Su Er was thoroughly fed up with this feeling.
All her inappropriate aloofness and pride seemed to be seen through in that three-point smile.
It was blatant, leaving her no room for maneuver.
She thought that if it were someone else, they might jokingly say, "With your high spirits, how come you're here again?"
But Jiang Siyan doesn't know how.
She only sensed a chilling, utterly indifferent, and capricious nature emanating from this person.
Or perhaps, this person simply doesn't bother to say these things.
Thinking of this, Su Er felt even more frustrated. The alcohol gave her a kind of rebellious mentality—a biased and extreme indignation at the injustice of the world.
She was like a fish struggling to survive under the scorching sun; the more the moisture evaporated, the more fiercely she struggled.
As her breathing grew heavier, Su Er abruptly withdrew her gaze, turned her face away, and forced a smile as she apologized to the person beside her, "Mr. Tang, excuse me for a moment."
Tang Yonghao lifted his eyelids and glanced at her, clearly still resentful about her absence halfway through last time. He drew out his words in a deep voice, "Miss Su, you won't get lost again, will you?"
Su Er maintained her smile, "Mr. Tang is overthinking it, of course not."
She got up quickly, but then felt dizzy. She held onto the back of the chair for a few seconds before regaining her balance.
Lin Shuqin was watching her movements and was about to get up to help her when she was stopped by the wine offered to her.
Su Er ignored everything else and walked out of the private room with her head down. Her hurried footsteps echoed in the corridor. She had no time to appreciate the view that was worth over 100 million, as if she were going through an escape.
Only when all that could be heard was the background sound of flowing water and birdsong did Su Er lean against the sink and relax her back.
She turned the water on full blast, unable to suppress the lingering discomfort in her stomach any longer, and vomited.
She hadn't eaten much during the day, and all she drank that night was alcohol. She washed away the filth with water, and in the end, only stomach acid remained, corroding her throat.
Su Er rinsed her mouth with some water and then haphazardly wiped away the physiological tears that overflowed from the corners of her eyes with her fingers.
She didn't want to look at herself in the mirror, and tried to calm her breathing with her eyes closed.
The silhouettes of her parents were reflected in the dappled light and shadow, and the image of her stern rebuke when she applied to drama school echoed in her ears: "Is that a proper path? Are you dissatisfied with your material life or lack a sense of identity?"
"There's so much filth and corruption in that circle; you'll be devoured until there's nothing left but bones!"
"Er'er, listen to your mom and dad. We won't hurt you; we're doing this for your own good..."
...
That was the most intense argument she had ever had with her parents, shattering their image of her as a well-behaved and sensible daughter, and leading her to make her own choice.
But life is always a master at pulling people's hearts apart; no one can always maintain the upper hand.
The victory she once cheered for has now become a trigger that has driven her into a predicament.
Su Er shook her head, let out a deep breath, took out a few tissues, and fixed her makeup.
The used tissues were crumpled into a ball and thrown into the trash can along with my troubled thoughts.
She never doubts or regrets her past decisions because of her current predicament.
The journey back to the private room felt much shorter than when she had escaped. After turning a corner, Su Er paused.
The man seemed to notice her presence, turning to look at her with a calm and indifferent expression in his eyes.
The bright moonlight of early spring illuminated all her disheveled state, leaving her nowhere to hide.
No one wants to expose their helplessness to outsiders, and Su Er was no exception.
However, the gazes that had met did not pass by as easily as she had expected. It seemed inappropriate not to say hello.
She concealed her reluctance well; her voice was still slightly hoarse, yet it carried the charm of the misty Jiangnan region. She said, "Hello, Mr. Jiang."
Jiang Siyan glanced at her reddened eyes and nodded slightly, acknowledging her greeting.
"Then I'll go in first," she said perfunctorily.
Jiang Siyan didn't reply to her. His handsome face was shrouded in a light mist, and the bland conversation was even less interesting than the artificial mountain piled up in the distance.
Many years later, when Su Er recalls that moment, she still feels that their connection is like an inescapable bond in their destiny.
Her steps faltered as she tried to appear calm and composed, but her legs suddenly gave way, and she fell uncontrollably to the ground.
Su Er reached out in a panic to steady herself against the pillar beside her, but missed by a hair's breadth.
She was probably destined to fall, and resigned herself to the burning pain in her palm.
But suddenly her arm tightened, and with the force of that pull, Su Er straightened up, still somewhat shaken.
The pungent smell of tobacco was right next to her ear, like a scolding for a naughty child. Jiang Siyan teased her in a familiar tone, "What's the panic?"
Su Er's ears felt hot, and she shyly pulled her hand away from his while leaning against the wall, saying with a distant expression, "Thank you."
Seeing her actions, which made her want to avoid him at all costs, Jiang Siyan raised an eyebrow somewhat flippantly and said, "You're too kind."
Familiar words were repeated again that night, as if caught in a cycle called fate.
Just then, the waiter opened the door to get the drinks, and Su Er hurried back to the private room without even saying hello.
Hearing the sound of the door slamming shut, Jiang Siyan took a deep drag of his cigarette and couldn't help but chuckle. Was he really that scary?
Su Er had only been seated for a few minutes when Jiang Siyan returned. Holding a wine glass, her earlier panic and helplessness were gone, and the mole at the end of her eyebrow accentuated her stubbornness.
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