What kind of feeling was that?
Xiang Yu's eyes were very bright. They used to carry a heavy mist, but not now. He seemed to be expecting a new answer from Qi Sui—an answer both of them knew well.
But he didn't choose to pressure her at that moment. Instead, he maintained that formal, stiff attitude and said, "Precisely because it's improper, I want to strive for a legitimate title."
"Ms. Qi, it's like the project we're pushing forward. All the preliminary preparations—applications, filings, finding agents, PR—are for these devices to smoothly enter the market."
"The return must be proportional to the effort."
"That's a businessman's principle."
"Otherwise, I don't think this project is worth continuing."
Qi Sui didn't like that.
"Oh?" she asked. "Do you mean that if this project fails midway, you would calmly pull out?"
If he ultimately didn't get the result he wanted, would he unhesitatingly give up all previous efforts?
Dealing with feelings wasn't like handling a project. If anyone approached emotions with profit in mind, they were a complete fool.
"Yes," Xiang Yu said with open eyes, his pupils showing that annoying calm and detachment. That was what made him unlikeable.
He could gamble everything, yet he was terrifyingly rational and clear-headed. If such a person played around, he'd be very successful in relationships and quite adept at playing with feelings.
"But that's just my hypothesis."
Xiang Yu reached out, pinching her fingertips as if begging for mercy, his tone now troubled.
"But feelings aren't a project. I can't pull out in time when it's intense. It's like when pleasure courses through my body, I can only stay still and let it ravage my nerves."
Unexpectedly—naive, unexpectedly—bold.
Also unexpectedly—licentious.
No, Qi Sui shouldn't be surprised by this.
Holding a glass of cold soda water, sitting at the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau, she was still recalling the expression on Xiang Yu's face when he said that.
A kind of cold inhumanity, but attractive. It was like the dejection of giving up after a struggle, and the numbness of being unable to escape a predicament. That lost, struggling look was very captivating.
She must have silently gone perverse under some circumstance.
Qi Sui squinted, looking at the familiar car ahead, still bearing the license plate she had chosen late at night.
Qian Jin, who used to always groom himself neatly, was now casually dressed in a leisure suit, exhaustion lingering on his face, his hair disheveled beyond words.
He parked the car, got out, and walked heavily.
On the table in front of Qi Sui were two identical glasses of soda water with ice.
Qian Jin picked up the other one and took a sip. That chill penetrated from his mouth to his heart, making him feel utterly cold.
Former husband and wife now sat together, unable to say a single word.
Qian Jin asked, "Did you do it on purpose?"
Qi Sui: "What do you mean?"
His hand clenched into a fist, slamming hard on the table. His heart had collapsed countless times in recent days.
Work mistakes, no hope of promotion, rumors spreading—
And most importantly.
He asked with difficulty, "Is it because you know I like Director Xiang, so you went to seduce him?"
"Right?"
He couldn't help but repeat obsessively, like a neurotic muttering, "I know, I know, you're just unwilling to accept it."
"But what could I do? I worked hard, stayed late every day, just to climb higher. Director Xiang thought highly of me and gave me a chance to recommend myself. I thought he liked me. Is that a problem?"
"Qi Sui, ask yourself honestly: if you encountered such an opportunity, such a person, would you choose to let it pass?"
What was all this?
Qi Sui took a sip of the sweet soda water. She genuinely felt that such a drink suited her.
She stood up and knocked on the table in front of Qian Jin. "Let's go. After today, whatever you do—murder or arson—it has nothing to do with me. You don't need to explain these things to me."
"Then answer me first," Qian Jin looked up, the whites of his eyes filled with bloodshot streaks from sleeplessness. "Did you do it on purpose? Why are you with Xiang Yu?! You invited him to our home. Are you that desperate?"
"Stop, stop, stop." Qi Sui couldn't bear it any longer and interrupted his incoherent tirade.
"Are you treating me as a love rival? Weren't you the one who looked down on women the most? Now you want to quarrel with me like a gossipy old woman over these ridiculous reasons?"
Qi Sui held up one finger.
"I only have one thing to do today: completely end this failed and disgusting marriage. As for the rest, I think I don't need to explain to you."
"Of course, if you insist on an answer, then I'll tell you—"
"I was passive."
That was the only explanation.
Qi Sui didn't even bother to figure out how Qian Jin would interpret those words—whether Xiang Yu was the initiator, or if it was because of Qian Jin that she got dragged into this inexplicable emotional entanglement. It was up to him.