Chapter 74: When the Rose Met the Carnation

Café.

“Oh, that guy is so dull—no wonder he can’t find a wife after so many blind dates.” Xiaoxiao had just emerged from the restroom when she overheard a woman dressed in trendy Korean fashion speaking into her phone, her accent a blend of Hong Kong and Taiwanese, ridiculing her boring blind date. The man she was mocking was none other than Bai Yunchuan.

At that moment, Bai Yunchuan sat leisurely on the sofa, glancing at his watch from time to time, his demeanor pleased and self-satisfied.

“Please, boss, just give me a little something.” Xiaoxiao walked over, sitting down beside him, her hand outstretched and a look of worry on her face as she pleaded.

“Nice try!” Bai Yunchuan wouldn’t be taken in, sipping his coffee unhurriedly.

With no other recourse, Xiaoxiao confessed, “You can’t keep dragging this out. Have you thought about talking to your family?”

“Worried about your commission or your reputation?”

“Both,” she admitted with a smile. “But honestly, I’m more concerned about you. Even if you don’t think of yourself, what about Yuxin? Don’t you care about how she feels? Or do you both think things are perfect the way they are now?”

Bai Yunchuan set down his cup, his expression turning grave. “Yuxin and I are long past the age for games. We’re not in the bloom of youth anymore. If we could put down roots, who would want to drift in the wind? I’ve had more than my share of fights with my family over the years because of her. That’s exactly why they’re forcing me into all these blind dates, getting more and more insistent—they want to crush any hope I might have left. I’ve even thought of leaving home altogether. But when I see my parents growing older by the day, knowing they just want to see me settle down and start a family while they’re still alive—that’s something I can’t fault them for.”

“And what about Yuxin? What have you done for her?”

“The only thing I can’t do for her is bring her home,” Bai Yunchuan replied, a hint of sorrow in his voice, yet his tone was resolute. “The only thing I can do is treat her as the sum of all my fateful encounters.”

Anyone who heard these words would be moved, and Xiaoxiao was no exception. In the adult world, love is no longer a beautiful illusion pieced together from candy and flowers, nor is it a contest of who loves whom more. It is about letting you share my predicament, accepting your choice to stay or leave.

“I want to say something, but those who let go don’t really have the standing to judge those who hold on,” she murmured.

“Listen to me,” Bai Yunchuan said calmly, “no matter what happens in the future, your choice now is the right one.”

Xiaoxiao looked puzzled, so Bai Yunchuan explained, “If you can’t love yourself enough, how can you love someone else? Love is a kind of cultivation. Until you meet the right person, all you can do is learn to love yourself. Clearly, you skipped that essential lesson, which is why things didn’t work out before. Now you’re doubling back to learn it again—don’t think it’s a waste, because you’ll gain so much more.”

Before Xiaoxiao could ponder his words, something happened that she could never have anticipated. Logically, it should have been Yuxin appearing at this moment, but before she could even be seen, Bai Yunchuan’s parents came charging across the street. To make matters even more absurd, his father was carrying a pair of binoculars.

Unable to contain herself, Bai Yunchuan’s mother was the first to speak. Deeply emotional, she emphasized the bonds of filial piety, repeatedly reproaching her son for his passive approach to dating. It sounded as if they had been watching him for some time. Bai Yunchuan’s father’s mouth drooped in disapproval, while Bai Yunchuan himself seemed utterly despondent, as lifeless as a withered tree. Xiaoxiao grew anxious, unsure whether she should wisely make her escape from this family battlefield.

At that very moment, Yuxin’s silhouette appeared in the window. Xiaoxiao was startled and quickly signaled to her. Naturally, Yuxin recognized Bai Yunchuan’s parents and slipped away in a panic. Xiaoxiao let out a long sigh of relief—Bai Yunchuan’s mother had almost spotted her.

Perhaps that sigh was too loud, because Bai Yunchuan’s mother suddenly covered her mouth in astonishment and exclaimed, “Yunchuan, you’re not… don’t tell me you’ve fallen for Miss Ni!”