Feelings That Would Never Be Returned

(Writing free chapters makes my average subscriptions plummet like crazy, but I'm having quite a lot of fun writing them. I wrote over ten thousand words in total yesterday, so I'm taking the day off today. I'll add more tomorrow.)

Exusiai's sudden emotional outburst did leave Bai Ye somewhat flustered at first—after all, he had never encountered anything like this before, and it caught him off guard.

What Bai Ye found rather amusing, though, was that Exusiai, sitting beside him, was even more of a mess than he was.

The girl had lowered her flushed face so far that she was too embarrassed to look at Bai Ye.

Seeing Exusiai like this, Bai Ye gradually calmed down instead.

"I'm sorry, Exusiai." After pondering for a moment, Bai Ye was the first to speak. "No matter what, Texas and I have already confirmed our relationship. That's a fact."

"I know you've put in a lot. Looking back now, did you join Penguin Logistics because of me too?"

Bai Ye's voice was gentle, and his soft tone gradually calmed Exusiai as well. Hearing his question, she nodded.

"So... if you'd said it sooner..." Bai Ye murmured.

"If I'd said it sooner... then I..." Exusiai involuntarily continued his words.

"No. If you'd said it sooner, I could have dispelled that idea of yours back then. Maybe you wouldn't be as heartbroken as you are now."

As he spoke, Bai Ye raised his head, unable to bear looking at Exusiai's expression.

"Let it go, Exusiai. These feelings of yours were destined to go unanswered."

"If I hadn't met Texas, perhaps I would have accepted these feelings. But now... I'm afraid it really isn't possible."

"Nothing can replace Texas's place in my heart..."

Texas had been the first person Bai Ye met after coming to