Rose in No-Man's Land

21 Don't you care at all?

Xia Xingmian felt overwhelmed with sadness, especially as she caught sight of the indifferent smile gracing Tao Ye's lips.

To Tao Ye, she was merely a junior in need of assistance. After helping her, they would go their separate ways, while Tao Ye seemed to have little attachment to their fleeting connection.

Perhaps there was a hint of reluctance. But it was certainly not due to any feelings of 'liking'. Tao Ye did not harbor any romantic feelings for her.

In truth, Xia Xingmian struggled to admit a certain reality that weighed heavily on her heart. The real reason she had so decisively cut ties with Lu Qiurui and relinquished all obligations the previous day stemmed directly from Tao Ye's words.

Tao Ye had said, "In two years, I will have saved enough to open my own shop."

For the sake of such a future, she was willing to forsake everything, even if that everything included her fundamental kindness, beliefs, and original intentions.

Xia Xingmian lowered the lower half of her face from her beige scarf and exhaled deeply. It appeared that her feelings for Tao Ye were far more profound than she had initially thought. Or perhaps it was love... Although she wasn't sure if her emotions were intense enough to be defined as love.

Silently, she observed Tao Ye's back. She desperately wanted to tell Tao Ye: 'I don't want to leave, I want to be with you.' Yet, whenever she tried to speak those words, they caught in her throat. Her disposition kept all her genuine feelings bottled up, and uttering anything risked breaking her resolve.

"Xiaoman..." Tao Ye suddenly stopped and turned around.

Upon hearing her name, Xia Xingmian felt a surge of happiness and hurriedly approached. "Sister?"

Tao Ye withdrew her hand from her pocket and reached out toward Xia Xingmian.

Xia Xingmian grasped her hand eagerly.

"What I just said may have been inappropriate," Tao Ye apologized, a gentle smile illuminating her face. "I didn't mean to push you away. I just wanted you to know that if you choose to leave, you can do so at any time, and you need not feel sorry for me. However, if you wish to stay..."

"I don't want to leave," Xia Xingmian blurted out.

Tao Ye appeared taken aback by her response. After a momentary silence, she held Xia Xingmian's hand and continued on their path. "That's fine then. You can stay until you decide otherwise."

Xia Xingmian hurried to clarify, "I really don't have any feelings for Lu Qiurui anymore."

"I used to care for her," Tao Ye reassured her. "Try not to be too hard on yourself. Calm down and contemplate whether your feelings for her are genuine."

Unable to contain herself, Xia Xingmian asked, "Don't you care at all whether I like her?"

Tao Ye blinked in surprise. "Why should I care?" Her question hung in the air.

Xia Xingmian was momentarily speechless. After a long pause, she finally laughed softly and murmured, "That's true..."

— —

Xia Xingmian sensed a growing distance between herself and Tao Ye due to their recent conversation. Feeling disheartened, she observed that Tao Ye seemed to be avoiding her. Although they continued to share meals and sleep arrangements, Tao Ye meticulously sidestepped any form of physical or personal contact.

Time lulled on, and before they knew it, half a month had passed. During this period, Tao Ye's outings became increasingly frequent. She often left while Xia Xingmian was at home, returning only after Xia Xingmian had fallen asleep. Most nights, she came back reeking of alcohol.