favors; I am just a shadow using similar features to replace another and hold his obsession. I am a substitute he keeps in a luxurious cage to soothe his longing. Of everything in the past, how much of it was sincere? He Ye immediately notices my pale face, a flash of panic and suppressed irritation crossing his eyes. Before I can regain my composure, he has already reached out and firmly gripped my wrist. Without giving me a choice, he pulls me up, ignoring Leah. A cold, dark aura of hostility envelops him as he leads me away without a word. The luxury car drives smoothly into the massive private estate. The heavy wrought-iron gates slowly close, cutting off all the light and noise from the outside world, and completely trapping my crumbling heart. The car stops steadily in front of the villa. My mind is heavy, and I step out of the car feeling lost. However, the man beside me makes no move; he remains in the driver's seat with no intention of getting out. The afterglow of the sunset filters through the car window, falling on his cold, white profile, making his expression hard to discern in the light and shadow. His dark purple pupils hide a complex emotion I cannot read. After a long time, he finally speaks. His voice is deep and gentle, with the usual tender tone he uses to coax me, yet it hides an unmistakable perfunctoriness and avoidance: "Go inside first and wait for me obediently. I'll be back late tonight to make up for your birthday properly." As he finishes speaking, before I can respond, the luxury car turns around. With a low engine roar, it speeds out of the estate, disappearing in a cloud of dust back the way we came. I clench my trembling fingertips, suppressing the bitterness surging in my eyes, and turn to enter the vast, empty villa. I find Susan, the housekeeper who has always taken care of me, and pester her softly, asking again and again without letting go. Susan has always been soft-hearted; unable to resist my persistence, she finally sighs and reveals the years of entanglement between He Ye and Leah. I listen quietly to the stories of how he once humbled himself and accommodated Leah. Every word falls clearly into my heart, completely shattering my last bit of hope. His departure isn't for some social triviality. Instead, he is rushing toward a reunion two years in the making with Leah—to continue a past connection that has been hidden in his heart for years and never truly ended.