Chapter Eleven: Breaking Off the Engagement

During their mission, their communication devices were turned off, so even Cheng Jiu’s family couldn’t reach him. The Cheng family was very concerned about how Xin Gan was doing after arriving in Beiyu, but there was no way to get any information from Cheng Jiu. So the elder Chengs decided to call Xin Gan instead.

At first, they simply asked if Cheng Jiu was with her and the like. Xin Gan, unable to lie, honestly told them that Cheng Jiu was away on a mission. The elder Chengs then asked, “So where are you staying? Are you with Cheng Jiu?”

Xin Gan thought for a moment before answering, “I’m staying at an inn. It probably wouldn’t be convenient for me to stay with him.”

“You’re staying at an inn by yourself?” The elder Chengs’ tone was thick with disappointment, though Xin Gan was thankfully spared from seeing their expressions. The two exchanged glances, both exasperated by Cheng Jiu’s obliviousness. “How could he let a young girl like you stay at an inn alone? Xin Xin, don’t be afraid. Once Cheng Jiu is back from his mission, I’ll have a word with him.”

Xin Gan rubbed her head, feeling it made little difference where she stayed, especially since Cheng Jiu had arranged for someone to look after her—he’d done all he could. She hurried to explain, “Cheng Jiu found someone to take care of me. I’m fine, Auntie, please don’t worry.”

Cheng’s mother sighed, thinking Xin Gan was only covering for Cheng Jiu. “Xin Xin, it’s only because of Cheng Jiu’s special line of work that I asked you to come to Beiyu, so you could spend some time together and maybe convince him to transfer back. That was my hope, but instead, you’ve had to endure hardships here. That’s my fault, not yours. You don’t have to speak up for him. I know my own son’s character well enough.”

Xin Gan sighed too. “Auntie, I…”

“Don’t worry, I’ll see to this myself,” Cheng’s mother said, hanging up before Xin Gan could say another word. When Xin Gan tried to call back, the line was busy. She tried several times to no avail, and finally could only stare helplessly at her phone.

It was half a month before Xin Gan saw Cheng Jiu again. She had been staying at the inn for over two weeks; Jiang Tang, growing restless, had gone back to her unit by then.

When Cheng Jiu returned to the inn, the first thing he said upon seeing her was, “Are you fully recovered?”

He still remembered she’d been ill.

“I’m fine now, thank you for asking,” Xin Gan replied.

His gaze was deep; his features were strong and well-defined, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “There’s something I should explain. I was away on a mission recently and didn’t get the chance to tell you.”

“That’s all right, it’s your job,” Xin Gan answered calmly. She’d already spent half a month here; things couldn’t be put off any longer, and now he was finally back.

For a moment, her thoughts drifted. Cheng Jiu noticed, feeling she seemed weighed down by something, and that she wasn’t particularly enthusiastic—almost as if she had no interest in their engagement.

He chalked it up to her being slow to warm up to people, thinking she just wasn’t putting her heart into it yet.

Cheng Jiu hesitated, but Xin Gan asked, “Is there something else?”

Cheng Jiu chuckled softly. “Actually, that’s what I wanted to ask you. Xin Gan, I feel like you have something you want to tell me.”

Xin Gan remained unruffled, answering at her own pace, “I’ve been thinking about it for a long time, and yes, there is something I need to say.”

“Go ahead.”

Just then, the inn’s tour group returned, clusters of people trickling in together. Their guide was speaking into a microphone, the loudspeaker blaring and disrupting their conversation.

Xin Gan collected her thoughts and said, unhurriedly, “I want to call off our engagement.”

Cheng Jiu’s expression remained unreadable. He didn’t speak for a long time.

Xin Gan’s heart fluttered with anxiety. She licked her dry lips.