Huo Junyang hasn't contacted Lu Ran for many days.
Gradually, he realized that their relationship could never go back to what it was before, and during this time he also figured some things out. Since their fate had run its course, he would let nature take its course.
Not forcing things might be a way to respect the relationship and leave each other with some dignity.
Besides, he now has something he enjoys doing.
He could discuss comics and plots with Bai Zhijin every day, and when he got stuck, Bai Zhijin would help him draw the characters.
His comics have also resumed serialization, with some changes made with the help of Shirai Jin, and the number of clicks has steadily rebounded.
Although it's not as many as the previous 100,000+, seeing the data increasing every day still gives Huo Junyang an indescribable sense of accomplishment.
Most importantly, he could completely relax and be himself in front of Bai Zhijin.
Bai Zhijin wouldn't force him to read those Machiavellian books, nor would she urge him to compete with his elder brother for the Huo family fortune. Because in Bai Zhijin's view, family affection and happiness were equally important; she also had a brother who loved her, and she didn't need to worry about anything within the family.
Bai Zhijin told him, "When doing something, you can disregard gains and losses at first. As long as you like it, just go for it. If you persevere, there will always be good results."
"So you think that my painting isn't a waste of time, right?" Huo Junyang asked, looking at her.
Bai Zhijin smiled and said, "This is something you like, and it's meaningful. How can you call it a waste of time?"
Huo Junyang suddenly understood what it meant to have "similar values." He and Bai Zhijin shared the same hobbies, the same beliefs, and similar family backgrounds.
Neither of them needs to struggle for a living; their families have the means to support their hobbies.
Therefore, they get along more easily.
However, Huo Junyang still often thought of Lu Ran.
Sometimes, when the night was quiet and he couldn't sleep, his mind would be filled with memories of his past with Lu Ran. They had shared happy times, but then everything changed.
As he pondered this, Bai Zhijin's pure white smile flashed before his eyes.
Huo Junyang's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately slapped himself hard to drive away the thought.
Did he betray Lu Ran and their relationship by doing this?
He was heartbroken; he never thought of himself as that kind of person. Even if things weren't going well with Lu Ran, he should have broken up with her, gone through a period of time without her, and then started a new relationship!
A sense of guilt welled up in Huo Junyang's heart. The more he couldn't control himself, the more despicable he felt.
His good upbringing led him to take all the blame upon himself, forgetting how others treated him.
He didn't discuss the comics with Bai Zhijin for the next few days.
Bai Zhijin knocked on his door, but he didn't respond. He only made excuses, saying that he had a cold and was afraid of infecting her, so he avoided seeing her.
But actually, he leaned against the door listening to her footsteps until he heard her return home and close the door. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief, though he also felt a slight sense of loss.
A short while later, a courier arrived and delivered a box of cold medicine to him.
Huo Junyang held the box of medicine, his heart filled with mixed emotions. Just then, his phone suddenly vibrated.
It was Lu Ran who sent him a message, begging him to meet her.
Huo Junyang immediately held his breath and took two steps back. His heart felt like a cracked ice surface, and a shallow pain spread from the bottom of his heart.
"Junyang, it's been so long since we last contacted each other, don't you want to see me?"
He hesitated for a moment on the screen, took a deep breath, and agreed to her request.
In fact, Huo Junyang also wanted to see her, not for any other reason, but because he was determined to make things clear with her.
*
The next day they met at a coffee shop next to the Lu Group building.
Lu Ran was dressed in white and looked somewhat haggard. She arrived earlier than Huo Junyang and sat obediently by the window waiting for him.
This is a coffee shop they used to frequent, and this seat used to be their reserved spot.
However, everything had changed by then.
The moment Huo Junyang stepped into the coffee shop and saw Lu Ran by the window, he felt as if he had been transported back to a long time ago.
She held the cup carefully, looking at him timidly, not daring to utter a single loud word.
Huo Junyang felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if a fine needle had pierced it, drawing blood.
He slowly walked over and sat down opposite her.
Lu Ran was taken aback when she saw him, then smiled ingratiatingly and pushed the vanilla latte she had ordered in advance in front of him.
"This is your favorite drink."
Huo Junyang glanced at it and smiled wryly.
This isn't what he likes to drink at all! He clearly prefers a sweet, rich macchiato. It's just that she ordered this the first time he brought her here, so he said he liked it too.
He never ordered it again after that, and always ordered macchiato.
But Lu Ran had never paid attention to it.
Or perhaps she never cared what he liked to drink.
It turns out that some things were foreshadowed long ago.
Huo Junyang said "thank you" softly, and out of politeness, he still picked up the cup and took a sip.
"Junyang, I..."
Before Lu Ran could finish speaking, her eyes reddened.
Huo Junyang handed her a tissue and whispered, "What's wrong with you?"
"I...I know I was wrong," Lu Ran choked out. "Jun Yang, please help me? I have nothing left but you..."
Huo Junyang was slightly taken aback. Lu Ran's hand was on the back of his hand, and he subconsciously pulled it back.
The movement was subtle, but he was still startled by it.
Does this mean that he subconsciously wants to draw a clear line between himself and her?
Huo Junyang's heart pounded. He looked into Lu Ran's eyes, and there was something in them that he couldn't understand.
“My sister is pregnant, and my brother-in-law is temporarily managing Lu’s Group…” Lu Ran wiped away her tears, “but at the board meeting that day, he publicly took back my shares!”
Huo Junyang frowned slightly.
He had heard Huo Junyu mention this matter, but his elder brother only mentioned it briefly, saying that Lu Ran and Dong Jielin had attempted to leak company client information but were caught red-handed. Dong Jielin had already been sent to the police station, and the biggest punishment for Lu Ran was the revocation of her shares.
"Ranran..." Huo Junyang was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "You were the one who made the mistake in this matter."
"I know, I know!" Lu Ran readily admitted her mistake this time. "Jun Yang, I know I was wrong... I wasn't wrong about this one thing, I was wrong about everything before! I shouldn't have thrown a tantrum at you, I shouldn't have forced you to do things you didn't like, I was so wrong!"
"Junyang..." she pleaded with him, her voice trembling with tears, "Please forgive me, okay? For the sake of our past relationship, please forgive me this time, okay?"
Huo Junyang was somewhat surprised, but he quickly realized that something might be wrong.
“Ranran,” he asked again, clinging to a sliver of hope, “what is your purpose in asking me to forgive you? Is it really to get back together with me, or…”
"Or do you want me to help you get the shares back?"
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