The sky outside had completely darkened.
Lan Qianqian opened her eyes to pitch blackness, alone.
She had been sleeping with the lights on for days because she feared the night, but now, facing a darkness where she couldn't see her hand in front of her face, she felt no fear at all.
She felt that people were the most terrifying – one moment gentle, the next discarding you like worn-out shoes. However…
She seemed to have fallen in love with him!
That's right, the moment she knew he had mistaken her for a gold-digger, her heart felt as if it were being pricked by needles, the pain so intense she could barely breathe. She didn't know people could hurt so much; the physical pain was negligible in comparison. She knew her affection for him was etched into her very bones.
Lan Qianqian didn't move, staring blankly at the ceiling. Without light, she could see nothing…
She lay there for a long, long time, so long that her limbs felt numb. Finally, she slowly sat up and shuffled to the edge of the bed. As her feet touched the ground, she lost her balance and tumbled down. The cool, smooth floor felt so cold!
After sitting for an unknown duration, Lan Qianqian stood up and fumbled for the light switch. The instant the light flickered on, Lan Qianqian quickly shut her eyes. Once she adjusted to the brightness, she looked up to see her clothes scattered all over the floor, in pieces.
With a blank expression, she walked to the wardrobe, rummaged through it, found a long men's pajama set, and put it on casually. Her steps were stiff as she walked out, not wanting to stay in this place for another second.
Behind her, on the messy, large bed, the white sheets were stained with spots of crimson…
In the corridor, a woman, hidden in the shadows, watched venomously as Lan Qianqian walked out of the CEO's office.
If the last time she hadn't been sure if she had slept with President Xuan, this time there was no doubt. She was wearing men's clothing, and the visible marks on her body all proclaimed what she and the president had done in broad daylight, and that she had only emerged now.
Bitch, shameless!
"Sister An Lan, I saw it with my own eyes. That cheap woman actually seduced the President in broad daylight today. She didn't come out all afternoon. Aren't you going to teach her a lesson?"
Chen Man'er's jealousy was about to ignite. Unable to contain herself, she called Ji An Lan, but when she didn't answer, she kept calling until the phone finally stopped giving a busy signal…
She wished Ji An Lan would properly punish this shameless woman. Such a woman deserved to be tortured!
On the other end of the line, a woman's voice, weary and helpless, replied, "Man'er, you know as well as I do that Mo Han only likes her. Touching… her… was bound to happen sooner or later."
"Ji An Lan, how can you be so useless? Someone is bullying you to your face!"
Chen Man'er was so enraged by Ji An Lan's inaction that she hurled the phone violently. It shattered into pieces instantly, and a sinister glint appeared in her eyes…
Ji An Lan did not return to the old family home, instead shrinking into her apartment alone.
Now, she sat on the floor, leaning against the sofa, her eyes unfocused. The table and the floor were littered with empty wine bottles…
She had loved that man for so many years. She thought that no matter how long he delayed, he would eventually choose to marry her. But instead, he had fallen in love with another woman.
She knew what had happened today. She had been going to find him, but from the half-open resting room, she heard sounds…
Having loved him for so many years, she could recognize his voice. His voice was so passionate, but it wasn't for her. When she had just come of age, she had wanted to be intimate with him, but he always avoided her like the plague, mocking her for being shameless.
How could he possibly understand her feelings? She was afraid he would lose control due to his youthful vigor and seek out other women. She had protected herself for so many years.
Even after Lan Qianqian appeared, she knew they hadn't progressed to anything substantial. But the slap today had finally woken her up. What man could control himself when faced with the woman he loved?
She listened for a long, long time… The wine today didn't even feel that strong.
…
After Lan Qianqian walked out of the Xuan Corporation building, she moved like a zombie, dragging her exhausted body. She looked at the distant lights, unsure of where her home was…
She didn't understand why she felt so much pain now.
She was just a very ordinary girl, with simple desires: a person who loved her deeply, a warm family to start, a mother, children, and… him. Everything was so simple and happy.
These things were precious to her because she had three children, and many people were put off by that. So, before achieving something in her career, she dared not even think about it.
But everything changed after she met Xuan Mohan. She couldn't control her feelings for him. He was much better than she had imagined, and… he loved her so much. Except for not being able to give her marriage, everything else was perfect. She had thus immersed herself in this beautiful dream.
However, now, even this sliver of fantasy had been shattered. He… was beyond her reach. He… didn't love her either. Most importantly… her heart was lost.
So, this relationship, which she had treated so sincerely, was just a joke from beginning to end? He never loved her, yet he spoiled her so much. Didn't he know that his indulgence would make it impossible to extricate oneself?
Why did people from their upper-class society have no feelings? So ruthless, so cold. If you can't give the kind of affection she desired, then don't provoke her. Why make her fall in love and then walk away, and even "play" with her before leaving? Was she that foolish?
At this moment, Lan Qianqian felt utterly ridiculous, merely a plaything for someone else, while she had been so serious.
A light beamed from afar…
Lan Qianqian felt it was coming to pick her up, and she walked towards it barefoot, step by step.
"Bang~"
…
At the Dihao Clubhouse, three tall and handsome men were in various states of semi-drunkenness.
"Mo~ Why are you still drinking? You've had quite a lot, hic… Let's all go home. Bro, I can barely stand. Let's go, stop drinking. Be careful you don't end up in the hospital. Xuan isn't here, so drink less, okay? Hic~"
Lu Haoran swayed as he tried to pull Xuan Mohan, who was lying on the ground.
Xuan Mohan remained unmoved. He didn't know where to go. He just wanted to go to the little woman's place. He wanted to hold her, to sleep with her in his arms, but she detested him!
He grabbed a wine bottle from the ground and took a large gulp. So what if he ended up in the hospital? She wouldn't care anyway.
"Mo, you're a madman. Do you know how much you've drunk tonight? And you dare drink like this!" Lu Haoran suddenly snatched the bottle from his hand and threw it to the ground.
He was somewhat annoyed by his颓废 (tuífèi - decadent/dispirited) state, but also felt distressed. As a brother, he couldn't bear to see him in such a pathetic state.
"Stop talking. Just drag him home," Qi Jiayou also couldn't watch any longer and gave a decisive order.
"Buzz buzz buzz~"
None of them paid attention to the ringing phone. After all, how could it be more important than their brother?
Not long after, the phone rang again, and Xuan Mohan, half-lying on the sofa, continued to drink.
Lu Haoran, already agitated, felt a headache from the disturbance. He let go of Xuan Mohan's arm, picked up the phone, and yelled into it:
"Are you trying to chase me to death?!"