Switch Mode

ELEY Chapter 3.4

“What?” Jiang Nan’s eyes widened, making her already large eyes seem even bigger, sparkling with emotion, and her face flushed. It was only then that she realized how strange it was for her to storm over and question him like this.

At that moment, Wang Zheng and Ye Xiyan arrived. Noticing three women standing idly by while Zeng Yu chatted with another woman, Wang Zheng exchanged a knowing glance with Ye Xiyan.

“Zeng Yu, aren’t you going to introduce us?” Wang Zheng asked with a smile as he approached.

Before Zeng Yu could respond, Jiang Nan extended her hand, “Jiang Nan, Zeng Yu’s classmate and now his business partner.”

“Different departments,” Zeng Yu added, introducing himself and smiling, then introduced his friends, “Wang Zheng is a close friend, and Ye Xiyan is Wang Zheng’s girlfriend.”

Wang Zheng and Ye Xiyan were slightly surprised by Zeng Yu’s words. Yuan Lei, standing nearby, was also taken aback. The situation was becoming more interesting, as Jiang Nan might not have realized how much her attitude toward Zeng Yu had changed.

“You’re in which room? Since you’re Zeng Yu’s classmate, I’ll come by and toast later,” Wang Zheng said with a strong sense of social acumen, having immediately noticed the watch on Jiang Nan’s wrist. With all questions answered, he naturally wanted to lend a helping hand to his friend.

“It’s the first time I’ve heard Zeng Yu introduce someone as a friend,” Yuan Lei whispered after Jiang Nan.

Jiang Nan looked at Yuan Lei in surprise, her eyes filled with questions.

Yuan Lei smiled, “He worked at the bar for three years and usually refers to people as acquaintances, not friends. It shows he draws a clear line between the two.”

Yuan Lei’s explanation was somewhat forced, but Jiang Nan didn’t think too much about it, instinctively trusting Yuan Lei. She never suspected Yuan Lei had investigated Zeng Yu or that her life was constantly under the protection of family and friends.

“You all go ahead. I’m going to grab a pack of cigarettes,” Zeng Yu said. Though he rarely smoked, recent stress had driven him to smoke when alone. After saying this, he left for a nearby convenience store, bought a pack, and smoked a cigarette before heading back to the nightclub.

“Hold on!” As the elevator doors were closing, Zeng Yu managed to squeeze in. But once inside, his expression froze as he saw Xiao Xiao standing beside a middle-aged man.

Xiao Xiao was also shocked and immediately thought: *Did he follow me here?* Then, her expression turned angry as she glared at Zeng Yu without saying a word.

Zeng Yu gave her a slight nod and looked away. Xiao Xiao whispered something to the man beside her, who smiled and remained unaware of Zeng Yu’s presence. When the elevator arrived, the man left, saying, “I’ll go ahead; catch up.”

As Zeng Yu stepped out of the elevator, he began searching for Wang Zheng’s room. Xiao Xiao, however, called out from behind, “Zeng Yu, if you have something to discuss, I’ll call you later. Can you leave for now?”

Zeng Yu was checking his phone for the room number Wang Zheng had sent him, but hearing this, he turned and looked at Xiao Xiao in surprise. He had always thought she understood him, yet she was now treating him as a threat. For the first time, Zeng Yu felt a sense of relief and calmly replied, “I’m here to meet a friend, not you.”

“Stop lying. Please just go,” Xiao Xiao insisted, lowering her voice as she glanced at Zeng Yu’s phone.

Zeng Yu put his phone away, “You go ahead. I won’t interfere with your life.”

“If you leave now, I’ll believe you,” Xiao Xiao persisted.

Zeng Yu sighed and turned to go, but Xiao Xiao grabbed his arm, “Do you know how much time and effort I’ve put into getting close to him? You can’t ruin my chance at happiness. Zeng Yu, I know what you’re thinking, but you have to understand me. Love doesn’t pay the bills. Life can go on without love, but not without money.”

Zeng Yu felt like he was falling into an abyss. He had once imagined marrying Xiao Xiao, working hard to provide for her while she managed their home. Every day, he would come home to a warm meal she had prepared, and they would fall asleep in each other’s arms. This was the life he had fantasized about countless times, but now Xiao Xiao was telling him this?

As Xiao Xiao held onto Zeng Yu, Jiang Nan happened to come out of a nearby room. She had been feeling restless and had used the excuse of needing fresh air to check on Zeng Yu. But what she saw shocked her. Jiang Nan couldn’t help but move closer, intending to eavesdrop on their conversation. The words she heard left her stunned.

Jiang Nan felt a wave of sadness and bitterness as she quickly walked up to Zeng Yu, linking her arm with his and smiling sweetly at Xiao Xiao, “Zeng Yu, who’s this?”

Jiang Nan, born into a wealthy family, naturally exuded an air of nobility. Zeng Yu might not have noticed this, but Xiao Xiao certainly did. Xiao Xiao unconsciously straightened her back but then found herself shrinking under Jiang Nan’s gaze, losing her earlier confidence. The difference between women is often felt in an instant. When Jiang Nan made her entrance, she carried an air of superiority. She was taller than Xiao Xiao, wearing heels, and standing next to Zeng Yu, they were almost the same height. Zeng Yu turned his head and met Jiang Nan’s gaze. At that moment, Jiang Nan’s eyes softened, no longer holding the same commanding presence as when she looked at Xiao Xiao.

Zeng Yu felt a chill down his spine. *Is this really Jiang Nan? Maybe I’m just seeing things.*

“She’s Xiao Xiao,” Zeng Yu introduced her briefly, and Xiao Xiao gave a slight nod, “Sorry to interrupt. I’ll be going now.”

Xiao Xiao quickly walked away, feeling utterly crushed by the encounter. Jiang Nan had appeared suddenly, and despite her smiling face, she had completely ignored Xiao Xiao’s presence. If Zeng Yu hadn’t been there, Jiang Nan wouldn’t have given her a second glance.

Xiao Xiao’s emotions were a whirlwind. She had thought leaving Zeng Yu was the right decision, that he would suffer and she would move on to a better life. But now, seeing him with another woman—someone who outshone her in every way—was a blow she hadn’t anticipated.

Feeling shaken, Xiao Xiao paused outside the room, taking several deep breaths. *I can’t afford to lose the big fish I’ve caught,* she thought. *As for Zeng Yu, love can’t pay the bills. Life can go on without love, but not without material comfort.* This was her choice.

Realizing that Jiang Nan still hadn’t let go of his arm, Zeng Yu felt awkward. Running into Jiang Nan had been a coincidence, and her stepping in to help with Xiao Xiao made him grateful but also uncomfortable. He didn’t want to complicate things with Jiang Nan.

Gently pulling his arm free, Zeng Yu said, “I should go find my friends.”

He walked away, feeling a bit embarrassed. The incident with Xiao Xiao had clearly affected him.

As Jiang Nan watched Zeng Yu retreat into the room, her heart ached with sympathy.

“To those who know you’re business partners, it looks like he’s your lover,” Yuan Lei commented with a sigh as she approached from behind Jiang Nan.

Jiang Nan turned and playfully glared at her, “What nonsense! I just felt bad seeing him put on a brave face after running into his ex. You have no idea how awful that woman was, telling him to leave! Who does she think she is?”

Yuan Lei raised an eyebrow, “You’re in trouble!”

Jiang Nan understood what she meant and smiled, shaking her head, “You’re overthinking it.” But in her mind, she couldn’t shake the image of Zeng Yu’s melancholic eyes and slightly hunched back as he walked away.

“Let’s get back to drinking!” Zeng Yu said as he rejoined his friends in the room, picking up a glass.

Wang Zheng looked at him and shook his head, “Something definitely happened to you just now.”

Zeng Yu didn’t answer, downing his drink in one go. As he reached for the bottle to pour himself another, Wang Zheng stopped him, “Not until you tell me what’s going on. When I used to drink to drown my sorrows, you told me the same thing. Now it’s your turn to practice what you preach.”


Be my Patron ~ Buy me Ko-Fi
✨Be a part of the story – support my translations✨
✨Buy me some Ko-FI | Paypal to support my effort✨
✨✨Advance chapter at Patreon✨✨

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is patreon.png

Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Ads Blocker Image Powered by Code Help Pro

Ads Blocker Detected!!!

We have detected that you are using extensions to block ads. Please support us by disabling these ads blocker.

Powered By
Best Wordpress Adblock Detecting Plugin | CHP Adblock

Options

not work with dark mode
Reset