Chapter 253 - A Truce With Xi Qian (2)
Chapter 253 - A Truce With Xi Qian (2)
Although she and Su Xiaofei treated each other like real sisters, Xi Qian knew that she really had no say if her best friend wanted to date someone, whether it was Mo Yuchen or Lu Qingfeng. However, Xi Qian could only hope that whoever Su Xiaofei decided to be with, he would treat her with the respect and love that she deserved.
"Whatever." Xi Qian huffed, "but if you hurt Feifei, you better know that I won't let you off, no matter what happens." She threatened him, knowing fully well that she really wouldn't be able to touch or offend Lu Qingfeng, given the difference between their statuses.
"I understand your worries, Miss Xi, but you should know by now that I would rather hurt myself than harm her." Lu Qingfeng replied. As he looked at Xi Qian's eyes, he could see that the young woman was truly concerned about Su Xiaofei.
"I just don't want Feifei to make a mistake that she would regret in the future. Furthermore, you and she have known each other before I met her, and I'm sure that you are important to her, even if she doesn't say it." Xi Qian continued walking with a safe distance from Lu Qingfeng. She also feared that Su Xiaofei would get swept up in the love, and would no longer be in her life in the blink of an eye.
When your friend starts dating someone you don't like, things can get very real, very fast. No doubt, this would put their friendship to the test, but it definitely didn't have to spell the end of her relationship with Su Xiaofei, just because the latter was with Lu Qingfeng.
If Xi Qian was going to tackle this potentially major issue, she was going to need to be able to keep level-headed. She had to remind herself that she couldn't control Su Xiaofei and could only accept that she had made a choice and that Su Xiaofei had to live with the outcome of her choices.
"I know that. This is why it's alright to take things slowly for the meantime." Lu Qingfeng agreed with her. As long as Su Xiaofei didn't shut him down and disregard him, he was willing to give her all the time she needed to sort things out on her end.
Xi Qian fell silent as she remembered the day she befriended Su Xiaofei. Su Xiaofei was perceived as arrogant by others, but Xi Qian knew that it was her way of protecting herself from others, because in truth, she was lonely.
"I don't want her to fall in love just because she's lonely, but instead fall in love when she's ready. Fall in love when you're confident in yourself, when you're feeling complete on your own, when you know what you want." She told Lu Qingfeng, making the latter wonder what she was even thinking at that moment.
If Xi Qian knew what had happened to Su Xiaofei in her previous life, he was sure that Xi Qian would be heartbroken, and she would hate Mo Yuchen even more than she already had now. Xi Qian and Yun Qingrong had lost their lives even before Su Xiaofei died, and Lu Qingfeng could only imagine what they would feel if they witnessed what he had seen in their past life as Su Xiaofei spent the rest of her remaining days alone.
As for Xi Qian, she didn't want to see her best friend questioning her worth again. She had witnessed Su Xiaofei trying to force herself into relationships with a person she had no business pursuing before, but she did it because she was convinced it was better to be with someone, anyone, than it was to be alone.
All it did was leave her feeling trapped and empty. The feelings Su Xiaofei was trying so hard to force weren't really there. She had begun questioning herself and trying to find an escape for the life she actually wanted to be living.
Xi Qian used to object to Su Xiaofei's decision to pursue Mo Yuchen before, and had tried to persuade her to see how the man was treating her like she was a nuisance in her life. The man was the personification of smug and pretentious and Xi Qian could tell that Mo Yuchen was bad news.
She wanted Su Xiaofei to have some self awareness and self-respect to see that the man she thought she was in love with didn't care about her at all.
"That's true." Lu Qingfeng nodded. "A love that is born in loneliness is not a love that is destined for growth – the roots are weak and longevity is hopeless. When you don't have a strong, sturdy foundation, you don't have anything."
Xi Qian took a quick glance at him, thinking that Lu Qingfeng was really mature compared to his peers. Perhaps, she was worrying too much. Still, she didn't want Lu Qingfeng and Su Xiaofei to end up hating each other just because their relationship didn't work out.
"Thanks, Miss Xi. I know that you are concerned about Feifei. I cannot promise that Feifei and I won't encounter problems in the future, but I'll do my best to protect her heart." Lu Qingfeng wouldn't be able to move heaven and earth for her and promise to her the stars in the sky, but he would make sure that she won't be lacking anything.
Xi Qian was sure that he would be able to fulfill his promise. Su Xiaofei didn't need to worry about material things as it could easily be provided by her Aunty Qing and with Lu Qingfeng. Her future would be secured and she wouldn't need to suffer any bitterness, unlike Xi Qian who could only rely on herself.
Not that Xi Qian was envious of her best friend, but she would rather see Su Xiaofei happy and content than to see her experience hardships in life.
Xi Qian hadn't experienced falling in love, but observing people around her taught her a lot of things on how to pick an ideal partner. From her parents' failed marriage to Su Xiaofei's parent's divorce, she could tell that these couples weren't compatible to begin with.
One should date someone who was happy to share a forever with them, because really, what's the point of dating someone if they didn't see marriage in the future? Or at least think they would one day.
"It's enough that you take care of her. I won't cause trouble between the two of you as long as you treat Feifei right." Xi Qian decided that they should grow up and consider calling a truce now. They shouldn't argue and fight whenever they see each other, and would need to tolerate each other for Su Xiaofei's sake.
She couldn't deny that this little tyrant was really into her best friend, but she feared that his feelings would eventually turn into an obsession that could hurt Su Xiaofei in the future.
As long as her best friend wasn't in a toxic or abusive relationship, Xi Qian was willing to try and give Lu Qingfeng the benefit of the doubt. Once she had identified some good qualities in him, perhaps she would be able to see if she could truly accept him. If she could find at least one thing she genuinely appreciated about them, there's no doubt that the whole situation would get a bit easier.
"We might not get along since we've met, but now, I appreciate what you have done for Feifei all this while. I hope Miss Xi can give me a chance to prove myself this time."
Lu Qingfeng used to be annoyed whenever Xi Qian was with Su Xiaofei in the past. However, after living three lifetimes, he realized how selfish and shallow he had been, wanting to keep Su Xiaofei to himself.
"Then I don't mind being your friend too. At least we can have a decent friendship that won't need to rely on Feifei. Don't you think it would be better if we truly get along than pretend to like each other?" Xi Qian answered him, much to Lu Qingfeng's shock.
The young man hadn't expected that Xi Qian would say such a thing now, considering how they treated each other in the past.
"You want us to be friends?" He furrowed his brows in disbelief. Was he hearing things, or did Xi Qian just say she wanted to be friends with him?
"Why not?" Xi Qian shrugged. "Since you and Feifei are considering a possible relationship in the future, wouldn't it be better if we could settle our differences and be friends?"
Lu Qingfeng didn't have anything in response to that. The only one he considered as a friend was Su Xiaofei, and even though he was friendly with his basketball teammates, he never attempted to build a deeper friendship with anyone else.
"I suppose you are right.." He said after a long silence between them and realized that they had arrived at the front gates of the university.