Chapter 169 - Fighting for Respect

“But just like you described, he’s great. I’m not the only one who has feelings for him.”

“Qianqian…”

“Chu Zixi, do you know?” As soon as she posed the question, before Ellie could respond, Chu Qianqian continued talking on her own, “The biological daughter of the Chu Family, who was mistakenly switched and replaced for twenty-two years, she and I ended up liking the same person.”

When saying the word “like,” Chu Qianqian’s tone was very calm, much less difficult than she had imagined it would be. Perhaps it was because Ellie was a competent listener and a good confidante, making Chu Qianqian not worry about others finding out about this. Or perhaps it was because the feeling of deliberately suppressing her growing emotions was too uncomfortable, and allowing herself to be indulgent for once was a great relief for her spirit.

In any case, Chu Qianqian chose to share her secret thoughts.

“When Chu Zixi told me she liked, really liked that person and asked me not to compete with her, I honestly found it a bit funny,” Chu Qianqian said, rubbing her nose and continuing once she felt more comfortable, “Matters of the heart aren’t about predestination or going with the flow, right? They’re not possessions you can just snatch away.”

“But some people think that way,” Ellie silently added in her mind what Chu Qianqian didn’t say aloud. “They like to stand on the moral high ground and disgust others in order to achieve their goals.”

“Because I felt that I took away Chu Zixi’s loving parents and the privileged life that originally belonged to her, I agreed to her request.”

Although Chu Qianqian only mentioned it briefly, Ellie could imagine the confrontation between the two. Her eyebrows knitted tightly as she said, “Being swapped at birth isn’t something you could control. What right does she have to ask for your help?”

Chu Qianqian just smiled at Ellie’s remark. When you’re not the person involved, it’s hard to know what decision to make.

“Later, Chu Zixi was flatly rejected. That person is always very cold when dealing with uninteresting romantic pursuits.”

Actually, Qingyi was the one who revealed this news to her. When Chu Qianqian first started developing feelings for Mu Han, she did feel a twinge of jealousy seeing Chu Zixi repeatedly approach him. However, it wasn’t long before she learned through Qingyi’s sarcastic remarks about the outcome of Chu Zixi’s efforts.

A fleeting smile crossed her lips, but before Ellie could comment, Chu Qianqian returned to her expressionless state. Her eyes dimmed as she seemed to recall that scene. “Later, my adoptive mother came to me, telling me that I had already taken Chu Zixi’s life for so many years and instructed me not to compete with her for a man.”

“Compete for a man,” Chu Qianqian suddenly burst into laughter, as if finding the situation amusing. “Ellie, do you know? My adoptive mother, that always elegant woman, looked at me with such disdain. She said I was unworthy, that I couldn’t compare to Chu Zixi. She even offered me money to stay away from him.”

For Chu Qianqian, this event was an unresolved knot in her heart. It might scar over, but it would never fully heal. Every time she thought about it, it felt like tearing open a wound, painful enough to feel wronged, painful enough to cry.

“How could she say that about me…”

Noticing Chu Qianqian’s trembling shoulders, Ellie quietly patted the crown of her head, aware that Chu Qianqian didn’t want her to see her crying in distress.

With a sigh, Ellie’s eyes were filled with sympathy and concern. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know what happened in between would hurt you so much.”

Chu Qianqian didn’t reply, but her continually shaking shoulders betrayed the fact that she was still crying.

Ellie, experienced in dealing with women, knew that what Chu Qianqian needed now wasn’t consolation but silent companionship, so she thoughtfully remained quiet.

After a while, Chu Qianqian finally lifted her head. Keeping her head down had been tiring. Her eyes were swollen from crying, and she instinctively rubbed her sore neck. With a choked voice, she said, “I don’t have the ability to repay the Chu Family for all those years of upbringing. The only thing I can do is let go of this relationship.”

“As long as I reject him, even if Chu Zixi still can’t win his love or if Madam Chu comes to see me again, I can confidently tell her that I’ve already stepped back. If she can’t win him over, that’s Chu Zixi’s issue, not mine.”

Taking the tissue Ellie handed her, Chu Qianqian wiped away the tears from her face and managed a smile. “Ellie, do you think I’m foolish, making such a decision out of spite, like a kid who refuses to grow up, just for the sake of pride?”

Ellie shook her head, letting Chu Qianqian lean against her. This time, she didn’t fool around, but instead comforted her like an elder sister. “There’s nothing foolish about it. On the contrary, I think you’re braver than most. You chose dignity over a potential happiness, and that’s something many people can’t do.”

“Ellie…”

“I was once as ‘foolish’ as you,” Ellie said, recalling those stories buried deep in her heart. It wasn’t easy, but with a heartbroken girl in her arms, she continued, “I once liked a girl so much, really liked her. I felt like I might never like anyone that much again.”

“See the tattoo on my leg? I got that for her because her name had the character ‘Man’ in it. Getting the tattoo hurt a lot, especially on the thigh. I still remember crying embarrassingly from the pain.”

As she spoke, Ellie laughed.

Chu Qianqian looked up and saw Ellie smiling with such gentleness. It was the first time she saw this expression on Ellie’s face, like a hedgehog finally revealing its soft underbelly, making people feel moved but also giving a sense of foreboding.

“Do you know why I don’t like reading novels? In novels, lovers always end up together, but reality is different.”

“I still remember we were both in our third year of university, and we had been secretly living together for a year. But then, one day, we were suddenly found out. Her mother came to see me.”

Without needing to be told, Chu Qianqian could imagine what that girl’s mother must have said. Not everyone can accept relationships that don’t follow the norm.

“Later, she told me she wished I could compromise for her once. Do you know what she said?” Ellie, stroking Chu Qianqian’s hair, continued with a laugh in her voice, “She said that she had discussed it with her mother and would marry the man arranged by her family, but she wouldn’t have any feelings for him, and she and I could keep our relationship underground.”