Chapter 1617

Worried about Xiao Qingqing, Mu Nuan arrived at the school gate early in the morning to wait for her. The moment she spotted Ding You, she broke into a jog. As she approached, she heard Ding You standing in front of Xiao Qingqing, pointing at the luxury car driving away. "Qingqing, where were you last night? That car that just dropped you off is worth millions. Who was that?" "A friend." "Since when do you have friends that rich?" His eyes raked over her figure, taking in the pristine, form-fitting white dress she wore. Just two days ago, he had reluctantly accompanied Yang Yun shopping when she tried on the exact same dress at a boutique. The salesperson had proudly announced it was a limited-edition piece—only three in the entire country, priced at over 700,000 yuan. Yang Yun had wanted it but couldn’t afford it at the time because she’d maxed out her family’s credit card. She’d planned to buy it the following week. Yet here it was, draped over Xiao Qingqing. "Where did you get this dress?" His voice was sharp as he grabbed her wrist. Xiao Qingqing yanked her arm free, but Ding You stepped forward again, relentless. Mu Nuan swiftly intervened, pulling Xiao Qingqing behind her and glaring at Ding You. "Back off, Ding You. Qingqing already broke up with you. You have no right to question her." "I don’t accept that," Ding You snapped, his gaze locked on Xiao Qingqing behind Mu Nuan. "Qingqing, I know I messed up, but we fought so hard to be together. I can’t lose you. Please, give me another chance. Let’s not end this." Mu Nuan’s disgust flared. "Have some shame, Ding You. You were the one who claimed to despise Yang Yun, yet you still slept with her behind Qingqing’s back. If you had even an ounce of respect for her, you wouldn’t have done something so vile." Ding You’s eyes burned with regret. "It wasn’t like that! The first time… I was terrified. Yang Yun used that fear to manipulate me. She blackmailed me! I didn’t want to—I don’t even like her!" "If you can sleep with someone you don’t like now, you’ll do it again," Mu Nuan shot back coldly. "Listen to me, Ding You. If you have any decency left, if you truly regret what you did, then stay the hell away from Qingqing. Stop tormenting her." After speaking, she turned sideways and took Xiao Qingqing's hand, leading her toward the school. "Come on, Qingqing, let's go." Ding You refused to give up. He quickly stepped in front of Xiao Qingqing and dropped to his knees with a thud. "Qingqing, I know what I did was awful, but I’m begging you—just give me a few minutes alone to talk. Please, think of the two years I spent chasing you." Mu Nuan frowned, taken aback that a man could stoop so low. Xiao Qingqing’s brow furrowed slightly as she studied Ding You. Just as Mu Nuan was about to speak, Qingqing squeezed her hand and whispered, "Nuan, go ahead to class. Save me a seat—I’ll be there soon." "But—" "Don’t worry," Xiao Qingqing reassured her with a faint smile. "I know what I’m doing." Mu Nuan hesitated but ultimately nodded. After all, this was Qingqing’s business. "Fine. Just don’t be late." "Got it." Once Mu Nuan left, Xiao Qingqing took a step back and looked down at Ding You, still kneeling on the ground. Her voice was calm but firm. "If you have something to say, stand up first." Ding You shuffled forward on his knees and grabbed the hem of her skirt, gazing up at her pleadingly. "I won’t get up unless you promise to forgive me. Just give me one more chance—then I’ll stand." "Then stay there." She tugged her skirt free and turned to leave. Ding You scrambled to his feet and caught her arm. "Alright, alright, I’m up. Qingqing, just tell me—what do I have to do to make things right? I love you. I don’t want us to end. Whatever it takes, I’ll do it. Just say the word." Xiao Qingqing studied him in silence for a long moment before speaking. "Yang Yun keeps inserting herself between us, and you always say she’s the one initiating it. But is she really that hard to shake off? Even in front of me, you’ve never once told her off. You’ve never told her to back off, never said you’d never like her, never told her to get lost. "And if that’s how you act when I’m around, I can only imagine what happens when I’m not. The truth is obvious—your leniency is what emboldens her. Yet you expect me to believe you’re helpless in this? I don’t buy it." Ding You’s expression darkened. "She’s still my senior—how could I just—" "That's exactly why I said your attitude is the problem. When a senior who's pursuing you gets emotionally involved, if you truly have no feelings, you should draw a clear line. Ding You, you're the one who messed up." "I admit it, I was wrong. I own up to it, Qingqing. I promise I'll cut all ties with her from now on. I won’t even see her again. Just give me a—" "Sorry," Xiao Qingqing shook her head, her expression resolute. "I won’t accept your apology, and I won’t give you another chance. Ding You, we’re over. I have class, so I’m leaving." She turned to go, and the pitiful look on Ding You’s face vanished. He stared at her retreating figure and called out, "I’ve begged you like this—why can’t you just give me one chance? Qingqing, how can you be so cold? Did you ever even love me? If you did, how could you be so heartless? What more do you want from me?" Xiao Qingqing paused mid-step, then turned back to face him, disbelief flickering in her eyes. She had never imagined that the man she once thought she’d spend her life with could say something so shameless. After a few seconds of silence, she replied coolly, "An apology means you recognize your mistake and sincerely regret it. Whether or not the other person accepts it is their right." "If you ever loved me, how could you watch me grovel like this—" "So, I should abandon my principles and forgive a man who slept with another woman behind my back, just because you’re acting pitiful and wallowing in self-pity? Ding You, the way I was raised taught me that many things in this world are unfair. I can’t change the rules of the world—I can only control myself. From the very beginning, I made my standards clear to you: I don’t tolerate betrayal. One act of disloyalty, and it’s over for good. You knew that, yet you still crossed the line. So now, no matter how much you regret it or how low you stoop, I won’t look back. That’s my answer." Without another glance at him, she walked away, her resolve unshaken. Ding You clenched his fists, his jaw tight as he glared at her retreating figure. "Qingqing, you’ll regret this!" he shouted angrily. "No one in this world will ever love you more than I do. One day, you’ll realize that!" Xiao Qingqing didn’t slow her steps. If this was all men had to offer, then she’d rather stay single for life.