It was a rare occasion for Huo Junyang to dine out with Lu Ran. The hotel, owned by the Huo Group, offered everything one could desire.
Huo Junyang arranged for the kitchen to prepare Lu Ran's favorite dishes.
The two sat facing each other, undisturbed by outsiders, with the melodious sound of a violin drifting in from outside. Sunlight streamed in through the French windows, illuminating the colorful Casmi carpet.
Everything seemed peaceful and serene.
Huo Junyang smiled and looked up at her. Lu Ran sat there quietly, a small lock of hair falling beside her ear. She brushed it back with her hand, her slender, fair fingers just as before.
Huo Junyang's heart skipped a beat.
"Junyang," Lu Ran suddenly said, "you've read all the books I asked you to read last time, haven't you?"
Huo Junyang seemed to hear the sound of glass breaking, a loud crash that shattered the peaceful moment.
He looked up again, and the reality was that Lu Ran was no longer the same person she used to be. There were many things in her eyes that he couldn't understand, like those obscure and difficult Machiavellian theories, which were slowly eroding his passion and vitality.
"Junyang?" Lu Ran raised her voice. "I'm talking to you, what's wrong?"
"Oh..." Huo Junyang lowered his head, fiddling with the food on his plate with his knife and fork. "I...I saw it..."
"Do you understand now?"
"Um."
"And management studies, those are all examples of company management, did you read those too?"
Huo Junyang didn't dare to look up and carefully changed the subject.
"Ranran, this shrimp dumpling is your favorite, you..."
"Huo Junyang!" Lu Ran said seriously, "Can't you be serious for once?"
"..."
"Tell me the truth, did you not even read those books?"
Huo Junyang bit his lip, his heart pounding fiercely.
Sure enough, in front of Lu Ran, he was just a bad student who cheated, and she discovered him without him noticing.
"Yes, I didn't see it..." Huo Junyang frowned. "Ranran, why do you have to force me to do things I don't like?"
"Don't like it?" Lu Ran sneered, the sound of her throwing down her knife and fork crisp and cold. "Huo Junyang, you haven't even stepped foot inside the Huo family's gates, what right do you have to talk about liking or disliking it!"
"you……"
"You're your parents' youngest son. Aren't they supposed to favor their youngest son? How come it's the opposite in your case!"
"Ranran!"
Huo Junyang stared at her, panting heavily.
He had a lot to say—his parents did not favor either of their sons, but respected their wishes from childhood to adulthood, constantly discovering their talents and encouraging them.
The first twenty-odd years of his life were filled with sunshine. He was grateful to live in such a family, and the thought of his family brought him warmth. Even if he encountered setbacks later in life, he could use his childhood to heal his entire life.
He had no desire to take over the company, nor was inheriting the throne his life's ambition.
But why can't Lu Ran understand?
Why does such a wonderful home seem so unbearable in Lu Ran's eyes?
Do people have to fight for something, even to the point of killing each other, in order to appear successful?
Huo Junyang clenched his fists tightly at his sides, then slowly relaxed them after a while. After taking several deep breaths, he said in a low voice, "I... I'm going to the restroom."
"Huo Junyang!"
Before Lu Ran could finish speaking, he had already run out. She sat down angrily, the fine wine and delicacies before her seeming to transform into pairs of mocking eyes.
Lu Ran's face turned pale.
She glanced across at Huo Junyang's seat and saw his phone still there.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously looked around before quickly taking his phone and placing it under the table.
Huo Junyang's phone doesn't have a password; it unlocks with facial recognition. And long ago, when they were still deeply in love, Huo Junyang had already entered her facial recognition data into his phone.
He said that as a qualified boyfriend, he had to give her a sense of security, so she could check his phone anytime, anywhere.
She was just naive back then and never investigated him.
Now……
Lu Ran rolled her eyes, turned her face toward the screen, and swiped her finger lightly.
*
Huo Junyang stayed in the restroom for quite a while.
He splashed several handfuls of cold water on his face to temporarily clear his confused mind.
To be honest, his feelings for Lu Ran are quite complicated right now; he feels more guilty than loving, and more fearful than affectionate.
It seems they can never go back to the way things were before.
He was even a little afraid to see her, afraid to receive messages from her, and afraid to answer her phone calls.
But he couldn't really get rid of her.
What he feared even more was that Lu Ran would commit suicide again because of him, and then he would live a miserable life carrying the heavy cross of his heart.
Huo Junyang took a deep breath, dried his face, and went outside. At the door of the private room, he put on a sunny, natural smile.
"Ranran!"
However, the moment he pushed open the door, he met Lu Ran's gloomy and cold eyes.
Huo Junyang's heart skipped a beat.
"Ranran... what's wrong?"
Lu Ran looked at him, her eyes seeming to hold two knives, and a cold smile curled at the corner of her mouth.
"Huo Junyang, how long are you going to keep lying to me?"
"What?"
Lu Ran slammed her phone on the table!
Huo Junyang was stunned. The screen displayed his chat history with Bai Zhijin!
His mind went blank, and the whole world seemed to go completely blank.
He looked at Lu Ran in disbelief—hadn't she never looked through his phone before?
He had a clear conscience and never thought of deleting the message after chatting with Bai Zhijin!
"Ranran, listen to me..."
"So you two were still in contact!" Lu Ran shouted hysterically. "You even sent her drawings?"
"Yes, I sent her the artwork!" Huo Junyang's voice trembled slightly, "but I didn't think there was anything shameful about it!"
"Ranran, I just like drawing and playing games, why do you insist on making me study those books?"
"Huo Junyang!" Lu Ran's face twisted in rage. "You have no conscience!"
"Ranran..."
Huo Junyang ran over and put his arm around her shoulder, desperately trying to explain, "I, I haven't talked to Zhijin about anything other than comics! Also... my comic series is doing very well right now, and Zhijin said she has a partner who can help me publish it, or even adapt it! Ranran, believe me, I can make a name for myself through drawing!"
"Don't touch me!" Lu Ran screamed. "Huo Junyang, how come I never realized you were such a two-faced person!"
"I'm not!"
"I was willing to risk my life for you! And this is how you treat me?"
Huo Junyang was stunned, as if countless insects were buzzing in his ears—
"I'm willing to give up my life, so you have to treat me well!"
I'd give my life for you, but you have to listen to me!
Otherwise, you're heartless, and if I die one day, it will be because of you!
Huo Junyang's mind went blank, as if he were back in his nightly nightmares. Suddenly, he had a splitting headache and ran out of the private room screaming.
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