Chapter 65: A Shattered Mirror Cannot Be Made Whole Again

This winter seemed exceptionally cold and unusually silent, devoid of any trace of vitality. The villa was filled with a lifeless atmosphere, lacking the fervor that usually marks the transition into the new year, starkly contrasting with the brilliant fireworks outside the window.

The man seated at the desk wore a grim expression, his presence as sharp and chilling as the winter air. Ji Xian had already investigated thoroughly—the scarf was not a gift from Qiao Zhen. Not her, absolutely not!

Yet in his previous life, things had been different. Back then, he had to do nothing; simply standing where he was, Qiao Zhen would approach him with eyes sparkling like stars, presenting him with gifts she had painstakingly prepared. It was Qiao Zhen who first changed, who had promised to pursue him diligently, who had sworn to love only him...

For a moment, it felt as if something within him was slowly slipping away, a feeling draining from his grasp, completely beyond his control, though he refused to admit or face it.

Ji Xian’s throat was parched as he looked up, expressionless, gazing at the flurrying snow outside, his blood nearly frozen, unable to move.

What does it mean to like someone?

In a haze, he suddenly recalled that Qiao Zhen seemed to be fond of snow.

In his past life, the two had fallen out over her involvement in the entertainment industry. He didn’t want Qiao Zhen to be out in public, desiring instead that she revolve solely around him. Was that too much to ask?

The cold war didn’t last long; once again, it was Qiao Zhen who bowed first, coming to him with hope in her eyes, inviting him to go skiing in Switzerland together.

He had refused without hesitation, his tone frosty and distant: “No.”

The Ji family was at a critical juncture that year; he couldn’t spare the time. Besides, he wanted Qiao Zhen to learn a lesson—not to act out again in the future.

He thought that, by repeatedly rejecting Qiao Zhen, by acting cold and indifferent, he could ensure that she would never get angry, would never leave, and would always love him unconditionally.

He even found immense pleasure and satisfaction whenever he saw disappointment or sadness in Qiao Zhen’s eyes after each rejection, simply because he felt valued and cared for by her.

He always believed he held the dominant position in their relationship.

But he never expected that, after his refusal, Qiao Zhen really did go to Switzerland alone, only to be severely knocked down at the ski resort, nearly breaking a bone.

After that, more and more disappointment seemed to accumulate in her eyes, deep and intense, with nowhere to be released...

——————

Ji Xian’s face remained stern, his gaze locked onto a single snowflake, filled with obsession and certainty.

He was sure that Qiao Zhen was still waiting for him.

Yes! As long as he took just a little initiative, Qiao Zhen would come to him with joy in her eyes, just as she had in their previous life.

The regret of missing that ski trip could be made up for in this life.

There was still time, surely there was...

As the biting wind swept by, the brief New Year’s holiday quickly came to an end.

When finals week arrived, university students became much more subdued, overwhelmed by a sense of impending doom.

Sheng Lulu wailed in the dorm room, “Damn advanced mathematics, I can’t even understand the questions! Please, teacher, save me! If he saves me, he’ll be my idol!”

Chen Meixiang was frantically drilling through the database for the fundamentals of fuzzy concepts, nearly losing her mind, gritting her teeth: “I only skipped class twice this semester, and both times I got caught. Who’s as miserable as me?!”

Skipping class is fun in the moment, but the finals are the crematorium.

Qiao Zhen always studied diligently. After finishing her exams, she began packing her luggage, wheeling her suitcase out of the school gates alongside Qin Yichi.

Just as she was about to take out her earphones, an exquisitely crafted, expensive ticket slipped from the side pocket of her backpack.

Qiao Zhen paused, picked it up from the ground, and examined it closely:

Swiss Zermatt Ski Resort SVIP Couple’s Private Reservation Ticket.

Qiao Zhen: ?

Her gaze dropped to the simple signature at the bottom: two letters.

[JX]

Ji Xian.

Qiao Zhen was all too familiar with his initials; she had countless times, in secret, written his name carefully, with a mixture of sour anticipation. But now, she felt nothing but horror and a prickling scalp.

She glanced meaningfully at the roadside.

Not far away, a black luxury car was parked, its window slowly descending to reveal a handsome face.

Ji Xian stared at her intently, his pale apricot eyes clear and bright, his whole demeanor bathed in moonlight.

His emotions were unreadable.

At that moment, Qiao Zhen instinctively moved closer to Qin Yichi, her body suddenly stiff.

She vaguely recalled her previous life, when she had bowed her head first, hoping to go skiing in Switzerland with Ji Xian, but...

Strangely, the bitterness from her past seemed to transcend time and reach her in this moment:

Disappointment and grievance spread coldly through her limbs, gradually extinguishing the passion she once willingly burned for him.

Was this the emotion she felt in her previous life?

A cold wind brushed her face, leaving Qiao Zhen frozen in place.

Qin Yichi lowered his gaze to her, then looked at the ticket in her hand, his fingers curling tightly at his side.

The moment he saw Qiao Zhen and Ji Xian lock eyes, he tensed instantly, veins bulging, his heart lodged in his throat.

“Qiao Zhen.”

Qin Yichi couldn’t help calling her name, his throat dry, his voice hoarse and low. “I…”

He hesitated, pausing for a long time before finally saying, “We were just thinking of inviting you to go skiing with us.”

But it was only an ordinary domestic ski resort, nothing as spectacular as Switzerland’s Zermatt, and certainly not a private reservation.

A tidal wave of insecurity and cold wind swept through Qin Yichi’s heart, nearly drowning him, leaving him gasping for breath, struggling like a man underwater.

A heavy, hard stone seemed to press down on his chest, his entire being crushed beneath its weight.

Not far away, inside the understated luxury car—

A few young men sat with Ji Xian, all watching Qiao Zhen’s every move.

“Do you think Qiao Zhen will agree? I don’t think she will…”

“She’ll agree for sure! Of course she will, bro!”

A more sober young man spoke carefully, “Well, she not only blocked us, but also deliberately distanced herself. Last time in the elective, she explicitly refused. Ji, if we keep pestering her like this, isn’t it a bit much…”

Before he could finish, another young man snorted, “You don’t get it. Didn’t she always want to go skiing? No matter how hard she pretends, now that Ji is inviting her, if she really doesn’t go, I’ll cut off my head and let you use it as a soccer ball!”

Hearing this, Ji Xian’s expression softened considerably, his mind involuntarily conjuring up Qiao Zhen’s face lit with anticipation and joy.

They watched as the cold wind lifted strands of Qiao Zhen’s hair. She held the ticket in her hand and seemed to smile faintly.

A glimmer of color appeared in Ji Xian’s eyes, his lips curving unconsciously.

But in the next instant—

Qiao Zhen shredded the ticket into two pieces, folded them together, and tore them again… until the entire ticket was reduced to scraps, which she threw into a roadside trash can.

Her movements were decisive, utterly clean.

Her face calm and clear-headed, as if she were tearing up a paper napkin, not an extravagant private reservation ticket.

Inside the car, everyone was stunned, eyes widening in disbelief.

Qiao Zhen turned away without a backward glance, her expression serene, lips curling into a mocking smile.

Had it been her former self, she would have been overjoyed to see Ji Xian’s ski ticket.

But not anymore.

It was as if someone who had struggled through a desert and returned to the city would never again crave water as desperately as they did in the desert.

Qiao Zhen admitted she was moved, that she longed to travel to Switzerland, to visit every beautiful place in the world. But from now on, she would rely on her own abilities to achieve this.

A shattered mirror cannot be restored, just as a torn ticket cannot return to its pristine state…

The cold wind grew stronger, clouds thickened, and a light sleet began to fall from the gray sky.

Silvery flecks gently tapped against the leaves, making a soft rustling sound.

The light sleet—one umbrella was enough for two people.

Qin Yichi opened a black umbrella, sheltering both of them beneath it, his gaze slowly passing over the trash can.

Suddenly, Qiao Zhen gently tugged at his sleeve.

Qin Yichi turned his head, meeting her bright, beautiful eyes. “Hm?”

Walking beside him, Qiao Zhen pursed her lips, gathering her courage to say, “This winter break, come skiing with me.”

She lowered her head, looking at her own toes, speaking seriously and clearly:

“Qin Yichi, I want to be with you.”

“Is that okay?”