How We Love - Volume 2 Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – Her Downfall 

She looked so happy looking at Yi Hua’s picture. How could she smile such a sweet and happy smile if she didn’t like him with all her heart? His heart was sour, and past the sourness was a throbbing pain. He didn’t know whether this throbbing pain was for her or for himself. He sorted out his emotions and carelessly asked Xu Zhifei, “How are things between you and your boyfriend recently? I haven’t seen you on a call with him recently. 

The smile on the corner of Xu Zhifei’s mouth faded, “Right now, we… meet once a week, I guess. Either he’s busy or I’m busy.” 

Mu Xiaonian carefully worded his question, “Do you know what he’s busy with?” 

The quirk on Xu Zhifei’s lips turned self-deprecating, “With work? He says so, but who knows. I think he’s actually busy sometimes but other times he just feels like I’m annoying and pretends to be busy.” 

Mu Xiaonian saw Xu Zhifei’s lonely expression from the mirror and almost couldn’t resist hugging her. He clenched and unclenched his fist, “What about you, what have you been busy with recently? You don’t come as frequently.” 

Xu Zhifei sighed and squeezed out a smile, “I’m busy accepting the fact that my family is going bankrupt!” 

Mu Xiaonian looked at her forced smile and felt like his heart was suddenly being wrung out.
 

After this visit, Xu Zhifei didn’t patronize the salon for a long time. 

Mu Xiaonian heard from another customer of his that Xu Zhifei’s father’s business had failed and that her company was undergoing bankruptcy liquidation. The customer also said that her father had found a monastery and was going to become a monk. 

Mu Xiaonian couldn’t help but ask the customer, “What about Xu Zhifei’s mother?” 

The customer’s answer bothered him for a long time. 

“Xu Zhifei’s mother died long ago.” 

So she was a child without her mother. Yet, in her pampered life, she didn’t become depressed or arrogant despite the lack of maternal love. On the contrary, she was so sunny and kind, so beautiful and tolerant. Even when she was about to go bankrupt, she still kept her head high. She was so mature that it made him distressed for her. Now, she was about to go from an heiress to a commoner with nothing. Could she withstand such a huge fall? 

Mu Xiaonian was very worried. He really wanted to help Xu Zhifei with something, anything, but he knew that there was no way he could help her in the present other than styling her hair. He blamed himself for his incompetence and his heart hurt for her downfall. He no longer thought about whether he had a chance to win her over. He only wished that her boyfriend Yi Hua would stop his affairs during these times she was struggling. He hoped that Yi Hua would stay by her side and accompany her through this adversity.
 

*** 

A long time after, Xu Zhifei finally came to the store. 

That day, Mu Xiaonian was feeling under the weather and left the store to the other head stylists while he rested in the lounge. Hearing that Xu Zhifei had come, he lifted his blanket, got out of bed and walked out before he realized he had even forgotten to wear his shoes. 

He hurried back to the lounge and put on his shoes. Mu Xiaonian quickly walked to the reception area. His footsteps hastened, almost running down the corridor. When he was about to enter the reception area, he suddenly stopped, pretended to be calm as he walked step by step, step by step into the reception area. 

He called her, “Xiaofei.” Xu Zhifei turned back. Her complexion was a little haggard, she had gotten much thinner and her eyes seemed wider. She smiled at him, that smile made his heart clench for some reason. 

She smiled and said, “Xiaonian, I might go to an interview. Make me look pretty!” 

Mu Xiaonian looked at her for a long time. He had so many things to say, they crowded and congested at his throat. His heartbeat accelerated. In the end, he could only muster out an “Ok.” 

As Mu Xiaonian washed Xu Zhifei’s hair, Xu Zhifei readily told him about her current situation. Indeed, the rumors he heard had been true.