The Scheming Ex-Husband's Courtship-Chapter 485 - 432: Confession

Chapter 485: Chapter 432: Confession
Bai Chengxi’s car was parked by the roadside, the windows not yet rolled up. Years ago, when she was filming with her crew, that’s how he would park his car under the streetlight and wait for her, no matter how harsh the weather, no matter how late it was, he was unwavering.
At that time, Bai Chengxi, despite having a powerful background, didn’t want to use a penny or a bit of influence from his family; he truly self-made his way up from scratch.
The days they struggled together were tough but sweet, and they are still worth reminiscing about now. It was only later when she pursued a higher dream that she wanted to put love aside, temporarily.
It must be said, during those youthful years, the young Bai Chengxi’s affection for her was utterly wholehearted, making her feel constantly warmed. A man of wealth and influence like him, when he devoted himself to doting on someone, he would truly spoil you to the skies.
Unfortunately, all his indulgence and love are now given to someone else, no longer exclusively hers.
Only at this moment does she realize, she simply can’t bear to see him with another woman; she can’t stand it when the person he loves is not her.
～
"You still get hungry? I thought you didn’t need to eat when you’re working." Bai Chengxi lifted his hand to tuck a stray strand of her hair behind her ear and softly pinched her cute nose. "I’ll take you somewhere."
Bai Chengxi shook his head, maintaining the mystery: "You’ll know once we get there."
As it turned out, his car jostled all the way to the old district of Aus City. The bustling life of Aus City is mainly concentrated in the new district, while the old district has retained many of the old architectural structures, many parts still bearing traces from a century ago.
Most buildings in the old district have been around for five or six decades, and there are still residents. However, because of relocation issues, no one has renovated the roads or houses, making it look like a flaw on the beautiful jade that is Aus City – indelible, yet also an exceedingly unique existence.
Zhuo Yuqing does not dislike such places; although the buildings are somewhat ancient, the street corners and stone steps evoke a sense of returning to the basics of the era. She felt that this place was more suitable for the development of the tourism industry.
By around eight or nine in the evening, street stalls were already starting to set up one after another, with groups of people chatting while eating on the roadside.
Bai Chengxi parked his car to the side and got out after removing the keys.
The two had just steadied themselves when a modified sedan raced past them, hugging their bodies closely. Soon after, another car followed closely behind, disappearing into the wide road without a trace.
Zhuo Yuqing was startled. "Why are they driving so fast?"
"There are no police or cameras here, so after nine o’clock when it’s less crowded, it becomes a racing spot for some car racers."
Zhuo Yuqing was highly critical of these street racers; she always felt that they were pursuing thrills at the cost of their lives and creating a nuisance for others.
"Let’s go." Bai Chengxi took her hand, paying no attention to those crazy vehicles.
Zhuo Yuqing didn’t understand why he brought her here, but she didn’t ask, instead being attracted by a stall selling spicy skewers along the road.
She didn’t like eating spicy food, but the sight of the skewers tumbling in the red oil stirred her appetite.
"Bai Chengxi, shall we eat this?" Zhuo Yuqing pointed at the small stall.
"Can you handle spicy food?"
"Just a little bit." Zhuo Yuqing held up one finger.
Bai Chengxi led her by the hand to a table and sat down, then got up to talk with the stall owner. Soon, the owner brought over a steaming pot filled with various skewers. The broth was made from large bones, only slightly seasoned with chili, not too spicy, nor too bland.
Zhuo Yuqing couldn’t wait to pick up a skewer of seaweed, gently blew away the steam, and put it in her mouth. Accustomed to the fine foods of big cities, tasting roadside snacks once in a while had its own charm.
Bai Chengxi sat there, just watching her eat, without moving his chopsticks.
"Why aren’t you eating?" Zhuo Yuqing pointed at the empty plate in front of him. "Don’t you like eating this kind of food?"
"No." Bai Chengxi’s gaze at her was deep and enigmatic, as if emotions were swirling within.
"Is there something you want to tell me?" Zhuo Yuqing blinked twice, feeling that Bai Chengxi bringing her here wasn’t just for the simple reason of eating street food. These kinds of stalls were also common in the new district of Aus City.
Bai Chengxi stroked her head but said nothing, his gaze shifted to the street light by the roadside.
He had another purpose for going to the magazine office today; he knew Zhuo Yuqing was going to interview Su Yingluo, and he feared Su Yingluo might blurt out something without thinking.
Indeed, his worries were not unfounded. If he hadn’t shown up there, Su Yingluo might have spilled everything about their past relationship. She has always been proud and decisive, and even his warnings would be like wind past her ears.
Later, he thought for a long time. With Su Yingluo’s personality, it was only a matter of time before she would stir things up in front of Zhuo Yuqing. Rather than hearing about it from Su Yingluo, Bai Chengxi believed that his own proactive confession was the best approach.
Zhuo Yuqing was his wife, and she had the right to know about his past. No matter how many women he had been involved with, he didn’t intend to keep hiding it from her. Being with her, he had never thought of stirring up other troubles. He wanted to protect her peace for a lifetime without any disturbance, so he hoped that this trouble wouldn’t come from him.
If there was a ticking time bomb, then he decided to detonate it himself. Even if he might get hurt, it would be better than living in constant fear every day.
For someone as innocent as Zhuo Yuqing, he wasn’t sure if she could accept that part of his romantic history.
Zhuo Yuqing had eaten her fill, while Bai Chengxi hadn’t touched a bite, merely staring at her intently as if he were a monk in a trance, lost in his thoughts.
"Bai Chengxi." Zhuo Yuqing waved her hand in front of his face, "What’s wrong with you, you seem a bit off today."
He took her hand instinctively, placed a large bill under the plate, and then took her to leave.
He took her for a stroll along the roadside, allowing the dim overhead street lights to cast faint shadows beneath them.
"I used to live here." Bai Chengxi pointed to a building not far away, "That apartment, 602, has no sunny side. It’s dark and damp all year round."
Zhuo Yuqing stopped in her tracks, looking surprised at the window he was pointing to. There was still light inside, presumably a new tenant. Although the environment here was not chaotic, the transportation was inconvenient and the public facilities were incomplete. It even took over twenty minutes to walk to the market to buy groceries.
Growing up in an environment like a villa, Zhuo Yuqing naturally could not understand the sorrow of living in such a small place, so she was really shocked to hear he had lived here before.
"I lived here for three years and actually grew quite fond of it." Bai Chengxi held her hand in his and slipped it into his pocket. His palm was warm and dry, providing a comforting sense of security, "Back when I was starting my business it was tough, and I didn’t have money to live in a big house. The rent here was cheap. Even though I had to wake up at five in the morning for work and switch between three buses and subways, I never felt it was hard at that time."
Zhuo Yuqing knew he had started from scratch without relying on his family’s wealth or resources, but hearing about his hard times firsthand, she only felt a deep sense of heartache and pity.
Zhuo Yuqing looked at him with deep affection. His features under the street light appeared even more refined and ill-matched with the shabbiness of the surroundings.
"Then you could have stayed at home, it wouldn’t have interfered with your work." Zhuo Yuqing asked, puzzled.
Bai Chengxi turned his head; originally a bit uneasy, but returning to this place, the things of the past dissipated like smoke, having existed but also vanished, which made him feel considerably more at peace.
He sighed, "Because there was another person living with me."
The information carried in this statement was huge. Zhuo Yuqing took a moment to digest before asking uncertainly, "A girlfriend?"
"Yes." Bai Chengxi realized that confessing this was nowhere near as difficult as he had imagined.
Zhuo Yuqing suddenly felt a lump in her throat, not knowing how to continue.
Actually, she had always thought that Bai Chengxi, being in his thirties, couldn’t have been without a girlfriend. To verify this, she had searched online, but she hadn’t found any valuable clues.
Women are like that; even though they know the man belongs to them, they still want to know about his exes and compare themselves. It’s a manifestation of curiosity, but also a dismay stemming from a lack of self-confidence. Zhuo Yuqing belonged to the latter; even at this moment, she couldn’t be sure if Bai Chengxi really loved her.
Love and like are two different things, never to be equated.
Although they seemed like a couple in love, she sometimes felt anxious. After all, they didn’t know each other well, and their marriage was a result of an accident.
"Is she doing well now?" A multitude of thoughts flashed through Zhuo Yuqing’s mind. She admitted that she cared a lot. In this old building, he had lived his life side by side with another woman for three years, while their own days together hadn’t yet reached three hundred.
"You know this person." Bai Chengxi did not miss her somewhat flustered expression. He knew she cared, and she was trying hard to appear calm, "She is...."
At that moment, an abrupt and sharp honking broke the stillness of the night, followed by a beam of blinding light shining over, with the roar of an engine looming startlingly close.