Chapter Twelve: Ultimately, Heartless

Cheng Jiu was in his teens when he first learned from his parents that he had a fiancée—a little girl, a full eight years younger than him. If a generation gap comes every three years, then they had several between them.

He didn’t take it seriously, treating it as just one of those jokes his parents made over dinner. But when the girl turned eighteen, his parents somehow obtained her photo and showed it to him, lavishly praising her beauty in front of him.

He had never cared much for good-looking women; his standards weren’t high. Yet people who claim their standards are low tend to have high expectations, and he was no different. He’d dated a girl in college, asking only that she not embarrass him in public and remain faithful. Nothing unusual for a man.

Eventually, she found a better option, and when he graduated and applied for a transfer to Beiyu, she refused to follow him and endure hardship. He didn’t insist, and they parted amicably. The romance faded away without consequence, and he didn’t mind; in the end, he simply hadn’t loved her.

Men like him seldom let themselves be moved. At heart, he was rather indifferent. He’d never truly liked any woman, though he had the usual needs. The only time he was caught off guard was when his parents showed him Xin Gan’s photo. The girl had just come of age, full of youthful purity. She smiled softly in the photograph, exuding a gentleness so palpable that he found himself thinking of her that night.

Afterward, he felt unsettled and quickly smothered the thought.

Years later, he heard from his parents again—she had graduated and returned home, and both families intended for them to meet soon, nurture their relationship before marriage, and get the certificate when the time was right.

When Xin Gan declared she wanted to call off the engagement, he gave no definite answer, merely replying, “Let’s talk about it later.”

He didn’t return to the team right away but stood outside the inn, smoking. Xiao Shi called him. “Brother Nine, when are you coming back? The higher-ups want to hold a commendation meeting and told you to hurry.”

Cheng Jiu exhaled a plume of smoke. “Got it. I’ll come back later.”

“Brother Nine, you rushed back here just to go to the inn—were you going to see Miss Xin?” Xiao Shi somehow found the courage to tease him.

Cheng Jiu gave a curt laugh, and Xiao Shi immediately fell silent, quickly changing the subject. “I think I hear Zhao Que calling me. I’ll talk to you later!”

Cheng Jiu went to tell Xin Gan he was returning to the team. She stood in the doorway, not letting him in. “You should go back first,” she said.

“Is there nothing else you want to say?”

She paused for a few seconds. “I’ll go back in a few days.”

As soon as she spoke, she sensed the man before her—taller by more than a head—breathing heavily. He lowered his gaze, eyes sharp and assessing, like a wolf.

“I haven’t agreed yet, and you’re already so eager to get rid of me?”

She couldn’t tell if he was pleased or displeased. “Cheng Jiu, we don’t know each other, aren’t familiar at all. If we marry just because of this childhood betrothal, I don’t think it’s right.”

She spoke calmly, explaining her thoughts.

“To be honest, I’m afraid I’ll regret being with you. If things go badly, it will hurt both families. If we resolve this peacefully, then in the future, we can still exchange gifts during the holidays.”

“What do you think?”

Her heart was pounding after she finished. She’d mulled over these words for more than half a month, but at this moment, she couldn’t read Cheng Jiu’s expression.

He laughed softly, his voice deep and magnetic, unmistakable in its uniqueness. “You’ve already made the decision for me, and now you’re asking if it’s alright? Hmm?”