Chapter 1601

The moment Mu Nuan spotted Ye Heng'an, she instantly regretted her decision. She should have agreed when Xiao Qingqing offered to ditch her boyfriend and have dinner with her instead. Now, facing Ye Heng'an alone, she felt an awkward tension settle between them. But just because he was in a relationship didn’t mean she had to cut ties with him completely. Besides… when she had turned him down back then, it wasn’t because she wanted to avoid him forever. Forcing a gentle smile, she walked toward him and greeted him warmly, "Hannah, what a coincidence! What brings you here?" Ye Heng'an’s expression was serious. "It’s not a coincidence. I came looking for you." "Oh? What for?" Without hesitation, he reached out and grasped her wrist, pulling her toward the school gates. Mu Nuan hesitated for a moment, debating whether to pull away, but in the end, she let him lead her. When she realized he was taking her back to his apartment, she quickly stopped him. Given the circumstances, being alone with him in his place didn’t feel right. "Hannah, I actually have things to do back at the dorm after dinner. How about I treat you to a meal instead? We can talk while we eat." Ye Heng'an paused, then silently changed direction, guiding her to a nearby restaurant. He ordered several of her favorite dishes. After taking a few bites, Mu Nuan glanced up at him. "You said you had something to talk to me about. Why aren’t you saying anything?" "Why are you still avoiding me?" Her heart clenched. "I’m not." "You don’t answer my calls. The moment you see me, you turn around and walk the other way. And you say you’re not?" His voice was low, frustration simmering beneath the surface. "Warmth, I thought after being away for a year and a half, enough time would have passed for you to move past the disgust you felt when I confessed to you. But even now, you still can’t stand me?" "Hannah, I don't dislike you," Mu Nuan set down her chopsticks and looked at him earnestly. "I swear to heaven, I don't hate you. If I'm lying, may I be struck by—" "Don't say it," Ye Heng'an cut her off, his brow furrowing slightly. "Then tell me why you've been avoiding me." "I really haven't been avoiding you. It's just that... I talk too much. Every time I'm with you, I chatter nonstop. Now that you have a girlfriend, it wouldn't be right for me to take up too much of your time. Look, even when Qing Qing started dating, I didn't cling to her every day either." "Am I the same as Xiao Qingqing to you?" "Of course not. Qing Qing is a girl, and I still know to keep my distance. You're a guy—shouldn't I be even more careful?" "Keep your distance..." Ye Heng'an felt a surge of irritation. "Weren't you always going on about being my sister? Why not bring that up now?" "I am, of course. I always have been. But your girlfriend must know we're not related by blood, right? Since you're with her now, you should make her feel secure. You have to understand—no girl wants to see her boyfriend getting too close to another girl. So, it's better if you keep some distance from me." As she spoke, she lowered her head and continued eating. Ye Heng'an sat silently across from her, not touching his chopsticks, his gaze fixed intently on her. Mu Nuan could feel the intensity of his stare, and an inexplicable discomfort settled in her heart. Why was he looking at her like that when he already had a girlfriend? Her mother had repeatedly warned her: if she ever met a boy she liked, she could pursue him without hesitation. But she must always keep her distance from boys who were already taken. Never be the one to ruin someone else's relationship—that was utterly wrong. Mu Nuan had promised her mother she would always stay true to her principles and never cross that line. Her brow furrowed slightly as she set down her chopsticks and looked up at Ye Heng'an, pressing her lips together. "I'm full. Since you haven't eaten much, you must not be hungry yet, right? Let's head back. You can go find your girlfriend to eat with you. I need to stop by the dorm—I have things to do." As she spoke, she slung her bag over her shoulder and stood to leave. She had said all she needed to say—it was time to make a clean exit. Just as she was about to brush past him, Ye Heng'an suddenly reached out and grasped Mu Nuan's hand. Mu Nuan instinctively tried to pull away, but his grip was firm. He looked up at her, his expression uncharacteristically solemn. Originally, he had listened to Kang Yao's suggestion, thinking this might be the perfect opportunity to provoke Nuan Nuan—to make her confront her own feelings. But Nuan Nuan didn’t seem to care who he was with. Perhaps, to her, it didn’t matter who it was—as long as it wasn’t her. When he remained silent, Mu Nuan tugged her hand again, her voice low and firm. "Hannah, I should go." Ye Heng'an's heart sank. Reluctantly, he released her hand and lowered his head. Without another glance, Mu Nuan walked past him, paid the bill, and left the restaurant. Outside, she took a few steps before pausing abruptly. Turning back, she saw through the floor-to-ceiling window that Ye Heng'an was still sitting motionless at the table. His face bore an expression of sorrow she had never seen before—like a wounded child, lost and vulnerable. A dull ache spread through Mu Nuan's chest. She pressed a hand lightly over her heart, frowning. That strange feeling was back. In the year and a half since Hannah had left, she had often found herself missing him in secret. She had told herself it was just the natural longing after years of closeness, now severed abruptly. But as time passed, the feeling hadn’t faded. Instead, it had only grown stronger. She began to suspect that she... might be developing feelings for Hannah that she shouldn't have. She tried her best to suppress her emotions, but everything crumbled the moment Xiao Qingqing called her, saying she'd spotted Ye Heng'an at the mall. She missed Hannah—so much it ached. Without hesitation, she rushed to the mall. She wanted to see him, to confirm whether her heart had truly spiraled out of control for him. If it was true, she would have to reevaluate their relationship. But to her shock, when she arrived with hopeful anticipation, she saw Hannah—with a girlfriend. That day, she experienced heartbreak for the first time. In that moment, she just knew—she was done for. She sat alone in a café all afternoon, realizing for the first time how grief could gnaw at the heart in relentless waves. It hurt. She spent a week desperately avoiding the pain, barely managing to ease the ache—only for it to flare up again now, seeing Hannah like this. She shook her head. No. She couldn't indulge these feelings. She couldn't ruin someone else's relationship. She couldn't disappoint her parents. If Hannah had found someone he loved, she should support him. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself and walked away. She had to let go. No weakness allowed...