C16 He Should Hate Her

Chu Xiaoli was already feeling frazzled and had no mood to entertain her colleague. She wasn't in the habit of asking people to leave, so she just rubbed her temples and explained, "He's not my boyfriend. There's nothing between us. He just helped me out this time."

"Who would believe that?" Her colleague looked displeased. "Do you think I'm a fool, Xiaoli? Would just a regular friend look at you with such a gentle and complicated gaze? That's exactly how a man looks at the woman he loves."

"There's really nothing between us..."

"Xiaoli, I thought we were friends, but you're keeping secrets from me. I saw it with my own eyes, and you still want to lie to me?" Her colleague continued to ramble, but fortunately, Xiao Chen had finished bandaging his wound and came out.

Xiaoli quickly stepped forward, apologetically interrupting her colleague, "He's all bandaged up. We have things to do, so we're leaving now."

Her colleague opened her mouth to say more, but could only watch as Xiaoli supported Xiao Chen and hurriedly left.

Once they were away, Xiaoli let out a sigh of relief and looked up at Xiao Chen, only to find him looking at her with a teasing smile. "You didn't ask if I had anything to do."

Xiaoli pressed her lips together, about to respond, when her colleague suddenly ran over again, her eyes full of complexity. "Xiaoli, your boyfriend's on the phone."

Xiaoli's bag was left at Xiao Jie's place, and since he couldn't reach her, he had called one of her friends, hoping she might be nearby.

Though the chances were slim.

Xiao Jie's call? Xiaoli's heart skipped a beat. She quickly reached out to take the phone from her colleague, glanced at the screen, and softly said, "Hello."

"Xiaoli, it's me." The soothing voice of Xiao Jie came through the phone. Next to Chu Xiaoli, Xiao Chen's expression darkened, on the verge of anger upon realizing it was Xiao Jie calling.

"Yeah, I know, Xiao Jie. Is there something else?" Chu Xiaoli unconsciously clenched her small hand. After everything that had happened today, she was utterly exhausted. If Xiao Jie was going to break up with her now... she wasn't sure she could handle it.

"I'm really sorry about this afternoon. Xiaoli, you're my treasure, and I shouldn't have lashed out at you without understanding the situation," Xiao Jie's voice was low, filled with regret. "Xiaoli, would you give me another chance?"

Chu Xiaoli covered her mouth to stifle her sobs. "Xiao Jie, it's not your fault, it's not your fault. It was my mistake..."

"Silly," Xiao Jie said softly. "You can never be wrong. If there's a mistake, it's because I didn't do well enough. By the way, your bag is still with me. If you have time, come by and pick it up. Take care of yourself today, or I'll be worried."

Chu Xiaoli nodded vigorously, clutching her phone, tears streaming down her face. Xiao Chen watched her cry over another man, his heart feeling like it was being torn apart.

Suddenly, he reached out, grabbed the phone, and hurled it out the window in the hallway. A moment later, there was a faint sound of it shattering.

A colleague stood there, stunned. "That was my phone!"

But Xiao Chen, consumed with rage, ignored her. His dark eyes, filled with anger, fixed on Chu Xiaoli, his voice cold as ice. "Chu Xiaoli, I remember warning you to break up with Xiao Jie."

Still fuming over the phone being snatched, Chu Xiaoli let out a cold laugh. "What are you going to threaten me with this time, Mr. Xiao? My family or my friends?"

"If you don't want me to threaten you, just do as I say and stay away from Jack!" Chen's eyes were cold, his voice full of menace. He was nearly driven mad with jealousy, knowing that these things used to be his. No, it was Xiaoli who owed him! He should hate her, seek revenge. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. At the same time, he owed Xiaoli too, and they could never quite even the score.

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