No Girl Can Walk Away Smiling After Checking Her Boyfriend's Phone - Chapter 13

I stayed in the hospital for two days, and when I was discharged, it was Qiao Yiqing who came to pick me up.

He opened the passenger door for me, holding it with one hand, waiting for me to sit down before he walked around the front of the car to the driver’s seat.

Feeling a bit nervous, I couldn’t help but glance at him.

I had rejected him in the hospital room that day.

Recently, Qiao Yiqing had indeed helped me a lot. I felt grateful and moved towards him, but that was different from feeling a romantic attraction.

Before completely letting go of the past, I didn’t want to easily accept a new relationship.

Doing so would not only be irresponsible to myself but also unfair to Qiao Yiqing.

It seemed like he had anticipated this, as a hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes but quickly disappeared.

He nodded and said, “I understand.”

Perhaps my gaze was too complex, he smiled faintly,

“Rejecting me is your right, you don’t need to be responsible for my emotions.”

As he spoke, he raised his hand to ruffle my hair, his tone softening, his deep voice carrying a calming strength, “Don’t feel burdened.”

The honking of the car behind brought my thoughts back.

Just as I was about to fasten my seatbelt, a slender hand reached over.

Though the touch was gentle and cool, I instinctively pulled my hand back as if burned.

Qiao Yiqing naturally took the seatbelt from my hand and leaned over to fasten it for me.

My face felt warm, and my gaze unconsciously drifted past him to the window, “Didn’t Chen Rui say he would come to pick me up today…”

We hadn’t seen each other since I rejected him that day.

“A client in Shanghai had a sudden issue, and he applied for a business trip with the company.”

Qiao Yiqing started the engine, resting his hand on the steering wheel, his tone gentle,

“He said if you need anything these days, just come to me.”

I softly replied, “Mm,” and took out my phone from my pocket, which indeed had several WeChat messages from Chen Rui from half an hour ago.

He sent a crying emoji, complaining that he was sent on a business trip by someone and couldn’t come to pick me up.

He also sent a meme made with a real person, typing: “Someone.”

I stared at the screen, at Qiao Yiqing’s face captured from a strange angle yet still looking good, lost in thought.

The night breeze was cool and gentle, blowing in through the car window, very comfortable.

I suddenly realized that every time I sat in Qiao Yiqing’s car, he would always have the window half-open, preventing me from feeling carsick and avoiding catching a cold from too much wind.

I couldn’t help but ask him, “Did Chen Rui tell you I get carsick?”

His voice was very low, “No.”

“Then?”

Just as I finished speaking, the light turned red, and Qiao Yiqing stepped on the brake, the car stopping steadily within the line.

He turned his head to look at me, his thoughts unreadable.

His focused gaze made me feel a bit uneasy, so I looked away.

He chuckled softly, “You probably don’t remember that.”

I looked at him, puzzled.

“Once during a high school holiday, we took the same bus. The bus was crowded, and you sat by the window next to a lady with a child.”

I frowned, having no recollection at all.

“The child soon fell asleep, and perhaps worried he’d catch a cold, you closed the window.”

He paused for a moment before continuing,

“I noticed your face growing paler, your forehead covered in sweat, even your lips seemed to tremble.”

“Despite feeling unwell, you remained silent, eyes closed, half-clenched fists resting on the window, pretending to sleep.”

Qiao Yiqing glanced at me,

“At that time, I thought, this deskmate, who usually seems so gentle and weak, is actually quite strong-willed.”

I blinked, a vague memory slowly surfacing.

During high school, my carsickness was at its worst.

I was dizzy and only remembered someone changing seats next to me, handing me a tissue to wipe my sweat, and opening the window.

But I didn’t pay much attention to who it was until I got off the bus and felt better.

Suddenly thinking of something, I asked him, “Was it you who sat beside me later?”

Qiao Yiqing answered straightforwardly, “Yes.”

I was slightly taken aback.

A feeling I couldn’t quite describe washed over me.

The green light turned on, and Qiao Yiqing restarted the car.

He chuckled lightly, “From that time on, I started paying attention to you.”

My heart skipped a beat.

“Actually, back then, I couldn’t distinguish whether my feelings for you were affection or curiosity, but I couldn’t help but focus more on you.”

Qiao Yiqing sighed, seemingly frustrated, “I was too slow back then.”

I whispered, “I was slow too.”

I really hadn’t noticed at all.

Suddenly, I remembered the time when the classroom corridor lights were broken, and I was always the last to leave evening self-study.

During that period, Qiao Yiqing also left late, almost right after I did.

Thinking back now, he probably wanted to accompany me through that corridor.

“During college, I visited you once.”

Qiao Yiqing’s voice was obscure,

“It was raining that day, and I saw you sharing an umbrella with a guy. He held you tightly by the waist, and you affectionately buried your head in his chest.”

I remained silent.

“Only when a feeling of emptiness hit me did I realize what my feelings for you truly were.”

I looked up at him, just as he turned his head.

After a brief exchange of glances, neither of us spoke again.

After getting out of the car, Qiao Yiqing walked me to the door.

I lowered my head, “Thank you for bringing me back.”

Just as I was about to turn and go upstairs, my wrist was gently held, deliberately avoiding the spot where I had been pricked.

I was startled.

“Actually, I lied to you.”

Qiao Yiqing was very close now, his deep voice mixed with a cool breath in my ear.

I almost forgot to pull away, “W-what.”

Instinctively, I thought of him sending Chen Rui on a business trip.

“I might not be as indifferent as I appear.”

Qiao Yiqing’s gaze was direct and intense,

“When you rejected me, I couldn’t sleep all night and ran around the neighborhood forty times.”

“Being rejected by you, I was really upset.”

I stared at him blankly, momentarily unsure of what to do.

“Chen Nan, if you don’t want to pursue another relationship for now.”

Qiao Yiqing’s dark eyes quietly watched me, “It’s okay, I can wait.”