ABSTIWTVMST Chapter 123

An Rouyu’s mind went blank in an instant. She stared at Jing Yicheng’s face, her chapped lips quivering, unable to utter a word.

 

The fear from those years of being controlled by this demon surged in her heart. Under Jing Yicheng’s intimidating presence, An Rouyu couldn’t even think of screaming or fleeing; she couldn’t even pull her hand back. Her entire body froze in place, as if she were being targeted by a fierce, man-eating beast. Any movement she dared make might result in her instant death.

 

At this moment, An Rouyu felt a mixture of shock and fear. Her mind, muddled over the past days, suddenly cleared somewhat, and she began to desperately pray that someone would come to save her. All she needed was someone to speak up… if only someone would just say something… they could save her…

 

But Jing Yicheng was known for his fierce reputation. If he really lost his temper, no one would dare provoke him. So, the banquet hall remained silent. Everyone simply stood in place, quietly watching the scene unfold, at most feeling a little pity that An Rouyu had somehow managed to provoke Jing Yicheng.

 

Jing Yicheng wasn’t known for his patience. Seeing An Rouyu stand there like a wooden stake, completely unresponsive, he suddenly drew a dagger, twirling it deftly around his fingers, the blade flashing a quick arc of silver light—“Jing Yicheng!”

 

Xu Chenghao’s voice suddenly erupted, causing Jing Yicheng’s blade, which was already hovering close to An Rouyu’s neck, to pause instantly. The tense silence at the banquet finally broke as murmurs spread, with people speculating: was Xu Chenghao actually going to play the hero and save the damsel in distress?

 

To go against Jing Yicheng now, just for An Rouyu, hardly seemed worth it. And hadn’t it been widely rumored that Xu Chenghao had given up on An Rouyu and moved on? So, what on earth was going on?

The two elders of the Xu family were more concerned than ever. One moment, they worried that Xu Chenghao might have been lying to them all along, and that he might still have feelings for An Rouyu; the next, they worried about how fierce Jing Yicheng looked—what if he got angry at Xu Chenghao and hurt him?

 

Everyone held their breath, waiting for Jing Yicheng’s reaction, but he continued to hold the dagger at An Rouyu’s throat, maintaining his threatening stance… as if he were the calm before a storm.

 

Even Ruan Chenxuan silently clenched his fists, inwardly hoping that Jing Yicheng would go wild and provoke Xu Chenghao so he’d have a chance to protect Xu Chenghao, so he could…

 

Before Ruan’s thoughts could take shape, he saw Xu Chenghao take the first action. Xu stepped forward, patted Jing Yicheng’s shoulder twice, and when he still didn’t respond, Xu reached out and waved his hand in front of him. Two seconds later, Jing Yicheng quietly reached out, interlacing his fingers with Xu Chenghao’s.

 

With a slight pull, Xu Chenghao lifted him to his feet, speaking gently, “I have nothing to do with her anymore, so why are you so angry?”

 

Jing Yicheng scowled. “She’s pestering you, and it’s only natural she’s taking advantage of you. I’m not happy about it.”

 

Xu Chenghao smiled faintly. “Didn’t she already lose everything?”

 

Whatever An Rouyu had once gained from Xu Chenghao, she’d now lost. Although there were many factors at play, on balance, she hadn’t come out ahead.

 

But Jing Yicheng was still displeased. He stepped on An Rouyu’s hand, grinding it underfoot, and said, “If you dare pester Xu Chenghao again, calling him ‘Hao-gege,’ just wait and see!”

 

An Rouyu screamed, clawing at Jing Yicheng’s foot in an attempt to free her trapped hand.

Xu Chenghao gave Jing Yicheng’s arm a little tug, signaling him to calm down. Then, he gave everyone a full 360-degree demonstration on how to soothe one’s boyfriend—holding hands, patting his head, hugging, kissing, whispering sweetly, and using whatever method seemed effective.

 

Jing Yicheng’s expression shifted faster than anyone could react. He swiftly put away the dagger, sticking close to Xu Chenghao like an obedient puppy, seamlessly transforming from a ravenous wolf into a little lapdog. The performance was so complete it left the onlookers speechless, as if their blood pressure spiked to unbearable heights.

 

Could this guy please pay attention to his image! Just a moment ago, where was that ruthless demeanor toward An Rouyu? Where was his previously unyielding arrogance? And what’s with this “please praise me” expression on his face?!

 

Everyone desperately wanted to comment but held back, with no one daring to speak up. Then, it dawned on them—wait a minute. So, after all that back-and-forth, these two, these so-called rivals, had actually ended up falling for each other??

 

Whoa, even TV dramas wouldn’t go this far! With how tangled, unpredictable, and fast-paced their relationship had become, the rest of us innocent bystanders can hardly keep up!

 

The crowd wanted to watch the couple show off their affection but also couldn’t help wanting to see An Rouyu’s and Ruan Chenxuan’s reactions. Their heads kept swiveling left and right like bobbleheads, hating that they only had one pair of eyes that could look in only one direction at a time.

 

Apart from feeling nervous about how to explain this to his family later, Xu Chenghao didn’t care in the least. He calmly said, “Since Mr. Ruan and Miss An are also here, I’ll take this opportunity to share some good news. Jing Yicheng and I are currently dating and are in a committed relationship. If there’s any happy occasion in the future, we’ll definitely invite everyone here. We hope you’ll do us the honor of attending.”

 

Everyone: “!!!!”

Announcing his current relationship in front of both his ex-rival and his ex-fiancée, and with his current partner being none other than his ex-fiancée’s former suitor—it’s such a tangled mess, but isn’t it thrilling! This is practically an iconic scene in the making!

 

All those present were seasoned businesspeople skilled at masking their true feelings. No matter how much excitement churned within, they maintained calm exteriors, cheerfully responding and helping revive the atmosphere.

 

Xu Chenghao smiled slightly. “Jing Yicheng isn’t feeling well, so we’ll take our leave now.”

 

Naturally, no one dared object, and they watched as the two of them left. The moment they were out of sight, the young women in the room couldn’t hold back their excitement and squealed, “Oh my god, what kind of legendary scene did I just witness?!”

 

“Just now, with that protective look, I swear I even sensed a dominant aura from Xu Chenghao!”

 

“No, no, haven’t you heard of the height rule for determining who’s the ‘dominant’ one? Xu Chenghao’s half a head shorter than Jing Yicheng!”

 

“I love a ‘little wolfdog’ type so much! If Jing Yicheng weren’t so ruthless, I’d adore him for life just for that face!”

 

The young women fell silent, sighing wistfully, “It’s not that he’s ruthless—he’s just saving all his patience for a certain someone.”

 

The casual onlookers simply admired their looks, but the insiders started analyzing the deeper implications. The Xu and Ruan corporations had maintained a balance in the business circle for years. Occasionally, one would gain an edge, only to be quickly matched by the other. From the days of Old Master Ruan down to Ruan Chenxuan, their rivalry has remained an unbreakable deadlock.

But now, things might be different… Everyone knows that aside from his notorious temper and difficulty to deal with, Jing Yicheng also has a powerful background and enormous wealth! With someone like him backing Xu Chenghao, it’s practically a powerhouse alliance. If Xu Chenghao seizes the opportunity, he’ll be sure to break the long-standing balance and create a new era of dominance for the Xu Group.

 

With that in mind, everyone became even friendlier toward the Xu family, flocking around he two Xu  elders, who hadn’t yet left, pestering them with both obvious and subtle flattery, eager to establish a solid connection.

 

Xu Family Elders: “…”

 

We’re not interested in building connections. Leave us alone!

 

Seeing their own banquet taken over like this, the Ruan family was, of course, unhappy. Even Old Master Ruan couldn’t hold back his displeasure and said darkly, “I’m not feeling well; take me back to my room.”

 

The servants hurried forward to escort him out. Ruan Chenxuan, after a brief consideration, also exited under the pretense of treating his injuries. This time, he left An Rouyu behind, allowing her to sit alone in the corner, bewildered and shrinking, exposed to the crowd’s scrutiny and ridicule.

 

It had been a long time since An Rouyu had felt these kinds of looks directed at her… The last time was, perhaps, after her mother’s death, when her position as the lady of the house was usurped, and her own status plummeted—from the life of an envied princess to something even lower than the servants.

 

Banquets were always places for networking; naturally, people only sought out connections that benefited them or those they wanted to flatter. No one would bother with someone as pitiful as her, so mocking and ostracizing her were par for the course.

 

Back then, An Rouyu’s only joy at such gatherings was getting to eat her fill—and tasting all the delicious food she couldn’t otherwise have.

 

Then Xu Chenghao appeared… He was dressed in a white suit, looking as handsome as a prince on a white horse. Though he was just a young boy, his eyes were filled with sincerity. He said she could call him “gege,” and that if she ever felt wronged, she could tell him, because he would protect her.

 

Because he would protect her…

 

An Rouyu suddenly covered her face, laughing and crying at the same time. Yes, he had promised to protect her.

 

For over twenty years, Xu Chenghao had fulfilled every promise he made to her. He protected her, cherished her, respected her, never forcing her into anything she didn’t want, gentle and kind… yet she still ended up hurting him!

 

He must have felt hurt too, she thought, must have felt heartache, slowly carving her out of his heart, leaving an empty space that Jing Yicheng slipped into, filling that void effortlessly. And now, he was Jing Yicheng’s; he was no longer her Hao-gege.

 

Looking back, An Rouyu suddenly realized that if she had stayed with Xu Chenghao, by now she would have become the lady of the Xu family, with a healthy, adorable child, peacefully living out a warm and happy life.

 

But she chose a path of no return. In the end, her Hao-gege was gone, her child was gone… and even the goal she had chased for so long had changed, no longer the person she thought he was…

 

Regret surged over her like a massive wave, completely submerging An Rouyu, trapping her in its depths, with no way out and no will to escape.

She regretted it…

 

She truly regretted it…

 

But there’s no medicine for regret in this world. All she could do now was pull herself together and keep moving forward. After all, she’d come this far, and there was nothing left she wanted—except her child.

 

Right, her child!

 

An Rouyu suddenly snapped back to attention. Looking around and making sure no one was watching, she quietly slipped up to the second floor.

 

As she walked a few steps further in, she could faintly hear Old Master Ruan’s angry shouting. Of course, the Ruan family wouldn’t be pleased that today’s banquet had been completely overshadowed by others.

 

They’d wanted everyone to remember this event as showcasing the Ruan family’s power and wealth, or the number of influential people they’d brought together, not as a scandalous moment of “Xu Chenghao coming out with Jing Yicheng” or “a powerful alliance.”

 

Moving a bit further inside, she suddenly heard the click of a door lock turning, which startled her into quickly hiding around the corner. She listened as the voices from within grew louder as the door opened.

 

Someone was saying, “The injury isn’t severe, but since the scratches are on his face, Mr. Ruan should be careful to apply ointment regularly to avoid scarring.”

 

After a long pause, Ruan Chenxuan’s indifferent voice replied, “Got it.”

 

“Please rest well, then.”

 

“Mm.”

 

The conversation quickly ended. An Rouyu peeked out and, seeing that the person leaving was just a family doctor carrying a medical kit, she quietly turned and headed in the opposite direction.

 

The child had to be nearby!

 

The author has something to say: Don’t question why the female lead can wander around the Ruan household—the protagonist’s aura is just that strong!

T/N: The female lead is such a complex character. I don’t know whether to pity her or think her dumb