Chapter 103 So Annoying
Daniel's tall, thin frame suddenly shook, and a deep sadness filled his eyes.
After I spoke, I realized I had thrown his own words back at him.
I couldn't understand his sadness. We were young then, and it was best left in the past. Now he had Zoe, so why the sadness? If it was for me, I wouldn't believe it. Back then, I was worth less than trash to him.
The point was, staring at his sadness, I felt nothing.
Time really does heal. I suddenly realized I had moved on from those old wounds.
Daniel was just a passerby in my life.
Those wounds and tears were just part of my growth.
That's all.
"If there's nothing else, I'm leaving. Don't come looking for me again." I turned away, irritated.
"Jane, don't go." He lowered his voice, sounding a bit pleading and weak.
"If you have something to say, say it all at once, okay? I don't have time to waste on you. It's so annoying." I said impatiently.
"I just want to ask, Jane, are you with Brad?" Daniel asked.
I turned back, confused. He was staring at me intently, looking embarrassed but seriously observing my expression.
I thought, 'How could he think that? That's Brad, he's like a brother to me!'
I replied, "So what if I am, and so what if I'm not? Daniel, do you think you still have the right to interfere in my life? Since you asked, let me make it clear, whoever I'm with has nothing to do with you. Know your place and don't ask me stuff like this again. We're not close, so I don't need to report my affairs to you, OK?"
Daniel continued, "Jane, tell me, did you reject Louis because you're waiting for Brad?"
I was so angry I wanted to slap him.
Louis was Louis and Brad was Brad, how could they be mixed up!
I asked coldly, "Who do you think you are to ask me that question?"
Daniel replied, "Jane, I just want to tell you, you and Brad are not suitable. He's so much older than you!"
I retorted, "Whether we're suitable or not is between Brad and me, it's none of your business."
Daniel continued to argue, "Jane, I know I have no right to interfere. You can be with any guy in the world, but not Brad."
"I want to be with Brad, so what? How does it bother you? Are you crazy? Daniel, get lost." I was really about to lose it.
Maybe my emotions were too intense, Daniel looked at me twice more, then turned and slowly walked out of my sight, his tall frame slightly shaking.
A perfectly good evening was ruined by Daniel.
I angrily walked back, but hadn't taken a few steps when Brad appeared, looking dashing in a simple wool coat and dark trousers.
"Enjoying eavesdropping?" I complained angrily.
All these years, Brad's habit of eavesdropping hadn't changed a bit.
Brad explained, "It wasn't eavesdropping. I came specifically to find you, but I didn't expect to run into Daniel. I was afraid my presence would affect you, so I had to hide for a bit."
"Yeah, right, who'd believe that." I muttered under my breath, "Finished all your important work? How come you have time to find me?"
"No, I still have to go back and continue working in a bit." Brad replied.
"Then why did you come?" I asked.
Brad quipped, "Nothing much, just wanted to see what my girl was up to, otherwise I can't be at ease."
'What is Brad saying? Why does it feel like he is flirting with me?' Considering what Daniel just said, my face actually felt a bit warm. 'No way, he's my brother, so he can't be flirting with me. I must have misunderstood.'
Brad dropped me off at the dorm and went back to work, reminding me to go to bed early and that he'd pick me up for lunch tomorrow.
I loved having someone take care of me every day, not even having to think about what to eat.
But of course, life had other plans.
The next morning, I got up early and went downstairs for a morning run, only to run into Daniel and Zoe.
I was on the track when they came towards me, leaving me no way to avoid them.
I wanted to pretend not to know them and walk past, but Zoe ran over, smiling, and tried to link arms with me.
I couldn't stand that, goosebumps rose all over. I quickly shook her off, stepped back a few paces, and watched her warily. "If you have something to say, say it from there. Don't touch me, we're not close."
Zoe, unfazed by my coldness, enthusiastically took two steps towards me, forcing me to step back again. "Today's my birthday, Daniel and I want to invite you to dinner, Jane, you must come."
'I'm not going!' I thought.
I replied, "I have plans with Brad, so I won't be going. You guys enjoy, happy birthday."
"Brad will be there too, right, Daniel?" Zoe ran to Daniel's side, snuggling up to him, and looked up sweetly at him. Daniel's eyes were dark, like a bottomless abyss, expressionless, and after a long pause, he said, "Yes."
"Alright, if Brad's going, I'll go. Send me the address on my phone and move. Don't block my walk." I said.
Daniel was Brad's brother, so I couldn't make things difficult for Brad. For Brad, I would have this meal.
At noon, after class, Brad called to say he had something to do and would be late, asking me to go ahead.
I followed the address Zoe sent and found the place. When I arrived, Daniel and Zoe were already seated.
But Zoe was leaning against Daniel, her nose red, eyes swollen, as if she had been crying. Daniel was looking down, softly comforting her.
'Isn't it a birthday? Why is she crying?' My intuition told me this meal wouldn't be pleasant.
As soon as I sat down, Zoe's tears started flowing again.
I really admired her. No matter when or where, her tears seemed to be on standby, ready to flow at any moment, for as long as she wanted.
"Daniel, tell Jane, I'm really worried." Zoe said.
'Zoe crying for me?' I was puzzled, because I hadn't provoked her.
Zoe could really drive people crazy.
I regretted coming.
"If you have something to say, just say it, no need for all this preamble." I said impatiently, really not wanting to deal with these two.
Many times I wondered, was it that I hadn't seen Daniel's true nature for nineteen years, or was Zoe so capable that she turned the boy I cared about most into a foolish man?
How did Daniel become so unreasonable!
"Daniel, say it." Zoe whined, making my skin crawl.
Daniel wiped Zoe's tears, raised his head, pondered for a while, seemingly choosing his words, then said, "Jane, you haven't had a boyfriend for a long time, Zoe feels very insecure. How about you start dating someone?"
"Yes, Jane, there are several tall and handsome guys in our department. Do you want me to introduce you to one?" Zoe weakly added.
"I have a classmate who's really nice. He met you not long ago and was very impressed. He asked me to set you two up." Daniel took out his phone, found a number in his contacts, and showed it to me. "This is his number. If you're interested, he'll call you later."
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