The Young Miss Refuse To Love-Chapter 82: Fate

"When can I see you again?" Song Chengfeng asked as he opened Qi Jianyi’s car door.

She tilted her head, smiling brightly before getting into the car. "When I feel like going out," she teased.

"Qi Jianyi, I like you."

Song Chengfeng stood by the open door, waiting as she settled into her seat. Hearing his confession—a sentiment he’d repeated more often lately—Qi Jianyi couldn’t help but let out a snort.

"You’ve said that about a thousand times by now, Chengfeng," she remarked, casting him a sidelong glance.

"And I’ll keep saying it, Qi Jianyi." he replied nonchalantly. He had no intention of stopping, not until he knew her feelings for certain.

Maybe he wouldn’t stop even if the day finally came when Qi Jianyi accepted his feelings. After all, his love wasn’t something that would vanish just because she returned it.

"Well, with the way you keep reminding me, I doubt I’ll ever forget," she shrugged, starting the engine.

She glanced at him, amused. "Are you that reluctant to let me go now, Young Master Song?"

He lingered by the door, his gaze intent. "I don’t know when else I’ll get a chance to see you again," he murmured, his eyes serious as if waiting for her to finally say yes to one of his invitations.

Though she understood the meaning behind his words, Qi Jianyi chose to play along, teasing him. "I’m so busy—I hardly have time for you."

"Then I’ll wait until you do." His response was almost instant, spoken with a quiet certainty, as though waiting for her was simply the most natural thing in the world.

"You really know how to pull at my heartstrings, don’t you?" Qi Jianyi smiled as she fastened her seatbelt.

His words were sweet—the kind most playboys would say. But when Song Chengfeng spoke, it felt unfeigned. All she sensed was his honest sincerity.

Qi Jianyi might be oblivious to people’s feelings at times, but she knew how to tell sincerity from pretense. And Song Chengfeng was the only one who always treated her with open honesty.

He was kind, patient, and respected her boundaries. Yet he was also persistent, confident, and firm in his intentions. She couldn’t deny he was slowly making her feel at ease, his gentle persistence slipping unnoticed into her heart.

"You’re making it harder for me to refuse as the days go by," she teased with a smirk.

A small, satisfied smile crept onto his face. "Good. I’ll keep trying until refusing isn’t an option."

"You’re so annoying," she muttered, pushing him away as she closed the door. She rolled down the window and called out, "I’ll see you whenever fate decides, Song Chengfeng."

He frowned at her words. "I’d rather be the one to decide my own fate," he replied, undeterred. Even fate, it seemed, wasn’t something he left to chance. freewebnoveℓ.com

Qi Jianyi smiled and shook her head. What more was there to say? He insisted on shaping his own fate, and she could only let him believe it.

Fate wasn’t something anyone could control or change. If it dictated that they would meet again someday, then no matter how many twists and turns life took, they would be bound to cross paths. That was Qi Jianyi’s belief.

If she were truly meant to be with Song Chengfeng, then no matter how much time passed, she’d inevitably find herself seeking him out.

Yet, to Qi Jianyi, that was one of the worst-case scenarios, for she longed to leave this world behind. If fate played its hand and destined her to be with him, it would mean she was meant to remain in this world—forever.

"Text me when you get home," Song Chengfeng said as Qi Jianyi prepared to roll up her window.

She nodded. "Okay."

As she drove away from the parking lot, she glanced in her rearview mirror, watching Song Chengfeng standing there, waiting for her car to disappear from sight.

The happy smile she’d worn earlier faded instantly as she became aware of her growing feelings, realising she was beginning to accept his presence in her life.

"He’ll only end up hurt, Jianyi," she whispered softly to herself as her car blended into the busy traffic.

Meanwhile, Song Chengfeng stood in the parking lot, unmoving, long after Qi Jianyi’s car had disappeared from view. He seemed lost in thought, his mind lingering on something only he knew. It wasn’t until the impatient honk of a nearby car pulled him back to reality that he shook off his daze.

With a small sigh, he followed her lead, heading toward his own car and driving away.

...

"Jianyi, can you stop staring at me like that?" Lin Qingqing complained, pinching Qi Jianyi’s cheek.

"Why does it hurt?" Qi Jianyi asked, bewildered.

This was supposed to be a dream. But why—why did she keep dreaming about her school days? And why did her cheek actually feel sore when Lin Qingqing pinched it?

Lin Qingqing, standing across from her, gave her a strange look. "Of course it hurts, Jianyi. It’s your cheek! It’d be pretty weird if I pinched mine and you felt the pain," she said matter-of-factly.

"And you still haven’t answered me. Why do you keep staring at me like that?" she insisted, eyeing her curiously.

"Like what?" Qi Jianyi asked back, rubbing her sore cheek.

"Like I’m some long-lost friend of yours! I am your friend, but I’ve never been lost," Lin Qingqing replied with a puzzled expression.

Qi Jianyi chuckled at her response and rested her chin on her hand on the table. "Maybe because you’re so loud, it makes me wonder why I even put up with you," she teased.

Hearing this, Lin Qingqing poked Qi Jianyi’s waist and pouted playfully. "Hey, I’m not loud—you’re just way too quiet. You should talk more, Jianyi! Otherwise, people might start thinking you’re an arrogant pain in the neck," she added, adopting a serious tone as if giving genuine advice.

"Do you think you’d ever misunderstand me?" Qi Jianyi asked softly, her gaze dimming at the thought of what lay ahead.

Lin Qingqing’s eyes widened at the question, looking both baffled and slightly offended.

"Me? Misunderstand you? What do you take me for, Qi Jianyi? We’ve been friends for years. There’s no way I’d ever misunderstand you, my forever best friend! Do you really think that little of me?" she grumbled, clearly dissatisfied.

Lin Qingqing’s reaction showed how hurt she was by Qi Jianyi’s doubt. The thought that her best friend lacked faith in her stung deeply.

"In this world, no one knows you better than I do. No one, and I mean no one, will ever understand you as I do—not even that jerk, Yichen!" Lin Qingqing declared, crossing her arms with a huff as she glared at Qi Jianyi.

"Then... am I the one who doesn’t know you well enough?" Qi Jianyi whispered, almost to herself.

As Lin Qingqing had said, they were best friends. They’d known each other since they were six, and they’d been inseparable for years. But in the end, their decade-long friendship had been shattered by a misunderstanding that was never resolved.

Qi Jianyi had once wondered if Lin Qingqing had truly wanted to end their friendship or if Qi Jianyi herself had simply underestimated the strength of their bond.

"I’m disappointed in you, Jianyi. If you think you can just throw me away, then let me tell you—you can’t! I’m sticking by your side forever and ever. Even when you get married and have kids, I’ll still be here. Then I’ll make sure my child marries yours, so we’ll be in-laws!" Lin Qingqing declared proudly, crossing her arms with an air of triumph.

There was no way she’d leave Qi Jianyi’s side, not in this life, and if there was another life beyond this, Lin Qingqing believed she’d find a way to befriend her all over again.

"Please, I don’t want my child marrying yours. Who knows what kind of person they might turn out to be?" Qi Jianyi laughed as Lin Qingqing smacked her hand in mock indignation.

"Hey! Don’t go hating on my future kids just yet, okay? They’re not even born!" Lin Qingqing pouted, faking offense as she shot her a playful glare.

"But do you get my point? Stop even dreaming about getting rid of me. I’ll never leave you, unless you truly hate me—but let’s be honest, that’s never going to happen," Lin Qingqing declared with a proud smile.

"I know, I know. I won’t throw you away, and we’ll be friends forever," Qi Jianyi said, gently pushing the clingy Lin Qingqing back.

A soft smile curved on her lips, followed by a quiet chuckle. Seeing her smile so openly, Lin Qingqing joined in, her laughter blending with Qi Jianyi’s.

For the first time in a long while, the two best friends laughed together, side by side, just like they used to.

Though deep down, Qi Jianyi knew—it was only a dream, destined to fade.

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