Chen Xu was stunned for a moment, then it dawned on him... Damn, so that's what it was about?!
Jimmy said that if Chen Xu lost, he would have to choose one of the three beauties to kiss.
Others might envy this statement, but Chen Xu cursed that guy to death in his heart!
It was because of those words that Chen Xu lost his temper and became enraged; how could he forget?!
Gao Xiaojie's two delicate hands were crossed, but you could tell she was incredibly nervous! Her knuckles were white from being bent over like that!
"If... um... if you had lost back then, then... who would you have chosen?"
Are we finally going to have to face this problem?!
Chen Xu gave a bitter smile to himself. Sure enough, some things have to be faced, and if you're a man, you can't run away from them.
In fact, since the last assassination attempt by Miwad, Chen Xu's relationship with Guan Yi and Gao Xiaojie has no longer been simple. However, his relationship with Zhan Jing is slightly simpler because of Zhan Jing's consistent indifference and Chen Xu's somewhat "fearful" feelings.
But to others, Chen Xu's relationship with the three beauties of the Computer Science Department seems too innocent.
Chen Xu himself had thought about this question many times, but each time he would stop thinking about it immediately after a little bit.
Yes, he really didn't dare!
What Chen Xu thought most was, now that he was so rich, weren't many wealthy men these days keeping their wives at home while having affairs on the side? But the moment he thought of this, he couldn't help but slap himself in the face.
Does this mean that men become bad when they have money?!
But if he had to choose only one, Chen Xu really wouldn't know who to pick!
So, the reason Jimmy really angered Chen Xu today was because this guy dared to make Chen Xu face the thing he was most afraid of right now!
Isn't he just asking for death?!
Gao Xiaojie sighed softly: "Are men always so greedy? Or is it that I hold no place in your heart at all?"
"No!" Chen Xu jumped up like a rabbit shot by a gun and shouted, "Yes, yes!"
Once those words were uttered, the two looked at each other and saw the complex emotions in each other's eyes.
Ah, finally, they've managed to break through that barrier!
Gao Xiaojie leaned back on the sofa, feeling weak. She clenched her hands together until her knuckles turned white. "I know I can't compare to Guan Yi or Jingjing, but if I have no chance at all, then please stay away from me, okay? I may be just a girl from a poor family, but I have my pride. I'm not your plaything to be summoned and dismissed at will."
"Stop talking!" Chen Xu rudely interrupted her, looking at her with eyes full of anger: "You've known me for over a year. Is this the kind of person you think I am?"
“No,” Gao Xiaojie saw that he was angry and didn’t know what to say for a moment. Coupled with the grievances in her heart, her eyes reddened and she couldn’t help but shed tears: “I, I don’t know how to say it in detail… I know I have a bad temper and a bad personality. I have no ability and no family background. I can’t compare to Guan Yi and Jingjing in any way. I… you might as well just let me go!”
After saying that, she stood up and tried to rush out the door, but Chen Xu wouldn't let her go. He stood up and grabbed her, and Gao Xiaojie struggled desperately, crying out, "You're hurting me!"
Chen Xu was startled and immediately let go. At that moment, he saw tear tracks running down Gao Xiaojie's soft, apple-like cheeks. Gao Xiaojie's face was already a little chubby, her cheeks slightly puffed out, making her very cute; the tear tracks made her even more endearing. Chen Xu knew how strong he was. He hadn't been careful before, but this sudden exertion was definitely more than she could handle.
But Chen Xu's body was still blocking the doorway: "You can't leave..."
"Why can't I leave? Give me a reason!"
Chen Xu paused for a moment, then hesitated for a long time before finally blurting out, "It's so late now, it's not safe for a girl like you to be out alone." Gao Xiaojie looked at his embarrassed expression and couldn't help but find it amusing, but she tried her best to keep a straight face, though a smile still crept onto her face.
Chen Xu had a sharp eye; seeing her smile, he became even more brazen. He simply leaned against the door: "Anyway, you can't leave. Uh... is Bixuan asleep?"
"She's asleep. She went to bed very early."
The two fell silent again.
After a long silence, Chen Xu finally said, "I'm sorry, I'm an idiot."
Gao Xiaojie understood what he meant: "That's right, you really are a bastard."
Chen Xu's body went limp. He sat down by the door, leaning against it, clutching his hair. After a long while, he finally said, "I'm sorry, Jie Jie. I can't give you an answer, at least not now... but I can't let you go either!"
Gao Xiaojie sighed: "Are all men like this, always wanting more after getting what they want?"
Chen Xu felt that if things continued like this, he would become a disgrace to men. But how many men can be faithful to one woman for life? At least emotionally speaking... a man will always have thoughts about many women in his lifetime, right?
"I..." Chen Xu paused for a moment, finally managing to speak, "From the very beginning of freshman year, regarding you, Guan Yi, and..."
"And Jingjing too, right? I knew it, you wouldn't even let her go."
Chen Xu gave a wry smile: "Let's not talk about Zhan Jing for now. From the very beginning, you guys made a deep impression on me, but at that time it was only because of your looks. After all, it's perfectly normal for you to attract attention in terms of appearance. But looks don't represent everything. My dad told me a long time ago that as long as a man has money, he may not be able to buy love, but he can definitely buy all kinds of women. Although I wasn't like I am now back then, to be honest, I've never lacked money since I started high school."
Normally, feminist Gao Xiaojie would have looked down on Chen Xu's father, saying, "What kind of father is this? How did he raise his son?" But now, she simply nodded slightly.
"It's impossible for a man to completely disregard appearance, at least for me. It seems that women expect that whether it's a prince charming, a black prince, or a frog prince, he has to be a prince. Men, too, are expected to be presentable in public and capable in the kitchen. But appearance isn't everything. Later, my interactions with you and Guan Yi made me feel that you were both very nice people and suitable to be friends... but we were just friends. I don't know when, but that very pure relationship started to change."
Indeed, it's unclear when.
It was probably after the earliest version of "The Legend of Jin Yong" failed that Gao Xiaojie was standing on the rooftop when Chen Xu saw him, which led to SMMH providing that amazing game creation software.
Gao Xiaojie also thought of this, and bit her lip lightly, saying, "That time I failed in the game, you thought I was going to jump off a building... I remember our relationship wasn't very good before, at most just average. It was only after we played games together that our opinions of each other changed. Oh right, I almost forgot, you told me that night to stay confident, and five minutes later SMMH called me. Could it be that SMMH helped me not because my brother was trying to climb the social ladder, but because of you?! You already knew SMMH back then?!"
Chen Xu was stunned for a moment. Although he really didn't want to lie, he had no choice but to. At least for now, he couldn't tell anyone about this matter.
Including his favorite person.
"Yes, before I went to university, during the summer after graduating from high school, I met my teacher by chance, and about that matter of yours... it was indeed me who told my teacher."
Chen Xu knew that saying too much would lead to mistakes, so he didn't elaborate on the matter. Gao Xiaojie, however, gave a thoughtful "Oh." She thought to herself, "No wonder… As for why SMMH knew her deceased brother's name, with his omnipotent abilities, finding out would be a piece of cake."
But now, instead of feeling ashamed and angry at being deceived and fooled, she felt a sweet warmth in her heart... It turns out that he had been helping me behind the scenes all along.
Gao Xiaojie looked at Chen Xu sitting on the ground, reached out her hand and said, "Don't sit there. It's cold. Don't worry, I won't leave."
Chen Xu was stunned for a moment, then took her hand, but he pushed himself up from the ground without using her strength, though she held on tightly.
Gao Xiaojie gave him a reproachful look, but didn't struggle to let go, allowing him to lead her to the liquor cabinet next to her. She took out a bottle of Black Label (a type of whiskey), turned to Chen Xu, and said, "Want some?"
How did this thing end up in my house?
Chen Xu had never drunk foreign liquor in his life. He didn't even know what brand it was. Gao Xiaojie smiled and said, "Guan Yi bought this; I'll borrow it for a bit."
Gao Xiaojie spoke of Guan Yi without any hesitation, pause, or embarrassment. Chen Xu, on the other hand, thought to himself, "No wonder, that woman always likes to buy all sorts of strange and unusual things."
Actually, Chen Xu really wanted to have a drink right now. As the saying goes, alcohol emboldens the cowardly, and Chen Xu felt quite cowardly right now... but it was foreign liquor.
“I’ve seen Guan Yi make this before. You were in military training then, and you couldn’t drink it alone. You had to add a beverage. It tasted pretty good,” Gao Xiaojie said reproachfully, glancing at Chen Xu’s hand that was holding hers. “How am I supposed to mix a drink with you holding my hand like this?”
Chen Xu awkwardly let go, and then saw Gao Xiaojie open the bottle cap, find a large glass of cold water, pour in some Black Label, then pour in two large bottles of iced tea and add some ice. Chen Xu had never drunk foreign liquor before, and it looked a bit strange... Why dilute it with water?!
Gao Xiaojie took two glasses, poured in the wine, took a sip, and thought it tasted alright. He raised his glass to Chen Xu, and the two clinked glasses. Gao Xiaojie tilted his head back and downed at least three ounces of wine in one go.
Of course, Chen Xu used the baijiu (Chinese liquor) calculation method. He was startled when he saw this. He picked up the liquor and tasted it. It was sweet and smooth, very much like iced black tea... Of course, he had added two large bottles... However, the taste was somewhat special. It was sweet and smooth in his mouth, and the taste was not bad. He felt nothing after drinking it, so he was relieved.
What Chen Xu didn't know was that while the liquor could be drunk like a beverage at the time, something felt very wrong more than an hour later. In short, this liquor had an extremely strong aftereffect! It was incredibly easy to get drunk, and once drunk, it was very difficult to vomit! Unless you forced yourself to vomit.
The two sat on the sofa, maintaining a slight distance. The effects of the wine weren't obvious, but it seemed that even a touch of alcohol could easily excite people. Chen Xu didn't dare look at her, watching the brown liquid swirl in the clear glass under the light, and said softly, "Besides your appearance, you both have other attractive qualities. You are like that, and Guan Yi... Guan Yi is like that too." Chen Xu thought of all the exquisite glassware in this "home," which Guan Yi had bought. Every now and then, even if she didn't use it, she would wash them all until they shone. Chen Xu had even joked that she must be born in the Year of the Dragon, because she loved shiny things.
The thought of sitting here with another girl he had a flirtatious relationship with, saying ambiguous things, but drinking her wine and using her glass, made Chen Xu feel a pang of guilt...
"You're thinking about Guan Yi again, aren't you?" Gao Xiaojie sighed softly as she looked at Chen Xu.
Chen Xu was speechless. If he said he didn't want to, he probably wouldn't believe it himself. He didn't want to deceive Gao Xiaojie on this matter.
“I know I’m not as good as her,” Gao Xiaojie sighed. “I also know she must like you a lot. These things have been bothering me for almost half a year. Sometimes I think I should just give up. Anyway, there are many things I want to compete for, but I can’t possibly compete with her…them.”
When Gao Xiaojie mentioned them, it naturally included Guan Yi and Zhan Jing. To be honest, there was a certain ambiguity between Chen Xu and Guan Yi, but with Zhan Jing, it was truly a gentleman's friendship, as light as water. However, for some reason, Chen Xu could feel a strong attraction emanating from Zhan Jing, but he didn't know what Zhan Jing thought about it.
Gao Xiaojie looked at him and immediately understood his intentions. She sighed and said, "Jingjing is a rather reserved person. Her way of expressing herself is different from ours. If she really has no feelings for you, then she wouldn't have come along when we went out together a few times."
"Is that so?" Chen Xu felt extremely complicated. He didn't know whether to be happy or what... He couldn't bite off more than he could chew. He hadn't even settled things with this one yet, and he was already thinking about other girls?
"What do you think my purpose is in meeting you today?" Gao Xiaojie sighed softly. "Do you think I would force you to choose one of the three of us today?"
Chapter 307: A Choice in Love (Part 2)
Chen Xu was taken aback. Wasn't that right?
Gao Xiaojie looked at him and sighed, "Actually, I really want to dig out your heart and see who you really think about. If it's not me, or if I'm not the first one among the three of us, then I really want to turn around and leave, and never see you again for the rest of my life."
Chen Xu was speechless. In truth, he wasn't sure which of the three girls held the most important place in his heart. It was just that when he first entered "Fantasy Paradise," the first girl he thought of wasn't Gao Xiaojie or Guan Yi, but Zhan Jing... Admittedly, Chen Xu had a particularly deep impression of this calm girl when school started, but he couldn't be sure if she was the most important person in his heart. Impressions were one thing, but their daily interactions and the development of their relationship were another matter entirely.
Moreover, at that time, Chen Xu's relationship with the three was only slightly ambiguous. The assassination attempt by Miwad crossed a huge threshold in Chen Xu's relationship with Guan Yi and Gao Xiaojie, which was something Zhan Jing could not compare to.
But Chen Xu didn't want to go back into "Fantasy Paradise" to see what was really going on in his heart. This is probably a common problem for many people. What they fear most is their deepest feelings...
Gao Xiaojie said softly, "But I can't bear to. Women aren't like men, heartless and always looking for something better. I'm pathetic, I... I can't bear to lose you, and I can't bear to hurt Jingjing, and Guan Yi too." By this time, both of them had drunk quite a bit and were slightly tipsy. Gao Xiaojie suddenly mustered her courage and looked at Chen Xu: "Just tell me your thoughts honestly! I just want to know what you're thinking right now. Even if you like all three of them, even if you can't let go of any of them, just say it! What's the point of always getting stuck here? Don't you know that even if your heart doesn't belong to me alone, you should at least say it first? If you keep going like this, I'll be stuck too. I don't know what you really mean to me! I don't want to possess you, and I don't want any promises from you, but you have to tell me what you're thinking, right? Is there anything that can't be resolved?"
Gao Xiaojie downed another glass of wine in one gulp. Chen Xu looked at her in surprise, noticing that her face was flushed, but her eyes were very determined.
Okay, we can't keep dragging this on any longer.
As mentioned before, Chen Xu isn't the type to make a clean break in relationships. Often, when he's with a girl, even if they both like each other, Chen Xu tends to hesitate and overthink, letting opportunities slip away.
The relationship between men and women is a very mysterious thing. Friends and confidants can certainly develop into lovers. The saying "a rabbit doesn't eat the grass near its burrow" is complete nonsense. If you really want to find a close and intimate lover, then there's no better place than your best friend who understands you best.
However, among close friends, many people hesitate to make a move because they know each other too well, harboring many concerns. They worry that if they confess their feelings and the other person doesn't reciprocate, losing a romantic relationship isn't the worst part; the real problem is losing a friendship altogether. That would be a classic case of trying to steal a chicken and losing the rice instead.
This kind of relationship is very complicated, involving a man and a woman. Sometimes the man feels attracted to the woman, and sometimes the woman feels attracted to the man.
Of course. Relatively speaking, the former has a much higher probability.
Therefore, when confessing your feelings, you must choose the right time, such as creating a somewhat ambiguous atmosphere first...
Chen Xu and Gao Xiaojie are currently in a very ambiguous situation.
It would be absolutely impossible for Chen Xu to be heartless towards this girl and never even considered it!
The main problem is that Chen Xu has been thinking about what choice he should make.
Will the person he chooses accept him?
This is actually a kind of injustice. Generally speaking, girls are more reserved and rarely take the initiative to pursue boys. But the problem is that Chen Xu is even more reserved than them. Chen Xu keeps dragging his feet, afraid to face his feelings. What can the girls do? Although Guan Yi is relatively tough, if she really likes someone, she doesn't mind pursuing him. However, Guan Yi has her own difficulties. Because of her background, she believes that she can't be with Chen Xu in the future. She knows her own feelings but doesn't want to hurt Chen Xu... But now, after learning that Chen Xu has such great potential, this woman's feelings have changed.
As for Gao Xiaojie, she could only treat the relationship between the two with a carefree attitude... As for Zhan Jing, it's hard to say about this girl. Maybe she has feelings for Chen Xu, but is it possible that she feels the same way as Guan Yi and the others?
After hearing Gao Xiaojie's words, Chen Xu scratched his head vigorously, drank a glass of wine as if making a decision, and then looked into Gao Xiaojie's eyes: "You don't need to overthink it. Yes, I like you, really, really like you!"
After saying this, Gao Xiaojie's face showed a hint of shyness, but mostly joy. Chen Xu also felt a sense of relief... She finally said it! It was a difficult sentence to say, but after saying it, it felt like nothing special.
“I like you, that’s for sure. I don’t know when it started, and I can’t be sure how much I like you. But my mother said that if you like someone, you’ll miss them a lot when you can’t see them, and you’ll get very anxious and keep thinking about them if anything happens to them… At least I feel that way about you.”
"You're not the only one thinking this, are you?" Gao Xiaojie's lips curled up. "Alright, I won't embarrass you anymore. Men are all womanizers." Then she sighed softly. "I really can't imagine what I'm like now. Knowing that the man I like has another woman in his heart, if it were a year ago, I would have left without hesitation... But back then, I didn't know what it felt like to like someone. This idea was just empty talk."
Chen Xu remained silent for a moment, then finally said, "I'm sorry."
"Don't say sorry... If it were just Guan Yi, maybe I would still fight her for it, but Jingjing is involved, and I really don't know what to do. Women always understand women better than men. I can see that although Jingjing is indifferent, she must like you very much. Otherwise, with her intelligence, she couldn't possibly not see the relationship between you, me, and Guan Yi. Unless she has also reached the point of no return, she wouldn't have involved herself in this."