Chapter 76: Swinging

The atmosphere during breakfast remained subtly tense.

Of course, he didn’t show any displeasure—especially not to her. He was as gentle and considerate as ever, even preparing a simple breakfast while she freshened up: oatmeal porridge, toast with fried eggs, and warm milk. She was in a rush, eating hurriedly without taking the time to properly explore his apartment. From what she could tell, it was new—a high-end community where each square meter likely cost at least 70,000 to 80,000 yuan. The interior design followed a familiar black, white, and gray palette, minimalist yet elegant.

“I’ll drive you to work later,” he glanced at her, perhaps intending to encourage her to eat more slowly. “No need to rush.”

Drive her?

“Isn’t that too much trouble…” she said awkwardly, avoiding his gaze. “…I can go on my own.”

Realizing her response sounded overly rigid, she quickly added, “You probably have classes at school, right? We can just go our separate ways.”

“I don’t have any classes this morning,” his eyes hadn’t left her yet. “It’s no trouble to drive you.”

She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but there seemed to be a trace of scrutiny in his gaze, adding pressure to her already uneasy state. She lowered her head and ate even faster.

“Oh,” she relented, her voice small. “…Alright, thank you.”

Reconciliation between lovers was always such a complex affair.

Move too slowly, and passion would fade. Move too fast, and it became hard to adapt. The shelf life of passion was always fleeting. After a night of impulse, the seven-year fissure between them still lingered—what was once unfamiliar remained so.

There were many unfamiliar things now. For instance, the scene of him driving her to work was something that had never happened before. Yesterday, overwhelmed by desire, she hadn’t been fully aware. Now, with a clearer mind, she observed how he drove—skilled and steady, his one hand resting casually on the steering wheel exuding an air of effortless refinement. This was his innate demeanor, though external factors certainly played a role.

—A Mercedes-Benz E 300L, likely costing thirty to forty thousand yuan more than her second-hand A4.

She silently calculated, her habit of comparison not entirely broken. Lost in thought, she suddenly heard him call her name and quickly turned to look at him. “...Hm?”

After a night of rain, the morning sun finally emerged. Spring’s brightness always lifted spirits, and his profile bathed in the warm sunlight appeared especially soft and healing.

“Our situation,” his words weren’t as accommodating. “When do you plan to tell your family?”

…Back to last night’s topic.

She had dodged it once by pretending to be sleepy; now, unsure of what excuse to use, she felt cornered and said, “Oh… maybe after a while.”

How could she possibly get away with that?

“Alright,” he cleverly chose to take an indirect approach, retreating a step before advancing again. “What about the blind dates…”

This was clearly a nudge. Yin Mengxi sensed his concern and immediately reassured him, “I’ll definitely turn them down—all those previous ones weren’t my idea; they were arranged by my family…”

He hummed in acknowledgment, his expression unreadable, neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. After a brief silence, he continued, “But if you don’t tell them you already have a boyfriend, Auntie will probably keep setting you up.”

Boyfriend…

For someone who had been single for seven years, hearing the word “boyfriend” again inevitably caused a moment of hesitation. Deep down, she still couldn’t quite believe she was back in a relationship—and with her first love, no less.

He caught her startled expression, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly. Turning back to focus on driving, he hesitantly asked, “We are back together, aren’t we? Or did you think last night was…”

He stopped short, ultimately refraining from uttering the crass phrase “one-night stand.”

She paused again, realizing he had misunderstood her reaction, and quickly clarified, “No, no—we are back together…”

His brows relaxed slightly, and the atmosphere in the car eased a bit. He seemed to exhale in relief, then circled back to the topic. “So, will you mention it to your family?”

Mention it?

With him asking so pointedly, how could she refuse? Even a single “no” would feel like a betrayal. Reluctantly, she conceded, “Yes… I’ll bring it up the next time my mom calls.”

This time, he was clearly satisfied, even nodding slightly. After a moment’s thought, he added another question, “When we broke up before, what did you tell your family?”

Evidently, he was already thinking about formally meeting her parents, worried about their impression of him and starting preparations early.

In reality… her parents had no idea he even existed…

She grew even more uncomfortable, feeling like a disgraced celebrity being grilled by reporters, each question uncovering another skeleton in her closet. Her scalp tightened further as she stammered, betraying her guilt, “I… I didn’t really mention you much…”

That “much” was cleverly inserted—a testament to her professional communication skills. At first glance, it seemed she had mentioned him, just not often. But he specialized in literary analysis; how could he miss the subtleties of language? What did “not really mentioned” mean? Either she had or hadn’t. If she truly had mentioned their breakup, how could her parents not have pressed her for details? They wouldn’t have let her get away with “not much.”

“Xiao Xi,” he inhaled deeply, waiting a long while before seriously asking, “…Have you never mentioned me to your family?”

…Damn.

He was upset.

Yin Mengxi’s palms went cold. Just yesterday at Little Red Roof, she had faced him with fierce confidence, but after only one night, she had become so timid and submissive. It was clear—when one felt guilty, it was impossible to hold their head high. She still lacked the thick skin needed.

Now, with nothing to say, silence equaled admission. She could only sit in the passenger seat, nervously picking at her fingers. The atmosphere in the car froze over. She suddenly wished for another downpour; at least the rain tapping against the windows would create some sound, breaking the suffocating silence.

Fortunately, the TV station building came into view, and in about three or four minutes, she’d be able to escape. As they waited at the last red light, she heard him sigh. Bracing herself, she turned to look at him and found him gazing at her.

“I wonder if you can understand…”

His eyes looked dim, like the sea suddenly receding.

“…Xiao Xi, I can feel insecure too.”

By the time they reached the TV station’s entrance, her mood was low. She wanted to say something but didn’t know how to begin, so she remained silent. As she opened the car door to leave, he called out to her, asking what time she’d finish work so he could pick her up. Instinctively, she replied, “No need—I have a meeting tonight; the timing is uncertain.”

It was the truth.

Every week, their station held summary meetings. Each channel and department met separately, followed by a station-wide review. Those with ongoing projects had to report individually. The whole process could drag on until nine or ten at night. However, he misinterpreted her response, thinking she didn’t want to see him just yet—after all, she had used the excuse of a meeting to deflect her mother’s call that morning. His gaze darkened slightly, but he still nodded and told her, “Alright.” He watched her enter the building before driving off.

She could feel his gaze lingering on her until she turned into the elevator. At that moment, she felt a slight relief, but more than that—sadness and guilt.

“Insecurity…”

—Had she hurt him?

Lost in thought, she walked out of the elevator and into the office. Xiao Yao, sitting near the entrance, spotted her immediately and greeted her brightly, “Good morning, Teacher Yin!” She added that she had finished the rough screening of yesterday’s interview and had some uncertain clips for her to review.

She agreed, instructing Yao to bring the USB drive to her workstation later. No sooner had she sat down than Wei Chi appeared out of nowhere, his green eyes fixed on her.

“You haven’t changed clothes,” he seemed both angry and resentful. “Where did you go last night?”

Yin Mengxi: “….”

He was sharp-eyed and nosy. Too lazy to respond, she opened her computer. Undeterred, Wei Chi moved to her other side and persisted, “It’s not related to Sun Jianbin, is it? Last night, Wang Hong caught me, so I didn’t stake out his office, but Peng Peng said you stayed there for less than twenty minutes—did he do anything to you?”

This kid…

Chatty and meddlesome, but genuinely well-meaning. Touched by his loyalty, she softened her tone and said, “No, we just talked about work. You go handle your tasks—I think you have an assignment with Teacher Wu today, right?”

Seeing she wasn’t angry, he grew bolder, pressing further, “Then why haven’t you changed clothes? Did you not go home last night?”

This line of questioning clearly crossed a boundary. Just as Yao Ankai arrived with the USB drive, she witnessed Teacher Yin’s icy glare directed at Wei Chi. “I’ve told you countless times—workplace discussions are strictly professional. I have no interest in discussing my private life.”

…Sharp.

Yao Ankai discreetly stuck out her tongue, standing silently and saying nothing, feeling a twinge of sympathy for Wei Chi—sigh, was he still trying to pursue Teacher Yin? Clearly, she had better chemistry with Teacher Xiao. Why couldn’t he try…

While she pondered, Wei Chi was already dismissed, storming out with a black face, shouldering his equipment and heading toward the office exit. Teacher Yin sighed, turning to Yao Ankai with a much gentler expression, gesturing for her to pull up a chair. “Come sit here; let’s go over this together.”

Yao Ankai snapped back to attention, oddly sensing that Teacher Yin was in good spirits today. Her own enthusiasm surged, and she eagerly nodded, “Oh, alright!”

By lunchtime, Luo Hua, the channel supervisor, finally sauntered into the office, holding a cup of coffee. Passing by Yin Mengxi, he tapped her desk and smiled, “Busy?”

Yin Mengxi looked up and, seeing her nominal superior, politely stood to greet him. Luo waved casually, saying, “I met a friend this morning—we even mentioned you. Have you eaten lunch? If not, you can go downstairs and join her. She’s probably still there.”

Yin Mengxi was taken aback, unsure who Luo was referring to. Smiling, he pulled out his phone and headed to his desk, casually waving his coffee cup behind him and adding, “The one who doesn’t drink this stuff.”

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Author’s Note:

Yin Xixi: What to do if my boyfriend seems to be pressuring me into marriage?

Teacher Xiao: What to do if my girlfriend seems to be taking advantage of me?

Me: Both of you, drop the “seems” and be confident. 😏