Xia Qiqi drove to the Azure Blue Café and as soon as she entered the lobby, she saw Nie Ziming already seated by the window, waiting for her.
No matter when they had a date, Nie Ziming always arrived early, regardless of how busy he was. He would prioritize their meeting and only attend to work matters afterward.
Xia Qiqi couldn't understand why their once close relationship was growing more distant.
She walked over, and Nie Ziming stood up from his seat, gentlemanly pulling out a chair for Xia Qiqi. It seemed like a habitual action, which made Xia Qiqi feel a twinge of discomfort.
"Thank you," Xia Qiqi expressed her gratitude, intentionally creating some distance between them.
Nie Ziming smiled, but his smile carried a hint of bitterness.
They sat across from each other in silence.
"I ordered your favorite cappuccino with extra milk and sugar," Nie Ziming said, seemingly breaking the awkwardness between them.
Xia Qiqi nodded slightly and looked directly at Nie Ziming. "Ziming, the reason I came to see you today is to talk about last night."
"Yeah, I know," Nie Ziming nodded. "Go ahead, I'm listening."
"Did you take me away from the nightclub last night?" Xia Qiqi asked.
"It was me," he replied.
"Why weren't you at the hotel when Nuannuan came to find me?" Xia Qiqi questioned.
"I left on my own," Nie Ziming answered.
Tears welled up in Xia Qiqi's eyes.
She couldn't understand why he left.
If he had stayed, they would have been together last night.
She wouldn't have ended up with Xiao Nanchen.
"I couldn't bring myself to hurt you," Nie Ziming looked visibly pained. "I know you needed me last night, but I couldn't indulge myself like that. I was afraid you would regret it when you woke up."
"Have you considered whether I would regret sleeping with other men?" Xia Qiqi retorted.
"Qiqi, you're married now, and getting involved with me would ultimately hurt you. You would carry the stigma of infidelity. I can't let you bear that burden," Nie Ziming explained.
"So you think it's better for me to give my virginity to a man I don't love? Do you think I'll feel better about that?" Xia Qiqi's tears flowed uncontrollably.
"I thought that leaving you alone in the hotel room would make it possible for you to..." Nie Ziming couldn't finish his sentence, looking tortured.
He appeared utterly tormented.
"I couldn't stay in the hotel room because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to control myself. And I didn't take you home because I didn't want you to be with other men... Call it selfishness if you will, but in my eyes, even though you're married, you're forever pure. I couldn't bear knowing that you had been intimate with other men. Call me selfish, but I still cling to that baseless notion," Nie Ziming's words seemed to break down.
Xia Qiqi suppressed her emotions, her body trembling.
Originally...
She used to be pure.
But now, she's no longer pure at all.
"Nie Ziming, for the first time, I truly despise your cowardice. If you were just a little braver, the person standing by my side right now would be you, and we would face Xiao Nanchen together, instead of me having to face you like this!" Xia Qiqi's anger, which she could no longer conceal, finally erupted.
Nie Ziming silently endured Xia Qiqi's accusations without uttering a word.
Xia Qiqi didn't know what else to say.
An Nuan urged her to clarify things.
Now that she had a clear understanding, it was solely due to Nie Ziming's cowardice, with no other reason involved.
She got up, intending to leave.
"Qiqi." Nie Ziming suddenly reached out and grabbed her hand.
Xia Qiqi's fingers twitched.
"I will wait for you," Nie Ziming unexpectedly spoke up.
Xia Qiqi felt a flutter in her chest.
She thought she had misheard.
Even though Nie Ziming allowed her to marry Xiao Nanchen, even though Nie Ziming gave up on being intimate with her after she had already engaged in a physical relationship with Xiao Nanchen, he still said those words.
She thought it had all ended long ago.
But this time, it truly came to a complete end.
Rather than trying to understand what happened last night, it was more accurate to say that she came to tell Nie Ziming that she had a relationship with Xiao Nanchen, and there was no possibility between them anymore.
"I don't care about the state of your body, and I don't care that you're already married. I'm willing to wait for you, no matter how long it takes."
Xia Qiqi's tears flowed even more fiercely.
Nie Ziming's compromise left her defenseless.
She turned around and threw herself into Nie Ziming's embrace.
After experiencing yesterday's events, she truly needed this kind of support, this kind of embrace.
She held Nie Ziming tightly.
And Nie Ziming held her tightly as well.
As if they were a couple who couldn't bear to be apart.
The two of them embraced each other for a long time.
Nie Ziming released Xia Qiqi from his embrace.
And Xia Qiqi released Nie Ziming.
The two of them locked eyes.
Nie Ziming tenderly said, "Stop crying, I will cherish you."
"Why are you willing to wait for me like this, instead of bravely fighting alongside me?"
"Because I'm not capable enough. There are many things I can't do, but I can wait for you."
"Ziming."
"I don't feel wronged. In this lifetime, I can't love another woman besides you. You don't need to feel guilty either, because it's my own choice. Even if you end up falling in love with Xiao Nanchen in the end, I will have no regrets."
Xia Qiqi couldn't say anything.
She was truly moved by Nie Ziming's selflessness.
How could there be a man in this world who was better to her than Nie Ziming?!
One day, she would return to Nie Ziming's side!
...
An Group.
An Nuan sat in her office and after a moment's thought, she decided to make a phone call to Xiao Nanchen.
Xiao Nanchen looked at the incoming call from An Nuan and answered, "Nuan Nuan."
"Did Qiqi leave?" An Nuan didn't hide anything.
"I know," Xiao Nanchen nodded.
The moment Xia Qiqi left the house, he knew she went to find Nie Ziming.
Last night, something explosive happened to her, and she always needed someone to lean on.
"I actually investigated what happened last night. Xia Qiqi's drugging incident has nothing to do with Nie Ziming. It was one of Xia Qiqi's former party friends." An Nuan didn't tell Xia Qiqi this because discussing it with Xiao Nanchen seemed more appropriate.
"I know it's not Nie Ziming. He wouldn't dig a pit for himself."
"What do you mean?" An Nuan was surprised.
