Rose in No-Man's Land

36 Like you

This kind of thrilling, rule-breaking excitement, akin to an affair, greatly satisfied the flawed part of Xia Xingmian's character. The more she practiced restraint and self-discipline in the first half of her life, the more her heart raced now.

— This is wrong.

— This shouldn't be happening.

Repeatedly thinking such phrases, the excitement surged through her nerves like a rising tide.

She even broke into a sweat just from interlocking her fingers with Tao Ye's, as if they had just shared a bed.

Lu Qiurui noticed something unusual about her and asked, "What's wrong? Your face is so red."

Tao Ye chimed in, "It seems our little sister might be catching a cold."

Tang Li confirmed, "Miss Xia caught a chill yesterday and has been coughing all the way here."

Lu Qiurui instructed, "Then make sure to take her back to the hotel first and buy some medicine. I have other matters to attend to this afternoon. If they find it boring, you can accompany them around, places like the commercial street, the mall, or the amusement park."

Tang Li replied, "Okay..."

During the conversation, Tao Ye continued to hold Xia Xingmian's hand discreetly, even teasing her palm's lines with her fingertips.

"Xingmian..."

Lu Qiurui suddenly called her by her nickname, something she hadn't done in a long time.

Xia Xingmian suppressed the rapid beating of her heart caused by Tao Ye's teasing and responded as calmly as possible, "Hmm?"

Lu Qiurui said, "Pay attention to Tang Li's messages today, I might need to get in touch with you. Remember that?"

Xia Xingmian replied, "Oh..." Her response was casual, her mind wandering elsewhere.

By the end of the gathering, Lu Qiurui informed Xia Xingmian and Tao Ye, "I'm quite busy these days and won't have time for you both. If you need anything, ask Tang Li. The concert is in four days, and I'll send someone to pick you up then."

Tao Ye nodded obediently, "Okay..."

Xia Xingmian's attention was completely focused on Tao Ye, and she hardly paid attention to Lu Qiurui's words.

A concert featuring a renowned international pianist in a foreign country—this kind of rare event was something she had once longed for. But now, compared to Tao Ye, the concert seemed utterly unappealing.

All she could see were the fluttering eyelashes of Tao Ye when she nodded. She found those eyelashes even more captivating than the piano strings she had played for over a decade.

Not long after, the banquet came to an end.

Lu Qiurui had other things to take care of, and Tang Li first led the two of them out of the private room to the hotel for a rest.

The hotel was not far from there—just a fifteen-minute walk. Tang Li asked if they wanted to take a cab or walk back, to which Tao Ye expressed her desire to walk and see the scenery of Naples. Xia Xingmian naturally followed her lead.

"This is my first time in a European country."

Tao Ye walked on the outer side of the sidewalk, looking around at the completely different plants, her eyes smiling all the while.

"Even though these buildings are all made of concrete and steel, everything feels new. The air, the sun, the clouds, the roads, the little buildings—everything is different from back home. It feels like I've entered a new world."