Chapter Sixty-Eight: A Wronged Father and Son, A Precisely Accurate Knife-Thrust in a Shura Field
Hidden deep in the old alleys in the city center, the private restaurants with white walls and gray tiles, along with the red lanterns hanging at the entrance, exude an understated elegance.
Luo Yan arrived ten minutes early. She had just sat down and ordered two signature dishes when she saw Lu Xingyao walk in carrying a simple canvas bag. She was wearing a light-colored linen suit, and her long hair was loosely tied back. She looked more gentle than the last time they met. When she saw her, her smile was still that cool yet warm look.
"How have you been lately? Busy?"
"What a coincidence, the project has just been accepted, so I can finally catch my breath."
Luo Yan poured her a cup of tea. "How long are you going to stay on this study tour?"
"About half a month." Lu Xingyao took a sip of tea, her gaze sweeping over her face. "You don't look too well; your dark circles are practically down to your chin."
Luo Yan paused, her hand still holding a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs. She sighed and put down her chopsticks: "You figured it out? I broke up with Jiang Sui. I broke up with him."
"Break up?" Lu Xingyao raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You two seemed to be getting along fine the last time I saw you. What did he do to cause such a big mess?"
"Don't even mention it, that guy is a jealous monster!"
Luo Yan's pent-up grievances welled up instantly, and she rattled off her story of the chance encounter at the hospital, Jiang Sui's outburst of a kiss, and her impulsive breakup. At the end, she viciously poked at the shrimp dumplings in her bowl: "You have no idea what his eyes looked like back then. It scared Zhou Jiaqi half to death. It looked like he wanted to devour me whole!"
"Jiang Sui's possessiveness is a bit excessive..."
Lu Xingyao scooped up a spoonful of sago pudding, "But it's pretty hardcore of you to just break up with me like that."
“He won’t reflect on his actions unless I get to the point!” Luo Yan retorted, then deflated a second later. “Actually, I regretted it as soon as I got off the bus. My lips still hurt from being bitten, like I’ve smeared Indian ghost pepper on them.” She touched her mouth guiltily. “Does he really have violent tendencies?”
"If he had actually used violence, you would be in the ICU right now, using your health insurance card."
Lu Xingyao rested her chin on her hand and looked at her. "Jiang Sui's problem is that his father gave him too much childhood trauma, which caused him to like someone in the same way that little boys like to pull girls' braids. But he really didn't mean to bully you, it's just... he doesn't understand what the correct way to express himself is."
"Just because you can't express yourself doesn't mean you can bite people randomly!" Luo Yan muttered, but her heart was inexplicably softening.
“He lost his mother when he was ten years old because of his own mistakes. His father has hated him for more than 20 years because of this and has been using guilt to hold him hostage. Do you think he can learn how to express caring normally? He probably subconsciously believes that ‘caring’ should be expressed by hating and tormenting others, just like his father did to his mother.”
Lu Xingyao said calmly, "Back in college, he was like a hedgehog, covered in thorns, and no one could get close to him. The way he treats you is because he considers you one of his own. He just doesn't know how to say 'I'm afraid of losing you,' so he can only use the most clumsy way to possess you."
Luo Yan was stunned. She knew all about Jiang Sui's past, but she never expected it to have such a profound impact on him.
He's the one who has conflicts and cold wars, he's the one who gets jealous and goes crazy, and he's the one who doesn't try to win you back after a breakup.
"By the way, is Zhou Jiaqi, the one you mentioned earlier, your colleague?"
Lu Xingyao suddenly changed the subject, a thoughtful look appearing in her eyes, "Is he tall and thin, wears black-rimmed glasses, and usually likes to wear beige windbreakers?"
Luo Yan nodded: "Yes, you know him?"
"Just asking."
Lu Xingyao didn't say anything more, and patted Luo Yan's hand. "If you ask me, Jiang Sui is just asking for trouble. Before I went abroad, I scolded him so badly that I wanted him to let go, but now he's still living a splendid life, isn't he? Don't waste your energy. If you still want to give him another chance, don't confront him head-on. That guy is all talk and no action. Of course, if you're really wronged, don't force yourself. There are plenty of men out there. You don't have to be with him."
Luo Yan poked at the rice in her bowl, her mind a jumble of thoughts.
Saying she wanted to break up was a lie, but thinking about Jiang Sui's out-of-control state, she felt a little scared.
Just as I was struggling with this decision, my phone suddenly rang. It was Xu Jingfei calling, and her voice was still impatient.
"You left your ID card at my beauty salon. Come and get it right away, or I'll use it to apply for a credit card!"
"Coming right away!" Luo Yan hung up the phone and gave Lu Xingyao an apologetic smile. "My mom is urging me to get my ID card, so I have to go now."
"Go ahead and get busy, we'll get back to you later."
Lu Xingyao smiled at her, and watched as Luo Yan paid the bill and left in a hurry, her expression gradually becoming serious.
At the top floor of Feiyang Technology, Jiang Sui stared blankly at the charts on the screen.
The bright lights outside the floor-to-ceiling windows made his back look like a frozen sculpture.
"Oh, Xiao Jiang hasn't left either?"
Luo Muyang swaggered in, carrying his suit jacket and tie askew, "Stop meditating, how about having a couple of drinks with your uncle?"
Five minutes later, the office was transformed into a barbecue stand.
Luo Muyang chugs down beer, then suddenly slams his fist on the table: "Xiao Jiang, the most painful thing about being a boss isn't financing or betting, it's that the woman I like would rather hire a personal trainer than even look at me!" He pulls out his phone with a pained expression, "She said 'independent women don't need love,' which means... she doesn't want my love, and she doesn't want my money, so what am I supposed to do... Xiao Jiang, I'm really suffering!"
Jiang Sui clinked glasses, the alcohol washing over his throat, his voice hoarse: "President Luo, Luo Yan and I..."
"Don't mention Yanyan!" Luo Muyang waved his hand abruptly. "My daughter's all grown up now and she ignores me completely. I asked her to plead for me... I don't know what she said, otherwise... why is Feifei still ignoring me?" He suddenly leaned closer, his breath reeking of alcohol. "Do you think if I pretended to be bankrupt, Feifei would feel sorry for me and then... take me in?"
Jiang Sui rubbed his temples and pressed the boss back onto the sofa: "How about you donate a library to Project Hope in Ms. Xu's name?"
"That makes sense!" Luo Muyang pulled out his checkbook and started scribbling, but after only a couple of strokes, he slumped down. "Forget it, I've already donated three times. She told me not to insult her with money..." Suddenly, he grabbed Jiang Sui's arm. "Little Jiang, you know women best, right? Teach me!"
Looking at the murky expectation in Luo Muyang's eyes, Jiang Sui couldn't bear to admit that she didn't understand either, so she tentatively suggested, "How about... cutting off contact? I've heard... uh, distance makes the heart grow fonder?"
"Cut off contact? Absolutely not!" Luo Muyang jumped three feet in the air. "What if she takes the opportunity to find her eighth boyfriend!"
Jiang Sui crushed the aluminum can.
Very well, he really doesn't know the answer to this question.
When Luo Muyang began reciting "To the Oak Tree" and tried to stand on the desk, Jiang Sui finally couldn't help but pick him up and drag him outside: "Come on, let's go find her now! Confess your feelings right now!"
"That's right, I'm going to confess... um!" Luo Muyang grinned foolishly, clinging to Jiang Sui's neck. "Once Feifei and I get together... hiccup... I'll make you my best man!"
"..."
Jiang Sui, with a dark expression, shoved the person into the taxi.
In the reflection of the car window, he suddenly saw the lipstick stain on his collar from when Luo Yan struggled yesterday. His heart tightened, and he remembered the faint smell of blood and her aggrieved and frightened eyes.
Has he gone mad? What has he done to her...?
As soon as Luo Yan arrived at the beauty salon, she heard Xu Jingfei and Xu Jinglan arguing inside. Without even thinking, she knew it must be about the renovation of the new store.
"I already said I wanted warm colors, but you insisted on using cool colors. It'll feel like a freezer when guests walk in. Who would want to come?" Xu Jingfei's voice was sharp and grating.
"Do you even know what high-end is? Cool colors are what give it quality! Your taste is so vulgar, like something out of a market!" Xu Jinglan retorted without backing down.
Luo Yan pushed open the door and went in. The two sisters were standing with their hands on their hips, looking at each other. When they saw her come in, they both stopped talking.
Where is my ID card?
Xu Jingfei pulled out her ID card from the cashier's drawer and threw it at her irritably: "If you're so forgetful again, I'll just throw it in the trash."
"Okay, I understand. You two keep chatting, I'll head back now."
Luo Yan took the ID card and put it in her bag, thinking she had to slip away quickly to avoid getting caught in the crossfire if they started arguing.
At that moment, the glass door was smashed open with a loud bang.
Jiang Sui appeared at the door, supporting the whimpering Luo Muyang. The atmosphere became somewhat subtle as their eyes met.
Luo Muyang's eyes lit up when he saw Xu Jingfei, and he rushed over with a shout: "Feifei, I'm here! I'll never hide your high heels again! Please look at me, just once..."
"So you were the one who hid my shoes?! You pervert!" Xu Jingfei's eyebrows shot up, and she grabbed a beauty device to use as a baton. "I knew it! There was only one shoe left! Luo Muyang, you'll be dead by now!"
"Feifei, I'm truly sincere towards you... Please reconsider the investment... I promise I won't interfere with your management, I just want to... see you every day, really! As long as I can... see you every day, I... I, Luo Muyang, will have no regrets in this life!"
The sudden, heartfelt confession left everyone present speechless.
Xu Jingfei blushed and turned away, saying, "Don't embarrass yourself here. Someone, get him out of here right now!"
Xu Jinglan, who was watching the commotion from the sidelines, said, "Oh, is he speaking the truth after drinking? How touching! Feifei, why don't you take pity on him and say yes?"
Get out of my way!
Xu Jingfei glared at her, then turned to Jiang Sui and said, "President Jiang, I'll have to trouble you to take him back. Thank you."
Jiang Sui looked at Luo Yan and said, "I have something to say to you. Can you give me a few minutes?"
Xu Jingfei and Xu Jinglan exchanged a knowing glance, then each lifted Luo Muyang, who was still confessing his feelings, onto their left and right sides and led him into the inner room.
The night was deep, and the streetlights cast a gentle glow, stretching the shadows of the two people standing opposite each other long.
"What do you want to say to me? If it's just an apology... then forget it."
Luo Yan broke the silence first, her voice very low, "Actually yesterday..."
"I know there's nothing between you and Zhou Jiaqi."
Jiang Sui interrupted her softly, her gaze somewhat unfocused as she looked at the distant traffic. "I was too impulsive yesterday. I shouldn't have treated you like that."
Luo Yan was overjoyed and looked up at him. Just as she was about to say something more, she heard Jiang Sui continue, "I promise you... let's break up."
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