She'd been playing around for three years!
Ha, this world is truly laughable!
Playing around to the point of living in a slum?
Playing around to the point of working part-time at various places?
Playing around to the point of not even having time to eat because of work and assignments?
This is her father!
He never believed her words, but he considered his stepmother and stepsister's words as divine pronouncements!
"Let go!" Xin Yu's voice was like ice, cold and indifferent.
Yes, long ago, when he betrayed his mother, she no longer needed to be warm towards him!
Knock, knock, knock, a knock sounded at the door, and a waiter walked in expressionlessly with a glass of wine.
"Your drink, please enjoy."
Xin Zhong felt suspicious about the drink; he didn't seem to have ordered it, but he didn't care because he was holding Xin Yu.
Before he could speak to Xin Yu again, Xin Ran screamed "Ah!" "Ranran, what are you doing?" Xin Zhong, annoyed by his second daughter's pig-like screams, turned and asked.
"Dad..." Xin Ran's voice trembled, breaking into a sob.
"Old Xin, look." Liu Shulan also looked at Xin Zhong, her face pale.
Xin Zhong then glanced at the wine on the table, his hand trembling as his gaze fell upon it.
This is... ghost wine!
Xin Yu seized the opportunity to break free from her father's grip and turned to leave.
"Xin Yu!" Xin Ran roared, "Tell me, did you do this?!"
Calmly turning her eyes, she looked at the wine's packaging, then at Xin Ran, who was now terrified. "I didn't have time for that, but..." She curled her lips into a mocking smile, "Why are you so scared? It's not like... you've done too many bad things in your life!"
"It's you! I never expected you to be so vicious!" Xin Ran insisted. Although she was afraid, how could she not kick someone when they were down, especially after Xin Yu's attitude towards them just now?
This framing came far too easily!
Xin Ran secretly gloated.
"Xin Xin, how could you do this!" Liu Shulan also looked terrified, accusing Xin Zhong, "We're family, after all..."
"Xin Yu!" Xin Zhong threw the wine to the ground, "Did you do this?!"
Xin Yu's hands, hanging at her sides, trembled violently. Disappointment finally overwhelmed her heart, which had long been numb to her father's love.
"Does it matter if I am or not? What matters is that you all need to reflect on yourselves. Being so scared by this worthless liquor, what terrible things have you done?"
With that, Xin Yu strode away without looking back, ignoring Xin Zhong's shouts behind her.
Why did they have to come and disrupt her life again just when she had finally gotten used to living alone?!
And they even arranged a blind date for her!
"Dream on!"
"Dad, let's go quickly too." Xin Ran was still trembling, her eyes not daring to look at the bottle of liquor.
"Alright, alright, why are you so scared! I'm here for you." Xin Zhong said boldly.
Xin Ran scoffed inwardly, "You? What if this liquor was a gift from Mr. Jiu? Even ten Xin families wouldn't be enough..."
Xin Yu walked slowly along the bustling street, her eyes clear, taking in everything.
But...
Nothing could enter her heart. Her once warm home was shattered; her father betrayed her, her mother left.
She was left alone, living a solitary life in this world.
She reached up and touched her cold cheek, her hand brushing against the ring on her ring finger.
"Can I trust you?" Xin Yu kissed the ring lightly, yet dared not entrust her fading heart to him. "Mu Yichuan..."
Will our time together ever come? When will it come?
Xin Yu stood on the overpass, arms wrapped around herself, watching the bustling traffic below.
But she didn't notice the black sedan parked on the side of the street.
"Ayu, where are you?" Liu Hen's muffled voice broke through the phone. "Come on, drink with us! Tonight we're drinking until we drop! Yuanzi... cheers for heartbreak!"
A bitter smile crept onto Xin Yu's lips. Heartbreak?
Was this really her once taciturn best friend, Liu Hen? Unbeknownst to them, they had grown up, their appearances and personalities changed...
When they arrived at Warm Night Bar, Liu Hen and Cheng Yuan were already somewhat dazed.
"Ayu, you're here..." Liu Hen pulled Xin Yu over, but Cheng Yuan ignored her, her eyes unfocused on her wine glass.
"Yuanzi?" Xin Yu nudged her friend, who seemed to snap out of her reverie and turned to look at her.
"Yuanzi, are you a little fairy today, indulging too much in our mortal world's fine wine and food?" she teased, lightly tapping Cheng Yuan's head.
Cheng Yuan remained silent, only staring intently at Xin Yu. She wore a light pink T-shirt and tight jeans, looking crisp and refreshing, and most importantly, her alluring figure was impossible to conceal.
And then there were her delicate eyebrows, her crescent-shaped, bright black eyes, her moist, cherry-red lips, and her porcelain-white skin—would any man fall in love with Xin Yu?
Most importantly, she also had a kind and optimistic heart…
"My A Yu is the best and most beautiful!" Cheng Yuan couldn't contain her envy, and even more so, her pride and joy for her friend!
Pfft.
Xin Yu was about to drink some water when she heard Cheng Yuan's words, and she spat it out, her annoyance vanishing almost entirely.
"My Yuanzi is the best and most considerate too!" Xin Yu hugged Cheng Yuan tightly, gently patting her back.
"A Yu, whether you choose Liu Shuihan or not, after midnight, I will let him go from my heart and won't burden you in any way." Cheng Yuan also hugged Xin Yu, silently vowing in her heart.
Liu Hen watched this scene, her head tilted against the edge of the sofa, a trace of inner turmoil passing through her heart.
"You two are not allowed to drink anymore. I'm going to the restroom, then we'll go home." Xin Yu stood up, taking the two open bottles of liquor with her.
However, just as she came out of the restroom and was about to walk back, she unexpectedly saw—
Nan Juechen!
"What are you doing here?!"
The two exclaimed in unison, looking at each other strangely.
Then, they smiled at each other.
"Met a friend?" His voice was deep and resonant, his breath carrying a faint scent of tobacco and alcohol.
Xin Yu nodded. "We're going back right away."
"Can I ask you out?" Nan Juechen asked.
Boom! Xin Yu felt her head buzz. She stared tremblingly at the tall man before her. He... why did he use the word "ask"?!
Could he have some kind of idea about her? Seeing Xin Yu's flustered expression, Nan Juechen knew she had misunderstood. He smiled slightly, "Didn't you say yesterday you'd do it another day?"
"Ah!" Xin Yu was startled. So that's what he meant. Her face flushed, and she stammered, "Okay, okay!"
"If you're still not at ease, you can call Yichuan."
Call Mu Yichuan?!
Xin Yu's eyes darted around. Did he mean... did Mu Yichuan really inform him?
Inform him with such blush-inducing words...
"No, no need." She quickly waved her hand, eager to leave. "Then—"
"Is it okay now?"
Now?!
Cheng Yuan leaned drowsily against the sofa. Liu Hen turned and raised her right hand, pouring the powder into Xin Yu's cup. Then she pretended to nudge her friend, who only murmured a sound.
Xin Yu, troubled by Nan Juechen's question, walked back. Should she go with him now? First, she needed to check on her two friends.
Walking through the door, Liu Hen was wiping Cheng Yuan's face with a hot towel. Seeing Xin Yu, she smiled subtly, "Ayu, you're back! Why were you gone so long? Have some more water."
"Oh, I just ran into a friend." Xin Yu picked up a glass of water, took a sip, and sat down next to Cheng Yuan. "Yuanzi, are you alright? Shall I take you home?"
Cheng Yuan slowly opened her eyes. "Ugh, so thirsty."
Just as Xin Yu was about to offer her some water, Cheng Yuan unceremoniously snatched the glass from Xin Yu's hand and drank it all in one gulp.
Liu Hen was almost dumbfounded, staring blankly at her two friends.
Cheng Yuan actually… drank that glass of water…
When Nan Juechen came out, he saw Xin Yu alone with two bewildered girls. "Need any help?"
He gentlemanly helped Cheng Yuan up, his intention being quite pure: to lighten Xin Yu's load, since Cheng Yuan was still considered slightly overweight.
"Ugh...it's so hard." Cheng Yuan muttered, rubbing her forehead. Had she just bumped into a rock?
But why did this rock smell so good?
A faint scent of tobacco mingled with the cool smell of alcohol. Cheng Yuan leaned her head on Nan Juechen's arm, straining to look up at the cold, hard lines that still made her tremble years later.
"I...it seems today isn't a good time." After settling Cheng Yuan and Liu Hen on the bed, Xin Yu scratched her head and glanced at Nan Juechen.
He gave a cool smile, raising his hand and opening his palm. "Is the timing right here?"
Xin Yu was stunned, not expecting him to be so insistent.
Moreover, his words seemed to pierce her heart. If she could really control the timing, could she also control the timing between her and Mu Yichuan?
"I'll wait for you downstairs." Nan Juechen assumed Xin Yu needed to deal with things a little longer, so he went downstairs first.
Xin Yu pursed her lips, checked on her two friends again, and then went downstairs.
However, she never expected that no sooner had she left than someone sneaked into the room…
"Boss really wants the photos?"
"Stop talking nonsense, hurry up! I'll keep watch."
As soon as Xin Yu reached the first floor, she suddenly felt dizzy, her steps faltering. What was wrong with her?
Suddenly, she remembered the time in Mu Yichuan's office.
That time, too, she had fainted without warning.
Would it happen again?
Leaning against the building door, Xin Yu gasped for breath, took out her phone, and dialed Mu Yichuan, "Mu… Mu Yichuan…"
"Ayu? What's wrong?" Mu Yichuan, who was in the middle of a conference call, trembled slightly. Her voice was so soft and sweet, "Ayu!"
"I think I'm going to faint again…" Xin Yu's head felt incredibly heavy, and her legs were weak and powerless.
Mu Yichuan's pupils contracted, and he said sharply, "Meeting adjourned!"
Then he strode out, "Ayu, wait for me."
Okay, I'll wait for you.
But she couldn't say those words, along with her question—
Mu Jian wasn't with her. Did Mu Yichuan really know where she was?
"Ah!"
Nan Juechen, leaning against the car and looking up at the third floor, heard a scream. He rushed to the unit entrance and saw Xin Yu lying unconscious beside the screamer.