Chapter 149: I Have Great Faith in You
When Xiao Xiao returned the packed belongings to Hua Mei, Hua Mei cradled the box in silence, her expression unreadable. Xiao Xiao sat beside her, gently stroking her back, wishing she would just cry or talk about it; she was truly terrified that Hua Mei would eventually fall ill from keeping everything bottled up inside.
After a long while, Hua Mei held the box and said faintly, "I'm sorry, I'm tired and want to sleep. I'll have the driver take you home." With that, she walked numbly into the bedroom. Only after the door clicked shut did Xiao Xiao finally hear the muffled sound of Hua Mei’s sobbing, and she let out a long-held breath of relief.
The driver was waiting downstairs, and the nanny saw Xiao Xiao off with a beaming smile at the entryway. Glancing at the shoe cabinet, Xiao Xiao caught a glimpse of it filled to the brim with expensive high heels—all belonging to Hua Mei, each one exquisite.
Everyone in their lifetime owns many pairs of shoes. A new pair is often the excuse to discard the old; perhaps we invent pretexts about them not fitting well, but regardless, the years we spent wearing those old shoes are days we can never return to.
Lin Shuo’s apartment was filled with the warm glow of the afternoon sun, which spilled from the balcony deep into the room. Xiao Xiao lay on the sofa, flipping through a magazine, savoring this rare weekend leisure.
The magazine claimed a certain "pure" starlet was a vocal advocate of the single life, only for her to be photographed days later holding hands with an unidentified man while traveling abroad. It also praised a celebrity couple known for their public displays of affection as a model for the industry, yet reports had recently surfaced of both spouses cheating on each other, complete with photographic evidence. The couple had stepped out together to debunk the rumors, claiming it was just for a film shoot—even though there hadn't been a single camera, let alone a film crew, on the scene.
She couldn't help but laugh out loud. They couldn't even lie convincingly. Lin Shuo leaned over, snatched the magazine away, and leafed through it with a puzzled expression. "I thought you were reading a joke book. Laughing like that at a gossip rag—your threshold for humor really is quite low."
"Is that so wrong? People with a low threshold for humor are easier to make happy." She propped herself up, sitting cross-legged on the sofa, stretching lazily, and scratching her tousled hair, feeling completely at ease.
Suddenly, an idea struck her. "How about we play a game?"
Lin Shuo tilted his head to look at her, showing interest, and sat down on the sofa. Xiao Xiao watched him intently, ensuring every move he made was under her scrutiny. "From now on," she proposed, "you cannot evade any of my questions, and in return, whatever you ask me, I will tell you the honest truth."
"Alright!" To her surprise, Lin Shuo agreed readily. Xiao Xiao, delighted, struck while the iron was hot: "Is there anything you’ve been keeping from me?"
Lin Shuo maintained a gentle smile, though a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes before he quickly composed himself. He countered, "In what regard?"
Xiao Xiao’s gaze wavered, a sudden, inexplicable wave of dread rising in her heart. She was terrified of what Lin Shuo might say next—what if Zeng Ziyu’s reckless speculation turned out to be true? Besides, Lin Shuo was far too clever; he had likely guessed she was testing him. Regardless of whether he was hiding something, her interrogation was damaging the trust between them.
"Forget it, it’s not fun at all." Xiao Xiao deflated. Lin Shuo chuckled at her, finding her amusing. She suddenly asked, "Don't you want to ask me anything?"
Lin Shuo didn't even pause to think. He replied directly and with absolute confidence, "I have full faith in you."
This only served to highlight just how insecure she truly was.