Chapter Eighty-Three: I'm Sorry

The egg-milk stars in the box clinked against each other, their crisp sound echoing in Jiang Mu Wen’s ears. Again and again, the sound mingled with a hint of wicked charm in Wen Yi Chen’s smile, as if in the next moment he might lure her very soul away.

She was stunned for a few seconds before it occurred to her to snatch the egg-milk stars from his hand.

“Why do you care...?” Jiang Mu Wen muttered softly as she reached out, ready to take back the snack from Wen Yi Chen.

But just as her hand stretched out, Wen Yi Chen raised the box higher.

He seemed to have grown taller lately—already over six feet—and now, with his arm lifted, the snack was even further out of reach.

“Wen Yi Chen, give me the egg-milk stars!” Jiang Mu Wen fixed her gaze on the snack in his hand and then looked up at him.

Perhaps even he hadn’t noticed the subtle smile at the corner of his eyes, a faint amusement tinged with indulgence.

“Come get it yourself—” Wen Yi Chen said, his lips curving involuntarily upward. If he hadn’t spotted her hopping around in front of the supermarket shelves today, he never would have expected Jiang Mu Wen to show up here.

Jiang Mu Wen watched helplessly as the snack was raised higher, knowing she couldn’t reach it, yet stubbornly rose on tiptoe and jumped twice.

He stood there at ease, eyes lowered lazily, watching the girl in front of him bounce up and down. There was an unspeakable charm to her, and for a fleeting moment, he felt the urge to tuck her into his pocket and take her home.

After two jumps, Jiang Mu Wen realized she wouldn’t get it and stopped, complaining, “Fine, if you won’t give it, I won’t bother with you anymore...”

She said it offhandedly, but Wen Yi Chen nearly took her at her word. Seeing Jiang Mu Wen turn away, he instinctively raised a hand to brace against the shelf beside her. He looked at her, his bright eyes tinged with nervousness.

His sudden move startled Jiang Mu Wen. She hadn’t expected Wen Yi Chen to pull such a trick; his arm blocked her escape, catching her completely off guard. Her mind went blank, and her heart raced wildly.

Wen Yi Chen thought she’d stay put now, but instead, she turned and tried to slip away from the other side.

But in the next instant, he swiftly braced his other hand against the shelf.

The egg-milk stars in his hand rustled with the motion. With both arms caging her in, Jiang Mu Wen was completely trapped between them.

Jiang Mu Wen’s attempt to escape failed, and she obediently returned to her original spot. She stared at him in a daze, unable to recover her senses for a moment.

Their eyes met, and Wen Yi Chen seemed stunned as well—he stared straight at her, a hint of confusion flickering in his gaze, as if everything unfolding was beyond his expectations.

The lively sounds around them continued, but the two of them seemed strangely out of place amid all the bustle.

“I...” At last, Wen Yi Chen spoke, but after struggling for a while, he managed only that single word.

He paused, as if searching for something to say to Jiang Mu Wen, but the words wouldn’t come. He reorganized his thoughts and tried again, “You...”

He wanted to tell her not to ignore him, to explain everything that had happened recently, but when the words reached his lips, they seemed to stick, impossible to utter.

At this moment, Wen Yi Chen was like a suddenly mute man. Jiang Mu Wen had no idea what he wanted to say.

The inability to speak what he wanted—it was torment for Wen Yi Chen. He stared helplessly at Jiang Mu Wen, his hand braced against the shelf slowly curling into a fist.

“Wen Yi Chen... are you going to say anything or not?” Jiang Mu Wen leaned against the shelf, head tilted back slightly—in that moment, the boy before her was so flustered his ears were red.

She had to admit, he looked even cuter like this.

As soon as Jiang Mu Wen finished speaking, Wen Yi Chen replied, “I’ll say it...”

At his words, Jiang Mu Wen’s heart leapt—after seeing how troubled he was moments ago, what would he say now?

“I want to say... about Xia Man Man and me...”

Before Wen Yi Chen could finish, Jiang Mu Wen’s heart skipped a beat, then began pounding uncontrollably, as if it might burst from her chest at any moment.

“There’s nothing between us.” At last, Wen Yi Chen managed to say the words he most wanted to.

Seeing Jiang Mu Wen silent, Wen Yi Chen continued, “That photo Zhou Yao sent out—it’s not what everyone thinks. She tried to hug me, but I stopped her.”

He hadn’t thought much of it at first, but Zhou Yao took a picture and spread it around, and then Xia Man Man kept fueling the rumors.

With that explanation, silence descended again. Jiang Mu Wen stared at Wen Yi Chen, as if she had never dared hope that this reserved boy would take the initiative to explain things to her. Now that he had, the grievances and frustrations she’d bottled up slowly faded away.

Her mouth parted slightly, unsure what to say now.

The boy before her frowned slightly, and her heart tightened—it felt as if something had tugged at her chest. For a brief instant, she felt the urge to go up and hug him.

Yet, even with that impulse, she didn’t have the courage.

“I’m sorry...” Before long, Wen Yi Chen’s voice reached her ears again.

The sudden apology startled Jiang Mu Wen—she felt that as long as Wen Yi Chen explained things, it was enough; there was no need to apologize.

His words left Jiang Mu Wen a little flustered, unsure what to say. She gingerly reached out and pulled the egg-milk stars from his hand. “Why are you suddenly apologizing... acting like you’ve done something terribly wrong...”

That last sentence was spoken so softly, as if she was afraid he’d hear—because in her eyes, Wen Yi Chen didn’t owe her an apology. They were just friends, after all; she was only secretly in love with him, and there was nothing truly intimate between them.

With these thoughts, Jiang Mu Wen gripped the egg-milk stars, crouched down, and carefully edged to the side, slipping out from under Wen Yi Chen’s arm without him noticing.

Wen Yi Chen watched as the girl before him grew smaller and then vanished from view.

He saw her quietly turn and walk away, and his brows tightened again—was she... avoiding him?