The gossip-loving young masters and misses in the classroom also instinctively looked toward the door.
The third party to the gossip had arrived.
Si Yanjing walked in from the classroom door, holding a bottle of juice in his hand.
His face usually wore a sunny, puppy-like smile, but now it was free of that smile. His expression was unusually cold.
He walked up to Su Zhiyi's desk and shot a contemptuous glance at Song Lian, who stood beside him, blocking his way.
But when he sensed Su Zhiyi looking at him, his expression immediately turned tender. He handed the juice to Su Zhiyi.
"Baby, your favorite strawberry juice."
He stressed the word "baby" heavily, deliberately putting on a show for Song Lian.
Su Zhiyi took the strawberry juice from Si Yanjing and smiled, pressing her lips together. Her smile was quite restrained. "Thank you."
If Song Lian hadn't been there, her tone with Si Yanjing would have been more affectionate.
But with Song Lian here, and all the gossipy young masters and misses watching, she couldn't bring herself to be so warm with Si Yanjing in front of Song Lian.
Si Yanjing obviously sensed that Su Zhiyi's attitude wasn't as warm as usual, and he knew why.
A flash of dissatisfaction crossed his eyes. His gaze shot like a sharp knife toward the culprit—Song Lian.
Si Yanjing imitated Song Lian's tone, mild and courteous, but his words were far from friendly. It was obvious he was being sarcastic.
"Isn't this the former fiancé? Sorry, it is indeed a nice day today. If my fiancée wants to go for a walk, as her fiancé, I'll naturally accompany her. No need for you, the former fiancé."
"Heh. Better drop that 'former fiancé' title. After all, I've come to terms with things now. Naturally, I pose no threat to Young Master Si."
Song Lian said in a warm tone, "Just call me Song Lian."
Si Yanjing's aggressive words didn't provoke Song Lian. In fact, the smile on his face didn't diminish one bit.
Song Lian said he had "come to terms."
Both Si Yanjing and Su Zhiyi knew the surface meaning of those words.
After hearing Song Lian's words, Su Zhiyi looked at him in surprise.
Song Lian... was letting go?
He really wasn't going to pursue her anymore?
"Oh." The expression on Si Yanjing's face relaxed a little, but he didn't fully let his guard down against Song Lian.
"Then my fiancée doesn't need your greetings or your company."
"Young Master Si, Zhiyi and I grew up together. Our bond is more like family than love. I treat her like a little sister," Song Lian said. "If we can't be lovers, can we at least be friends?"
"Or is Young Master Si, before even holding an engagement banquet with your fiancée, going to restrict her freedom to make friends?"
Si Yanjing: "..."
Si Yanjing fell silent.
He was clearly just mocking his love rival. How did it become him restricting Su Zhiyi's freedom to make friends?
He never even thought that!
Si Yanjing was blunt. He was no match for the silver-tongued Song Lian. He was afraid Song Lian would use another thoughtless comment from him to raise the stakes.
So he just simmered in silence, his face full of displeasure.
Seeing that Si Yanjing had stopped talking, Song Lian turned to Su Zhiyi. "Zhiyi, I want to talk to you alone."
"Ah..."
Su Zhiyi only let out a monotonous "ah." Before she could say anything, Si Yanjing exploded at those words.
"What do you have to talk about with my fiancée? Trying to steal her away? You couldn't be her fiancé, so now you want to be the third wheel?"
Song Lian's expression instantly turned serious. "Young Master Si, I'm talking to Zhiyi, not to you. Even if you don't respect me, you should at least respect Zhiyi."
Si Yanjing: "..."
Si Yanjing fell silent again.
He shouldn't have spoken. Damn Song Lian was raising the stakes again.
Su Zhiyi twitched the corner of her mouth and pulled Si Yanjing out of the awkward situation. "What do you want to talk to me about? Can't you say it here?"
Song Lian meaningfully glanced at Si Yanjing nearby. His thin lips tightened slightly, and his narrow eyes narrowed. "It's about you and me."
"When it comes to matters between you and me, we don't need a third party present, do we?"
"Who's a third party? I—" Before Si Yanjing could finish his retort, Su Zhiyi cut him off in time.
Su Zhiyi tugged at Si Yanjing's hand and said to Song Lian, "Mm, that's fine. There's something I want to talk to you about too."
Si Yanjing frowned in displeasure, extremely dissatisfied that his fiancée and his fiancée's ex-fiancé were going to whisper without him.
"Baby, is there something between you and him that I can't hear?"
After a moment of deliberation, Su Zhiyi leaned close to Si Yanjing's ear, her voice as soft as a feather, soothing his restless heart and giving him a way out.
"He and I need to reach some kind of conclusion. Don't worry. I've already accepted your ring. You're the one I love most. You can be certain of that."
"Wait for me to come back, okay? My dear."
Perhaps Song Lian's earlier remarks had provoked Si Yanjing.
No matter how dissatisfied Si Yanjing was, he had to hold back, lest Song Lian mock him again and make him lose face in front of Su Zhiyi.
Su Zhiyi said she saw Song Lian as a brother, and Song Lian also said he saw Su Zhiyi as a sister. Besides, Su Zhiyi had accepted his ring. Doubting her now would truly be a lack of trust.
As for Song Lian...
He was Su Zhiyi's lawful fiancé. Song Lian was at most a predecessor.
Si Yanjing took the out that Su Zhiyi offered. His tone was no longer as harsh as before; it softened.
"Mm. Then come back soon."
He said finally.