When the Side Character Gets a System and Travels through Difference Worlds-Chapter 70: Chi Mo 24

Xu Jike fell silent for a moment. "Okay, I won’t bring it up. But if you feel unwell, you can always tell me."

Tan You replied, "I’m fine. I’ll be okay after a night’s rest."

The rest of the drive passed in idle chatter until they reached the hotel parking lot. Tan You, holding her drink, said, "Thanks for driving me back to the hotel."

She had only taken a couple of steps when she heard footsteps behind her. Xu Jike jogged over to catch up. "Chi Mo, can we talk? I won’t take much of your time—just five minutes."

Tan You stopped in her tracks. "What do you want to talk about?"

Xu Jike hesitated. "We haven’t known each other for long, but I find you truly exceptional. You’re friendly to everyone else, yet you’re especially cold to me. Why is that?"

He wasn’t an idiot; in fact, Xu Jike was extremely intelligent. Of course he could sense her attitude toward him. But he truly didn’t understand. ’What did I do to offend her?’

Tan You thought for a moment. "Right now, I have some minor achievements to my name. But suppose I didn’t have them? Suppose I was just an ordinary girl whose hobbies were dancing, doing makeup, and wearing pretty clothes. Would you still be saying these things to me?"

"My personality is simple, and so is my life. I can’t comprehend the topics you elites discuss. I’m just a very average girl."

"Mature men either look down on you, or they run you into the ground." Tan You chuckled softly. "Many men like being with uncomplicated people because it’s relaxing for them."

"But over time, they grow bored, because their partner can’t connect with them on an intellectual and emotional level. In their eyes, there are plenty of uncomplicated people out there. When they get tired of one, they can just find the next. They’re smart enough and detached enough to find a replacement at any time."

"But what did the girls who get dumped do wrong? All she did was have a relationship that didn’t work out, and for that, she’s supposed to be left with all this pain?"

Xu Jike was silent for a long time. "In your eyes, is that the kind of person I am? The type who would both look down on you and run you into the ground?"

"I’m just speaking generally," Tan You said, looking up at Xu Jike. ’I really miss being five-foot-seven right now. At least then I’d have a bit more of a presence when facing him.’

"I wasn’t referring to you specifically, but can you deny being the former?" Tan You stomped her foot, trying to shake off the surrounding chill. "I’m doing just fine in my own little world. I don’t need someone to barge in and start passing judgment on my life, only to pull away without hesitation after making a complete mess of everything."

"Forcing someone else to change for you is demanding too much to begin with."

"I’m not trying to make you change," Xu Jike said, his gaze fixed on her intently. "I’ll admit, you’re very beautiful. You captivated me at first sight. Initially, I just thought you were another pretty girl, but when I saw you dance, it was like you were glowing."

Tan You smiled. "Thank you for the compliment on my dancing, but that’s not the kind of love I’m looking for. What I want is simple and pure. I want someone who won’t love me for my moments of glory, nor look down on me for being an ordinary person."

"Strip away all that external glamour, and I’m just a very ordinary person. I like good food and drinks, I like spending time on my makeup every day, and I like wearing pretty clothes. My tastes are just that girly, just that simple."

"But these simple tastes of mine don’t harm anyone. I’m living perfectly fine in my own world. I don’t need someone to show up one day and tell me I’m doing things wrong, that I should be doing this or that like everyone else."

"You think you hide your arrogance well, but did you think I couldn’t see your faint disdain for me? You don’t even consider me your equal. Since I can see all that, why on earth would I choose someone like you?"

Seeing Xu Jike was about to argue, Tan You held up her right hand. "I think you’re a bit greedy. You want a girlfriend you can see right through, yet you also want her to understand your inner world. But where in the world can you have it both ways?"

"So you’re always searching, then giving up, then searching again, repeating this endless cycle. You get involved with people knowing full well they can’t understand you."

"Then, after you break up, you quickly move on to the next relationship, leaving the other person to struggle with their pain. Meanwhile, you’re already starting a nearly identical experience, and so the cycle repeats."

"You’re incredibly perceptive," Xu Jike finally admitted. "You understand me far better than I understand myself. But what am I to do? Chi Mo, now that you’ve seen such a despicable side of me, my feelings for you are even stronger."

"That’s your problem," Tan You said coldly. "Liking someone is a personal matter; it has nothing to do with anyone else. It’s been far more than five minutes. I’m going to my room."

After tossing out that last line, Tan You didn’t linger in the parking lot, but entered the elevator with her small purse. Xu Jike only got into his car and left after Chi Mo’s figure had completely vanished.

He had expected to be angry, but the more Xu Jike thought about it, the more excited he became. Being seen through was, without a doubt, an uncomfortable feeling. But what could he do? The mere thought that it was Chi Mo who had seen through him made Xu Jike so thrilled his breath quickened.

He had never felt this way before. A stranger understood him better than he did himself. So why did she have to let him know? Knowing this only made him more fascinated.

Drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, Xu Jike sped up.

Tan You couldn’t care less what Xu Jike was thinking. In her opinion, he was a man who cared deeply about appearances. Even when Chi Mo broke up with him in her past life, he had remained perfectly composed, rarely showing any change in emotion.

Now that she had called out the worst parts of his nature to his face, he ought to have the good sense to stay away.

After returning to her room, Tan You flopped onto the bed, finally allowing herself to relax completely. Seeing in the group chat that everyone had gotten home, Tan You tossed her phone aside. After resting for a few more minutes, she took her toiletries and went into the bathroom.

She managed to take a shower, forced herself to dry her hair, and applied a pain-relief patch before finally falling into a deep sleep.

Before four in the morning, Tan You’s eyes fluttered open. She had been woken by hunger. Dancers were expected to maintain their figures, but Tan You never intentionally dieted.

Her training regimen was too intense. If she didn’t get enough energy from her food, she would feel dizzy. Rubbing her cramping stomach, Tan You sighed.

Her back injury had eased a little, but she was starving. ’Is the hotel serving breakfast this early?’ When she booked the room, Tan You had seen that breakfast was included in the price.