Chapter 100

urrounded by golden brass bedposts. Initially, He Yufan found it novel but later realized that these were meant for future convenient restraints and torment.While Heyufan was still looking around, Fan...Chapter 100

Ruan Zhao didn't want Ni Xuanyi to remain silent any longer. He was worried that she would become depressed from the silence. So he hurriedly started talking to her, trying to divert her attention.

Ni Xuanyi just felt a bit anxious and suddenly wanted to drink some alcohol. She thus asked for a bottle of red wine from the waiter. Ruan Zhao originally wanted to stop her but ended up letting her do as she pleased after watching her for a while.

Ruan Zhao and Ni Xuanyi each drank two glasses. After drinking, Ni Xuanyi not only didn’t feel relieved; instead, she felt even heavier-hearted. She didn't want to talk with Ruan Zhao anymore. At the beginning, when he spoke occasionally, she still replied back a bit. Later on seeing that Ni Xuanyi remained silent, he tactfully stopped speaking.

The atmosphere was stiflingly oppressive. Ni Xuanyi stood up and left silently. Ruan Zhao hurriedly followed behind her and drove her home to the apartment.

Ni Xuanyi stared at the road ahead as she tried hard to remember the dishes she had just eaten, attempting to focus on Ruan Zhao. Yet all her efforts were in vain. Her thoughts wandered; she recalled that not long ago, during a night like this one, she had drunk alcohol and sat in a car, with Li Yi by her side instead of him.

Arriving at the apartment's entrance, Ni Xuanyi suddenly turned to Ruan Zhao with a cold expression and said, "In the future, don't come looking for me again. I won’t be together with you."

Ruan Zhao shook his head firmly: "If in the end I am destined not to have you, I won't regret it either. But given the current situation, I still think there's hope." As he spoke, he leaned forward slightly so that his face was very close to hers. Ni Xuanyi could clearly see the colorful neon lights flickering on his thick eyelashes.

"Xuanxuan, making efforts won't ever make you regret it; you know this principle well. So I'll keep watching as you put in effort, and I hope you let me do the same. In the end, we’ll see who's effort pays off. Xuanxuan, you promised me that we could be ordinary friends. I've never forced you to do anything. All I ask is that when you think about him, occasionally spare a thought for me. I don't seek anything else; just remember that I have always been accompanying and waiting for you."

Ni Xuanyi sensed the deliberate repression of pain in Ruan Zhao's words between the lines. She suddenly recalled her own sufferings as well — those heavy pains made her feel too exhausted to reject Ruan Zhao anymore.

The next day at work, Ni Xuanyi felt that time was dragging on. She eagerly anticipated the moment when a colleague would excitedly say, "I saw the president has returned." Her efficiency in work declined; it took her twice as long to complete the same tasks. When she had any free moments, thoughts of Li Yi and Tang Meili flooded back into her mind, wondering if they were engaged.

In the evening, Ruan Zhao came again to pick up Ni Xuanyi for dinner. This time, Ni Xuanyi was more composed but still cold in her refusal, saying, "I'm tired. I want to go home and sleep."

"Xuanxuan, get into the car. I have something to show you," Ruan Zhao looked at Ni Xuanyi with a serious expression.

Standing by the roadside, Ni Xuanyi still did not budge. She wasn't too interested in whatever Ruan Zhao wanted to show her.

"It's about Li Yi," Ruan Zhao added softly.

Ni Xuanyi’s heart stirred immediately; she frowned and asked anxiously, "What about him"

"Get into the car. I'll show it to you."

Concerning Li Yi, Ni Xuanyi got into Ruan Zhao's car.

"No need for dinner, just give me what you want to show," said Ni Xuanyi somewhat impatiently.

"Let’s find a place to sit down…"

"If you don't show it to me now, I'll get off the car right away." Ni Xuanyi became impatient. Because of Ruan Zhao's pursuit and affection in recent days, Ni Xuanyi had forgotten his identity and no longer feared him.

Ruan Zhao didn't have the courage to confront Ni Xuanyi; he obediently handed an English newspaper to her.

Ni Xuanyi took the newspaper and found it was in English. As a foreign language major, reading this wasn't difficult for her. Moreover, there were two clear pictures next to it for explanation.

She quickly read through the content of the newspaper. Then she reread it carefully, unable to believe what she had just seen. Finally, looking at those photos and clutching the paper tightly, she froze, as if she had fallen into an ice pit, her entire body growing cold before shivering.

Ruan Zhao saw Ni Xuanyi biting her lip until he could see traces of blood, regretting handing the newspaper to her directly. He softly called out beside her, "Xuanxuan, Xuanxuan, don't get upset... Calm down..."

Ni Xuanyi slowly turned to look at Ruan Zhao, holding up the newspaper and asked with a trembling voice, "Is this... Is this true"

Ruan Zhao hesitated for a moment before softly saying, "I also only saw it in the paper and heard from others. I wasn't there myself. Apparently, Old Master Tang is seriously ill, urging Li Yi and Tang Moli to get married, so they quickly announced their engagement in the newspaper. Otherwise, with their backgrounds and status, such a significant event as an engagement would certainly be properly arranged."

Ni Xuanyi bitterly smiled, tears streaming down her face. The company had been quietly spreading this rumor these days, but she always doubted the news' authenticity. She couldn't believe it, wouldn't believe it, yet in the end, she was fooling herself.

She looked at Li Yi and Tang Moli's photo on the newspaper, not a luxurious wedding portrait, just a simple picture of them together beside the announcement, but anyone could see they were an ideal match, equally matched in talent and looks.

Ni Xuanyi found the words on the newspaper blurring as her tears fell upon it.

Li Yi was still more清醒 and decisive than her. After saying those words to her, she had been foolishly waiting for a result here, but didn't expect Li Yi to have already made a decision before her.

No wonder Li Yi hadn't called her these days; he was busy preparing for the engagement. Unfortunately, they were already engaged over there while she was still hopelessly waiting here.

Ni Xuanyi had a stubborn nature and rarely cried, but recently, she found herself shedding tears over Li Yi.

"Xuanxuan, don't be sad. No matter what happens, everything will pass eventually," Ruan Zhao comforted her softly from the side.

I'm not sad.

Ni Xuanyi smiled bitterly.

Li Yi, Li Yi—no one knew what that name meant to Ni Xuanyi.

Ni Xuanyi felt her whole body become hollow. She had devoted all of her lifetime affection to Li Yi over these four years, pouring out every bit of her emotion on him alone, leaving nothing for herself.

Actually, she was the one being foolish; between her and Li Yi, it was註定 like birds and fish, destined never to meet.

But what she didn't expect was that Li Yi would tell her the answer in this way—without any warning, suddenly, leaving her no time to react. He announced to the world that he was engaged to Tang Meili.with others—no difference whatsoever. He spoke formally to the crowd, saying "Thank you all for your hard work throughout the year," while Tang Moli echoed beside him, "Everyone has been working very...