Xu Ruowei believed Yang Ren was her salvation, her new stepping stone, but he would let Xu Ruowei know that Yang Ren would be her nightmare.
However, he was indeed a little expectant to see what thoughts Xu Ruowei would have when she realized the person she chose, whom she thought was salvation, later became a nightmare that could take her life at any moment.
He wanted to see this.
But this matter could not be rushed. It had to be like boiling a frog in warm water, slow and steady.
Shen Xizhou ignored Xu Ruowei and wandered aimlessly on the street.
...
"An Nuan, do you still have any reservations? Or is there something unfinished?"
Li Tian's voice was serious. She had been accompanying An Nuan these past few days. Although An Nuan was present, she always had a smile on her face when facing everyone.
But in private, she was completely trapped in her predicament.
Her brows were tightly furrowed, showing that she had something on her mind.
However, she had never spoken about it, likely due to some unspeakable secret.
Li Tian looked at An Nuan with concern, her gaze never leaving An Nuan.
She would rather An Nuan speak out about her troubles than keep them bottled up.
"An Nuan, if you have anything, don't keep it to yourself. Just tell me directly."
"An Nuan, I know that now, stepping forward to offer comforting words, you might not believe me. But An Nuan, I am truly atoning. I don't want you to experience any more accidents."
"These past few days, being by your side and Li Tian's side, I've realized how wonderful it is to have people you want to protect close to you. The relationship between you and Li Tian makes me envious."
"Of course, I don't expect you to treat me the same way you treat Li Tian. But I think, by your side, gradually, your opinion of me will change."
"If you never change your mind, then there's no need to change."
"I am willing to stay by your side."
Li Tian looked at Wang Xuerou but said nothing. Initially, when Wang Xuerou spoke these words, she would have directly retorted. But later, as she saw what Wang Xuerou had done, she was no longer as wary of her.
Li Tian took Wang Xuerou's hand and said with determination, "Xuerou, take it slow. I believe An Nuan will understand eventually, and she will forgive you."
"An Nuan's current state is not because of you."
"I think she must be troubled by something else."
Li Tian knew that what made An Nuan so distracted and uneasy was Shen Xizhou.
Ever since An Nuan received a phone call a couple of days ago, she had become erratic.
Her mind was also hazy.
Li Tian knew this must be related to that phone call.
Later, when she asked Huo Yuxuan to investigate, she learned that it was Shen Xizhou who had called.
Li Tian had specifically instructed Huo Yuxuan not to tell Nangong Jin about this matter.
She didn't want An Nuan's hard-earned happiness to be destroyed by Shen Xizhou.
Shen Xizhou had already caused An Nuan enough pain.
An Nuan had already been through too much, and Li Tian wished for An Nuan to live well now, without being delayed by external matters.
Just as Li Tian was contemplating how to help An Nuan overcome her inner struggles, the appearance of someone shattered their tranquility.
"An Nuan, please, give me a chance. Just give me one chance, okay?"
Shen Xizhou was utterly dejected, his eyes bloodshot. He hadn't wanted to disturb An Nuan, but these past few days, he had been constantly missing her and couldn't move on.
He remembered how An Nuan had knelt before him to keep him.
He thought that if An Nuan could do so many things for him back then, she could do the same now.
"Shen Xizhou, get lost. I don't want to see you."
"Did you forget what I said?"
"Shen Xizhou, how dare you show your face to me again?"
Shen Xizhou's eyes turned red. Looking at the person before him, he became anxious upon hearing this.
He anxiously said, "An Nuan, can you forgive me this once? Give me another chance?"
Seeing Shen Xizhou step forward, Li Tian directly blocked him, preventing him from approaching An Nuan.
Shen Xizhou looked at Li Tian but showed no fear.
He continued to advance step by step.
Li Tian was pushed aside by Shen Xizhou. Li Tian stepped forward to protect An Nuan, but at that moment, she was directly pushed aside by Shen Xizhou.
An Nuan dodged Shen Xizhou, not allowing him to get close to her.
As Shen Xizhou approached her step by step, her whole body trembled.
Just as Shen Xizhou's hand was about to grab her, Nangong Jin appeared before her like a savior.
Nangong Jin embraced An Nuan, continuously comforting her, "Nuannuan, it's okay. Don't be afraid, and don't worry. With me here, no one can harm you even a little bit."
"An Nuan, I'm sorry. It was my oversight that allowed Shen Xizhou to appear before you."
"Nangong Jin, you're here. Thank goodness you're here. Otherwise, I really wouldn't know what to do," An Nuan said, still trembling with fear.
She was truly frightened.
The moment she saw Nangong Jin, it was as if she had found her anchor, and her mind instantly calmed down.
Listening to Nangong Jin's words, An Nuan's heart, which had been hanging in mid-air, finally settled.
In fact, Shen Xizhou had no intention of harming An Nuan when he appeared before her. He just wanted to talk to her. He only wanted An Nuan to forgive him.
But clearly, the current situation was not going as he wished.
Seeing Nangong Jin embrace An Nuan, Shen Xizhou thought, how wonderful it would be if An Nuan could be as trusting of him.
But all this could only be kept within his heart now.
He even wondered why Nangong Jin had to show up. If he hadn't appeared, what was happening now would have been different.
At this moment, when his gaze fell on An Nuan's face, her face was filled with peace and even a smile. However, just moments ago, when she faced him, An Nuan's expression had been exceptionally unpleasant.
Shen Xizhou let out a self-mocking laugh.
Everything is traceable, isn't it?
In front of An Nuan, he was ultimately an object of disgust.
Considering all the hurtful things he had done to her in the past, An Nuan's avoidance of him was perfectly normal.
Shen Xizhou looked at An Nuan, his heart growing more displeased.
Why could she be so cruel to him?
The smile on An Nuan's face deeply attracted him.
Watching Nangong Jin gently comfort An Nuan, and seeing An Nuan's complexion recover under his comfort, even with a smile on her face, made him incredibly jealous.
Despite his jealousy, he did not step forward to ruin the scene.
Looking at An Nuan, his heart was filled with infinite pity.
Seeing Nangong Jin and An Nuan standing together, his heart was filled with bitterness.
How he wished the person standing by An Nuan's side was him, not Nangong Jin.
Originally, the person standing by her side should have been him. He was the one who had thrown it all away.
It was him who had brought suffering upon himself, him who had pushed An Nuan away with his own hands and ruined her.