"Why?"
Tang Yinyao simply couldn't believe it. It was only a week abroad, so why was her fiancé's attitude so cold?
Although his attitude hadn't been warm before, they had still been like relatively close ordinary friends.
Meeting once every couple of weeks or sharing a meal, his mood was always stable, never prone to random outbursts.
Yan Hechuan: "Because I've realized I don't like you."
Tang Yinyao was stunned for a moment before she heard him say more.
"I've fallen for someone else."
With that, he hung up.
What?! Her icy, ghost-like, indifferent fiancé had actually fallen for someone else?
A man, or a woman?
That was the first thought that jumped into Tang Yinyao's head.
Because she knew Yan Hechuan would break out in allergic rashes if unfamiliar women got too close to him. So, 'fallen for someone else'...
Most likely, it wasn't a woman?
Could it be...
A pair of beautiful, sparkling peach-blossom eyes flashed in her mind?
Junior brother? Meng Xiang?!!
She was utterly shocked. This was huge.
Of course, the immediate priority.
Was to first deal with the trouble of someone targeting the Tang family.
Tang Yinyao thought very clearly. Even if Yan Hechuan really had fallen for Meng Xiang, she wouldn't break off the engagement.
What she wanted was the prestigious status of being Mrs. Yan.
At worst, she could just turn a blind eye.
Then, the only solution was to get the sucker Du Jiashu to handle this problem.
Tang Yinyao continued, her voice choked with sobs:
"Brother Jiashu, I don't know what's wrong with Hechuan either. Maybe he feels that being blind, he doesn't want to burden me."
"But I won't leave him just because he's lost his sight."
"I'm not that kind of person."
Du Jiashu listened somewhat numbly. So, was YaoYao calling him to declare her unwavering devotion to Yan Hechuan?
Tang Yinyao quickly got to the main point.
"With Hechuan in this state, I feel awkward bothering him with this."
"Brother Jiashu, about that Maple Leaf Country businessman attacking our Tang family... could you take the lead as an intermediary? I'm flying home next week."
"I'll treat you to a meal then, we'll drink until we drop."
She used a straightforward, buddy-like tone, but when she mentioned the words 'drink until we drop,' she deliberately left Du Jiashu with endless fantasies.
Even though he knew nothing would happen.
It was like a carrot dangling before a donkey, leading the foolish animal endlessly forward.
This kind of thing had happened many times before.
The reason Tang Yinyao was willing to string Du Jiashu along was that he genuinely helped her solve problems.
Not only for free, but he also spent money and effort.
Such a perfect tool was hard to find.
Moreover, the Du family held some status in the local circle of Haishi.
Du Jiashu listened quietly, but his thoughts drifted involuntarily upstairs.
That heartless woman, Xia Liuyue, was probably asleep by now, right? The master bedroom door was surely locked tight.
If she knew he was downstairs calling YaoYao, would she be angry?
"Brother Jiashu, Brother Jiashu." After the long silence, Tang Yinyao, thinking something was wrong, called out a few more times.
His thoughts were pulled back.
Du Jiashu pursed his lips and said softly, "YaoYao, you know I'd be willing to help you."
Before Tang Yinyao could utter her thanks, he paused and continued,
"But as a friend, it's not suitable for me to get involved in this matter, especially since Yan Hechuan has warned me to stay away from you."
"Otherwise, he'll come after our Du family."
"So I'm sorry, this time, you'll have to go to him to handle it."
Tang Yinyao on the other end of the phone was both shocked and delighted.
What?!
Yan Hechuan warned Du Jiashu not to get too close to her.
You have to understand, in the year and a half of their relationship and engagement, he knew she had a close 'good brother,' but he had never questioned it.
He had never stopped them from meeting.
He never got jealous, never showed concern.
Sometimes, Tang Yinyao would act up a bit and ask, "Why aren't you angry when I go out drinking with my good brother?"
Yan Hechuan would always answer with stable composure:
"Right, you said it, good brothers drinking together is normal. Everyone should have their own social space."
That statement wasn't wrong.
But from a deeper perspective, it meant Yan Hechuan simply didn't care about her.
So he didn't mind her interactions with others.
Tang Yinyao was furious inside, but she also knew Yan Hechuan was the best match she could currently find; she couldn't marry into a higher social stratum.
So, feeling aggrieved, she would occasionally summon her simp, Du Jiashu, to amuse her.
Just thinking about Du Jiashu sneaking out behind his wife's back to drink and have fun with her gave her a sense of satisfaction, proving her charm once again.
See.
She was still the goddess pursued by many.
Yan Hechuan didn't care for her solely because he was sexually indifferent.
But now, hearing the latest news from Du Jiashu's mouth—that at Elder Zhao's birthday banquet, Yan Hechuan warned him not to get too close to her?!
What did this mean? Yan Hechuan was starting to care about her.
So the breakup must have been due to his low self-esteem — he felt like a blind man, unworthy of her.
That's why he wanted to leave.
A flicker of joy rose in Tang Yinyao's heart again.
So that line, 'I've fallen for someone else,' must also be a lie.
Isn't that how it goes in novels?
To not burden the woman he loves, he fabricates a lie, willing to bear the infamy himself, hoping she'll leave and live a happier life.
Tang Yinyao imagined the whole scenario, and the more she thought about it, the more sense it made.
This time, it was Du Jiashu's turn to call out on the phone:
"YaoYao, YaoYao, are you listening? Why aren't you saying anything?"
"Ah." Tang Yinyao snapped back to reality. "Brother Jiashu, thank you for telling me this. Otherwise, I would have misunderstood Hechuan's good intentions."
"Don't worry, I'll go back home first and clear things up with him. Once we reconcile, our Tang family's problems will be easily solved."
"Thank you. You'll always be my best buddy!"
Just as Tang Yinyao was about to hang up, Du Jiashu quickly interrupted, "Wait."
"What is it, Brother Jiashu?"
"Do you really think our relationship is just that of good buddies?"
Tang Yinyao felt a pang of guilt, but she continued, "Yes, of course. We've known each other since childhood. We're childhood friends, good brothers, good friends."
Du Jiashu had always been exploited without complaint.
But now, he was slowly beginning to sense something amiss.
Did YaoYao really know nothing?
Then why did he detect a hint of panic in her tone?
Who was really pretending?
He didn't want to continue like this anymore.
Perhaps it was time for an answer.
"YaoYao, but I've never thought of you as just a good friend."
"You know perfectly well. I've liked you since we were kids." Du Jiashu pierced through the thin veil between them.
