C6 There Was a Figure That Looked like Him

Xia Shirann understood perfectly well that Ruoye was still upset. On one hand, she was embarrassed by Liu Shaoyu's accusations, which made her want to stomp her foot and call him a jerk. On the other hand, even though she cursed Liu Shaoyu aloud, deep down she might feel she was in the wrong and that she owed him an apology.

Caught in this whirlwind of conflicting emotions, Ruoye was at risk of making poor decisions. Shirann couldn't just stand by and watch her spiral downward, so she decided to take Ruoye's phone, cutting off all contact with the toxic guy.

"I'll hold onto your phone for now. Wait for me to get back with breakfast," Shirann said, both concerned and firm, before heading downstairs with her wallet.

As soon as she stepped out of the building, Shirann suddenly spotted a figure ahead that looked a lot like... Hsu Chiyang.

That tall, lean figure in a camel trench coat exuded a cool, distant aura.

Shirann's breath caught as she watched the figure walk into another building.

She let out a long sigh of relief.

She must have been mistaken.

It was just a neighbor from the area.

With that thought, Shirann composed herself and walked lightly toward the exit. The morning air was fresh, and a few elderly women were taking a stroll in the neighborhood.

Outside the entrance, a cluster of breakfast stands was bustling with young professionals on their way to work and parents taking their kids to school, all stopping for a quick bite.

Tofu pudding, fried dough sticks, wontons, rice porridge, and buns—there were so many options. Considering Ruoye's cold hadn't improved, Xia Shirann made a point to buy her some millet porridge, along with an order of wontons and a tray of small buns. She also picked up some light side dishes and headed back with breakfast in hand.

As she neared her apartment building, turning a corner, Xia Shirann spotted the figure in the camel-colored trench coat again. Her pace slowed, her heart inexplicably racing.

If she remembered correctly, this man had just entered the building to her right, yet now he wasn't heading toward the main gate but further inside. There was no back entrance there, nor was it near the underground parking lot.

While Xia Shirann pondered this, the man suddenly stopped, seemingly about to turn around. She quickly averted her gaze, pretending to admire the landscaping, her face burning with embarrassment. After all, she had been staring at him like some kind of stalker!

But just as she turned her head, she caught a glimpse of the man turning his face coolly—Hsu Chiyang!

In an instant, their eyes met. Xia Shirann's eyes widened in shock, feeling as if all the blood in her body rushed to her head. What was he doing here? Was he looking for her? No, no, she shouldn't jump to conclusions!

I will never have anything to do with this person again!

A flurry of questions raced through her mind, each quickly met with a solution. Xia Shirann gritted her teeth, lowered her gaze, and walked past as if they were strangers.

Even so, her heart pounded wildly, as if sensing something extraordinary. As she drew closer to him, she could feel the intensity and depth of his gaze, even with her head down.

For a moment, Xia Shirann felt she could hardly breathe or walk. Just as they were about to pass each other, a strong arm assertively blocked her path.

Xia Shirann's breath caught, and she stopped in her tracks, her clear eyes meeting his for a deep moment before she tried to sidestep him. But in the next instant, a powerful arm wrapped around her, pulling her securely into an embrace, and then lifted her off the ground.

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