Chapter 2: Unsettled Emotions

  Enjoying dinner and chatting with Gu Xin Yue, Zhang Yi suddenly heard a familiar name. Once upon a time, the name "Little Autumn" was also his longest call.

  The handsome face lifted up and his eyes looked towards the source of the sound.

  It is...

  Is it her?

  Even if Zhang Yi made up his mind to thoroughly drive her shadow out of his heart, this sudden encounter still left him with a lingering aftertaste.

  Someone I once deeply loved left me because of my poverty, going in pursuit of what she believed to be a happy life brought by material wealth.

  Are we strangers?

  Zhang Yi was asking himself in his heart, but he had no answer.

  He only knows one principle: spilled water is hard to recover.

  When a feeling reaches its end, it's impossible to turn back. I've been trying hard to put Wang Xiaoqiu down, even if she regrets it later, I won't accept her again.

  "What's wrong with you, Zhang Yi?"

  Gu Xinyue keenly sensed the abnormality on Zhang Yi's face, followed his gaze, turned her head to look behind her, and immediately frowned slightly, with a few points of disgust flashing in her eyes.

  Zhang Yi withdrew his gaze and shook his head slightly, saying: "Nothing!"

  He could see the complex emotions in Wang Xiaoqiu's eyes. However, he didn't plan to greet Wang Xiaoqiu, as past events had already passed and it was better to treat each other like strangers.

  Not far away.

  Wang Xiaoqiu looked at Zhang Yi's retracted gaze, and the faint indifference on his face. Her heart suddenly had a dull ache. She clearly knew that she still hadn't forgotten Zhang Yi. Every time it was late at night and people were quiet, she would think of that face that still loved her, and the happy days they spent together would flash before her eyes.

  "Xiao Qiu, what's wrong?"

  Meng Hui furrowed his brow and scanned Zhang Yi with his eyes. He asked aloud.

  Wang Xiaoqiu's heart was filled with a hint of reluctance. He withdrew his gaze and shook his head, saying: "Nothing. I just spaced out for a moment."

  Daydreaming?

  Meng Hui turned his head again to look at Zhang Yi, but what he didn't expect was that a familiar and absolutely beautiful face also turned around to look at him.

  Suddenly.

  Meng Hui's heart was stirred with excitement, he hadn't expected to run into Gu Xin Yue here, the woman he had pursued for half a year without success.

  "Let's go. I see an acquaintance, I'll take you to get familiar with him."

  As he spoke, Meng Hui reached out and grabbed Wang Xiaoqiu's wrist, regardless of whether she was willing or not, and pulled her to the table where Zhang Yi and Gu Xin Yue were sitting.

  "What a coincidence! I didn't expect to run into you here."

  Gu Xinyue raised an eyebrow and slightly furrowed her brow at Zhang Yi, then put down the tableware in her hand, stood up, nodded and said: "It's quite a coincidence! Who is this?"

  Meng Hui's face stiffened for a moment, and he immediately regretted coming over to greet them at this time. He was accompanied by his girlfriend, and if he introduced her to Gu Xin Yue, then he and Gu Xin Yue would truly have no chance in the future.

  But!

  If I don't introduce him, it's likely that he will be exposed. Once this happens, his image in Gu Xinyue's heart will probably become even worse.

  After a moment's thought, he decided to tell the truth: "She is my girlfriend. Wang Xiaoqiu. Xiaoqiu, let me introduce you. This is a friend I knew when I was studying at Jingnan University. Gu Xin Yue."

  Gu Xinyue's gaze fell on Wang Xiaoqiu's face, and what made her feel puzzled was that although Wang Xiaoqiu nodded at herself, the smile on her face seemed a bit forced. Moreover... her eyes kept glancing at Zhao Yi from time to time.

  Really?!

  Did they know each other before?

  Gu Xinyue was a clever and agile girl, she turned her head to glance at Zhang Yi, only to find that the smile on his face had disappeared, replaced by a look of indifference.

  There's a problem!

  The old heart secretly thought in the dark of the moon.

  However, she did not know about Zhang Yi and Wang Xiaoqiu's past relationship, so she curiously asked: "Zhang Yi, did you know Miss Wang before?"

  Zhang Yi frowned and said lightly: "I don't know him."

  "You..."

  Wang Xiaoqiu's face turned pale, a hint of sorrow flashed in the bottom of her eyes, she opened her mouth, but found herself at a loss for words.

  Was she once Zhang Yi's girlfriend?

  Because she despised his poverty and dumped him, then threw herself into someone else's arms?

  Gu Xinyue had studied psychology before, and by looking at Zhang Yi and Wang Xiaoqiu's expressions, she immediately understood that the two must have known each other beforehand, and their relationship was not ordinary, it was very likely a romantic relationship.

  Meng Hui seemed to have sensed something too, furrowing his brow and asking:

  "Xiao Qiu, you..."

  Wang Xiaoqiu's face turned cold and he said faintly: "I don't know him."

  Meng Hui nodded slowly and didn't take it to heart. What he cared about was Gu Xin Yue, even after many years had passed, his heart still couldn't forget her.

  He hesitated for a moment, and his eyes became fiery as he looked at Gu Xinyue and smiled, asking: "Xinyue, who is this?"

  Gu Xinyue felt a bit uneasy under Meng Hui's gaze, her eyes swept over Zhang Yi's body before she spoke up: "He's my boyfriend. You two, you're here to have dinner, right? My boyfriend and I still have things to discuss, so we won't disturb you!"

  A tactful way of telling someone to leave, anyone with a bit of sense can understand it.

  Meng Hui originally wanted to suggest having a meal with Gu Xin Yue, but after hearing her dismissive tone, he suddenly felt a chill in his heart. Moreover, what made him even more unacceptable was that the young man was actually her boyfriend!

  Who is he?

  What's his ability, to possess a beautiful and unattainable woman like Gu Xiangyun?

  A thread of jealousy grew in his heart, and his smile became forced. He reached out to grab Wang Xiaoqiu's hand, and Gu Xinyue nodded and said: "In that case, we won't disturb you anymore. When I have time, I'll invite you to dinner again."

  At this moment!

  Wang Xiaoqiu's heart was as if pierced by a sharp knife!

  Her eyes were filled with an expression of utter incredulity.

  She still remembered the stunning girl who appeared when she first broke off her engagement, and this girl in front of her, named Xin Yue, was not inferior to that beautiful girl in terms of appearance or temperament. And compared to them, she herself was far from being just a little bit worse.

  Why?

  Why are the girls who appear beside Zhang Yi one better than another? One more beautiful than another?

  A strong sense of resentment made her heart burn with jealousy. She shook off Meng Hui's hand and turned to walk towards the restaurant door, leaving behind a cold sentence: "I've lost my appetite, I don't want to eat anymore."

  Meng Hui's smile on his face completely solidified. He had never seen Wang Xiaoqiu be so disrespectful to him in front of others before.

  With great difficulty, Meng Hui forced a smile and nodded at Gu Xin Yue's apologetic nod, then chased after him with an angry face.

  At the dinner table, Gu Xinyue slowly sat down. Looking at Zhang Yi, she said: "If I'm not mistaken, that girl named Wang Xiaoqiu was once your girlfriend?"

  "Bang..."

  Zhang Yi put down the tableware in his hand, with a faint indifference on his face, stood up and said: "I still have something to do, so I won't accompany you for dinner! Goodbye."

  After finishing speaking, he didn't give Gu Xin Yue any time to speak at all, and immediately left with swift steps.

  Gu Xinyue stared blankly at Zhang Yi as he left, a pang of regret rising in her heart. Why did she have to bring up this topic?! They obviously had issues, and yet she still asked about it - wasn't that just asking for trouble?!

  A wry smile floated onto her stunning face, and she shook her head slightly.

  Night falls. Bustling streets with people coming and going.

  The scorching daytime passed, and the cool evening breeze arrived, blowing away Zhang Yi's annoyance.

  He had his hands in his pockets and was wandering aimlessly along the street, lost in thought.

  He doesn't know!

  At this moment, he is going through a spiritual tempering. The feelings between him and Wang Xiaoqiu, if he can thoroughly put them down, his mood will be able to rise, but if he can't completely put them down, his heart will leave an eternal shadow on the emotions.

  Neon lights flashing on the crossroads.

  Zhang Yi stopped in his tracks, hugging his guitar, a young vagabond singer dressed in strange and exotic clothing, the song that seemed to contain the vicissitudes of life, reached his ears:

  "You once promised a lifetime of not parting, I once promised to be together for all eternity. Why can't our feelings withstand the test of time? Now you and I are like strangers. My heart is in pain, my heart is tired, my heart is cut. I wander at the crossroads, why can't I forget your shadow? Why..."

  A voice that has experienced the vicissitudes of life, every sentence of lyrics, every word, seemed to reverberate in Zhang Yi's heart like thunder, and the sound with a strong sense of unwillingness and nostalgia made him stand still on the spot.

  "I once thought you were my everything, I was willing to give up all to love you. Why did cruel reality separate us? I couldn't bear it and can only see you in my dreams. I used all my strength to love you, but ultimately didn't get the most beautiful ending..."

  Unwilling but powerless.

  Zhang Yi resonated with this song.

  Using all my strength to love you, but can't get the most beautiful ending.

  If we can't get the most beautiful ending, why don't we just let go? Let go of that thread of obsession in our hearts and live our own lives.

  That's right!

  Beyond one's own life!

  Zhang Yi suddenly looked up and saw the bearded, guitar-hugging vagabond leaning against the wall, with tears welling up in his eyes.

  The music stops and the crowd disperses.

  Many people around wiped away tears and left, those who were deeply moved by the song took out money and put it in the paper box in front of the street singer.

  Zhang Yi smiled!

  His smile is so radiant.

  He pulled out his wallet, took out 1,000 yuan from it, walked quickly to the street performer, put the money in a paper box, and turned around to walk away into the distance.

  Wei Xiaolong was stunned!

  He is a wandering singer, who has been engaged in music career for more than ten years, and has almost traveled all over the country. Because of no money and no people, he couldn't get out of it, so he became a wandering singer.

  After years of wandering as a singer, he has experienced all the joys and sorrows of life, bearing the warmth and coldness of human relationships.

  He had received a hundred yuan red envelope from others, but he had never seen it before. Some people would give themselves one thousand yuan at once. So his heart was trembling, and the deep confusion that lingered in that tremble.

  He...

  Why? (......)