Chapter 104 I really can't lose her.
Beneath the glitz and glamour of Beijing's nightlife lies a corrupt foundation.
Yan Yunye was tucked away in the darkest corner of the booth, the cigarette between his fingers half-burned, the ashes falling into the ice bucket.
The whiskey glass was emptied and then refilled, for the third time.
"Another one, please."
The bartender recognized him, asked no questions, and silently poured him a drink.
He tilted his head back and gulped down most of the glass. The strong liquor burned his throat, but it couldn't suppress the dull, empty pain in his heart.
The purge at the "Breaking the Cocoon" exhibition was like a public execution.
Wen Wanwan's true colors were exposed, and Su Shiwan was imprisoned.
The Su family is teetering on the brink of collapse, and the Wen family's reputation is ruined.
He was stripped of his power by Yan Tingnan and suspended from his post for investigation.
What suffocated him even more was that Su Ruan was gone.
In the days since she left Qingyan, she has vanished without a trace, leaving no trace of herself.
He tried to confront the person at the SoftVoice studio, but was politely stopped by the receptionist.
"President Su is not here; his itinerary is confidential."
Even Song Shengsheng, that girl, avoids him like the plague.
She completely disappeared from his world.
"Oh."
He scoffed.
Laugh at your own stupidity, laugh at your own blindness.
He downed another glass of wine, trying to numb the sharp pain and remorse with alcohol.
"Yunye?"
A soft female voice pierced through the noise, and Wen Wanwan appeared at the booth without anyone noticing.
Yan Yunye raised his eyes, his vision blurred with drunkenness.
Wen Wanwan, dressed in a low-key off-white dress, stood by the booth, her face showing worry and exhaustion.
Yan Yunye was somewhat surprised, and his brows furrowed unconsciously.
"Wanwan? What brings you here?"
His voice was hoarse and reeked of alcohol.
"You weren't..."
He was placed under house arrest by the Wen family.
He didn't say it aloud, but they both understood.
The Wen family cut off her financial support, ruined her reputation in Beijing's social circles, and made it almost impossible for her to survive.
A hint of embarrassment flashed across Wen Wanwan's face, but it was quickly covered up by a gentle smile.
She sat down naturally opposite him, her gaze sweeping over the empty wine glass in front of him.
With no place for her to stand in the country, she had to grasp at the straw of studying abroad.
But money is a problem.
Although Yan Yunye, the backup plan, has lost power now, he is still a force to be reckoned with.
Squeeze every last bit of value out of him, enough for her to go abroad and live a carefree life for a while.
"I'm worried about you."
Her voice softened further, tinged with tears.
"I heard you've been in a bad mood lately and have been coming here to drown your sorrows."
"I ran away secretly."
Yan Yunye looked at her eyes, which were covered with a layer of water.
In the past, he would have tenderly embraced her and stood up for her against the whole world.
But now, in the dressing room of the "Breaking the Cocoon" exhibition, she gave a performance that she was completely unaware of.
Su Shiwan's frantic accusations were like thorns piercing his heart.
When he looked at that face again, he felt it was completely unfamiliar, and even a little nauseating.
He silently poured himself another glass of wine, without saying a word.
Seeing his cold attitude, Wen Wanwan became anxious and leaned forward slightly.
"I'm planning to study abroad and leave Beijing, this place of trouble."
"Yunye, will you come with me?"
Her voice was seductive.
"Studying abroad, starting over, just the two of us."
She looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to grant all her requests without hesitation, just as he had done countless times before.
Yan Yunye paused, his hand holding the wine glass still.
He looked up at her, his eyes, though hazy with intoxication, revealed a hint of clarity and scrutiny.
"Going abroad? Starting over?"
He repeated those words as if he had heard a joke.
Wen Wanwan forced a smile.
"Yes, leave this heartbreaking place."
"us……"
"us?"
Yan Yunye interrupted her, his voice turning cold.
"Wanwan, even now, are you still playing along with me?"
Wen Wanwan's face turned pale instantly.
"Yunye, what do you mean? I don't understand."
"Can't understand?"
Yan Yunye chuckled and downed the remaining wine in his cup in one gulp, the alcohol burning his eyes until they turned red.
"The Wen family cut off your financial support, right?"
Wen Wanwan's face turned pale, and her forced smile completely collapsed.
"Yes, Dad is too cruel, just for such a small thing..."
"A small matter?"
Yan Yunye felt as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.
"He instigated Su Shiwan to hire someone to destroy the painting, drugged Su Ruan, and instructed Jiang Xin to sabotage Su Ruan."
"These are considered trivial matters?"
With each question he asked, his voice grew deeper.
Wen Wanwan's eyes instantly reddened, and tears welled up but didn't fall.
"Even you think of me like that? As for the Cocoon Breaking Exhibition, I was deceived by Sister Shiwan about those things."
"Our relationship has lasted so many years..."
"We have no feelings for each other."
Yan Yunye interrupted her decisively.
"You watched me act like a fool, targeting Su Ruan and hurting her, all for your sake."
"Are you feeling smug?"
Wen Wanwan was stunned by the fierceness and disappointment in his eyes, and her body trembled slightly.
"No! Su Shiwan is slandering me!"
"Yunye, you have to believe me..."
"Haven't I trusted you enough?"
Yan Yunye slammed his wine glass down on the table with a loud bang.
"You believe I've been abandoned by everyone, you believe I've lost the people I should have cherished most!"
He was breathing heavily, his bloodshot eyes fixed on her.
"What do you take me for? A gun to clear obstacles for you? Or a spare tire that can be used at any time?"
These words were like a slap in the face to Wen Wanwan.
She stood up abruptly, tears welling up instantly, filled with humiliation and anger.
"Yan Yunye! How could you say that to me?!"
Everything I've done is because I love you!
I know you still like me...
"Forget about Su Ruan, forget about all the troubles in Beijing, let's date."
"like?"
Yan Yunye gave a mocking laugh, but his laughter was full of desolation.
He waved his hand, as if shooing away something repulsive.
"You can leave now."
"Go abroad or go anywhere, just don't come looking for me again."
Wen Wanwan stood frozen in place, her face drained of color.
Looking at Yan Yunye, who was completely different from before, she knew that she had played her last card wrong.
She bit her lip hard, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Finally, she turned around and stumbled out of the bar in a disheveled state.
Yan Yunye didn't look at her and took another swig of wine.
"Brother Ye, you're awesome!"
A mocking voice rang out, and Zhou Wei plopped down opposite him.
"You used to be so willing to give your heart to someone, why are you so heartless now?"
"You wouldn't even want someone as despicable as Su Ruan if she offered herself to you for her sake."
Yan Yunye didn't open his eyes, his Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice was terribly hoarse.
"Don't fucking bring up the past."
Zhou Wei moved closer to examine him.
"Hey Ye, what kind of spell did Su Ruan cast on you?"
"When I used to follow you around, you never seemed to care much about me."
"You've become like this ever since he left."
You don't understand.
Yan Yunye's voice was hoarse, carrying a kind of bewilderment that even he himself could not understand.
"She's gone, and here I am..."
He raised his hand and pounded his fist heavily on his chest.
"It's incredibly empty."
"My mind is filled with images of her from before."
"Zhou Wei, I like Su Ruan."
"It wasn't until she left that I realized I really couldn't lose her."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
