Defeated By Love

Translated by Fairy_Dust

 

I hope you enjoy!

There were people everywhere and the airport was as packed as a group of ants but in the distance, she could see a familiar back wearing a simple windbreaker and slim trousers. However, this person was standing. 

  

And he looked a lot like Xie Ruhe. 

  

Shu Nian looked at the man in eagerness as she waited for him to turn around. 

  

But the people behind her impatiently urged her to move forward which made Shu Nian return to her senses. She apologised and didn’t look back anymore. After the security check was done, she took out her phone and sent a WeChat message to Xie Ruhe. 

  

Shu Nian:【 I think I saw you. 】 

  

Xie Ruhe quickly replied:【 Huh? 】 

  

His reaction made Shu Nian certain that she had mistakenly taken someone else as him. 

  

Shu Nian:【 …Maybe I saw it wrong. 】 

  

Xie Ruhe:【 Not necessarily. 】 

  

Shu Nian didn’t understand his meaning:【 What? 】 

  

Xie Ruhe:【 I’m also at Ruchuan Airport. 】 

  

Shu Nian:【 What are you doing here? 】 

  

Xie Ruhe sent a very short voice message; lasting only two seconds long. 

  

Shu Nian blinked and clicked it. 

  

A deep and low male voice came through the phone. He was surrounded by loud voices which sounded like background music. Perhaps it was because of how quiet he spoke but the tone of his voice was a bit off. 

  

Shu Nian felt like her heart was being tickled. 

  

“I came to see someone off.”1 

  

She arrived at G City three hours later. 

  

Huang Lizhi had already arrived a few days ago but she was at the airport to pick Shu Nian up. Shu Nian had always been grateful towards her because Huang Lizhi had helped her a lot from university until now. 

  

In both work and private matters. 

  

Shu Nian got into Huang Lizhi’s car and greeted her: “Teacher.” 

  

Huang Lizhi glanced her up and down. Then, she smiled and said: “It seems that you’ve gained weight during the Spring Festival.” 

  

Shu Nian took out her phone to look at herself. 

  

“I’m joking with you!” Huang Lizhi couldn’t help but burst out laughing as she started the car. “First, let’s go back to the apartment to put away your luggage. Have you eaten yet?” 

  

Shu Nian shook her head: “Have you eaten?” 

  

Huang Lizhi replied. “Not yet, let’s go eat together.” 

  

Shu Nian hummed in response and didn’t talk to Huang Lizhi again as she drove the car. She looked down at her phone and re-entered her direct messages with Xie Ruhe because she hadn’t replied to him yet. 

  

It wasn’t like she deliberately didn’t reply. It was just at that time; she was still thinking about what to say to him. 

  

But she still couldn’t think of anything by the time she had to board the plane.  

  

Shu Nian thickened her skin and asked:【 I’m in G city, have you finished sending off your friend yet? 】 

  

Xie Ruhe:【 En, I’m home now. 】 

  

The two of them didn’t continue chatting and Shu Nian didn’t ask him any further.  

  

——He went to the airport to see who off? 

  

The next day, she went to G City’s Translation Company and met several well-known voice dubbing seniors. She was so excited the words that came out of her mouth was a jumbled mess. Many new dubbers were there too, all of whom was around the same age as Shu Nian. 

  

This wasn’t as scary as Shu Nian had imagined it to be. 

  

Most people came there from their hometowns or cities. Many people rented an apartment together near the one Huang Lizhi was also staying in. When they left the company, they would all go back together.  

  

The days that passed by were very lively. 

  

Shu Nian got to gain a lot of skills and experiences from her seniors there.  

  

She took dubbing as a form of art and was very serious about it.  

  

The director and voice actors all strove for perfection. The recordings lasted for nearly two weeks but Shu Nian wasn’t in a hurry to go home. She stayed back for another two weeks to study with an older voice actor. 

  

She loved her profession. 

  

She felt like she had unlimited energy when it came to this job. 

  

Even if there was no reward for her, she would still feel very satisfied. 

  

Huang Lizhi told her that she didn’t have any plans to return to Ruchuan City for the time being so she asked Shu Nian if she wanted to continue to work with her in the translation building and study with the seniors of the industry. 

  

Shu Nian considered it for a day but in the end, refused. 

  

Shu Nian felt that all her promises to Xie Ruhe hadn’t been fulfilled yet. 

  

She agreed to accompany him on his journey of recovery but so far, the number of times she accompanied him could be counted with one hand. If Shu Nian had gotten Huang Lizhi’s offer before she had met him again after all these years, she would have agreed. 

  

But now it seemed like there was an extra worry in her heart. 

  

It was a very strange feeling. 

  

Shu Nian didn’t tell Deng Qingyu and Xie Ruhe about returning to Ruchuan in advance. She was afraid of making trouble for others so she silently went back on her own. At noon, she arrived at Ruchuan Airport and took a taxi home. Then, she took a shower and went back out. 

  

She had slept on the plane and was now very awake. 

  

Shu Nian gave it a thought and texted Xie Ruhe on WeChat. She went to a nearby dessert shop whilst licking her lips as she bought six doughnuts.  

  

After she got out of the store, Shu Nian walked in the direction of the subway station. 

  

She looked down at her phone as she walked but found that Xie Ruhe hadn’t replied to her. 

  

Shu Nian wasn’t bothered by it though.  

  

After getting off the subway train, she received a reply from Xie Ruhe:【 Where are you now? 】 

  

Shu Nian:【 I just got off the subway and I’m heading over now. 】 

  

Shu Nian:【 How are you recovering? 】 

  

Xie Ruhe didn’t answer that question:【 Can you buy me a cup of milk tea? 】 

  

Shu Nian:【 Sure. 】 

  

Shu Nian:【 Which store do you want it from? 】 

  

Xie Ruhe:【 It’s the tea store next to the subway station. 】 

  

Shu Nian:【 Okay. 】 

  

Shu Nian took a look around after exiting the station. She immediately saw the milk tea shop Xie Ruhe had mentioned in the chat and walked over but there were no customers inside. 

  

After Shu Nian ordered a cup of milk tea, the clerk asked her a question. 

  

She lowered her head and texted Xie Ruhe:【 Do you want the milk tea hot or cold? 】 

  

Just then, the glass door of the milk tea shop was pushed open and the bell on top rang. Shu Nian saw a man wearing a cap walk in. He had a face mask on his face and short dark brown hair tucked behind his ears. 

  

She withdrew her sight which happened to land on Xie Ruhe’s in-coming message. She looked up to the clerk and said. “Hot with less sugar.” 

  

The very next moment, the man raised his cap slightly and lowered his voice to call her: “Shu Nian.” 

  

Shu Nian turned around.  

  

The man took off his mask and stared at her. 

  

It was Xu Zeyuan. 

  

She didn’t expect to see him there. Shu Nian was surprised but still gave him a nod before looking away again. 

  

Xu Zeyuan was very frustrated by her indifferent attitude. His Adam’s apple rolled up and down as he asked in a soft tone. “Did you see my friend request on WeChat?” 

  

“Yes.” 

  

“Then you…” Xu Zeyuan spoke with some difficulty. “Why did you ignore me…?” 

  

Shu Nian was very honest with him: “I don’t think it’s necessary for us to stay in contact.” 

  

The clerk handed her the milk tea then. 

  

Shu Nian took it and left. 

  

Xu Zeyuan pulled down his cap and followed her. He anxiously explained: “I just want to tell you that what I did before was wrong. I was too blindsided…” 

  

Shu Nian didn’t know what he wanted to do but she didn’t want to listen to him so she just continued to walk on. 

  

Xu Zeyuan suddenly grabbed her wrist and shouted: “Can you listen to me?!” 

  

“…” 

  

“I’m not that horrible, am I?” Xu Zeyuan took a deep breath in because he didn’t want to lose his temper with her and patiently said. “I couldn’t figure it out before but I’m really…” 

  

Shu Nian struggled but she couldn’t break free. 

  

Xu Zeyuan stared into her eyes. His voice was hoarse and he seriously stated: “I still really like you.” 

  

“…” 

  

“Are you with Ah He now?” Xu Zeyuan pursed his lips tightly together. “Even if he’s rich, I don’t think it’s good being with him.” 

  

When she heard those words, Shu Nian frowned. She raised her head to refute it but all of a sudden, she noticed the person behind Xu Zeyuan. 

  

And was left dumbfounded. 

  

Xu Zeyuan was still talking like he was trying to persuade her of something. He said in a particularly strong voice: “Don’t forget, he’s crippled and you’ll have to take care of him for the rest of your life. You don’t want to help him eat and drink now, do you?” 

  

After saying that, he noticed Shu Nian was looking at something behind him. Xu Zeyuan paused and turned back. 

  

There, he saw a man in a wheelchair who seemed to have just arrived at the scene. 

  

Shu Nian was afraid and at a loss of words because he would have heard everything Xu Zeyuan said. 

  

She hadn’t seen him for more than a month but Xie Ruhe’s appearance didn’t change much except for the hair on his forehead which was slightly longer. He wore a long black coat that wrapped around his slim figure. His skin was white and bloodless which made him look sick and gloomy. 

  

He calmly stared at Xu Zeyuan. 

  

Xu Zeyuan opened his mouth but he couldn’t speak in time. 

  

Because in the next instance, Xie Ruhe stood up. 

  

It was an unexpected move. 

  

He walked steadily to Shu Nian’s side with his peach blossom eyes raised slightly that then slowly relaxed. He looked Shu Nian up and down before stopping on the wrist that was being held by Xu Zeyuan. 

  

Xie Ruhe yanked his hand away with angrily tilted up eyebrows. He curled his lips and chuckled softly. 

  

“Who do you think is crippled?” 

If there are any errors in the text then please kindly ping me on discord in the ‘report typos’ channel or leave a comment down below!

Thanks for reading!

Footnotes

Tell me this didn’t just make you squeal a little.