School Beauty's Personal Crazy Young Master

Chapter 529: Chapter 589 Huo Xinya’s Inner Conflict

Chen Nan gathered his purchases under the adoring gazes of several female shop assistants.

Yu Jian, however, had already sneaked out with a grey and dusty face a minute earlier.

Acting cool had backfired, and now he had made a fool of himself, with no face left to stay any longer.

Holding a pile of wrapped gifts, Chen Nan approached Huo Xinya and extended the box containing the necklace, ”Xinxin, you don’t accept gifts from other men, but you won’t reject mine, will you?”

Looking at the smiling Chen Nan, Huo Xinya bit her lip and then averted her gaze.

Her heart was in turmoil, complex with emotions.

Having been blocked and pestered by Yu Jian earlier, and then when Chen Nan suddenly appeared, she was surprised but, more than that, delighted.

Because Chen Nan was, after all, the man she had loved... or, to put it more accurately, was still in love with. When faced with a problem, her heartthrob had seemingly descended from the heavens, standing by her side firmly like a knight beside his princess, a feeling that gave Huo Xinya warmth and happiness.

However, she and Chen Nan had an agreement that after they broke up, there would be no further ties between them.

This agreement, like a thorn in her heart, also kept her from overstepping when alone with Chen Nan.

Thus, looking at the box Chen Nan handed over, Huo Xinya fell silent.

Without a word from Huo Xinya, Chen Nan stepped forward, smiling as he pushed the box into her hands, ”What’s the matter, Xinxin? You won’t even accept my gift? This is the first Christmas present I’ve given in my life. If it’s rejected, that would be quite a blow to my pride.”

The first Christmas present he’s given in his life?

Hearing Chen Nan say that, Huo Xinya’s eyes suddenly brightened, as if spring had returned to the earth and flowers bloomed in spectacular splendor.

But then, she gently pushed the box back and her expression darkened, ”Chen Nan, have you forgotten our agreement? We said before that once my sister came back, we would have nothing to do with each other.”

Chen Nan stared at her, ”Nothing to do with each other? Aren’t we friends?”

Although he phrased it as a question, it was rhetorical; he did not believe that Huo Xinya could truly be so heartless.

Facing Chen Nan’s piercing gaze, Huo Xinya found it hard to meet his eyes, ”Friends... perhaps they can be. But, have you ever seen friends give each other such expensive gifts?”

”The value of a gift isn’t important, it only represents a sentiment,” Chen Nan insisted, staring intently at her.

Huo Xinya shook her head, saying nothing.

After a moment of silence, Chen Nan suddenly revealed a sly smile, ”Xinxin, could it be that you still can’t let go of me, and that’s why you insist on not accepting my gift?”

”You... what nonsense are you talking about!”

Huo Xinya panicked, as if Chen Nan had guessed her thoughts, and stuttered in a feigned angry tone, ”Chen Nan, why are you still like this? Once my sister comes back, I’ll be your aunt by marriage, you can’t say these things to me!”

”What things?” Chen Nan pressed on relentlessly, ”Besides, I was just asking casually, why are you so nervous?”

”Nonsense, am I nervous? Not at all!”

Huo Xinya shook her head vigorously, trying to calm down.

”Alright then, if you say you’re not, then you’re not. But, no matter what you’re truly feeling, I still hope that you won’t deliberately distance yourself from me because of Yiyi,” Chen Nan said seriously as he looked at Huo Xinya’s dim expression, ”No matter what, I’ll be there for you whenever you need.”

Hearing Chen Nan’s words, Huo Xinya felt a sense of happiness surge within her.

But after pondering with pursed lips for a moment, she still shook her head, ”Thank you for your sentiment, but as long as you’re devoted to my sister, that’s all I need. As for myself...”

”What about yourself?”

”I don’t need you to worry about me; I can take care of myself,” Huo Xinya said with her head lowered, her face turning pale.

”What do you mean by this?”

”I don’t mean anything special, it’s just that I’ve already let my sister down once, and I don’t want to do it a second time,” Huo Xinya’s body trembled, hidden in the shadows Chen Nan could not see, her clear eyes, without noticing, clouded with a layer of mist.

”Do you really think so?”

Chen Nan stared at her intently, his eyes revealing a sharp gaze.

”Really!”

Chen Nan placed his hands on her shoulders, ”Then why are you looking down? Do you dare to look me in the eye and say that?”

”I...”

Huo Xinya looked up at him, but immediately lowered her head again, the tears she had been holding back suddenly trailing down her white cheeks.

Seeing Huo Xinya like this, Chen Nan felt an indescribable discomfort in his heart, a piercing pain coming in waves. He touched her head and said in a deep voice, ”If there’s someone who should apologize to Yiyi, it’s me. I’m the one who owes her the most. As for you, you really don’t need to blame yourself like this.”

Comforted by Chen Nan’s tender touch, Huo Xinya’s heart filled with warmth and happiness.

But she knew she didn’t deserve this happiness.

Caught between the desire for Chen Nan’s care and the guilt towards her sister, she lowered her head and said, ”If you don’t want me to blame myself, then... then let go.”

Chen Nan couldn’t bear to let go.

Indeed, he and Huo Xinya had made a promise that once Ye Yiyi returned, they would restrain their feelings for each other.

However, having experienced warmth and happiness, how could he simply let go?

He paid lip service to only caring about having had the relationship, not its duration, but when the time for separation truly arrived, who could be so carefree, so open-minded?

A bitter smile appeared on his face, Chen Nan’s hand moved from the top of Huo Xinya’s head slowly to her cheek: ”Indeed, I don’t hope to see you living in self-blame every day, but what I want even less is to just let go...”

Do I hope that you will let go?

Huo Xinya closed her eyes, forced back her tears, and sighed in her heart.

Her head drew back a little, and she squeezed out a faint smile, ”Chen Nan, remember, you are now my brother-in-law!”

Chen Nan’s hand remained suspended in mid-air, but all it could feel was the cold air.

After suppressing his emotions, he finally nodded, ”You’re right, I’m your brother-in-law. However, since I can’t be by your side, then let this gift take my place, can you let it stay by your side?”

Struggle showed on Huo Xinya’s face.

”What, is it because of its price?”

Huo Xinya shook her head.

Now, what she cared about wasn’t the price of the necklace but the sentiment it represented.

She knew better than anyone that the sparkling Heart of Diamond on the necklace was the message Chen Nan wanted to convey to her.

But the clearer she was about this, the harder it was for her to convince herself to accept such a gift.

Chen Nan sighed and put the box away, ”Since you insist on not accepting it, I won’t force you.”

Huo Xinya nodded, holding back the tears in her eyes, ”Then I’ll be going.”

After speaking, she turned and left.

But after turning around, her face was all aggrieved and full of sorrow: Chen Nan you fool, why didn’t you insist a little longer? If you persisted a little more, I would have given in and accepted your gift...