Living Only For Myself: Make Those Who Hate Me Regret It

Chapter 385 - 384: "Don’t Flatter Yourself,

The air was thick with oppressive silence...

Watching Zhou Mochen sit there, motionless and silent...

Xu Su pressed her lips together and, damn it, started to blame herself again. ’Did I go too far?’

The moment the thought appeared, Xu Su shook her head sharply.

’Stop gaslighting myself!’

’I didn’t go too far. He’s the one who’s always restricting my freedom.’

Xu Su fought back the urge to coax him, and the two of them—one standing, one sitting—remained in a stalemate for a long moment...

The silence was broken by the ringing of the desk’s intercom.

Zhou Mochen, still on the sofa, didn’t move an inch...

Xu Su wasn’t as patient. She reached out and nudged his shoulder. "Your phone’s ringing."

Her hand had barely touched Zhou Mochen’s shoulder before he seized it, pulling her onto his lap.

"You were mean to me..." Zhou Mochen leaned in, resting his chin on Xu Su’s shoulder, his voice full of grievance. "You’re the one who keeps changing your tune for no reason, and then you turn around and blame me."

"..." Xu Su flinched at his tone, her fiery anger instantly extinguished. All her indignation vanished. She reached out to cup his face, her voice softening. "Answer your phone first. It’s been ringing nonstop, so it must be important."

"You’re not going to leave while I’m on the phone, are you?"

Zhou Mochen said, "Susu, you can’t just leave without us talking this through."

"Use your head, will you?" Xu Su was speechless. "I’m broke. How am I supposed to leave if you don’t arrange a driver for me?"

’Besides, where could I even go? I’d just end up back at one of his places anyway...’

Xu Su patted his shoulder. "Go answer the phone. Stop dawdling."

She had a point. Zhou Mochen got up, went to his desk, and answered the phone.

Xu Su listened from the sofa. When he hung up, she said, "Since you have a meeting, I should head back now."

’Wouldn’t I just be in the way here, making him worry and get distracted?’

"No rush," Zhou Mochen said, glancing at his wrist. "There are still twenty minutes. We’ll talk, then you can go."

"..." Xu Su fell silent for a moment, a little helpless against his persistence. She sighed. "What is it you want to talk about so badly?"

Zhou Mochen walked over and sat beside her. "What were you about to say about Ah Chen earlier?"

"I was just going to gossip with you a bit," she said. ’Didn’t you just get angry and change your whole expression? Why are you so fixated on this now?’

Xu Su was exasperated. "I was just curious, so I wanted to talk about Shen Chen suddenly turning over a new leaf. Then your expression changed. So isn’t it fine if I just don’t talk about it?"

"Don’t be ridiculous. When did my expression change...?" Zhou Mochen pinched her cheek, truly unwilling to be misunderstood like this. "I just care that you’re paying too much attention to him. I’m very petty, you know that."

Xu Su just said, "Oh." It didn’t matter anymore whether he had scowled at her or not. She looked up, completely unfazed. "Are we done talking? If we’re done, I’ll head back, so I don’t stay and bother you while you work."

His earnest explanation was met with such a nonchalant attitude, sparking a flicker of anger in Zhou Mochen’s eyes.

He expertly suppressed it and asked in a calm tone, "What you said just now... Susu, do you really hate me?"

"I don’t hate you. I was just angry... If you weren’t always so domineering, I wouldn’t get upset." Now that her anger had subsided, Xu Su couldn’t bring herself to say she hated him.

He had only scowled at her for a moment, yet she’d felt completely wronged, unable to stop herself from doubting his feelings and becoming consumed by insecurity...

It was a terrible feeling, and as long as she had an ounce of rationality, Xu Su couldn’t bear to make him feel that bad.

Zhou Mochen’s expression brightened. "I knew it. How could you possibly hate me?"

They had been together for a year. All that love and sweetness wasn’t fake. There was no way he would believe she hated him.

"..." Xu Su shot him a speechless glance. Just as she was about to speak, a phone next to them started vibrating.

It was a call from Shen Chen...

"Alright, I really have to go back now. I have my driving practice this afternoon." Xu Su stood up and hurried toward the door, not forgetting to add, "Hurry up and arrange for a driver to take me back."

Zhou Mochen started to raise his hand, his first instinct to pull her back, but he stopped it mid-air. He didn’t dare grab her again, so he could only sit on the sofa and watch helplessly as she left.

Only after the office door closed did he fall back against the sofa, his eyes half-closed, lost in thought.

Just as she stepped out of the office, Li Li, who had been waiting outside for a long time, came up to her. He was about to speak when Xu Su held up a hand for silence and answered Shen Chen’s call.

"Are you done eating?" Shen Chen’s voice was deep on the other end of the line.

Xu Su hummed in agreement and pressed the down button for the elevator. "I’m done. I’m heading back now, wait for me."

"If you’re done, then come down," Shen Chen said, leaning back against the driver’s seat. He glanced at the towering building outside the car, feeling like a complete idiot.

’He had a mountain of work at his own company, but instead of dealing with it, he was here picking up his buddy’s girlfriend from his buddy’s company.’ He gave a bitter smile and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I’m at the main entrance waiting for you. Hurry down."

"You’re downstairs?" Xu Su was surprised. Her hand, which had been about to press the button for the basement level, moved toward the button for the ground floor. "Give me three minutes, I’m on my way."

’She couldn’t help but marvel at how thoughtful Shen Chen’s service was...’

The elevator quickly reached the ground floor. Xu Su waved to Li Li, who was beside her. "Tell the driver to take a break. I don’t need a ride anymore."

"Of course, Miss Xu." Li Li nodded with a smile and followed behind Xu Su, escorting her all the way to the main entrance.

In his capacity as the chief assistant, his every word and action outside the office represented Zhou Mochen himself. While he wasn’t exactly high and mighty, the employees of Zhou Real Estate had never seen Li Li be so polite and attentive to anyone.

Under the gazes of many, some subtle and some not, Xu Su walked out of the building as if it were routine. Shen Chen’s car was parked right at the entrance, the driver’s side facing her.

Seeing her emerge, the driver’s side window rolled down. Shen Chen didn’t even glance at Li Li, who was trailing her. He just lifted his chin and said, "Get in."

Li Li, who had remained perfectly composed the entire time, finally faltered when he saw the window of the black Mercedes G-Wagen roll down, revealing Shen Chen’s face hidden behind a pair of sunglasses. The chief assistant’s expression froze for a second.

He was no stranger to Shen Chen...

He stood there dumbfounded for a few seconds, even after Xu Su had gotten into the passenger seat and the car’s taillights had vanished from sight, before finally turning to go back inside.

Xu Su fastened her seatbelt while asking, "Why did you come all this way to pick me up?"

"Don’t flatter yourself," Shen Chen said, taking off his sunglasses with a scoff. "I was having a meal nearby and was just about to head back. It’s on my way, so I’m just giving you a ride."

’No wonder...’

Xu Su nodded. ’That makes more sense,’ she thought.

Catching her "I see" expression out of the corner of his eye, Shen Chen felt a surge of irritation. Deciding that out of sight was out of mind, he ground his back teeth, put his sunglasses back on, and drove in silence.

He was usually such a chatterbox around Xu Su, so this sudden cold and aloof act made her turn her head to study him.