章 90: The truth

"But you can't, Chengfeng," Qi Jianyi said, shaking her head as her hands flailed in denial. "You shouldn't love me. Whatever you're feeling for me right now, erase it," she added, her voice weary, tinged with exhaustion.

Her gaze was resolute, her expression set in stone as she prepared to push Song Chengfeng away. She had decided—it was better to hurt him now than to let him suffer even more in the future.

"Why?" Song Chengfeng asked, his voice rising with frustration. "Why can't I love you, Qi Jianyi? Why do you hate my feelings so much? Why are you denying this?" He stepped closer, his determination unwavering.

Shaking her head, Qi Jianyi raised her eyes to meet his. "I'm not denying your feelings," she said, her voice steady yet soft. "I just want you to stop having them. Stop loving me, Chengfeng, or you will only end up hurt."

Her tone was laced with sincerity—a depth that Song Chengfeng had never heard from her before.