Chapter Ninety-Nine: The Ex-Boyfriend's Stance

As Jiang Chuan parked his car once again in front of the familiar apartment building, he had a strange feeling of being in another world.

There was a file on the passenger seat. He had been so busy with this matter these past few days that he hadn't had a moment to spare. After dealing with the sanatorium, he had made a special trip to Lin Yu's hometown. After everything was settled, he didn't return to Shanghai until late last night.

When he woke up this morning, his body made the decision before his mind could react. By the time he realized what was happening, the car was already parked downstairs at her house.

Jiang Chuan leaned back in the driver's seat, his eyes were dark and he looked tired from days of travel.

He sat in his car for a while, unsure whether he should go directly to her door or wait there until she left for her early shift. For the first time, he felt completely uncertain about what he was about to do, as nervous and anxious as a young boy.

Jiang Chuan always firmly believed that any relationship needs to be maintained with goodwill, but he never realized that when trust is eroded, even the closest relationship will fall apart.

He felt as if he had finally tasted the bitter fruit of the arrogance and possessiveness he had nurtured with his own hands. He told himself that, no matter what, at least once, he should completely let down his guard and pride and have a frank confession with Lin Yu without asking for forgiveness.

Jiang Chuan rehearsed his apology countless times in his mind. Just as he was hesitating, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure passing by the car window.

Lin Yu was wearing a colorful dress, looking travel-worn and as if she had just returned from a vacation.

Jiang Chuan's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously reached out to push the car door, only to find that there was someone else next to her.

Chen Guang appeared beside Lin Yu, expertly pulling her suitcase. The two were dressed in similar styles, and the sight of them walking together exuded an indescribable tacit understanding.

Jiang Chuan couldn't discern Lin Yu's expression—whether it was one of pleasure or indifference. He could only watch helplessly as they walked further and further away, until, in the blink of an eye, even their shadows on the ground disappeared around the corner.

His fingers tightened unconsciously around the doorknob. He should have realized sooner that Lin Yu and Chen Guang had known each other for many years, and compared to himself, they did indeed have a deeper emotional foundation.

Perhaps Lin Yu had been secretly cherishing this past relationship all along, so much so that with just a slight beckoning from Chen Guang, she would immediately and without hesitation abandon herself and throw herself into his arms.

After a long pause, Jiang Chuan released his grip, as if a taut string within him had suddenly snapped. His hand snapped back into place with a click. He closed his eyes, leaning back and letting his weary body sink into the seat behind him.

He seemed to finally realize that, whatever his feelings, he had long since lost the right to share them with her. After all, he was now just her ex-boyfriend.

......

Chen Guang escorted Lin Yu to her doorstep, told her to get some rest, and then silently turned and went downstairs.

As he reached the entrance of the building, he instinctively reached into his pocket, only to find a deflated, empty cigarette box inside, the cigarettes of which had been smoked out sometime earlier.

Frustrated, he clenched the cardboard box in his hand and crumpled it into a ball. After hesitating for a moment in front of the building, he decided to go home first to drop off his luggage, and then go to the convenience store near the entrance.

The road in front of the residential area is under construction, with crisscrossing pipes exposed beneath half of the excavated road surface. Heavy machinery rolls over the gravel, sending dust billowing into the hazy sky, making it inexplicably difficult to breathe.

Chen Guang sidestepped the excavator on the sidewalk and the construction workers beside it. The convenience store's automatic door opened in response, and he walked into the store to the sound of a welcome electronic voice. He went straight to the cashier and habitually pointed to the cigarette storage area behind the counter.

"Give me a pack of the logo slim cigarettes, please."

The clerk yawned, turned around to get cigarettes, and skillfully scanned the code: "Forty-five, I'll scan yours."

Chen Guang took the cigarette, tore open the packaging, and habitually reached for his phone. He pressed the side button, but the screen remained completely black.

He then realized that on the plane, he had been so busy sending photos to Director Lin Yu and processing work emails that he had completely forgotten to charge his phone, which had long since run out of battery and shut down automatically.

"...Wait a moment." He clutched the freshly opened pack of cigarettes, futilely searching his pockets, hoping to miraculously pull out a few forgotten bills.

A few minutes later, he finally gave up, awkwardly lowered his hand, cleared his throat, and looked at the puzzled-looking shop assistant. "Well, my phone died..."

"But I live right across the street. If it's convenient, could I go back and get the money? I can leave my ID card with you first."

The shop assistant didn't answer immediately. Instead, she crossed her arms and gave him a scrutinizing look, her face showing a troubled expression as she weighed the credibility of his suggestion.

"Let's get married together." Just then, a deep voice sounded from behind him.

Chen Guang turned around in response and saw a handsome man standing beside him with pale skin and long, slender fingers holding a can of coffee with a pull tab.

The man wore a well-made dark trench coat, and was about the same size as me. His brows and eyes betrayed an unconcealable weariness. But his gaze was unusually calm, like a deep pool shrouded in winter mist.

He remained calm and composed, as if helping a stranger out of a predicament was merely a small act of kindness.

"I can't accept this," Chen Guang said instinctively, declining the offer.

The man had already scanned the QR code with his phone, and a payment success notification sounded.

"It's just a small amount of money." His tone was flat, revealing no emotion. His gaze lingered briefly on Chen Guang's face, seemingly with a subtle scrutiny.

"Thank you." Chen Guang didn't like taking advantage of others, but given the current situation, he had no choice but to thank them again: "I'm really sorry."

"You're welcome." The man simply nodded slightly, said nothing more, and turned to leave the convenience store.

He stopped in front of the convenience store, tilted his head back and drank the last bit of coffee in the can, crushed the can, and tossed it casually. The aluminum can landed precisely in the trash can a few steps away.

Chen Guang followed him out, stood beside him, and flicked a cigarette from the newly opened cigarette box, handing it to him.

The man glanced down at it, then shook his head slightly. "No, thanks." After a brief silence, he casually asked, "Judging from your accent, you don't sound like a local."

"Yeah, I'm here on a business trip." Chen Guang put a cigarette in his mouth, held it between his lips, and lit it. He took a deep drag, using the nicotine to temporarily suppress the faint drowsiness.

"How long are you planning to stay?" the man continued to ask, his tone revealing little emotion.

"It depends," Chen Guang replied ambiguously, raising an eyebrow.

The man nodded, his gaze falling on Chen Guang's profile, blurred by smoke, before suddenly changing the subject: "Your girlfriend doesn't mind you smoking?"

Chen Guang bit his filter. Hearing this, he gave the other person a meaningful look. "I'm quitting," he replied vaguely.

His relationship with Lin Yu cannot be explained in a few words. Although they are far from being boyfriend and girlfriend, there is no need to confess to a stranger.

This was originally just a casual remark. Unexpectedly, the man beside him remained silent for a moment, then sneered: "Tobacco combustion produces thousands of chemical substances, and tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide are all carcinogens."

His tone was calm, but his words were sharp and cutting. "I had a client who just passed away from lung cancer last week."

“His wife remarried in less than a month, taking the children and all his inheritance.” His gaze swept over Chen Guang, and he said quietly, “I advise you to be careful too.”

These words were unwarranted and offensive, crossing a line. Chen Guang frowned, a surge of anger rising within him.

But remembering how the other person had just saved him, he had to suppress his discomfort. He raised his hand and stubbed out the cigarette, which he had only taken two puffs of, in the sandbox on top of the trash can lid.

He took a deep breath, not wanting to dwell on this unlucky topic, and instead asked, "You live around here? How can I pay you back later?"

"I don't live here." The man shook his head, then asked inexplicably, "I heard that the top floor of this building often leaks."

Chen Guang failed to grasp the other party's implied meaning and simply replied, "I don't know about the top floor, but I live on the first floor. It's common for the sewer to smell bad; it's a common problem in old neighborhoods."

Upon hearing this, the man's gaze seemed to soften slightly, and the oppressive aura emanating from him lessened somewhat.

Chen Guang didn't want to deal with this offensive man any longer. He put the cigarette pack back in his pocket and gestured with his chin at the man. "Dude, let's exchange contact information. I'll transfer the money to you later."

A flicker of impatience crossed the man's face as he glanced at his watch. After a brief moment of deliberation, he unexpectedly changed his mind.

He took a business card out of the inside pocket of his trench coat, held it between two fingers, and handed it to Chen Guang.

The business card is made of sturdy material with a simple design. The white background and black lettering make the name Jiang Chuan immediately visible in the center. Below, a line of smaller print lists the law firm's name and his contact information.

So he's a lawyer. It seems his sharp tongue is just an occupational hazard.

Chen Guang looked down at the famous film, but then heard the other person say in that slow, sarcastic tone, "If you ever have to go through another divorce case, you can come to me, I'll give you a discount."

As soon as the words left his mouth, even Jiang Chuan himself was stunned for a moment, seemingly not knowing why he suddenly brought up divorce, and the extra "again" made no sense at all.

It's as if reason suddenly melts away after a long period of emotional exhaustion, and language function deteriorates as well.

Is this guy seriously ill? The nameless anger that had just been suppressed instantly flared up again. Chen Guang almost abandoned the self-discipline he had upheld since he started working and grabbed the other man by the collar to punch him.

Jiang Chuan didn't give him a chance to retaliate. He stopped looking at him, crossed the road, and walked towards the black sedan parked on the other side.

Chen Guang watched as he opened the car door and smoothly got into the driver's seat. Just as the door closed, he subconsciously glanced at the car's license plate.

With just one glance, all doubts vanished like lightning cleaving through the fog, becoming instantly clear.

It was him! So, he was Lin Yu's ex-boyfriend, Jiang Chuan. Chen Guang finally matched the name with the blurry figure in his memory.

He had indeed seen him twice from a distance, once downstairs in Lin Yu's apartment complex, and the other time on her birthday. He hadn't been able to see his face clearly either time, but he had unexpectedly remembered his license plate.

At this moment, Chen Guang finally understood that all of Jiang Chuan's sarcasm and probing were not unfounded or casual remarks.

Chen Guang clenched his fist tightly, the hard corner of the paper digging into his palm, but he was completely unaware. He suddenly raised his head and stared straight across the street.

The dark car windows kept out all prying eyes, but even so, he could still clearly feel a cold gaze piercing through the layers of barriers and heading straight for him.

The two men faced off silently across the street, their gazes clashing as if sparks were flying, their tense atmosphere coalescing into a silent storm. Meanwhile, Lin Yu, at the eye of the storm, remained completely unaware of the turbulent undercurrents.

Remembering what Lin Yu had said—that their breakup was entirely his fault—Chen Guang instantly understood.

Jiang Chuan must have seen him and Lin Yu returning from outside together. So, he naturally assumed that Lin Yu was the third party who caused their breakup and that they were now together.

No wonder he'd been so sarcastic towards him. Chen Guang knew he'd once again successfully caused a misunderstanding.

Since that's the case, he doesn't mind letting this misunderstanding continue. On the contrary, he'd be happy to see it happen, allowing everything to form a dramatic closed loop at this moment.

Jiang Chuan started the engine, and with a deep roar, the car merged into the increasingly dense morning traffic and soon disappeared from Chen Guang's sight.

He was left standing alone by the empty roadside, clutching the business card Jiang Chuan had handed him.

After a moment, Chen Guang chuckled and memorized his number. Then he pulled out the pack of cigarettes from his pocket, along with the business card, clenched it tightly in his hand, and tossed it into the nearby trash can.